Dan T. Posted December 11, 2003 Share Posted December 11, 2003 Dallas Week has me nostalgic. Tell us some of your best memories of the greatest football atmosphere in the NFL - RFK Stadium. Not necessarily games or plays, but those things that evoke the atmosphere, especially so the younger Extremers get a sense of what they may have missed. Here's a couple to start: 1. How electric the stadium got the first time those fans in that lower deck section found out they could make the WHOLE FRICKIN SECTION bounce by jumping rhythmically. Man, the roar that grew as more and more people saw that section bounce was amazing . . . 2. Pregame, gray November day, early Rypien era. The 'Skins are on the field doing pregame warmups. Sonny J.'s down on the field in full length trench coat, smoking a cigar, chatting with coaches and players. He saunters over to where the QBs and wide receivers are doing passing drills, and takes a couple of snaps, throwing 40 yard posts, beautiful tight spirals, right on the money, all the while in trenchcoat and with the stogie in his teeth! More and more people in the stands notice, and roar rises to a crescendo. Once he realizes he's making a scene he backs away, but he's already reminded people he why was considered one of the best pure passers ever to play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan T. Posted December 11, 2003 Author Share Posted December 11, 2003 Here's another - Walking through the pedestrian tunnel under C Street to get from the parking lot to the stadium with everyone going "MOOOOO" echoing off the walls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief skin Posted December 11, 2003 Share Posted December 11, 2003 That was a special time and place in history and it will never be duplicated again. I use to get chills running up my back every time I walked into the place. The last game played my brother and I sawed a couple pieces of seats off and that yellow board sits downstairs alogside all the other cherished memoribilia from the Skins glory days. HAIL TO RFK we miss you Snyder can take that FEDEX mess and stick it up his A$$ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TD_washingtonredskins Posted December 11, 2003 Share Posted December 11, 2003 Hugging some very smelly fan next to me (I was 10) when Ali-Haji Shiek made a game-winning FG vs. the Jets in 1987 (my first game ever). I loved the camraderie (sp?) that came with going to games there. Hi-fives and hugs all around when the Skins scored! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orlskinsfan Posted December 11, 2003 Share Posted December 11, 2003 Going to the final game ever at RFK and beating the dallas cowboys....most memorable moment ever at RFK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowghost Posted December 11, 2003 Share Posted December 11, 2003 Originally posted by orlskinsfan Going to the final game ever at RFK and beating the dallas cowboys....most memorable moment ever at RFK. Man what a fitting end to such a great place:cheers: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hitman56 Posted December 11, 2003 Share Posted December 11, 2003 The smell of cheap cigars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan T. Posted December 11, 2003 Author Share Posted December 11, 2003 Originally posted by orlskinsfan Going to the final game ever at RFK and beating the dallas cowboys....most memorable moment ever at RFK. That was a great night. At the end, a brave soul ran out on the field, and was grabbed. Then a few more went. . . Soon, hundreds swarmed onto the field to celebrate the end of an era. I carved out a couple of clumps of sod out of the end zone with a Swiss Army knife, and later planted one clump in my front yard. We had a great steaks and lager tailgate for that game in the parking lot north of the stadium, where you could set up in the grass between the lot and Oklahoma Ave. As we're chowing down pregame, this massive RV pulls in to the lot and parks under the Metro. It's got a fully decorated Christmas tree on top and is pulling a trailer-sized barbecue grill behind it. It turns out the RV owner is Mark Bryan, the guitarist for Hootie and the Blowfish, who's a local guy and a huge 'Skins fan. He threw a post game tailgate that was awesome - he had speakers out playing great music, grilling burgers and dogs for all comers, the Christmas tree a beacon for hundreds who joined in to celebrate a victory over Dallas and the end of an era. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riggins44 Posted December 11, 2003 Share Posted December 11, 2003 Sitting in the upper level and watching Manley knock Danny White out of the game. Then the fans got chanting "We Got Dallas" and then watching the 'Boys walk to the locker room at half-time with heads down. Another one, not related to Dallas, is watching Riggins bow the crowd after a TD. The place went nuts. Of course can't forget going and watching Darrell Green return an interception for a TD and seeing Art Monk, Dave Butz, the Hogs, Monte Coleman and so many others play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan T. Posted December 11, 2003 Author Share Posted December 11, 2003 Originally posted by riggins44 Another one, not related to Dallas, is watching Riggins bow the crowd after a TD. The place went nuts. That was a CLASSIC . It was the Minnesota playoff game, during the Super Bowl run, I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kilmer17 Posted December 11, 2003 Share Posted December 11, 2003 I was at the game when Riggins and Thiesmann were inducted into the ring of fame (Or some other honorary thing). The introduced everyone on the field including Thiesmann, but Riggins wasnt around. So when the announcer says his name, he comes running out of the tunnell in full uniform. I swear for a minute EVERYONE though he was going to play 1 last game. Also, the final at RFK when the introduced all of the historic players. May favorite was introducing George Stark, then announced "Holding, George Stark". Game moments though are easy. Mosely breaking the record in the snow to beat the Giants. Darrell breaking up the pass versus the Vikings in 87. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canadian Hog Posted December 11, 2003 Share Posted December 11, 2003 The fire that a few fans lit inside that Cowboys helmet during the final game at RFK is always something that I'm gonna remember. Simply classic. By chance, was that anybody on this site? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan T. Posted December 11, 2003 Author Share Posted December 11, 2003 Originally posted by Kilmer17 The introduced everyone on the field including Thiesmann, but Riggins wasnt around. So when the announcer says his name, he comes running out of the tunnell in full uniform. I swear for a minute EVERYONE though he was going to play 1 last game. That was amazing. Riggo truly had a flair for theatrics. The roar when he came sprinting out in full uniform was one for the ages! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sippin2020 Posted December 11, 2003 Share Posted December 11, 2003 I made it to 4 games there, the first 3 not being very memorable, I was pretty young. But my father took me to the season opener of the 1991 season. Sunday night against the Lions. 45-0. I will never forget that game. It started the run to the Super Bowl. Barry Sanders or not we whopped their a$$es that night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan T. Posted December 11, 2003 Author Share Posted December 11, 2003 After a Jets night came, can't remember the year. Big crowd walking back to the parking lot and just through the "Moo" tunnel a Jets fan - Jets jersey on - is in a shouting match with some other guys. I gotta hand it to this guy. Slung over his left shoulder he's carrying like a sack of potatoes his buddy, who is drunk off his as$ and passed out. At the same time he's shouting and motioning with his right arm "C'mon, bring it on motherf**er's." The fight didn't happen, but I always wondered if the guy would have put down his buddy first, or just swung away with his right fist only! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelvin Bryant Posted December 11, 2003 Share Posted December 11, 2003 *Another one, not related to Dallas, is watching Riggins bow the crowd after a TD. The place went nuts.* I was there for that one. Gibbs pulled Riggo with a couple of minutes to play. The scoreboard flashed something like: "Rushing -- Vikings 72, Riggins 187" as he jogged off the field, and the place went absolutely berserk. Riggins slowed down as he got near the sideline, and bowed formally, twice, amid an avalance of cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gridironmike Posted December 11, 2003 Share Posted December 11, 2003 My first regular season game was December 13, 1992. We were the defending champs. Dallas was on the rise. We won when Jason Buck caused Aikman to pull his extened throwing arm back in (in the endzone), causing a fumble that Emmitt tried to recover and eventually ended up in the hands of Danny Copeland. The refs were digging in the pile and Monte Coleman was pointing at Copeland who had taken the ball practically back to the fifty yard line in front of the Redskins bench! We won 20-17 and I don't think I've ever been at a louder game. Is the first time the best? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TD_washingtonredskins Posted December 11, 2003 Share Posted December 11, 2003 Gridiron, that was a great play in Redskins history. If I recall right, I think we needed that game to get into the playoffs.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SkinsHokie Fan Posted December 11, 2003 Share Posted December 11, 2003 My few moments were the seat cushion game.... NE thinks snowballs are cool? Just think of 50,000 seat cushions flying everywhere. And the second to last game at RFK vs the 49ers. It was a tough loss in OT but it was frickin loud as anything. That game pretty much sealed the fate of Ron Lynn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kleese Posted December 11, 2003 Share Posted December 11, 2003 My first regular season game was December 13, 1992. We were the defending champs. Dallas was on the rise. We won when Jason Buck caused Aikman to pull his extened throwing arm back in (in the endzone), causing a fumble that Emmitt tried to recover and eventually ended up in the hands of Danny Copeland. The refs were digging in the pile and Monte Coleman was pointing at Copeland who had taken the ball practically back to the fifty yard line in front of the Redskins bench! We won 20-17 and I don't think I've ever been at a louder game. Is the first time the best That's my favorite RFK moment, at least regular season. Hard to beat the 82 NFC Title Game and the last play of the Vikings game in the 1987 Title game. But that Dallas game was so amazing. Anyone remember who got the sack AFTER Dallas got the ball once we took the lead late? They were trying to get into FG range with very little time remaining, this man got the sack and forced a 4th and long, which wound up being an incomplete pass. I believe Jimmy Johnson cried after that game and rumor had it that people around him were very concerned about his mental state. Seriously I'll never forget where I was and what that day was like (living here in Tulsa, I was 15 years old at the time). I really miss going to bed on Sunday's with the ultimate content feeling of having just experienced a great win, and looking forward to the next one. Seems like so long ago............ But I will say this, don't blame the stadium. Everyone yells at Snyder and tells him he can "stick Fedex up his ^%^#$#%^," but that's so unfair. It's the team, not the building itself. My one and only RFK trip came in 1994. We went 3-13 that year, and RFK was pretty dead the day I was there. People left real early, not a whole lot of atmosphere to be honest. I was glad I got to see it though, and I actually have a chunk of RFK framed in my room-- a friend of mine that went to shcool with me at OU, was from the area and attended the last game. He grabbed a chunk for me on his way out. You can still see some of the yellow paint believe it or not. One of the best gifts I've ever received. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kleese Posted December 11, 2003 Share Posted December 11, 2003 And the second to last game at RFK vs the 49ers. It was a tough loss in OT but it was frickin loud as anything. That game pretty much sealed the fate of Ron Lynn The beginning of the end. That game goes our way, and EVERYTHING may have turned out differnetly for us. We had a 16-9 lead late, SF fumbled a kickoff, and had we fallen on it, the game was over. But they jumped on it, drove the field, tied the game, and won in OT. I was upset at the time, but I never knew how symbolic that game wound up being. Up until that game, it felt like we were a young and improving team with all kinds of hope for the future. After that, close losses and baffling 4th quarters became the norm. We still haven't recovered. That game meant more than any of us could have known. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan T. Posted December 11, 2003 Author Share Posted December 11, 2003 Mosely kicking a 48 yard field goal in the snow with seconds left to: 1. Win the game. 2. Clinch the division 3. Set the record for consecutive field goals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RFK Posted December 11, 2003 Share Posted December 11, 2003 hummmmmmmmmmm.. Sec 206 Row 1 seat 4... 1961 until the Redskins moved to Fed EX............. I have 5 seats there and still have seen a game live there.... I prefer life in the Caribbean.. Memories....hummmm... no particular order.. Redskins Giants 72-48... Seeing Vince Lombardi walk in the place as a Redskins coach... Redskins Dallas many many times; especially Walt Garrison vs. Kenny Houston last play of the game MNF on the one.... Knowing and experienceing RFK before it was always sold out...and the crowd cheering the attendance figures when posted in the 4th quarter... The hunk of SOD from the 50 yard line that still grows in the yard in Calvert County Maryland..... Riggins bow to the crowd such an opera..... The seats cushions flying from the Atlanta Game... The two ladies that sat next to me for all those years and watched me mature (I think I have)... Richard Nixon sitiing behind me in 1968... Elizabeth Taylor (Ms Warner at the time) very drunk hanging out of Cook's box..... Seeing the light poles above the upper deck move from the fans jumping up and down ( and thinking this was going to be the end)..... Anticipating the arrival of Santa Claus and the various ways he would enter the stadium.... Watching Pele... Listening and seeing the Beatles... Listening and seeing Bruce... and finally all the chatter from the drunks in the mens room at halftime trying to get warm.. too funny and poetic.... oops one more... the beauty of being hoarse tooooo many times after screaming so loud for so many many many games... ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh RFK what a place; what a cathedral for the fans........ Thanks for the Memories Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hail2skins Posted December 12, 2003 Share Posted December 12, 2003 One thing that I think really hurts the FedEx atmosphere is the lack of a Metro stop nearby. I didn't get to attend a whole lot of games at RFK but really miss cramming onto the subway cars and then getting off at the Stadium-Armory site and walking with the throngs of people into RFK. I drive to FedEx, and I know they have that shuttle service, but it isn't the same. I don't know how close the proposed Summerfield station is going to be to the stadium. I have to say I was pleased to have attended that last game that really mattered in '96 against the Niners. When SF fumbled the kickoff the place exploded, only to die down when the Niners had recovered. My favorite RFK memory had to be watching Ryp carve the Falcons apart 56-17 in the rain, and my least favorite was coming back a few weeks later and paying a scalper $125 so I could watch the Cowboys end our undefeated season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan T. Posted December 12, 2003 Author Share Posted December 12, 2003 Man RFK, you filled that post with some great memories. Remember the big Longines (sp?) clock on the scoreboard? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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