For the first time in my life...

[BD]

I did something this morning that I've never done before.

I yell at the radio a lot when I'm driving. Especially when in traffic. Especially when listening to folks bash the Redskins.

And while I’m usually a pretty mellow guy, I frequently cuss at these radio fools – especially the ones who’ve never even worn pads – as they preen and prognosticate. I don’t think I’ve ever done that to a Redskin, to an actual football player not on the ESPN payroll… but this morning, I did.

I realize I’m a young fan – my earliest memories of football are of the latter-Gibbs era victories, the Rypien Super Bowl, etc. And then it’s all Norv Turner, dive into the middle, boring offense, Gus Frerotte, etc. I have very few memories of a winning franchise. And I realize I have a low tolerance for listening to all these radio folks banter about the “good old days” that are now more than a decade old, people who hate Snyder cause he acts like a young Al Davis or Jerry Jones... despite the fact that he’s done more to turn this franchise around financially than anyone else.

But this morning, I did something I’ve never done before. Driving on the GW Parkway, listening to him give his stupid old “Snyder’s an idiot, it’s just a sideshow, our franchise is doomed, there is no hope for next year” spiel on MMQB on AM 980, I yelled at the top of my lungs:

“F YOU RIGGO!”

Should I be ashamed?

Cause I'm not.

Not after sitting through that whole game, on the goalline, getting cussed at by drunk Cowboys fans, cold and wet and freezing... not after watching Patrick take hit after hit and keep on getting up, all season... not after taking crap from all the Dallas fans in my office, every day...

I don't remember Riggo. I don't remember him leading this team to victory. All I remember is years and years of mediocre seasons, of Frerotte and Westbrook and HB dive after HB dive, of being down two touchdowns at halftime and knowing it was over. Those were the hopeless years, folks - not these.

I have hope for next year, because I still believe in this team. I have hope for next year because it's year 3 for Spurrier, because we're going to get somebody to have a pass rush, because of St. Patrick.

You don't have to believe. You can reach the same conclusion as any other fairweather fan. Make an excuse to stop believing - the owner, the coach, the mediocrity - Riggo's done it.

But that's the easy way out. And we all know it.

BD

[pauldeluxe]

Since you don't remember Riggo, take my word for it, the guy is a god in Redskins lore. The heart he displayed on the field earns him a lot of forgiveness.

He may be an ass occasionally (anybody remember "Hey, Sandy, baby. Loosen up"?), but I generally think his comments are right on the money.

What have you seen from Spurrier or Snyder that makes you think that Riggo was wrong yesterday?

[Phat Hog]

The truth sometimes hurts… but it remains the truth never the less. I think Riggins may be right on a lot of his ‘rant’ points the AM.

This is probably the most pain I have ever felt as a Redskins fan, but I’ll still be a fan next year, and the year after that….

Perhaps the 4th Infantry can help us find the Redskins heart.

[SlobberKnockinFootball]

Yes, you should be ashamed of yourself for yelling at the radio anyway. What kind of image are you trying to portray? :lmao:

[SkinsNumberOne]

Originally posted by BD

I did something this morning that I've never done before.

I yell at the radio a lot when I'm driving. Especially when in traffic. Especially when listening to folks bash the Redskins.

And while I’m usually a pretty mellow guy, I frequently cuss at these radio fools – especially the ones who’ve never even worn pads – as they preen and prognosticate. I don’t think I’ve ever done that to a Redskin, to an actual football player not on the ESPN payroll… but this morning, I did.

I realize I’m a young fan – my earliest memories of football are of the latter-Gibbs era victories, the Rypien Super Bowl, etc. And then it’s all Norv Turner, dive into the middle, boring offense, Gus Frerotte, etc. I have very few memories of a winning franchise. And I realize I have a low tolerance for listening to all these radio folks banter about the “good old days” that are now more than a decade old, people who hate Snyder cause he acts like a young Al Davis or Jerry Jones... despite the fact that he’s done more to turn this franchise around financially than anyone else.

But this morning, I did something I’ve never done before. Driving on the GW Parkway, listening to him give his stupid old “Snyder’s an idiot, it’s just a sideshow, our franchise is doomed, there is no hope for next year” spiel on MMQB on AM 980, I yelled at the top of my lungs:

“F YOU RIGGO!”

Should I be ashamed?

Cause I'm not.

Not after sitting through that whole game, on the goalline, getting cussed at by drunk Cowboys fans, cold and wet and freezing... not after watching Patrick take hit after hit and keep on getting up, all season... not after taking crap from all the Dallas fans in my office, every day...

I don't remember Riggo. I don't remember him leading this team to victory. All I remember is years and years of mediocre seasons, of Frerotte and Westbrook and HB dive after HB dive, of being down two touchdowns at halftime and knowing it was over. Those were the hopeless years, folks - not these.

I have hope for next year, because I still believe in this team. I have hope for next year because it's year 3 for Spurrier, because we're going to get somebody to have a pass rush, because of St. Patrick.

You don't have to believe. You can reach the same conclusion as any other fairweather fan. Make an excuse to stop believing - the owner, the coach, the mediocrity - Riggo's done it.

But that's the easy way out. And we all know it.

BD

Year 3 for Spurrier is, by his own admission, the year we can expect success. We can hold him to that, fairly, with no excuses.

[Phat Hog]

Originally posted by SkinsNumberOne

Year 3 for Spurrier is, by his own admission, the year we can expect success. We can hold him to that, fairly, with no excuses.

:doh: I think I'll just 'hope' for success. My expectations have been trashed for sometime now – I think I’ll give them the year off.

[SkinsNumberOne]

Originally posted by Phat Hog

:doh: I think I'll just 'hope' for success. My expectations have been trashed for sometime now – I think I’ll give them the year off.

Poor choice of words. Don't mistake me for having high expectations. I meant to only emphasize that he gave himself 3 years. Given how his other promises and comments have turned out (game balls for Snyder after Cowboys games being the most laughable at this point)...

[DieselPwr44]

You yelled "F you Riggo" ? That's blasphamey!!! If the team had half the heart and guts of Riggo,we'd be leading the division right now. You need to turn on ESPN Classic sometime and get an education in Redskin history. You're really missing out. In fact,it might help you understand what some of us older fans know: Just how far this franchise has fallen.

[Sarge]

You have blasphemied, my son. Repent now. Not that it'll do us any good. THe football gods are frowning on us anyway. but John Riggins can say any damn thing he likes. Know why? Not only is he right most of the time, but he played football when players wanted to play football and not worry about their paychecks. In 82, during our run to the Super Bowl, the guy laid in traction in the hospital all week then came to RFK and laid a 100+ on the teams we were playing, most of the time while they had 8 in the box.

Fact is, the truth hurts, that's why you scream at the radio. I've said since the danny arrived that he had bad karma, and Riggo knows it too. Great, he made a million dollars in advertising. It doesn't mean he knows what he's doing in football, which is now painfully obvious. Until we rid this organization of this twit, or he finally gets a clue, we're screwed.

[Henry]

I hate it when Riggo bashes the team. I get mad. I yell at the radio. I grit my teeth.

I hate it when Riggo bashes the team, because he's usually right.

[redskin56]

Riggins has not only earned the right to bash the Skins, he should be doing it to their faces.

As others have stated, if this team had half the heart and desire that Riggo had (or still has for that matter) we wouldn't be wondering how to "fix" all the problems.

Although I haven't heard exactly what Riggins said (geographically challenged) he's probably right (based upon what I have heard him say previously).

Remember, Riggins played under Jack Kent Cooke. When he bashes the owner, he's stating an opinion based upon what he saw when this team was a dominant force in the NFL.

Cooke did things the right way and look where it lead............ Perenial winning seasons, division titles (almost yearly), extended runs in the post season and Superbowl titles. Think of it this way, if Riggins is bashing the owner, he's basing his comments on experience that has worked...... well.

[sashae]

Every single Gibbs-era Redskin should be bashing this disorganized grabasstic team that's wearing the b&g... cause they deserve it.

[redblazer00]

You mean we have to really sit and endure another season of this mess? Spurrier doesn't deserve another chance to prove himself! This thing is fast becoming what it was with Norv Turner just one more year and we will be good? Well never worked for Norv and will never work for Spurrier either.

[BG]

Originally posted by [PAPER] sashae [bAG]

Every single Gibbs-era Redskin should be bashing this disorganized grabasstic team that's wearing the b&g... cause they deserve it.

Yay, oy, yay. He speaketh the truth.

Yeseth, lo, I remember the days of the great Riggo. T'was just a babe and I grew to know the redskins as his heart. It carried me through broken legs, Jerry Rice Smaketh Talketh and lo most awesomest, a fumble-prone Earnest Byner who went from bafoon-goat, who we didn't want here, to hero in less than two years with Lord Gibbs.

Yay oh yay. Someday his story will be told in it's entirety and you shall understand..........

[Symbol]

Originally posted by DieselPwr44

You yelled "F you Riggo" ? That's blasphamey!!! If the team had half the heart and guts of Riggo,we'd be leading the division right now. You need to turn on ESPN Classic sometime and get an education in Redskin history. You're really missing out. In fact,it might help you understand what some of us older fans know: Just how far this franchise has fallen.

Totally agreed. Riggo was a beast. I've been a fan since 1978, yet all I can do is hope. I hate Spurrier as the head coach and don't believe he'll ever make it, but I hope that the team can get the job done...

[SlinginSammy HOF '63]

Riggins is a God. He practically carried the team in some of our games in the early 80's. It was his 40-something yd run on 4th and 1 that won us SB 17. Riggins has earned a right to criticize. I still like to break out olg games of him and watch him. Amazing how he was a lone factor in some of those long drives.:notworthy If only you could remember how good he was you'd cut him slack. He was my boyhood hero.

[SlinginSammy HOF '63]

Anyone remember that 7 commercial yesterday with John Elway promoting the NFL playoffs? They should make one called "One" One yard being the difference in SB 17

[BD]

My point is just this: this morning, John Riggins - who many of you still hail as a God of the Gridiron - said that there was "no hope in sight" for next season.

That's the same thing I've heard from every fairweather fan of the Skins for the past 3 seasons. And I'm fed up with it. Especially from someone who wore the Burgundy and Gold.

Sure, I've heard that he carried the team on his back for all those years, years when I wasn't even born, years when I wasn't even aware of football. Sure, he's a character. Sure, he made a lot of you fans. Good for him.

But that doesn't mean that it's any more appropriate for him to say "there's no hope, the next generation of fans are screwed, it's all the owners fault, it's good that Dallas won to show how bad this really is" than anyone else. He compared the Redskins to Arizona, for crying out loud.

In a season where we saw this team fight and struggle, saw the heart and courage of our QB, and saw victory just slip away by 3 points or less so many times, that just crosses the line for me. It's piling on. It's bad form. It's classless. It's Michael-freaking-Irvin. And I don't care who you are - noble Riggo or assweasel Meril Hoge - if you came up and said that to me in a bar after a couple beers, I'd slug you in the mouth.

Let me just ask you this: would Darrell Green ever say that? Would he?

I didn't think so.

BD

[Henry]

That's the same thing I've heard from every fairweather fan of the Skins for the past 3 seasons. And I'm fed up with it.

What, exactly, has been our record over those past three seasons?

If you are fed up, it's not Riggins' fault.

[big z]

The Blame game starts at the top.....

Riggo is venting for all of us.......

only 2 more to go fellas.........hang in there........

[BD]

I'm not blaming Riggo for the record - though I'd point out it's a lot better than, say, the Cardinals or the Bucs of old (the two franchises he compared them to). In fact, our record over the past three years is still better than Dallas.

No, I'm blaming him for saying there's "no hope in sight" for next year. That's loser talk. It's pathetic. And if you believe it, you're no dedicated fan.

BD

[Henry]

BD, I'd say that if you stop rooting for the team because you believe it, THEN you're no dedicated fan. Someone who roots for his team even when he sees no hope in sight is quite dedicated, just like Riggo.

[Troy Fakeman]

Originally posted by pauldeluxe

Since you don't remember Riggo, take my word for it, the guy is a god in Redskins lore. The heart he displayed on the field earns him a lot of forgiveness.

He may be an ass occasionally (anybody remember "Hey, Sandy, baby. Loosen up"?), but I generally think his comments are right on the money.

What have you seen from Spurrier or Snyder that makes you think that Riggo was wrong yesterday?

Can you actually describe to me the story behind that "Hey, Sandy, baby, Loosen up" comment? I kind of know bits and pieces but would like the whole story....like who is Sandy, why he said it, etc?

Thanks pauldeluxe

[Sarge]

Originally posted by BD

I'm not blaming Riggo for the record - though I'd point out it's a lot better than, say, the Cardinals or the Bucs of old (the two franchises he compared them to). In fact, our record over the past three years is still better than Dallas.

No, I'm blaming him for saying there's "no hope in sight" for next year. That's loser talk. It's pathetic. And if you believe it, you're no dedicated fan.

BD

Time to take off the Redsins colored glasses. Look at our record this year. LOOK AT IT. WE SUCK. WE ARE LIKE THE OLD BUCS AND CARDINALS. WAKE UP.

Riggins is exactly right, and like I said earlier, the truth hurts

[BD]

Sandy is Sandra Day O'Connor, currently a Supreme Court Justice. At an annual Washington Press Club dinner, Riggo was seated at a table with O'Connor. She's a rather stiff person, and Riggins reportedly said to her, "Come on, Sandy, baby, loosen up. You're too tight."

He later sent a bouquet of flowers in apology.

Sarge: oh yes, of course. Because beating two playoff-bound teams (Hawks and Patriots) and being within one score of beating four other playoff bound teams (Panthers, Eagles, Dolphins, Cowboys) means that we suck like teams that had 2 wins in a three year span?

BD