We should be ashamed of ourselves.
Posted: Mon Nov 15, 2004 10:56 am
My father was born in D.C., and I've been a Redskins fan since the day I was born. Growing up in California, I had always heard about how great the Redskins fans are, how all their games have been sold out since the mid-60's, and how great of a franchise they were. I've been to many, many games, mostly in enemy territory. This year, after seven years of being on the waiting list, I finally realized my dream and got season tickets. My seats are obviously wayyyyyyyyyyy up in the ozone layer, but hey, they're season tickets to the Washington Redskins!!! Not that it's a dedication worthy of any awards, but I've faithfully driven or flown from Boston, Mass to the D.C. area often in the middle of the night, to be at the Redskins home games this year. It is a journey that I'll make any time I have to, and one that I'm proud and happy to make.
As a Redskins fan in the late 70's and early 80's, I witnessed one of the great head coaches in the history of the game coach the Redskins. More importantly though, I got to read about what an amazing human being that Joe Gibbs was. How he effectively gave up his very own family life to dedicate himself to coaching the Redskins. And this year, I hear how he gets the itch to coach again, but couldn't coach anywhere else but in Washington. His dedication and genuine caring attitude to the fans that he represented in the 80's and 90's was truly something to be admired. Once again, he decides to coach his beloved Redskins, and outlines his plan to restore the Redskins to the proud franchise they once were. If this involved winning a Super Bowl, then that's great. We never heard how Joe Gibbs would immediately bring Super Bowl Glory at the expense of long term stability. We heard about "core Redskins" and "long term" plans, but never about quick fixes to a deeply wounded franchise. It seemed, to me at least, that all my prayers had been answered. Boy, what a shock I would get after only nine games into the year!!!
What I saw from the fans at FEDEX field this weekend, was absolutely despicable, disgusting, and downright shamefull. First, the "official" attendance of circa 87,000 was IMO a fairly generous estimate. Nothing could have prepared me for what I witnessed at the BEGINNING of the third quarter in a game that we're down by ONLY 17-0 was one of the lowest points in my Redskins life. Here's why:
The fans have been voicing their opinion about who they want as QB, and indeed have even begun to question Joe Gibbs' reasoning for not putting Patrick Ramsey in. They've booed Mark Brunell (and rightfully so) for his poor performance. They've chanted "Ramsey...Ramsey", seemingly oblivious to the strategy of their very own head coach. Finally, Joe Gibbs decides to make a change, which by the way was not brought about at the request of the fans, but rather by his own decision making process. This is what the majority of the fans had been screaming for. Over copious message boards in cyberspace, they outlined their reasoning, their desire, their frustration, and their ideas about why Ramsey is the man. FINALLY, it happens. And, what do the Redskins fans do in the third quarter of the game that Ramsey comes into, and one that we're down by 17 points??????? We get up and leave the game! What in the hell is up with that? Are we fans of the Redskins or just fans of a winning Redskins team, if and when that might happen?
Anyone that was at that game and had the decency to stay till the end (like myself) should have been horrified at what they saw in the 4th Quarter. FEDEX field was practically empty at the start of the 4th Quarter. What is so wrong with staying to try and support our team, if in no other way than to show that we're still there? Do you think you're really gonna get home that much earlier? Well, not to blow smoke up my own deriere, but try driving back to Boston only to be at work at 8am the following morning!!! That was the most embarrasing and disgusting site I have seen in all my years of being a Redskins fan, and they've been many!!!
We tell ourselves, and seem to actually beleive it, that Redskins fans are among the elite fans in the NFL. How utterly dissapointed we must be today to realize that we don't hold a candle to the "elite" fans. Elite fans wouldn't do that to the coach they care so deeply about. Do we not think that Joe Gibbs NEVER looks up in the stands during a game? Do we not already know that he feeds off of our excitement? Folks, we have a LOT to be ashamed of. If we truly respect Joe Gibbs and what he's trying to do with this team, we have to start all over again. We have to be "core" fans and not just fans. We have to show the Redskins that we're behind them, NOT because of their past glory, but because we simply love this team. We love the coach, the players, and the organization. If that means showing some sort of support like staying a little longer than the third quarter, how hard could that be? It doesn't cost any money!!
If I had an audience with Joe Gibbs today, I'd apologize to him on behalf of Redskins fans. What we did yesterday was disgracefull!! We have the enthusiasm, as is our right, to boo Mark Brunell when in fact, it's ourselves that we should be booing!!
As a Redskins fan in the late 70's and early 80's, I witnessed one of the great head coaches in the history of the game coach the Redskins. More importantly though, I got to read about what an amazing human being that Joe Gibbs was. How he effectively gave up his very own family life to dedicate himself to coaching the Redskins. And this year, I hear how he gets the itch to coach again, but couldn't coach anywhere else but in Washington. His dedication and genuine caring attitude to the fans that he represented in the 80's and 90's was truly something to be admired. Once again, he decides to coach his beloved Redskins, and outlines his plan to restore the Redskins to the proud franchise they once were. If this involved winning a Super Bowl, then that's great. We never heard how Joe Gibbs would immediately bring Super Bowl Glory at the expense of long term stability. We heard about "core Redskins" and "long term" plans, but never about quick fixes to a deeply wounded franchise. It seemed, to me at least, that all my prayers had been answered. Boy, what a shock I would get after only nine games into the year!!!
What I saw from the fans at FEDEX field this weekend, was absolutely despicable, disgusting, and downright shamefull. First, the "official" attendance of circa 87,000 was IMO a fairly generous estimate. Nothing could have prepared me for what I witnessed at the BEGINNING of the third quarter in a game that we're down by ONLY 17-0 was one of the lowest points in my Redskins life. Here's why:
The fans have been voicing their opinion about who they want as QB, and indeed have even begun to question Joe Gibbs' reasoning for not putting Patrick Ramsey in. They've booed Mark Brunell (and rightfully so) for his poor performance. They've chanted "Ramsey...Ramsey", seemingly oblivious to the strategy of their very own head coach. Finally, Joe Gibbs decides to make a change, which by the way was not brought about at the request of the fans, but rather by his own decision making process. This is what the majority of the fans had been screaming for. Over copious message boards in cyberspace, they outlined their reasoning, their desire, their frustration, and their ideas about why Ramsey is the man. FINALLY, it happens. And, what do the Redskins fans do in the third quarter of the game that Ramsey comes into, and one that we're down by 17 points??????? We get up and leave the game! What in the hell is up with that? Are we fans of the Redskins or just fans of a winning Redskins team, if and when that might happen?
Anyone that was at that game and had the decency to stay till the end (like myself) should have been horrified at what they saw in the 4th Quarter. FEDEX field was practically empty at the start of the 4th Quarter. What is so wrong with staying to try and support our team, if in no other way than to show that we're still there? Do you think you're really gonna get home that much earlier? Well, not to blow smoke up my own deriere, but try driving back to Boston only to be at work at 8am the following morning!!! That was the most embarrasing and disgusting site I have seen in all my years of being a Redskins fan, and they've been many!!!
We tell ourselves, and seem to actually beleive it, that Redskins fans are among the elite fans in the NFL. How utterly dissapointed we must be today to realize that we don't hold a candle to the "elite" fans. Elite fans wouldn't do that to the coach they care so deeply about. Do we not think that Joe Gibbs NEVER looks up in the stands during a game? Do we not already know that he feeds off of our excitement? Folks, we have a LOT to be ashamed of. If we truly respect Joe Gibbs and what he's trying to do with this team, we have to start all over again. We have to be "core" fans and not just fans. We have to show the Redskins that we're behind them, NOT because of their past glory, but because we simply love this team. We love the coach, the players, and the organization. If that means showing some sort of support like staying a little longer than the third quarter, how hard could that be? It doesn't cost any money!!
If I had an audience with Joe Gibbs today, I'd apologize to him on behalf of Redskins fans. What we did yesterday was disgracefull!! We have the enthusiasm, as is our right, to boo Mark Brunell when in fact, it's ourselves that we should be booing!!
