Re: Why are YOU a Redskins fan?
 

My Dad is a scholar of the American Frontier & knows a lot about Native American & Frontier relations. When I was young he told me in simple terms about the plight of the Indians. In the battles of Cowboys v.Indians, which were on tv a lot in the 70s, I always associated the Indians as being the good guys. That translated to football too.

The irony is that my Dad, who grew up listening to Eddie Lebaron's Skins teams on the radio, roots for the Cowboys! Ever since I was old enough to understand football - 3rd grade - my Dad & I would root against each other when watching games.

Loyal Skins fan since 77-8 season!

Re: Why are YOU a Redskins fan?
 

Super Bowl XVII, specifically this moment made me a fan

[IMG]http://www.thesmokingjacket.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/john-riggins.jpg[/IMG]

Re: Why are YOU a Redskins fan?
 

Really good question.....bye.

lol. JK. When I first started paying attention to FB my dad was a Balt. Colts fan. Then they packed up one night and left. So the only local team was the Skins. I think deep down my dad still always liked the Colts but he adopted the Skins because they were the local team. I simply grew up with them. I had my other favorites for odd reasons:
Vikes because of the purple
Raiders because of the pirate and black and silver
Bengals because of their new tiger striped helmets
Buccaneers because family lives in Tampa and their orange and white uni's. I liked the fluorescent orange.

But it always comes back to the Skins because they were the local team I grew up around. Through thick and thin, more thin lately then thick but their the home team.

Re: Why are YOU a Redskins fan?
 

^ I used to live in the Tampa area and ive always likes the Bucs but even when they were winning 10+ games ev year I never jumped on their bandwagon always just a skins fan

Re: Why are YOU a Redskins fan?
 

[quote=Dirtbag59;862588]Damnit you have to upload it. I haven't seen it in years. Here, go back to that site. Save the picture to your hard drive and then upload it through [URL="http://www.tinypic.com"]TinyPic - Free Image Hosting, Photo Sharing & Video Hosting[/URL] which requires no user name to upload pics.[/quote]


Ha I will try and upload it this afternoon when I'm home for sure

Re: Why are YOU a Redskins fan?
 

Love all these stories. Excellent thread. I moved to the NVA (Loudoun) back in 74. Pretty much been a fan since again because they were the local team. But I had watched all the Skins SB's. I went to school at Broad Run which also resided in Ashburn, played in the marching band and played in one of their parades in DC when the school got invited to play. Lots of good memories associated with the Skins but lately it's killing me. I keep holding out hope they will get it right and I can be proud again to say I'm a Skin fan and be able to rub it in the other NFCE fan friends around me vs. simply rubbing in that my lowly Skin beat them.

Plus we need more trophies to catch up with Dallas, Green Bay, Pittsburg, and NE.

Re: Why are YOU a Redskins fan?
 

Also forgot to mention that I'm a Virginian & the Skins are the local team.

Re: Why are YOU a Redskins fan?
 

[quote=SBXVII;862643]Love all these stories. Excellent thread. I moved to the NVA (Loudoun) back in 74. Pretty much been a fan since again because they were the local team. But I had watched all the Skins SB's. I went to school at Broad Run which also resided in Ashburn, played in the marching band and played in one of their parades in DC when the school got invited to play. Lots of good memories associated with the Skins but lately it's killing me. I keep holding out hope they will get it right and I can be proud again to say I'm a Skin fan and be able to rub it in the other NFCE fan friends around me vs. simply rubbing in that my lowly Skin beat them.
[B]
Plus we need more trophies to catch up with Dallas, Green Bay, Pittsburg, and NE[/B].[/quote]


This! I hate how this team is now an afterthought, most fans now a days just think of the Redskins like they would think of the Browns.. We really need to start competing again it's killing all of us.

Re: Why are YOU a Redskins fan?
 

[quote=Mattyk;862637]Super Bowl XVII, specifically this moment made me a fan

[IMG]http://www.thesmokingjacket.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/john-riggins.jpg[/IMG][/quote]

Well Matty.... Read my earlier post... It looks like we've been fans for the exact amount of time... Haha. That's great

Re: Why are YOU a Redskins fan?
 

My dad and mom moved from Jamaica to the DC area to go to college. My dad picked up football when the 'Skins were in their hay day. He started me watching games with him when I was a baby and I was hooked ever since. When I moved back to DC to go to college, I started watching faithfully, and haven't looked back since. (There was also a point in time where I was watching a Dal-Was game with my dad and cheered when the Girls scored. I got slapped and never cheered for 'em again)

Re: Why are YOU a Redskins fan?
 

[quote=Jamaican'Skin;862656]My dad and mom moved from Jamaica to the DC area to go to college. My dad picked up football when the 'Skins were in their hay day. He started me watching games with him when I was a baby and I was hooked ever since. When I moved back to DC to go to college, I started watching faithfully, and haven't looked back since. (There was also a point in time where I was watching a Dal-Was game with my dad and cheered when the Girls scored. I got slapped and never cheered for 'em again)[/quote]


Good for your dad you deserved it!

Re: Why are YOU a Redskins fan?
 

[quote=Jamaican'Skin;862656]My dad and mom moved from Jamaica to the DC area to go to college. My dad picked up football when the 'Skins were in their hay day. He started me watching games with him when I was a baby and I was hooked ever since. When I moved back to DC to go to college, I started watching faithfully, and haven't looked back since. (There was also a point in time where I was watching a Dal-Was game with my dad and cheered when the Girls scored. I got slapped and never cheered for 'em again)[/quote]

Great story - The American Dream, right down to a smack!

Re: Why are YOU a Redskins fan?
 

I'll be honest and say as I'm getting older the losing is taking an even bigger toll simply because I had never seen a true winner in DC like most of you folks. I'm sticking strong though but it's not easy

Re: Why are YOU a Redskins fan?
 

My Dad has been a skins fan since high school when he lived in fairfax county as he moved and stuff his love for the B&G remained and he passed it down to me when i started watching football in eighth grade.

Re: Why are YOU a Redskins fan?
 

It's family thing - when I started to like football, I remembered that my family's loyalty lies with Redskins, so I just followed.

Re: Why are YOU a Redskins fan?
 

Born and raised with burgundy blood and pissing gold

Re: Why are YOU a Redskins fan?
 

Here's a Q how many of your family members are Dallass fans? Seems like my whole damn family is SMH

Re: Why are YOU a Redskins fan?
 

[quote=skinsfaninok;862668]I'll be honest and say as I'm getting older the losing is taking an even bigger toll simply because I had never seen a true winner in DC like most of you folks. I'm sticking strong though but it's not easy[/quote]

I must say I admire the loyalty. My brother is in the same boat, he was only 4 when we last won the SB, but he's followed them loyally his whole life, largely due to my influence on him when he was just learning football. Not many winning seasons for him to experience though.

My only advice is what you've already heard; some day it's going to change. I remember first hearing the term "DeadSkins" about 1980 when Jack Pardee was coaching. Everyone was down on them, then Gibbs came in & well...cue the cliche

Re: Why are YOU a Redskins fan?
 

[quote=skinsfaninok;862681]Here's a Q how many of your family members are Dallass fans? Seems like my whole damn family is SMH[/quote]

wife & in-laws. At least they like to watch football & drink. Plus I can always root against their team on Thanksgiving.

Re: Why are YOU a Redskins fan?
 

[quote=freddyg12;862685]wife & in-laws. At least they like to watch football & drink. Plus I can always root against their team on Thanksgiving.[/quote]


yeah actually I enjoy it simply for the rivalry aspect, it's always fun watching the games with them, even like last week it was painful but I'm used to that by now

Re: Why are YOU a Redskins fan?
 

[quote=freddyg12;862684]I must say I admire the loyalty. My brother is in the same boat, he was only 4 when we last won the SB, but he's followed them loyally his whole life, largely due to my influence on him when he was just learning football. Not many winning seasons for him to experience though.

My only advice is what you've already heard; some day it's going to change. I remember first hearing the term "DeadSkins" about 1980 when Jack Pardee was coaching. Everyone was down on them, then Gibbs came in & well...cue the cliche[/quote]


I hope so man I'll never jump ship but it's just getting old, every season of my life pretty much has been crappy to root for this team.. Hope it changes ASAP

Re: Why are YOU a Redskins fan?
 

After moving down from New York I grew up in Leesburg Virginia from 2nd grade to 8th grade.
This was back when Sonny Jurgensen was still playing.

My dad used to take us to Redskins park and we would watch the players practice between the cracks in the fence. (not much security back then)

Redskin players were on the Slurpee cups at 7-11, I had stacks of them on my dresser. There were huge color portraits of them in the newspapers on Sundays. I wallpapered my bedroom with them.
Everyone I knew loved the Redskins.
I met a lot of them at open houses and even at church.
They were a big deal.

My dad worked at Dulles for United Airlines and because technology was changing the world his job was transferred to O'hare airport near Chicago.
We moved to suburban Chicago, literally into the Bears den. I hated it and still do. I got beat up and spit on when I wore my Redskins coat to school but I kept wearing it and stuck with the Skins. My dad eventually gravitated to becoming a Bears fan which broke my heart but I didnt waver.

In 1978 I moved out and joined the Coast Guard and after moving around 1/3 of the world for a few years I ended up in west Michigan.
Been here since 1983. I'm still a Redskins fan and always will be and will always remember the glory days of Sonny J and Slurpee cups.
HTTR!

Re: Why are YOU a Redskins fan?
 

^ great story Alvin

Re: Why are YOU a Redskins fan?
 

[quote=skinsfaninok;862688]I hope so man I'll never jump ship but it's just getting old, every season of my life pretty much has been crappy to root for this team.. Hope it changes ASAP[/quote]


I was born in NoVa and lived there until I was 7, I was there because my dad was stationed in DC but after that we moved back "home" to RI where all my family lived. during my time in DC 73- 80 my dad got onto football and caught on with the Redskins specifically. I too began to love them and brought my love them to RI with me. Growing up i nthe 80's and 90's it was good to be a Skins fan vs. the Pats. How have times have changed.

I still hold strong to the Skins my dad has waived back to the Pats for the most part but that is his choice. We all live in MD now, so it is easier to be a Skins fan here.

My hat goes off to folks who became Skins fans after 91. At least when they are sucking it up now I can think back to the glory days.

Re: Why are YOU a Redskins fan?
 

Hey mredskins,

I hold strong thinking about what the Pats, Lions, and Seahawks, buccaneers, Browns and Cinci fans had to go through in their drought yrs. Heck even the poor Saints fans. And they held strong and are finally reaping the benifits.

Re: Why are YOU a Redskins fan?
 

When my father was a child, living in DC, he had an accident which cost him a limb. The Redskins had just recently moved from Boston to DC and heard about my father. They came to visit him at the hospital and presented him a football signed by every player and coach. My father became an ardent fan of Slingin' Sammy Baugh in particular. That act of compassion for an injured child has earned them an eternal spot of gratitude in the hearts of our family.
(And NO, that signed football will never leave our family...)

Re: Why are YOU a Redskins fan?
 

[quote=Dogtag;862714]When my father was a child, living in DC, he had an accident which cost him a limb. The Redskins had just recently moved from Boston to DC and heard about my father. They came to visit him at the hospital and presented him a football signed by every player and coach. My father became an ardent fan of Slingin' Sammy Baugh in particular. That act of compassion for an injured child has earned them an eternal spot of gratitude in the hearts of our family.
(And NO, that signed football will never leave our family...)[/quote]

A big Redskin salute to your family!

Re: Why are YOU a Redskins fan?
 

i was born into a redskins family. my grandpa died while watching a taped redskins pre-season game 25 years ago, which kind of shows how much my family loved the skins. i was raised to like the skins, so ive been a skins fan for as long as i can remember. my uncle taught me to say "go skins!" when i was very young, like 1 or 2.

Re: Why are YOU a Redskins fan?
 

I honestly don't know who else I'd switch too say for instance if WSH moved or changed names or something..

Re: Why are YOU a Redskins fan?
 

[quote=Alvin Walton;862694]After moving down from New York I grew up in Leesburg Virginia from 2nd grade to 8th grade.
This was back when Sonny Jurgensen was still playing.

My dad used to take us to Redskins park and we would watch the players practice between the cracks in the fence. (not much security back then)

Redskin players were on the Slurpee cups at 7-11, I had stacks of them on my dresser. There were huge color portraits of them in the newspapers on Sundays. I wallpapered my bedroom with them.
Everyone I knew loved the Redskins.
I met a lot of them at open houses and even at church.
They were a big deal.

My dad worked at Dulles for United Airlines and because technology was changing the world his job was transferred to O'hare airport near Chicago.
We moved to suburban Chicago, literally into the Bears den. I hated it and still do. I got beat up and spit on when I wore my Redskins coat to school but I kept wearing it and stuck with the Skins. My dad eventually gravitated to becoming a Bears fan which broke my heart but I didnt waver.

In 1978 I moved out and joined the Coast Guard and after moving around 1/3 of the world for a few years I ended up in west Michigan.
Been here since 1983. I'm still a Redskins fan and always will be and will always remember the glory days of Sonny J and Slurpee cups.
HTTR![/quote]

Nice story & you obviously have fond memories of the 80s as well & a certain #40

Re: Why are YOU a Redskins fan?
 

Grandfather coached Special Teams with Gibbs 1.0. and Won two Superbowls with him(I've got one of the rings sitting 10 feet away)

The irony of it is when my grandfather left the skins around 96-97 i think? Shanny tried over and OVER to bring him to Denver but he declined. We used to joke about the fact he coulda won two more with Elway and T.Davis.

my grandpa actually coached with different teams too throughout his career but the skins are just the one i picked up. He was the closest and most involved with them (Gibbs is actually his old college buddy and a family friend).

So yeah... family ties. Other than that I can't find a single reason why ha. Its tough.

Re: Why are YOU a Redskins fan?
 

^ now that pretty much tops every reason lol that's bad ass send a pic

Re: Why are YOU a Redskins fan?
 

It was the 1982 season and my dad had on the Redskins vs Cowboys game.(I was 3yrs old) I told him I was going for the red team.........30 years later here I am!
SIDE STORY-1988 season, my mom surprises me with the Super Bowl champion Wheaties box with the cereal inside.She tells me not to take out the Wheaties and hold on to it. I was soo proud of that box I displayed it in my window. Needless to say it got a little sun damage but it still was my prized possession. One year later I meet Doug Williams and got him to sign it. While he is signing it he says, " You still have the cereal inside!?....make sure you keep it out the sun from now on." 22 years later it still sits in my Skins Shrine and it still has the original Wheaties in the box!
HAIL!!!

Re: Why are YOU a Redskins fan?
 

1977 in Upstate NY where I grew up...I was 6 years old. My Aunt took me to a High School football game and the home team was the Indians...they had an Indian head logo (similar to the Redskins). The Indians tore the ass off the opposing team and I really liked the logo (keep in mind I was 6 YRS OLD). The following Sunday the Redskins played the Giants and since I recognized the logo I decided that was my team (Redskins won that game too). My Dad wasn't pleased at the time but the year after he passed away the Redskins won their first Superbowl against the Dolphins. It was the first time I had actually felt good about anything since his death so I knew I would bleed burgundy and gold the rest of my life. Probably sounds weird or even overly dramatic but that's exactly how my love for our team started. Great topic for a thread!!

HAIL TO THE REDSKINS!!

Re: Why are YOU a Redskins fan?
 

Grew up in a household where the Skins were King and everything else were afterthoughts. My parents are casual sports fan, but we didn't go on family trips on Sundays in the Fall because we were always watching the Skins (day trips were for Saturdays).

My Dad used to work at BMW of Fairfax and would bring home autographs from players. Jeff Bostic, Ken Houston, Darrell Green, Clarence Verdin were among the ones I can remember. I wonder if he still has any of them. I met Darryl Grant at one of my Dad's company picnics where I got to wear his Super Bowl XXII ring for a split second.

It really clicked when I went to the Skins/Lions game in 1987. I was completely hooked during the 2nd half when I watched RFK Stadium shake and sway as the Skins were marching onto victory in Super Bowl XXII. And if I'm not mistaken, that was the first game that Doug Williams played in relief for an injured Jay Schroeder. That is by far one of my favorite memories from my childhood.

Re: Why are YOU a Redskins fan?
 

[quote=tc2deuce;862759]It was the 1982 season and my dad had on the Redskins vs Cowboys game.(I was 3yrs old) I told him I was going for the red team.........30 years later here I am!
SIDE STORY-1988 season, my mom surprises me with the Super Bowl champion Wheaties box with the cereal inside.She tells me not to take out the Wheaties and hold on to it. I was soo proud of that box I displayed it in my window. Needless to say it got a little sun damage but it still was my prized possession. One year later I meet Doug Williams and got him to sign it. While he is signing it he says, " You still have the cereal inside!?....make sure you keep it out the sun from now on." 22 years later it still sits in my Skins Shrine and it still has the original Wheaties in the box!
HAIL!!![/quote]

I also have my unopened box of Wheaties with the team picture on it.

Re: Why are YOU a Redskins fan?
 

My dad worked for them in the late 90's. I wasn't a fan or them nor did I not like them, I was just like "Eh ok, Redskins whatever." I had always been a huge Raiders fan. They were that bad ass team with the silver and black. I loved them when they had Jerry Rice and Tim Brown. Then they lost the Super Bowl, and ever since then had started going down hill, I realized I needed a new team, especially since I had nothing to do with them other than I liked them. I was like, "Well my dad enjoyed working for the Skins, and they used to be a great team. Plus everyone around me was rooting for this team that was always supposed to be super bowl bound, according to those people. I'm from the DC metropolitan area, thus it was my home town team. I just liked the Redskins. Then I was watching some Jet games and saw this Santana Moss guy return punts and get huge catches. I was a big fan of him. I remember watching the Skins in '04, and thinking "Well this Joe Gibbs guy is a great coach being a HOFer and winner with 3 different QB's, so he is a huge addition to this team, and this defense is very very good. If only this offense had a stable QB, and a deep threat receiver, they'd be great." Then I heard the skins got Moss and I almost sh!t myself. I was thinking, we're going to the super bowl, we have the OLine, we have the defense, we have the RB, and now we have the deep threat at WR. Ever since then I haven't missed a skins game, and watch them every day religiously. I had always grown up not liking the cowboys, for the most part because of the teams obnoxious looking star on their helmet, but also the overly-obnoxious fans in the area that like them for no reason at all.

Re: Why are YOU a Redskins fan?
 

My old man was studying law in D.C and got a summer job working for a politician who got a lot of free tickets but hated sports. As a result, my pop went to a lot of Redskins games for free in the Sonny Jergensen era. He became a fan and passed it on to me which is why a guy that was born and raised in Connecticut bleeds burgundy and gold. The end.

Re: Why are YOU a Redskins fan?
 

[quote=SFREDSKIN;862585]I grew up in Rockville rooting for the Redskins, have been a LOYAL Redskins fan since 1971, I might have missed a total of 3 games since then, even though I've lived in the SF Bay area since 1982. I watch every minute of every game win or lose, I will love this team till death. I've been through the good times, bad times, good times and bad times again. I have faith that we will see good times soon and look forwards to those days. I appreciate what Jack Kent Cooke, Joe Gibbs and Bobby Beathard gave us in the 80's and early 90's and hold that in memory that we will see those years again which keeps me going.[/quote]

Hey SFRedskin
We are about the same age and have simular story. I to lived in DC/Maryland area and now live in Southern Ca area near Los Angeles. I remember watching the Skins lose to Miami in the 1972 Super Bowl 14-7 , Dolphins undefeated season.

Re: Why are YOU a Redskins fan?
 

[quote=Alvin Walton;862694]After moving down from New York I grew up in Leesburg Virginia from 2nd grade to 8th grade.
This was back when Sonny Jurgensen was still playing.

My dad used to take us to Redskins park and we would watch the players practice between the cracks in the fence. (not much security back then)

Redskin players were on the Slurpee cups at 7-11, I had stacks of them on my dresser. There were huge color portraits of them in the newspapers on Sundays. I wallpapered my bedroom with them.
Everyone I knew loved the Redskins.
I met a lot of them at open houses and even at church.
They were a big deal.

My dad worked at Dulles for United Airlines and because technology was changing the world his job was transferred to O'hare airport near Chicago.
We moved to suburban Chicago, literally into the Bears den. I hated it and still do. I got beat up and spit on when I wore my Redskins coat to school but I kept wearing it and stuck with the Skins. My dad eventually gravitated to becoming a Bears fan which broke my heart but I didnt waver.

In 1978 I moved out and joined the Coast Guard and after moving around 1/3 of the world for a few years I ended up in west Michigan.
Been here since 1983. I'm still a Redskins fan and always will be and will always remember the glory days of Sonny J and Slurpee cups.
HTTR![/quote]

Great story bro