What Should I Tell My Son?
 

My family is in town (or near town at least-fredneck) for the game tomorrow. we watched some show on local tv this afternoon hosted by portis with jason campbell as the guest. Toward the end of the show they did 60 seconds with Ladell Betts (Who I think is a good RB) He mentioned that his most memorable moment was his first TD as a redskin, and he didn't know the words to Hail to the Redskins.

My son (Learning from me no doubt) lives Redskins football and is on the eve of his first game asked me this question "How can he not know the words to Hail to the redskins, if being a Skin means anything to him?"

honestly I am not sure what to tell him any ideas?

Re: What Should I Tell My Son?
 

That it's all about the money.

Re: What Should I Tell My Son?
 

Tell him that some people just aren't musical.

Re: What Should I Tell My Son?
 

I like he is just not musical over its all about the money but the later is probably more realistic

Re: What Should I Tell My Son?
 

Never too young to learn an important truth.

(take that with a grain of salt, I'm not a parent...)

Re: What Should I Tell My Son?
 

I'll be serious. Tell him that those guys are probably way too focused on the game to know the words. But over time, they will eventually learn them.

Re: What Should I Tell My Son?
 

Almost every time I catch those 60 seconds with a Redskin, no one knows the words.

Re: What Should I Tell My Son?
 

you tell your son that Ladell is not from the DC area, and could not really be expected to know the words as a rookie (being new to the area at the time)..Hell here in san antonio at fatsos sports bar the skins fans dont get the words right. I try to correct them, but they dont listen to me.

beat 'em, SWAMP 'em, touchdown........
the fans down here say:

beat 'em, PUSH 'em (wtf?! :( ), touchdown.........

Re: What Should I Tell My Son?
 

I guess you could tell him that Redskins football is not what it used to be, what it was in the Days of Ole' RFK when teams were scared of the stadium, let alone the players in B&G. You could tell him that the new era of players are more focused on money than what it really means to wear that uniform. You could show him clips of true Redskins like Darrell Green and Joe Jacoby and you will have to explain to him that Redskins football will never be what it was when the Hogs roamed the field, it is very sad, but this is football now, no more true hatred for other players who wear a different uni like back in the day, just a bunch of overpaid whiners who feel they deserve so much more.

Re: What Should I Tell My Son?
 

all great responses no matter how sad they are. I lived in the DC area from 77-85 which translates into 5th-12th grade. that time ingrained in me the redskins traditions and the only other team I can ever bring myself to cheer for is my second favorite....Whoever is playing the cowboys. something tells me that I may be disappointed at the fedex experience tomorrow...but I hope not

Re: What Should I Tell My Son?
 

Perhaps Gibbs and Co. should be coaching the players and help them learn the words to Hail to the Redskins? Probably quiz them weekly too.

It's just a song folks and as long as they perform during games I could care less if they know the words to Hail to the Redskins.

In short, you should tell your kid what's important is that they score TDs and stop other teams from scoring TDs. If they know the words Hail to the Redskins it's just a bonus.

Re: What Should I Tell My Son?
 

tell him it doesnt make the players run any faster

Re: What Should I Tell My Son?
 

Why should a guy in the NFL know his teams fight song? In the era of FA, a guy usually is with another team after the first contract is up. More likely just tell him the guy has to try and learn a 700+ page playbook and probably never has time to learn the song.

Re: What Should I Tell My Son?
 

it actually matters to me and I was impressed that Jason Campbell knew it. I knew my high school's fight song and I played there for free...

Re: What Should I Tell My Son?
 

Tell your son to slide Ladell a break, what counts is that he moves the ball and crosses the plane. Besides, Hail to the Redskins is more of the fans' celebration; it's executing our 12th Manmenship. How many would have cheered less if, say, The Hogs couldn't belt HTTR? And speaking of fans singing, we're shaky at that...ever notice how half the stadium tanks during the middle of the song?

Re: What Should I Tell My Son?
 

But I bet he knows the words to "Soldier Boy"....

Re: What Should I Tell My Son?
 

i wonder how many people around here know the words? probably not as many as one might think

Re: What Should I Tell My Son?
 

[quote=GoSkins!;366545]But I bet he knows the words to "Soldier Boy"....[/quote]


hahahaha

Re: What Should I Tell My Son?
 

[quote=STBonecrusher21;366509]I'll be serious. Tell him that those guys are probably way too focused on the game to know the words. But over time, they will eventually learn them.[/quote]I would bet the house that 90 percent of Skins fans only know the chorus of the song. Would anyone prefer that Betts learn the words to a fight song that most Skins fans don't even know or Al Saunders 700 page playbook? I would tell my son that the players' most important job is to know their assignment for every play.

Re: What Should I Tell My Son?
 

This isn't So You Think You Know The Lyrics (or whatever that show is called). We're trying to get to a Super Bowl, not a karaoke bar.

Re: What Should I Tell My Son?
 

[quote=SmootSmack;366564]This isn't So You Think You Know The Lyrics (or whatever that show is called). We're trying to get to a Super Bowl, not a karaoke bar.[/quote]


The fans job is to know the lyrics, the players job is to win the game!

Re: What Should I Tell My Son?
 

[QUOTE=SouperMeister;366559]I would bet the house that 90 percent of Skins fans only know the chorus of the song. Would anyone prefer that Betts learn the words to a fight song that most Skins fans don't even know or Al Saunders 700 page playbook? I would tell my son that the players' most important job is to know their assignment for every play.[/QUOTE]

90% might be a little optimistic, but THANK YOU. Truth be told, I don't want to see the players singing after a score. I want their head in the game. I'd MUCH rather see them pumping fists like Dexter used to do back in the day.

Re: What Should I Tell My Son?
 

[quote=dmek25;366548]i wonder how many people around here know the words? probably not as many as one might think[/quote]


that is actually a good point.

Re: What Should I Tell My Son?
 

The important thing is that he knows the music (that's all that's played). The more we score at home the more he hears the music. If 91000 people would sing along everytime he'd learn it.

Re: What Should I Tell My Son?
 

I'll admit I don't know all the words.

Who cares.

Re: What Should I Tell My Son?
 

[QUOTE=Mattyk72;366584]I'll admit I don't know all the words.

Who cares.[/QUOTE]

Do What?!?!?!?!?!?!
Oh this will just not do.

Pay Attention Boy!

Learn it, live it, love it!

Hail to the Redskins - Corrine Griffith

Hail to the Redskins!
Hail Victory!
Braves on the Warpath!
Fight for old D.C.!
Run or pass and score -- we want a lot more!
Beat 'em, Swamp 'em,
Touchdown! -- Let the points soar!
Fight on, fight on 'Til you have won
Sons of Wash-ing-ton. Rah!, Rah!, Rah!

Hail to the Redskins!
Hail Victory!
Braves on the Warpath!
Fight for old D.C.!

The original words were:
Hail to the Redskins!
Hail Victory!
Braves on the Warpath!
Fight for old Dixie!
Run or pass and score -- we want a lot more!
Scalp 'em, swamp 'em -- We will take 'em big score
Read 'em, weep 'em, touchdown - we want heap more
Fight on, Fight on -- 'Till you have won
Sons of Wash-ing-ton. Rah!, Rah!, Rah!

Re: What Should I Tell My Son?
 

[QUOTE=DFI;366504]My family is in town (or near town at least-fredneck) for the game tomorrow. we watched some show on local tv this afternoon hosted by portis with jason campbell as the guest. Toward the end of the show they did 60 seconds with Ladell Betts (Who I think is a good RB) He mentioned that his most memorable moment was his first TD as a redskin, and he didn't know the words to Hail to the Redskins.

My son (Learning from me no doubt) lives Redskins football and is on the eve of his first game asked me this question "How can he not know the words to Hail to the redskins, if being a Skin means anything to him?"

honestly I am not sure what to tell him any ideas?[/QUOTE]

Hail to the Redskins is more for the Fans than for the players.
When I was a little kid I was always told to ignore the people watching and focus on the game. I did it so much so I had no clue when my girlfriends for were screaming for me to do well, never heard them. Kind of like Costner on "For the love of the game" when he says clear the mechanism.

I'd tell him that Betts needs to focus on the game, and the hail to the redskins song is for us, not for them.

Re: What Should I Tell My Son?
 

Have your son send him a letter with the words to the song.

Re: What Should I Tell My Son?
 

Although Betts doesn't know the words to HTTR, let's remember he probably bypassed much more money in FA to stay with the Skins.

Re: What Should I Tell My Son?
 

In a few years Ladell could be a 49er or Saint, or whatever. This is pro football not high school. These guys get paid to be there and play. Like I have said in the past, try to find a player in any sport wearing a team hat or shirt outside of the stadium or workout facility. It doesnt happen.

Re: What Should I Tell My Son?
 

[QUOTE=Sammy Baugh Fan;366585]Do What?!?!?!?!?!?!
Oh this will just not do.

Pay Attention Boy!

Learn it, live it, love it!

Hail to the Redskins - Corrine Griffith

Hail to the Redskins!
Hail Victory!
Braves on the Warpath!
Fight for old D.C.!
Run or pass and score -- we want a lot more!
Beat 'em, Swamp 'em,
Touchdown! -- Let the points soar!
Fight on, fight on 'Til you have won
Sons of Wash-ing-ton. Rah!, Rah!, Rah!

Hail to the Redskins!
Hail Victory!
Braves on the Warpath!
Fight for old D.C.!

The original words were:
Hail to the Redskins!
Hail Victory!
Braves on the Warpath!
Fight for old Dixie!
Run or pass and score -- we want a lot more!
Scalp 'em, swamp 'em -- We will take 'em big score
Read 'em, weep 'em, touchdown - we want heap more
Fight on, Fight on -- 'Till you have won
Sons of Wash-ing-ton. Rah!, Rah!, Rah![/QUOTE]

An interesting note is that George Preston Marshall (he was the original owner) wanted the Redskins fightson to be Onward Christian Soldiers.

Re: What Should I Tell My Son?
 

I know the first half of the song but get lost on the second half as allot of people do. I have been a Skins fan for 30 years and it does not make me any less of a fan. I would think that Betts was probably talking about the whole song and it would be interesting to know how many players (present & past) know the entire song.