How did you become a Redskins fan?

[joecrisp]

I'm another born and raised Redskins fan. I grew up in Redskins country (Fredericksburg, VA), and my whole family was really into the Redskins. My Dad used to tell me stories about my grandfather taking him to see the Skins play in old Griffith stadium in the 50s. My grandfather was a passionate fan, and he loved to analyze the games and the players. He was actually a bit of a pioneer in the odds-making business, being one of the first people to use computerized bio-rhythms charts to predict the outcomes of Redskins games. I remember his charts being published in the Free Lance-Star back in the early '80s, and I thought it was so cool that an old guy like that could be so productive with a computer (an old Commodore VIC-20, at that!).


Some of my earliest memories of childhood are from the first couple of years of the first Joe Gibbs era; listening to Sonny, Sam and Frank on the radio, and watching John Riggins run roughshod over the Cowboys. In the fall and winter, you would always find me running around in a little Redskins varsity-style jacket, with a Redskins stocking cap on my head (yep, the one with the little fuzzy burgundy-and-gold ball on top!). Like many guys my age, I became a certified Redskin-for-life as I watched Riggo gallop over the Dolphins in Super Bowl XVII. I think I memorized the words to "Hail to the Redskins" before I learned the "Pledge of Allegiance"!