Why are YOU a Redskins fan?

[skinsfaninok]

Originally Posted by freddyg12

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

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

[Alvin Walton]

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!

[skinsfaninok]

^ great story Alvin

[mredskins]

Originally Posted by skinsfaninok

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

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.

[SBXVII]

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.

[Dogtag]

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...)

[Alvin Walton]

Originally Posted by Dogtag

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...)

A big Redskin salute to your family!

[Big C]

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.

[skinsfaninok]

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

[freddyg12]

Originally Posted by Alvin Walton

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!

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

[sevier2]

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.

[skinsfaninok]

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

[tc2deuce]

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!!!

[SkinzzFan]

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!!

[BDBohnzie]

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.