How did you become a Redskins fan?

SmootSmack · 07-18-2004, 04:33 PM

So looking at the member profiles we can see when we all became fans, but not how. I became a fan because my older brother and his friends were fans and I wanted to hang with the big boys.

But I'm curious as to how the rest of you became Redskins fans, especially out of towners like Matty K, CrazyCanuck, etc.

Gmanc711 · 07-18-2004, 04:49 PM

Well for me in 1990, I was a football fanatic and I never had a favoirte team though. I asked my grandfather what team should be my favorite. He said " You should like the Redskins, They're really good. " The rest is history.

redskinsskickazz · 07-18-2004, 05:03 PM

i first became a redskins fan when i was very young back in there glory days so i guess the reason i chose them is that they were really good and when your 8 years old you just want to root for a winner but ive stuck with them through the last decade of awfullness and im quite sure that my loved ones will put something about the redskins on my gravestone when i pass on because they all know i bleed burgundy and gold of course i hope thats not for a long time im only 28.

That Guy · 07-18-2004, 05:23 PM

2001 sadly enough... and i can't really tell you why... guess i got out of high school, and sports seemed like a lot more fun when i didn't have to deal with jocks all day.

SmootSmack · 07-18-2004, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by That Guy

2001 sadly enough... and i can't really tell you why... guess i got out of high school, and sports seemed like a lot more fun when i didn't have to deal with jocks all day.

Wow, just three years. And you already strike me as a more knowlegeable fan that some of my friends who claim to have been fans for over two decades

That Guy · 07-18-2004, 07:15 PM

thanks, probably innate geekness showing up again... I apologize, I can't help it

Hogskin · 07-18-2004, 09:59 PM

Well, I guess I would have to say I was born into it (May 1, 1941). My Dad went to every Redskin game for many years, starting 1937 when they came to town. So I grew up a Redskin fan, and have been my entire life. I lived through 25 straight years without a winning season, cheering for them all the way. I always believed. That REALLY made it sweet when the winning seasons began!!

joecrisp · 07-18-2004, 10:51 PM

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"!

skinsfanthru&thru · 07-18-2004, 11:22 PM

One of my first memories of when I was around 3 or so was of me sitting on my granddad's lap watching the skins playing. One of my uncles has also been a diehard skins fan for as long as I remember and it was kinda weird for the 3 of us rooting for the skins while jimmy johnson was the cowgirls coach cuz my grandma rooted for the cowpies during his coaching stay. Its hard to root against something or someone your grandma roots for so we weren't as loud about it when she was around

.

I don't know why I became a skins fan 4 life instead of the dolphins because both of my parents love the phins. Its always just been one of those things that seemed right for me and while I've liked other teams from other sports, the skins have been and always be the team I cheer for the hardest.

Skins fan 44 · 07-18-2004, 11:40 PM

My dad used to coach high school football and the schools nick names is the Indians. Their decals were the same as the Skins, so I guess some how it stuck. I would say I was probably 4 or 5 when I started to become a fan. I have liked the Broncos in the 70s with the Orange Crush, but my main team has always been the Redskins. I would say If I could only like one team in sports it would be the Redskins.

skinznut · 07-19-2004, 12:27 AM

I've lived in NY since I was a year old and my father is a HUGE Cleveland Browns fan. Back in the early 80s when the Redskins were successful, they were on TV a lot more than the Browns were. My father was a fan of Art Monk because he went to Syracuse and also John Riggins. I got to watch the Redskins on a semi-regular basis and fell in love with the uniform. It didn't take long to become a true fan and follow the team's every move. They obviously got national exposure beating Miami in the Superbowl in '83. I was devastated the following year when Marcus Allen decided to make the Redskins look slow on that amazing touchdown run in Superbowl 18. My best memory was when they beat the Broncos in Superbowl 22. My mother's side of the family was visiting us from the Denver area and they were giving me a lot of crap when the skins were down 10-0. I obviously got the last laugh when the skins rattled off 42 straight points after that. My wife thinks I'm a little obsessed with the skins but she's learned to accept it and I've even converted her from being a Bills fan. Hopefully the next few years will be brighter with Coach back.

illdefined · 07-19-2004, 12:43 AM

if you grew up anywhere in the metro area in the '80s, how could you NOT be a diehard Skins fan?

i went to elementary school in south Arlington, where all the local kids would run over to the community center after school to get these football cards with colorful superheroes on them. Art Monk, Gary Clark, Joe Jacoby, Wilber Marshall, Charles Mann, Dexter Manley... they were the coolest things i'd ever seen outside of a comic book and the kids wanted them all, carrying their huge stacks around.

there's no way you could avoid wild superbowl parties in the '80s, seeing these heroes in action, making everyone around go crazy. in the middle of this superhuman squadron was this completely unassuming guy with glasses, Joe Gibbs, who couldn't be meeker, and couldn't inherit more earth.

i could barely comprehend the game, but i knew it was good when Art Monk caught a long pass in the end zone, or Riggins ran over somebody. these guys were gods in my most formative years. something pure and positive about my childhood when i wasnt hearing about scary things called the Soviet Union and Nuclear War.

seems like forever ago and i've long sinced moved to NYC, but the imprint went far too deep. an unfading brand for an unfading fan, way behind enemy lines.

Redskins_P · 07-19-2004, 09:53 AM

Like many in the DC metro area, I was also a diehard fan from day one. I grew up in Falls Church, VA....Pimmit hills to be exact. Pimmit Hills is blue collar type of community with I would say at least 80% of the residence being Skins fans. I remember looking at my Kindergarten class pic and I was wearing a yellow "Super Bowl champs" t shirt back in 83. My father was a huge skins fan. I remember that he was in tears when Gibbs retired. I think that's what made a fan.......it was my dads passion for the Skins. He would really take it personal when they lost.

redrock-skins · 07-19-2004, 02:32 PM

I was 8-9 years old when my father rooted for the Skins because Theisman was a Notre Dame Alumnus. I stayed with the Skins (and never became an Eagles or Giants fan despite my proximity to both teams) and my Dad seems to root for whoever has ND players on it, but doesn't seem to have a clear cut favorite. He's more into college than pro football.
A Cowboy hater was born when (correct me if I am wrong) when around 1980 The Skins played Dallas needing a win to get into the playoffs and they were up by 13 with 2 minutes left and Staubach led Dallas back to win by one, eliminating us from the playoffs (also leading to Jack Pardee's firing) and breaking one young 9 year old's heart. And I've been a Dallas HATER since!

Daseal · 07-19-2004, 10:39 PM

Like many others I grew up in a Redskin family. I used to watch my dad watch it every weekend and couldn't fathom how he could spend hours watching football on Sundays. Now I eclipse him in football watched. I really don't know that much about football, but thanks to the warpath I'm really starting to pick things up. Only been a serious fan since last year.

07-18-2004, 04:33 PM	#1
SmootSmack Uncle Phil Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 45,256	How did you become a Redskins fan? So looking at the member profiles we can see when we all became fans, but not how. I became a fan because my older brother and his friends were fans and I wanted to hang with the big boys. But I'm curious as to how the rest of you became Redskins fans, especially out of towners like Matty K, CrazyCanuck, etc. __________________ You're So Vain...You Probably Think This Sig Is About You

07-18-2004, 05:03 PM	#3
redskinsskickazz Special Teams Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: erving ma Posts: 157	longtime fan i first became a redskins fan when i was very young back in there glory days so i guess the reason i chose them is that they were really good and when your 8 years old you just want to root for a winner but ive stuck with them through the last decade of awfullness and im quite sure that my loved ones will put something about the redskins on my gravestone when i pass on because they all know i bleed burgundy and gold of course i hope thats not for a long time im only 28.

07-18-2004, 09:59 PM	#7
Hogskin Impact Rookie Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Hartselle, Alabama Age: 83 Posts: 659	Innate... Well, I guess I would have to say I was born into it (May 1, 1941). My Dad went to every Redskin game for many years, starting 1937 when they came to town. So I grew up a Redskin fan, and have been my entire life. I lived through 25 straight years without a winning season, cheering for them all the way. I always believed. That REALLY made it sweet when the winning seasons began!! __________________ John Shaffer National Fantasy Sports Leagues, Inc. Home of "The BEST Game In Town" since 1990

07-18-2004, 11:40 PM	#10
Skins fan 44 Impact Rookie Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Brazil, IN Age: 54 Posts: 883	My dad used to coach high school football and the schools nick names is the Indians. Their decals were the same as the Skins, so I guess some how it stuck. I would say I was probably 4 or 5 when I started to become a fan. I have liked the Broncos in the 70s with the Orange Crush, but my main team has always been the Redskins. I would say If I could only like one team in sports it would be the Redskins. __________________ HTTR!

07-19-2004, 12:27 AM	#11
skinznut Special Teams Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Seneca Falls, NY Posts: 187	I've lived in NY since I was a year old and my father is a HUGE Cleveland Browns fan. Back in the early 80s when the Redskins were successful, they were on TV a lot more than the Browns were. My father was a fan of Art Monk because he went to Syracuse and also John Riggins. I got to watch the Redskins on a semi-regular basis and fell in love with the uniform. It didn't take long to become a true fan and follow the team's every move. They obviously got national exposure beating Miami in the Superbowl in '83. I was devastated the following year when Marcus Allen decided to make the Redskins look slow on that amazing touchdown run in Superbowl 18. My best memory was when they beat the Broncos in Superbowl 22. My mother's side of the family was visiting us from the Denver area and they were giving me a lot of crap when the skins were down 10-0. I obviously got the last laugh when the skins rattled off 42 straight points after that. My wife thinks I'm a little obsessed with the skins but she's learned to accept it and I've even converted her from being a Bills fan. Hopefully the next few years will be brighter with Coach back. __________________ This space intentionally left blank.

07-18-2004, 04:49 PM	#2
Gmanc711 Thank You, Sean. Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Gaithersburg, MD Age: 39 Posts: 7,506	Well for me in 1990, I was a football fanatic and I never had a favoirte team though. I asked my grandfather what team should be my favorite. He said " You should like the Redskins, They're really good. " The rest is history.

07-18-2004, 05:23 PM	#4
That Guy Living Legend Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: VA Age: 42 Posts: 17,553	2001 sadly enough... and i can't really tell you why... guess i got out of high school, and sports seemed like a lot more fun when i didn't have to deal with jocks all day.

07-18-2004, 07:15 PM	#6
That Guy Living Legend Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: VA Age: 42 Posts: 17,553	thanks, probably innate geekness showing up again... I apologize, I can't help it

07-18-2004, 10:51 PM	#8
joecrisp The Starter Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Charlottesville, VA Age: 48 Posts: 1,501	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"!

07-18-2004, 11:22 PM	#9
skinsfanthru&thru Playmaker Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Richmond, VA Age: 44 Posts: 3,813	One of my first memories of when I was around 3 or so was of me sitting on my granddad's lap watching the skins playing. One of my uncles has also been a diehard skins fan for as long as I remember and it was kinda weird for the 3 of us rooting for the skins while jimmy johnson was the cowgirls coach cuz my grandma rooted for the cowpies during his coaching stay. Its hard to root against something or someone your grandma roots for so we weren't as loud about it when she was around . I don't know why I became a skins fan 4 life instead of the dolphins because both of my parents love the phins. Its always just been one of those things that seemed right for me and while I've liked other teams from other sports, the skins have been and always be the team I cheer for the hardest.

07-19-2004, 12:43 AM	#12
illdefined Playmaker Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: nyc Age: 48 Posts: 2,631	if you grew up anywhere in the metro area in the '80s, how could you NOT be a diehard Skins fan? i went to elementary school in south Arlington, where all the local kids would run over to the community center after school to get these football cards with colorful superheroes on them. Art Monk, Gary Clark, Joe Jacoby, Wilber Marshall, Charles Mann, Dexter Manley... they were the coolest things i'd ever seen outside of a comic book and the kids wanted them all, carrying their huge stacks around. there's no way you could avoid wild superbowl parties in the '80s, seeing these heroes in action, making everyone around go crazy. in the middle of this superhuman squadron was this completely unassuming guy with glasses, Joe Gibbs, who couldn't be meeker, and couldn't inherit more earth. i could barely comprehend the game, but i knew it was good when Art Monk caught a long pass in the end zone, or Riggins ran over somebody. these guys were gods in my most formative years. something pure and positive about my childhood when i wasnt hearing about scary things called the Soviet Union and Nuclear War. seems like forever ago and i've long sinced moved to NYC, but the imprint went far too deep. an unfading brand for an unfading fan, way behind enemy lines.

07-19-2004, 09:53 AM	#13
Redskins_P Fight for old DC! Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Aldie, VA Age: 46 Posts: 4,101	Like many in the DC metro area, I was also a diehard fan from day one. I grew up in Falls Church, VA....Pimmit hills to be exact. Pimmit Hills is blue collar type of community with I would say at least 80% of the residence being Skins fans. I remember looking at my Kindergarten class pic and I was wearing a yellow "Super Bowl champs" t shirt back in 83. My father was a huge skins fan. I remember that he was in tears when Gibbs retired. I think that's what made a fan.......it was my dads passion for the Skins. He would really take it personal when they lost.

07-19-2004, 02:32 PM	#14
redrock-skins Impact Rookie Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Seattle Posts: 783	I was 8-9 years old when my father rooted for the Skins because Theisman was a Notre Dame Alumnus. I stayed with the Skins (and never became an Eagles or Giants fan despite my proximity to both teams) and my Dad seems to root for whoever has ND players on it, but doesn't seem to have a clear cut favorite. He's more into college than pro football. A Cowboy hater was born when (correct me if I am wrong) when around 1980 The Skins played Dallas needing a win to get into the playoffs and they were up by 13 with 2 minutes left and Staubach led Dallas back to win by one, eliminating us from the playoffs (also leading to Jack Pardee's firing) and breaking one young 9 year old's heart. And I've been a Dallas HATER since!

07-19-2004, 10:39 PM	#15
Daseal Puppy Kicker Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Arlington, Virginia Age: 41 Posts: 8,341	Like many others I grew up in a Redskin family. I used to watch my dad watch it every weekend and couldn't fathom how he could spend hours watching football on Sundays. Now I eclipse him in football watched. I really don't know that much about football, but thanks to the warpath I'm really starting to pick things up. Only been a serious fan since last year.

How did you become a Redskins fan?

Parking Lot