Hail to the Redskins???

Ever since I was a baby, there is one thing I have known and loved above all else - the Washington Redskins. Growing up in DC, there are a few things you become accustomed to - politically charged debates between the Left and the Right, a mayor who smokes crack-cocaine, and the Burgundy and Gold of the Washington Redskins. As a Native Washingtonian, being a Skins fan was almost like a birth right. Yes, the month of September meant the start of school, but more importantly it meant the Redskins on Sunday. I remember Joe Gibbs as coach the first time around, the great offensive line proudly referred to as the Hogs, and that loud raucous of a stadium known as RFK. With a rabid and loyal fan base, RFK Stadium was without a doubt one of the toughest places to play in the league. I can vividly remember fans belting out "Hail to the Redskins" as the stands of RFK Stadium bounced up and down while the Skins battled their bitter rivals like the Giants, Eagles, and Cowboys. Those were the days.....

Now, this once proud franchise sunk to another low this past Sunday by losing to the perpetually terrible Detroit Lions ,who until Sunday lost 19 straight games dating back to December 2007. After the game, I started to reflect on the team that I have so passionately cheered for all my life. In the past, a loss like Sunday's would have left me annoyed, mad, and generally frustrated; however, as the final seconds ticked-off the clock as the Redskins fell to the Lion 19-14, I felt nothing. I wasn't mad. I wasn't pissed. I was almost indifferent. Could this really be the case? Had the dysfunction of the franchise really ruined it for me that I no longer cared? For the last dozen years, the team and organization have lacked direction and leadership. Like I said, cheering for the Redskins is the only thing I have ever known, but with each passing year the decisions of management make it harder and harder for me to watch on Sundays. It would be one thing if the team had a sense of direction and stability as it works towards establishing itself as the perennial contender it was in the 80s and early 90s. Instead, ownership prefers to play their own moronic version of reality fantasy football.

'Skins fans have been waiting a long time for a return to glory; however, until current ownership decides to let knowledgeable football people run the organization, I fear Skins' fans may be waiting another couple decades before a return to glory. Here's to hoping the team gets a clue soon because old habits die hard and I'm not ready to find a new activity for Sunday afternoons in the Fall.