A Thin Line Between Love and Hate

[BigRedskinDaddy]

Every once in a while, in the midst of some quiet reverie, my thoughts drift -- of course -- to my life's obsession. My alpha and omega, my reason for being. The Washington Redskins

Almost invariably at times like these I will count back through the years to when I became a fan. I don't know precisely how old I was, but I do know I was very young. When you're in your forties and you fell in love with your team somewhere between seven and nine years old, you've got some tenure. You've put in some time. I'm now working on my fourth decade, and my passion is every bit as strong as it's always been, if not more so

Like most fans, I suppose, I have had my good and bad years. There have been periods of time when I was at least as hardcore, as knowledgeable, as walk-through-fire fanatical as anybody out there. There have also been periods when I follow my team rather perfunctorily, with a detached interest, because right then and there I have far more pressing things in my life to deal with. Also, in the interests of full disclosure, I have to admit that while the day will never dawn that I no longer bleed Burgundy and sweat Gold, my fandom waned a little during the dark years of the mid 90's and early 2000's. It's insidiously easy to let your passion for anything lose a lot of it's importance when you pour your heart and soul into it year after year, and get virtually nothing but disappointment and heartache in return

As I said, most of you can probably relate. It depends on the person, of course, but I'd bet dollars to doughnuts that nearly all of you who have been hardcore fans for at least 15 years have gone through something similar. What is my point, you ask? Simply this: all things considered, I am and have always been somewhere between a casual and the most diehard fan

I have more shirts, jerseys, and memorabilia than those who call themselves fans mainly because their significant other has always been an ultimate fan...but not nearly as much as those who set aside an entire room of their home as a shrine to Burgundy and Gold.

I know more Redskins history and trivia than those fans who live in or near D.C. and root for the nearest team to them...but not as much as the person who owns every book ever written about the 'Skins, and is always among the first to buy special DVD collections of Greatest Games or Super Bowl Years in Review.

I know more about the nuances of the game, the battles within the battle, than your average armchair quarterback -- even one who played the game in his youth ..but not as much as those who coach and teach the game to kids at any amateur level.

In short, I'm somewhere in the middle of the pack as a Redskins fan. A little more intense than most... but not as into it as some. As a fan, I am, in the immortal words of the legendary Joe Walsh, just an ordinary, average guy.

Nowadays, any questions I have about my team can be answered in minutes via the miracle of the Internet. There is literally nothing about the team, from their storied history (including game results from every season they've played) all the way down to the most mundane information about transportation to and from their stadium, that I can't have at my fingertips with no effort at all. As a result I find myself, having followed my team for at least 33 or 34 years, more informed than I've ever been as a fan. Thanks to electronic communities like ExtremeSkins, for example, I can discuss anything about my 'Skins with my fellow fans. I learn something new almost every day about the franchise I've followed nearly my whole life, and will follow until the day I die.

It's truly amazing. Short of attending every home game like so many I've met who live in or around the Washington area, I feel as connected to the team and it's daily operations as I've ever been. As connected as the beat writers who make a living writing about the team daily, and know their way around Redskins Park like the back of their hands. All while living 3,000 miles away, on the other side of the continent -- as far as one can be and still live on the mainland of the United States.

As recently as three or four years ago I never dreamed that I would one day be so "in the loop" where the 'Skins are concerned. I never envisioned being aware of everything the team is doing outside of the locker room and team meetings, down to the smallest detail. When a Redskins star sneezes I'm damn near right there to offer him a handkerchief. Not in my wildest, most feverish Indian-head flights of fancy did I see this day coming.

And that's a very good thing. Because believe you me, if I had, I would've run the other way so far and so fast that it never would have caught me.

click link for rest of story
http://yourdaddysredskins.blogspot.com/

[Park City Skins]

Nice read there Luger Hilo Thighs.

[Mark The Homer]

Wow! What a great piece! Very, very well done, Sir. I think this is the kind of thing Art had in mind when he launched "Fan's View."

I wonder what happened to that?

All things being equal, I think if I had my choice I'd go back to those yester years, when I was lucky to see the Redskins on T.V. 5-6 times a year if they were winning. The days when my eyes would constantly scan the bottom ticker or upper right-hand corner of the screen during whatever teams I happened to be watching for scoring updates of their games, and I would eagerly rip the rubber-band off Monday's newspaper in my haste to open the Sports section and read the single measly column, no more than 4 paragraphs long, about the Redskins game that Sunday.

At least that way I could just be a fan, a guy who loved his team and believed they would win each and every Sunday no matter what. A guy who wasn't somehow so informed yet at the same time so unfamiliar with his favorite NFL team. Just a normal guy who wanted the best for his team, but understood deep down that his best probably wasn't going to happen for them, and kept on hoping for it anyway.

Just some dumb fan...

I agree wholeheartedly. I'd happily give up my tickets to see the Redskins win again. It's much more fun to watch them win on TV than to watch them lose in real life, as I have three of the last four home games.

I keep thinking that if I stick with it, it'll pay off eventually. Some day...

Thank-you for your efforts and keep up the good work!

[Blondie]

Wow.

That was a great read!!

Rachelle Heaven Thong is very happy to be in the front seat with you.

[KDawg]

WHO'S YO DADDY!?

Great read my friend!

I haven't been with this company quite as long as lot of the folks here, and I can appreciate all that you wiser folks have put up with as of late.

Believe it or not, I remember games from about 1989-1990 extremely vividly.

I think that makes it tough on me. But man, I can see where you wiser folk have stuck with the team through a lot more than I have, and I appreciate you for it

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

Nothing I could add there BRD without somehow spoiling the way you encapsulated the bond we share, and how, sometimes, things don't always change for the better in certain things.

Eloquently expressed Sir, and an excellent read I concur fully with. .

Hail.

[T-REX1240]

Wow. Good article

[Blondie]

. But man, I can see where you wiser folk have stuck with the team through a lot more than I have, and I appreciate you for it

Wiser folk.


You are a good person.

[BigRedskinDaddy]

Thank you all. It is truly a great feeling to put something into words and then have some of the people I respect most here actually read it.
And like it as well.

I appreciate all your kind words. Cheers.

HTTR

[TK]

Great piece. What really made it stand out was Joe Walsh was playing on the radio as I read it.

[thesubmittedone]

Thanks for the read.

I'd add that, on the otherhand, knowing everything our franchise is about makes it that much sweeter when we make the right decisions and start winning... and we were right there all along paying attention.

But yeah, it does hurt when those decisions don't work out... and it hurts a bit more than it would had it been like the past where I would just watch our games every Sunday and that was it.

[BigRedskinDaddy]

Great piece. What really made it stand out was Joe Walsh was playing on the radio as I read it.

Thanks TK. Hard to get away from ole Joe, baby -- that sucker's everywhere...

Thanks for the read.

I'd add that, on the otherhand, knowing everything our franchise is about makes it that much sweeter when we make the right decisions and start winning... and we were right there all along paying attention.

But yeah, it does hurt when those decisions don't work out... and it hurts a bit more than it would had it been like the past where I would just watch our games every Sunday and that was it.

You're welcome, brother. To speak to your comment, I agree that the winning is certainly sweeter for having only happened after numerous failures, either on the field or in the front office. I guess my piece was a really, really, REALLY long-winded way of saying the frustration levels in this era of instantaneous information are much higher than they were in the past.

Being privy to any and all news Redskins can make one almost feel like they are or should be involved in the decision-making process somehow; since that of course is never going to happen -- at least not in my case -- I go through many more hair-pulling, stomping and shouting anger sessions than I think is healthy for me.

[ljs]

Great post BRD. I was just thinking earlier today, as i drove to seattle that ES has made me a better, more informed fan. Your writing was wonderful, I'll be checking out the rest of your blog!

~Lori

[KDawg]

This thread is not getting enough attention here.

Great read for all of you lazy people who don't feel like putting in the effort of clicking a link to read the rest.

So do yourselves a favor and read it.

[BigRedskinDaddy]

Great post BRD. I was just thinking earlier today, as i drove to seattle that ES has made me a better, more informed fan. Your writing was wonderful, I'll be checking out the rest of your blog!

~Lori

This thread is not getting enough attention here.

Great read for all of you lazy people who don't feel like putting in the effort of clicking a link to read the rest.

So do yourselves a favor and read it.

Ah, my friends, you are too kind. Again, thanks for the support -- I really appreciate it.