Sucker Punched at FedEx Field

[FedEx Nosebleed]

I believe two things. One, there is more to the story. Two, if you are skins fan and you brought a cowboys fan to the game(even a significant other), you deserve to be punched in the face. Although, you should be able to see it coming.

Seriously? If a guy marries a woman from Texas who happens to cheer for one group of overpaid athletes instead of our group of overpaid athletes and brings her to the game with him, you believe he should be punched in the face?

My wife is a Giants fan (we met when I had to spend some time in NYC for work). Should *I*, a life long skins fan and almost 10 year season ticket holder, be punched in the face because I dare to bring my wife to the game in her Giants jersey?

If you are serious you are EVERYTHING that is wrong with both Fedex field and the modern NFL generally.

[HTTR78]

The entire FedExField staff is aggressively opposed to this kind of behavior, and will do everything they can to stop it once they learn of it. The attendants are all versed on how to respond to fights, or any behavior that dilutes another fan's enjoyment of the game.

A text to SKINS at 69050 followed by a section and row will bring Stadium security quickly - usually within a minute or two. You can also call 301 276-6100, but it's difficult to be heard with the crowd noise. Problem fans will be escorted out of the Stadium. If more serious charges are warranted, they'll be placed in a holding cell until after the game, and then process for arrest by the PG County police after the game.

This text info - SKINS 69050 - is displayed in all four corners of the stadium between the two suite levels. It can be seen from almost anywhere in the bowl.





http://img836.imageshack.us/img836/2434/eshead9sjpg.jpg

Last Sunday, the 3 guys in front of me were completely wasted (to the point that I'd guess they have little memory of the game, other than that we won because people were happy). The one dude right in front of me was like a jack-in-the-box; he'd sit for the start of the play, then pop out of his seat when the ball was snapped, and then sit at the end of it for the 20 seconds between plays. I asked him nicely to please sit down and was told go to F myself (who am I, Harry Reid?!). I told him I'd call security and he said "F--- the police." Super. When one of the Cowboys was injured on the field, one guy repeatedly started yelling "Get the F--- up, you f---ing ho-o." Eventually I called security. 30 MINUTES LATER security arrived and did nothing; 2 of the jokers were off getting more drinks, and obviously when security shows up the cursing stops. After security left, any time security would come around but was out of earshot, they'd yell "F--- the police."

I called the Skins' security the next day who informed me that they have to witness the event themselves to remove someone and that offenders get a warning after the first incident. Pretty much my entire game-watching experience was ruined by these classes jerks (sitting in a normally decent section full of season ticket holders). Security on Monday suggested alerting the usher in my section, but I seriously doubt they'd do anything.

And yet I'm going on Sunday, and praying that this doesn't happen again. Whoever owns those seats, I'm praying they don't sell them to jackalopes.

[E33Green]

Seriously? If a guy marries a woman from Texas who happens to cheer for one group of overpaid athletes instead of our group of overpaid athletes and brings her to the game with him, you believe he should be punched in the face?

My wife is a Giants fan (we met when I had to spend some time in NYC for work). Should *I*, a life long skins fan and almost 10 year season ticket holder, be punched in the face because I dare to bring my wife to the game in her Giants jersey?

If you are serious you are EVERYTHING that is wrong with both Fedex field and the modern NFL generally.

[MassSkinsFan]

Total aside, but didn't you get on me a while back about using the word "mill" in referring to blue collar towns? Yet you bring tavern to the party ?

Is tavern a blue collar term? Around these parts it's a fancy word for "really old bar."

Back on topic, I'm in agreement with the people saying punches aren't appropriate at the games.

[pjfootballer]

When you wear your colors to an opposing stadium, especially in a game of this magnitude, you should expect heckling. Tossing a hat isn't THAT bad.

Words are fine. Keep your hands off people, including their hats. It IS bad. It escalates things. Keep your hands to yourself.

[JMUSkins]

Words are fine. Keep your hands off people, including their hats. It IS bad. It escalates things. Keep your hands to yourself.

This... plus, I think we all have a little idea of what it's like when someone is starting to get agitated with us. If you find someone is getting agitated, just take the high road... and if their behavior keeps bothering you, find security. A little wait for their help is much better than trying to handle it yourself and then ending up with a black eye or a ride in the paddy wagon.

[rick7423]

Total aside, but didn't you get on me a while back about using the word "mill" in referring to blue collar towns? Yet you bring tavern to the party ?

Maybe, don't remember that, but if I did, it was all in good fun.

HAIL

[Btubes18]

I find this story 100% plausible, because I saw almost exactly the same thing at the week 16 Cowboys game in 2007. It happened in the upper deck. I remember it clearly because the guy who threw the punch was a season ticket holder I happened to have gone to high school with (he randomly had seats near ours), and it forever changed my impression of him.

Short version is two guys were sitting in front of the ST holder I knew, one a redskins fan one a Cowboys fan. The guy I knew got REALLY drunk and belligerent as the game went on. They were talking smack back and forth all game, but nothing out of the ordinary. With maybe 5 minutes left in the game, the Redskins ST holder reaches down and snatches the Cowboys hat off the guy's head in front of him, and chucks it down the section. Both the Cowboys fan and his Redskins buddy spring up out of their seats, (rightly) cursing. Cowboys fan goes off to try and get his hat, while his Redskins friend keeps talking to the guy who threw the hat. Without warning, the guy who threw the hat punches the Redskins fan who was standing up for his friend. He didn't have a good angle (he was standing a row higher), and he was sloppy drunk, so he didn't really connect on the punch, but that's not the point -- it's basically the same scenario as in the link.

Post script was about the same too: guy who got punched and his Cowboy fan buddy head out into the tunnel, to try and get event staff. By the time they make it back the game has ended, and the drunk ST holder has been hustled out of the section by his absolutely mortified wife. So I assume the guy who got punched never got any kind of help with the whole thing.

None of this is OK in my book. This isn't Philly. Yes I want a healthy rivalry with Cowboy fans who come to our games, but the moment you lay hands on them or their stuff you cross a line. And if you throw a first punch you should be banned from the stadium forever.

That's terrible, honestly If I were you and I knew the guy, I would have confronted him after the game (when he was sober) to tell him he was out of line. FedeX field is getting bad. My sister (long time redskins fan) was at the ravens-skins game earlier this year and was chastised by a ravens girl fan about her race (screaming racist remarks toward her) most of the game. She even got a bottle thrown at her. She played it right and did not escalate and apparently most redskins fan in her section apologized for that person once she left. I can tell you this, if I had been there, no way I would stand there with idle hands. I can't stand the behavior of some people at the stadium. I feel that the stadium officials do an "ok" job, they can definitely do better, because it has gotten a lot worse in the past few years.

[Boss_Hogg]

A friend of mine once had tix in the 400 level back in 2006. There was a group of 4 obnoxious University of Maryland students. All were pissed drunk beyond belief. Well towards the end of the 3rd quarter they were running down the stairs (not sure why) and the last boy slipped and fell down hard on the stairs. He busted his head wide open on the concrete. The usher walked away and fellow fans were stepping over his body as he bled all over the place.

I'm not sure what happened to that kid, he looked to be 18 or 19, tall, skinny, and of East Indian decent.

[Btubes18]

Words are fine. Keep your hands off people, including their hats. It IS bad. It escalates things. Keep your hands to yourself.

Agreed, but once you start bring racial slurs into your words, those words need to be stopped.

[dcthug]

Seriously? If a guy marries a woman from Texas who happens to cheer for one group of overpaid athletes instead of our group of overpaid athletes and brings her to the game with him, you believe he should be punched in the face?

My wife is a Giants fan (we met when I had to spend some time in NYC for work). Should *I*, a life long skins fan and almost 10 year season ticket holder, be punched in the face because I dare to bring my wife to the game in her Giants jersey?

If you are serious you are EVERYTHING that is wrong with both Fedex field and the modern NFL generally.

Saying don't allow fans of other teams to go to the game is just silly (I to am hoping that coment is a joke). I brought my brother to the game who's a lifelong Cowturd fan. I heckled him and any other Cowboy fan in my section. I would have put a foot in anyone's rear who would dare to take any property of mine and throw it, as would my brother. I've been going to games regularly for 10 yrs. Never been in an altercation of any kind. There's talking smack and there's disrespect. The tossing of the guys hat is the latter. I don't blame him at all for confronting the one who did it.

[KDawg]

There are some great responses in here, and some that make me hang my head in shame. Thank you for those of us who get "it". I was losing faith in our fanbase.

[GoDeep81]

"With two minutes left in the fourth quarter, with the Redskins leading by 3 and the Cowboys driving down the field threatening to score, Tony Romo threw his third and final interception"

^^^ That guy clearly wasn't at the same game.. (Driving/threatening to score??) I think it's all a hoax..

[clskinsfan]

Last Sunday, the 3 guys in front of me were completely wasted (to the point that I'd guess they have little memory of the game, other than that we won because people were happy). The one dude right in front of me was like a jack-in-the-box; he'd sit for the start of the play, then pop out of his seat when the ball was snapped, and then sit at the end of it for the 20 seconds between plays. I asked him nicely to please sit down and was told go to F myself (who am I, Harry Reid?!). I told him I'd call security and he said "F--- the police." Super. When one of the Cowboys was injured on the field, one guy repeatedly started yelling "Get the F--- up, you f---ing ho-o." Eventually I called security. 30 MINUTES LATER security arrived and did nothing; 2 of the jokers were off getting more drinks, and obviously when security shows up the cursing stops. After security left, any time security would come around but was out of earshot, they'd yell "F--- the police."

I called the Skins' security the next day who informed me that they have to witness the event themselves to remove someone and that offenders get a warning after the first incident. Pretty much my entire game-watching experience was ruined by these classes jerks (sitting in a normally decent section full of season ticket holders). Security on Monday suggested alerting the usher in my section, but I seriously doubt they'd do anything.

And yet I'm going on Sunday, and praying that this doesn't happen again. Whoever owns those seats, I'm praying they don't sell them to jackalopes.

Moral of the story? Stand up and cheer for your team like everyone else.

[SWFLSkins]

There are some great responses in here, and some that make me hang my head in shame. Thank you for those of us who get "it". I was losing faith in our fanbase.

That's just it Dawg, no single fan base is free of idiots. I told the story before about the Tampa game. It was a Redskins fan next to me that was dropping F bombs all over the place that was the idiot this time. I actually had to let everyone know that I was not with the two and actually met some really cool Buc fans that talked light smack but also football in an intelligent way. The guy behind me was a HS administrator that coached HS varsity and really knew his stuff. There were other cool Skin fans around in my section but I remember high fiving them all at the end with the FG and just turning around when the idiot went to join in. I basically would not want to ever see that guy again, while the Buc fans have contacted me via email offering me seats in the future for any games.