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I was an Air Force brat until my teenage years. We moved around a lot, and my family was very divided on our football allegiances. My Mom was a Raiders fan, my Dad an Oilers fan, and my older brother was a (choke choke) Cowboys fan. My sister and I were the only sane ones rooting for the Burgundy and Gold. We settled in Houston at the height of the “Luv Ya’ Blue” nonsense, so I had to put up with that garbage until they reverted back to their losing ways. After that, I moved to Austin and then to Dallas, where I had to fight all the Cowboys fans. But it was in the late 80’s, so they were pretty pathetic while we were winning Super Bowls, so it wasn’t too bad. I then started traveling all over the south with Brown and Root, and wherever I went people were astounded that I was from Texas and was Redskins fan! I was out of the state for the 3 Super Bowls in 4 years that the Cowboys managed to steal. I moved back to town to work for Haliburton just in time to enjoy the Chan Gailey and Dave Campo years. Trough it all, though, I have waved the Burgundy and Gold flag proudly wherever I have traveled and will do so until the day I kick the bucket. My wife Maria still doesn’t quite understand the passion of a Redskins victory, but she is still trying. This season (2004) will be my son Mario’s first exposure to football, so I am sure he will scream a few times as we are cheering touchdowns, and hopefully we will be doing it so much that he will get used to it! John Priddy |
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I grew up in New Jersey with four football-loving brothers. My sister and I did everything we could to escape the house on Sundays during football season – we simply hated the game! In 1978, a job opportunity too me to Washington, D.C. Outside of work, I joined a softball team that first summer and, once the season was over, I also joined my teammates for their off-season weekend activities. Their favorite pastime, of course, was watching the Skins! After only two games, I caught “Redskins Fever” and have never looked back. My husband’s job took us to Philadelphia, San Francisco, and finally to Plano, Texas. Through all the moves {and all the “Why aren’t you an Eagles/49ers/Cowboys fan?”}, I have remained a most loyal Skins fan. In 1997, while having lunch one day at Austin Avenue, one of the waiters told me about the group of Redskins fans that meet every Sunday to watch the games. I attended the following Sunday, hooked up with the Burgundy & Gold Fan Club, and since then I have not missed a game! At the end of the 1998 season, I volunteered to help with the Club newsletter, which grew from an initial 60 members to over 200 currently, and is still growing! I also help with the weekly raffles, season schedules, and artwork for the room decorations. The B&G Fan Club is my “family” during football season! Hail to the Redskins! Linda Domin |
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Growing up in Eastern Pennsylvania, I was surrounded
by Jets, Giants and Eagles fans. It didn't take long for me to realize,
due to the obnoxious manner in which the fans of those teams conducted
themselves, that I would not, could not, like any of them. I was "sans
team". In 1977 at the age of 10, my dad gave my brother and I a gift.
We each received a football jersey – either a beautiful burgundy
Redskins # 42, or a hideous white Cowboys #88. As fate would have it,
I got stuck with the Cowboys jersey -- which really hacked me off as my
brother was (and still is) a die-hard Rams fan. Why would he want the
Redskins jersey?! I really wanted and fought for the Redskins jersey,
not knowing a thing about either team, but only that I simply liked it
better. Being the younger brother, though, I usually got the shaft; so
unfortunately I had numerous pictures taken of me wearing the Cowboys
jersey when I was young. Sad, but true. I had no choice. I had to wear
this thing as it was the only football jersey I had, and coming from a
low-middle-class, single-mom-with-3-kids household, I wasn't getting a
new one anytime soon!
Two years later, however, my football fate was cemented. It was December 16, 1979. The NFL had not adopted the Wild Card, and the Redskins and Cowboys would meet in Texas Stadium to decide the NFC East!! They were both 10 - 5, so it was a huge game!! The Skins were down 21-17 going into the 4th quarter, but came roaring out with 17 unanswered points, including a 66-yard run by John Riggins (broke outside, down the sideline – you remember). This was it! I was so excited!! But the Cowboys came back to win with Roger Staubach lobbing a 7-yard, over-the-shoulder TD pass to Tony Hill in the corner of the end zone with 45 seconds left to seal a 35-34 victory, ending the Redskins playoff hopes. I was devastated; yes, I cried, I'll admit it. (Strong men also cry, strong men also cry.) I threw that ugly childhood jersey away immediately. I didn't care if I was jersey-less, I wasn't wearing that thing ever again! So I saved my allowance, went to the local sporting goods store and purchased my first jersey for $35! An authentic, Sand Knit burgundy, #7!! It was gorgeous!! My Redskins jersey collection had begun! (The authentics were really cheap back then!) In 1986 I moved to Texas, Redskins stuff displayed proudly where ever
I was. Over the past 18 years, I have spent about 15 years in either
East Texas or the D/FW area. I always remained and still am PUMPED to
be a Redskins fan living in Dallas! If you asked me at any point in
my young life whether I would actually live in the city of the team
I hated growing up, and that I would have started what would turn out
to be a Redskins Fan Club that has grown to over 200 members, I would
have told you that you were nuts!! But here I am, part of an amazing
fan club made up of amazing people who share the same devotion that
I do - The Washington Redskins! Chad Costa |
More coming soon......