How Long Have You Been A Fan???

Just before the start of the Cowboys vs. Redskins 82 Championship game. My brother and all his friends were getting pumped for the game, and I wanted to hang with the big boys so I decided to become a fan then.

I have been a fan since '78. No one in my immediate family liked Football, but all my freinds and cousins did. In '78 the Redskins were playing the Cowboys in Dallas and all my cousins were there and they were and still are Cowboy fans. It was also the "Americas Team" era. My one older cousin Pat had a silver dollar. I wsa 8 at the time and had never seen one before so I had asked him for it. He told me if the Redskins beat the Cowboys that day I could have it. So I sat in front of that TV watching every second rooting hard as hell even though the Redskins got blown out. I cried, he gave me the silver dollar anyway and I have been a fan since.

born in 74,grew up in a house were my dad and older brother cheered and yelled for the skins,i was hooked soon after. my dad is 58 years old now, he had never been to a game, so my brother and i took him to his first game last year for his bithday, it was a truly great time.(even tho the skins lost)

For those who followed the Redskins closely throughout the 80's, how would you describe the feeling of watchin' players like Riggins, Theismann, or Joe washington to the younger skins fans?

one of the things i remember is if the game was close ,i felt confident that the skins would hold on to the lead or make a comeback,today if the skins are leading near the end of a game and the score is close,i just keep thinking the skins are going to do something to lose the game.

You took the words right out of my mouth Wolfe. There was always hope that the Redskins would win no matter the circumstances. I should say it wasn't just hope, it was just genuine belief. Gibbs' strength was (is?) being the master of the halftime adjustment.

And you knew that Riggins and company would come to play every Sunday (or Monday). Yeah there were some disappointing losses (upsets even) but those guys left it all on the field.

The last Dallas game was the closest I remember the Redskins to being back. They never gave up untill the gun blew. Back when the refferee actually carried a blank firing gun. The game that always will stand out as a true Gibbs game was the Raiders game where they came back from 17 down with 7 minutes left in the game. Recovery of a onside kick. Was it Nick Giaquanto or someone else. Joe Washington on a halfback option goes across the inside and catches the ball and gets the winning score. Trust me you can see it comming back. We might be 3 losses into 4 games but when it clicks get ready for a fun ride.

My all time favorite game still is the 70's Monday night against Dallas where Ken Houston stopped Walt Garrison on the 4 yard line on 4th down. Great game with a rematch being the 72 Championship game on New Years Eve. What a season.

For those who followed the Redskins closely throughout the 80's, how would you describe the feeling of watchin' players like Riggins, Theismann, or Joe washington to the younger skins fans?

I had some FABULOUS times at the stadium watching Sonny, Charlie and Bobby. But nothing could compare to being at the game when Riggo was running behing the Hogs in the Gibbs offense. I can still hear the sound of air horns when he made a great carry. And there were SO many of them. It was great to see him hit at the line, carry the would-be tackler, and a 2nd that would try to help out, then make a 4-5 yard gain. Some of those guys just could not seem to learn you could not bring him down with shoulder tackles. As exciting as a great passing game can be, there was still nothing like a steady 4th quarter diet of John Riggins to make the game perfect for me.

since I was born in 82, one of my first words was 'tut down john wiggins' lol

born 71. Fan since 76. First game I remember was a skins game.