I’ve never been one to tell fans how to fan. We all deal with things differently. I recall spending the last several years of Dan’s ownership rubbing homers the wrong way because I couldn’t subscribe to their positive takes on the team, and found them laughable. They’d tell me I wasn’t a real fan, that I should stop posting, stop watching etc.
That said, given the gift of Dan’s departure and the delivery of the franchise QB we’ve been waiting decades for, if you can’t whole heartedly buy-in now - I’m not sure you will ever be able to.
I recall the night they had choppers flying over the team store and it was revealed the name would be Commanders. I watched the Today show in disgust and couldn’t believe that “We the Commanduhz”. Dumpy Dan and Tanya and her ‘tah dah’ revealing the new uniforms.
💯 rock bottom for my fandom.
My disgust for it though got watered down, right after the sale of the team, when my son and I attended camp and the vibes were just so high. Even with Ron, EB and JDR at the helm. In my heart I knew they sucked as bad as the name did, but I really didn’t care - the vibe from the fanbase was showing major signs of life for the first time in ages. Not because of a chance the new owner would change the name again, but because a new owner could bring class back to the team we all worshipped.
Then on Monday Night Football, on the road against the Bengals, 5 to 17 became a real thing. A star was born and another was rejuvenated. Probably the most electric feeling I’d had for this team since I was a child. My wife went to bed and wasn’t used to being woken up by all my emotion during primetime games because I barely cared. Only now it’s my son and I, both eyes wide open, jumping out of our chairs and fist pumping. We knew it right then and there that we had our guy.
It was that moment that the name became a thing of the past to me. I hope you all that still can’t accept it, find that moment one day.