(New Poll) The Washington Commanders Brand 2.0: Beer Drinkers and Hail Raisers

[AngryChuckT]

During one of the nadirs (there were so many ... ) of the Snyder Regime, I began to wish that the team would pick up and move. I had become disgusted, yet could not officially sever ties with the team I had cheered since I was 7 years old. A departure would have made the decision for me. And I knew we would get a new team during the next round of expansion and it would not include Snyder.

And here we are. New name, newish uniforms, an impending dome in DC, and no Snyder. I guess a variation of it happened.

I turn 60 in a month and a half. I will celebrate by yelling at a cloud.

Hitting 50, I was a cloud yeller too until recently. I left the DMV 28 years ago. I return on average once a year to visit my 90 year old Grandparents who are also the biggest Skins fans I have ever know. They are where I get my love for this franchise - as it is woven in my family's story. However, I am no longer a DMVer. I will never return and I really identify with my home here in Arkansas and have for many years. My only tie to the DMV is: 1) my GPs who won't be around forever and 2) this franchise. I always said if Snyder moved the team and DC got an expansion team, I was done with the NFL. I couldn't just "pick" another team especially the local one (Dallas and KC) and the DMV is not my home. The Skins are the NFL for me and I was quite willing to get my football fix through my college teams should the Skins be no more.

The name change was tough and almost the final straw in me walking away. I decided I would see how much an "expansion" feel the rebrand would have. It was razor's edge for me, especially with those abominations we call uniforms on top of that ridiculous name. But, I held just a little while longer because they were still the franchise founded in 1932, there were rumors of the WOS finally being brought down and most importantly, walking away would mean letting go of something that is literally a part of who I am and an outward representation of the fabric of family memories.

So I waited and agonized.

Then this season happened. My grandmother and I talk about the Skins every other day, like we used to. She texts me during games like she did before the name change. My kids got to watch a game with their GGPs when we visited. My little blonde kids got to go crazy in their great-grandparent's living room just like the little blonde boy version of me would do every Sunday 40 years ago.

My kids, getting rid of the WOS, and having a few more years of memory building with my GGs, has me yelling at very few clouds. I have resigned myself to a lot of things. At this point all I ask is the uniforms get close to the classic look - especially the abominations that are the white ones. I am old. I will yell at a (very) few clouds still. But I am still here.

 

[HTTR]

Hitting 50, I was a cloud yeller too until recently. I left the DMV 28 years ago. I return on average once a year to visit my 90 year old Grandparents who are also the biggest Skins fans I have ever know. They are where I get my love for this franchise - as it is woven in my family's story. However, I am no longer a DMVer. I will never return and I really identify with my home here in Arkansas and have for many years. My only tie to the DMV is: 1) my GPs who won't be around forever and 2) this franchise. I always said if Snyder moved the team and DC got an expansion team, I was done with the NFL. I couldn't just "pick" another team especially the local one (Dallas and KC) and the DMV is not my home. The Skins are the NFL for me and I was quite willing to get my football fix through my college teams should the Skins be no more.

The name change was tough and almost the final straw in me walking away. I decided I would see how much an "expansion" feel the rebrand would have. It was razor's edge for me, especially with those abominations we call uniforms on top of that ridiculous name. But, I held just a little while longer because they were still the franchise founded in 1932, there were rumors of the WOS finally being brought down and most importantly, walking away would mean letting go of something that is literally a part of who I am and an outward representation of the fabric of family memories.

So I waited and agonized.

Then this season happened. My grandmother and I talk about the Skins every other day, like we used to. She texts me during games like she did before the name change. My kids got to watch a game with their GGPs when we visited. My little blonde kids got to go crazy in their great-grandparent's living room just like the little blonde boy version of me would do every Sunday 40 years ago.

My kids, getting rid of the WOS, and having a few more years of memory building with my GGs, has me yelling at very few clouds. I have resigned myself to a lot of things. At this point all I ask is the uniforms get close to the classic look - especially the abominations that are the white ones. I am old. I will yell at a (very) few clouds still. But I am still here.

Awesome post Chuck! I do think age 50 is kind of the cloud yelling prime of life. Now that I’m getting closer to 60, I’m realizing more and more that the stuff I’ve been yelling about is just not important, or at least not what I need to be focusing on. Spending time with family like you mentioned and enjoying the time you have left are much better things to focus on you come to realize. For now though, I’m only 56, so I do still have a little more cloud screaming in my system. 😁

 

[Riggo44]

 

[DieselPwr44]

There's this...



Then there's also this...



Serious, trolling for clicks or just as big a dumbass as we've always suspected?

 

[Riggo44]

JKhan is proving JP's point. The name was protested for decades--I remember the protests at the Super Bowl in 1992. He just wants to complain about Cancel Culture. Hell the reason Snyder finally caved had nothing to do with Cancel Culture--Fred Smith was trying to oust Snyder. If Snyder never owned the team, we'd still be the Redskins.

 

[HTTR]

Again with this. Such a tired argument. Of course winning would prop up any name no matter how bad. It doesn’t make commanders any better of a name. And to pawn it off as fans being political?? Pfffft. If people love the crappy name, that’s their choice. But they should stop demonizing the people who think they could’ve and should’ve done better. Let’s just agree to disagree.

 

[Spearfeather]

Group number 3 is significantly larger than group number 2. Finlay really just wanted to bash group 2, even though they're the smallest. To say that most people outside of group 1 aren't " actual fans " ...

Just ridiculous.

 

[HTTR]

Group number 3 is significantly larger than group number 2. Finlay really just wanted to bash group 2, even though they're the smallest. To say that most people outside of group 1 aren't " actual fans " ...

Just ridiculous.

Definitely. Can’t speak for anybody but myself, but I can assure you my distain for the Snyder name has zero to do with politics. I think it sucks that Harris caved. But it’s over now, and as a longtime fan, I don’t feel like being dunked on by the likes of JP Finley.

 

[Riggo44]

It doesn’t make commanders any better of a name. And to pawn it off as fans being political?? Pfffft.

That’s not what he said, at all. He said people clamoring for Redskins are mostly those hijacking to make it some political argument.

 

[Hail Raiser]

I loathe the commander name in every way.
Connections to Snyder
Military celebritism.
It's a mid fucking rank.
Every way you shorten it sucks worse.

I was (and am) a pro name changer for a very long time, so I'm glad it did, but commies sucks.

Howl Redwolves

 

[HTTR]

That’s not what he said, at all. He said people clamoring for Redskins are mostly those hijacking to make it some political argument.

Perhaps for some, but certainly not most. Usually when someone accuses others of politicalizing, they are doing the same thing. It goes both ways. The decisions been made, and he got his way, so I wish he’d shut up about it. We are stuck with Snyder’s shitty name so I’m just going to move on and hope that in time it somehow grows on me.

 

[Commander PK]

As for J.P.’s tweet…If your goal is to get people to move on and accept the new…insinuating that people who are still upset about the name change “aren’t real fans” is definitely the wrong approach.

A better one is to let people come around in their own way and in their own time. Listen to the venting for a while if that is what it takes…ignore it if it bugs you. Failing to acknowledge the emotional connection to the former brand some fans still have and marginalizing them for feeling that way is only going to prolong their natural response to double-down and dig in on the topic.

The bottom line is for some it’s NEVER going to be right, and they will take this disappointment to their grave. For me, I realized a long time back while this team is very important to me it’s just not THAT important. I have chosen to focus on what I can control…which isn’t much.

 

[burgold]

The Washington Post conducted a new poll about the name and people's feelings towards it. The poll was of DC area residents. Bottom line: 61% of the respondents said they were fans of the team up from the 45% reported a year ago, half of those polled said they loved or liked the name up from 34%, and only 8% said they hated the name Commanders.

 

[DieselPwr44]

1667 people out of how many?

 

[DWinzit]

I had been braced for a decade for the day the name was changed. I didn't want the change but was comfortable with the "backup" name of Warriors. It sucks that we weren't able to just move to that name, which I found more palatable than Commanders and would not have had Danny involvement. I will never understand all the forced changes yet the Chiefs and the Braves are still acceptable

 

[HTTR]

The Washington Post conducted a new poll about the name and people's feelings towards it. The poll was of DC area residents. Bottom line: 61% of the respondents said they were fans of the team up from the 45% reported a year ago, half of those polled said they loved or liked the name up from 34%, and only 8% said they hated the name Commanders.

The poll question might as well have been ‘Do you like that they’re winning?’ because again the answer would be the same here with any name. It’s great that new fans and non fans have embraced the team and with it the name. Makes sense since they never built up an attachment to the teams history. Us long time fans are a different category. Not saying any fan is more important than another, but I do agree we deserve whatever time we need to grieve and move on. For those of you long time fans who already have, kudos to you. I would hope you would understand the most.

 

[Riggo44]

I will never understand all the forced changes yet the Chiefs and the Braves are still acceptable

The only answer.

 

[Riggo44]

As for J.P.’s tweet…If your goal is to get people to move on and accept the new…insinuating that people who are still upset about the name change “aren’t real fans” is definitely the wrong approach.

A better one is to let people come around in their own way and in their own time. Listen to the venting for a while if that is what it takes…ignore it if it bugs you. Failing to acknowledge the emotional connection to the former brand some fans still have and marginalizing them for feeling that way is only going to prolong their natural response to double-down and dig in on the topic.

The bottom line is for some it’s NEVER going to be right, and they will take this disappointment to their grave. For me, I realized a long time back while this team is very important to me it’s just not THAT important. I have chosen to focus on what I can control…which isn’t much.

There is another category: the people who staunchly refuse to accept the name is growing and because they don't like it. Scrolling through the comments there is a lot of "How much did Harris pay for this!?" or "out of how many people?!" or other dismissive, plug-their-ears-and-go-la-la-la-la-la behavior. It's very interesting.

 

[HTTR]

The only answer.

Bingo. This is where you and I maybe have common ground on this topic Riggo. It’s funny because I really like your posting, and we tend to agree on almost all football matters. But when it comes to this topic, not so much lol

 

[Riggo44]

Bingo. This is where you and I maybe have common ground on this topic Riggo. It’s funny because I really like your posting, and we tend to agree on almost all football matters. But when it comes to this topic, not so much lol

There is really no right or wrong--just as with "Redskins"--there were many people who clamored for the name to change (who now complain about Commanders, one such unfunny wannabe comedian in the afternoons on 106.
7 stands out). If it resonates with you, great, if not, welp, that sucks. I remember thinking "are you effing kidding me" when they revealed the name--but as soon as Snyder announced he was selling, I bought some gear. And slowly but surely I came to accept the name--and bought more shit: recently a burgundy Luvu jersey. If I go to the Philly game (here, I am not going to that cesspool up 95), that'll be my jersey.

It'll never be Redskins. Ever. People wanting it to be Redskins are setting themselves up for disappointment. For me, though, it's something I am getting behind more and more, and so are a lot of people. I think it's a good thing that the name is growing.