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Ah, preseason. So sorry to see you go.
And now the cuts have been made too. Oh sure, there may be a few small moves left to be made, maybe even a bigger name to be picked up, who knows.
Now it's time for the real games.
Being a fan is an interesting phenomena. We have no (or very little) true, real connection with the team we live and die for. Speaking for myself, I don't know any players personally, in fact, I've never met any player on the Redskins' roster. Or any NFL roster. And yet, on Sundays this Fall, I will be rooting for my team like a madman, living and dying by every play.
And why?
It has been an overwhelmingly frustrating experience for the past 19 years. Why stick with it?
Hope.
When Andy looks at Red, and says they can never take his hope away, that's kind of emblematic of the human condition, isn't it? Doesn't matter how crappy our lives are, what our jobs are like, what we have to deal with on Monday morning, as long as we have hope.
Think about your own life for a moment. You have hopes and dreams that you apply to work, home and your personal goals. Maybe its that big promotion, new territory, raise, employee of the month this month, hell, maybe it's more flair. But you have work hopes, I hope anyway.
For home? Bigger home maybe, another kid, getting one kid to college, growing old with the spouse you love, a new kitchen, whatever.
Personal hopes can be to lose weight (looking in the mirror on this one, though P90x works!), improving relationships with friends and family, etc.
We all have hopes.
The Redskins represent those hopes to a certain degree. Our hopes and goals don't always materialize, just as the Redskins haven't in the past 19 years. Can you imagine if none of your hopes and goals had fulfilled themselves in 19 years? Yikes.
Sports teams give us another avenue of hope to root for. And when it pays off? Well...
Think about it. We invest ourselves in the teams we love as much as almost anything else in our lives for the Fall. We watch every play of every game, including preseason (and I have a feeling if they had a training camp channel, well, you know), analyzing plays and demeanor, hell even uniforms (thanks Om).
Why? Because of hope.
Because when it does pay off? Do you still get goosebumps when you hear "Mark Rypien?" How about "Second Quarter"? I wasn't old enough to remember "Riggins Run", but I assume the same holds true.
My dad was suffering through grad school in the Williams super bowl. He stayed up late, got up early studying and working on his dissertation, then going to his full time job to support us. Incredibly difficult years. But I still remember his face during the second quarter. And I smile every time I think of it. And it gives me hope.
Every time.
That's what my Redskins do. They give me hope, they remind me of hope.
So this is the time, folks. You have to decide if it is worth getting invested again? Given the last two years, I would understand if you said no. I almost said no last year, and kinda regret my decision.
But not quite. Because when we do win again, when hope is returned, 2009 and will be an example of the valley, the worst of the worst. Look how far we can go from last year.
So decide ladies and gentlemen. Are you in?
<Pushes everything into center of table>
HAIL!
And now the cuts have been made too. Oh sure, there may be a few small moves left to be made, maybe even a bigger name to be picked up, who knows.
Now it's time for the real games.
Being a fan is an interesting phenomena. We have no (or very little) true, real connection with the team we live and die for. Speaking for myself, I don't know any players personally, in fact, I've never met any player on the Redskins' roster. Or any NFL roster. And yet, on Sundays this Fall, I will be rooting for my team like a madman, living and dying by every play.
And why?
It has been an overwhelmingly frustrating experience for the past 19 years. Why stick with it?
Hope.
When Andy looks at Red, and says they can never take his hope away, that's kind of emblematic of the human condition, isn't it? Doesn't matter how crappy our lives are, what our jobs are like, what we have to deal with on Monday morning, as long as we have hope.
Think about your own life for a moment. You have hopes and dreams that you apply to work, home and your personal goals. Maybe its that big promotion, new territory, raise, employee of the month this month, hell, maybe it's more flair. But you have work hopes, I hope anyway.
For home? Bigger home maybe, another kid, getting one kid to college, growing old with the spouse you love, a new kitchen, whatever.
Personal hopes can be to lose weight (looking in the mirror on this one, though P90x works!), improving relationships with friends and family, etc.
We all have hopes.
The Redskins represent those hopes to a certain degree. Our hopes and goals don't always materialize, just as the Redskins haven't in the past 19 years. Can you imagine if none of your hopes and goals had fulfilled themselves in 19 years? Yikes.
Sports teams give us another avenue of hope to root for. And when it pays off? Well...
Think about it. We invest ourselves in the teams we love as much as almost anything else in our lives for the Fall. We watch every play of every game, including preseason (and I have a feeling if they had a training camp channel, well, you know), analyzing plays and demeanor, hell even uniforms (thanks Om
). Why? Because of hope.
Because when it does pay off? Do you still get goosebumps when you hear "Mark Rypien?" How about "Second Quarter"? I wasn't old enough to remember "Riggins Run", but I assume the same holds true.
My dad was suffering through grad school in the Williams super bowl. He stayed up late, got up early studying and working on his dissertation, then going to his full time job to support us. Incredibly difficult years. But I still remember his face during the second quarter. And I smile every time I think of it. And it gives me hope.
Every time.
That's what my Redskins do. They give me hope, they remind me of hope.
So this is the time, folks. You have to decide if it is worth getting invested again? Given the last two years, I would understand if you said no. I almost said no last year, and kinda regret my decision.
But not quite. Because when we do win again, when hope is returned, 2009 and will be an example of the valley, the worst of the worst. Look how far we can go from last year.
So decide ladies and gentlemen. Are you in?
<Pushes everything into center of table>
HAIL!