BGO.C.D.: Geographically Challenged

[Boone]

Oh how I pine for the Northern Virginia suburbs of my youth! A 7-11 on every corner, a wealth of entertainment options 30 minutes away in every...

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[Alaskan]

I got a great idea. Let’s get a big rocket ship and shoot it up into space and place an artificial moon up there. Then the TV stations, instead of just broadcasting the pictures and sound down on earth, they could broadcast them up to this little moon, who could then redirect the pictures and sounds anywhere on earth. Since you would be getting your TV indirectly, we could call it Indirect TV.

Loners, who want to watch the game alone, could buy their own subscription to Indirect TV and then sit in the dark while they watch the madness that is the Redskins secondary. On the other hand, some enterprising individuals might buy a subscription and open an eating and drinking establishment so that fans with like loyalties could watch the games together because we all know that suffering together is so much better that suffering alone, especially if alcohol is involved. They would be like tailgate parties, but indoors and without the actual tailgate.

Now if only, someone could figure out how to get computers to talk together. Then fans could read newspaper articles about their favorite team no matter where they live. Maybe they could even allow the fans to type things on their computer so that other fans could read them. Almost like talking with each other. I bet whomever could do that would become really famous and important. Maybe even Vice-President of the United States.

 

[Elephant]

I cannot tell you how grateful I am to be home! After spending 12 years away from home, I am able to see our Redskins on my terms! While away, I grew tired of going to the bars, always wanted to smack a Giants or Eagles fan! (Heavy NY and Philly presence in West Palm) Then I was blessed with the ESPN Gameday, my refresh button almost got wore out! Now that I am here, if I want to rush down to FedEx at the last minute, like I did last weekend, I can! If I want to just stay home to watch, like I did against the Texans, I can. Most importantly, I was able to be a part of the opening day excitement when we beat the Cowgirls.

 

[Boone]

Me and the BGO boys need to get up for a game this season

 

[Burgundy Burner]

Me and the BGO boys need to get up for a game this season

I would like to do such a thing, but these doctors haven't cleared me for long term travel. It's really frustrating.

As for the moon, indirect things, and all that stuff - sounds good. Make it free and count me in.

 

[DieselPwr44]

Boone,

I too feel your pain.

As a resident of NW NC, most of my childhood fall Sundays were spent watching John Riggins disappear into a pile only to emerge from the other side carrying a defender or two ,while my Dad and I simultaneously looked at one another and said "How'd he do that?"

Watching season after season was a given. Growing up watching the Skins transformation from The Diesel to George Rogers to Kelvin Bryant,Byner and Riggs are some of my fondest childhood memories.

But then the storm clouds gathered off in the distance as talk of expansion swirled around the league. Then the locals affiliates talking about Charlottle was in the running and making a bid for a franchise.

"We don't need an NFL team in Carolina!!" my father roared. "We already have one..The Redskins." And at the time, that little voice inside my head said "Damn right,Dad!" "What the hell are they thinking in Charlotte? That's the NASCAR hub, that should be good enough for 'em"

So then they get awarded a franchise and I'm starting to try and deal with it.

"It's OK. As long as they put them in the AFC, we'll be OK. CBS(at that time) carries the NFC, NBC carries the AFC, it'll be cool and I might actually catch a Panther game now and then." A few weeks go by and I learn from a friend that the Jags were placed in the AFC while the Panthers were placed in the NFC. "Rot in hell Tagliabue!! Rot in hell!!"

So the Panthers inaugural season comes about and no Redskins coverage. I can remember watching the evening news, channel 8(FOX) and seeing Rich Brenner start his sports cast off by saying "We've been flooded with calls and letters wanting to know why we didn't air the Redskins game..." Damn straight you have Rich. I hope we're gathering our torches and pitchforks too, to march on FOX 8...the bastards!

From that day forward, only my hatred of the Cowboys rivals my hatred for the Panthers. I cheer everytime they lose(so far,so good this year) and get a little bummed when they win.

My wife: "Honey, you have Sunday Ticket now, the Panthers shouldn't bother you."

Maybe it shouldn't. But then again, us Redskins fans love a feud, just ask George Allen....

 

[Jimbo]

I moved to Colorado just prior to the start of the 1994 season. Having to hunt down sports bars where I could watch the Skins got to be kinda expensive. I missed a lot of news during that time but, fortunately for me, it was the Norv years so I was spared a lot of pain. That is, until the internet and the advent of Redskins Message Boards.

Oddly enough, I didn't really miss my season tickets that much until the return of Joe Gibbs. Thankfully, the season tickets are still in my family and I can still see a game should I decide to make the trek back to the rat race called "the DC Metropolitan area".

Sure, I miss the stadium experience, the tailgating and the live action but HDTV ain't bad. I don't have to deal with traffic, $8 beers, drunk obnoxious fans or fans from other teams. I keep telling myself how much better it is nowadays to watch the game from the comfort of my couch.

Aw hell, who am I kidding?

 

[Boone]

I kind of alluded to it in my blog but keep in mind guys, there are plenty of folks who can't get Directv. I'm not talking about folks who can't AFFORD Directv although I'm sure there are those folks out there too. I'm talking about folks who either can't get line of sight with a satellite signal or live in a place that doesn't allow satellite dishes.

That's why I'm watching some games on laptop.

 

[Alaskan]

I guess I have a different attitude toward the sports bars than most of you.

We have a group of guys that have watched the Skins games together for over 10 years now. The last two games were on broadcast TV but our core group was still there. Last year in that last meaningless game on a holiday weekend, we all got in our cars and drove in the cold and dark to watch the game. At some point the camaraderie became more important than the games themselves.

 

[Boone]

Sounds cool Alaskan...if I had a bunch of local Skins fan friends, I'd be all over that idea...

 

[LoyalSkinsFan]

Over the last 25 years that I've been gone from the DC area and living in Southern California I've watched the Redskins in any number of bars around the southland. I've had far too many vodka tonics/bloodies/beers at 10am to count. DirecTV has helped in a MONSTROUS way. Without it, I'd be lost. But, even with DirecTV, I've had to "watch" games many times while online via the line by line updates or more recently as little graphs that move or hop or dot across a silly little football field. More of late, I've been able to pick up games on my iPhone or iPad via DirecTV mobile. So, I get it. I REALLY, REALLY get it.

I was up in San Francisco this past weekend on a family getaway....and resolved to myself that family was more important and that I would probably not see the game live. I was prepared to watch in quick glimpses on my phone, but really didn't want to jeopardize the long overdue time alone with my family. As it turned out, we ended up eating lunch at a restaurant that had small TV's at each table.....and, as it also turned out, I managed to get us in a booth that had the Redskins/Packers on. We all watched the last ten minutes or so live......and all was well in the world.

Still, as I ran around town up in San Fran with the wife and kids.....it once again hit me on how much I really miss the feeling of a city coming together for a common cause. In LA, the Lakers area about as close as we come to that. Sure, we have two baseball teams and two hockey teams....(and even two basketball teams now that I think about it)....but those loyalties are fairly well split. The Lakers are really the only team in town that commands nearly a full tilt fan base. Up in the bay area, EVERYWHERE you go you see people wearing 49er hats or jackets or scarves or coats......in nearly every storefront you see some form of 49er gear either on display or for sale. In LA, I miss that. I miss it more everytime I go home (to DC) to visit family. I miss it even MORE when I board the plane to leave.

I get my fix....don't get me wrong.....and, life has changed to the point where now I have to pick my spots cause I'm a dad and a husband. Technology has caught up a bit and has helped a great deal.....but it's never really enough. It'll never be enough.

I guess that's why my moniker is LoyalSkinsFan.........it really sums it all up. I just wish sometimes that I had more time among others of my kind. I find myself lacking people out here to call and talk Redskins with out here........

But then, I guess that's why I'm here at BGO.

Circle complete.

 

[Boone]

Great post LSF...I knew I wasn't alone out there

Man, are we glad you found us

 

[Burgundy Burner]

The internet really changed everything for many of us. Instead of tailgates being about ten to fifteen people in attendance, they can number in the dozens now. It's nice to find like-minded friends who can relate to our passions, excitement, and yes, frustrations. It would be nice if we had an "appropriate" choice of games to see via our local broadcasts, but the reality is far from it. But, I have a feeling that it could change - for the better.

It wouldn't surprise me to see cable companies making a deal with DirecTV for areas that can't have satellite connections. Will it be a part of the new CBA agreement? Maybe, maybe not. I just have this feeling that companies such as Cox, Comcast, Verizon, Charter, etc. will make the deals necessary and all of us will have a choice each week. Nothing tangible - just something I'm hopeful about and believe it could happen.

 

[CounterTrey]

Like Jimbo I moved out of Redskins local coverage in 1994. Unlike him though I went to one game at a bar and that was it...right out and got DirectTV which at the time was pretty new. I turn 40 in a month so I was still kind of young and the first person in the family to put in for season tickets. I was one of the "lucky" folks who waited for over 20 years before my name came up. It finally did a few years ago and I've already been upgraded to lower level seats but I have been watching Redskins game alone for almost 2 decades now.

I don't mind it though, I love the setup enough that I'm willing to leave vacations early enough to get home to watch in that magnificent room, and my wife calls it the divorce room with good reason. Man caves are the last bastion of freedom for some of us on Sundays, especially if it's nice out...but my kids are awful hard to say no to and in most cases I don't want to anyway.

I gotta say I actually enjoy watching a game alone with no distractions or outside commentary and watching it in my Redskins room/home theater, so the DTV setup is fine by me. My Dad is one who can't get it because of line of sight but he's local anyway...still that full Sunday ticket and all those games is money.

I've been surrounded by Bengals, Browns and the occasional Steelers fans since day one. It's an event when I actually run into another Redskins fan, and as much trash as some of em talk I just can't bring myself to give a crap about the Browns, let alone the Bengals. I did have a Cowboys fan move in next door 6 years ago so that's been entertaining. I'll give Ohio football fans credit though, they are die hard football fans and can often have an educated conversation with me about my own team. My license plate says CTR TRE (OK commence with the jokes hehe) and I get more recognition than I do back east in Redskins land. A lot of Browns fans know exactly what it means...everyone else...not so much.

Alaskan more power to ya friend but I DESPISE the bar thing. Too much money, can't see or hear enough and too many distractions/people talking during the action. The camaraderie sounds great though, if I couldn't get that 3 or 4 weeks a year when I go back to DC for games now (450 miles from Columbus to Fed EX) I'd be awful tempted to find a similar setup. Very Cool!

 

[LoyalSkinsFan]

I was one of the "lucky" folks who waited for over 20 years before my name came up. It finally did a few years ago and I've already been upgraded to lower level seats but I have been watching Redskins game alone for almost 2 decades now.

The sad part of MY story, is that I also waited 20-something years for my name to come up on the season ticket wait list. It finally came up when JKC built his new stadium in Raljon (ugh). I was at the first game there....in my seats in section 442, one row from the upper edge of the stadium. They had fireworks and a fly-by before the game and I would SWEAR that I had to look down to see them. But I was in the stadium. And I was happy.

I've been able to move my seats around a couple times....the last time finally getting down to the lower bowl. I think they're great seats but haven't been able to get back for a game in over 2 years and to date, haven't been able to sit in the new spot.

I still have to play the DirectV game....but also have seats in the stadium. Frustrating.

But I'm happy.