WP: Redskin Fans Say "See Ya!"

[Ancalagon]

As Redskins fumble, some fans are saying, 'See ya'

Team official disputes decline in loyalty, citing economy, lack of 'compelling' matchups

A self-proclaimed team "addict" for 30 years and part of a season-ticket group since 2001, the Bethesda contractor woke up Sunday, looked at the likely poor weather and the likely worse game and just bagged it.

"Last weekend was the first weekend I decided to do something else," he said. "I watched most of it on TV, but I wasn't going to sit through that misery."

In most cities, a few thousand fans skipping NFL games during a bad season wouldn't be remarkable. But in Washington, the empty seats reported recently at FedEx Field have raised a question long unthinkable in Redskins Nation: Are significant cracks appearing in one of professional football's most rock-solid fan bases?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/25/AR2009102502646.html?hpid=topnews

(First post here, folks, so apologies if I've violated protocol. Didn't see this elsewhere.)

My view from afar: I think the attitude from Ashburn is deplorable. Example:

"I think the relentless negative coverage in The Washington Post is a real difference from previous years," Donovan said. "But in terms of the way our actual fans are behaving, we don't see any difference."

Now I'm not in DC, but I find it difficult to believe it's the Post's fault that we can't score a touchdown.

 

[Sarge]

The Post is kinda like the fanbase nowadays. They're harping because the SKins suck right now. If you look back at articles from the glory years, they were the number one homer paper for the Skins.

Funny that Redskins Park now seems to be in full bunker mentality, and it's every else's fault but theirs.

Wonder how they'll spin blackouts next year?

 

[Sarge]

There is no decline in viewership. There is no decline in merchandise sales. It is all clearly a propaganda ploy by the Post

 

[Chris]

Welcome, long lost one.

 

[Henry]

Nice to see you around AtB.

While I'm not surprised Snyder and his people are in denial at the moment, there are still ten games to go. We'll find out soon enough how ticked off the fans really are. Tonight should be real inneresting.

 

[The Burgundy Ghost]

well,
Let's see I've done the same thing with the Chiefs game that the Post mentions.
I'm not going to the Eagles game either.....what's the point?

Mediocre team, new playcaller with a system that will have problems, the Eagles thug scumbag fans, night game full of drunken Skins and Eagle fans who want to fight, me not getting home till 3AM.....pass.

I do plan on going to some of the other games this year, but it'll only be because the tickets are already paid.

 

[Jimbo]

Ah, the joys of Mountain Time living. The game starts at 7 PM here and should be over between 10 and 10:30. If our boys are down by 21 at halftime, I can watch "House" on the DVR and still get to bed before the game is over.

I REALLY used to miss my season tickets after I moved to Colorado. I don't miss them anymore.

 

[Yusuf06]

There is no decline in viewership. There is no decline in merchandise sales. It is all clearly a propaganda ploy by the Post

Wow, who knew David Donovan was a twin of some of the posters we've known over the years, both here and at ES? What an interesting coincidence.

 

[Boone]

Echo the others AtB - where the hell have you been brother?!

Glad you're here, late or not

It's hard to believe the talking heads at Ashburn don't have enough self-perception to know how some of their ridiculous spin sounds. For God's sake - we suck gentlemen - just own it. It's what real men do...

 

[Bulldog]

almost the same situation occurred in 1980 when the Redskins were 3-10 under Jack Pardee and fans were up in arms.

in one game, Jack Kent Cooke got so upset he pounded his fists against the glass in the owner's box when the Joe Walton, the OC called a draw play on 3rd and 20.

6 weeks later Pardee was fired, Beathard was allowed to go out and hire his own coach and we ended up with Joe Gibbs.

sometimes it has to get this bad in order for real change to occur.

Snyder needs to see a 3-13 or 4-12 club to be moved to change.

If the Redskins stay in the 7-9 to 8-8 range he will continue to muddle through with one or two free agent signings and a bucket of hope for the future.

It's time for this entire operation to collapse.

It should have happened earlier.

The entire organism is rotten from the top down.

 

[Ancalagon]

I'm not convinced anything will cause Snyder to see the light. He has repeatedly demonstrated that he cannot fundamentally change course, despite some pretty abysmal failures.

Hello to all the old Extremeskins (or "that other site"?) crew. New jobs, expanding family and distance (physically and metaphorically) from the Skins have kept me away, but I do dip in to lurk from time to time.

Like what you've done with this place.

 

[Call me Ismail]

almost the same situation occurred in 1980 when the Redskins were 3-10 under Jack Pardee and fans were up in arms.

in one game, Jack Kent Cooke got so upset he pounded his fists against the glass in the owner's box when the Joe Walton, the OC called a draw play on 3rd and 20.

6 weeks later Pardee was fired, Beathard was allowed to go out and hire his own coach and we ended up with Joe Gibbs.

sometimes it has to get this bad in order for real change to occur.

Snyder needs to see a 3-13 or 4-12 club to be moved to change.

If the Redskins stay in the 7-9 to 8-8 range he will continue to muddle through with one or two free agent signings and a bucket of hope for the future.

It's time for this entire operation to collapse.

It should have happened earlier.

The entire organism is rotten from the top down.

The uglier this season gets the better

Its tough to see ugly football for those 3 hours on Sunday or Monday, but it needs to get very ugly

 

[The Burgundy Ghost]

Glad I skipped out on the Eagles game.

 

[Sarge]

But did anyone else? Anybody hear the attendence numbers?

 

[Henry]

I thought the stadium looked pretty full actually.

 

[servumtuum]

I thought the stadium looked pretty full actually.

I wonder how many of those in attendance were Eagles fans?

 

[Sassy Gretsch]

From what I've heard, there wasn't an overwhelming number of Eagles' fans.

I was also surprised to see how full the stadium was (at least for the first half).

On the subject of ownership/management: the fact that Dan Snyder will send a flunkie out to blame the media, or more specifically the Washington Post, for fan dissatisfaction, well that tell us all we need to know.

 

[The Burgundy Ghost]

I thought the stadium looked pretty full actually.

It did and there weren't that many Eagles fans......I have a feeling that they weren't very confident that they would win, especially after Oakland.

To be honest, with exception to DeSean Jackson and Will Witherspoon; the Eagles didn't impress me much.

 

[Henry]

Nah. The Eagles are an average team, especially without Westbrook. The Giants are really the most complete team in the division. Everyone else in the division has issues.

 

[riggins44]

But did anyone else? Anybody hear the attendence numbers?

All I heard is Snyder was booed before the game. Zorn was asked about it in his press conference after the game. He said didn't hear it, but felt that was wrong.