Oct 12th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
The Unexpected
I didn’t really have high hopes for the Redskins this season, but then they won all these games and next up were a bunch of weak opponents, so I guessed I was wrong and we had a strong team. And then, today, we lose to . . . the Rams.
37 Responses to “The Unexpected”
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October 12th, 2008 at 4:26 pm
What do you mean “we,” white man?
October 12th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
You could be a Raider fan….
Not to Hijack, but I feel really bad for Dem QB Kyle Orton, who lost after a brilliant, near-certain game-winning drive.
October 12th, 2008 at 4:35 pm
The Redskins lost because one of the offensive lineman literally handed the Rams 10 points(a chip shot FG for the Skins turned into a TD for the Rams).
While definitely disappointing, this lose doesn’t really lower expectations. That was just a flukey and stupid play by Pete Kendall. And yeah, Leigh Torrance sucks, we already knew that.
October 12th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
As a Rams fan, I can assure you this was a fluke. Please accept my apologies for hurting the playoff chances of a real football team.
October 12th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
And HOW are you surprised? One sure thing is that the Redskins will always let you down.
(NY Giants fan living in DC)
October 12th, 2008 at 5:59 pm
The Redskins will always let you down? Please. I’m a Lions fan. Yeah, the Snyder era hasn’t been real impressive, but the Redskins have won three Super Bowls in the last thirty years.
October 12th, 2008 at 6:07 pm
If the NFL decided to have a team in Nashville and call it the “Nashville N—ers” or if the wanted a team in Houston named the Houston Hebes or perhaps the Georgia Greasers, would you proudly shout out the name of the team or would you be aghast at the racist nature of their names?
Are Native Americans not worthy of the same decency that blacks or Jews or Hispanics might expect?
Printing that vile racist name with such pride really does you no honor. Please do not tell me some weak response like, “Its a term of honor” or any such nonsense. The word was coined as a racist slur and used as such until we had wiped out almost every one of the poor creatures. I guess the few remaining, who are stuck in some stinking desert ‘reservation’ to drink their lives away don’t deserve respect like ‘real’ people do.
October 12th, 2008 at 6:20 pm
What about those Falcons. Matt Ryan…can I say more.
October 12th, 2008 at 7:40 pm
y’know, folks, he’s “uncool”, certainly, no doubt “humorless” to boot, but #7 is absolutely right: the name is a disgrace.
October 12th, 2008 at 8:11 pm
I agree with #9. I was humorless and ‘uncool’ and I apologize for such a hard, cold post. I just get real tired of seeing that word and this time of year is when it shows up the most.
I know you people are not racists or bigots. I know that to you the name is one of glory and pride because I feel the same about the Chicago Bears.
Its just that a name that was bestowed many years ago when folks weren’t aware of the harm racist words do is now horribly outdated. Could you not just call them the ’skins? It would still identify your team while not offending folks.
Remember, ignorance is curable, stupidity is not. Sarah Palin should have taught us that if nothing more.
Sorry to get on your case on a day of such a hard loss. Then again, look at what the Bears did.
October 12th, 2008 at 9:02 pm
Echoing Andruw, above…
At least you’re not a Browns fan, either (1 barely-eked out win against the 0-6 Bengals? Ugh).
October 13th, 2008 at 1:10 am
As someone with experience with the Bureau of Indian Affairs and real live Native Americans: shove your false righteousness up your ass. They have bigger issues than the nickname of a sports team and frankly don’t give a shit. If you are so bloody concerned about them then go volunteer on a reservation, or lobby your congressional representatives to improve the departments of Indian health and education.
October 13th, 2008 at 2:36 am
That would be a reassuring excuse for losing to a team that’s not terrible. Having the Rams be close enough to win by “a fluke” is still embarrassing.
October 13th, 2008 at 5:55 am
Black people also have bigger concerns than a ‘nickname’. Do you suppose they don’t mind us calling them names? Secondly, this isn’t about Native Americans, this is about us. If we use demeaning names for ethnic minorities it hurts us just as much, if not more than it does them.
Racism is hard wired into the human brain and anyone who says differently is in denial because it is such a ‘bad’ thing to be. It is a struggle to not judge others by superficial qualities and it begins with the words we use.
Oh, and by the way, I have worked on a reservation. I have written my congress person. I have donated to schools and hospitals on reservations. You sanctimonious jerk.
October 13th, 2008 at 11:04 am
Dennis: you’re right. It’s an awful name. I hope that eventually something is done to change it — some of the more creative solutions I’ve heard include keeping the team name to a red boar. Or an appropriately-colored potato.
And yes, it’s good advice to call them the ‘Skins whenever possible. Some of the players are very consistent about this in interviews, and I have a tremendous amount of respect for their willingness and ability to do so. Even if you try to adopt a conscientious manner of speaking, it’s easy to slip up — as your deployment of the phrase “poor creatures” amply illustrates, I think.
But here’s the truth about the situation: right now there are very few people actively agitating for the name to be changed. Dan Snyder has sworn that the name will not change while he owns the team, and he’s a young man. Scolding us for calling the team by its name accomplishes nothing. It’s going to take a new owner with strongly-held convictions and a willingness to make a hugely unpopular and expensive decision.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the terms of sale forbid a name change, too. It’s not an easy problem to solve.
October 13th, 2008 at 11:05 am
Um. Go Giants.
October 13th, 2008 at 11:05 am
Hmm. “keeping the team name” s/b “changing the team mascot”. That was a particularly weird typo.
October 17th, 2008 at 4:30 pm
I think, MY, that you must get used to the idea that the Skins open the season strong and then fold somewhere around week 8. This happens on a regular basis.
Not that I am sad about it at all; what Jen Said.
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