Perspective on what feels like an inevitable Redskins name change

Here’s some perspective on what’s looking like an inevitable name change for the Washington Redskins.

An announcement from the Washington Redskins on the morning of July 3 revealed that they are reviewing the team name after a whirlwind of activity during the previous 24 hours.

This article will contain no reference or links to any current stories about what seems like an inevitable change.  This is simply going to be the perspective of yours truly, a fan of the Washington Redskins for many decades.

I’m 61 now and my experiences with this franchise range from jubilation to depression and every emotion in between.  Here is what I put on social media earlier.  Yes, it is emotional for many fans and for many different reasons.

It was difficult to be a fan of the team back in the 1960s. The offense was prolific. The defense was horrific. The team owner was eccentric. The fans were electric. The 1960s were enigmatic.  But it was certainly not simplistic.

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By the time we arrived in the 1980s, the Redskins were quite good. Consistently in the playoffs.  Three Super Bowl victories in four appearances. An owner to cherish. A head coach to admire.  Players that were worshipped. A fan base that was happy and proud. Since the early 1990s, it has been a period of misery and despair.

However, one thing has always united us as fans – the team name. The Washington Redskins. Our proud history with Slingin’ Sammy leading the team to NFL championships. An all too brief brush with greatness in the form of Vince Lombardi. The rambunctiousness of George Allen. A legend by the name of Joe Gibbs.

Names like Sammy Baugh, Sonny Jurgensen, Bobby Mitchell, Jerry Smith, Charley Taylor, Larry Brown, Ken Houston, John Riggins, Art Monk, Darrell Green, Doug Williams, Russ Grimm, Joe Jacoby, Rick “Doc” Walker, Gary Clark, Charles Mann, and Ricky Sanders.

Redskins.  Each and every one of them. The Redskins.

There were many others who had an impact as well. Frankly, there are too many to list here. Apologies to those players, especially if any of them were a personal favorite.  They all united us and we cheered for each of these Redskins without ceasing.  It’s in our DNA and brain cells forever.  No one can take that away from us.

Hail! is more than just a chant. It’s a greeting. It’s how we say hello and goodbye to one another.  Hail to the Redskins is our song and we sing it with extreme joy and happiness. Our song is a way of letting opposing fans know that we are loud and proud. The Burgundy and Gold are more than just our team colors. It is informally used as the team name and when a player or coach is ignorant of those colors (remember the infamous Jim Zorn?), we let them know of their grievous sin.

For 83 years, they have been known as the Washington Redskins. That’s a long time. As a fan of the team, that is all I have seen in my life. When team and stadium sponsor FedEx made it known yesterday that they wanted the name to change, it became inevitable. The chairman and CEO of FedEx is Fred Smith, a minority owner of the Redskins. Nike and Pepsi simply added cars to the momentum train.

The name change locomotive has left the station and it is not coming back. The name will change.  That is the reality and we can accept it when the time comes or move on. I will choose to stay with the team, but I will also respect your decision.

We don’t know what the new name will be, but I hope it is something all of us can like and support. It will be difficult, but the passage of time tends to heal our hearts and we learn how to move forward in spite of everything.

One other thought. Do not be angry at the agents of change who have been pursuing it so vigorously. It is easy to have hatred in our hearts, but it can consume us to the point of affecting our health, both mental and physical. It is not worth it and we’re better than that – much better.  When the change happens, we’ll be here to cover it all for you and see where it takes us.

I want to say one more thing to you before this article is fully written. Hail! Hail to the Redskins!