For everyone that didn't give up!

Kinda funny that the people that are against this 'divide' amongst the fans aren't doing much to help things by shooting down this thread as being stupid and/or retarded.

I think there's some legit discussion going on here. Perhaps it didn't start off on the right foot, but for the most part it's swung away from the extreme that it started off on.

Kinda funny that the people that are against this 'divide' amongst the fans aren't doing much to help things by shooting down this thread as being stupid and/or retarded.

Any thread contributing to, or causing, a divide between fans is retarded.

You know well and good I've hit people on both side of the fence with the "retarded thread" label.

Kinda funny that the people that are against this 'divide' amongst the fans aren't doing much to help things by shooting down this thread as being stupid and/or retarded.

Fortunately this thread seems to have progressed with some thoughtful discussion.

It started out "retarded" for sure, but we're now actually talking about some of the problems and discussing it in a rather productive way.

Any thread contributing to, or causing, a divide between fans is retarded.

You know well and good I've hit people on both side of the fence with the "retarded thread" label.

And I'm saying bashing on a thread contributing to, or causing, a divide between fans is also retarded and in the end is only contributing to the problem.

Let's face it the divide isn't going to change. Rather than sweeping it under the rug and pretending it's not there, why not get it out in the open and figure out why people think the way they do?

I think there's some legit discussion going on here. Perhaps it didn't start off on the right foot, but for the most part it's swung away from the extreme that it started off on.

I'll agree there's legit discussion now, so thanks to the Warpath community, we turned this thread into something not retarded at all. There's definitely good discussion now, it's just nice to see it acknowledged that the thread did not start out so well. I'm just interested in seeing the divisive stuff come to an end, to the extent possible.

Posters need to remember one of the forum guidelines is to agree to disagree. If someone has a negative viewpoint, don't let it bring you down to the point where you bicker with them, just say well I think you're wrong, explain why you think so, and move on. And if someone is going on blind faith and being a total homer, don't let their beliefs annoy you to the point where you start calling them Kool Aid drinkers and bickering. Just say well I think you're wrong, explain why you think so, and move on. We can debate thoughtfully without bickering.

I will call myself out here. I definately was one of the doubters. I didn't think in anyway possible we would be able to win those games down the stretch to give us a shot. Along with some help from other teams losing and we taking care of our business, we are actually playing a meaningful game this weekend against Dallas. I love it. I love the fact that it basically comes down to beating the cowboys for us to be in the playoffs. (unless Minn and NO lose)

Good job Joe and da Skins to prove me wrong.

I'll agree there's legit discussion now, so thanks to the Warpath community, we turned this thread into something not retarded at all. There's definitely good discussion now, it's just nice to see it acknowledged that the thread did not start out so well. I'm just interested in seeing the divisive stuff come to an end, to the extent possible.

Posters need to remember one of the forum guidelines is to agree to disagree. If someone has a negative viewpoint, don't let it bring you down to the point where you bicker with them, just say well I think you're wrong, explain why you think so, and move on. And if someone is going on blind faith and being a total homer, don't let their beliefs annoy you to the point where you start calling them Kool Aid drinkers and bickering. Just say well I think you're wrong, explain why you think so, and move on. We can debate thoughtfully without bickering.

But isn't it, well, difficult to debate thoughtfully around such a passionate thing like football? Particularly when both people are equally as passionate about the same team?

Let's say one person is more skilled at actually debating than someone else, does that somehow make their viewpoint less of an argument or thought worthy? Perhaps they aren't as good at articulating thoughts, facts, and arguments. And to some extent, I think that's where a huge part of the divide, so to speak, exists. To your point though, I think we should be able to debate without bickering, but I doubt it's possible when emotions run high as they often do around Redskins football.

I have no problem with doubters. Doubt is a perfectly rational point of view to have especially with the way things went this season.

Gave up on the team? Last I checked, nobody stopped being a fan just because they thought the team wouldn't do well.

Would have been nice to see the mods take leadership to strike down this type of instigation. A bit disappointing and alienating, as ctt mentioned.

Just to piggyback on that, I'm willing to go so far as to say that everyone who posts on here on a regular basis is a fan. With the exception of the occasional douchebag who comes here trolling or selling something, everyone is here because they love the Redskins.

If you weren't a fan you wouldn't hop on the internet almost every day and write post after post about the 'Skins and argue the finer points of the team. If you weren't a fan, why would you spend hours and hours of your life and rack up 1000, 2000, 5000, 10,000+ posts about the Redskins? Of COURSE you're a fan, based on the sheer amount of your own personal time you devote to discussing and thinking about this team.

What pisses me off more than anything is the people making broad, sweeping declarations that "so-and-so" isn't a fan, after one negative comment said in frustration. That's as reactionary and asinine as the "negative nelly" who gets on here after a loss and demands that Gibbs be fired. There's zero difference.

Look, I have my share of disagreements on here with people, and some on a regular basis. Not to call anyone out, but for one reason or another I find myself on opposite sides of arguments with certain people about 99% of the time. But I'd never call them lesser fans or NOT fans at all. The simple fact that they are on here dicussing this at all means they are a fan.

A fan cares about their team, through thick and thin. Anyone who's even consistently watching the Redskins at this point in the season, after what the team has been through, is a fan in my book. Yes, it's annoying when after a tough loss someone jumps on here, creates a new account, demands someone's head, and leaves just as quickly. Hell, anyone who's watched this team be abysmal over the last 15 years is probably fan simply for sticking around.

I'd say the simple fact that someone cares enough about the team to GET angry about it proves "fan" status. If they weren't a fan, they'd probably just say "oh well, tough break" and forget about it.

There's personality clashes all the time, good arguments, bad arguments, and plainly illogical rambling, but questioning someone's "fan status" is just as "ridicules" as it comes.

We might go 0-16 in 2008, and you're damn right I'm going to complain about it the entire time. And I'll be right back in 2009 to watch every game.