Quote:
Originally Posted by SolidSnake84
I got into football in HS, so I was still a kid when I realized that Dan had to go. So to think that a childhood wish is now being potentially realized as an adult is pretty big deal emotionally. I think it is a big deal emotionally for all of us if and when it finally goes through.
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It's amazing to think about our lives before and after Dan Snyder. Every fan of this team has stories like this, the dichotomy between life before him and life with him.
For me the line of demarcation is essentially childhood vs adulthood. I'm 43, he bought the team when I was 19.
Life before him included the first Super Bowl win, I still have photos of four year old me wearing a Riggins jersey and my dad throwing me up in the air in celebration after Riggo ran on 4th and 1. I had a huge grin, not because I realized what was happening in the football game, but because my dad and I were forming a memorable bond over football.
That continued as 8 year old me saw a Super Bowl, with photos in an 80s style Redskins shirt, and then 11 year old me saw another.
As a 12 year old, wore a Mark Rypien jersey to a baseball card show, had a card dealer leave his table to come show me something, it was a Mark Rypien card autographed. I said how much do you want for it? He said whatever you're willing to pay, I have a feeling you'll love it more than I do. I turned over all 28 dollars that I had on me.
In high school and early college it wasn't the same as we weren't as successful under Norv, but the passion was there, and the frustration of not realizing potential under Norv was huge because of the passion.
But then I hit adulthood and it feels like real life hits. College is ending, have to find a job, pay bills, Dan Snyder owns the team. Signs Jeff George, fires that coach at 7-6, fires the next, hires a college coach, brings back my childhood hero who does herculean things just to make the playoffs twice under Snyder.
I get married, I have two daughters, I have moments with them but nothing close to when my dad threw me in the air in a Riggins jersey. They're 16 and 13 now. They don't care about the Commanders. He never gave them reason to.
I won't get that back. Is it the greatest tragedy to have befallen someone? Nowhere close but it still makes me sad. But knowing that there's a chance it could be like it was when I was a kid means everything to me.