an eternity ago...

[Ken Gargett]

i lived in DC for a year what seems an eternity ago. absolutely loved the place and went within a whisker of staying there for good. had a fabulous time and one of the things i loved was the footy on sundays. lived with four other guys and every sunday the house would be full of friends as we'd watch a series of games (with the weather that time of year, bugger all else to do anyway).

i saw this in the wash post this morning. i still have the front page from that day and also that page imprinted on a t-shirt (which amazingly i can still fit into, just). for any skins fans out there, it has been a tough couple of decades. who would have ever thought.

another reason it was so much fun was that, if i recall correctly, it was one of the cowgirls worst ever years. i might add, i got to a game that season. got a scalper ticket for $20. it was for the home game against the cowgirls. and wouldn't you know it, one of the only games the skins lost and the girls won was that very game. it was a beautiful clear day with a maximun around minus 5. despite about 8 pairs of socks and boots, i could not leave my feet on the ground for long as you could feel the cold creep up - and the famous cheerleaders. they looked like eskimos.

Eighteen years ago today, the Redskins won the Super Bowl. It was their third Super Bowl win in 10 years. In the 18 seasons since, they've won three playoff games."Someone born during the Redskins' last Super Bowl would just today become old enough to buy a lottery ticket, and thus would have a better chance of rooting for a winner," one particularly cynical chap e-mailed me.

I don't want to go there, but the 18-year anniversary does seem significant. It means that today's high school seniors have gone through their entire youth without knowing the Redskins as champions. And thus, as a public service, I present scenes from 18 years ago this night.

Wash Post: It happened exactly as everyone knew it would -- the Washington Redskins demolished the Buffalo Bills, 37-24. It was never even a scare. Afterward, Franklin Hernandez and other fans did what was expected of them at that moment: They went out into the freezing streets of Georgetown.

Fans from restaurants and bars poured into the streets, police officers stood at attention, and men climbed lampposts on Wisconsin Avenue and M Street NW to chant to the crowds below, "We're Number 1!" Other chants resounded through the streets: "I'm going to Disney World" and "Hang the Buffalo meat!"

The Guardian: In a moment, the Buds and bar-snacks were forgotten, girlfriends suddenly abandoned. Overturning bar-stools and yelling war-whoops of triumph, they poured out into the cold in their thousands. The silence of a winter's night was shattered in the time it took Mark Rypien to proclaim: "We're going to Disneyworld!"

Leaping over cars, clambering up traffic lights, dancing in the fast lane, they pointed the single digit skywards and bellowed for all they were worth. "Time to party," laughed a youth, kissing a girl on the run in what might be termed an incomplete pass. For the police, it was nightmare on M Street.

http://' target="_blank">Wash Times: Only the Redskins could get 30,000 people marching around Georgetown on a subfreezing night, hailing them at the top of their lungs. Only the Redskins could have a rally that would prompt the mayor to give city workers three hours off. Only the Redskins could set off celebrations from the Virginia state capital to the wards of a mental hospital.

That's what winning the Super Bowl championship has done to the Washington area. For the second time in five years, a bunch of guys who play with an inflated pigskin have given people reason to dance and cheer together.

Wash Post: A police official estimated that at the peak of the celebration, from 11 p.m. to midnight, the crowd grew to 30,000, far fewer than the quarter-million revelers who turned out after the Redskins' 1987 Super Bowl victory.

AP: The Washington area received its first snowfall of the winter 24 hours before the Redskin victory. Authorities said that, coupled with temperatures in the teens, may have contributed to many people deciding not to venture out of their homes to celebrate.

The Guardian: If the Buffalo Bills are to be believed, the Skins' followers are not "real fans". Beyond the immediate environs of the District of Columbia, there is a deep, irrational prejudice against the nation's capital and by association, its football team. It is the sort of geographical disdain that leads Newcastle fans to describe Chelsea as "nancies".

Being home to Congress and Chief Coach Bush does not help the DC profile. The all-talk, no-action image is hard to shake, even when Gary Clark and Art Monk are on the receiving end. Bush, although he watched the game in the White House, is a Houston Oilers man, one reason why they are all Democrats round here....

For all Buffalo's back-biting, the Redskins are this city's abiding passion. It is a love affair which the Bills, be they from New York state or Little Rock, Arkansas, would do well to match.

The Skins bridge race and class divisions. When they play, the shooting mostly stops. Yesterday, after a 14-2 season, the team and the city were winners. Jesse Jackson, take a time out.

AP: There were standing-room-only crowds at most bars and restaurants along Pennsylvania Avenue near the Capitol and many establishments turned people away because of warnings against overcrowding by police.

"The Redskins are what brings this area together," said Bruce Monroe, 36, a congressional staffer. "There is so much talk about Washington being the murder capital of the United States, about how ineffective the federal government is and the other things that go toward the bad image the city has. But the Redskins are a matter of civic pride that we can all rally around."

Wash Times: At times, the street corners looked like slam-dancing clubs. Celebrants shoved and pushed. They chanted, "Redskins! Redskins!" They surged in front of television cameras....

"In a city that's basically soulless, it's nice to have something to attach yourself to," said Miles Parker, 24, a computer salesman.

Wash Post: Already, some fans were anticipating a sad time. Post-football season letdown, Redskins withdrawal, the after-the-Super Bowl syndrome.

"I'm going to be very depressed," said season ticket holder Michael Eisenberg, of Potomac.

He didn't know the half of it.

[reg]

I feel for you

[anacostiakat]

Brings a tear to me eye. . .

[Freefallguy]

:rotfl:

Ken, seriously, how can you dis the 'boys on the Mancathlon thread after posting this?

Did you get the memo- it takes two hands to wear all the 'boys rings.

Unless of course you're a 'skins tosser and wear one on your thumb.

Coincidentally- playing poker online. A big fish with a 'skins helmet avatar goes all-in with A,6s the other guy shows A,Q and wins with a straight. Poetic, the kid must be under 18.

[Ken Gargett]

not that you have much to laugh about!!

[El Presidente]

......and here I was thinking the Topic of the thread related to the last time you wrote anything vaguely about cigars.

[Ken Gargett]

......and here I was thinking the Topic of the thread related to the last time you wrote anything vaguely about cigars.

funny you should mention that...

actually, too busy being the object of your scorn on your videos, no need to thank me for all the time given up, though as smithy seems to think they are state secrets to be vaulted away, i wonder about the point of it??

[bigfunkyg]

I can feel the pain. Although a different league (but same sport) my team the Winnipeg Blue Bombers hasn't won a championship since 1990. You would think that would be a similar accomplishment, but the CFL only being an 8 (somtimes 9) team league, I would say that ranks higher on the list of futility.

As least they have been to the dance four times since, but bridemaids all four times. The most recent on hurt the most as the Bombers lost a relatively close one to our bitter rival Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2007.

Oh well. Part of the joy of being a fan is to experience the highs and lows of being part of professional sports. How much fun would it really be to be a fan of one of those dynasty teams (Chicago Bulls, LA Lakers, Edmonton Oilers) that just won all the time for an extended period.

On that note, you have to feel good for the fans of New Orleans. Years of bad bad football teams and never gotten to the dance but to finally make it has to feel great.

[Ken Gargett]

......and here I was thinking the Topic of the thread related to the last time you wrote anything vaguely about cigars.

and given that the title of the thread says 'for skins fans', what would possibly have made you think it was about cigars?

[brutusthebuckeye]

Joe Gibbs...only coach to win 3 SB with 3 diffrent QB's

Can you name them??????

I remember all 3 teams...riggo,the hogs,the fun bunch..i was ages 11-16 when they had there runs....

The Cowboys with Danny White(he was the punter to)they were down!!!

[riderpride]

Ken, at least you're not a 'Phins fan.