The Long, Failed Drive of the Washington Redskins

The problem is that Commanders is not a very fun-sounding name — say, like the Jets or the Chargers. Commanders sounds bleak. Serious. Militant. 

A Washington Commanders logo. AP/Patrick Semansky

At least the new name of the Washington Redskins is not the Washington Communists, as some on the internet began calling the team after the announcement that it would now be known as the Commanders. Although that might at least be accurate, as there are a few communists — or at least socialists — on Capitol Hill these days.

I’m not crazy about the name. In fact, I don’t even like Commanders as much as Wizards, the name of Washington’s  professional basketball team. They were once the Bullets, but that name was also changed for reasons of political correctness. Bullets was too close to home for D.C., which can be a violent city familiar with gun play.

The larger problem is that Commanders is not a very fun-sounding name — say, like the Jets or the Chargers. Commanders sounds bleak. Serious. Militant. 

Perhaps it is a fitting name after all, because that is what the Washington Redskins have been in the 30 years since they last won a Super Bowl.

If you were born and raised in D.C., as I was, it’s hard to describe the joyful mania that once surrounded the Redskins. In the 1980s, the players were treated like gods. Local stores would be empty on Sundays as people were glued to their TVs. RFK Stadium was a euphoric place during home games, with fans of all ages, races, and classes shaking their sections as they cheered the burgundy and gold. The National Symphony Orchestra once played “Hail to the Redskins” at a Kennedy Center concert. 

More important than being winners — which we were, taking home three Lombardi trophies between 1983 and 1993 — the team, the announcers, and the fans were all fun.

Then came 1999, and Daniel Snyder. In his 23 seasons as Washington’s owner, the team has had just six playoff appearances and two postseason victories. This season was its fifth straight with a sub-.500 record. There have also been lawsuits and talk of a toxic culture within the organization.

As everyone in Washington has known for decades, the city’s football fortunes won’t change until there’s a change at the top. We need a new owner. I’ll always be a D.C. sports fan, but my loyalties now reside with the Nationals, who have won a recent World Series and provide a model of ownership in the Lerner family. Fans are treated right, and the atmosphere at Nationals Park — unlike the cold and dour FedEx Field, where the Commanders will likely continue to lose — is one of genuine fun.

I’ll cherish my memories of the glory years at RFK Stadium. Riggins. Theisman. Art Monk. George Allen. After the 1983 Super Bowl win against the Dolphins, my high school friends and I spent all night riding on the tops of cars and trucks in Georgetown. It was glorious.

The Commanders need a new leader.


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