After a delightful breakfast at McDonald's early on a Sunday, my friend and I caught the Washington Metro red line, then transferred to the blue line as we headed for FedEx Field. A trans planted Brit talked our ears off and guided us to the stadium, a half hour hike in the searing heat from our Metro stop.My friend took a run through the tailgating parties while I continued on to our stadium entrance. I was anxious to take in the warm-ups and to see the pre-game presentation to Joe Theismann, a Redskins hero from the 80s, and a college star I had followed in the 70s while he attended Notre Dame University.
Washington Redskins were playing host to the Miami Dolphins that opening Sunday of the NFL season. I know that I looking a little odd wearing my New Orleans Saints' Deuce McAllister jersey that day, in contrast to the sea of bright red Redskins jerseys and the occasional teal of the Dolphins' fans who were present. I was mocked by a few fans because of my choice of attire. However, when I passed by security to enter the Redskins store inside the stadium, the guard looked at me and matter of factly said: "That's the best damn jersey I've seen today."
I was fascinated by the Redskins Wall of Fame located inside the souvenir store. It brought back fond memories of the over the hill gang teams coached by George Allen in the early 70s. I also reminisced of the glory days of the three Super Bowl winners in the 80s and early 90s. This is truly a storied franchise.
I then made my way up to the highest possible level of the stadium, clutching my free USA flag and Redskins history DVD. I passed through a tunnel where a pair of fans were loitering in the shade. I realized later how wise they were. I ascended to my seat as soon as possible, so that I spent more than four hours in the blistering 90 plus degree heat, in direct sunlight. It was worth it to go early to see the warm ups and Joe, but the problem came later when the perspiration saturating and burning my eyes became constant, such that I couldn't really see the game all that well.
Nonetheless, I was taking in my first ever live NFL football game. The marching band playing "Hail to the Redskins", a tradition kept alive since the team's inception in 1932, was marvelous. Then, when the flags and the team came roaring out of their tunnel to the roar of a rousing contemporary song, I was just thrilled. It was truly superb.
I was also thrilled to see some well known stars playing and to get some zoom camera shots of them. My favourite plays of the game, oddly, were the punts. It was hilarious watching the outside tacklers of the punting team being run out of bounds at high speed by their corresponding blockers on the other team, in an attempt to make the speedy tacklers ineligible to be the first player to touch the ball if the punt was fumbled by the punt returner. It was like a game of cat and mouse with two players with track star speed trying to evade one or two fast men on the other team, and often ending up way out of the play.
Watching the fans around brought me great amusement. There were the three 20 year olds directly in front, two guys and a girl. The young woman managed to remove her undergarment from under her jersey without removing her jersey, which she then gave to a male friend to cover his head in the hot sun. They took turns going downstairs to the concourse for food, and in the process two of then missed most of the second quarter. Then, later in the game they had obtained some bottled water from downstairs, as the vendors in the aisles were only selling beer. These three young people then proceeded to pour the $5 a bottle water on their heads and attempt to throw it on each other's groin area.
Another funny fan was a middle aged man who sat about 15 rows directly down from me. Wearing a Redskins worker's hard hat, he rose every time the Redskins scored, turned around to face the rows behind him, extended his arms horizontally with palms up, and just barely lifted all his fingers into the air, repeatedly. He had this blank, but satisfied look on his face, as he seemed to fancy himself leading the crowd in a cheer. As it was, every happy fan at that moment was cheering quite nicely without his supposed leadership. He was just too funny to watch.
The game itself was exciting. Not a high scoring affair, but a hard fought match which the Redskins managed to tie and send into overtime. I couldn't believe it; my first live NFL game and it goes into overtime. Actually, I was kind of dreading the overtime because of my discomfort in the extreme heat. But, the Redskins pulled it out in the end, in exciting fashion to win by three points. It was exciting for my friend and I that the game winning kick was made by a Canadian.
Sitting in the heat for so long was something short of torture for me, but I am glad for the experience. To be lost in a crowd of 90,000 football fans was a great feeling. The home fans love the game and they love their Redskins. It was really neat to be on hand to witness that love affair. My own love affair with the New Orleans Saints and NFL Sunday Ticket in my own living room will have to wait.
Thanks Redskins and Dolphins for the great spectacle, a hard fought game. Good luck to both of you this season.
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