Saturday, December 22, 2012

The Twelve Days of Gheorghemas: Day 8

On the eighth day of Gheorghemas, Big Gheorghe gave to me:

Eight Wins Worth Noting
Seven Traits for Winning
Six Facts O'Ghoogling
Five Lasting Images
Four Things to Think About
Three catastrophe 'staches
The Finest Holiday Duet in History
And One Hell of a bloggy Par-ty

On September 5th, I formally renounced my allegiance to the Washington Redskins, and pledged my fandom to the post-Bountygate New Orleans Saints. This decision, years in the making, was met with derision, amusement, confusion, curiosity, and a surprising amount of understanding. 

Wheelhouse Geoff was both understanding and confused, commenting "rob, this seems like an incredibly dumb time to make an incredibly reasonable and justifiable move. I don't get it."

Mayhugh offered this counsel, "Week 1 gives us great opportunity to see if this journey was real or imagined. I tried to start rooting for the Panthers maybe 5-7 years ago and the second I watched a skins game I was back. So it will be quite a testament to your commitment to your new team if you can actually root against the Redskins. Frankly, I just don't see it happening. At least not this suddenly. Hard to just flip the switch. It's like Macho Grande - those wounds run... pretty deep."

Dave, predictably, was baffled, saying, "this is a fascinating experiment. will rob be able to summon the visceral "that's my team" feeling on demand? i consider myself a logical guy, but i certainly can't explain the gut-wrenching emotions i experience when watching giants game . . . i think it might take a long time to switch your allegiance. but, how are we to know what rob is experiencing subjectively (unless we waterboard him right after the game?)"

In their way, all of these comments were both on the money and wide of the mark. Ultimately, one of the brightest (and humblest) in our number intuited the core challenge most accurately. That commenter was me, when I wrote, "i think disdain for the synderskins will be easier to generate and sustain than will passion for the saints. hell, i've been rooting for my fantasy team players against the skins for a few years now. in fact, i think that was the first sign i was open to a divorce."

Week One, as Mayhugh guessed, was an interesting study. I watched with bemused dispassion as RGIII exploded on the scene, shredding the listless Saints for 320 passing yards and a pair of touchdowns and leading the Redskins to a 40-32 win. I found it hard to get really fired up about the Saints, but I really had no issue rooting against - or at least remaining neutral - about Washington.

That pattern continued throughout the rest of the season. When I watched the Saints play, I pulled for them, but I confess that I haven't generated much passion. Nor have I sought out information about the team proactively. I'm interested, but only moderately. The dismal 0-4 start didn't help.

At the same time, I never had cause to regret abandoning the Redskins. I've enjoyed watching Griffin's emergence, but only because any fan would - he's remarkable, the most exciting NFL quarterback I can remember. Even with that, I haven't seen an entire 'Skins game this season. I'm not sure I've seen any complete NFL game, to be honest. I know a shitload more about W&M hoops than I do pro football this season. My fantasy football opponents thank me for this. (My fantasy CAA Hoops opponents, though, are fucked - I picked up Benimon late, and have Hagins and Beasthoven. I'm dominating.)

All that said, I'm legitimately thrilled for my pals who pull for the Burgundy and Gold. You've waited a long time to have real hope. When the Redskins win, it makes me happy - because it makes you happy.

But it also makes Dan Snyder happy, and that's a bridge I remain unwilling to cross back over.

Tomorrow gives me a real opportunity to work up some pro-Saints spirit, as they take on the Cowboys in a game that has real meaning for Dallas (technically for New Orleans, too, but c'mon). I still have no problem hating Jerry Jones' team, so all of you in Skins Nation can count on my exuberant support of the Black and Gold.

Gheaux Saints, and best of luck, Redskins fans. I'll be pulling for you guys. But I probably won't be watching.

65 comments:

rob said...

there is way too much goddamn chocolate in my house right now

Mark said...

I'm late on this because I've been wrapping presents...again. But I hope everyone got in their bets on Boise State (-4) today. My favorite wager of the bowl season. So far.

Dave said...

i'm sorry i suggested 'waterboarding' you, that was probably a little extreme for this sort of fun social experiment.

maybe we could just pull a fingernail or two out. i had the strange sensation of both rooting for the giants, and rooting for RGIII to make spectacular plays when i watched that sunday night game.

Mark said...

Washington's starting tailback is named Bishop. Evidently his Mom was as big a fan of 'Juice' as I was.

Mark said...

The matte helmet look is completely overplayed...but Boise State's black matte helmets are badass.

Mark said...

Derek Dooley might be on the way to a lminor mental breakdown on Twitter. You should follow him for a little while.

Mark said...

lminor is slight larger than minor, in case you were wondering.

Shlara said...

If you're looking for some mindless entertainment while wrapping gifts, Sixteen Candles is on HBO. Makes the wrapping much more fun.

Mark said...

Was watching Boise State lose my money. Thanks though.

Jerry said...

So bottom line: This whole Saints thing was just a ruse to support your drift away from watching the NFL in favor of coaching soccer and training for Tough Mudders on Sundays?

rob said...

well, when you put it that way

Mark said...

Going drinking with Greg, Vitas and various others this afternoon. No way this ends badly.

rob said...

i don't get saints/cowboys? this is an outrage.

rob said...

greg mcelroy, bitches.

Clarence said...

ODU beat UVA last night? How bad must UVA be?

rob said...

uva had won 8 straight going into that game, too

rob said...

that's an unbelievable connection from rg3 to moss

Clarence said...

Cooley with a catch!!!!!!

Clarence said...

Coerced into going to a party right now. Unbelievable. Got the game on XM en route. Wondering which feed. Announcer says, "These fans here in Philadelphia are the best in the NFL." Alrighty.

rob said...

well there you go, skins fans.

Clarence said...

Phew. Ugly but so are Philadelphians.

zman said...

"Coerced"?

zman said...

CJ Spiller got more than 20 carries for the second time in his career. Chan Gailey realizes that Spiller is good! Too bad they lost anyway.

zman said...

This Saints/Cowboys game is bananas. Sorry rob.

zman said...

Even more bananas: seing Matt Leinart's name scrolling across the stat ticker.

rob said...

fucking saints

Dave said...

clarence had to be coerced to go to a party?

rob said...

gheaux jimmy graham

Dave said...

the giants better make this a fucking game.

Danimal said...

spiller. love him. bush also. foster and peterson do nothing. hee hee.

T.J. said...

Amtrak boozing...

rob said...

game winning touchdown pass in the final 5 minutes for andrew luck. yawn.

T.J. said...

Danimal, I hope you're looking forward to wagering against the Texans in the playoffs

rob said...

we told danimal not to start torrey smith, right?

Mark said...

I hung out at the local beer snob bar today with a bunch a good friends. We laughed a ton, drank more and had a great time whilst doing it all. Thank God for Greg. He's the reason for the season,

mayhugh said...

Oh boy. Of course this is coming down to the last week against the cowboys. I am scared to death of next week; nothing like winning 6 straight to keep everyone's hopes alive and then dash them in the last game of the season.

RG3 looked nothing like RG3 today. He was nowhere close to a dual threat today. I'm hoping that was due to a bulky knee brace but if not I don't see it getting much better in 7 days.

T.J. said...

The Redskins team rob threw away so callously would absolutely lose next week to the Cowboys.

But the addition of RGIII, and removal of rob, from the equation likely bodes wells for you, Mayhugh.

rob said...

i strenuously object to the 'callous' appellation. i threw those motherfuckers away with great care and thought.

Dave said...

second week in a row i got way too excited for the giants game. drunk and angry once again.

rob said...

kind of excited for this seattle/san fran matchup.

Danimal said...

the torrey smith non start did not matter...it was over hours ago. i love faith hill. woody. and hammered. great day.

Danimal said...

seriously. faith hill. the first time i've seen her this year. as one grampa marston used to say...hotter than a firecracker on the 4th of joo-lie. and twice as long.

Danimal said...

i fucking hate braggers but i'm up 50 pts and i still have crabtree and taint against...NO ONE. WHOOOOOHAAHAHHHAHHAHAHAHA.

rob said...

i assume you'll be sharing your winnings with team gtb

Danimal said...

come on down! am having a soiree for the league, a league consisting of no one that i have ever met. ronnie z gonna be flowin all over this shit.

T.J. said...

danimal-palooza

rob said...

kam chancellor with the best bit you'll ever want to see. and it's deemed illegal.

mayhugh said...

I'm pretty sure I don't like Snyder much more than Rob, but I'm just not into the schadenfreude angle that Rob seems committed to. Danny and I can share the same happiness. It's not like we're going to be watching the games together or anything.

Danimal said...

So the bathtubs in the cialis logo....what's up with that?

rob said...

we're all going to the military bowl on thursday, right?

Danimal said...

My mom in law just moved here. her neighbor is jack del rio's dad. he hasn't heard the news.

rob said...

that you won your fantasy league?

Danimal said...

Oh...he know that.

T.J. said...

he hadn't heard that...the bird is the word?

Clarence said...

Kam Chancellor, Maury High School.

rob said...

also, cheater, according to roger goodell

zman said...

Evenin' Gheorghies.

Marls said...

Mornin' Zed

Mark said...

Got so drunk yesterday that I was passed out on my couch by 8:30. Getting old.

rob said...

we have a neighbor of danish heritage. she makes us this unbelievably good breakfast pastry for christmas each year. a danish danish, if you will.

Clarence said...

I tried to respond to Zman and say hi to the Gheorghies last night about 3. Phone wouldn't work. Upon further review, user error. God bless the Dale's Pale Ale.

rob said...

some deranged cocksucker shot and killed two firefighters while they were responding to a fire. wounded two others. what kind of batman villainy is this? what the fuck is wrong with people?

zman said...

Fucking terrible. The NRA will doubtlessly say we need to arm firemen.

T.J. said...

xmas eve filler up

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