The View from Section 451
Yesteryday's Redskins game against the New Orleans Saints resembed Tolstoy's "War and Peace," which is the greatest novel in human history.
If you understand that misery is the destiny of humanity, then it all makes sense. Otherwise, ignorance, brutality and injustice (which were all present in the last 30 minutes of the game) are senseless.
Can we still cling to hope? Can Shawn Suisham make a 23- yard field goal? Can the replay ref take off his Saints jersey?
The drama and passion of the game won't soon be forgotten. Let's not forget the resurrected Devin Thomas tip-toeing down the sidelines for a 3rd quarter score. Or Jason Campbell, cool as a cucumber in the pocket, finding Moss on a pump and go. Or even our front four caving in the Saints line to stop a crucial 4th down carry.
The sublime went dancing with the ridiculous all day. Yet the Redskins recovered from the madness at the end of the first half when a Redskins interception turned into a fluke touchdown -- for the Saints. Have you ever seen that before?
Even as the skies grew dark in Landover and the temperature dropped, the Skins came back to take the lead in the second half. In the upper deck, we sang "Hail to the Redskins" with joy for the first time in many weeks. Once again, the FedEx crowd was a large, if somewhat dysfuctional, Redskins family. Then tragedy struck.
The Redskins outplayed the Saints and deserved to win. But destiny intervened. The Redskins are a young team with a lot of promise. They are not yet a team of destiny.
Did they do away with the double change of possession rule? A few years ago I saw a similar play, but it was blown dead at the second change of possession on the same play at that spot. Was stunned when the refs said it was a touchdown yesterday. Maybe it was a college game where I saw it before, but I could have sworn it was pro.
I'm not familiar with that rule, not in the NFL. I've seen a team get a "take away" on defense and then fumble it back on the return. Happens occasionally. I've never seen that convert to six.
Mark and I were also in the upper decks yesterday afternoon. As a New Orleans native, I rarely have attended a Saints game in which they have won over the past 40 years. My brother, who was also in the stands with us and had come in from Louisiana for the game, reminded me that the last time we saw the Saints win a game in which we both attended was sometime in the early 70s.
Is it destiny for the Saints? Maybe. But, between four decades of losing, surviving Katrina, and a state government that makes Virginia look like a model, don't the people of New Orleans deserve a miss from Suisham and a couple of calls to go their way?
Wouldn't Tolstoy be more inspired by the Saints than the Redskins? If you want to talk about human suffering, the Redskins Super Bowl wins and numerous victorious seasons don't compare with the pain my family has endured over the past 40 years following the Saints.
Who dat!!!!!!!!!
Bill: Brilliantly written. You are correct on many levels. The Redskins defining novelist ... Let's see ... Victor Hugo? ("Les Miserables") Others?
Aldous Huxley - Brave New World (hopefully). I have been to over 100 Redskins games. New Orleans fans are the best opposing fans. In fact, they are more fun than the Redskins fans. I sneak into their tailgate parties. I only wanted the Saints to lose one game all year and that game was last week. Oh well. I guess we are one step closer to Tim Tebow (or that Suh kid from Nebraska). Redskin fan 50 years and counting. Hope springs eternal.
Agreed. Saints fans are classy. Eagles fans? Let's not go there.