My work takes me to Northern Virginia a lot. Last week, while in NoVa, the calendar said March, but the weather outside said May, so I decided to go for a run after work. My hotel was situated in an area that has office buildings, hotels, as well as a plethora of new condos and apartment buildings. While NoVa has not been immune to the current economic doldrums, it has remained economically very healthy, especially in the technology, professional services, and government contracting business.
Anyway, I went for a run and saw lots of couples, singles, and families out enjoying the very un-March-like weather. If there is any doubt that the United States is still the land of opportunity, a stroll around Herndon will inspire you that there are people from all over the world coming to the United States to find their slice of the American Dream. While out for my run, I would guess that I saw 100+ people out enjoying the weather. I heard many dialects that I did not recognize. I saw people that looked to be from Latin, African, Middle Eastern, and Asian decent. I would guess that I saw less than 10 people that "looked like me". It was inspiring to see this world-mix of people living their dreams, enjoying what our great land has to offer. My bet is these folks are driven, risk takers, and achievers. All good.
Things came unglued for me when I saw a dad playing with his son, speaking in their native tongue, which I did not understand. The dad looked pretty athletic but threw a football like he had probably spent a lot more time kicking a soccer ball. The son was enthusiastic about learning to throw and catch. So what was the problem? Both were prominently sporting Washington Redskins gear. What's up with that? There are long suffering native residents of NoVa that kind of have to be Redskins fans. They grew up going to RFK watching Sonny Jurgenson, Billy Kilmer, Leroy Brown, Charlie Taylor, Art Monk,and Chris Hamburger. Those folks really don't have any choice. They are locked-in Redskins. No matter how futile the Redskins' efforts to regain lost glory, they are died-in-the wool fans and are essentially trapped.
I considered stopping to chat with this dad and his son. I wanted to make sure they knew that they were free agents, that just because they lived here, they didn't have to be Redskins fans. I wanted to make sure they knew about Daniel Snyder, Steve Spurrier, Gus Ferotte, Albert Hainesworth, etc. I wanted to ask if they knew about the Baltimore Ravens who played only 30 minutes farther away than the Redskins and have much better parking in addition to a much better team. I wanted to make sure they knew they could jump on any bandwagon they wanted. New England Patriots, New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers to name a few, all offered far more satisfying NFL experiences than the Redskins. I hated to see the life they were building in America sullied by becoming Redskins fans. I felt obligated to help, but then realized that this was yet another great example of why our country is a great place to live, work, and raise a family. In the United States, you are free to make all the nonsensical decisions you want. Even choosing to be a Redskins fan. Good luck with that decision, but don't come crying to me when at your retirement party you make a comment like "I never thought I would be retiring from 30 years of service without seeing the Redskins in a playoff game." There are somethings you can take to the bank. America is the land of opportunity for the willing, and the Redskins are a prime example of what happens when bad leadership meets poor execution.
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