I was lucky enough to be able to spend my last Sunday afternoon in a box suite at FedEx Field where I watched my boys, the Washington Redskins, pull off a thrilling 36-30 overtime victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
As I reminisce about that glorious Sunday afternoon that put the Redskins at 2-2, and right in the thick of things in the NFC East, a few thoughts come to mind about the striking differences between watching a game at Scott Stadium versus FedEx Field.
No. 1: Life is not the same without CavMan. While the Redskins pregame routine was filled with the ever-popular Zombie Nation "pump-out song" (you know the one that counts down the last minute to the Cavalier game that no one knows any words besides "O, O, O") with sweet highlights featuring bone-jarring hits from Sean Taylor, nothing beats watching CavMan carve up the opposing team's mascot right before kickoff.
No. 2: Around half the fans at Redskin games sport jerseys on game day, while Cavalier jerseys are few and far between on Saturdays. This probably has more to do with the way the NFL and Redskins market their star athletes. But, the shirt-and-tie/orange fever outfit has something to do with it as well. (More reason why we should bring back those sweet orange unis. We got to try something. I have no idea why in the world they stopped wearing those in the first place).
No. 3: On a related note: there are no college girls in sundresses at FedEx Field. Enough said.
No. 4: Beer is served at NFL games. Wahoo fans seem to get by just fine without alcohol served at football games through extensive tailgating, but there's nothing like an ice-cold beer while watching some good-ole American football. (Plus, it damn well better taste good at $7.00 a bottle. ...)
No. 5: The food at Cavalier games doesn't compete with what is offered during Redskin contests. While the best hungry Wahoos can hope for is a bag of kettle corn, FedEx Field offers fans a smorgasbord that includes crabcake sandwiches, chicken tenders, sausages and boardwalk fries. And that doesn't begin to describe what's offered in the suites ...
No. 6: Nothing beats being able to walk to and from Scott Stadium on game day. Thank God, we were victorious Sunday afternoon. Otherwise, sitting in the car at a standstill while trying to get out of FedEx Field with almost every other fan who stayed until the last play would have been unbearable. (Luckily, we were still deliriously happy and no traffic could bring us down.)
No. 7: Redskins owner Dan Snyder knows how to bring in the moolah. Nearly every single spot inside FedEx Field was sold to some advertiser. Just look at the name of the stadium. (Large plastic concession stand cups at Redskins games probably have "FedExField" written at least 50 times on them.) The stadium is a money-making machine.
No. 8: Scott Stadium bleachers don't compare to the comfortable fold-down seats they have at FedEx Field (especially those plush ones on the club level and in the boxes). It was nice to leave the game Sunday without feeling like my entire body needed a Swedish massage.
No. 9: You get cell phone service during Redskins game. It's nearly impossible to make calls during Cavalier contests. Even my forever-favorite text messaging usually takes at least five or six times for the message to go through in Charlottesville. While this may not seem like a big deal, an essential part of the game is analyzing plays with fellow fanatics -- celebrating amazing touchdowns by screaming into the phone so loud neither fan can understand what the other is saying or bemoaning dreadful missed tackles with a sympathetic counterpart.
No. 10: They don't give away free T-shirts after every touchdown in Landover, Md. like they do in Charlottesville. I've now caught T-shirts at the past two Virginia football games; these have been some of the most exciting moments of the contest.
In the end whether your team wins or loses is what makes the game day experience. With victories, the food tastes better; the fans seem louder; the lines feel shorter. And weekend triumphs make the upcoming week that much sweeter.
I may have been on the verge of depression after an 0-2 start, but with two straight wins I can now brag all week about how the Redskins are on their way to a 14-2 regular season while marching straight to South Florida for the Super Bowl.
Gotta love the life of the fan.
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