2009 Point and Laugh at the taterskins thread

[Diomedes]

A new volume of Washington Racist ridicule for the new year.

I'll start with this interesting piece from the NYTimes 5th Down blog:

http://fifthdown.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/25/readers-point-to-race-as-reason-for-cowboys-fans-in-taterskins-land/

Readers Point to Race as Reason for Cowboys Fans in taterskins Land
By Toni Monkovic
Dallas Cowboys
Washington taterskins

Two readers offered an interesting theory for the number of Cowboys fans in taterskins territory, something that has puzzled us since receiving the data from DirecTV about displaced fans.

A reader named Sam wrote:

I have heard there are so many Cowboy fans in DC for racial reasons. The taterskins were one of the last teams to integrate their teams; the Cowboys were one of the first. So many African-Americans in DC rooted for the Cowboys over the taterskins b/c they are rivals and were on opposite ends of integration.

Another reader wrote:

With regards to the Dallas fans in DC, I was surprised no one mentioned the history of the taterskins. I don't have the names and datememorized, but I believe it's something like this. Way back when, one of the past owners of the Washington taterskins was quite a blatant racist. He refused to sign black players, even though the NFL had long since desegregated throughout the league. The taterskins may have even been the last team to have a black player signed.

Among fans, this had two effects. The taterskins became the favorite team in many less progressive Southern areas, which at that time lacked their own pro team (now covered by Carolina). Secondly, the burgeoning African-American population of the DC area didn't take kindly to this policy. So who to root for? How about the taterskins' greatest rival? Given the Cowboys' success through the 70s & 90s, and especially over the taterskins since Gibbs I era ended, that loyalty had no reason to be challenged.

I've lived in the DC area nearly all my life (after having been born in Texas, no less) and have also been struck by this situation. As opposed to one individual who thought the numbers could be accounted for by Texans moving up along with ex-President Bush, I can assure you there have been numerous, and very visible, Cowboys fans in DC for many years before W came around.

Many thanks for hearing me out. Again, very surprised no one posted with the above before. I encourage you to verify the details.

Thanks from a taterskins fan in Raiders territory.

Update 7:55 p.m.: KC Joyner, the Football Scientist, chimes in:

George Preston Marshall was the taterskins owner who opposed segregation. There are many stories about this but the most telling one relating to integration is told in Michael MacCambridge's book "America's Game". The gist of the tale is that it took the Kennedy administration threatening potential action against Marshall before he finally capitulated and agreed to integrate the team starting in 1962.

Update, 7:59 p.m.: From the Wikipedia entry on the taterskins:
Marshall continued to refuse to integrate the team, despite pressure from the Washington Post and the federal government of the United States (a typical comment by Post writer Shirley Povich was "Jim Brown, born ineligible to play for the taterskins, integrated their end zone three times yesterday").  bwahaha

On March 24, 1961, Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall warned Marshall to hire black players or face federal retribution. For the first time in history, the federal government had attempted to desegregate a professional sports team. Finally, under threat of civil rights legal action by the Kennedy administration, which would have prevented a segregated team from playing at the new District of Columbia Stadium, as it was owned by the U.S. Department of the Interior and thus federal government property, the taterskins became the final pro football franchise to integrate, in 1962, in their second season in the stadium.

2007 point and laugh at the racists thread
2008 point and laugh at the racists thread

[ice grillin you]

Two readers offered an interesting theory for the number of Cowboys fans in taterskins territory, something that has puzzled us since receiving the data from DirecTV about displaced fans.


this stuff cant be posted enough as far as im concered but its hilarious that they say two readers of some blog just came up with an "interesting theory"...when in reality its been fact for about 40 years now

[QB Eagles]

The taterskins were THE racist team in the NFL... their owner and founder was openly racist.... their fans were openly racist... and many racists from around the country supported the Skins due to the team's racism. They integrated 15 years late and only because they were forced to.

And let's not forget that the team's name and logo are still racist in 2009.

[BigEd76]

Marcus Washington was released

[MDS]

lead post in the "thank you marcus washington" thread

Since he entered the league I had said for a while that Marcus Washington was destined to be here because of his last name (much like i think about nate washington) and when he finally ended up here i was very excited because of how he had progressed as a player. he had a couple really good seasons here as a taterskin and for that I would like to thank Marcus Washington. He was good to the media and to the fans, he made my oldest son very happy at Lambeau Field a couple years ago by signing a jersey for him, and he is in general a great guy to have in the locker room. So to Marcus thanks for being a great role model on and off the gridiron

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

Everything you know about writing skills, you learned from extremeskins.com!

[SD_Eagle5]

Almost March and this thread isn't past page 1?  failure

http://www.profootballweekly.com/PFW...wwhi021909.htm

taterskins must find way to bolster offensive line

The taterskins found out down the stretch just what can happen to an aged and patchwork offensive line. Injuries hit the group in December, forcing backups into uncompromising positions and revealing that it is a position of concern heading into next season.

It also hurts that the team is in a very tight salary-cap situation, must decide what it will do with free-agent OLG Pete Kendall and currently has only four draft picks with which to help restock the position.

Kendall will be 36 in July and could get a little attention if he hits the open market. OLT Chris Samuels turns 32 in training camp. C Casey Rabach reaches 32 in September. ORG Randy Thomas has a serious injury history and just turned 33. ORT Jon Jansen is 33, and though he told PFW last month that he'd like to play at least one more season in Washington, he is high-priced and could be cut to alleviate cap concerns, though that would leave a big hole.

Stephon Heyer is young and has shown promise, but he was replaced by Jansen early in the 2008 season. Plus, there are some who feel that Heyer never will be a starting-caliber tackle because of his inconsistency and poor performances against top talents.

The only other young lineman on the roster with promise is OLG Chad Rinehart, a third-round selection last year. He didn't play a snap last season, even after the taterskins were eliminated from postseason play, and was inactive for 14 of 16 games. Although some have suggested that Rinehart could be Kendall's eventual replacement at left guard, there are others who feel that he has a very limited upside and might never be more than a backup or swing player.

The taterskins hold the 13th pick in the draft, and there is a lot of pressure on them to improve either the offensive or defensive lines. There should be very good players at both positions available at both spots, although there appears to be less depth on the offensive side after the first round.

But drafting linemen high has not been the taterskins' way since Daniel Snyder bought the team. Since 2000, Snyder's first draft as owner, the team has used only 14 of their 57 draft picks on offensive or defensive linemen. Of those, only three — Samuels, Rinehart and Derrick Dockery — were taken in Round Three or earlier.

[SD_Eagle5]

PFT funny

taterskinS DUMP WASHINGTON
Posted by Mike Florio on February 20, 2009, 1:59 p.m. EST

taterskins coach Jim Zorn says that the team will be active in free agency.

They've created some cap room for the coming spending spree by cutting linebacker Marcus Washington, according to Adam Schefter of NFL Network.

The move frees up $4.5 million in cap space — which will allow the team to make a big splash with another big name who'll eventually be cut a few years from now to make room for the next big name with which they hope to make a big splash.

Washington, 31, instantly becomes an unrestricted free agent.

Meanwhile, the taterskins' approach to free agency has yielded zero Super Bowl appearances and counting during the salary cap era. 
   

[ice grillin you]

peter king:

There's no long line waiting to pry Albert Haynesworth from the Titans.

In fact, Washington might be the logical landing spot. Hmmmm. I wonder why taterskins owner Dan Snyder was having dinner with the agent for Haynesworth, Chad Speck, at Morton's here Saturday night. I'm sure they were just talking about how it was colder here than at the Arctic Circle."

[ice grillin you]

http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=520821

4. Washington taterskins

Though they currently have former first-rounder Jason Campbell under contract for another season, the taterskins are always anxious to make a big splash and are never afraid to cough up draft picks.

Ten years ago, the Skins surrendered a first-round pick, a second-round pick, and a third-round pick for quarterback Brad Johnson, a career journeyman who had been a starter for less than two seasons, and who had real durability questions.

Today, most teams regard draft picks with greater value. The taterskins don't; they were ready to give up a first-round pick and possibly a second one last year for Chad Johnson. So if they decide to make a run at Cassel, they'll likely be the ones to land him.

[Rome]

Why would they want Matt Cassel?  They already have a franchise quarterback in waiting.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

I hate that this thread actually capitalizes and honors the name of this awful team.  skins > taterskins

[Diomedes]

Well pookie bear, next year you can start the thread and call it whatever you like.  Until then, you'll just have to suffer.

[SD_Eagle5]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/aro...urn=nfl,143118

Taylor to return to Washington
By Jason Cole

INDIANAPOLIS - Despite an injury-riddled and disappointing season, Washington is expected to bring back defensive end Jason Taylor and not ask him to restructure his $8 million base salary for next season.
"We're not doing anything with Jason," Washington vice president of football operations Vinny Cerrato said. "He's going to be with us and that's it. That's the plan."

Taylor, 34, played in only 13 games with eight starts last season and was limited to 3 ½ sacks for the season. It was his lowest total since 1999, his third season in the league. That led to speculation that the taterskins would want to restructure his deal.

"When we went there, remember, they asked us for a two-year commitment," agent Gary Wichard said. "Well, we asked them for the same thing."

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

Well pookie bear, next year you can start the thread and call it whatever you like.  Until then, you'll just have to suffer.

I am gonna protest!  Gutter's not a tool!