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| Source:Humanities Council- Redskins DE Charles Mann (1983-93) talking about RFK Stadium. |
Source:The Daily Press
"This film was supported in part by a 30th Anniversary Grant from the Humanities Council of Washington, DC. It documents the glory years of the Washington Redskins football team from the early 80s to the mid 90s when they made four trips to the Super Bowl.
Free agency from the early 1990s which by in-large has been very good for the National Football League, but it killed the Redskins glory era, because it also came with a salary cap. And with the Redskins still being one of the top current franchises in the NFL as far as being consistent winners and a consistent playoff team, as well as playing in one of the biggest markets in the league where players wanted to come and play, it meant that the Redskins were something like 20-30 million-dollars over the first salary cap in the NFL in 1993-94. Free agency and the salary cap ended the Redskins as not just being a Super Bowl contender, but a consistent playoff team and even winner.
The Redskins moving out of RFK Stadium and downtown Washington in the late 1990s to Landover, Maryland and what is now Fed Ex Field, didn’t help either. Because the Redskins then were in transition from being a consistent 1st place team in the NFC East, to a team that was rebuilding and starting to become a playoff contender again.
The documentary will be screened at the Yachad Our City Film Festival on Sunday, February 13th, 2011."
From the Humanities Council
Free agency from the early 1990s which by in-large has been very good for the National Football League, but it killed the Redskins glory era, because it also came with a salary cap. And with the Redskins still being one of the top current franchises in the NFL as far as being consistent winners and a consistent playoff team, as well as playing in one of the biggest markets in the league where players wanted to come and play, it meant that the Redskins were something like 20-30 million-dollars over the first salary cap in the NFL in 1993-94. Free agency and the salary cap ended the Redskins as not just being a Super Bowl contender, but a consistent playoff team and even winner.
The Redskins moving out of RFK Stadium and downtown Washington in the late 1990s to Landover, Maryland and what is now Fed Ex Field, didn’t help either. Because the Redskins then were in transition from being a consistent 1st place team in the NFC East, to a team that was rebuilding and starting to become a playoff contender again.
The Redskins losing RFK and downtown Washington, now they lost their huge, downtown, big city, home field advantage and that great atmosphere that they had at RFK Stadium. For this giant of a castle, or mansion in suburban Landover, Maryland where you might spend a couple of hours just trying to get to the stadium. Where the fans were no longer going to a see a good playoff team, but a team that was trying to win again.
The 1970s and 1980s and even early 1990s was great for the Redskins. Because they were consistent winners and making the playoffs consistently and even a consistent Super Bowl contender. That won five NFC championships and three Super Bowls. They were very well run under Ed Williams and later Jack Cooke, with George Allen and Bobby Beathard running the personal and Allen and Joe Gibbs with their great coaching staffs coaching the team. And they played in a great big city with great people and fans. And a stadium that was simply perfect for them.
RFK was round where you were on top of the action. Where you had an overhang on the top of the stadium that kept the sound in and where the stadium literally rocked. Where people loved their team and where the opposing teams had to ask the ref to tell the fans to shut up so they could hear what they were doing.
The 1970s and 1980s and even early 1990s was great for the Redskins. Because they were consistent winners and making the playoffs consistently and even a consistent Super Bowl contender. That won five NFC championships and three Super Bowls. They were very well run under Ed Williams and later Jack Cooke, with George Allen and Bobby Beathard running the personal and Allen and Joe Gibbs with their great coaching staffs coaching the team. And they played in a great big city with great people and fans. And a stadium that was simply perfect for them.
RFK was round where you were on top of the action. Where you had an overhang on the top of the stadium that kept the sound in and where the stadium literally rocked. Where people loved their team and where the opposing teams had to ask the ref to tell the fans to shut up so they could hear what they were doing.
The Redskins glory years officially ended when they left RFK Stadium and Washington for Landover. With Dan Snyder now in charge of the club and presiding over this football malaise that the Redskins have been in really since he took over the club in 1998. With a few exceptions and occasional playoff appearances.
The Redskins would do themselves a lot of good and this could perhaps be the one positive contribution that Dan Snyder makes to the Redskins and their great fans, by leaving Landover and coming back to RFK Stadium. Renovate the old RFK, knock out the top two decks of the stadium and build the new stadium on the first desk of the old stadium so they keep that rock and roll feeling that the stadium has. Where the fans are literally on top of the action.
The Redskins would do themselves a lot of good and this could perhaps be the one positive contribution that Dan Snyder makes to the Redskins and their great fans, by leaving Landover and coming back to RFK Stadium. Renovate the old RFK, knock out the top two decks of the stadium and build the new stadium on the first desk of the old stadium so they keep that rock and roll feeling that the stadium has. Where the fans are literally on top of the action.
With a new RFK holding 90-100 thousand people that could host the Super Bowl and other major events, but that would be a great stadium for the Redskins again. Which is what I believe they need for them to become a great winning contending club again. It would be great for them, great for Washington and great for the fans as well.
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