Back in the 1990s, I heard Troy Aikman talk about playing in Washington.  It was brutal, he said.  Those fans hated the Cowboys as much as we hated the Redskins here.

Everybody wants to make something great again. Over at the offices of professional sports, weak CEO types bought into name changes and the Redskins are now Commanders plus the Indians are Guardians.   

Sonny Jergusen or Joe Theisman a Commander?  Rocky Colavito or Bob Feller a Guardian?  No way.  Sam McDowell wearing a Guardian jersey instead of those Indian vests on my baseball card?  No way.

Well, 40,000 fans have signed a petition and they want their Redskins scoring TD's or intercepting passes again.  Here is the story:    

A petition to change a controversial NFL team name is nearing 40,000 supporters as of Tuesday morning.

The Washington Commanders, formerly the Washington Redskins and briefly the Washington Football Team, dropped the "Redskins" name in 2020 amid widespread racial tension following the murder of George Floyd. The move drew criticism from fans who are now pushing to restore the team’s historic moniker.

“The name ‘Redskins’ carries deep cultural, historical, and emotional significance, honoring the bravery, resilience, and warrior spirit associated with Native American culture,” the petition reads. “It was never intended as a derogatory or offensive term but as a symbol of respect and admiration.”

Way to go!  Keep that list growing.

Who exactly thought having a team named Redskins offended anyone? It wasn't all those liberals at the Stadium singing "Hail to the Redskins.”  

Seriously, did anyone ever mention over a hot dog and a beer that he was offended that they were called that name? The answer is no. The people who get offended are not even football fans. They are more likely to spend their Sunday afternoons watching reruns of the UN meetings on climate change at CSPAN.   

So bring back the Redskins so that we can hate them again when they play the Cowboys. We grew up calling these Redskins names and I can't get into Commanders. The rivalry is not the same.

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Image: Washington Redskins