Redskins, D.C. United Fans: A Separate Peace
Sunday, November 12, 2006; Page E02
On a sunny morning in the parking lot at FedEx Field last Sunday, the tailgaters were getting ready early to cheer the Redskins against the Dallas Cowboys. By 11 a.m., the chicken was on the grill, the beer and Bloody Marys flowing, and Adam Carreno of Rockville was suggesting Mark Brunell "start throwing downfield more" while friend Brent Robinson of Richmond believed Joe Gibbs's current Redskins were "more about individuals than team."
The tailgaters were asked if any of them had plans to finish the day at RFK Stadium, where D.C. United was playing the New England Revolution in the MLS Eastern Conference final for a spot in today's MLS Cup.
Their stares were sharp and long. Soccer? "Does D.C. have a soccer team?" asked tailgater Johnny Cifolilli of Annapolis. Cifolilli's mates -- engaged in a game called beer pong -- were equally enthusiastic about not trying to follow the lead of one sportswriter who was looking to see both Washington area professional sports teams in crucial games in stadiums about seven miles apart.
The Redskins were plenty for this crowd. Gibbs against Bill Parcells, "The Tuna," his nemesis of nearly two decades. Washington, at 2-5, the sharks circling, angry voices wondering on every sports-talk station in town if the game had passed Gibbs by. More than 90,000 were in the stands to see if the Redskins had enough life to stop a 4-3 Dallas team rejuvenated by young quarterback Tony Romo.
The game went back and forth, the Redskins dreadful in the red zone (why is T.J. Duckett on this team?), failing seven times inside the 10-yard line in the first quarter but somehow tied at halftime, 12-12, and trailing 19-12 after three when Chris Cooley's 18-yard touchdown catch from Brunell tied the score nearly a minute into the fourth quarter.
I could not find Cifolilli to persuade him to leave with me for RFK halfway through the fourth quarter and listen to Sonny, Sam and Larry on Triple X ESPN Radio -- its signal barely audible after the sun sets. "Why are you sitting in the car?" the security man in the yellow jacket asks me 15 minutes later in the RFK parking lot.
"Vanderjagt is trying to win the game for the Cowboys; it's a chip shot," I replied. "Novak just gassed from 49."
"Your door is open," the security man said.
"The signal will fade if I close the door," I plead before Troy ("Goodbye, Adam") Vincent blocks Vanderjagt's kick, Sean Taylor picks up the ball, Huff is screaming, a Cowboy yanks Taylor's face mask and Novak is setting up from 47. "It's good," Sonny yells. The security man asks, "Are you going to close your door now?" as his yellow-jacketed colleagues begin jumping up and down with joy.
I am not arrested for listening to Sam Huff in an open-door vehicle, and instead head for the RFK entrance. It's four minutes into the game and New England's Taylor Twellman, a former Terp, has scored moments before I settle into my seat in front of Arlington's Bryan McEachern. "Where you been?" McEachern wonders. "FedEx," I reply. "Don't tell me who won," McEachern asks. "I taped the game."
McEachern was frantic as United, cheered on by the chanting of nearly 20,000 fans, many waving banners and flags and standing throughout the game, came close to scoring several times. But New England goalkeeper Matt Reis was too tough and the game ended 1-0 with the Revolution moving on to the title game.
"It was torture to leave the television and the Redskins," said J.P. Szymkowicz of Washington. "But I love this."
