Ok then not ok then ok again. WTF bro?
Thanks to a text from Redskins Examiner's Mark Newgent I learned a few minutes before the Broncos game Sunday that the Redskins had revised their sign policy, to allow non profane signs back into Redskins Stadium, this makes at least three weeks and one game, and possibly as long as six weeks and three games, that the ban was in effect.
To do so three hours before kickoff on gameday when nearly everyone who would be at the game is already there or on the way with no time to prepare signs of support or dissent is a gutless move of the highest order, in effect extending the ban an additional week. Background, quickly:
Buccaneers at home, game four 4 October 2009: At least two ticket holders report sign confiscation and a declaration from gate security that there would be quote no signs today unquote. Dan Dan the Sports Bog Man swears up and down that he saw the Redskins sign policy on the Redskins website that night and the old policy permitting signs was still in effect (op. cit.).
Chiefs at home, game six, 18 October 2009: Bad weather and no stories of sign confiscations though I read at least on online account somewhere of gate security citing this game as the first week of the sign ban the following home game against the Eagles.
Eagles at home, game seven, 26 October 2009: Full sign ban in effect. I was at this game and personally witnessed fans of both teams not simply being asked to drop signs but having signs violently knocked from hands from behind. The following day Dan Dan the Sports Man did some homework and found the original sign policy and compared it to the new ban.
Broncos at home, game nine, 15 November 2009: Sign policy rescinded and returned to pre-ban status before 11am on gameday, thus extending the ban by one week by default.
Message management bullshit is what this is, by the timing of the end of the ban the team will claim the ban was in effect for a game less than it actually was.
There are only three home games left this season. Get your signs ready now.
See also: Mark's chronology at Redskin Examiner.
Redskins fans with a perfectly fine sign: Larry French / Getty Images from here.
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