IT'S TIME...........
I started to follow the Washington Redkins football team with a slavish intensity back in 1980. When I was still a young lad of 11 years of age. And over the past 39 years (and 3 Super Bowl Wins), I have NEVER missed even ONE SINGLE GAME. Biggest case in point; I even made sure the major surgery to save my life from severe Crohn's disease back in 1997 did not coincide with that week's 'Skins contest! For real! Call me CRAZY, (would be far from the fist time) but my fervent following of the Redskins carried me through many a dark patch in my life. As anyone who has truly endeared themselves to any sports franchise will earnestly inform you, (hello Red Sox fans!) that relationship is often just as beloved as any other in your life! Or....maybe its just me....... LOL
-- Another quick nerdish story. Once the Redksins cemented their opportunity to battle the Denver Broncos in the 1987 Superbowl out in San Diego, (or as Ron Burgendy claims... San DEYAGO.. lol) I walked straight into the Broad Run High School's main offices and demanded to speak with our school's principle. Now anyone within a stone's throw of the Spartan's (school nickname) hallowed halls were already privy to my obsessive nature when it came to anything Redskins. (I wore an officially liscened Redkins shirt, jersey, hoodie, or sweater each and every day of the football season. Yeah, I have absolutely NO IDEA how I stayed single throughout my high school journey... ;0)
So it became quite expected when I marched into the principle's office with the following demands. (Well, looking back with a more refined objectivity, perhaps it was closer to gathering up all the gumption my 'SKINS obsessed skinny ass could muster) And akin to little Ralphie from a Christmas Story spouting out to a 'could care less Santa', his hurried request for "an official Red Ryder carbine-action 200-shot range model air rifle! Awwwe!" (and just as Ralphie's infamous request became manifest, so my own 'fever dream' like wish was about to follow a similar Journey!)
ME: (to my Principle) "As you know, my Redskins will be playing the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXII out in San Diego!" (I had just begun my verbal set-up. He really never had a chance, but I wanted him to THINK quite the opposite.)
The Principle: "I'm.... quite aware, Jeff!"
ME: (Eyes locked into his.... straight up laser like Iron Man's missiles) "I've already made plans. I will be skipping all my Senior Exams; heading out to San Diego this Friday! I have relatives out there." ( Holy shit! Did I just say that.... outloud?!)
The Principle: "And..... you expect me to do ...what?!"
ME: (He's actually gonna hear me out on this...... WTF!!) Ummm... (still tryin' to keep my shit straight) I have a proposition! (Proposition??...... this wasn't the Wild Wild West....)
The Principle: "Let's hear it, Jeffrey."
ME: (Oh please, God... I'm cashing in on the 100 'Hail Mary's' I've been saying with my mom the last two years!) "If you let me skip all my exams, I would like to make you a promise."
The Principle: "Pretty big ask! And the promise is.......?"
ME: "I... promise to take all of my 6 'end of year' exams, one after another..... in your office. If...... you let me skip them to go to the Super Bowl!" (Future ME: You just earned some 'Top Shelf' cajones brother! Cause that shit.....is TIGHT! )
The Principle: " OK! You got yourself a deal!"
ME: "Umm... YEAH! It's all good! (All good?!... Where the hell did that come from...I'm not a hipster! At least not yet....)
The Principle: "When's the game.... January 31st?! (Sunday, January 31st.... 1988 to be exact)
ME: "Yup! My plane leaves on Friday!" (Boo ya! And that's how I rolled! At least.. for that quick, Marty McFly- Back to The Future- moment in time!)
The Principle: "I guess I'll be seeing you in my office on February 8TH! First thing in the morning......"
ME: (INNER MONOLOGUE: Maybe DREAMS really do come true!) "Yes sir!"
The Principle: "Hey, Jeffrey, before you go!..... Bring us home a Redskins trophy, ok?!"
ME: (Near incredulous!) "Yeah! Of course! Right on!" (Right on? Really?! Happy Days ended nearly a decade earlier!)
The Principle: "Safe travels, Jeffrey!"
And the rest, as they too often say is NFL History! Not only did my much beloved Redskins beat the Denver Broncos, 42-10; but that Superbowl marked a historic moment that has yet to be replicated! For that game's MVP happened to be Washington's QB, Doug Williams. THE FIRST BLACK QB TO WIN A SUPER BOWL!!! And almost 30 years later, Mr. Williams is still the only BLACK QB to win an NFL Super Bowl! RIGHT ON!!!
And yet, the time has finally come, for this historic NFL franchise, winner of 3 Super Bowls (and 5 Super Bowl appearances) to face a long coming reality! While they are imbued with a much storied history, that does not begin to belie a much deeper TRUTH!
For the team's historically honored name, (Redskins, formerly The Braves) must be changed. While I believe in the 'Power of Intention,' any form of racial prejudice, that acts as a portal stinging others in any way, shape, or form must be confronted! And the Redskins name is such a portal!
As any of my ardent followers hopefully understand, I am far from perfect! And I will be the very first to admit any lack of sensitivity that my own actions have displayed during the last 40 years. While there is absolutely NO EXCUSE to these transgressions, it is within my own deep seeded KNOWINGNESS that just as I CAN ALWAYS BE BETTER, so can WE ALL raise our own individual consciousness; to be aligned with the LOVE and COMPASSION always awaiting the individual actions we choose to enlighten and brighten up the never ending days of a future moment in 'Time and Space.'
While I have never been one finding himself succumbing to any notions of a deep seated CURSE, I will admit to having spent many of my recent moments pondering such a potent potentiality. While the past Redskin teams of the late 70's-80's were a stalwart of NFL elitism, that same Washington franchise has been a scourge of instability with a dearth of capability for over two decades!
Nickname's aside, it's beyond time for a fresh start! Not just to coincide with the recent re-awakening of collective consciousness this planet is currently attuned to, but also in galvanizing the Universal power looking for vessels to express itSELF as a portal of expansion! Because, that's THE VERY PURPOSE of each and every soul on this planet! To become a beacon in which the power of pure LOVE can unleash the re-membrance that WE ARE ALL ONE!
So that, in time, we attune once again, to ONE UNIVERSAL TRUTH! A template in which we will all be servants and loving stewards of each another. Starting a powerful process; in which we begin to ingratiate ourSELVES into the lives of others who feel less than, disenfranchised, downtrodden, and unlovable!
After all, this is 'The Super Heroic Age!' And if you are here, now, it's because the Universe tagged you as being IT! For your very essence is that of a SUPERHERO! Literally trillions throughout the cosmos were asked; however, it's the very few of us (relatively speaking of course.. lol) that said "Damn Straight!"
Because each of us on this planet are collective members of the Super Heroic team I call "The Legion of Love!"
Our Unified Mission:
To raise the Collective Consciousness of this beautiful space called 'Earth,' way beyond any former pre-concieved notion. One that is concerned with only one singular task:
LOVING THIS PLANET BACK INTO THE LIGHT!
Re-member, it's very often the smallest of Earthly gestures that carry the deepest of meaning! Just as Gandalf the Grey, from the LORD OF THE RINGS offered us in his unfettered wisdom, "I've found it's the very smallest of kind gestures that keep the darkness at bay." And after all, who amongst you wants to debate the 'heart and soul' of a sage carrying such revelatory wisdom all the way from Middle Earth?!
And speaking of small gestures, reconnecting to the initial intention of this post, re-naming the Washington Redskins franchise, I have a few ideas I'd love to share with the New Age Nerd community:
NUMBER THREE:
The Washington Renegades
NUMBER TWO:
The Washington Redtails
NUMBER ONE:
The Washington Bravehearts
If anyone of you happen to have another idea in your New Age Nerd Noggin of how we can both keep the spirit of the Redskins storied franchise alive, while concurrently moving forward with a new name, please let me know! One that celebrates the strength and nobility of the American Indians to the forefront of NFL fandom , please let me know
And in closing.....
I was fortunate enough to 'SCORE' a ticket to Super Bowl 22 out in San Diego for 250.00! I bought it from a scalper, mere minutes from the start of the game. As the 'Football Gods' were surrounding me that day, the ticket ending up being just a few rows from the end zone in which the Redskins scored a STILL RECORD 5 touchdowns in just One Quarter!! And I was right there to celebrate each and every one of those scores, on the way to perhaps the biggest single blowout in Super Bowl history!
Oh....., and as for those six exams I still needed to take in the Broad Run High School's principle's office; I took each one, back to back to back.... and got 5 A's and 1 B!
Proof in the preverbal pudding that 'Dreams Do Come True!" If you can just believe!!
BE SUPER HEROIC!!
LOVE -- SERVE -- INSPIRE
Jeffery Louis Martinez
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