Fred Bowen's "The Score" column,
October 26, 2001, Washington Post

Losing Games, Keeping the Faith

Hey, what's that smell? Whoa, it's the Redskins. They stink this year.

Washington's football team is off to a stumbling start. The Skins have only one win in their first six games.

Now that the season is going down the tubes, what is a Redskins-loving kid supposed to do? Stop watching the games? Stop rooting for the Skins? Become a fan of the Giants or Eagles?

No way. If you are a real fan, you stick with your favorite team through good times and bad. I know it's difficult to keep rooting for a team that has no chance of winning it all. I am a Boston Red Sox fan. My team hasn't won the World Series since 1918. That's more than 80 years. Believe me, I know something about lost causes.

So here are a few hints on how to hang with a team that isn't going anywhere:

• Celebrate the victories. I know the Carolina Panthers aren't the best team in the National Football League. And I know the Panthers practically handed the game to the Redskins last weekend with four interceptions. But, hey, the Redskins won. Let's be happy about the win instead of saying that beating Carolina is no big deal. When your team is not very good, every win is a big win.

• Look for improvement. There really is such a thing as a "good" loss. If the Redskins go out and play the New York Giants tough this Sunday, keep the game close but score fewer points than their opponent, that would be a "good" loss. The Giants are a solid team that went to the Super Bowl last year. If the Redskins can stay within a touchdown of the Giants, that will show the Skins are improving and that there's still hope for the season.

• Be the lookout for players the team will want to keep. It's easy for players to quit when the losses start piling up. But if the Redskins are going to turn the team around, they will have to find a core of players who will keep hustling and playing hard no matter what the score. Players such as tackle Chris Samuels. Did you see him against the Panthers? He was hurt in the fourth quarter, but he hung in there and helped the team. Same thing with LaVar Arrington, Champ Bailey and Rod Gardner. There's no quit in these young players. So the Skins had better keep them.

• Look to the Redskins for inspiration. Really. Let's say that you are stuck on a team that's going nowhere this season and you feel like skipping practice or quitting. Think of the Redskins. Think of Chris Samuels, LaVar Arrington, Rod Gardner and the rest. They are still having fun, trying to improve, playing hard and hustling -- even though their season is a big disappointment. If you can keep that kind of positive attitude when times are tough for your team, you can keep your season from being a total loss.

Fred Bowen is the author of sports novels for kids. Write to him at KidsPost, 1150 15th St. NW, Washington, DC 20071. Or e-mail (with "The Score" in the subject field): kidspost@washpost.com.

© 2001 The Washington Post Company