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In a move that reflects the nature of the Washington Redskins' season, WVBT Fox 43 had decided not to air Sunday's scheduled 4:15 p.m. game between the Skins and San Diego Chargers and instead televise the crucial NFC East clash between the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys.
This is the first time in memory that the Redskins have been pre-empted on TV in Hampton Roads. Bruce Rader, sports director at Fox 43, said he suggested the change when Fox switched the Eagles-Cowboys game from 1 p.m. to 4:15.
At the Old Dominion men's basketball game Wednesday night, Rader explained his reasoning.
"Honestly," he said, "the Redskins are just unwatchable."
After receiving the OK from Fox to alter the schedule, Rader introduced the idea of a Redskins blackout on his early evening Wednesday broadcast and said he would have more to say about it during WVBT's 10 p.m. newscast. He asked viewers to let him know what they thought of the idea.
"I received 50 e-mails in five minutes," Rader said. "That's the most e-mails I've gotten on any story since the invention of the Internet."
By 8:20 Wednesday night, Rader said his Blackberry had been lit up with almost 150 e-mails. As he trolled through the messages, he was asked how many objected to his sacking of the 4-11 Redskins.
"About five," he said.
Among the complainers, two or three accused Rader of trying to accommodate a relatively few local Cowboys fans at the expense of Redskins die-hards.
That's not the case, insisted Rader, who added that the unusual scheduling decision is intended to provide the best entertainment for a general sports audience.
Bob Molinaro, (757) 446-2373 bob.molinaro@pilotonline.com
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Be a homer
I'm amazed that Bruce "Ric Flair" Rader pulled the skins game yesterday. Granted the skins stink but they are the "local team". The Redskins/SD game was much more interesting than the Crybabys /ugles game. The later was over at the half. I'll bet in August Rader will be in Ashburn VA covering the skins training camp. Sorry Bruce i won't be watching you any more. Cash & Alexander are better. This year as a Skins fan I'll be watching everyone else in the playoffs just like the Steeler fans. Cry in those yellow towels!
good decision
I never liked the Cowboys or the Redskins but the Redskins are not only bad but extremely boring to watch. I always resented having to watch the Redskins even when they were good (20 years ago). This area has fans of many teams, including Eagles, Giants, Ravens, Steelers, Packers and Raiders just to name a few. Thank god for sports bars.
bruce rader
i wrote rader an email, and he was kind enough to answer me back. he stated that he doubted he would make a decision like this again, and that counting mine, he had less than 10 emails protesting the game being pulled. my biggest gripe was that it is up to me to decide if the redskins are "unwatchable", not bruce rader. no one died and left him pope. let the cowgirl and eagle fans to go aj gators, another bar, or get direct tv to watch the game. this is redskins country and always will be.
Cowboys
This is to the person who stated "The Cowboys are a joke". At least they are a winning "joke". The biggest joke of all is the "Dead skins", er, I mean Redskins. The Redskins have the highest paid bunch of deadbeats in the NFL! As the saying goes "A fool (Snyder)and his money are soon parted". That is so true! I am a Cowboy fan myself,but what we must realize is that it is only a game and nothing to fight about. The proof as to which team is better will be decided on the playing field Sunday afternoon. Normally, I don't talk about the Redskins,it's a waste of time.
Too all of the Cowboy fans, I apologize for using them in the same sentence. "How bout them Cowboys?" (Shouldn't that be "Native-Americans" instead of "Redskins"? just a thought! )
Cowboys On TV
I was born and raise here. Over the past 40+ years, I and others were force fed the Redskins games weekend after weekend. I think they were originally shown on channel 3 back then. Many great football NFC games were missed because of the somewhat local team being shown instead. Hey Redskins fans, this broadcasting change for one weekend isn't the end of the world. Those of us that are not and have never been Skins fans appreciate that the station will show a game that does have playoff implications. The Cowboys and Eagles are playing for the Division Championship. I like Bruce Rader's statement that "the Redskins are just unwatchable." The man has some guts knowing the backlash that would be coming his way behind that comment.
Who Knew...
there were soooo many whining Redskins fans????? Give me a break, NOBODY but you wants to see your game on Sunday, and for what? Even on the off chance that I want you guys to actually win a game, you don't! I'm do or die Cowboys, not a band wagon fan! You have to be a Fan Forever with the Boys, you either love'em or hate'em no gray area! Go Cowboys!!!!!!!!!
Sadly...
this is one game the Redskins actually have a chance at winning. The Chargers will sit their first string to keep them healthy for the playoffs.
Cowboys vs Redskins
What a slap in the face. I can not watch the cowboys over the Redskins. Where is the nearest sports bar?
I'm very disappointed, being
I'm very disappointed, being a Charger fan I was looking forward to seeing my team slap the Deadskins right in the mouth.
Oh man...
were you here in '94 when they pre-empted the Chargers-Pittsburg national broadcast(that had home field playoffs implications), for the Redskins-Rams game.
The Redskins ended up 3-13 and the Rams 4-12. Two worthless teams with no chances at going to the playoffs vs. the two teams that eventually ended up playing for the AFC championship.