[hailskins666]

This is my first blog here at THN, or anywhere for that matter, so here goes........

WOW....... !!!!!!

I'm not a resident of NOVA(Northern Virginia), nor am I a taxpayer in the state of Virginia, Maryland or the District of Columbia. I'm from North Carolina, and a DIE-HARD Skins fan who remembers the days BEFORE the Panthers showed up. I'm also not a season ticket holder, nor anyone with any investment(other than love) to the Redskins organization. But, what I am is an individual who can see a scam when I see it.

I get a chance to visit NOVA once a year for training camp and meet with some friends. We see NOTHING but Panther merchandise in stores in NC. I don't have the benefit of having Redskins stores in local malls. As a matter of fact, when I actually saw the store in a mall in VA for the first time, I really went "gaa-gaa". I thought I had died and gone to heaven.

Earlier today, I went into the Redskin Store as I do each year when I make a trip up to watch training camp. I bought a jacket, and some small items. It's really nice to actually be able to walk into a store and see so much Redskins merchandise that I don't know where to begin. I actually spent the $300 to get an authentic helmet. And, just for the record, it is worth every red cent.

I also wanted to get a Sean Taylor replica jersey. But, they didn't have any in stock. So then, I decided to check out the rack that had the authentic jerseys, which were chained down like a repeat convict in the county jail. I mean crap, these things are locked up tighter than our national borders. But then I just weighed the fact that I was about to spend $300 on a helmet, AND $300 on a Taylor jersey.

So, then, I spent a half an hour looking about, and drooling over everything there. I saw checker boards, shirts, door knockers, and even trash cans. But, in my madness, I actually had convinced myself to spend the extra $300 on that authentic Taylor jersey, instead of the EXTREMELY over-priced replica that any fool could create with a PC printer and an ordinary household iron. I mean the quality of the replicas is complete crap. I spend $75 and two weeks later, the freaking numbers are peeling off as i'm wearing it in a bar, and a fan of another team says, "see, your team is all about the money, not winning, as proved by that cheap-assed jersey you're wearing". ....... I mean really, how messed up is that?

But the replicas are a different topic altogether. So, I'll get to the point. What I'm here to talk about is this...... I had just about decided to drop the extra $300 on the authentic Taylor jersey. So, which color? Burgandy or white? Well, I've never even thought about buying an authentic jersey before, so this was something I had to think over with myself. Every team has white. So maybe the burgandy was good for me.

I stroll by the rack at least five times. I know I want a size 56 in burgandy. I look and walk away. I go back and see that my size is in stock. Bonus! Well a few minutes have passed, and I'm not just thinking on raw emotion anymore. I actually start to look at the jersey I want to purchase. And then, I begin to notice things........ and none of them are good.

I stood back and looked. The first thing I notice is that the ENTIRE nameplate is a different shade of burgandy than the rest of the material on the jersey. Hmmm..... not a terrible feature, but not exactly a feature that you really want on a $300 jersey. So I looked at the whites for a moment. I couldn't see any difference in the nameplate.

So, I decide to shop again for a bit. But, it didn't matter, I still couldn't get my mind off of those Taylor jerseys. Back to looking. HOLY CRAP! After shaking my head while looking at those nameplates for five minutes, I see stitching marks in the shape of another nameplate. NO, I must be seeing things. So, I ask another person to look and see if they see the same thing I see. It wasn't just me. This person was seeing the same thing I saw.

Now, this raises questions. So I ask the cashier. This nameplate seems to be a different shade of burgandy than the rest of the jersey, why is that? The reply, "that's a tough color to match". OK, legit answer, but, I didn't see this on ANY of the other authentics in burgandy...... and I checked, thouroughly. Well, knowing that Fred Smoot was the last one to wear number 21 on this team, I poked further...... "Are these recycled Smoot jerseys"? .....
........
I didn't get a direct answer. Of course, I didn't actually want to be told that the Redskins Store was actually trying to screw me knowingly. Man, that would totally suck. But, not only are they trying to screw me, but they are trying to screw YOU as well. Not only were these features defective or unattractive, but if you look at the gold and white bands on the sleeve of theses jereseys(not just the Taylor jerseys, but ALL of the authentics, Portis, Cooley, Moss, etc.), all of them are wrinkled. ALL! Not a few, not a couple here and there, but ALL authentic burgandys have this defect.

I'm sure any Skins staff will tell you differently, and try to beat around the bush, but I can tell you, I didn't fall off the boat yesterday, I fell off the day before..... And a LOT was learned between day 1 and day 2, such as, you can pull the wool over certain sheeps eyes, but you CAN'T SNOW THE SNOWMAN. Tards.

Like nobody would notice..... ????? !!!!!!
I mean if it were a replica, that the store was trying to rip somone a new one for, I wouldn't really have a problem. But, really, $300 bucks for that???? What the hell is that????????? I actually feel cheated. If i had actually bought that without seeing that, I would have been pissed. Really pissed. As would most people. Not only is that bad business, but it is just plain wrong as well.

I run a business too. And, I would NEVER cheat one of my customers, ESPECIALLY any of my customers who would actually be willing to spend MORE money on something that costs more than what my base items do.

Dan Snyder is ripped left and right by the mainstream media. And after this, I won't turn the blind eye, as it is for obvious reason. I mean really, aren't the other teams the enemy? Every year we see things jacked up price wise, by the Danny, for Danny. I have defended him left and right. NO MORE. Not after this. The Skins are selling USED items for NEW item prices. And I'm sure if Dan Snyder actually spent any of his money on this crap, He'd feel the same way. Or maybe not, I don't know the man. But, what I do know is what i saw. $300 for a piece of #&@*!!!!!

I mean really, 300 bucks for that????? What the hell is that??????? Maybe I should bring the vaseline next time, huh Dan???

[tcwest10]

Check the jar...make sure it isn't really K-Y with a different label on it.

[JPFair]

HK,

Kudos to you for brining this outrageous ploy to the surface. I think you should investigate it further and demand some kind of resolution. Perhaps a nice, professional letter outlining your experience (sans expletives) might get the ball rolling towards some kind of resolution, and absent that, at a minimum nip this in the bud to save some fans from future purchases.

If you write a letter, and follow up on it until you receive some type of honest explanation you might be able to gauge just how far up the food chain this thing goes. Danny may or may not be responsible, but maybe he's not even aware of it and never authorized such a practice. I doubt that's the case, but you need to get the ball rolling to get to the bottom of this and find out just who is ultimately responsible. That's just bad business!!!!

[NikiH]

Ok I know this is a long shot but I'd email Snyder. Using logic we can figure he has an email account that ends in Redskins.com right? So I'd try daniel.snyder@redskins.com and any and all variations. Write a professional business type letter saying how disappointed you are that his business is trying to defraud hard working die hard fans like yourself! I'd just like to see if he responds. I personally was extremely disappointed yesterday. I was at work and bored and decided to check out what was on the Redskins TV coverage of camp. I expected to see some coverage of the fans. There was nothing but Larry Michaels running his mouth. And he did interview two players but he talked for quite a while. I'd personally like to see more fan reaction or at least SOME! Then you look at the pictures they have on their site, knowing that their photographers have full access to everything and they are HORRIBLE. Come on now, can't they do better for the fans?

[joebagadonuts]

Your beef is legitimate, and ultimately, Dan Snyder is responsible, but I highly doubt he was the one who handed down the order to recycle the jerseys. I would think that some director of marketing type made that decision.

I agree with Niki that a well-constructed letter may make Dan aware of the situation (if he wasn't already) and may lead to a change in policy.

[hailskins666]

what's the point of a letter, i just wrote it all down?

but really, i know snyder didn't do it personally. but that is the face of the redskins business, and it really does suck to see it trickle down to the fans.

i posted it so that anyone who would read this may see it first.

[SkinsJock]

Thanks for the "heads up" about this. I have often thought about getting an authentic replica and would hesitate now after reading your piece. That is not right.

I hope you send a letter - I think (hope) it might prove interesting to some in the organisation.

thanks again,

[Redskin in Canada]

This is yet another public relations fumble by the organization. I do not feel either that Snyder may have instructed directly somebody to do this. But the -PHILOSOPHY- to even try it and maximise profit, as well as the hiring of the staff that authorised it, belongs to Snyder.

You see. It does not matter how much anybody wants to defend him. The truth is that this guy has made a SINGLE good choice to have a winning team (and make even more money in the process): He hired Joe Gibbs and has stayed the hell away from football decisions. I can live with that.

No, I will not buy a jersey from his store. I already have an old Redskins hat from the pre-Snyder era. I wear it every time the Skins play. I do not need any other paraphernalia. The words WASHINGTON REDSKINS are indelibly written in my heart. And THAT, ladies and gentlemen, was FREE of charge.

[1niksder]

[Mursilis]

[Deadskins]

[Jake]

I've seen that jersey, too. It looks HORRIBLE. It would be a waste of $75 let alone $300.

[Countertrey]

[hailskins666]

[Mursilis]