Fred Smoot totally convinced me. Let's call this team the Washington Red Wolves

At first, I was a Red Tails guy. Then, I was sort of a nothing guy. But now, after spending about 30 rambunctious minutes on a Thursday Zoom call with Fred Smoot - who apparently consumed a two gallon jug of 5-hour Energy before joining our Redskins Talk & Friends Facebook show - I've found my pack to run with. 

When the Washington Redskins settle on a new name, that new name needs to be the Washington Red Wolves.

HOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW. OWWW OWWW OWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW.

I at first dismissed this specific candidate in this race. To me, it sounded like a fifth grade basketball team or the result of someone pulling out two slips of paper from a hat - one with a color and one with a random animal - and saying, "THIS is the choice."

But Smoot, who has been leading this movement from the start, has officially convinced me. I'm now, at long last, feeling an attachment to one of the many, many suggestions for the franchise's next era. And it's because of all the sweet things that could come from changing the Redskins to the Red Wolves.

Imagine a packed stadium (yes, I know that's hard because of the pandemic and because FedEx Field is a lot of words yet packed is rarely among them, but just work with me here) of fans howling after a huge third down stop. 

Clapping and cheering? Screw those celebrations. Those are so outdated. They're so boring. At Red Wolves home games, people bay at the moon when Chase Young drops Dak Prescott.   

That's where Smoot really hooked me.

Under this potential name, Washington could finally have a real and unique atmosphere again. The stadium could be nicknamed The Wilderness. The Jumobtron will have growling sounds emanating from it constantly. There's truly no such thing as too much growling.

But that's not the only part of his compelling sales pitch.

Think of the uniform and logo potential as well. Think about it!!!

Yes, Redskins supporters will surely miss the look of their favorite team, one that they've gotten used to over decades and decades of Sundays, Mondays and Thursdays. But that longing for the past will last all of four seconds when Terry McLaurin comes sprinting out of the tunnel in some threads that look like this...:

...and meets his teammates at a midfield that looks something similar to this: 

Switching to the Red Wolves would also allow some of the key traditions, like the "HTTR" mantra and familiar color scheme, to remain. Even the fight song (with some slight touching up) could stick around.

Plus, it already has the endorsement from one key Redskin in Jonathan Allen. He wouldn't mind referring to the team's digs as The Den (I still think The Wilderness is better, but I'm a blogger and he's an NFL D-tackle, so it's obvious who's winning that one) and, overall, called the idea "fire."

Allen is correct. Smoot is correct. Every Twitter user I initially scoffed at is correct (but I'll keep scoffing at a lot of you regardless). 

For 80-plus years, this area's beloved football team has been the Redskins. It sure feels like that chapter is coming to a close, though.

So, when the new one begins, I hope it centers around the Red Wolves. And I hope it centers around them for 800-plus years, too. Maybe even 8,000.

HOWWWWWWWWWWWWWW. OWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW. OWW OWWW OWWWWWWWW.

CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE REDSKINS TALK PODCAST

MORE REDSKINS NEWS

Fred Smoot totally convinced me. Let's call this team the Washington Red Wolves originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington

Contact Us