Why is it so hard for those connected to the Washington Commanders ownership group to be normal?
In another insane display of having little-to-know self awareness, Tanya Snyder, wife of Commanders owner Dan Snyder, dropped pretty much the only line she shouldn’t have dropped at a pregame fan rally outside of FedEx Field on Sunday.
“Hail to the Redskins!” Snyder said, per Twitter video from the Washington Post’s Sam Fortier, as she capped off a speech in front of fans and former players prior to Washington’s matchup with the Green Bay Packers.
Everyone seems to have an opinion on the Commanders’ recent name change, but the Snyder’s decision to honor former team legends and make a point to mention the former name is an odd one no matter how you slice it. First comes the issue of how disrespectful that move is. Immediately having a pregame rally to support the former team name, in the season that you finally made a switch, is basically admitting to have never wanted to change the name in the first place — something in which we already knew.
The second, and perhaps most puzzling given what we know about NFL owners, is the branding issue. In what world does it make sense to make a complete and total brand change to only go back and focus all of your attention on the past? Washington changed the team nickname after Dan Snyder conducted a “thorough review” of the previous nickname, finally settling on the Commanders moniker after spending a few years as the Washington Football Team.
This weird decision to hold the rally also comes after reports Dan Snyder was looking for dirt on other NFL owners, with Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay calling his bluff. The circus is bound to continue in Washington.
