Brian Bald
Oct 10, 2008

posted by James Carlson & Brian Bald

We all know about how influential the Redskins are on election results, but there seems to be a lesser publicized correlation between the 3rd best team in the NFL and our country’s crap ass economic outlook.

Let’s go to the most trusted name in plagiarizing term papers and see how Main Street (pause while I puke) was holding up when the confetti has rained on Independence Ave:

1937 (Skins 9 – 3)

The Recession of 1937 was a sharp economic downturn in the United States in 1937-38. It was part of the Great Depression in the United States, and had serious political results.  Economic historians have not agreed on the causes, but many of the causes show that because the New Deal involved spending money from the Federal budget, President Roosevelt had to end New Deal spending, and thus programs, as a result. While FDR was sorting that out, a legend arrived in the Capital.

Sammy Baugh entered the league with his new-fangled forward pass, which accounted for 3 TD’s in a 28 – 21 victory over the Bears in the NFL Championship Game.

1942 (Skins 10 – 1)

Across the pond, Hitler was pretty out of control by this point. World War II had been in full swing for 3 years, and Pearl Harbor brought the U.S. off the sidelines in December 1941. On this side of the Atlantic, the Skins were pissed (at the Bears…although, I’m sure Hitler and the Japanese Air Force weren’t very popular either).

George Preston Marshall used the humiliation of a 73 – 0 beat down by the Bears in the 1940 Championship as a rallying point, and the Redskins upset the Bears to spoil their try for a perfect season, 14–6.

Note: While there was no specific recession to point to, it was a frigin’ global conflict for God sakes.  I don’t think we can exactly count this as a moment of prosperity for anyone outside Griffith Stadium.

1982 (Skins 12 – 1: strike-shortened)

The early 1980’s recession was a severe recession in the United States which began in July 1981 and ended in November 1982 (note: approximately the length of the Redskins campaign that year). The primary cause of the recession was a contractionary monetary policy established by the Federal Reserve System to control high inflation.  The recession was not only unexpected but was the most serious recession since the Great Depression (wait for it).  Joe Thiesman didn’t care.  Neither did Mark Mosely, NFL MVP.

The Redskins’ first Super Bowl win, their first NFL Championship in 40 years, was in Super Bowl XVII, where the Redskins beat the Miami Dolphins 27-17 on January 30, 1983, in Pasadena, California.  John Riggins provided the game’s signature play when, on 4th and inches, with the Redskins down 17–13, the coaches called “70 Chip” a play designed for short yardage.  Riggins instead gained 43 yards and the go-ahead touchdown. The image of Riggins running through would-be tackler Don McNeal has become one of the all-time Super Bowl highlights.

1987 (Skins 14 – 4)

On Black Monday of October 1987 (note: Skins 13 Boys 7 in Dallas MNF), a stock collapse of unprecedented size lopped 22.6 percent off the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The collapse, larger than that of 1929, was handled well by the economy and the stock market began to quickly recover. However the lumbering savings and loans (insert Keating 5 reference here) were beginning to collapse, putting the savings of millions of Americans in jeopardy.  Doug Williams, Art Monk, and Gary Clark never got the memo.

The Redskins won their second championship in Super Bowl XXII on January 31, 1988, in San Diego, California. The Redskins routed the Denver Broncos 42-10 after falling behind 10–0 early in the first quarter. This was the largest come-from-behind victory in Super Bowl history.

1991 (Skins 17 – 2)

The recession of the early nineteen-nineties was an economic recession that hit much of the world in 1990-91 (like exactly the same length of the NFL season).  The next several years’ high unemployment, massive government budgetary deficits, and slow Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth affected the United States until late 1992.  Not the skins, Rypien’s Starting Line-ups were flying off the shelves.

The Redskins won their most recent Super Bowl on January 26, 1992, in Super Bowl XXVI in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Redskins, the most dominant team in the NFL in the 1991 season, defeated the Buffalo Bills 37–24. Quarterback Mark Rypien was named the MVP.

2008 (Skins 4 – 1)

This is a bit of touchy subject at the present, but I think we can all agree that the world economy is in the toilet.

Not sure where our capitalist society is headed, but if the economy maintains course, I do know where the Zorn Stars are headed…Tampa.

Too bad no one will be able to afford to join them there.