We Want Dallas Chant - the original voice

The World of Social Media for a Washington Football Team fan can be a minefield.

Maybe controversial, but I actually find the UK and Irish WFT Facebook groups, for example, offer an informative and solid discussion space compared to many of the USA fan started groups.

They are better moderated and seem to avoid the repetitive issues that surface within the US groups.

However, there are, on occasion, some absolute gems hidden within the rough and I recently spotted a great post from a Mr Alan Goldstein, who, makes a fantastic claim to be a co-originator, along with his cousin Dennis, of the We Want Dallas chant.

UKHTTR caught up with Mr Goldstein and found out a little bit more.

UKHTTR: Alan, the We Want Dallas chant is a huge part of Redskins folklore. Now, my understanding is that this all started when you 100% knew you would not be able to make the Dallas NFC Championship game?

Christian, my dad and I split my season tickets that season.

The playoffs consisted of all home games for Washington and there would be three if they won them all before going to the Super Bowl. So, my dad and I flipped a coin to see who would see the first and third (assuming they won all). They beat the Packers in game 1, so I attended game 2 vs the Vikings.

UKHTTR: now, they say history can literally change with the flip of a coin, and it seems that indeed happened! So, although you are on Cloud 9, there is part of you knowing you will not see the Championship game?

Toward the end of the 4th quarter, it was obvious the Redskins were going to win. I turned to my cousin Dennis and said, “This is over, they should fly in the Cowboys and play the next game right now!”

(UKHTTW: note from David Elfin CBS article published 22nd January 2013: With a players’ strike having eliminated the extra week between the conference titles games and the Super Bowl, the NFC winner was going to fly from Washington to Pasadena to begin to prepare to meet the AFC champion. However, the Redskins were angry when they heard that the Cowboys arrived at RFK with their bags packed for California. “It was the ultimate insult,” said defensive tackle Darryl Grant. “They had all the high-profile players. They were going to come into our backyard and dance all over us, business as usual”)

He replied, "yeah, that way you would get to see the game since next week your Dad comes to the game". "Yep, you found me out, look, the crowd is already here, everybody is crazy excited, why wait till next week...they should bring them here right now!"

Dennis agreed, "yep... Right now, we want Dallas, right here, right now!"

We then started cheering a shortened version, "we want Dallas". My fantasy about playing Dallas right then was just that - fantasy... But the desire of 50,000 + fans to play the Cowboys the next game was real.

Almost immediately the people around us picked up the cheer and the next thing we know it is reverberating around the stadium. We looked at each other..."did we start that? Nobody will believe us!”

UKHTTR: Alan, this is really awesome. In a way, this is such a perfect capture of real fandom. An amazing positive energy coming from a kind of sadness that you will not be there for the Cowboys.

In short, the origins of the chant revolved around 1) our heightened sense of excitement concerning the obvious win of the game we were watching 2) the fact that I would miss the NFC Championship game the next week as per agreement with my father 3) the change from fantasy musings about flying the Cowboys into RFK that very afternoon to a very real desire by an excited, confident fan base that the Redskins would beat the hated Cowboys when they met at RFK the next week, which they did.

I have seen many sporting events and the crowd at RFK for big games was amazing.

UKHTTR: By all accounts, the FedEx experience has never reached those dizzy heights of a bouncing RFK. Any last thoughts on how this franchise could recreate those moments – maybe a new stadium would be the catalyst in D.C?

The first order of business to bring back that stadium excitement is to win lots of games and make the playoffs.

That is pretty obvious. Secondly, a smaller stadium, with a rain roof!

RFK seated approximately 55,000. It was sold out every year with season tickets and there was a waiting list of 20,000 fans. So, the idea was that Fed Ex's 90,000 seats could be filled. Never really happened. I think 65,000 would be a good number. Since DC has a dedicated baseball stadium, there would be no reason for roll-away seats like RFK, unfortunately.

The third idea is entirely radical, for the USA anyway.

Fed Ex turns into an Eagles home game now days. Tickets are readily available on the internet and anybody can wear whatever they want and cheer for whomever they want.

It is the same for the whole league. Kills the home field advantage. I propose a soccer style limitation built into buying a ticket at Fed Ex or any new stadium.

Except for a designated area, spectators may not wear the colours of the opposition team and any loud noise that disturbs surrounding home fans could result in expulsion from the stadium. And then hire security guys to enforce it.

I would rather have an empty seat than one filled with an obnoxious fan of the opposition. After season tickets fill the place, it would not be as much of a problem. AND it would prevent people from selling their tickets to make a profit.

Winning, however, tends to cure many problems, so that is a must. RFK was THE place in the NFL, DC could be that again, if Daniel Snyder is smart, something that does not seem to be the case.