Theismann Defends Redskins Name

It seems as though everyone wants to weigh in on the Redskins nickname with  the latest being legendary former Redskins quarterback Joe Theismann. Instead of attempting to establish historical distance between the name and what it implies, the man known primarily for the infamous leg break used a personal anecdote to show why he believes the name has a powerful meaning.

“I can tell you that when I was at the children’s hospital this morning,there was a young Native American boy there with his parents,” Theismann said. “His grandmother wanted a picture with me, and his father tookthe picture. And as I shook his hand the father said to me ‘You’re aRedskin,’ and he said it in a very complimentary way, which was veryhumbling to me.”

Theismann went on to say that he was proud to be a Redskin and felt like he was representing Native Americans every time he put on the uniform.