The latest casualty of the Washington Redskins downfall may be the Quarterback Club’s annual dinner honoring the team’s top players.
Indeed, no shows aren’t limited to FedEx Field for games. Dario Savarese, director of the 44-year organization, said fan outrage over the team’s poor play coupled with the ongoing recession has tickets sales dramatically short of producing the Player of the Year dinner on Dec. 15 for the first time since its 1969 inception.
“The dinner is clearly in jeopardy of not being hosted,” Savarese said. “Redskins interest has waned. People are demoralized. It has trickled into what we do. The Quarterback Club will survive, but can we host this year’s dinner from the fallout of wins and losses of the team?”
While some fans might question whether anyone deserves player of the year on this 2-4 debacle, several are amid standout seasons, including defensive end Andre Carter, linebacker London Fletcher and tight end Chris Cooley. Chosen by media who cover the team closely, Clinton Portis was honored last year while the late Sean Taylor was a 2007 recipient.
Redskins broadcaster Sam Huff, who won the club’s 1969 honor in his final season as a Hall-of-Fame linebacker, said fan support is needed more in bad seasons.
“Everybody’s frustrated, but there’s a lot of guys giving 100 percent,” Huff said. “There’s nothing wrong with London Fletcher. There’s guys out there that deserve recognition. This city has to have some patience.”
Former Redskins quarterback Mark Rypien is among the featured guests. He won the Super Bowl XXVI Most Valuable Player award that seems far longer than 18 seasons ago. Former Redskins Charles Mann, Charley Taylor, Mike Nelms, Brian Mitchell, George Starke and Huff will also attend while teammate and radio host Doc Walker emcees the event.
“We’re not just saluting one player, we’re saluting the former players,” Savarese said. “We support soldiers from Walter Reed Hospital. We salute the Redskins fans that come out. And we support the four nominees.”
The Quarterback Club (washington.nqbc.com) hosts monthly luncheons during the season that gives fans casual access to players. But, the last three years have shown a steady decline for the annual dinner to half of the past crowds of 600.
The club recently cancelled its charity golf tournament for low corporate sponsorship. The dinner may be next unless the club sells more 200 tickets in the next week.
And that would be a shame.
Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Read more at TheRickSniderReport.com or e-mail [email protected].
