Manassas Journal Messenger | Redskin fans flock to meet veteran players

Though he is thinner than is customary, Mike Gardner doesn’t look too bad for a “Hoggette.”

That is, if you like that sort of thing — men with beards, wearing plastic pig noses, straw hats and gingham dresses and such.

Gardner and three of his Hogette buddies joined several hundred other Washington Redskins fans Saturday at SplashDown Waterpark to rub shoulders with a bunch of former football players.

One of the attractions at Ken Harvey’s Football Fun Classic was the tent where former Redskins players taught fans a few plays from the team’s play book.

Gardner said the “O’s” and “X’s” connected by crisscrossing directional lines was a little for much for him.

“It gave me a headache,” Gardner said.

“The only thing I got out of it is the offense doesn’t like the defense and the defense doesn’t like the offense,” he said.

“It shows how smart football players have to be,” Gardner said. “There’s more to it, for a football player, than just going out there and crackin’ heads.”

John Foreman, of Manassas, brought his wife Maria, two sons Ryan and Shane and daughter Elizabeth to the event which was attended by former Redskins players Ken Harvey, Darryl Green, Art Monk, Charles Mann, Pat Fischer, Mark Moseley, Darryl Pounds, Ricky Ervins, Mark Stock, Tom Carter, Reggie Evans, Clarence Vaughn, Tom Carter, Rick “Doc” Walker, Tyrone Drakeford, Joe Mickles, Raleigh McKenzie, Ravin Caldwell, Joe Krakowski, Ron McDole, George Starke, Darryl Grant, Brig Owens, Larry Brown and Bobby Wilson.

“We like the Redskins. What’s not to like?” Foreman said.

Ryan, 7, found other attractions he liked at the Fun Classic.

“I like all the moon bounce stuff,” Ryan said.

Indeed there were no less than six moon bounces of various designs at the $35 per ticket event which included a buffet lunch and entertainment.

“I can’t believe I got to walk around with all of these guys,” Foreman said.

Dough Blount, of SplashDown, said he thought the inaugural Fun Classic was a success.

“So far we’ve gotten 300 to 400 admissions,” Blount said two hours into the five hour event.

“All the fans are coming out and getting to meet all these past players. They’re getting autographs. We’re doing coaching sessions underneath the different tents. We have interviews going on,” he said.

“The whole reason we put this on is to give the fans an up close contact these celebrities that in other realms they might not have the opportunity. In pro sports, it’s so hard to see the athletes these days,” Blount said.

Jim McKee came from Winchester to see the show.

“I’m a Miami Dolphins fan,” the 29-year-old electrician said.

“My stepson is a diehard Redskins fan. I heard about it on the radio Thursday, so we came over on Friday and stayed in a hotel. It’s been a lot of fun,” he said.