MD Native Leigh Bodden: "I'm No Longer a Redskins Fan"

by Kevin Ewoldt on Jun 10, 2011 11:21 AM EDT in Interviews

First, much thanks to Cindy Boren for organizing the Washington Post Sports tweetup last night. Several Redskins media and NFLPA reps were in attendance. At one point, Cindy introduced Leigh Bodden on the mike and asked if anyone had any questions. Being 6 Coronas down, naturally I had two:

Kevin: What's harder...enduring this lockout or playing for Cleveland?

Bodden: (laughter)

Kevin: Shawn Springs is a DC native having played High School ball at Springbrook. Did his "Blue" nickname carry up to Boston?

Bodden: (big smile) "OH YEA."

That made my day. He went on saying his Springs' stories were not appropriate for this kind of environment. I've seen Shawn Springs first hand at a charity event being a playa, so I let that go being a big Springs fan myself. After the Q&A, I got to chat with Bodden off to the side.

Kevin: You grew up in Hyattsville, MD...are you still a Redskins fan?

Bodden: Hell no.

Kevin: So, if the Pats were knocked out of the playoffs and the Redskins were in the Super Bowl, you're telling me you wouldn't root for them?

Bodden: Nope.

Kevin: But you grew up a Redskins fan, right? I imagine Darrell Green was your idol?

Bodden: Oh yea...huge Redskins fan growing up. I had the jerseys. I talked to Darrell recently....loved him when I was young.

Kevin: (after asking how many times Darrell mentioned "Jesus" in their call) So what changed with you hating the Skins?

Bodden responded, and I'm paraphrasing, that the Redskins just aren't the same. The Redskins are a team players only go to get paid. Even with Gibbs. (He wasn't too keen on the Redskins' owner's tactics over that stretch).

Kevin: But that's changed now...we don't drop those big contracts any more. Does the rest of the NFL still view the Redskins as a place only to get paid?

Bodden: Oh yea.

Sweet. Well, we all knew coming of the Zorn disaster it was going to take 2-3 years minimum to clean out the roster, restore a winning attitude, and as Ted Leonsis said: build a core group of (star) players via the draft. Out of curiousity I asked Bodden how many times he's picked off Tom Brady in practice. He responded, "Twice." That's pretty damn impressive on Brady. I asked if the team gives Brady a hard time over his dancing, hair, and Gisele.

Bodden: Oh yea. We don't talk about Gisele...but the hair and dancing. hahaha...yea. He's a good dude.

It was a pleasure getting to chat with Bodden. Really funny dude. You can follow him on Twitter @leighbodden.

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Comments

I'm definitely not inviting Bodden to my birthday party now.

Editor at Hogs Haven - Redskins Blog
Twitter: @RVAparks Check it out for the latest Redskins news and opinions

by Parks Smith on Jun 10, 2011 12:06 PM EDT reply actions

do you blame him? After all, Snyder created this atmosphere and reputation

It’s not going to be fixed in 2 to 3 years-more like 10, and that’s only if Snyder continues to stay out of operations and not be such a jerk publicly.
This suit against a newspaper for a satirical piece on Snyder, is just being an ass and showing he has no sense of humor.

The world looks mighty different when you're peeking out your belly button

by Skins Fan '77 on Jun 10, 2011 12:09 PM EDT up reply actions

Just let it be, there has been enough Snyder toxic sludge running through the site for a couple of weeks.

Just let it go before Donnio and Smuts get here, and debate the undebatable (not sure if that’s a word)

Editor at Hogs Haven - Redskins Blog
Twitter: @RVAparks Check it out for the latest Redskins news and opinions

by Parks Smith on Jun 10, 2011 12:12 PM EDT up reply actions

HEY GUYS - WHAT'S UP!?

"By far the worst performers on the (Redskins) are in the front office." – Sally Jenkins

by smutsboy1 on Jun 10, 2011 1:07 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

HaHa

But there is no one else to pick on-were seen to be done with Albert

The world looks mighty different when you're peeking out your belly button

by Skins Fan '77 on Jun 10, 2011 12:31 PM EDT reply actions

Good interview. Seems like a good dude.

"By far the worst performers on the (Redskins) are in the front office." – Sally Jenkins

by smutsboy1 on Jun 10, 2011 1:07 PM EDT reply actions

definitely a good dude...

real funny. After talking with Bodden, a NFLPA director said to Leigh, “You know he’s a writer for the Redskins right?” I then said jokingly, “I’m going to write all this.” Bodden said, “Cool…go for it.” I planned on not writing any of this up….but since he green lit it.

A black cat crossing your path signifies that the animal is going somewhere. -Groucho Marx

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by Kevin Ewoldt on Jun 10, 2011 1:11 PM EDT up reply actions

Kelly Johnson has no comment either..

“I’ve seen Shawn Springs first hand at a charity event being a playa, so I let that go being a big Springs fan myself.”

@Diesel__44 on the twitter machine.

by Diesel44 on Jun 10, 2011 2:26 PM EDT reply actions

Spill the backstory.

My give a damn broke.

by davesomethin on Jun 10, 2011 2:55 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

hahaha

A black cat crossing your path signifies that the animal is going somewhere. -Groucho Marx

Hogs Haven. On Twitter..

by Kevin Ewoldt on Jun 10, 2011 3:14 PM EDT up reply actions

It's ok

I’m from hyattsville too and I still the our beloved Redskins!

The blood you see on my jersey could mean one of two things......either i keep running over the same guy trying to tackle me.....or.....I should really be wearing those pads they gave me!!!!!!

by Lil_Dwilliams17 on Jun 10, 2011 7:47 PM EDT reply actions

+1

minus the Redskins part

SB Nation's Dallas Cowboys Site, Blogging The Boys | Follow me @KDP10for10
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by KD Drummond on Jun 12, 2011 7:59 PM EDT up reply actions

I don't think it's that unreasonable

for NFL players to not have any affiliation with their former favorite teams. I don’t remember him saying anything about Synder :P

by Andrew DeFrank on Jun 10, 2011 8:23 PM EDT reply actions

I would go a step further and say that an NFL players

should NOT have any affiliation with the teams they grew up supporting! At the end of the day, as a professional player, you are in a business! Even if you do end up playing for the team you support, things can go sour quickly. The FO may not offer you anything like the contract you feel you deserve, the same fans that you used to watch games with when you were a kid can turn on you and start booing you after a couple of poor games, you may have a real dislike for your HC or other players on the team etc.! In a business you need to look out for your own interests, whether it be monetary ones or simply wanting to play in a team that is currently competing for a championship and not bending over backwards even though you are unhappy or whatever else!

by Toosy_13 on Jun 10, 2011 8:56 PM EDT up reply actions

Nahh..

It shows a weak constitution. I’ve never had any respect for anyone that switched fan allegiances. Regardless if they played in the league….LOOKING at 90% of the Ravens fans.

@Diesel__44 on the twitter machine.

by Diesel44 on Jun 10, 2011 9:31 PM EDT up reply actions

If we draft player X, who is a diehard Cowboy fan,

and because he has a ‘stong’ constitution, does he naturally play poorly because he is playing for his arch nemesis for a team? No, he has to remember he is a professional now, and having any affiliation for any team that is not your own is ‘unprofessional’!

by Toosy_13 on Jun 11, 2011 7:52 AM EDT up reply actions

Of course not.

@Diesel__44 on the twitter machine.

by Diesel44 on Jun 11, 2011 12:18 PM EDT up reply actions

Hey Leigh ...

Who needs you?! You don’t rank as a Redskin!

Rick "the Rebel" Hall

by Rebel2650 on Jun 10, 2011 8:24 PM EDT reply actions

Leigh doesn't like us?

My heart’s broken…not. Who cares?

That being said, I just read a posting on a Packer’s fan sight dated May 13th about the supposed interest of the Skins in Cullen Jenkins. Many of the fans were dissing us because we only sign FAs that are past their primes, have an injury history, or are real mental cases and that players only come here to get paid to only have their careers die.
I really hope our youth movement will put an end to that perception. We just need to start winning with our young guys to change people’s opinions.

by DC2AZ99 on Jun 11, 2011 11:44 AM EDT reply actions