Banned Signs included a Sean Taylor tribute

Sean Taylor Tribute
So, the guy above is named Alexis Ohanian. He grew up in Columbia, moved to San Francisco, co-founded a successful Internet company, and never stopped loving the Redskins. When the money got good, the first thing he did was upgrade his father to dream seats in the front of FedEx Field, and he still flies home, across the country, for every home game.

He was born in the same year as Sean Taylor, and like so many people of our approximate age, he was really shaken by Taylor's death. He and his dad used to hang a banner about the Redskins in front of their seats, but after Taylor died, they immediately bought a Sean Taylor banner and have since brought it to nearly every game.

All was fine, until the Buccaneers game earlier this season. As he was entering the stadium, the sign was rolled up and on his shoulder as usual, but he was stopped by security and told signs weren't allowed.

"What are you talking about, it's a Sean Taylor banner," Alexis said. But they showed him the new policy banning all banners. So Alexis and his dad headed to a club seat entrance, and got their banner through.

Things got even trickier the next home game against the Chiefs. They had to try three or four entrances before they could get their banner through, and Alexis made a scene, opening up the banner and loudly protesting the policy.

So for the Eagles game, he came up with a plan to hide the banner as they entered the stadium. He also hid the above sign in his pocket, the one asking why he had to sneak the sign in. Security quickly confiscated that sign when he displayed it for cameras, telling him "you can either give me the sign, or leave." Thankfully, they left the Taylor banner alone, although like I mentioned, they tried to block its entrance at several gates.

Alexis isn't one of the fans who's threatening to leave or to boycott or to stop coming, and he's not arguing for free speech or any of that.

"I understand it's one thing to do it on public space and another to do it on private property, and I understand he's perfectly within his rights to do so, but I know it's within our best interests as business owners to let criticism bubble up," he told me. "The last thing you want to do is alienate these people who are willing to spend so much money to come to these games and cheer for this team. I'm flying out from San Francisco; it seems only reasonable that I could bring a sign in, especially a sign paying tribute to Sean Taylor."



(washigtonpost.com)