Wednesday, October 17, 2018

My secret life as a Redskins writer lived through Rich Tandler.


There was a lot to like about Rich Tandler. I had the pleasure to meet him in 2009 when blogging was the next big thing. A community of DMV Redskins bloggers gathered at for a meet-up at Nationals Park, organized by Ben Folsom, the very talented writer behind The Curly R blog. 

All the best blogging talent was there, including Mark Newgent, Washington Examiner, me, Running Redskins and Hog Heaven, along with Hogs Haven writers Ken Meringolo and Kevin Ewolt.

And Rich Tandler. 

Newgent was established as a writer. The rest were serious hobby bloggers or fresh faces launching careers. But Tandler wrote a BOOK, The Redskins Chronicle: A Journey Through the History of theWashington Redskins 1937-2008. That made Rich the Dean of Redskins bloggers in my eyes. He was kind enough to autograph my copy, now a cherished possession.

Sports teams then were unsure how to approach blogs as a marketing channel. Professional writers were snooty about it. But the Redskins announced a vacancy for a team blogger. Both Rich and I responded to what we knew to be a forlorn hope. (The ‘Skins hired Matt Terl.)

We spoke of our shot during that summer gathering. Rich wondered how he would pull it off if the Redskins hired him. He lived in Richmond where he managed restaurants. I looked dead at him and said what I was thinking to myself; "If the Redskins chose him, he would figure a way."

Indeed, Rich got that dream shot through news outlets closely affiliated with the team. His career was my sweet success story lived vicariously through him. As Potter was “the boy that lived,” Tandler was the amateur that made it.

Rich passed away today, unexpectedly. I’m going to miss him. 

Redskins bloggers in 2009 at Nationals Park, l to r, Ben Folsom, Mark Newgent, Anthony Brown, Rich Tandler, Kevin Ewolt, and Ken Meringolo.


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