Nov 4th 2008 1:00AM by Sportz Assassin (author feed)
Filed under: Redskins, Steelers, AFC North, NFC EastOne of the great/stupid things about sports is how numbers can be worked and re-worked into something that are supposed to have meaning. The fact that the fate of the Presidency and the election of the next leader of the free world hinges on an NFL game goes right up to the top of those silly numbers.

Since the Redskins have arrived in Washington, how they perform in their final home game determines the presidential election. It’s true. It’s called the Redskins Rule, and it has an accuracy rate of either 94 or 100 percent depending on how it’s applied. Every time the Redskins win their final home game before a presidential election, the candidate representing the incumbent party remains in office. Every time they lose, the incumbent party’s candidate loses as well. It’s a predictor that has worked in 16 of 17 presidential elections since the Redskins arrived in Washington. (Some argue the rule is 17-for-17; more on that in a second.)

In 2004, the Redskins lost to the Packers 28-14, suggesting Bush should have lost to John Kerry. Hirdt changed the way the rule is applied to have it refer to the previous winner of the popular vote, not the electoral vote.That’s good news for Barack Obama and the Democrats. The Redskins lost to the Steelers, 23-6, which means the incumbent Republicans are looking at a bad day. Why even hold the election? Just crown Obama the President at FedEx Field.Continue Reading