One of Washington’s most popular television news anchors, WRC’s Jim Vance, went on the air one cold, winter night in early 1988 with a wish. “The Redskins play for the NFC championship against the Minnesota Vikings at RFK Stadium in two days, and I want them to win,” Vance said.

“I want them to win not so much because I like them as a team — which I do — but rather because of what it does for this region. It brings us together: black, white, young, old, rich, poor. When the Redskins beat the Cowboys to win the NFC five years ago, I remember people coming out of their homes and hugging each other, horns blaring, singing ‘Hail to the Redskins.’

“Nothing brings this place together like the Washington Redskins. So I hope they beat the Vikings and go to the Super Bowl and win that, too. If that makes me a homer, that’s okay. Because no city in the country needs the unity, even for one night, like we do.”