The Fun Bunch

The Fun Bunch was the nickname for the wide receivers and tight ends of the Washington Redskins of the National Football League during the early 1980s. It was also used as a nickname for the corps of talented offensive players during Ohio State's 2005 and 2006 football seasons.

Washington Redskins

Known for their choreographed group celebrations in the end zone (usually a group high-five) following a touchdown, the Fun Bunch's actions eventually resulted in a league-wide ban of "excessive celebration" in 1984.

The members of the Fun Bunch included the Redskins' wide receivers Art Monk, Virgil Seay, Charlie Brown, Gary Clark, and Alvin Garrett, and tight ends Rick Walker, and Don Warren. Every single one of these players won a Super Bowl with the Redskins, and three have been chosen for the Pro Bowl. Art Monk was recently inducted into the Hall of Fame.

The first high-five leap performed by the Fun Bunch occurred after an Alvin Garrett touchdown 1982 first-round Playoff game against the Detroit Lions.

In the Fun Bunch, there was a sub-group nicknamed the Smurfs. The Smurfs consisted of Gary Clark, Alvin Garrett, and Charlie Brown. The three were given the nickname because of their diminutive size (Garrett was 5'7”, Clark was 5'9”, and Brown the tallest at 5'10”), comparing them to the tiny blue comic and cartoon characters in "The Smurfs".

Ohio State Football

"The Fun Bunch" was also used for the offensive players during Ohio State's 2005 and 2006 football seasons: wide receivers Anthony Gonzalez, Ted Ginn, Jr., Santonio Holmes and quarterback Troy Smith. Although the nickname was initially employed only at the insistence of Columbus-based WSYX-TV sports anchor Clay Hall, its usage gained momentum in other media as the Buckeyes ran the table during the 2006 regular season leading up to their title-game blowout loss to the University of Florida ["Scoreboard Shows This Isn't the Same Old Ohio State." Thamel, Pete. The New York Times: Jan. 5, 2007] ["Ohio State WRs Leave Foes Breathless." Metcalfe, Jeff. The Arizona Republic: Jan. 6, 2007] .

References

ee also

*List of NFL nicknames
*Ohio State Buckeyes
*2006 Ohio State Buckeyes football team