Famous 5: Pete Snyder
Meet Pete Snyder, Founder, New Media Strategies and staple in the DC/VA community. In honor of the upcoming NFL season, Mr. Snyder (not that one) spent a few minutes with us answering 5 questions for a FamousDC Famous 5 interview.
1. You’ve been in DC for 16 years. What has been the best change about the the city since you moved here? The worst?
Best change:
The decade-plus of ineptitude brought on by regime change at the Washington Redskins. They were actually decent when I first came to town. In a word: Schadenfreude.
Worst:
How polite, civil and soft this town has become. It’s en vogue to whine incessantly about “the rhetoric,” increased partisanship and the complete lack of civility in politics these days…whaaaahhhh. Are you kidding me? This group-think is a direct result of “Meet the Fockers”: everyone gets a ribbon for 7th place thinking among the DC chattering class. I prefer the days of Hamilton, Burr and duels on the Capitol grounds and sword fights in the chambers. Toughen up, Washington. It’s a rough world out there.
2. Let’s talk football. What do you think will be the biggest story from the upcoming season?
FCS National Championship for the William & Mary Tribe (and FCS doesn’t mean Forensic Chemistry Symposium, but they will probably win that one too…). Oh, and something about a team in Philadelphia and the Super Bowl.
3. For a while, people thought NMS was actually behind FamousDC, and you were kind enough to play along – what is your favorite thing about FamousDC?
Wait…you mean I don’t control this thing? That’s crap.What do I love about FDC?? Put simply, FamousDC captures the essence of the people who actually make the most powerful city in the world run. (helpful tip to enemies of the state / hostile nations: make any “change” to The Tune Inn or Hawk ‘n Dove and this whole system collapses or is at least paralyzed for days.
4. The White House calls at 4 pm on a Friday and says President Obama wants to kick it with you for the weekend. What’s on the agenda?
Well, if it were THIS Friday, I’d politely and respectfully tell him that I don’t think we should be screwing around at a time like this and to get back to work on this whole jobs plan of his. Come on, eyes on the ball.
Now, if unemployment drops a bit – totally different story.
I think we’d fire up the jet – his not mine (still working on that) and go “Big Game Hunting.” By that I mean going to some of the best games and sports towns in the country. We’d leave Andrews and head on down to Memphis for a quick dinner of ‘que (best in the nation) and beers at Central BBQ in Midtown Memphis. Then, we’d have the motorcade pick up my buddy Clarence Chapman, my father-in-law Big P and haul us all 90 miles down the road to one of the greatest college towns in America – Oxford, Mississippi– home of the Ole Miss Rebels, in time for last call at The Library. That said, I have a feeling that Dessler (the owner) would keep the place open for a little late night for O.
Next am — we’d get up and head to The Grove for the best tailgating scene in the country, followed by a stellar SEC match up in which Ole Miss usually gets pasted. After that, post-game madness and hot tubbing Rodney Dangerfield-style w POTUS.
Next morning, Seal Team 6 extracts us from the wreckage and wisks us over to Philly for an NFC East Sunday Funday in the City of Brotherly Love. 1st stop is Jim’s Steaks (100% better than Gino’s or Pat’s) on South Street. I’d order for The President so he won’t screw it up (asking for Swiss is a big no-no, just as Kerry): pizza steak, wiz “wit.” Then on for a Yuengling or perhaps a carbomb at O’Neil’s before we head over to South Philly and The Linc. Tailgate for a bit then join an already ruddy-faced Gov. Ed Rendell on the Comcast Pre-Game show for some Birds banter before we hit our Spike Lee seats on the 50.
My Eagles trounce his Bears, I make O flap his wings. Ladder appears from sky (repeat Seal Team 6 extraction) and we’re back in our own respective beds by 10:30pm.
I think he’d like it, don’t you?
5. One of your good friends Jonathan Grella has a sweet gig working for the Tampa Bay Bucs – if you could do anything else, what would it be and why?
Yes, Grella is living the dream, no? His guys are going to be good this year. A ton of young talent and Raheem Morris is a real leader. If I could do anything else, own a movie studio… or better yet – I would purposefully cause confusion by being the second owner named Mr. Snyder in the NFC East…but #1 in your hearts, of course. As Coach Taylor says, “Clear eyes, full hearts can’t lose.” (and of course, Grella would be my GM).
