Bad news in Washington: the pro sports teams
The hockey team has the best player in the world, and still is mighty disappointing.
The football team was manhandled by the Steelers. The general manager drafted three receivers to beef up the catching capability and none of them can play. The Steelers stacked the line and stifled the offense.
The baseball team did everyone a favor by not drawing audiences. And their stadium is really ugly.
And tonight the basketball team folded in the fourth quarter to lose their third game in a row. In fact, the Wizards are zero for the season. They are quite terrible: disorganized, sloppy, and even their stars are playing very poorly. They look like a lottery team to me.
I told them not to sign Arenas, but they paid no attention; they shouldn't have kept Jamieson either but they gave him a huge contract too. Butler made serious mistakes at critical moments tonight in Milwaukee; he doesn't seem to be able to carry the team. The first and second year players aren't able to stay on the court. Of course the biggest problem is that there's no one in the middle who can get the rebounds and play defense. This has been a big problem for years, and has been ignored for years. The second biggest problem is that there's no good point guard. Why can't they get the players they need?
Hey, don't dis the Caps, they're by far the most exciting team (and hockey's the most exciting game) in town--c'mon by, Barack, contrary to scurrilous claims, hockey moms and dads love you!
November 6, 2008 12:46 AM | Reply | Permalink
We fair no better in the Bay Area. The 49ers (who I don't like) is a lost team. They are looking for a new stadium. They are threatening to move down the peninsula. The Oakland Raiders (who I do like) are dysfunctional at best. I don't understand what Al Davis is doing? The Golden State Warriors look like they aren't going to make the playoffs this year.
The San Francisco Giants really need big time pitchers and hitters. I hope the shake up at the top will shake a few dollars loose. The Oakland A's are looking to move to Fremont, CA. Right now jumping on BART is so easy and takes cars off the road they want to move to Fremont, CA which is basically an uber-burb of Oakland.
November 6, 2008 3:01 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'm in a different bay area, and was rooting for the Rays in the ALCS, and as a transplant from the Philly 'burbs of NJ, rooted for the Phillies in the NLCS. But when push came to shove, I rooted for the Phils in the world series. First championship in a major sport in 25 years! Now that's a bad stretch - especially in one of the handful of cities that has all four of the big sports.
As for the Skins, well, this last loss was taking one for the team. The "Redskins Effect" won out, so we have President elect-Obama!
November 6, 2008 4:05 AM | Reply | Permalink
Obama will take care of it! Give the man a month or two, huh? If he can't manage or coach the teams to victory, he will just have to get in there himself, and score!
Please remember there are only 28 hours in Obama's day. He can't do everything right away.
And like I tell all my Repub friends (not that I have any): If Obama doesn't fix it in his first two terms, he'll take care of it in his third, or fourth.
November 6, 2008 10:34 AM | Reply | Permalink
I agree, things are horrible in sports in Washington.
The Seahawks are bottom of the barrel, the Washington Huskies haven't won a game and may not win one this year under lame duck Willingham. The Mariners were almost the worst team in baseball (but just to seal the deal they won ONE game too many to get the first draft pick).
And the Seattle Sonics? Oh yeah, David Stern sold them off to his wingnut friend Clay Bennett.
It really is a dismal day to be a sports fan in Washington.
What, you were talking about the OTHER Washington? Not the real one? Oh, quit your whining.
November 6, 2008 2:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
The 'Skins are doing very well this year; they just ran into the best defense in the league last week.
November 6, 2008 9:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
As a lifelong NY Giants' fan raised in upstate New York, I have to say I was among those who thought Dallas was going to be the NFC champion before this season started. And that could still happen.
Eli Manning is far steadier this season than he was until late last season. But he is still quite capable of laying a big egg and throwing 3 or 4 INTs on a given Sunday. Your Steelers sure brought him down to earth, but they do that to just about everyone.
That, and the losses to their defensive line, are two reasons this season will be another case of me believing good things happen for the Giants if and when they happen, and not before that. Proving they were capable of playing horrendously and losing to the Browns might have helped them stay focused and hungry since that game.
Even with a really problematic O line the Steelers have at least as good a shot at winning the AFC as anyone else, probably better, I feel.
(Reed, please feel free to skip the rest of this comment...)
If I were a Skins' fan I would want them to give Clinton Portis fewer carries for the remainder of the season. With him healthy they would have a chance against anyone in the playoffs. Otherwise--less likely. They have solid backup RBs who should be plenty good enough to help their offense move the ball reasonably well when they spell Portis.
I actually like it when the Skins win, so long as they don't eclipse my Giants. People around these parts are just in a better mood more often when the Skins are playing well.
November 6, 2008 10:44 PM | Reply | Permalink