The "Battle" of the Beltway

This weekend, the Nats will have a series with the Baltimore Orioles, the "rival" team from Baltimore. The first four seasons in D.C. saw the teams just about split overall, with no clear "better" team between the two. Last year, Ronnie Belliard capped off the series with a walk-off homer in the bottom of the 12th inning, a game in which I left right before his at-bat, figuring the game was over (and we had really nice seats, too). I'm still kicking myself for that decision. Still, it was probably the second-best moment of the year for Nats fans, only behind Ryan Zimmerman's walk-off on Opening Night.

So there there have been some good games between the team teams. They're pretty equal in futility, though the Nats managed to finish worse than the Orioles did in 2008, partly due to the fact that the O's were looking like contenders for the first 1/3 of the season, before they eventually fell off the face of the earth. Both teams have owners that the fanbases are not particularly fond of (The Lerners are already being labeled as cheap owners, despite being the richest in baseball, and Peter Angelos is arguably the worst owner in sports) and both teams are rebuilding. It's eerie how close the teams are in talent: the Nats have Ryan Zimmerman, the O's have Nick Markakis; the Nats' top prospect will be Stephen Strasburg, who is being called a superstar in the making (they still have to draft him and sign him, though!), while the O's have Matt Weiters, arguably the best prospect in all of baseball. Both have no pitching, but with some bright young prospects coming up and contributing. Overall, the two franchises are very similar, which makes the series between these two interleague opponents usually pretty good. This year should be no different.


But I have to make one thing clear: the "rivalry" between these two teams, and fanbases, is nonexistent. Many Nationals fans cheered for the Orioles before the Nationals arrived (I am one of those fans, though I never considered myself a serious Orioles fan...but ah, Brady Anderson was so dreamy) and many still root for the Orioles to do well in the AL East. Personally, I'd love to see both the Orioles and Nationals become perennial winners. I'm sure there are some Orioles fans who root for the Nationals to at least be decent, but I don't think you'll ever see an O's fan and a Nats fan fighting like you might see between Red Sox and Yankees fans. There's just too much crossover. There are tons of Orioles fans in Nationals Park for this series, and there are usually a good number of Nationals fans at Camden Yards as well.

Also, though Nationals fans despise Peter Angelos for screwing them over with MASN and the whole TV deal, the hate is shared with Orioles fans. Angelos is hated by all. Throw in the fact that the Orioles only come to Nationals Park once a year, and the rivalry really doesn't muster. For that to happen, there will probably need to be some punches thrown or managers tossed in close ball games. Still, it will most likely be years before any kind of rivalry develops; interleague rivalries just are too infrequently played to be significant.

Not to mention it's hard to brew any kind of rivalry when both teams are (usually) in last place by the time the series rolls around. What's there to get worked up about? There's no pennant race in May/June. Like I said, you're probably going to need some kind of fight to start anything. Personally, I'd love to see an Adam Dunn vs. Aubrey Huff fistfight. Two heavyweights, baby. But, until then, these two last place teams will play annually for nothing more than bragging rights, which generally means nothing, because, most likely, the series will not be a sweep.

I just hope that the Nats can avoid a winless 11-game homestand (currently 0-7 I believe) and that Ryan Zimmerman can continue his 38-game on base streak.

James Harrison, You Astound Me

Don't worry, it's going to go into the "explosive comments" section soon, but what James Harrison (pictured, left) said the other day has stupefied me enough so that I'm going to write a post on it. So, if you haven't heard it, here it is ...

So, James, rumor has it you're not going with your fellow Steelers to the White House. Why?

"If you want to see the Pittsburgh Steelers, invite us when we don't win the Super Bowl. So, as far as I'm concerned, he would have invited Arizona if they had won, so, I mean, maybe in the next four or five years, maybe year six when we don't win it I guess, I mean we're probably going to try to run for four or five years, get 10 or 11 rings ... no, but really, I don't feel the need to actually go, I don't feel like it's that big a deal to me."

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Are you serious right now? The man is refusing to go visit the President of the United States because he feels he deserves a special invitation. Winning the Super Bowl wasn't enough; he thinks the Steelers deserve special treatment. HE'S NOT GOING TO SEE THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES BECAUSE OBAMA WOULD HAVE INVITED ARIZONA IF THEY WON. 

You know, there are a lot of socially conscious professional athletes in all sports, so I'm not going to throw NFL players in general under the bus ... but come on. This is astounding. This is immature. This is pompous. This is just plain stupid.

And it's sad, because I respected Harrison a lot - until the Super Bowl. Then, there was the footage of him sucker punching a Cardinals player who was already on the ground. Now, this. I'm a Ravens fan first, but a football fan in general as a close second, so this makes me angry, because it reflects poorly upon the NFL. Very, very poorly. 

(Photo Credit: www.postchronicle.com)

A Shock to End the Season

The Washington Capitals have built a reputation of being a hard-nosed team that fights until the very end. They proved in last season when they went from last to first to win the Southeast Division, and then forced the Flyers to a game seven that they lost in overtime. They proved it in round one this season as they came back from down 3-1 and then forced a game 7 in round 2.

And then, they just ran out of gas. You could see it coming when Alex Ovechkin was robbed on a breakaway early on, followed by a penalty that lead to a Sidney Crosby goal. Then, before anyone could blink, 21-year old Simeon Varlamov let in the softest goal he's ever allowed. The Capitals could not afford a slow start or a soft goal; they let both happen. From there, it was all over. All the energy was sucked out of the arena and the team was visibly deflated. The second period started with 2 more Penguins goals and Varlamov was sent to the bench.

It was all over, just like that. A game seven in a series like this one was supposed to be epic. It was supposed to be another overtime game, another chance for a hero to emerge from either team. Instead, it was an embarrassment. The Capitals played without energy for the final 30 minutes and the defense was still dominated for long stretches. They were booed by the 18,277 at Verizon Center like they deserved to be. They had just folded like a deckchair in game seven against a hated rival.

And yet, for the final two minutes, the Capitals faithful stood up and applauded the team that had just ended their season in the worst way possible. It was a gesture that nearly brought a tear to my eye; despite the terrible performance, the team had still had a great season. They improved on last season's result and, despite numerous holes, made it to game 7 against a team that was clearly superior. They made it to the 2nd round with a bottom-ten defense and a rookie goaltender. They had a Norris Trophy candidate with a separated shoulder and a 30-goal scorer with an undisclosed injury (I think it was something with his hand). Alexander Ovechkin required injections during the pre-game to subside the pain from a groin injury, yet he still lead the NHL in points and averaged two points a game.

It was a season in which the Caps were the best regular-season team in Caps history, where they were the second-best team in the East, saw Mike Green score in eight consecutive games, saw Alex Ovechkin have another possible Hart Trophy season (along with yet another Rocket Richard Trophy), saw Nicklas Backstrom develop into one of the best two-way centers in the game, and saw prospects like Simeon Varlamov, Michal Neuvirth, Oskar Osala, Chris Bourque, and Karl Alzner play and, in some cases, contribute. It was a good season, one in which the team can certainly improve on next year.

The offseason will certainly be a long one for Caps fans. There are plenty of decisions to be made and players to be considered. Sergei Fedorov says that he is not retiring, do they re-sign him? Will they move Michael Nylander and/or Jose Theodore? Will Viktor Kozlov be retained, or will he head home to the KHL to end his career? Do Shaone Morrisonn, Milan Jurcina, and Jeff Schultz deserve qualifying offers? What about Brent Johnson? Where do prospects Francois Bouchard, Karl Alzner, John Carlson, Michal Neuvirth, Oskar Osala, Chris Bourque, Matthieu Perrault, and Andrew Jourdey fit in? Do they spend some money on defense, or hold out for next year so that they can re-sign Alex Semin and Backstrom? Questions abound the Southeast Division Champs.

And yet, I cannot help but think this team is on the way to something special. Ovechkin has proved time and time again that he is a playoff performer. He can nearly single-handedly win games in the playoffs. He is the most dominant player in hockey when he is on his game. Varlamov has shown that he is ready for at least split-time action next season. Players like Dave Steckel and Milan Jurcina proved to be solid role players.

It will be a tough couple of months, but it is comforting to think that this team is so young and is only going to get better. In the meantime, I will enjoy the rest of the playoffs, look forward to the draft, speculate and dream during free agency, and wait in anticipation for any moves that could be made, especially regarding Nylander and Theodore. The sting of losing to the Penguins will last for a long time. Hopefully, next season provides the Caps with an opportunity for revenge.

Baltimore Ravens create their own school

Well...not really. But their new practice facility looks like it could be a private school in the offseason, no?

Pictures here.

Check out the pictures there. Very impressive. Bisciotti certainly delivers when his team needs a new building. It's basically a mansion-school-field-gym-perfect place to do anything.

... That Didn't Last Long

DeShawn Painter decided to be a preposterous tease for Maryland fans everywhere by announcing Tuesday that Maryland was in his final two, and then announcing today that he made up his mind ... and NC State it was. So, sorry if I got you all excited on Tuesday thinking that Maryland was going to land a legitimate recruit for 2009, because I really thought they would. Alas, though. What are you gonna do?

Gary's Overcompensating ... And I Love It

So I know the NHL and NBA are in the middle of great playoff series right now, but I want to do a little timeout to get you updated in the world of Terrapin basketball.

According to ESPN, DeShawn Painter, a top 100 player and top 20 power forward in the nation, has narrowed his college selection down to Maryland and NC State. Painter would be the prize recruit of this year's class and would almost certainly start from the get-go. No information I could provide about him would be unique, so go here for the scoop. 

Now I'm not going to do a long post and get all excited, because there's just as good of a chance that he'll be playing for NC State next year as Maryland. But I can't lie and say I'm not thrilled that Maryland is in the running for this. What it really shows is that Gary got a wake-up call last year. Between all the media coverage and what once looked to be nothing short of a disastrous season, Gary for the first time felt a little uneasy under the collar. How has he responded? By taking a team that had no business playing in the ACC and making them into an NCAA tournament team. By not only landing Jordan Williams and James Padgett (who seem to get better ratings by the day), but by already landing one solid and one great recruit for 2010. And now, he led the charge out of nowhere for Maryland to land Painter. It really shows Gary's still got it.

I'll keep you up-to-date as far as any new developments go. He's expected to make his decision by the 20th, so it won't be too long for now that we'll know for sure. If Maryland is in fact the choice, expect a lengthier post with how he'll fit in to the system here. 

(Photo Credit: ncstate.rivals.com)

Here We Go Again

Well, just when I thought the Caps were done for the season, they kept fighting. It wasn't pretty, it wasn't easy, and it sure as hell wasn't without drama. It took overtime and a fluke shot to win, but all that matters was that they live to play at least one more game.

And luckily for the Caps, that one more game will be at Verizon Center, where the team has played well in all 3 games this series. It will give the team to exorcise the demons of the Pittsburgh Penguins, who have absolutely dominated the Capitals in playoffs past. Wednesday is this Caps team's chance to prove to its fanbase that the days of getting beaten by the Penguins is over. It is their chance to move onto the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in 1998, when they made it to the Stanley Cup Finals.

And if the six games leading up to game seven are any indication, then game seven will be one for the ages. Every single game this series has been down to the wire or decided in overtime. 3 OTs. 2 hat tricks. The save of the playoffs.

What can game seven possibly have? Who knows. But I do know one thing: it is the biggest game in Washington Capitals history in over a decade. Sure, game 7 against the Rangers was enormous. But this is the Penguins. This is Sidney Crosby. This is the franchise that has sent the Capitals packing many times.

Buckle up, Caps fans. It's going to be a WILD ride.

NHL's Popularity Rising

I've been a constant promoter of the game of hockey since I was a kid. I love it and think everyone else should, too. I understand the limitations in playing the sport (not enough rinks, expensive, harder to play) and understand the problems with the TV version of the sport, but still think that anyone who attends a hockey game live will absolutely love it.

The NHL lockout in 2004 killed the rise of the NHL and took it off the nation's leading sports network, ESPN. That was a dagger to a sport that was one of the fastest-growing sports in the 90s and had some of the best players of all-time still lacing up the skates. The lockout turned off many fans because a whole season was lost and fans found other interests.

Coming back from the lockout would be a long journey back to respectability. The NHL was mocked, laughed at, and the butt of many jokes by ESPN and was forced to accept a TV deal with the Outdoor Life Network, which was known more for its hunting and fishing shows than anything remotely close to mainstream sports. Well, 4 years later, with a new name (Versus), an HD channel, and expanded programming (college football, UFC, college basketball, "The Sports Soup"), the network is now looking like a respectable sports network. The NHL helped the channel improve and eventually forced VS to create an HD channel, which greatly helps the NHL's popularity on TV, because HD helps no sport more than hockey.

The problem is, 1/3 of the nation does not get VS. It is a Comcast-owned network that can't be found on many cable packages. Compared to ESPN, VS is nothing. That said, while ESPN's quality of programming is decreasing - from more New England Sports coverage to laughing at players during interviews - VS's is improving. The NHL coverage is solid. It is generally unbiased (except for playing the same teams over and over again) analyst-wise (there are exceptions) and it is improving with every broadcast.

With the improving broadcast is an improving product. The days of the trap and boring 1-0 games are gone. Instead, exciting young superstars have emerged and promoted the game to a whole new level. There are intense rivalries developing and the constrasts between superstars creates a great balance: Sidney Crosby is a clean-cut, says all the right things, a leader while Alex Ovechkin looks like a caveman, can barely speak proper english, and is not afraid to speak his mind. Luckily, the two players happen to play on two teams that have had tons of postseason play against one another and in which there is a distinct rivalry between the two teams and, more importanty, the two cities. Hockey fans saw this coming a mile away when the two players began playing their rookie year; they finished 1-2 in Calder Trophy voting with Ovechkin beating out Crosby, who was everyone's lock pick to win the award. Caps fans feel that Ovechkin was disrespected by the media and the NHL early on and is just now getting the coverage and praise that he deserves. It is a gold mine for the NHL and creates one of the best rivalries in sports.

And the rest of the nation is taking notice. Not only has each game been a top story on ESPN, the ratings on VS are skyrocketing. They are still less than the NBA, but when you consider than hockey is still very much regional (certain cities love it, others don't know it exists) in the United States and a huge chunk of the viewing population does not get VS, the ratings are great. The best part is that they are improving and are now at pre-lockout, ESPN days. It is great exposure for the game and the fact that each and every game has been down to the wire makes it even better.

Still, as good as the games have been and as good of coverage as Versus has done, the NHL would be better served to find a way back on ESPN in the coming years. The only thing that would change that would be if VS found its way into every cable TV set in the United States. Then, I would think the NHL would be better served to stay on it because of the coverage that VS gives and the fact that NHL is the premier broadcast on the station. ESPN gives the NHL more national exposure and would be played in many more homes than VS. Also, ESPN would be able to play commercials for the NHL, create a nightly highlight/wrapup show, hire more NHL analysts (Barry Melrose and Matthew Barnaby are great, but it's just TWO guys!), but more importantly it would stop the endless stream of unproffesionalism from the Sportscenter personalities who have laughed at or mocked the NHL the last four years. Oh, and ESPN has 2 HD broadcast channels, and, like I've said, HD hockey is the best HD sport around - and it isn't even a contest.

That may only be a pipedream, but right now, the reality is that the NHL's popularity is continualy rising and should be passed pre-lockout days in the next 1-2 years. The main reason for it? Cities such as Washington, D.C., and Chicago finally fielding exciting, competitive teams. They are two top-ten markets that could not draw well for years. That has changed and both cities should be able to draw well for the next decade. Add in the fact that some small-market, struggling teams could move to cities like Hartford, Winnipeg, Kansas City, or Las Vegas (all of which could and will support a team to the point where 16-17,000 are coming a night), and you've got a league that is becoming more and more popular nation-wide. It helps that the NBA's product is decreasing - the officiating is a joke (worse than the NHL), there is little to no parity, and many players are accused of being prima donnas and playing lazy. The NHL already draws better than the NBA (helped by Canada's constant sell-outs), so it's just a matter of translating that onto the television. This year's NHL playoffs has been one of the best in recent memory; there have been countless great games and all but 2 series so far have been fantastic. And so far, people are beginning to tune in, whether it's because the product is better, they want to see the superstars, or they are bandwagon fans, it doesn't matter. More viewers is more hockey fans, and more hockey fans means more parents getting their children into hockey, which means more youth teams, which means more rinks, which means more generations of hockey families.

And that is ALWAYS good for the NHL.

Really Manny? Really?

I'm going to keep this short, because, frankly, there's not much information out about it yet. All we know so far is that Manny Ramirez (pictured left after hitting his 500th home run) has been suspended for 50 games by MLB for violating the league's drug policy. In a recently released statement from Ramirez, he claims that the drug in question was prescribed to him by a doctor for a personal health issue. Although not a steroid, the drug was banned by Major League Baseball.

This makes me sad. I had a post a while back about how bad A-Rod's steroid use was for the game of baseball. This is just another blow. It may end up being just the one isolated incident, taking the wrong drug for the right reasons, and maybe that will blow over. But do you actually have any faith that that's what it is? In any case, his name is no longer clean. Which great hitters in baseball still are? Albert Pujols? Ryan Howard? I guess there are still a good handful, but it's just sad to see one of the great hitters in baseball history veer off the straight and narrow. 

Don't get me wrong. I think Manny is a goon. I definitely don't think he's a saint, and I think that what he did with Boston last year was just plain wrong. I'm just saying for the game in general, it hurts. 

(Photo Credit: www.babble.com)

The Case for the NBA Playoffs

Yesterday, I posted about how, during the month of May, the only sport leagues really available to you are the NHL and the NBA, both of which conveniently are the middle of their playoffs. The NFL draft is over, college football spring games are done, and there's only so much you can do with college basketball recruiting. So, you're left with a choice. Which one do I follow? In all likelihood, neither is your primary league of interest. I made the case for the NHL yesterday; today, it's the NBA's turn. Keep in mind, these are for the casual fan.

1. It's much more relatable. Everyone's played a game of pickup basketball in their life, even if the last time it happened was in middle school. Everyone knows the silent satisfaction you get from making a jump shot that's slightly out of your range, and the frustration and embarrassment that comes with missing a layup. So that makes it all the more awe-inspiring when you see Ray Allen curl off a screen and hurl up a three pointer that magically finds it way into the basket, or when you see a guy only a few inches taller than yourself drive through the lane for a thunderous dunk. I'm about six feet tall and I can barely grab rim on a nine inch rim for crying out loud. Maybe that's just me, though. 

But anyway, the fact of the matter is you know how hard it is to play basketball. Odds are, you don't know how hard it is to play hockey. Once again, making generalizations here, but I feel like this is a good one. To me, a Lebron James slam makes me say "I want to do that" more than an Ovechkin wrist shot. 

2. True star power in every game. So you know Ovechkin and Crosby. The other hockey players still in the playoffs that are household names? Maybe Malkin. Maybe Cam Ward. Maybe Chris Pronger. Maybe Pavel Datsyuk, and that's a real reach. I'm sorry, but that's not too much. I counter those six with LeBron James, Kobe Bryant (pictured, right), Dwight Howard, Yao Ming, Carmelo Anthony and Dirk Nowitzki. Now those are household names. Those are players with personalities that are as tall as they are. Dwight Howard may actually believe he's Superman. None of them (um ... replace Carmelo Anthony with Chauncey Billups) are punks, either. They're good, fun players to watch who are good ambassadors of the game. And I haven't even talked about their level of play. 

3. A Cavs-Lakers final will go down as one of the best in history. I guarantee that. The first round games? With the exception of the Garnett-less Celtics and the Bulls, they were kind of boring. The second round games? Well, Houston has already shown they're going to go down with a fight, but I don't know if Boston, Atlanta and Dallas will do the same. The semifinals? They'll be fun. Howard keeping LeBron out of the paint, the Nuggets going deep to try to outrun the Lakers, that will be some good basketball. That being said, nothing's going to compare to the inevitable Cleveland-Los Angeles finals. You're going to see two of the top 10 players in the history of the NBA squaring off. It's going to be amazing to watch. Unlike the NHL, whose best matchup is happening right now in the quarterfinals, the NBA's best matchup will happen on the biggest stage.

4. Charles Barkley is the primary NBA analyst. And I don't even like Barkley. But come on. Whenever the guy opens his mouth, something absurd is going to come out of it. That's entertainment value. 

(Photo Credit: AP)

In the "No One is Surprised" Department....

ESPN is reporting that Brett Favre is going to be meeting with Minnesota Vikings head coach Brad Childress about un-retiring and playing for the Vikings.

Don't believe me? Here's the link.

I honestly am beginning to believe that there will never be an offseason that does not have Brett Favre controversy.

Interview with Terrence Ross

If you have a Scout.com membership, check out the story on 4-star recruit and Maryland commitment Terrence Ross here.

Here's a short preview:

Ross said the biggest reasons for his commitments were, "the crowd, the arena, and the coaching staff."

"Coach Williams said that I could make a major impact as a freshman, and I could start if I really worked hard and really play my first year."

Also check out some highlights here.

The Case for the NHL Playoffs

It's that time of year in the sporting world. The NFL Draft is over. College football spring games are over. Teams that will be in the playoffs at the end of the year are off to slow starts in MLB - plus, you know you have the entire summer to watch baseball. This leaves you with the NBA and NHL playoffs. As a sports fan, you're obligated to watch some, but, like the majority of sports fans, you don't know that much about either. I'll tell you what merit the NHL playoffs provide the casual viewer (like myself) today, and then do a follow-up about the NBA sometime soon. 

1. There's no time like the present. After the 04-05 season was canceled by a lockout, the NHL has been searching for a new identity. It found it in the first true superstars in the game since Gretzky, and yes I mean that. There have been great players since the Great One retired, but none more accessible than Penguins center Sidney Crosby (pictured, left) and Capitals forward Alexander Ovechkin (also pictured left). Conveniently, both are engaged against each other in their conference quarterfinals right now, with Ovechkin's Caps up 2-0. Even more conveniently, both had hat tricks (that's three goals in the same game for those of you completely uneducated in the sport) in a thrilling game two last night. Watch one of their games, and you will come to love one and hate the other. New fans generally lean toward loving Ovie. 

2. The games are a lot closer. Of course, when both teams combine to score about seven goals per game, the score is likely to be a lot closer than when teams combine to score almost 200 points per game, like the NBA. Games can be dominated by one team in terms of time of possession, but not in the scoreboard. Breakaways and goalies in hockey are the great equalizers. No matter how poorly your team is playing, if your goalie is playing lights out, you're going to be in that game by the end. If you get lucky and make a quick substitution, or get a guy out of the penalty box at the right time, you can get a breakaway, too, which gives you a better scoring chance than any offensive set ever could.

3. Hockey players and fans care. Most hockey players are either from Canada or Europe. Well, I don't know about most, but a significant number are. I love America as much as the next guy, but the average immigrant to the U.S. works harder than the average U.S. born guy. I'm sorry, there are obvious exceptions, but this is a blog and you're reading mine. It shows with hockey. These eastern Europeans don't care about star power. They care about hone thing: hockey. The average NBA player just lacks the general insanity that the average NHL player has. Players constantly crashing into the boards, sticks flying everywhere, goalies sprawled out in every which direction (see picture of Capitals' Varlamov, right), the passion for the game is evident. And, hockey crowds are awesome. The sport is deprived of money, so ticket prices (especially those in the playoffs) aren't cheap. People paid good money to get there, and the places are packed. When a home team player scores, you can barely hear the announcers. 

4. Hockey in HD looks better than anything else in HD. Well, maybe Planet Earth has it beat. But that's it. I'm serious. You have to see it. 

(Photo Credits: AP)

Save of the year

Epic.