D.C. Fan

For those that support the sports teams of our nation’s capital, you have a lot to be happy about lately. I remember growing up with D.C. faithfuls who seemed to be disappointed year-round. The Capitals always stunk, the Redskins usually generated offseason buzz that sizzled out on the field a few months later, D.C. United wasn’t worth watching, the lack of a D.C. baseball team pushed desperate fans to adopt the Baltimore Orioles, and the Wizards, even at their best, were never a real contender.

However, 2010 marks a new day in DC. While much is still to be proven, the Washington locals are excited about the near future of their beloved teams.

This year’s NFL offseason started with a shocker in Washington. The division rival Philadelphia Eagles agreed to trade quarterback Donovan McNabb, an 11-year veteran and team leader, to the Redskins for a second round pick and a future third or fourth round pick. Seemingly every year there are discussions that McNabb will be shipped out of Philly, but I don’t think anyone expected him to be traded to a team in the same division, let alone a rival.

McNabb was not the only addition to the Redskins—Mike Shanahan returned to coaching after his brief time away from the game following his contract termination in Denver. Shanahan brings many years of playoff experience and a Super Bowl ring. He plans to develop a winner’s mentality in Washington, and with Shanahan and McNabb as the team’s leaders, Washington appears to be headed in the right direction.

The Nationals started the season with an astonishingly good record, surprising most. D.C. fans have become accustomed to poor baseball, as the Nationals general managers consistently traded away any proven talent for young prospects. These one-sided trades often led to empty seats at Nationals Stadium and a city full of disgruntled fans. This year it appears that bad fortune has finally left the Nationals dug out. For the first time in the team’s five-year tenor, the Nationals have the chance to finish the season above .500. After a fast start, the wins haven’t come easy for the hometown team, but all is not lost based on rookie Stephen Strasburg’s 14-strikeout debut in June. Unfortunately for the Nationals, Strasburg can’t pitch every game, and even if he could, that may not be enough because the bats have not been swinging lately for the Nats.

Outside of Strasburg, the Nationals had the pleasure of holding the number one draft pick this year. They decided to take highly heralded 17 year-old Bryce Harper. At just 17, Harper stands at 6’3 and weighs a solid 205 lbs. He has remarkable power for someone his age and many call him the Lebron James of baseball.

Currently at 43-58, winning just three of their last 10 games, it appears the Nats are taking a step in the right direction and will likely surpass their abysmal 59-103 record from last season. Things may not be great right now, but the future is bright.

The rebirth of hockey has hit the metropolitan area in the last couple of years also. Die-hard fans have been on a roller coaster ride over the last ten years, watching the Caps go from being a playoff contender in the early 2000s, to completely rebuilding a few years later (in 2004 the team tied for the second worst record in the NHL), to becoming a consistent title contender for the last three years.

The last decade has represented two eras for the Capitals. The new era is led by hockey sensation Alexander Ovechkin, who has lived up to all the expectations of a number one overall pick.

Over the last three seasons, the Capitals have seen an improvement in their overall record, finishing 28-40-14 in 2006-07, 43-31-8 in 2007-08 and improving to 50-24-8 in 2008-09. This year, the Caps posted the best regular season record in franchise history, finishing 54-15-13, and advancing to the playoff quarterfinals.

The city of Washington is in desperate need of a championship, and as it stands, the Capitals are the most likely team to bring one home.

The Washington Wizards are looking to start a new era of their own.

In recent years, the Wizards have seen early exits out of the playoffs, particularly when they ran into the “Cleveland Lebrons.” The former Cleveland all-star has shattered Wizard fan’s hopes and dreams several times, ranging from the creation of the infamous “crab dribble” to the release of Jay-Z’s song about DeShawn Stevenson’s underachievement.

Apparently the Wizards’ solution to last year’s playoff woes was to avoid it completely and not even make the playoffs this year.

Mid-season, the franchise player Gilbert Arenas pulled a gun out on teammate Javaris Crittenton over an alleged money dispute. After weeks of poor publicity and ill-handled press conferences, Arenas was ultimately punished with a short stint in jail and a season- long suspension.

However, that was just the beginning. When it rains, it pours, and Washington felt like Seattle this season. It was time to rebuild, so off went Jamison to Cleveland. Then Caron Butler and “Brenda” Haywood were packaged together and shipped to Dallas. In return, the Wizards received expiring contracts and role players.

With no star and no identity, the Wizards finished 26-56. Did I mention the team’s long-time and loved owner, Abe Pollin, died at the age of 86? Pollin owned the Wizards for 45 years before he died last November.

At this point the Wizards needed a blessing from the basketball gods, and luckily for them, their prayers were answered. The team won the NBA lottery and selected college-standout John Wall. Wall is an amazing talent and will be the Wizards first true point guard in a long time; and with the NBA slowly becoming a point guard-driven league, Wall will excel.

Unlike Kwame Brown, the Wizard’s 2001 first pick bust, Wall is a can’t miss, no risk and high reward type of prospect. At 6’4 with superb athleticism and passing ability, Wall should be the floor general for the Wizards the next 12-15 years. He is truly the real deal. It won’t be a quick turnaround, but behind Wall, the Wizards are preparing themselves to be a contender again in the near future.

Being a Washington sports fan can be frustrating at times, but for now things don’t look so bad. Hopefully, the near future will bring a championship home to D.C.