Bleacher Report - Washington DC

NHL Appears Suspension Happy After Alex Ovechkin Hit

Ken Armer — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:40:37 -0500

It's clear wherever Alexander Ovechkin goes the spotlight follows; and the ever watchful eye of the National Hockey League moves as well to ensure one of its top superstars behaves in step. While the attention given by the league, the media, and the fans to players like Alexander Ovechkin is well warranted, it appears the NHL may be a little over zealous in handing out misconducts to players.

Most recently it was the knee on knee collision between Alex Ovechkin and Tim Gleason. While the whole "second misconduct in three games" issue requires review by the league, and generally ends in a suspension, can the league truly expect players of this highest caliber to slow down and soften hits in the interest of being overly nice to the opposition?

Did the hit on Gleason injure? Yes, and while I have to agree with the league on the terms in dealing with two suspensions in three games, I disagree with their aggressiveness in demonizing the knee to knee hit.

True, it is ugly, and can be a career ending hit. Moreover it can be done intentionally. But the replay clearly shows Ovechkin in the process of a check and the knee on knee just sort of happened. Additionally, take into account the fact that Ovie is generally not a "dirty" player and this hit is, by all accounts, accidental.

Penalize him and review the hit, but don't punish him for something far beyond his control. Other players seem to be trying to take each others' heads off; to react in such a way to a harmless knee to knee seems a little over zealous.

The first example to cause me concern regarding the NHL's overzealous approach to suspensions was James Neal. Ask any Stars fan and Neal would be at the very bottom of a Dallas Stars goon list. Steve Ott and the occasionally over-aggressive Brenden Morrow maybe, but not James Neal.

Several weeks ago, Neal was suspended for a brutal hit against Columbus Blue Jacket Derek Dorsett in which Dorsett's head hit the boards. He was clearly dazed and confused on the ice.

While I never like to see someone get hurt, it sort of fits the job description in hockey. Neal's hit was clean, and while perhaps a little excited on his part, he clearly didn't break his usual mold and lay a dirty hit to injure Dorsett.

Neal, like Ovechkin, was suspended for two games. The issue isn't the protection of players by the NHL, but the extreme coddling, to the point of overzealous punishment.

Can the NHL truly take on a "guilt by association" approach to situations and expect the game not to be hurt?

Can the league think it's right to group upright players like Ovechkin and Neal together with real goons who constantly hit high, injure, and play dirty, such as Chris Pronger?

Nothing positive will come from the over punishment of good, decent players. No regular player wants to injure, or even attempts to in most cases, but the NHL can't punish a player for a legal, clean hit just because it injures.

I myself admit both hits are highly controversial. While some punishment may have been necessary, it seems wrong to punish them in a manner which feels guiltier by association than truly a review of the injury, the hit, and the type of players involved.

Ken Armer is a Community Leader for the NHL and the Dallas Stars for Bleacher Report. He also covers the Anaheim Ducks for SoCalSportsHub.com and covers the Texas and Dallas Stars for Hockey54.com. He can be contacted at karmer@bleacherreport.com.

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Georgetown's Role Players Will Be The Difference Makers for the Hoyas

Rob Dauster — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:36:11 -0500

Talent is not an issue at the top of Georgetown's roster.

With Chris Wright handling the ball, Austin Freeman on a wing, and Greg Monroe manning the paint, the Hoyas have one of the best 1-2-3 punches in the country. Most pundits, especially the ones worth paying attention to, would agree with that statement.

Through the Hoya's first five games, those three have lived up to all expectation.

While he is still clearly a work in progress, Monroe has been much more assertive on the offensive end and on the glass this season, bumping his averages up to 14.8 ppg and 9.4 rpg. Chris Wright's scoring is up to 13.8 ppg and he is coming off his best game of the year, scoring 18 points and going 4-5 from three against Mt. St. Mary's. Austin Freeman, who is the third or fourth option on the offensive end right now, is still averaging 11.8 ppg despite not having hit his stride this season.

The issue is not what those three bring to the table.

Those three can play, and for the most part they are a great fit for the offense John Thompson III likes to run.

The issue is what they don't bring to the table.

Monroe, for as talented as he is, is not what you would call a banger. He blocks some shots, but is not all that physical inside on either end, especially on the glass. If and when he has the ball in the low-post, you can be pretty certain he will use his left hand.

Part of the reason that his field goal percentage is down 100 points this season is that he has made a concerted effort to improve his right hand.

This is where Julian Vaughn comes into play.

Vaughn came out of Oak Hill Academy with a lot of hype, but played limited minutes at Florida State as a freshman and at Georgetown as a sophomore. With DaJuan Summers gone to the league, Vaughn has slid into the starting "4" spot very nicely this season. He's provided some muscle and toughness on the block, a big reason why Georgetown has looked better on the glass this season.

But Vaughn also has the perimeter skills to fit in with JTIII's Princeton offense. He is a capable passer, with 10 assists and just six turnovers in five games this year, with the ability to knock down a jumper from the perimeter.

In the back court, the one thing that Georgetown was lacking last season was a dynamic play maker and athlete on the defensive end.

Sophomore Jason Clark is that guy.

Clark has been a terror on the defensive end of the floor. He is quick with long arms and great anticipation, allowing him to get into the passing lanes. He creates easy baskets for the Hoyas in transition, which is really important for a team that likes to play at a controlled pace.

Like Vaughn, with more playing time has come the emergence of Clark as a threat in the half court offense Georgetown runs. He has the quicks to get to the rim, the hops to finish around the rim, and the stroke from the perimeter that forces a defense to play him honest.

Don't be surprised if Clark becomes the Hoya's most valuable backcourt player by season's end.

The Georgetown big three is as talented as any in the country, but with a limited bench, the production of the other two starters will go a long way in determining Georgetown's success this season.

If you like what you have read here, check out Rob's blog Ballin' is a Habit or follow him on Twitter @ballinisahabit .

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Alex Ovechkin Suspended Two Games: Is He Aggressive, Reckless, or Dirty?

Dave Nichols — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 17:34:10 -0500

According to ESPN.com, and confirmed by Capitals Insider, Alex Ovechkin has been suspended for two games following his second game misconduct ejection in three games for the kneeing major he was assessed in Monday night's 3-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes.

"I regret that this has happened," Ovechkin said in a statement released by the league. "I'm glad that Tim [Gleason] wasn't injured because I never ever want to see anyone get hurt. I am disappointed to miss these games and I can't wait to get back on the ice next week to help my team."

Ovechkin skated before practice today for a couple of minutes and was listed as "day-to-day" with a sore right knee. The diagnosis is much better than the original fears from watching the 235-pound winger collide with Hurricanes defenseman Gleason and writhe on the ice for several moments before being helped from the ice by Capitals trainer Greg Smith and center Nicklas Backstrom.

Reaction around the league, from players and coaches to Web sites and blogs, is mixed. Is Ovechkin simply an aggressive player, built in the mode of Bobby Clarke and Rocket Richard? Is he, in the words of his own coach today, reckless? Or, as many Penguins fans would tell you, is he one of the dirtiest players in all of hockey?

My personal feeling is along the lines of coach Bruce Boudreau. Ovechkin plays with a reckless abandon that, to this point, has carried him to two Hart Trophies. From The Washington Post's Capitals Insider:

Q: Does he need to change the way he plays?

Boudreau: He's pretty reckless. It's hard telling a guy that scores 60 goals a year to change the way he plays. At the same time, I don't want to see him getting hurt. Maybe he has to pick his spots a little better. ...

You're lining guys up a lot of times and going to hit them, and once they move, everything gets exposed. Human nature is to react; if you've got a bead on them, if you're a hockey player, is to continue to try to hit him. It's something that has to be addressed by us, I guess.

Ovechkin does indeed need to "pick his spots" better, and last night's check was a prime example. He's 175 feet from his own goal, attacking a defenseman that was moving away from him in a response from a big check on his center, Backstrom, moments earlier.

That instance was neither the time, or the place, for payback. The game was very much in doubt, tied at 1, and only bad things could have resulted from the open-ice hit, from a minor roughing or charging penalty to a major injury for one or both of the parties.

What I'm saying is the hit was unnecessary and avoidable.

I am of the opinion that the boarding call he got against Patrick Kaleta of Buffalo last week was a completely different situation, and the game misconduct was not warranted.

In that matter, Ovechkin hit Kaleta shoulder-to-shoulder, and Kaleta saw the hit coming—then put his head down and steered himself toward the boards before Ovechkin hit him—making the situation appear worse than it actually was.

But since Kaleta's visor opened a gash on his face, the referee was left in the unenviable position of justifying the "injury" with the misconduct.

But Ovechkin's history is now littered with questionable hits. From his boarding of Daniel Briere three seasons ago, to the knee-on-knee hit against Sergei Gonchar in last season's playoffs, to the two game misconducts in the past week, and several others not mentioned here, the best goal-scorer in the league now has a rap sheet as long as anyone in the league.

And with it comes a two-game suspension and official placement on the "repeat offender" list.

Bleacher Report denizens, you decide. Take the poll and let everyone know how you feel in the comments.

Is Ovechkin aggressive, reckless, or dirty?

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Did NHL Go Too Far With Ovechkin's Suspension?

Eric LaForge — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 16:51:54 -0500

After a knee-on-knee collision with Tim Gleason of the Carolina Hurricanes, Alex Ovechkin has been suspended for two games. He was also issued a five-minute major and game misconduct for kneeing. This is his second game misconduct in three games.

He was suspended for two games as a result of the incident. However, Ovechkin said that the knee was unintentional and that Gleason turned away suddenly.

After looking at the replay , I kind of have to agree with him. After you commit to a check, it’s very difficult to adjust when a player changes directions.

Obviously, the NHL did not see that the same way I did. To me, there was nothing malicious about it, but the NHL obviously saw something. I haven’t heard an explanation from the NHL, but that doesn’t mean they haven’t given one, I may have missed it. (If you heard one, please leave a comment and let me know what they said.)

But I don’t think that any explanation will change my opinion. I looked at the hit, I saw the replay, and there wasn’t any chance that he meant to knee Gleason.

A lot of people are thinking that Ovechkin stuck his knee out, but if you look at the replay, you’ll see that Ovechkin was leaning into a hit. He was not sticking his knee out, he was sticking his shoulder out. You can see him try to change directions with Gleason. This supports his story that he was trying to do a regular hit.

Anyway, please leave a comment, I’m anxious to see what you have to say about this topic because I know that not everybody will agree with me.

Originally Posted at Tips for Hockey

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Virginia Tech Hokies Falter in Philly, Face ACC/Big Ten Challenge

Justin Cates — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 15:50:22 -0500

After a comfortable road win at Campbell last Monday, the Hokies headed to Philadelphia for a pair of games at The Palestra for the Philly Hoop Group Classic Thanksgiving weekend.

Virginia Tech-Temple

The Hokies headed into their first real test with history decidedly in favor of the opponent.

Temple was 9-1 all-time against Tech, the only Hokie victory coming in the first round of the 2005 NIT in Blacksburg.

Tech simply looked out of sorts for most of the game, but particularly in the first half.

Guard Malcolm Delaney was just 1-7 shooting in the first period, and with no other scoring threat, the Hokies posted just 17 points and trailed by ten at halftime.

Forward Jeff Allen was in foul trouble most of the night, ultimately fouling out with just six points and a team-high nine rebounds.

Delaney, perhaps realizing he was Tech’s only scoring threat went off in the second half scoring 28 of his season-high 32 points in the second frame.

Despite the tremendous effort from Tech’s star, no one else contributed anything of note offensively and the Hokies lost 61-50.

Tech shot a miserable 29.8 percent from the floor in the game and got just 18 total points from players not named Delaney.

Virginia Tech-Delaware

It took overtime for the Hokies to scratch out a 74-66 win over a Delaware team that refused to back down and hung tough throughout.

Malcolm Delaney once again led all scorers with 24 points including seven of Tech’s 11 points in the extra period.

Jeff Allen had a more typical effort, scoring 16 points to go along with nine rebounds and four blocks in a team-high 37 minutes on the floor.

The scoring was a bit more balanced for Tech as well, with eight points coming from forward Terrell Bell, nine from guard Dorenzo Hudson and eight from center Victor Davilla.

The Hokies also got a key spark off the bench from freshman Manny Atkins who had five points, two rebounds and two important steals late in the contest.

That’s the kind of balance Tech needs to find. They need some more production from the trio of Hudson, Bell, and Davilla.

The Hokies also need players like Atkins and fellow freshmen Ben Boggs and Erick Green to chip in a few points here and there off the bench to take the scoring load off Delaney.

The biggest concern to come from this one is the inconsistent play of junior forward J.T. Thompson.

Thompson has been downright dominant at times against even ACC foes with his rebounding and scoring ability in the paint.

Thompson also has developed a tendency to disappear on the floor for long stretches.

For 15 minutes in the contest, Thompson scored just two points, pulled down four rebounds and had two turnovers and three fouls.

He’ll have to be more consistent as the season progresses if The Hokies expect to battle down low with ACC foes much larger and deeper than the Blue Hens.

Next Up: Iowa and Georgia

The Hokies traveled to Iowa City straight from Philadelphia to take on the Hawkeyes in this year’s ACC/Big Ten Challenge.

Tech won the only meeting between the schools in the 2006 challenge when they won 69-65 in Blacksburg.

This is a good match up for the Hokies because neither team shoots the ball particularly well or with any consistency.

Expect a low-scoring defensive battle with both teams scoring in the fifties. It should be an exciting game that fits the style of basketball Seth Greenberg likes to see his teams play.

The step up in competition will continue Sunday when the Hokies return home to take on the Georgia Bulldogs in a rematch of a buzzer-beater from last season.

Tech will hope to exorcise that demon, especially since that loss was one of the big reasons Tech spent last March playing NIT games instead of NCAA matches.

Both games are winnable contests that would bolster Tech’s confidence and post-season resume come April, but at this point the Hokies are simply trying to win and improve on their 4-1 record.

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2010 Washington Redskins: Rating the Running Backs

Jack Gorman — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 12:21:07 -0500

Barring a remarkable turnaround, the 2009 Washington Redskins season is basically over.

In a continuing series of articles, I look towards 2010, when the team is expected to have a new head coach, potentially a new general manager and a host of new players.

This week, I evaluate the Redskins’ running backs.

Coming into the 2009 season, the Redskins running back corps was considered one of the deepest in the NFL.

Though no one wanted to see the season-ending injury to Ladell Betts and the potential career-threatening injury to Clinton Portis, the unit has certainly distinguished itself in their absence.

Rock Cartwright made his first start since the end of the 2002 season last week and, despite a low average in the yards per carry department, ran reasonably well behind the Redskins porous offensive line.

Quinton Gaither, acquired in mid-season, and Marcus Mason also did well in reserve, each adding key carries and hard running.

However, this unit is something of an enigma going into 2010, with Betts and Cartwright over the age of 30 by season's end.

Despite only being 28 years old, Portis is the one with the most mileage, approaching the 10,000 rushing yard plateau at which many star running backs seem to level off their productivity.

Before suffering a vicious concussion against the Eagles in October, Portis was already battling a litany of injuries, and this wasn’t the first season.

Indeed, Portis has been a regular on the team’s injury report for the last several seasons, including injuries to his ankles, shoulder, knees, and other key joints.

Portis seemed to lack burst early in the season and his once-trademark open-field acceleration didn’t seem to be there. While it’s easy to put this down to age, consider that Portis was listed at 221 pounds in the team’s media guide this season.

When Portis came to the Redskins, he weighed a scant 192. He added 20 pounds of muscle to become the more complete back for the Joe Gibbs offense and became the versatile three-down back Redskins fans have come to know and appreciate.

Nine extra pounds doesn’t seem like much, but to an aging back like Portis, it may just be a bit more than his wheels can handle.

It also may be representative of the lack of detail by the Jim Zorn coaching staff; the team has been downright cursed with injuries this season, and if Portis was somewhat out of shape, perhaps many of the other players were as well.

Looking towards 2010, Portis should be placed on injured reserve this year. Too little is known about concussions, particularly the lingering type that Portis has, and it will also allow his body to heal fully. Bringing him back in this lost season is the height of folly, and may be risking his life.

No such conundrum existed with Ladell Betts, who was placed on injured reserve after shredding his ACL and MCL two weeks ago against Dallas.

Though he had only limited carries before-hand, Betts was running well this season. Unlike Portis, Betts is a heavier, up the middle back who is at his best when he takes four or more carries in a series.

Zorn did not understand this last season, leading to one of Betts’ least productive seasons in his career. Inserting Betts to give Portis one play off is the height of folly; he needs to be used for the entire series.

Betts isn’t as natural a rusher as Portis and is most comfortable between the tackles. He doesn’t have great hands, but is a solid blocker.

Betts is getting up there in terms of age, but doesn’t have the mileage that Portis has. He’s had work as a kick returner, though not much this season and doesn’t play any other special teams.

He’s also a poor change of pace back for Portis, since he needs to play an entire series to get warmed up.

Whether Betts returns for the 2010 season depends mostly on two things: his knee and the new coaching staff.

If his knee can recover enough for him to participate in OTAs, he may retain his value as a backup, but may also not fit into another coach’s offense.

Cartwright, who is a close friend of Betts, is the type of player whose roster spot is always on the line come training camp.

Unlike Betts, he’s quite versatile, serving as the team’s primary kickoff returner as well as on multiple special teams, and takes a share of the team’s carries as well.

A converted fullback despite his 5-foot-7 stature, Cartwright is best suited as a one-back runner, rather than in the lead-blocking style the Redskins generally use. His lack of size also makes him a poor target as a receiver in traffic and a below average blocker.

Though he does return kicks, he is not a natural with the ball in the open field and typically runs straight into coverage rather than attempting to cut to the outside for additional yardage.

Assuming the NFL, owners will wise up and somehow retain the cap for 2010, so Cartwright could be a cap casualty of the new staff.

Even at the league minimum, eight-year veterans make close to a million dollars a season, while rookies make roughly a third of that.

Gaither and Mason are two solid backups, but that’s pretty much all they are. Neither contribute much on special teams and while one might return, the fate of both of these players is largely dependent on the team’s new coaching staff.

The team may acquire more versatile backups, or could use a draft pick to shore up the position.

The Redskins have also lacked a backup who offered any sort of outside or open field threat since the team released Trung Canidate after the 2002 season.

While the team traditionally has had a power running style, Washington could use a slasher back who could return kicks and punts, and may look for one in the draft.

The team does not need to use a top pick, or even a second-rounder (these should be reserved for fixing the offensive line).

However, many good, versatile backs can be round in rounds four and five. Infusing the position with a bit of youth would be good, even if the team did bring back the trifecta of Portis, Betts, and Cartwright.

Finally at fullback, Mike Sellers has been manning the position for several seasons. His blocking has fallen off this season, to the point of being publicly questioned by Portis, who has asked for Sellers to be replaced at times.

Though he is one of the more punishing blockers in the league when he’s on his game, Sellers has indeed looked as if he has taken some plays off.

Age could be a factor; at 34, Sellers isn’t getting any younger. The team also hasn’t had any viable backups at the position for the last several years and, due to a dearth of players who play special teams, Sellers is on the field a fair amount.

Whether he returns in 2010 is, again, a matter for the new coaching staff. Some offenses regularly use fullbacks, others don’t.

Some may want a Larry Centers-style fullback who catches swing passes out of the backfield; others may want a Mike Alstott-style back who can carry the ball from a one-back set.

However, consider this: even if the team does bring back Sellers, Betts would make a good backup for him. Betts, who weighs close to 225, is significantly lighter than Sellers, but is a good enough blocker, can carry the ball up the gut on third and short, and would add some versatility to the position, as well as making Betts himself more useful.

Such a move might allow the team to keep a fourth back who could be a better returner than Cartwright, giving the team a more flexible corps of backs, even if four of the five are holdovers from 2009.

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Why Isn't Maryland Basketball Getting the Best Local Recruits?

Brittany Jacobs — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 04:23:08 -0500

As a Maryland fan and native, I have sympathy for both Gary Williams and Brenda Frese.

Yes, there are tons of solid basketball players coming out of the Baltimore/Washington area, but getting them to come to the University of Maryland-College Park may not be as easy as it seems.

In recent years Maryland's academic standards have increased exponentially (granted the athletic department has some pull, but they need a mighty heave in some cases). When my parents went to school at the University of Maryland, they had to sign their names and show a high school diploma...today the standards are much more rigorous.

The admissions requirements for UMD are:

SAT Verbal: 600-700

Sat Math: 570-680

G.P.A.: 97 percent of admitted freshman have higher than a 3.0, 82 percent have higher than a 3.5, and 65 percent have a +3.75.

Only 14 percent of freshman applicants are admitted, as the school is known as one of the leading research Universities in the world.

Ummm...hold on a second! Are we talking about a pre-Ivy here?

No, but we might as well be! Hello, University of Maryland!

With academic standards like these, it makes it increasingly more difficult for coaches to get mediocre-to-poor students onto their basketball teams.

Maryland is, therefore, limited in their recruiting prospects because they are not only looking for basketball prowess, but they are also recruiting for academic excellence.

Another dragon that the coaches at Maryland have to slay is the "I want to get away" mentality.

College is a great chance to break away and to see parts of the country that you may never again have the opportunity to explore. Despite growing up in Maryland, I chose the University of New Hampshire over the University of Maryland during my college search. To be honest, I'm not sure that I would have been accepted at Maryland, even with my 3.9 G.P.A!

No matter how you spin it, there is something to be said for getting out of your hometown.

Last, but definitely not least, Maryland is a monster-sized school, with a pretty campus, in the middle of a horrible area.

Yes, Maryland's actual campus and facilities may compare to that of Duke or UNC, but who would choose grimy and run-down college park over picturesque North Carolina?

Not me, that's for sure!

I'm not saying that Maryland isn't a good school, or that it doesn't have good sports programs...I'm saying that recruiting at College Park may be tougher than you think!

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Maryland's Mighty: Testudo's Top Five Terps in Recent History

Brittany Jacobs — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 03:09:13 -0500

Testudo, the University of Maryland's Terrapin mascot, has had the opportunity to watch countless basketball games over the past decades. This Maryland mascot has spent countless nights in Cole Field house and the Comcast Center. Upon entering, he is sure to rub the nose of the Testudo statue (the statue of him of course) for good luck. When the Terps new facility (the Comcast center) was built, the statue of Testudo remained. Some traditions can never be broken. Now, as luck would have it, Testudo has taken over Gary Williams position and is naming his own starting five...well maybe six... plus a head coach. He's only going to choose from the last three decades, so don't worry, we're only talking recent history(1980-present)!

Begin Slideshow

Injury To Alex Ovechkin Overshadows Capitals Win Over Carolina

Dave Nichols — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 22:39:04 -0500

The Washington Capitals got two goals from Nicklas Backstrom and 38 saves from Jose Theodore, making his first start in over two weeks, to beat Southeast Division foe Carolina on the road, 3-1.

But more importantly to the Capitals (16-5-6) was an injury to their two-time reigning Hart Trophy winner, Alex Ovechkin.

Ovechkin, trying to check Carolina defenseman Tim Gleason, sustained an apparent right knee injury when the two collided knee-to-knee in the first period.

The team released a statement to say that Ovechkin will not have an MRI tonight, but rather wait until the swelling goes down to get a better assessment of the injury.

The rugged left winger was observed by members of the press walking, apparently without crutches or a brace, on his way to the team bus after the game.

After Backstrom was wiped out by a big hit moments earlier, Ovechkin lined up Gleason for a hard check. Gleason managed to move his upper body to avoid the hit high, but their lower bodies collided, with Ovechkin taking the brunt of the contact. Gleason returned to the ice just a couple of shifts later.

Ovechkin was assessed a kneeing major penalty and game misconduct on the play, and the team managed to kill off the five-minute major. Coming on the heels of his recent boarding penalty against Buffalo last week, the league will have to review the hit and consider disciplinary action.

This type of play will only go to further reinforce some people's opinion that Ovechkin plays with a reckless, irresponsible, abandon. And as far as intention from the type of play that it was, much more can be read into this one than the hit against Buffalo, where he hit the player shoulder-to-shoulder.

What we do know about Ovechkin's style of play is that he is relentless, willing, and relishes the opportunity to throw his body around in a rough, tough, aggressive manner. And there are even those that say that Ovechkin plays "dirty."

Regardless of opinion, this is his second game misconduct in less than two weeks, prompting an automatic review and possible suspension.

But the disciplinary measures are secondary right now compared to the concerns about Ovechkin's health.

Meanwhile, Theodore played a magnificent game, especially early. Carolina got 13 shots on goal in the game's first six minutes, and the veteran goalie, who had not played since Nov. 14, was equal to the task.

Backstrom had a big game as well, netting two goals. He tipped in a nice feed from Ovechkin before the injury, and had a nice back-hander to beat Michael Leighton, who was badly out of position.

Eric Fehr buried his seventh goals of the season as well, completing a two-on-one with Backstrom.

So the Washington Capitals organization and faithful will hold their collective breath overnight as everyone awaits Ovechkin's date with the team orthopedist tomorrow morning. It's impossible to speculate at this point what the extent of the injury is until the results of his examination are released.

But Ovechkin, one of the toughest players in the NHL pound-for-pound, was delicately assisted from the ice, clearly hanging his right leg limp, unable to put any of his weight on the leg.

Ovechkin's injury, and the circumstances surrounding it, are matters that go beyond the Capitals community. The two-time MVP is one of the faces on the NHL, and expected to carry the torch for the Russian Olympic team in Vancouver in February.

His absence for an extended period of time would hurt the league and put a serious dent in Russia's Olympic hopes.

It's safe to say that the world's hockey community will anxiously await the Capitals' team doctor's diagnosis.

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Monday Thoughts: Virginia Tech-Virginia

Justin Cates — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 22:10:56 -0500

Another battle for the Commonwealth Cup, another victory for the Virginia Tech Hokies.

Tech used its dominating rushing attack to subdue arch-rival Virginia and ultimately ran away with the contest posting a 42-13 victory over the Cavaliers in Charlottesville, VA.

The game was, as many had speculated, the last of the Al Groh era at Virginia.

Groh’s last immortal act came at his final press conference. When asked about his job status he responded by reading a poem often given to recovering substance abusers and people with low self-esteem.

Groh’s 1-8 record against the Hokies certainly didn’t help his case to keep his job, and next year when the two schools meet, Tech will have had continuous possession of the Commonwealth Cup for over 2,000 straight days.

Hokies everywhere are sorry to see Al Groh leave, and that about sums up how bad he’s been.

Tech has dominated recruiting in the Commonwealth during the Groh era, and that has led to the very different directions of the two programs.

As for the game itself, the Hokies are starting to play like a broken record.

Incomparable redshirt freshman Ryan Williams impressed yet again, carrying 24 times for 185 yards and four touchdowns.

It was the second consecutive week with four rushing touchdowns for Williams who earned ACC Rookie of the week for the seventh time this season.

With 1,538 yards, Williams needs just 110 yards in the Hokies’ bowl game to surpass the school record for rushing yards in a season set by Kevin Jones’ 1,647 in 2003.

The Hokie defense forced two Virginia fumbles and allowed no points and just 76 yards in the second half.

Sophomore wide receiver Danny Coale had the best game of his young career, hauling in six catches for 135 yards.

Coale made several acrobatic adjustments on the ball in the air and made the catch of the day on the sideline just dragging a toe while falling out of bounds.

This group of receivers has really stepped up this season, averaging 17.2 yards per catch, their highest average since 1999.

The Hokies will now wait to find out what bowl they will end up in with the most likely option at this point being the Chick-Fil-A Bowl in Atlanta against an SEC opponent.

That would have the ACC champion going to the BCS, and the loser of Clemson-Georgia Tech headed to the Gator Bowl.

Interestingly enough, with the Georgia Tech’s loss to Georgia last weekend, the Hokies are once again the ACC’s highest ranked team at No. 11.

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Comparing the 2005 and 2009 Washington Nationals: Who Was Really Better?

Farid Rushdi — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 20:19:27 -0500

As the Nationals prepare to begin their sixth season in Washington, management and ownership is doing all they can to get better. This team, after all, has been the worst in all of baseball over the last two seasons, losing 205 games and looking very bad while doing it.

It’s not as though they don’t try to get better. Clearly, the team continues to turn over their roster in an attempt to find 25 players capable of playing sound, fundamental baseball.

When they arrived in 2005, the Nationals surprised the baseball world by winning 81 games and were in first place in the National League East as late as July 24, and didn’t fall out of second place until the middle of August.

Since then, the team has been torn apart, ripped up and blown to pieces. The result? One of the worst two-year periods in the history of baseball.

Let’s go back and take a look at that 81-81 2005 team and see how they compare—position by position—to 2009’s version:

First Base:

2005: Nick Johnson .289-15-74

2009: Adam Dunn .268-38-105

Clearly, Adam Dunn is the far superior offensive player while Johnson was one of the best defensive first baseman in the league.

However, with all due respect to Johnson’s glove, National League teams don’t win championships with defensive-minded first baseman. The last Senior-Circuit team to win the World Series with a non-slugging first baseman was the 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks with Mark Grace (.298-15-78).

No question, the Nationals were much better at first in 2009

Second Base:

2005: Jose Vidro .275-7-32

2009: Alberto Gonzalez .265-1-33

Vidro’s multiple knee surgeries, and subsequent loss of range, coupled with questionable defense, makes this comparison much closer than you would think. Vidro had a .985 fielding percent compared to Gonazalez’ .995, and his range factor was 4.4, far worse than Gonzalez’ 5.13.

I just don’t think those 10 extra points on his batting average and six more homers makes up for his slow-motion defense.

I see this one as a draw

Shortstop

2005: Cristian Guzman .219-4-31

2009: Cristian Guzman .284-6-52

In 2005, Guzman suffered through one of the worst hitting slumps I have ever seen. His batting average didn’t stay above .200 for good until September 8, and he had to hit .338 for the remainder of the season to get the average “up” to .219. The 2010 Guzman didn’t see his average go below .300 until September 1.

Guzman’s fielding percent dropped a bit in 2009, but all other factors remained constant.

The 2009 Guzman wins by a wide margin.

Third Base

2005: Vinny Castilla .253-12-66

2009: Ryan Zimmerman .292-33-106

Castilla hit just enough and fielded well enough to keep his job until Ryan Zimmerman began to play every day towards the end of September. The Vinny Castilla of old was now old, and it showed late in the season. Zimmerman, on the other hand, won both the Silver slugger and the Gold Glove in 2009.

Zimmerman over Castilla, and it’s not even close to being close.

Left Field

2005: Ryan Church .287-9-42

Preston Wilson .261-10-43

2009: Josh Willingham .260-24-61

Church played regularly until he cracked his back and neck on the PNC Park fence in a dramatic win against the Pirates. Wilson, acquired in a mid-season trade with the Rockies, did was he was expected to do.

Church was capable but not great, and Wilson was terrible in the outfield, thanks in part to a very bad set of wheels. Josh Willingham’s numbers are skewed because he didn’t play every day until late May.

Willingham doesn’t play outstanding defense but he’s certainly good enough. Willingham wins.

Center Field

2005: Brad Wilkerson .248-11-57

2009: Nyjer Morgan .351-1-12, 24 steals

Wilkerson was presumed to be the team’s slugger after hitting 32 homers the year before. But he struck out too much, didn’t hit nearly enough homers and played good defense. Morgan was the team’s catalyst, playing superb defense and raced around the bases, begging the opposition to stop him. They never did.

No contest: It’s Morgan

Right Field

2005: Jose Guillen .283-24-76

2009: Elijah Dukes .250-8-58

Clearly, Guillen had the better year. Both players were outstanding defenders, and though Dukes is the more talented player, Guillen flat outplayed him.

Funny how both of them were clubhouse problems.

Guillen wins this one.

Catcher:

2005: Brian Schneider .268-10-44

2009: Jesus Flores .301-4-15

Granted, Flores didn’t play the entire season, but we’ve seen enough of him to make a fair comparison with Schneider. Flores has now played 198 games and has a career batting record of .260-16-99. Though he’s not quite as good a defender as Schneider was then, he will in the end be far better.

Flores wins.

Starting Pitchers

2005: Livan Hernandez 15-10, 3,98

2009: John Lannan 9-13, 3.88

I’m taking Lannan in this comparison, which may make you scratch your head just a bit. But remember, Livan pitched at RFK Stadium, a park so large that it shaved three-quarters of a run off of a pitcher’s ERA. Lannan pitched at Nationals Park and had the better ERA.

This was a tough choice, but Lannan wins by a tad.

2005: Esteban Loiaza 12-10, 3.77

2009: Craig Stammen 4-7, 5.11

No contest here. Loiaza had a comeback that most players only dream of, and Stammen struggled in his first major league season.

Loiaza takes it.

2005: John Patterson 9-7, 3.13

2009: Jordan Zimmermann 3-5, 4.63

2005 was Patterson’s one great year before injuries eventually forced him out of baseball. Sadly, Zimmermann was just beginning to show what he could do at the major league level when he was lost to rotator cuff surgery.

Zimmermann is the better talent but Patterson had the better year. Patterson wins

2005: Tony Armas 7-7, 4.97

2009: J.D. Martin 5-4, 4.44

Armas was one of those pitchers with a great deal of talent but nothing to show for it. Martin was one of former GM Jim Bowden’s reclamation projects that actually worked.

Martin, selected in the first round of the draft by the Cleveland Indians as the compensation pick for the loss of Manny Ramirez, blew out his arm in the minors and was signed by Washington.

He got better as the year progressed and should be in the rotation in 2010.

Martin over Armas.

2005: Ryan Drese 3-6, 4.98

2009: Ross Detwiler 1-6, 5.00

Drese was claimed off of waivers from the Angels and had one good start before things went south. Detwiler was horrid early in the season but responded well to his demotion. He returned in September and pitched brilliantly, going 1-1 with a 1.90 ERA and a .220 batting-average against.

Detwiler beats Drese because of that great September.

Closer:

2005: Chad Cordero 2-4, 1.82, 47 saves

2009: Mike MacDougal 1-1, 3.60, 20 saves

“The Chief” wins walking away. Though he always “almost” blew every save, he never did. He was the one sure thing on that 2005 team. MacDougal was certainly good enough, but will serve the Nationals better as the setup man when Drew Storen takes his place sometime next year.

In the final tally, the 2009 team won eight positions while the 2005 team won just five. There was one draw. That seems strange, I know, because that 2005 team was 22 games better.

From an individual point of view, the 2009 Nationals are more talented, but as a team, when you take into account the depth of both teams, the 2005 Nationals were far better.

Take a look at the ERA’s of the 2005 Nationals’ bullpen:

Chad Cordero: 1.82

Hector Carrasco: 2.04

Luis Ayala: 2.66

Jason Bergman: 2.75

Gary Majewski: 2.93

Joey Eischen: 3.22

Mike Stanton: 3.58

Jon Rauch: 3.60

The bench was just as deep, featuring (at one time or another), Jamey Carroll, Deivi Cruz, Junior Spivey, Gary Bennett, Carlos Baerga, Terrmel Sledge, Jeffrey Hammonds, Rick Short, Endy Chavez and Brendan Harris.

Over the last five seasons, the Nationals have gotten deeper at the top but thinner down below. Their regular players are far better but the role players—the relievers and the bench—aren’t nearly as talented.

Team General Manager Mike Rizzo will be heading into next week’s Winter Meetings trying to find some more “big names” to bring to Washington. And that’s fine; he should be doing that.

But he should also be trying to duplicate Jim Bowden’s magic and find a bunch of hard working, small-paycheck kind-of-guys who can almost will the team to win, doing whatever it takes, and whenever it’s needed, to make it happen.

Let’s start a “Bring back Joe Beimel” campaign right now!

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Washington Redskins Cheerleader: Cheer Hard, Smile Pretty, Win

Anthony Brown — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 19:58:49 -0500

I slept on this one.

Times are tough for the Washington Redskins. So Esquire Magazine went right to the source for the inside scoop on what's going on with this team.

That's right. They asked a Redskinette, ah, First Lady of Football.

Redskin cheerleader Jamilla Keene was interviewed by Esquire following Washington's Week Seven 27-17 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Ms. Keene thinks the addition of consulting playcaller Sherman Lewis may help the team. She is relieved not to have been near Clinton Portis' helmet when he slammed it on the sideline during the Eagles game. "That might have hurt a bit," she says.

Keene calls quarterback Jason Campbell the silent leader of the team and says the players know it. She does not understand why the average fan does not support head coach Jim Zorn.

A lot has happened in Washington since the end of October. Back then, Keene harbored hopes of a turnaround and playoff run. That takes a total team effort.

"We're gonna cheer hard and smile pretty, and I believe the team could rally, win every last one of the games and go to the playoffs. Stranger things have happened."

Works for me.

Read the full story on Esquire Magazine's Tuesday Morning Cheerleader Series.

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Al Groh: The Four-Million Dollar Man?

Ben Gibson — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 18:58:46 -0500

Our long national nightmare is over.

Okay, so maybe it's not Watergate, but Al Groh was officially fired Sunday, a mere 18 hours after another humiliating loss to Virginia Tech. Groh's exit to stage left after nine tumultuous years as coach of the Virginia Cavaliers was much like the man himself: complicated.

As I have said many times, Al Groh is not a bad guy.

He may be stoic and stern, but he is far from a brute or a bully. In a small group, he can be downright jovial. However, this final year will not be anything that anyone looks fondly upon.

In fact, Groh's entire career could probably be described in one word: meh.

For you see, Groh's tenure in football is the epitome of mediocre. He has made his career piggy-backing off the fame of others like his mentor Bill Parcells.

Groh adopted just about every mannerism of Bill Parcells whom he worked under for years and was handed his only NFL head coaching job when Parcells left the New York Jets. The desk in his office has a gift that was given to him by Parcells, famous words of wisdom that say: "Just coach the team."

Even Groh's bizarre departure, reading a poem entitled "Guy in the Glass" in his final press conference, was the exact same poem that Parcells read in his final press conference as the New York Jets coach.

He then added a smug final stanza in which Groh explained that when he looked in the mirror he saw a man of integrity, dependability, accountability and commitment among others things.

What he fails to see in the mirror though is the man he has tried so hard to emulate. He also fails to see the success he promised in 2001 when he spoke of taking Virginia football to the next level. Instead, what Virginia fans see in the glass is a man who lost eight out of nine games against Virginia Tech and has three losing seasons out of the past four.

Now "Guy in the Glass" has a rather pertinent message and if most coaches read it, it would probably be well received. After all, approval from the media, the fans, and even your colleagues mean nothing if you don't approve of yourself.

However, "Guy in the Glass" fits into the perception we all have of Al Groh. As much as Groh cares about X's and O's and thinks he knows everything, he just does not get it.

In Groh's mirror world everything may be shiny and bright, but in the real world his program is crumbling and he does not seem to see it.

Of course, before you start to feel sorry for the slightly out-of-touch Groh, remember that he left with quite the parting gift. Groh's three wins garnered him a four-million dollar bonus to sit at home and never come back.

In 2008, following a 5-7 season, the Athletic Director sat down with Al Groh and asked him if he would be willing to restructure his contract. The thought being that if Virginia struggled again, it would lower the astronomical buy-out clause.

Groh, as you may imagine, refused.

It may not be all that shocking, after all, most people are not inclined to throw money away. Even if the new number would still have been more money than most of us will see in our lifetimes.

However, former Virginia basketball coach Pete Gillen, a man who had no previous ties to the University, selflessly, agreed to restructure his deal.

He thought of the University first and even admitted that Virginia deserves better than what he provided.

After nine years, we have yet to hear Groh, a Virginia alum, admit that he failed to live up to his promises.

He has made excuses, he has played the blame game and he has stuck to his guns about instilling these young people with traits beyond the gridiron.

However, Groh could mend many fences by simply apologizing and admitting that he made some mistakes in his time. Is it fair for us to expect this from coaches? Maybe.

Does Groh have to apologize?

Of course not.

He does not owe the fans anything, but I think he would find that a simple statement could really help the program start anew and not wallow in its past frustrations.

Time will tell what the future holds for Al Groh. He very well could pack it up and call it a career, but that does not seem to be what he wants.

In a statement released by Groh, he claims that he is ready for "his next game." Now, perhaps Groh was using poetic license, but I would not be surprised if he does not attempt to return to the NFL, a place he never should have left.

A college coach takes a particular type of person, one that Groh was not fully suited for, but he does know how to coach up his defenses and that should make him a viable candidate.

The question is, will people be interested in someone who has been out of the NFL for nine years?

We all know that Groh certainly does not need the money. However, he does not seem like a home body, his love for football may force him out on to the gridiron one more time.

It is hard to assess just how Groh will be remembered in perhaps the darkest period of his tenure at Virginia. A career that held such promise for the former two-time ACC Coach of the Year has now turned into apathy and frustration.

Virginia is at the precipice of a new regime and Littlepage needs to make a big splash to re-energize the fan base.

However, in a bad economy with a half-full stadium and four million dollars down the drain, finding the funds necessary to sway a big name to Charlottesville will be more difficult than most people realize.

For you see, no matter who Virginia brings in as the next "guy in the glass," he will surely see some major dollar signs in his reflection.

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Will Bud Foster Finally Land a Head Coaching Position?

Justin Cocchiola — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 17:01:42 -0500

Every single year the same question comes up around Blacksburg—will Bud Foster finally leave Virginia Tech?

Foster has been a coach at Virginia Tech since 1987, and he took over the defensive coordinator job in 1995.

Throughout Foster's tenure, Virginia Tech has been one of the greatest defenses in the nation, year after year. You could say Foster has just as much to do with the success Virginia Tech has had in the last 16 years as head coach Frank Beamer.

That being said, Foster isn't the head coach. Not even the head coach in waiting, but if Beamer were to retire with Foster still on the staff I think it would be obvious who the next head coach in Blacksburg would be.

But nobody knows how long Beamer is going to remain as the top man in Blacksburg. Beamer himself isn't even sure when he's going to call it a career.

Foster, like Beamer, is in no danger of losing his job, which has given him reason not to leave. Foster has said that he's not interested in leaving Virginia Tech for a head coaching job at a school in the MAC or a conference similar in ranking.

He does deserve a shot, and it blows my mind nobody has ever hired him. This has me thinking that there's a good chance somebody gives Foster a head coaching opportunity for the 2010 season.

Even when the Virginia Tech defense struggles in a season, like this year, the defense is still one of the tops in the nation, ranking 13th in total defense and 11th in points allowed. Foster has always been able to get the most out of the players he recruits, regardless of talent.

For example, Brandon Flowers and Kam Chancellor were two star recruits when they arrived in Blacksburg, Cody Grimm is a walk-on, and the Hokies fill their team with three-star recruits or lower, for the most part.

Here are three places and some potential scenarios that Foster could find himself in the upcoming weeks.

Maryland

The Terrapins have yet to fire Ralph Friedgen, but lets assume they do. Who else could be better to take over as head coach? Nobody.

Foster is familiar with the recruiting area, he could dip into the state of Virginia, and he could bring an entirely different attitude to College Park than they're used to.

Friedgen is offensive minded, so the Terrapins may be looking to switch philosophies. This is a big time opportunity for Maryland, and I don't think Foster would turn the offer down.

Louisville

The Cardinals have already fired head coach Steve Kragthorpe, and the program has been in a tailspin ever since Bobby Petrino left. Kragthorpe had a decent first season, but had done nothing since.

The Big East, I believe, is a conference on the rise. They don't have one great team in the conference, but there are a lot of good, competitive teams, which could make rebuilding a team a little easier.

Louisville has been a predominately offensive team the past few seasons, but defense is key to winning games. I think Foster's "lunch pail" mentality could do wonders for a school like Louisville looking to turn things around.

However, this could be a situation where Foster decides he would rather stay in Blacksburg and contend for a national championship next season.

Notre Dame

You had to see this coming. Notre Dame has said that they want someone who's defensive minded. Going through their candidates—Brian Kelly has been adamant about staying in Cincinnati and building that program, there's no chance Urban Meyer is leaving Florida, while Bob Stoops could leave Oklahoma after a disappointing season, but he's been unable to win the "big games" at Oklahoma and that's a must at Notre Dame.

There are a few others out there, including some in the NFL, but Foster would be an interesting guy to watch in South Bend. He would bring a fire to the Irish sidelines that's been missing in past years and maybe even a defensive player or two.

The problem here is the recruiting factor. Foster would be in a completely different situation as far as recruiting goes, because Notre Dame recruits across the country, whereas Virginia Tech is fairly regional.

He would really need to build a good staff around him that's pretty well-rounded, but I think it would work out.

If other jobs open up then you never know, but these are three early jobs that I think Foster should be considered for.

It may sound like I'm lobbying for Foster to leave, but trust me, I'm not. I do think he deserves a chance as a head coach, and hopefully one day it's at Virginia Tech. However, you can't ask someone to wait for an indefinite amount of time, and I think Foster's clock is ticking.

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Redskins Hesitant to Call Jason Campbell "Black Out" a Concussion

Chad Waylon Pouncy — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 15:11:34 -0500

After Philadelphia DE Juqua Parker threw Washington QB Jason Campbell to the ground on the final forth down play of the Eagles 27-24 victory, everything went black.

No, not for the Redskins, this season has already proven to exhibit the absence of light. I'm referring to Jason Campbell.

In his postgame interview, Campbell remarked, "The guy actually threw me on top of my head. And when he slammed me down on my head everything blacked out, my left arm was numb and I had the breath knocked out of me. So I have no comments for what I think, but at the same time...We know."

Yes Jason, we know. Campbell was actually referring to our understood knowledge that the tackle in question deserved a flag and 15 yard penalty.

The flag we did get was a red one. By pleading his case in an excuse for the loss, Campbell let us know something that the Redskins organization didn't, Campbell had injured his brain.

The 'Skins have already lost their featured running back, Clinton Portis, for the past couple of weeks due to a concussion he suffered on the field. It is still unknown as to when Portis will return to action.

Concussions, or brain bruising, have been a hot topic around the league after several elite stars have missed time due to head injuries. Pro Bowlers Clinton Portis, RB Brian Westbrook, QB Ben Roethlisberger, and QB Kurt Warner have all gone down and have yet to return to the field of play.

According to Washington Post writer Rick Maese, Jim Zorn acknowledged Campbell's injury but said he did not suffer a concussion.

After losing their star running back and seeing both the Steelers and Cardinals lose their quarterbacks as well as their week 12 games, the Redskins seem reluctant to consider the injury a concussion and may want to keep the specifics "in house."

Knowing that the dreaded diagnosis can be damning to a players eligibility, Washington officials will have to keep a close eye on Campbell's condition. If it comes out that the quarterback did suffer a concussion and the team kept it under wraps, expect severe punishment for a team already in disarray.

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Hokies' BCS Hopes Still Attainable Despite Three Losses

Scott Glesner — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 12:22:45 -0500

A team is 9-3, ranked 12th in the BCS, and still has strong possibilities for a BCS bowl. No, this is not Notre Dame, this is Virginia Tech.

Despite being an afterthought to most of the country, Virginia Tech is still looking for a handout for a BCS bowl. A Hokies invite would be the first time the ACC had two teams into a BCS bowl.

However, there are major hurdles to clear before Hokie fans can dream. First, let's look at outcomes to games. At this current juncture, Tech would need the following outcomes to take place:

Texas over Nebraska—This limits the Big 12 to one team

Clemson over Georgia Tech—Discussed below

Oregon over Oregon State—Ensures only one Pac-10 school makes the BCS

Alabama over Florida—Discussed below

Pittsburgh over Cincinnati—Allows Pitt to replace Georgia Tech in the top 14, and not allow Miami or USC in.

From the current BCS rankings, the outcomes listed above would give the following list of BCS-eligible teams:

Florida, Alabama, Texas, TCU, Boise State, Cincinnati, Oregon, Ohio State, Iowa, Penn State, Virginia Tech, LSU, BYU, Pittsburgh, and Clemson.

First, these teams would already be chosen for their spots:

Championship Game: Alabama vs. Texas

Rose Bowl: Oregon vs. Ohio State

Sugar Bowl: first pick (Florida) vs. fifth pick

Orange Bowl: Clemson vs. third pick

Fiesta Bowl: second pick vs. fourth pick

With Florida chosen first by the Sugar, LSU would be eliminated due to the "no more than two teams from a conference" rule. This would leave the following teams to be selected (teams that have to be taken ): TCU , Boise State, Cincinnati, Iowa, Penn State, Virginia Tech, BYU, and Pittsburgh .

Fiesta would be up next. The thinking is that they need people who will travel to fill up hotels and seats, since there is not a big-time name from the list. Fiesta decides on Iowa. This eliminates Penn State from the BCS-eligible list.

The Orange gets the next pick. The problem here is if Cincinnati wins the Big East, the Orange would probably overlook them. However, this would then include either Miami or USC into the mix and could create more problems for the Hokies.

The Orange is a possibility for the Hokies. The Orange may bypass TCU due to them setting up a rematch with Clemson. Pittsburgh could be taken, unless the Orange looks at them like Cincinnati; a school with little draw or fanbase. If the Hokies are taken, TCU goes to the Fiesta and Pitt goes to the Sugar. Not having Georgia Tech allows VA Tech to be mentioned, due to Clemson and Tech not meeting this season.

If the Orange goes with Pittsburgh, the Fiesta would take TCU. The Sugar would then be looking at the following list to play the Gators: Boise, Cincy, Virginia Tech, and BYU.

Boise may have been a stronger pick if the Sugar didn't have to take two non-BCS teams in the past two seasons. Cincy and BYU are not big draws. This would leave Tech possibly getting the nod over Boise.

The outcomes listed above allow Tech to have two shots at a BCS bowl. This discussion becomes worthless if Nebraska wins or USC sneaks into the top 14. However, anything could happen with college football on any given weekend.

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A Thought on the Return of Ralph Friedgen

Jarrett Carter — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 11:10:38 -0500

The questions are still making their way through Internet news wires and the blogosphere, but Ralph Friedgen is still the head football coach of the Maryland Terrapins and rightfully so .

But it just occurred to me that Maryland has more incentive for Friedgen to stay, independent of the $4 million dollars the State of Maryland would be on the hook for should he be fired.

What exactly is the expectation for Maryland football?

An ACC championship? Friedgen can coach with the best of them, but Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, Clemson, and Boston College are clearly ahead of them as recruiting destinations.

National ranking? The Terps, without an annual upset of a Top-15 team, or 10 wins just won’t get the kind of respect from the pollsters.

It’s not a national championship, and so long as the SEC is the other side of the equation in the Chik-Fil-A Bowl, Terps fans can’t reasonably expect a win in that game.

This ain’t Charlie Weis and Notre Dame. You can’t expect a Top-10 ranking and a BCS berth every year out of a football program stationed smack in the middle of basketball country. Gary Williams, while hamstrung by the ghosts of Lefty Dreisell and Bob Wade in his recruiting, still makes out 10 times better than most basketball coaches in SEC country? Why? Because more kids, more parents, and more high school coaches care about football in those parts.

From New York to Arlington, Va., you are in basketball country. That’s why Gary catches the blues when he can’t win 12 in a row to start the season. Too much talent in the area not to do it.

But Friedgen is supposed to be different? Please. Let the Fridge go recruit and let’s all get cracking on our “What’s Wrong With Terrapins Basketball?” posts.

Technorati Tags: Maryland Terrapins , Ralph Friedgen.

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These Washington Redskins are Losing with Style

Anthony Brown — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 03:01:20 -0500

I was invited to host Comcast SportsNet's Live Chat for the Washington Redskins at Philadelphia Eagles game today. Here are four things I learned about the Skins after chatting with fans:

Redskin fans like this Redskin team.

Fans said the Redskins are playing with a greater sense of teamwork and heart since the second half of the Atlanta Falcons game. Washington is still losing but the subs are a scrappy bunch who are rebuilding fan allegiance that had been eroding. They liked these guys better than the starters. Rock Cartwright, Quinton Ganther, Devin Thomas, the kick-off returner, are worth cheering for.

I don't believe the chat fans would extend their disdain to Chris Samuels or Chris Cooley, but that's as far as I would go.

Albert Haynesworth drives fans crazy.

Albert Haynesworth is the biggest upgrade to the team. We see his value when he plays. It frustrates the Live Chat crowd when he's out. What's the use of all that talent when it's on the bench? Nothing.

Even when the game is close, don't get your hopes up.

No one was buying, in the third quarter while holding an eight point lead, that the Skins could win the game. Fans loved the effort and the possibilities, but after 10 games, they were braced for another poor play call, or defensive breakdown, or Jason Campbell turnover that would deny the win. "Wait and see" was the emotionally defensive position taken by a fanbase let down one too many times.

Not sold on Jason Campbell.

Even with two touchdown passes, one touchdown run and 47 percent of third downs converted, fans are not sold on Campbell. No. 17 is performing as a solid, mid-tier NFL starter, but has yet to be the reason the Redskins win. Donovan McNabb twice took the Eagles on fourth quarter scoring drives for a come-from-behind win.

Campbell was 1 for 4 in Washington's last drive from the 16 yard line. After a stellar performance on third down conversions, Campbell and Washington fell a yard short on a fourth down attempt when most needed.

Coverage, playcalling and receiver inadequacy may explain it, but the Live Chat fans wanted to see Campbell lead a drive to set up a tying field goal attempt, if not the winning touchdown. Technical proficiency is not enough for Campbell to win back his fans.

After Campbell's last incompletion to Moss, he was shown on the ground after the play by the Tv cameras. I thought Jason was doing a Haynesworth act as said so. In fact, he was body slammed after the pass by Juqua Parker on an uncalled personal foul.

The NFL should look at that play and make a statement with fines. If they do not, we might as well call those rules that protect quarterbacks the Brady Rule.

No one seems to be as protected by those calls as Tom Brady. I'm looking for the NFL to prove me wrong.

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The Washington Redskins and the Philadelphia Eagles Look to Ground Each Other

Anthony Brown — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 11:21:02 -0500

The Washington Redskins face the Philadelphia Eagles in a NFC East contest on a chilly day at Lincoln Financial Field. The best that can be said for the Redskins is that they can win.

Not that anyone expects them to. The Redskins are 10 point underdogs to the Eagles. But Washington's effort against the Cowboys stokes the dying embers of hope that something good can emerge from the season.

The best chance for Washington to win this game is old fashioned football. Run the ball. Stop the run.

The absence of Clinton Portis and Brian Westbrook change the dynamics of the contest. Both were the leading scorers for their team. Both Westbrook and Portis scored 12 touchdowns in 2007. That's three touchdowns for every four games they played.

No back on either team is close to that performance this season. Eagles' receiver DeSean Jackson and tight end Brent Celek are on a pace for eight touchdowns each.

Jackson, who was judged too short to play for the Redskins, already gashed Washington for a 67 yard touchdown run and a 57 yard touchdown reception. Stopping Jackson means keeping him off the field.

The Redskin defense is the best in football against the pass, but not so good against the run. The Detroit Lions beat the Skins' 25th ranked run defense on the ground.

The Redskins have to stop Eagle rookie LeSean McCoy. If McCoy is not as versatile at Westbrook, he's more of a mystery to Washington.

Washington's throws its midget, Portis-clones at the Eagles' ninth-ranked rushing defense.

Neither Rock Cartwright, Quinton Ganther, nor Marcus Mason are as tall as Clinton Portis (5 ft. 11 in.). Maybe they can hide behind the line until they break through it.

Rock is as rugged as his name. Ganther may be a reliable blocker. Mason can gash for big yards on occasion. All offer the same advantage as LeSean McCoy. They are a mystery to the Eagles.

Washington's travails are a blessing for Jim Zorn, though he might not see it that way.

The knock about his play-calling is a typical misdiagnosis by the Redskin front office. Bill Belichick makes controversial fourth down calls. John Harbaugh was scored on cable TV this morning for mishandling timeouts in the Ravens loss to the Colts last Sunday.

No coach calls a perfect game. It wasn't Zorn's play-calling that led to a 3-7 record.

The Redskins were not prepared for the season. That says something about head coaching leadership. Why is that a blessing? Because Zorn is learning now that it's that head coaching management, ah, stuff, that must occupy most of his time.

That's an expensive lesson learned on Daniel Snyder's money. Zorn will apply that lesson for some other team in three years or so. Snyder won't get the benefit of Zorn's experience.

Typical.

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Washington Redskins Money Sits Against Philadelphia Eagles

Jarrett Carter — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 10:44:28 -0500

Courtesy of a @RickMaese Tweet , we discover that Albert Haynesworth, Clinton Portis, and DeAngelo Hall are all out against the Philadelphia Eagles today. Translation, the Redskins’ biggest signees are all inactive, thus rendering any hope for a close game useless and non-gratifying.

Fortunately, these are all legitimate injuries; none of the “my hamstring-I got migraines-turf toe” variety. And that means that no one has really given up on making this season respectable for Washington fans.

Sadly, it doesn’t matter much if they players don’t want to conceded the inevitable. Everybody’s waiting on Charlie Weis to come to Washington anyway.

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Stating The Obvious: Why Jon Gruden Should Coach The Redskins

David Xaviel is the Real Mr. X — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 02:34:06 -0500

As a Raider fan, one of the worst days in my memory was when Al Davis traded Jon Gruden to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

At the time, it seemed like a fleecing for the Raiders, but Gruden had changed the direction of the Raiders in 1998 by wresting power from Davis when Gruden got his quarterback in Rich Gannon instead of Jeff George in 1999.

Davis likely looked at the record-setting offense of the 1999 Vikings, and thought, "I should have stood my ground with Jeff George," even if George split time with Randal Cunningham at quarterback. It would also explain why Davis acquired Randy Moss in 2005.

I mention that blurb of Raider history, because I do believe that Jon Gruden is the only coach that makes sense for an owner like Dan Snyder of the Washington Redskins.

Aside from the popular analogy that equates Snyder and Davis, Gruden prefers the same type of players that Snyder prefers: veterans. From what I've read in the past, Snyder believes that the formula for success in the NFL is still the same as the "Over the Hill Gang" of the early 1970s Redskins under George Allen.

Gruden has shown a preference for veteran quarterbacks, which the 'Skins have in Todd Collins, unless Jason Campbell can step up as a control freak quarterback like Gruden had with Gannon. Or the 'Skins could sign Chad Pennington or Kyle Orton, each of whom fits the typical Gruden offense.

Gruden also prefers veteran running backs, which the Redskins have in the form of Clinton Portis. Gruden would be the best friend to a runner like Portis, who has been hindered by injuries and nearing the magic age of 30 where running backs often (not always) decline.

Gruden prefers veterans in general, defense and offense, and dislikes working with rookies, which is conducive to Snyder's philosophies of acquiring players. With a potentially chaotic free agency looming in 2010, because of the likely absence of a salary cap, Snyder will likely try to make another big splash and want to trade draft picks for known commodities.

Especially with names like Vincent Jackson, Brandon Marshall, Winston Justice, Pierre Thomas (RFA), Willie Parker, LenDale White, Le'Ron McLain, Chris Chambers, Isaac Bruce, Alge Crumpler, Marcus McNeill, Elvis Dumervill, Derrick Burgess, and Julius Peppers all slated to be free agents at the end of the season.

Most coaches prefer rookies and journeymen players and some known stars, while Gruden prefers veterans and works better with them. Thus, it clearly makes the most sense that Dan Snyder should hire Gruden as his next coach because their philosophies on player personnel clearly match.

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No Early Answers About Georgetown Until Date With Butler

Bryan Toporek — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 01:06:22 -0500

So far this season, Hoya fans seem to be in a real hurry to forget about last year and move on...immediately. Understandable.

(I bet that picture above still stings, doesn't it? I know. It hurts me too. I had the honor of sitting all of 30 feet from the court for that game, soaking up every last turnover and last-second crappy jacked-up three-pointer, as only a senior watching his final college basketball game could.)

Unfortunately, I'm afraid that we're not going to get a real gauge on this team for another week, as the Hoyas continue Cupcake Month with Mount Saint Mary and American this week.

The Hoyas have turned in mostly up-and-down efforts so far this year—a 46-45 win in the home opener against Temple raised some serious eyebrows—but the Hoyas remain undefeated so far, and will likely enter the game against Butler with a 6-0 record.

What that hypothetical 6-0 means is anyone's guess, though.

Of all college basketball fans, Georgetown supporters should understand the dangers of putting too much stock in early season results. Last year, the Hoyas leapt out to a 10-1 record, capping their early-season success by toppling then-No. 2 UConn on the road.

But to say they "flamed out" the rest of the season would be an understatement. As has been rehashed more times than any Georgetown fan can stomach, the Hoyas limped their way into a 6-12 finish over the rest of the season, getting knocked out in the first round of the Big East Tournament and the NIT.

Keeping last season squarely in mind, I'm swearing off making profound conclusions about the Hoya squad this early in the season. We need to see the Hoyas play some real competition in legitimate pressure-cooker environments (like a typical Big East slugfest) before we crown the Hoyas as "over" their troubles from last year.

Opportunity isn't far away. On the slate for next Tuesday? Georgetown vs. No. 12 Butler in the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden.

This game provides the Hoyas a two-birds-with-one-stone test: a battle against their challenging opponent of the season, and one that will provide the typical wild atmosphere of a high-profile Big East game (or the Big East tournament, as it's held in MSG every year).

Georgetown coach John Thompson III didn't back down there, as four days later? The Hoyas face a cross-country trip to take on No. 14 Washington.

Both games will serve as early litmus tests for the Hoyas. Blue Ribbon calls Butler "one of—if not the—top mid-major program in the nation." They’ve got a team that returned every player from an NCAA qualifying squad last season.

And the Washington Huskies, winners of the Pac-10 regular season title a year ago, stars Pac-10 Freshman of the Year and All-American guard Isaiah Thomas, who could prove extremely troublesome for some of the Hoyas' younger guards.

So, while I'm waiting to pass season-defining judgment on the Hoyas just yet, there have been a few noticeable positives from this early part of the season:

1) Greg Monroe looks like he took the freshman-to-sophomore leap in stride , understanding that he must command the ball and take a much larger leadership role on the team. Against LaFayette, Monroe put up a ridiculous stat line of 13 points, nine rebounds, six assists, one steal and one block in 29 minutes of play.

It doesn't matter if Monroe put up that line against middle schoolers; Hoyas fans should feel relieved to see Monroe demanding more touches this season.

2) Hollis Thompson really can shoot. Again, keeping in mind the early competition (and that he will NOT be seeing such open looks when the Big East season rolls around), it seems like Thompson’s extra half-semester (he enrolled early in the spring last year to get a jump start on learning Georgetown's Princeton offense) is paying dividends so far.

Ardent supporters of the program insisted that Thompson's silky-smooth shot could end up being the most reliable outside presence we have by the end of the season, and early season returns show no reason to question that possibility.

3) The big men off the bench aren't complete slouches. Julian Vaughn and Henry Sims have to combine to provide Monroe some frontcourt support if the Hoyas have any chance this season, and it appears that both players understand their roles on the team much more than last season.
Vaughn's found his way into the starting lineup this year and provided valuable minutes, while Sims hasn't looked as lost on the court in his role as first big man off the bench.

With those positives said...remember, everything goes out the window starting next Tuesday.

The Hoyas' performance against Butler and Washington could go a long way in rebuilding this team's fragile confidence—or breaking it down even further than last season.

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Defense Is The Key To The Wizards Wins and Losses

Matthew Brown — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 23:12:57 -0500

The Washington Wizards were poised to mount their first three-game win streak since April of 2008. Instead, they were treated to a 12-point loss at the hands of the Charlotte Bobcats, where they scored more than 20 points in only one quarter of play.

The 92-78 loss doesn't just drop the Wizards to 5-10 on the season, but highlights the broad scope of problems facing the team.

On a team that has always had defensive deficiencies, the offense isn't good enough to consistently keep the Wizards in games.

Through 15 games, the Wizards have given up 100 points or more in nine different games. They only won two of those games. The Wizards have been held under 100 points in nine different games, winning just one of those games.

To make matters worse, the Wizards have been held to 90 points or less in eight different games, all losses.

The Wizards were supposed to be the surprise team in the Eastern Conference this season, but have shown little in terms of living up to that billing.

The statistics jump out as being surprisingly bad by Wizards standards. Washington's defense in the bottom eight in the league in total rebounds (612), defensive rebounds (433), and steals (87).

On offense, they are also in the bottom eight for field goals made (503) and attempted (1147), as well as field goal percentage (43.9) and free throws made (271).

It is interesting that the Wizards rank in the top 10 in rebounds per game, due to their above average offensive rebounding numbers. But if they're getting decent production on the offensive glass, why can't they score?

The Wizards are among the worst in the league in assists and assists per game totals. The highest assist to turnover ration in the NBA is 1.7 by the Boston Celtics. The Wizards stand at 1.4 assists per turnover, which plants them in the bottom half of the league.

So how can the Wizards fix their statistical shortcomings? The answer is not so easy.

With nearly every key player active, the Wizards have few excuses as to why they aren't winning with regularity. It is easy to point to Gilbert Arenas' poor shooting, the drop-off in bench play or the inconsistency shown by Caron Butler, the disappearance of Andray Blatche, or the worthlessness of DeShawn Stevenson.

But there is more to the problem than individual inefficiency. The Wizards simply aren't playing like a team.

It is the first season under coach Flip Saunders, and his style of play is a big change from former head coach Eddie Jordan's approach to the game. Saunders' game plan depends on some level of defensive efficiency and a facilitator at point guard, among other things.

The Wizards do not have much on the defensive end. Arenas has been playing out of position since Eddie Jordan decided to move him from shooting guard to the point.

The logical solution is to adjust the line-ups a bit to allow players to get the most out of their time. However, egos and entitlement look to get in the way of that. Arenas expects big minutes every night because he feels he can win games night in and night out.

His sub-40 percent shooting percentage begs to differ.

It isn't a stretch to think that a roster shuffle could be in order for the Wizards. Randy Foye is capable of running the offense, and Arenas has said himself that he had to adjust his game upon his return. So why force him to pass when he is not a passer?

That raises the question of where Arenas actually fits in.

Arenas is a natural shooting guard, but doesn't have a shooter's eye. He has played at point guard for the better part of his career, but he is not a traditional passing point guard along the lines of Steve Nash or Rajon Rondo.

There are a few players that have managed to blend both scoring and passing, but they were natural point guards from the start. It is impossible to teach someone to shoot, and it is just as hard to tell a shooter to pass.

The Wizards are at the beginning of a long road to next season. It is hardly a foregone conclusion that they are not playoff contenders, but it has looked that way at times so far this season.

After the words from Arenas aimed at various teammates, and the passing of owner Abe Pollin, emotions and tensions are high.

The key for the Wizards will be using the emotions to come together as a team to right the ship that seems destined for a big wreck if things don't improve.

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Rookie Karl Alzner Plays Important Role in Washington Capitals Win Over Montreal

Dave Nichols — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 23:10:46 -0500

The Washington Capitals stormed out of the gates, going up 2-0 midway through the first period. But the home-standing Montreal Canadiens scored three straight goals in the second and third periods and looked to be controlling the game.

But Eric Fehr snuck a rebound attempt underneath Carey Price with 11.4 seconds remaining with the Caps playing six-on-four, and Nick Backstrom beat Price with a snap shot in the third round of the shootout to lift the Caps over the Canadiens, before a raucous, sellout crowd at the Bell Centre in Montreal.

Things got off to an encouraging start for the Capitals (15-5-6). Fehr and Alex Ovechkin scored 1:12 apart in the first period to take a serious 2-0 lead, and minutes later, Ovechkin came in alone on a breakaway on Price. The "Great Eight" put a quick deke on the netminder and went to his forehand, but Price was equal to the task, keeping his team in the game long enough to get them started.

Montreal (12-12-2) answered pretty quickly in the second period. With Jay Beagle in the box for a "light" tripping penalty, Jaroslav Spacek landed a blast from the point to cut the deficit in half at 5:40.

Ten minutes later, Tomas Plekanec lifted a backhand past Semyon Varlamov (21 saves on 24 shots) after a scrum in front of the net. Plekanec got behind Karl Alzner in the confusion, but it was a hiccup in the rookie's otherwise terrific game, just his second of the season. In 16:57 of total ice time, he had an even rating, and assisted on Fehr's first goal, when his shot from the point was redirected by Fehr short side against Price.

Montreal took the lead at 5:34 of the third, with Travis Moen getting credit for a tip-in of Marc-Andre Bergeron's booming slap shot from the point. The goal came at the end of a power play, one where the Caps played over a minute down two men. They killed off the five-on-three, but long their energy just at the end of the shift to give up the big shot.

Things looked bleak in the dwindling minutes of the final frame. Price came up huge on several occasions, but he himself almost made the fatal mistake. With less than two minutes remaining, he tried to clear a puck along the boards, but sent it right to the tape of Brendan Morrison.

The veteran pivot put the shot on net, but Price got just enough of it to push it out of the goal.

The Caps would get the last, best chance though. With Varlamov off for the extra skater at the 1:30 mark, Washington got good pressure on the Montreal net. At 19:44, Paul Mara was whistled for high-sticking, giving the Caps an offensive zone draw.

Nick Backstrom got tied up on the draw, but turned his body into Plekanec and kicked the puck back to Mike Green at the point. He sent the puck across the rink to Ovechkin at the opposite point, who unleashed a blast that Price turned away.

But Fehr was in the right place at the right time, and slid the puck just underneath Price for the equalizer.

Overtime was scoreless, then both goalies stopped the first two shooters in the shootout. Varlamov then stoned Plekanec after the Canadien went way wide and then tried to go short side, but the young Russian netminder got his left pad down to close the door.

Backstrom then got his chance, and he did not disappoint. He went straight at Price, and fired a snap shot stick side that left the goalie defenseless.

The Caps now head down to Carolina to take on the Hurricanes Monday night at 7:00 pm.

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Farewell Al Groh, We Knew Thee All Too Well

Ben Gibson — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 19:18:22 -0500

Dear Al,

Hey it's me, Ben. You might remember me from earlier when I asked why you hate me. I'm back! Well, this time I wanted to tell you something. I am ashamed.

There are so many reasons why I am ashamed, too many for this simple letter to list, but I really do not need to. All anyone has to do is look at your game against Virginia Tech to understand why Virginia fans feel terrible.

This was your swan song, coach, your last chance to make a statement and leave on a high note by knocking off a team that has embarrassed you your entire time at Virginia.

You didn't.

Oh, you played well in the first half and some might confuse that with great coaching. It wasn't. The plays you called in the first half were the exact same that you have called for the entire season.

A season in which you won three games I might add.

This is a team you have beat just once in your nine years at Virginia, it looked like you did not even try to create a successful game plan. In many ways, you kept your conservative strategy of "playing not to lose" as opposed to "playing to win".

The difference was that the players tried, the players poured their heart and souls out on the field and were able to bully their way past the Hokie defenders.

Well, for two quarters at least.

Then, after Chris Cook picked off Tyrod Taylor in the end zone, Jameel Sewell ran an option play and a bad pitch to Mikell Simpson led to a turnover that quickly led to a Hokie touchdown to make the score 21-13 and the rout was on.

Granted, usually eight point games do not foretell doom. I mean this was a one-possession game with over a quarter and a half to go in the game. However, Virginia players knew better.

The players quit.

How else can you explain why a 21-13 game turned into a 42-13 beat down in the course of 20 minutes?

As much as we like to praise the Cavaliers for battling through the 0-3 start, this team is not tough. This team is not composed of fighters.

The truth is, every time this season Virginia faced any sort of adversity, they folded up quicker than a lawn chair. They pout, they hang their heads, and they look at each other with wide eyes and stone hands.

After that touchdown, the Cavaliers simply let Hokie running back Ryan Williams run into the endzone with barely a semblance of effort. The defense's back was broken and the offense had no confidence to make things any better.

I could easily rip apart Sewell's bad pass, Ras-I Dowling's terrible coverage, the special teams atrocities that took place, or Nate Collin's dumb penalty but it all comes down to the same thing.

Virginia is not mentally tough.

A mentally tough team does not lose to William & Mary at home. A mentally tough team does not lose 7-5 to North Carolina after upsetting the No. 4-ranked Florida State Seminoles in 2005.

Virginia did try in every game this season, until the going got tough. Then Virginia started hanging their head, bemoaning their bad luck and poor circumstances.

I hate to tell you this Al, but that's a reflection on the coach. The players may like you, they may feel bad that you're going, but they did not believe they could win that rivalry game.

The second adversity strikes, your team used it as an excuse to pack it in and lose.

The moment things started to turn in the Hokies favor, every single person in Scott Stadium thought the same thing: Here we go again.

As the popular adage goes, whether you think you can or you think you can't, you're right.

Virginia has to believe in itself again. It has to have passion throughout the game and not just when the game has been decided and you feel like standing up for a teammate who was hit late.

The fans have to believe in Virginia football again, their heart has been broken again and again. So much so that Scott Stadium was completely overrun with Hokie fans who greedily grabbed every apathetic fan’s ticket for the season finale. While the Virginia athletics program may get money from these sales, they lose much more in respectability.

Watching the Cavaliers this season has almost been comical for it has followed a similar script each and every game.

Virginia plays well for a half until adjustments are made and then the Cavaliers become lost. They need leadership and you, Al, are not providing it.

I know that you care deeply for the Cavaliers and the program. As an alum, I know it kills you to see this program having the worst season in 27 years.

However, your pride will not allow you to take the blame. It will not allow you to admit to people that the lack of talent is your fault. It is not circumstances or bad luck or even a voodoo charm.

Groh, it's been a long ride. There were definitely some ups, but there were simply too many downs. You did not deserve for your career to end like this, with Ryan Williams laughing on the sideline while a third-string Hokie running back is breaking tackles into the end zone, but it has.

I have felt every emotion under the sun with you. I felt ecstatic with our run in 2002, I felt anticipation before the Florida State game in 2004 with our No. 5 ranking, I felt shock with our 52-14 shellacking from Virginia Tech in 2005 and I felt apathy after losing to Southern Mississippi this season.

At the moment, I feel anger. Frustration that you have let our archrivals reach the level of prominence they have achieved. Bitterness that the Hokies will have another 10-win season while we are suffering our third losing season in the past four years. However, I know the anger will quickly fade when your firing is announced within the next 48 hours.

Goodbye Groh; I hope you find happiness in retirement. I cannot help but think a world without reporters and fans criticizing your every move will be a welcome joy in your life.

I can only hope Virginia football fans find a similar joy in their next coach. Of course, I have wished that before.

Sincerely,

Ben

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How I Would Improve the Washington Nationals As Their General Manager

Farid Rushdi — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 16:30:05 -0500

The strangest thing just happened to me.

A few minutes ago, I received a call from Nationals’ team President Stan Kasten. He said that Mike Rizzo was fired by the Lerner family, after being found walking aimlessly along the Beltway, wearing nothing but a Mets’ cap.

Kasten told me Rizzo could have survived the “naked” part, but wearing the oppositions’ colors was a deal breaker.

They want me to take over on a temporary basis until Jim Bowden’s contract runs out with Sirius XM. I can make any deals I want until then—probably till the middle of January—and I can add no more than $10 million to last year’s $60-million payroll.

In an email, he gave me the private phone numbers of baseball’s other 29 general managers, as well as the names and numbers of all the current free-agents.

Kasten then wished me luck and hung up the phone. I’m on my own.

At one time or another, I’m sure all of us have fancied ourselves as the general manager of the Nationals, and have consummated a thousand trades in our head, each a steal for the home team.

Kasten asked me to report my trades and signings to YOU, a member of the board of directors in an email. You will then make your report to the Lerner family in the “comments” section below.

The below email was written to you, “Mr. Big,” at the end of December, after all the roster moves were completed.

From: Farid Rushdi, Acting General Manger
To: Mr. Big, Vice-Chairman, Board-of-Directors, Washington Nationals

Dear Mr. Big,

Since your ownership group purchased the Nationals more than three years ago, the concept of building a championship organization from within has been paramount in the process. But we have finally reached the point where we have enough talented young players—both at the minor league and major league level—that we can now begin the process of singing free agent players to fill the gaps in our roster.

Last season, our payroll was approximately $60 million. Through the trades of Nick Johnson and Ronnie Belliard, and the free agency of Austin Kearns and Dmitri Young, we have removed almost $23 million from our books. Additionally, the Nationals will decline arbitration on Scott Olsen, freeing an additional $2.8 million.

That means the Nationals can sign free agents to contracts totaling almost $26 million and not increase the payroll for 2010 by even a dollar.

Below are a list of the trades and free agent signings we have completed thus far. I believe these changes have created a team capable of making the playoffs in 2010:

1. The Washington Nationals have agreed to terms with first baseman Adam Dunn on a four year extension that will keep him a National through the 2014 season. The contract is worth $50 million ($12.5 million per season). There is a two year mutual option for 2015 and 2016.

Dunn will be 33 at the end of the contract and will be in the prime of his career. Chris Marrero, the team’s first-baseman-of-the-future, is no better defensively than Dunn and is not as powerful. I’d rather play Dunn and trade Marrero.

2. Second baseman Orlando Hudson has been signed to a two year, $10 million contract. Hudson, at 31, is in the prime of his career. He is a four-time Gold Glove winner and has averaged .282-12-69 over his eight major league seasons. Hudson gives the Nationals two Gold Glove infielders, and greatly increases the team’s defense up the middle.

3. The Nationals have signed shortstop Khalil Greene to a one year, $3 million contract that includes incentives. I believe that Ian Desmond has the ability to be a major league shortstop, but there are questions regarding his glove. He makes the difficult plays look spectacular but boots too many routine outs.

If Desmond wins the job, Greene will be a capable of overpriced backup. However, if Desmond is not ready, Greene will provide the Nationals Gold Glove quality defense with a good enough bat for a shortstop. Greene’s career average is .245-20-77 and it was just two seasons ago that Greene hit .254-27-97. It’s his career .302 OBP that has kept other teams from guaranteeing him a starting job.

If he starts for the Nationals, he will likely bat eighth and any offense he provides will be considered a bonus. The incentive clause could add an additional $500,000 to his contract if he starts more than 120 games in 2010.

4. Outfielder Marlon Byrd will be rejoining the Nationals for 2010. He has agreed to a three year, $16.5-million contract that will make him the team’s everyday right fielder.

After the Nationals released Byrd in 2006, he has averaged .295-13-71 and has played a flawless outfield for the Rangers. He started for the first time in 2009, and batted .283-20-89.

We are expecting Byrd to provide stability to the Nationals’ outfield and hit .290-15-75, while batting sixth in the lineup.

5. Brian Schneider has signed a one year, $2.5 million contract with incentives. Though Jesus Flores will be the team’s No. 1 catcher, his many injuries make me question his ability to play an entire season injury-free.

If he survives the year unscathed, then the Nationals have a quality backup catcher in Schneider. If Flores loses time to injury, Schneider can step in and provide the team with solid defense and timely hitting.

If all goes as planned, Flores will start 110 games next year with Schneider filling in over the remainder of the schedule.

6. The Nationals have traded outfielder Elijah Dukes, pitcher Craig Stammen, minor league catcher Derek Norris, first-baseman Chris Marrero, shortstop Danny Espinosa and pitchers Jeff Mandel and Colin Balester to the Kansas City Royals for Cy Young Award winner Zach Greinke.

This trade came as a stunner to the fans of both teams, and both sides think their team “was robbed.”

Without the depth of the minor league system, this trade could not have been made. Jesus Flores should be the team’s catcher for the next six or seven years, making Norris expendable.

And with the extension of Dunn’s contract, Marrero is blocked as well. Ian Desmond is the shortstop of the future, making it difficult for Espinosa to find playing time with the Nationals. Dukes might end up becoming a .280-25-100 hitter, but he might not. Stammen and Mandel seemed destined as relief pitchers, so their loss is not difficult to replace.

Though we gave up a lot of talent, each of those minor league players are currently blocked by someone at the major league level who is producing well and helping the team win.

7. To bolster the starting rotation, the Nationals have signed 29-year-old Jon Garland to a two year, $12 million contract.

Garland will provide depth to a talented rotation and will give some of our other pitching prospects time to mature. Playing with both Arizona and the Dodgers last season, Garland went 11-13, 4.01 and pitched more than 200 innings, something he’s done five times in his career.

8. Shortstop Cristian Guzman has been traded to the Dodgers along with $4 million in cash for a minor league prospect. This move clears an additional $4 million of payroll from our books.

9. Believing the team will be in contention in 2010, the Nationals have signed future Hall-of-Famer Billy Wagner to a one year contract, worth about $6.5 million. The team will use Sean Burnett in the seventh inning, Mike MacDougal in the eighth, and Wagner will close out the ninth.

Wagner was actively sought by other teams, some who offered more money, but he was very adamant about his desire to play close to his Virginia home.

He understands this contract is for just one season unless he is willing to take over the role of setup man. Drew Storen, the team’s “other” first round draft choice in 2009, has the talent to take over as the Nationals’ closer in 2010 but another year of seasoning in the minors will make him that much more formidable in 2011.

Here is our projected opening day roster with their career average statistics based on 162 games (italicized statistics are for 2009 in cases where career stats aren’t indicative of the player’s ability)

CF—Nyjer Morgan                  .303-3-42, 46 steals, .362 OBP
2B—Orlando Hudson             .282-8-12, .348 OBP
3B—Ryan Zimmerman           .284-25-100, .347 OBP
1B—Adam Dunn                     .250-40-100, .383 OBP
LF—Josh Willingham              .264-26-83, .362 OBP
RF—Marlon Byrd                    .283-20-89, .340 OBP
C -–Jesus Flores                      .260-13-81, .313 OBP
SS—Khalil Greene                   .245-20-77, .303 OBP
Or    Ian Desmond                  .280-4-17, .313 OBP

Starting Pitchers

Zach Greinke                           16-8, 2.16, Cy Young Award Winner
John Garland       13-12, 4.42
John Lannan                            10-15, 3.91
J.D. Martin                              11-9, 4.41
Stephen Strasburg                   No stats yet

Total payroll savings from 2009 is almost $30 million and new signings and trade acquisitions totals about $37 million.

In other words, by increasing the team payroll by just $7 million, the Nationals have added Zach Greinke, Jon Garland, Brian Schneider, Orlando Hudson, Billy Wagner, Marlon Byrd, and Khalil Greene.

I believe that the Washington Nationals are one of the best teams in the National League East—perhaps the best—and should secure a playoff spot in 2010. We have done this without adding any payroll and have certainly added a group of talented players.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts. Please leave them in the comment section below. Yes, we are taking a chance with some of these moves, but sometimes you have to take chances to reap the biggest rewards.

Sincerely,

Farid Rushdi

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Only Arenas Has Hidden Agenda: Washington Wizards Breakdown

Erick Blasco — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 15:11:47 -0500

Awful shot selection? Effortless defense? Hidden agendas? No, the main thing on Washington’s itinerary during their 94-84 road win over Miami was winning basketball. Let’s examine each Wizards’ performance to see if there were any secret saboteurs suited up for Washington.

Flip Saunders’ offense was extremely diverse with UCLA cuts, split-action, screen/rolls, handoff/rolls, and the occasional isolation on the strong side, with pin downs on the weak side. With the Wizards moving with purpose without the ball, and not massaging the rock, Washington was able to shoot 49 percent.

Even better, the Wizards retrieved 16 of their own misses, held the Heat to under 42 percent shooting (under 46 percent eFG), and played with energy throughout the game.

Saunders’ only agenda is to oversee the Wizards executing his multitudes of offensive sets, while getting them to play hard-nosed energetic defense. Against the Heat, his mission was a complete success.

Antawn Jamison has never put defense on any to-do list, but his spot up shooting, drives to the cup, and post-up flippers make him one of the most versatile offensive players in the league. His ability to score in so many situations—11-20 FG, 2-4 3FG, 24 PTS—discouraged Miami’s defense. He was also active on the glass with 13 boards.

It’s not so secret that Jamison’s agenda is to be a scorer and rebounder, and not a defender. But he’s not a selfish player—rarely forcing a shot against Miami and playing within the confines of Saunders’ offense. As long as the shots are dropping, Jamison is a valuable asset to any mission.

Caron Butler was hesitant with his jumper, and out of control on his drives, twice barreling into stationary Heat defenders for offensive fouls. He also gave James Jones too much room to shoot and was slow getting a hand up on the perimeter. Whatever Butler’s goals were, he ultimately didn’t do much to help the Wizards win the game at hand. Plus, his jumper has been off, and he’s been turnover prone the entire season.

Perhaps Butler is showing signs of slippage, perhaps he’s merely having a bad start to the season, or perhaps his covert mission is to get away from Gilbert Arenas and leave the Wizards. Whatever Butler‘s agenda, it appears Arenas had credence in calling Butler out after Washington’s miserable start to the season.

Despite the attention to Washington’s big three, it was Nick Young who single-handedly frosted the Heat. Whether curling off weak-side down screens or isolating from the wing, Young consistently got his shot off against whoever was defending him—10-23 FG, 22 PTS.

While he did force a few shots on offense, he showed quick feet, anticipation, and courage in defending Dwyane Wade on the other end. In fact, Young had more points, shot a better percentage, had equal rebounds, one less assist, and one less turnover than Wade in roughly the same amount of minutes.

Young bought several pump fakes, and his individual defense is more advanced than his team defensive concepts, but his two-way play over the past two games as a starter has been exemplary. Young’s only focus is on playing All-Star caliber basketball.

Brendan Haywood was active on the offensive glass (5 Off REB), played good help defense, and contested Jermaine O’Neal’s individual moves and jump shots well. For a team with so much firepower and talent, Haywood is the only player willing to do the dirty work necessary to play winning basketball.

Andray Blatche’s secret agenda is to be Washington’s point guard. While he executed an incredible behind-the-back crossover and dish assist, he also over-handled to a fault, showed terrible basketball IQ (especially in spending too much time showing off his dribble at the end of the third quarter instead of making an outlet pass, leading to time running out), and was sloppy in his defense.

He also posted up Udonis Haslem and despite a size and quickness advantage, passively faded away missing the jumper.

Blatche can do almost anything, but his poor fundamentals and terrible basketball IQ lead to more mistakes than good plays.

Javale McGee plays with no conscious. He sent a Jermaine O’Neal fade away back in his face, goaltended a jump shot that was practically on the rim, showed poor upper body strength on Miami’s basket assaults, and failed to throw a hand up on an O’Neal jumper. McGee plays with such intensity that he’s an automatic energy boost whenever he enters a game. But he has miles to go in learning basketball’s nuances and needs to bulk up in the weight room.

Still a project, McGee’s agenda should be to devoting as much time to watching film and pumping iron as possible.

Randy Foye showed a soft touch on mid-range pull-ups and played tight defense on Wade for stretches.

Despite Washington‘s cast of characters, because of his personality and ball-dominating game plan Gilbert Arenas is Washington’s dynamic personality. However, while Arenas is known publicly around the league as an All-Star talent, Agent Zero also has a rogue side for forcing shots, displaying terrible judgment, and playing no defense whatsoever.

Against Miami, Arenas put aside his double agent offensive personality, passing the ball, not over-penetrating, and cutting off the ball, including curling off a low screen without the ball to sink a short jumper.

No coincidence that without Arenas dominating the ball, Washington’s support cast played terrific. However, Arenas also played with a total passivity, almost as if he were being defiant of not having his license to shoot.

Defensively, Arenas was repeatedly broken down by Mario Chalmers, and was inexcusable on his weak-side defense, including sticking with Chalmers way over on the weak side elbow while a rotation left O’Neal open in the paint. Arenas never moved to cover his new responsibility, and O’Neal had the easiest of dunks.

In fact, the Wizards played at their best when Earl Boykins was picking up full court (and ripping Mario Chalmers at the time line) penetrating, dishing, and making smart decisions with the ball—4-6 FG, 2-2 FT, 9 AST, 0 TO, 1 STL, 10 PTS. If Boykins also tended to over-handle, he was more concerned with breaking down the defense than looking for his own shot.

If any Wizards’ player can be said to have his own agenda, it's Arenas. Two seasons ago, with Arenas out for the majority of the season and the rest of the team relatively healthy, the Wizards were able to have a successful season and make the playoffs. Last year the Wizards were awful without Arenas, but they also played the season without their only interior defensive presence, their only space-eater, screen-setter, and muscle man.

Against the Heat, the Wizards proved that they didn’t need Arenas to beat a good team on the road.

It says here that the Wizards should dump Arenas if they want to stay true to their own agenda of making the playoffs.

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Virginia Tech-Virginia: What to Expect In Charlottesville

Justin Cocchiola — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 09:38:26 -0500

When Virginia Tech and Virginia face off on Saturday the two teams will be playing for very little, other than pride of course.

Virginia Tech is trying to solidify a second-tier bowl, such as the Chick-fil-a or Gator Bowl, and Virginia is likely to move in a entirely new direction starting with a new head coach after this game.

Virginia started the season with an embarrassing loss to say the least. William & Mary came into their house and dominated. This isn't excusable, but every team in college football is different at this point in the season compared to the beginning.

That being said, Virginia has lost five straight games with their last win coming against the worst team in the ACC, Maryland.

None of these facts should bode well for the Cavaliers when they have to take on the second-best team in the ACC. Yes, Virginia Tech is the second-best team in the ACC.

The Hokies have once again had an interesting season. It has looked a lot different on paper as far as team statistics go.

Virginia Tech's offense has been their strongest asset at times and the defense has struggled. At the same time, the offense is the reason the Hokies lost to North Carolina and both the offense and defense can be blamed for Tech's other two losses (Alabama, Georgia Tech).

Alabama was a better team than the Hokies and that's why the Crimson Tide were able to come out on top in the fourth quarter. The other two losses Virginia Tech had came in back-to-back weeks and the Hokies seemed to be in a bit of a slump.

Why? I don't know. It always seems to happen with the Hokies. The slump lasted three weeks and they were able to sneak by with a win against East Carolina despite an abysmal offensive performance.

Since the Hokies last loss, they've won three in a row. Two of those wins came against two of the worst teams in the ACC. On Saturday they will finish their streak of weak conference opponents as they take on Virginia.

But this game means a little more than the other two. These are big time rivals and the rivalry has taken a hit over the past few years because of Tech's dominance. Al Groh is 1-7 all-time against Virginia Tech and Frank Beamer is 13-9 against Virginia.

It's fair to say that the two schools, at least fans, alumni and students, don't like each other, but the respect factor is their.

The two have completely different styles. Virginia Tech is typically a hard-nosed, tough football team, whereas Virginia is a bit more soft, but they typically have pretty strong defenses.

Although the Hokies have struggled on defense this year, they still have the 13th best defense in the nation in both total defense and points allowed. Virginia's defense ranks 47th in total defense and 62nd in points allowed.

However, the Cavaliers rank 118th in total offense and 105th in points scored. One word can describe these numbers: pathetic.

However, Hokie fans know the feeling all too well. Virginia Tech's offense was ranked 100th or worse for three straight years, but they've finally been able to break away from that this season.

So, what does all this mean for Saturday's game? On paper, Virginia Tech should blow out their rival, but it's a rivalry game. No matter how bad teams have played all season they will sometimes play their best game against their bitter rival.

I think the game will be close for a couple of quarters, but Ryan Williams will be way too much for the Virginia defense to handle. Tyrod Taylor has also been extremely efficient of late and hasn't thrown a pick in 98 pass attempts.

As long as the Hokies rush defense can limit the damage, everything should go smoothly for the Hokies. I would be surprised if Virginia Tech were to lose this game, because the talent on these two teams isn't even close.

Virginia Tech 38, Virginia 13

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Can Washington Redskins Cover Against Philadelphia Eagles?

steve tisch — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 23:03:06 -0500

The Washington Redskins are at the bottom of the NFC East standings and the Philadelphia Eagles are near the top and the two meet Sunday.

The Eagles are nine-point home faves but in the last 10 games overall between the two, it is the Redskins with the edge against the spread, covering seven out of 10 times.

The Total is set at 40.5 and in Washington’s last eight games when an underdog of above eight points, it has taken the over six times.

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The Washington Redskins Remember Sean Taylor

Anthony Brown — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 14:06:12 -0500

It's something you want to forget, but take a moment to remember Sean Taylor. The former Reskins safety was a promising young man and a rising star who was painfully snatched from his friends and family two years ago today.

Taylor emerged as the hard hitting face of the Washington Redskins defense, supplanting LaVar Arrington in that role. No one has replaced Taylor

Taylor was allegedly shot and killed in his home by a few degenerates who had taken advantage of his generosity to enter his home to rob him, according to charges brought by the Miami-Dade states attorney's office.

The accused face trial in January 2010.

Taylor was Joe Gibbs' first and best draft choice since returning to coach the Redskins in 2004. Gibbs passed up the chance to take Taylor's Miami Hurricane teammate Kellen Winslow II with the fifth overall pick that year.

No one argued the choice but Winslow himself, who promised to make the Redskins pay for the snub. Joe Gibbs was the offensive coordinator for the San Diego Chargers when Winslow's father, the Kellen Winslow, gave lift to the Air Coryell Downfield Offense.

Young Winslow never made good on the threat on the field. Off the field, however, his rookie contract with the Cleveland Browns fed into Taylor's heartburn about his deal with the Redskins.

Taylor would fire his agents and rehire Drew "Mr. Renegotiate" Rosenhaus, who he earlier dismissed.

Taylor had a rough start to pro football. He worked his way through missed rookie symposiums, late hit fines, trumped up traffic charges, a violent confrontation to recover stolen property and a famous incident where saliva escaped his lips onto Michael Pittman's face.

Balancing the scales were Taylor's big hits which induced fear, uncertainty, and doubt in receivers running anywhere near him.

In what has been called the Hand Of God game , Taylor snatched victory from certain defeat by those unwashed heathens from Dallas.

Taylor snagged a blocked field goal attempt and returned it to the Cowboys 44 yard line to set up Nick Novak's winning field goal. The Skins were helped by a face mask penalty against the Cowboys for grabbing Taylor's face mask.

In 2007, with fans clamoring for the Redskins to boost the defensive line by drafting DE Jamaal Anderson or DT Amobi Okoye, Washington selected LSU safety LaRon Landry to pair him with Taylor.

Only Joe Gibbs had the juice to make such a pick with little more than grumbling by the fanbase. But man, when the season began, we could see what Gibbs envisioned with Taylor and Landry. We could only dream of what was to come.

What did come was something worse. Just as Taylor and pro football were adjusting to each other, he was taken. Tragedy pushed Joe Gibbs and Daniel Snyder to their finest moments.

Gibbs held the team together and guided the players to channel love for Taylor to a playoff appearance in his honor. Snyder's generosity was a text book case of how an owner should respond in the face of death.

The crises took a toll on Gibbs, who thought of what coaching was costing him in family time and eventually left the game. Snyder failed to show the leadership in 2009 that he did in 2007.

Family, team, coaches, owner and fans have all been hurt by Taylor's absence.

We don't know what might have been had Taylor lived, but I am certain of this. There's no damned way Tony Romo completes that pass last Sunday if Sean Taylor were back there.

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