10 Reasons Every Washington, D.C. Sports Team Will Win a Championship by 2020
A lot can happen in a decade.
Just seven years ago, the Carolina Panthers were minutes away from winning Super Bowl XXXVIII.
Only six years ago, the Houston Astros represented the National League in the 2005 World Series.
I don't think anyone needs to be reminded that four years ago, the Cleveland Cavaliers were in the 2007 NBA Finals.
What do all three of these teams have in common?
They are all currently the worst teams in their sport.
It's a new decade. We've already witnessed some miraculous surprise endings to the first two seasons in the world of sports. The Mavericks, the Bruins, the SF Giants, and the Green Bay Packers weren't the favorites to win their sport's championships.
But they did.
Sports are the most unpredictable events in the world, which is why we watch the games.
Teams in the DMV (D.C., Maryland, and Virginia) have struggled to put the pieces together in the past decade, but every team is getting progressively better.
With all this talk about unpredictability, I'm going to throw out a bold prediction that every single Washington team will win a championship by the end of their 2020 seasons.
Here are 10 players that I believe will be influential in leading their teams to titles.
10. Charlie Davies, D.C. United
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The Charlie Davies story is nothing short of miraculous.
Davies is a striker for the D.C. United and is currently on loan from the French club Sochaux. He was seriously injured in 2009, during a severe car crash in the Washington, D.C. area. The injury prevented him from playing for the U.S. National Team during the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Davies signed with the D.C. United for the 2011 MLS season. He debuted for the first time since his injury in the 52nd minute against the Columbus Crew and scored two goals.
Davies is currently tied for the second-most goals in the MLS this season with seven.
His influence on the team is already noticed as the team was one of the worst in the league last year, and he has led the team to the edge of contention for a playoff birth. The D.C. United sit just one point shy of qualification midway through the 2011 season.
Two weeks ago, Davies and the United flirted with a win against the top-ranked L.A. Galaxy and have shown that they can contend with any team this year.
It is uncertain if Davies will be back in Washington next season, but if he continues his fine play this year, the D.C. United will be in a position to capture the 2011 MLS Cup.
9. Ryan Zimmerman, Washington Nationals
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Ryan Zimmerman was the fourth overall pick in the 2005 Major League Baseball draft.
Zimmerman is a power hitter with solid defensive skills at third base, and the Washington Nationals would not be the team they are without him on their roster.
He finished second in the Rookie of the Year voting to the Florida Marlins Hanley Ramirez in what was the closest voting in the history of the award.
When Zimmerman returned from an early injury this season, he sparked the Nationals to an 8-game winning streak. His presence alone in the lineup improves the team and he is the face of the franchise.
I believe that Zimmerman's best days are ahead of him, and this team will continue to improve with him leading the charge.
8. Oshiomogho Atogwe, Washington Redskins
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This slide may come as somewhat as a surprise.
Although Oshiomogho Atogwe is a talented player, he has yet to play a down for the Redskins.
Also, though his talents will greatly improve the secondary of the Redskins, his presence alone may have a greater impact. LaRon Landry is the real threat at the strong safety position, and with the addition of Atogwe, he will be more free to roam the line of scrimmage.
Atogwe is a solid player in coverage, which could result in more time for the Redskins' 3-4 defensive scheme to apply pressure. Ryan Kerrigan (the Redskins first-round draft choice), Brian Orakpo, and Landry will benefit from Atogwe and DeAngelo Hall in coverage.
Atogwe found a solid home in Washington, as he and Landry provide one of the best safety tandems in the league.
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7. Jan Vesely, Washington Wizards
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Jan Vesely was the sixth-overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft by the Washington Wizards.
Vesely comes from the Czech Republic, only the third player to ever come from the country.
He plays small forward/power forward and is very athletic for his size of 6'11". Also at age 21, he still might have some room to grow, as hard as that is to believe.
Vesely will complement Javal McGee as the other athletic big man in the paint for the Wizards. The team did an outstanding job in finding players to play athletically around John Wall.
Finally, this addition might force Andray Blatche to put more effort on the floor. Vesely might be one of the last pieces in putting together a group of young exciting players with a ton of talent.
6. Brian Orakpo, Washington Redskins
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Brian Orakpo should officially win the Most Held Player Award.
He made the difficult transition from 4-3 defensive end to 3-4 outside linebacker look easy peasy. His production wasn't quite on the same level as his rookie year, unless you count the holding penalties.
Orakpo is one of the most exciting players on the Redskins roster and gives 110 percent effort on every play.
Watching Orakpo get mad during a 31-7 thrashing by the New York Giants made me believe that someone in the organization genuinely cares about the team's failure.
With Pro Bowl appearances in each of his first two seasons, Orakpo has become a young captain on a team of veterans. And with the addition of Ryan Kerrigan, Orakpo should find a little more wiggle room in blitz schemes which could mean big things for the third-year Redskin.
Let the sacks begin.
5. Stephen Strasburg, Washington Nationals
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Stephen Strasburg is amazing.
There's simply no other way of saying it.
In his major league debut last season, Strasburg compiled 14 strikeouts, 0 walks, and only 2 earned runs. It was one of the biggest pitching debuts in baseball history.
In 12 starts in 2010, Strasburg went 5-3, with 92 strikeouts, 17 walks, and an ERA of 2.97.
He was sidelined due to Tommy John surgery. Strasburg will be back next season and possibly sooner as he was recorded to be throwing full speed pitches just last week.
In only his second season next year, Strasburg will be the leader of the Nationals pitching staff.
4. LaRon Landry, Washington Redskins
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LaRon Landry is a monster that had a breakout year cut short last season.
Landry was taken with the sixth-overall pick by the Washington Redskins in the 2007 NFL Draft. He was originally supposed to be linked with Redskins free safety Sean Taylor, but that powerful safety corps was cut short by Taylor's tragic death.
Landry moved back to his natural position of strong safety last season and did more than thrive.
He accumulated 80 tackles in just 9 games in 2010. He had a game-winning interception against the eventual Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers in Week 5.
It gets better. With the Redskins' acquisition of O.J. Atogwe, Landry is poised to have an even better season in 2011.
Between the two powerful safeties, the Redskins have two of the best starting safeties in the league.
3. Bryce Harper, Washington Nationals
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Bryce Harper was the 1st overall selection by the Washington Nationals in the 2010 MLB Draft. He is currently only 18 years old.
He was one of the most hyped young players to be drafted in any sport since LeBron James.
Harper was invited to play with the Nationals during spring training this year and did very well against Major League pitching.
He is currently playing Single-A ball but might force his way onto the Opening Day roster come 2012.
With all this young talent in both hitting and pitching, the Nationals are poised to be a dominant team in the near future.
2. John Wall, Washington Wizards
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John Wall is the kind of player you build a team around.
Taken by the Wizards with the top pick in 2010, Wall performed very well in his rookie season.
He recorded his first triple-double against the Houston Rockets and led the Wizards in assists and steals. Wall was one of the best point guards in the NBA last season (with respect to Derrick Rose).
It is clear that the Wizards are building around Wall, with the trade for Jordan Crawford and draft selection of Jan Vesely.
Players like Javal McGee and Trevor Booker are also players that can complement Wall's skill sets.
If Wall can improve on last year's performance, Andray Blatche gives 100% and Javal McGee/Jan Vesely are a strong presence in the paint, the Wizards are in store for some good years in the future.
1. Alexander Ovechkin, Washington Capitals
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The Washington Capitals are the team most poised to win a championship in the near future.
They are usually the favorites for the Stanley Cup come playoff time, but have been unable to put together a championship season despite dominant regular seasons.
The main reason behind the Capitals' success is 25-year-old Alexander Ovechkin.
Ovechkin is by far one of the most dominant players in the NHL. He is a solid scorer and a solid defender that uses both power and grace in his game.
He may not have a Stanley Cup on the resume yet, but I think hockey fans would be shocked if he didn't bring the hardware to Washington sometime in the very near future.
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