Comments on: All This City-Wide Sports Misery, Its Birthyear was 1993

By: Gopher Grad

Gopher Grad — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 22:07:25 +0000

“We’re in much better shape than Chicago, Minneapolis….”
Excluding other sports, Minneapolis/St. Paul, and the state of Minnesota, have enjoyed several WCHA Championships, not to mention back to back NCAA hockey championships in ’02 and ’03, and numerous Frozen Four teams. To a Minnesotan, hockey championships are the most important.

By: EricS

EricS — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 10:31:40 +0000

Hey, severla other Terps teams have won NCAA championships ya know. The women’s hoops team in 2006, the men’s soccer team in 2005 and the field hockey team several times. And we’ve had 2 Final Fours team in the area in the last two years. Plus the Raves Super Bowl a few years back. Granted, that’s Balmer, but you did include the O’s.
I think the dismalness of the ‘Skins tends to color everyone’s preception of sports around here. We’re in much better shape than Chicago overall, and Minneapolis, and Seattle, and Orlando, and more than a few others. I’m sure there are tons of areas that would love to have had 4 Final Four men’s team plus a women’s Championship in less than 7 years.

By: Grooven

Grooven — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 08:03:56 +0000

Counting the Revolution is tough because, while yes, they’re knocking on the door, they’re much like the Buffalo Bills that way. How many championship games does a team have to lose is such a short span of time for that to start to count against them? (Or does it ever?)
Leaving RFK took a lot of the killer instinct out of the vibe of the city. Suddenly instead of whole-hearted support, now there was a revolt among the fans with how they were being treated. (Also, no bouncing bleachers, and no longer allowed to bring in coolers of food.) The sterile place had more seats but much much less personality.
I think realistically that was the begining of the darkness. Yes sports is a business, but it’s usually a good idea not to piss off the fans too much. Yes teams win and lose, but the treatment of the fans should always be high.
While the Jagr experiment backfired, I do not fault the team for taking the risk signing him to start with. Honestly, if we’d been told back in 2001 that the Caps could have had Jagr for three scrubs and didn’t take it, I know I would have been aghast as would many of you (even if you don’t want to admit it). The mistake in the dealing was the huge contract so soon after signing him. And the fault lies with him quitting on the team (by his own admission).

By: vt caps fan

vt caps fan — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 02:05:48 +0000

While yes I do see your argument with Mason/terps. I was grasping onto my last days of college while the terps won it all, so I didn’t witness the lovefest.
But I only brought up the United because I’m trying not to buy into the fact that this great city has been titless for that long. And even if you did count it, like Gustafsson said, the Revolution have been knocking on the door for quite some time.

By: Gustafsson

Gustafsson — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 22:44:37 +0000

You can add the MLS’s Revolution to the list of New England success teams. While they have yet to win the MLS Cup, they have lost in the finals 4 times including the last three straight.

By: sidehillman

sidehillman — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 22:15:16 +0000

P&S I guess that you weren’t around in the 50s & 60s. In those days, the Skins were happy with 2-3 wins a year & the Nats probably never got over .500 in the 22 years I watched them prior to their 2nd move. It is true that the owners are wretched, but as you say 3 of them will die & then things will change. Its ALMOST like rooting for death.

By: pucksandbooks

pucksandbooks — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 22:08:57 +0000

VT – Truly I did not omit DC United from my thoughts here; I considered referencing their significant success. But in the context of this discussion as it relates to New England, I deemed the claim a bit of a stretch. For better or for worse, soccer remains solidly on the fringe of America’s popular sporting interests. And your point about the parochialism with college sports is certainly true, but likely we all recall how the region reacted to George Mason’s storybook run of two seasons ago.

By: vt caps fan

vt caps fan — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 21:59:06 +0000

To clarify my previous post… I’d give up being a Skins STH, cause they’d cut the seats by half. So my nosebleed seats at the Ex would no longer be available at RFK.

By: vt caps fan

vt caps fan — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 21:56:28 +0000

Ahh what a depressing entry… I know I know its true, but its still depressing.
As a Skins STH — YES. EASILY YES. I’d even give up my tix if they moved back to RFK.
While you bring up the Terps and the national championship, its hard to put a college team on the list because while a good chunk of people love the terps, a lot of others may despise them.
I will offer up DC United and their 4 championships. (ITS SOMETHING)
I have faith. DC will pull out of this rut. We’ll be on top. Doubt we’ll all be on top in all sports at once, but we will rise once again.
I believe.

By: TG

TG — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 19:21:42 +0000

A. At least we’re not Philadelphia. No professional team from there has won anything for 24 years, and unless the Flyers pull it off, it’s not happening this year either.
B. The Wizards are doing well with two of the best players in the game (albeit one of them injured) and a general manager who really knows what he’s doing. (I mean, c’mon. He got Caron Butler for Kwame Brown!)
C. I’m hoping that next year is the year the Redskins put it together, provided Campbell comes back healthy.
D. Even if the Caps don’t put it together, we get to watch Alex Ovechkin!
E. Did I mention that we’re not Philadelphia?