Bracketology: Favorite DC athlete (Sweet 16)

By: Joe Pohoryles

March Madness is supposed to be in full swing. Instead, the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic has stopped the sports world in its tracks. NFL free agency is buzzing, but there are few leagues with actual gameplay to watch.

To stay in the spirit of bracket season, I have constructed a 32-team bracket built to determine the most popular athlete in DC sports. Separated into four regions, each making up the four major teams, a favorite athlete can be narrowed down. Combined with the Wizards region are the ‘Wildcards,’ representing athletes from the non-major teams. The Wildcards are with the Wizards because NBA rosters hold 12-15 players, which would give a disproportionate amount of spots to Wizards players, compared to the roster sizes of the other three teams. Since there are other athletes in DC more deserving of a spot than the eighth-most liked player on the Wizards, the Wizards and Wildcards each take up four spots in their own region.

In addition, the eighth-seed in the Wizards/Wildcards region is blank, allowing you to insert any DC athlete of your choosing if one of your favorites is not already featured on the bracket.

The seeding is determined by social media following, more specifically Instagram. (Any players that do not have Instagram accounts were substituted with Twitter.) To reiterate, the seeding is NOT based on my own personal opinion, but rather based on how popular the player is on social media. I find this to be a better form of initially ranking as opposed to just randomly seeding. It shows which players are generally favorited compared to others, and any “upsets” could rightfully be considered such, as your own opinion would differ from the consensus.

Below I will be breaking down my own personal selections, but I’d love to hear your opinions. Feel free to share your thoughts in a comment on this post, or reach out to me on Twitter (@Joe_Poho) or Instagram (@joepoho). I may even publish some of the submissions. Happy bracketing!

For the First round (Part 1) results, click here.

For the First round (Part 2) results, click here.

Second Round (Sweet 16)

‘Capitals’ region

(1) Alex Ovechkin vs. (5) Nicklas Backstrom

For this to be a second round match-up is just cruel. Nicklas Backstrom deserves to be the two-seed, but his relatively low profile play translates off the ice as well apparently. He and Alex Ovechkin are the two franchise faces, as they are the franchise leaders in assists and goals, respectively. The Ovechkin/Backstrom Era has been the best stretch in franchise history, and the 2010s Caps were the winningest team of the decade (in fact they had the third-winningest decade in NHL history behind the 1970s Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins), so it was only right that the two finally led the team to the Cup in 2018.

Both legacies are stamped, but at the end of the day, Ovechkin’s electric play and personality have made him more fun to watch, and it’s rare to see an all-time great sustain this type of success for your team, so by the narrowest margins, I favor Ovechkin over Backstrom.

Winner: (1) Alex Ovechkin

(3) TJ Oshie vs. (7) Braden Holtby

TJ Oshie and Braden Holtby are not as quite big in franchise history as Ovi and Backstrom, but both are fan favorites. Oshie did not begin his career with the Caps, unlike Holtby, but the former St. Louis Blue endeared fans with his relentless hustle he brings to every shift. Holtby, meanwhile, is the best Caps’ netminder since longtime star Olaf Kolzig. Both are great, likable players, but as I said in the first round, I give extra support to the American players, so I’ve rooted for him in that respect even before he joined the Caps. Another close call, but Oshie takes it.

Winner: (3) TJ Oshie

‘Nationals’ region

(1) Juan Soto vs. (4) Stephen Strasburg

Both Juan Soto and Stephen Strasburg were crucial pieces in the 2019 World Series run, and both are poised for a dominant decade in the 2020s. Strasburg is 10 years older than Soto, and after an up-and-down decade in which he sparked the turn-around of the Nationals franchise, he is set up to get even better through his 30s, where he can hopefully remain healthy.

Soto, meanwhile, is just 21 and is already one of the best left fielders in the National League. Can you imagine what he’ll be once he hits his prime? What type of player will he be at 25 years old? Or 27? He made a quick ascension to the majors, and an even quicker ascension to superstardom. He is just two-and-a-half years older than me, which makes it even cooler to watch, as this is the first local superstar from my age group. Probably the most exciting player the Nats have had in a long time (even more so than Bryce Harper, unbiasedly), he has the edge over Strasburg in my eyes.

Winner: (1) Juan Soto

(2) Max Scherzer vs. (6) Adam Eaton

This one is pretty cut-and-dry. In Max Scherzer’s five seasons with the Nats, he’s been among the best pitchers in baseball and a face of the franchise. Adam Eaton, meanwhile, is a good player, and had a valuable role in the World Series run, but does not create the same type of spectacle as Scherzer, whose energy from first pitch to pitch 115 make him must-watch. I like both players, but Scherzer takes this one easily.

Winner: (2) Max Scherzer

‘Redskins’ region

(1) Adrian Peterson vs. (4) Ryan Kerrigan

Adrian Peterson has been one of my favorite football players, even before he joined the Redskins. Ryan Kerrigan has been amongst the Redskins’ best defensive players for a long time. Although running back is the more exciting position, and I have drafted All Day onto my fantasy football team more than any other player, I defer to Kerrigan because when looking at DC athletes, Kerrigan fits the bill better. He’s the leader of the Skins’ defense and a prominent piece in the franchise’s history, whereas Peterson will always be more associated with the Vikings. (But happy 35th birthday, AD!)

Winner: (4) Ryan Kerrigan

(6) Terry McLaurin vs. (7) Jonathan Allen

Two of the younger rising stars on either side of the ball, Terry McLaurin and Jonathan Allen will each be franchise cornerstones for the foreseeable future. I’m excited about both of them, but if I had to pick one, I’d have to pick McLaurin. It’s been a long time since the Redskins have had a homegrown star wide receiver, and it’s too early to give McLaurin that distinction, but with an offense that lacks weapons, McLaurin’s consistency and big play ability put him on that track.

Winner: (6) Terry McLaurin

‘Wizards/Wildcards’ region

(1) John Wall vs. (4) Rui Hachimura

These two have yet to share the court together, but if John Wall can get close to what he once was, his connection with Rui Hachimura could be lethal. I can’t wait to cheer on both players, but when it comes down to who I like more, the truth is that with everything Wall means to the Wizards franchise over the past 10 years, he wins over Rui.

Winner: (1) John Wall

(2) Bradley Beal vs. (3) Elena Delle Donne

Two full-fledged stars, each currently headlining their respective teams, Bradley Beal and Elena Delle Donne are franchise icons. It’s extremely difficult to choose between these two players whose games I respect immensely. To narrow it down, I have to give the edge to Delle Donne, who drew me into watching WNBA basketball in the first place, and willed the Mystics to a championship despite a broken nose and back and knee issues.

Winner: (3) Elena Delle Donne

Down to the Elite Eight, the conclusion to this edition of Bracketology will come tomorrow. There will be much less description next time, as I’ve explained as much as I can about why I like the players that remain. Make sure to check in tomorrow.

(Cover Photo Credit: Michael Bryant/The Philadelphia Inquirer)

Bracketology: Favorite DC athlete (First round, Part 2)

By: Joe Pohoryles

Today, March Madness was supposed to be in full swing. Instead, the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic has stopped the sports world in its tracks. NFL free agency is buzzing, but there are few leagues with actual gameplay to watch.

To stay in the spirit of bracket season, I have constructed a 32-team bracket built to determine the most popular athlete in DC sports. Separated into four regions, each making up the four major teams, a favorite athlete can be narrowed down. Combined with the Wizards region are the ‘Wildcards,’ representing athletes from the non-major teams. The Wildcards are with the Wizards because NBA rosters hold 12-15 players, which would give a disproportionate amount of spots to Wizards players, compared to the roster sizes of the other three teams. Since there are other athletes in DC more deserving of a spot than the eighth-most liked player on the Wizards, the Wizards and Wildcards each take up four spots in their own region.

In addition, the eighth-seed in the Wizards/Wildcards region is blank, allowing you to insert any DC athlete of your choosing if one of your favorites is not already featured on the bracket.

The seeding is determined by social media following, more specifically Instagram. (Any players that do not have Instagram accounts were substituted with Twitter.) To reiterate, the seeding is NOT based on my own personal opinion, but rather based on how popular the player is on social media. I find this to be a better form of initially ranking as opposed to just randomly seeding. It shows which players are generally favorited compared to others, and any “upsets” could rightfully be considered such, as your own opinion would differ from the consensus.

Below I will be breaking down my own personal selections, but I’d love to hear your opinions. Feel free to share your thoughts in a comment on this post, or reach out to me on Twitter (@Joe_Poho) or Instagram (@joepoho). I may even publish some of the submissions. Happy bracketing!

For the First round (Part 1) results, click here.

First Round

‘Redskins’ region

(1) Adrian Peterson vs. (8) Tress Way

Adrian Peterson will always be remembered as a Minnesota Vikings legend. It was in Minnesota where he made four All-Pro First Teams, won the 2012 NFL MVP award, and racked up 11,747 of his 14,216 career rushing yards. However, these past couple seasons in Washington have given fans something exciting to watch amid all the disappointment. After 2018 second-round pick Derrius Guice tore his ACL in his rookie preseason, the team signed a then-33-year-old Peterson to a one-year deal, where he proceeded to start all 16 games and rush for over 1,000 yards for the eighth time in his career. He re-signed for two more years, and rushed 898 yards in 15 games this past season, but still averaged an impressive 4.3 yards per carry. It’s fun seeing an all-time great do well this late in his career.

Tress Way is one of the best punters in the entire league. It’s a very Redskins-type of move to have their only league-best player at the punter position, but he deserves all the praise he receives. Way had a “perfect season” in 2018, in which none of his 79 punts resulted in a touchback. Way stepped his game up even further in 2019, where he averaged a career-high 49.6 yards per punt and earned Second Team All-Pro honors. As a punter, he does not receive much of the spotlight, but he’s one of the best at what he does, and seems to be a likable guy (based on when I met him once a few years ago… not to flex). Still, “All Day” has been one of my favorite players even before he signed with the Redskins, and he takes the cake here.

Winner: (1) Adrian Peterson

(4) Ryan Kerrigan vs. (5) Trent Williams

My first memory of Ryan Kerrigan was during the 2011 NFL Draft, where the Redskins held the 10th overall pick. After years of struggle at the quarterback position (well, I was 10 years old at the time, so I can really only remember mediocre play from Jason Campbell, followed by the revolving door of Donovan McNabb, Rex Grossman and John Beck; still, not pretty), I had my sights set on the QB to turn this franchise around: the one and only Blaine Gabbert. Before I could celebrate the arrival of our franchise’s savior from Mizzou, the Skins traded the pick to Jacksonville, where I saw the Jags scoop up what was rightfully ours.

The Skins landed at pick 16, where we took Kerrigan. “I guess he’s okay, too,” I thought to myself, “but still not a quarterback.” That aged well… Gabbert fell out of the league’s starter-tier rather quickly, while Kerrigan has quietly kept pace with 2011 draft classmates JJ Watt and Von Miller as one of the best front seven players in the NFL. Kerrigan is an iron man, not missing a single game in his whole career until just last season, his ninth. He has long been one of the few bright spots on the team’s defense, and quickly became a fan favorite.

Trent Williams was drafted one year before Kerrigan in 2010, and has spent the past decade as a top offensive tackle in the league. From his third season in 2012 through 2018, Williams made the Pro Bowl every year. Like Kerrigan has been the best defensive player on the team, Williams has pretty much been the best player on the other side of the ball, making this early match-up a tough one. Williams held out for the entirety of last season due to unhappiness with the organization and medical staff, expressing he does not want to play in DC anymore, so he’s fallen out of favor with plenty of fans, and could very well be traded soon. I don’t hold that against him; one can only put up with dysfunction for so long. Still, I like Kerrigan’s attitude and production much better (even before Williams’ holdout).

Winner: (4) Ryan Kerrigan

(3) Dwayne Haskins Jr. vs. (6) Terry McLaurin

The two most recent stars of the offense — entering their second pro season out of The Ohio State University — have brought a new sense of hope to the team. Dwayne Haskins Jr., who played high school ball at Bullis, and even committed to Maryland before backing out for Ohio State, was the 15th overall pick in last year’s draft, and went through a bumpy rookie season. There is a lot of room for growth, and he showed improvement with every game he played last season. If he can become the QB to finally lead this franchise back to glory, he will become a favorite on every fan’s list.

Terry McLaurin came in with less hype as a third-rounder looking to aid a receiving corps that was in poor shape. McLaurin took that opportunity and quickly became a top three rookie receiver in the league despite the poor quarterback play. He has been a welcome surprise, establishing himself as an offensive building block much earlier than expected, and could become even better as both he and Haskins develop. There has been uncertainty with Haskins, but there has been no doubt McLaurin is a stud, and he’s been a joy to watch every single game.

Winner: (6) Terry McLaurin

(2) Landon Collins vs. (7) Jonathan Allen

Landon Collins began his career with the New York Giants, earning First Team All-Pro honors in 2016. After four seasons in the Meadowlands, Collins signed a six-year/$84 million deal with the Redskins to help bolster the secondary. Collins was among the generation of safeties who idolized the late, great Sean Taylor, and was excited to join the team Taylor played with. Collins was solid in his first season with the team, yet a far cry from his All-Pro season, and he has yet to play at that level since 2016. Hopefully, he can get close to that level, and become one of the league’s top safeties again.

Jonathan Allen was the best defensive player in the country in his final season at Alabama. It was widely projected that he would be a top five draft pick, but he had a shoulder surgery two weeks before the combine, hurting his stock. Still, Redskins coaches and fans were shocked and delighted that Allen fell all the way to the 17th overall pick, where they scooped him up. After three seasons, he is already a defensive captain and a headliner for what is shaping up to be a fearsome defensive line. I’ve been a fan of Allen since he was tearing it up at Alabama, whereas I just got used to Collins not being a rival.

Winner: (7) Jonathan Allen

‘Wizards/Wildcards’ Region

(1) John Wall / (8) [insert your own]

Since I designed this bracket, all the players I would have wanted to choose from are already here, so there is not a particular player I feel should be inserted. I did consider placing Wayne Rooney in this region, but he is no longer on DC United (plus his global following means his 14.9 million followers dwarf would-be-two-seed John Wall’s 4.3 million, which could have skewed the match-ups a bit). I’ll just go with Rooney, who once starred for my favorite Premier League team, Manchester United, and reinvigorated my interest in DC United and MLS. Rooney turned the team around upon arrival, arriving to the worst Eastern Conference team, and lifting them to a playoff spot by the end of the season. He spent just one-and-a-half years with the team, and never reached the ultimate goal of an MLS Cup championship, but it was a fun run while it lasted.

Wall, meanwhile, reinvigorated my interest in the Washington Wizards. The Gilbert Arenas era is a bit fuzzy in my memory, and the aftermath of the infamous locker room run incident set the team back for a bit. When the NBA lottery ping pong balls gifted Washington the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 draft, Wall’s name was practically written on the draft card on the spot. It took a few years, but with the help of Bradley Beal, he led the Wizards back to being a consistent playoff team. He has been sidelined for over a year now, and at his age, Wall is not guaranteed to be as good as we remember, but it will be exciting to finally have the face of the franchise back nonetheless. Rooney’s stint in DC was exciting, but Wall is the truer DC athlete.

Winner: (1) John Wall

(4) Rui Hachimura vs. (5) Cardale Jones

Rui Hachimura has not been in DC long, but he is already one of the team’s better players and should be a valuable piece for years to come. The former Gonzaga star entered the NBA after his junior season, so he is more physically mature than most of the 2019 lottery picks, and his great combination of size and skill make him feel like a steal even as the ninth overall pick. The Wizards are at a low point this season, but expect “Japanese Jordan,” to help bring them back to relevancy.

Cardale Jones was once considered a future NFL franchise savior, garnering “Fail for Cardale” posters at some NFL stadiums after the Ohio State quarterback replaced injured starter JT Barrett at the end of the 2014 college football season to lead the Buckeyes to the first ever College Football Playoff championship. By the time he eventually reached the NFL, however, following the 2015 college season, he was a fourth-round pick, and bounced around the league as a backup before becoming a headline player for the new XFL. As quarterback for the DC Defenders, Jones got off to a hot start, getting “MVP” chants from the DC home crowd in Week 1. He came back down to Earth from there, and even got benched in the middle of Week 5, but unfortunately the cancellation of the rest of the season will prevent us from seeing what happens to him until next year. The XFL never got a chance to get off the ground yet, so I never really got to fully embrace Jones like I did Hachimura.

Winner: (4) Rui Hachimura

(3) Elena Delle Donne vs. (6) Dāvis Bertāns

Elena Delle Donne is arguably the best player in the WNBA. She certainly was in 2019, where she earned league MVP honors, became the first woman to join the 50-40-90 club — which marks a player going a full season averaging at least 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from three and 90 percent from the free throw line — and won the first WNBA championship in franchise history. Only seven other players are in the 50-40-90 club:

  • Larry Bird
  • Stephen Curry
  • Kevin Durant
  • Reggie Miller
  • Malcolm Brogdon
  • Mark Price
  • Steve Nash
  • Dirk Nowitzki

That is elite company for Delle Donne, and it’s even more impressive to be the first woman to ever crack that list. As much as the WNBA gets ripped on, Delle Donne is undeniably great and fun to watch. She even has more of a following than Hachimura, who has the entire nation of Japan supporting him in the NBA, which says more about Delle Donne’s impact than anything else.

Dāvis Bertāns can shoot, and he has been a great addition to the team since joining this offseason. His contract is not long, and he has been mentioned in trade talks, so there’s doubt as to whether he will remain in DC for a long time. Regardless, he has been one of the team’s best players all year. He has not been in DC for that long (and isn’t a homegrown player like Hachimura), so I don’t really have that built-up connection yet, whereas Delle Donne’s greatness makes her much-watch basketball, and she brought yet another championship to the city of Washington.

Winner: (3) Elena Delle Donne

(2) Bradley Beal vs. (7) Anthony Cowan Jr.

Beal came just two years after Wall as the third overall pick in the 2012 draft and became the perfect backcourt partner to bring the franchise back to the playoffs. For the better part of two seasons, Beal has had to carry the team himself with Wall sidelined, and while his numbers have soared, the team has not, but with the lack of supporting cast, it’s hard to blame him. Beal has claimed he wants to stay with DC for his whole career, so hopefully he can help lead the team to some more winning seasons, and maybe some day a championship, but there’s a long way to go for that.

Anthony Cowan Jr. has been a star for the Terps since his freshman year, and as a senior was supposed to lead Maryland on a deep March Madness run. Unfortunately, we’ll never know if he was able to do it, but Cowan still made his mark as one of the great Maryland basketball players of recent history. His NBA future is uncertain, but he can hang his hat on the fact that he led the Terps to their first ever Big Ten regular season championship. (Maryland joined the conference in 2014.) Cowan will always have his piece in Maryland history, but college players last four years maximum, so it’s difficult to cultivate the same type of fandom as you can with your favorite NBA players, who can stick around for 10-20 years if they’re a franchise face, so Beal takes it here.

Winner: (2) Bradley Beal

After one full round, 16 players remain, and the decisions will get even harder. Make sure to check back in tomorrow for the full Sweet 16.

(Cover Photo Credit: WNBA YouTube)

Bracketology: Favorite DC athlete (First round, Part 1)

By: Joe Pohoryles

Today, the first full day of March Madness was supposed to take place. Instead, the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic has stopped the sports world in its tracks. NFL free agency is buzzing, but there are few leagues with actual gameplay to watch.

To stay in the spirit of bracket season, I have constructed a 32-team bracket built to determine the most popular athlete in DC sports. Separated into four regions, each making up the four major teams, a favorite athlete can be narrowed down. Combined with the Wizards region are the ‘Wildcards,’ representing athletes from the non-major teams. The Wildcards are with the Wizards because NBA rosters hold 12-15 players, which would give a disproportionate amount of spots to Wizards players, compared to the roster sizes of the other three teams. Since there are other athletes in DC more deserving of a spot than the eighth-most liked player on the Wizards, the Wizards and Wildcards each take up four spots in their own region.

In addition, the eighth-seed in the Wizards/Wildcards region is blank, allowing you to insert any DC athlete of your choosing if one of your favorites is not already featured on the bracket.

The seeding is determined by social media following, more specifically Instagram. (Any players that do not have Instagram accounts were substituted with Twitter.) To reiterate, the seeding is NOT based on my own personal opinion, but rather based on how popular the player is on social media. I find this to be a better form of initially ranking as opposed to just randomly seeding. It shows which players are generally favorited compared to others, and any “upsets” could rightfully be considered such, as your own opinion would differ from the consensus.

Below I will be breaking down my own personal selections, but I’d love to hear your opinions. Feel free to share your thoughts in a comment on this post, or reach out to me on Twitter (@Joe_Poho) or Instagram (@joepoho). I may even publish some of the submissions. Happy bracketing!

First Round

‘Capitals’ region

(1) Alex Ovechkin vs. (8) John Carlson/(8) Lars Eller

Although Lars Eller will always hold a special place in Caps fans’ hearts for his go-ahead goal in the Stanley Cup-clinching Game 5 win, John Carlson has been the face of the defense for a long time now, and the American hockey players always get my extra support, so Carlson wins the “play-in” game for me. Ultimately, though, it doesn’t really matter.

Alex Ovechkin wins easily here. He’s been the face of the franchise, and one of the league’s few faces for close to 15 years now. He’ll go down as one of the all-time greats, and will be even more legendary if he can break the all-time goal scoring record. Though it came after years of pain, he finally delivered a championship to the Capitals for the first time in the team’s then-44 year history, and also the first for the entire city in over 25 years. Spoiler alert: he’s a strong contender for the “championship.” He is one of my all-time favorites. How could he not be?

Winner: (1) Alex Ovechkin

(4) Tom Wilson vs. (5) Nicklas Backstrom

This entire ‘Capitals’ region is extremely difficult for me to narrow down, as I love every player on this bracket, and this match-up is probably one of the hardest. Tom Wilson is hated by nearly every other fanbase, but his big hits that endeared fans have developed into top-line production. Other fanbases may not be able to get over his checkered past, but the reality is that at just 25, Wilson will soon have an even larger profile as the rest of the core ages around him. He may even be wearing the ‘C’ on his sweater one day.

But there’s no way I can knock out Nicklas Backstrom, not this early. A criminally underrated player across the league, Backstrom has appeared in just one All-Star Game, but has consistently been one of the league’s best passers. Him and Ovi have been partners in crime from the start, and the future Hall of Famer will always be an all-time favorite for me.

Winner: (5) Nicklas Backstrom

(3) TJ Oshie vs. (6) Jakub Vrana

TJ Oshie became a household name in the hockey world before he joined the Caps, as his shoot-out heroics in the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics helped vault Team USA past Russia in their group stage match-up. Once he got traded to the Caps in 2015, I was super excited to have this Olympic hero in DC. His work ethic and play-making on the ice combined with his personality off it make him an extremely likable player, and one of my personal favorites on the team.

Jakub Vrana is one of the young guns who will have a large stake in the future of the franchise. He helped the Caps win the Cup in 2018 as a rookie, scoring the first goal in the Game 5 clincher. The 24-year-old has elevated his play every season, and still has room to grow. He has an exciting future ahead, but it’s Oshie who overtakes him in this round.

Winner: (3) TJ Oshie

(2) Evgeny Kuznetsov vs. (7) Braden Holtby

Evgeny Kuznetsov is one of the bigger personalities on the team, and he played a major role in the Cup win. He looked like one of the best players in the world in that 2018 run, but he has never gotten back to that level. He’s been good, but after seeing his ceiling, there’s a bit of disappointment that he has not been otherworldly. Maybe expectations are too high, but his work ethic has been questioned by some. Still, he’s a franchise cornerstone and a fun player to watch.

In terms of personality, Braden Holtby is on the opposite end of the spectrum, and that’s not an insult. Holtby’s calm, reserved temperament is what keeps him so locked in on the ice. He has struggled at times this season, and this may very well be his final season in Washington, but he will always be the first one to backstop this franchise to glory, winning back the starting job to do so. He’s faced a ton of adversity in his career, but has been amongst the best in the league at his peak. It’s a tough call on this one, but I’ll give Holtby the slightest edge to ‘upset’ Kuzy.

Winner: (7) Braden Holtby

‘Nationals’ region

(1) Juan Soto vs. (8) Ryan Zimmerman/(8) Howie Kendrick

In a surprisingly difficult decision for a top-seed first round match-up, I must first decide between my childhood fan favorite, Ryan Zimmerman, and the 2019 playoff hero, Howie Kendrick. Kendrick’s bat gave the Nats their first playoff series win in team history, and the go-ahead home run in Game 7 of the World Series. Not to mention, he was the NLCS MVP. Zimmerman, on the other hand, is “Mr. National.” He was the team’s first draft pick when it moved to DC, and Zimmerman has been here every step of the way from the bottom-feeding early seasons to the Bryce Harper era disappointments, and finally the World Series championship. For the play-in game, it has to be Zim.

But that pits my childhood fan favorite against the new franchise face. Juan Soto played a massive role in the World Series run at just 20 years old (well, he turned 21 midway through the World Series). He can rake the ball like no one else, has incredible instincts at the plate, and has been improving his defense to become a more well-rounded player. He also has a massive personality that makes him so much fun to watch. At just 21, he’s already a World Series champion, and could very well make noise in the NL MVP race next season. This is just the beginning for Soto, and I can’t wait to see what’s in store. With apologies to Zim, Soto wins the match-up.

Winner: (1) Juan Soto

(4) Stephen Strasburg vs. (5) Trea Turner

While Zim has been there since the beginning, Stephen Strasburg has been there from the beginning of the new age. Stras came into the MLB as one of the most hyped prospects ever, and delivered in a legendary debut with a then-franchise record 14 strikeouts. We’re coming up on the 10 year anniversary of “Stras-mas,” and after a bumpy road, in which he’s dealt with injuries, and was labeled as a disappointment by some despite consistently being a top 10 pitcher in the National League, if not better, he was finally vindicated in October. He went 5-0 in the postseason to win World Series MVP. His arrival signaled a turnaround in the once-lowly franchise, and it was his play that secured a championship 10 years later.

Trea Turner is one of the team’s best positional players. He’s a solid hitter, performing well in the leadoff spot, and has wheels for legs. He’ll be relied on even more in 2020 after the departure of Anthony Rendon, and should be relied on as a core piece for the foreseeable future. As great as he is, Strasburg’s narrative has made him such a compelling story, and at 31, he still has potential for a late-career surge that could put him into the Hall of Fame conversation. A favorite of mine since he debuted nearly 10 years ago, Strasburg wins this round.

Winner: (4) Stephen Strasburg

(3) Sean Doolittle vs. (6) Adam Eaton

Sean Doolittle has been a rare bright spot in an otherwise embarrassing bullpen. Surprisingly, he has more of a social media following than guys like Turner, Victor Robles and Adam Eaton, but he’s as a good a relief pitcher as they come. He struggled at the end of the 2019 regular season, ceding the closing role to Daniel Hudson, but still came through big multiple times during the playoffs. He’s been a valuable piece for the past few years.

Eaton took awhile to take off in DC. The Nats traded their top pitching prospect, Lucas Giolito, in a package for Eaton’s services before the 2017 season, sacrificing a piece of the future in return for a solid two-way player (who was an All-Star the year before) to help them win now. An ACL tear in April 2017 ended his first season in Washington prematurely, and an ankle surgery hampered his 2018 season, giving him 118 games played across two seasons. Finally healthy in 2019, Eaton played 151 games and helped deliver DC a title. Neither are particularly big favorites of mine, but I give Eaton the edge because I like the fire he brings to the diamond every game.

Winner: (6) Adam Eaton

(2) Max Scherzer vs. (7) Victor Robles

Max Scherzer’s seven-year/$210 million contract that he signed with the team as a 30-year-old free agent in 2015 was considered one of the worst contracts at the time. Many believed the Nats were overpaying for an aging star that won his only Cy Young award two years before. Scherzer quickly proved them wrong. He has since been amongst the best pitchers in baseball, and has been a face of the franchise. I mentioned the fire Eaton brings to the field every game, but Scherzer dials that up by a million every time he takes the mound, earning him the moniker “Mad Max.” There is everything to like about a player like Scherzer, who is an absolute monster.

Robles, meanwhile, is just breaking on to the scene. He has brought stellar defense in center field, and decent hitting for an eighth/ninth batter. His bat sort of disappeared in the World Series, but following his first full season in the majors, there is a lot to be excited about for his development. He will be a valuable player for this franchise well after Scherzer finally hangs up the mitt, but there is no way that the most decorated player in Nationals history loses this early.

Winner: (2) Max Scherzer

I will go through the bottom half of the bracket in the next post, and eventually work my way to a Final Four and champion. Again, feel free to fill out the bracket for yourself and discover your own personal favorites.

(Cover Photo Credit: Jasen Vinlove/ USA Today Sports)

More depth moves for Redskins on first day of league year

By: Joe Pohoryles

The 2020 NFL league year officially started today at 4 pm EST. Contract negotiations have been allowed for the past few days in the “legal tampering” period, but the new season starts today. The Redskins did not make any big splashes to start the year, and saw more big names in positions of need sign elsewhere.

The team signed safety Sean Davis, running back J.D. McKissic, and re-signed linebacker Nate Orchard. Davis, a former second-round pick for the Pittsburgh Steelers, got a one-year/$5 million deal, and Orchard was brought back for one year as well (amount TBD). McKissic, the former Detroit Lion, received a two-year deal.

Orchard was brought in late last season, and garnered 14 tackles in five games. Orchard worked out for other teams as a free agent 10 times in 2019 before landing a deal in Washington. The 2015 second-round pick was installing windows before he got a chance with the burgundy and gold, and now he earned himself another season to contribute off the bench.

McKissic comes in as a receiving option from the backfield, putting longtime third down back Chris Thompson’s future in question. McKissic appeared in all 16 games for Detroit last season, garnering 205 rushing yards and 233 receiving yards and one touchdown on 34 receptions. His addition should be a welcome one. Adrian Peterson turns 35 in three days, Derrius Guice has been hampered by major injuries since being drafted in 2018, and Bryce Love is returning from a major knee injury of his own. Love has yet to appear in an NFL game. Bottom line, the Redskins’ backfield is full of question marks, so if McKissic can deliver, it will take more pressure off the early down backs.

Thompson will turn 30 in October, and appeared in all 16 games just once in his career, so with his age and injury history, it’s looking like the team will want to go younger with their receiving back. McKissic will turn 27 in August, and was able to nail down a consistent role in Detroit’s ever-changing backfield in 2019. He’ll be relied on as a safety valve for Dwayne Haskins Jr.

Davis adds more support for the secondary, but he has mixed reviews. A DC native and former Maryland Terrapin, Davis returns to his hometown to attempt to revive the secondary. Davis has been the Steelers’ starting free safety since the 2018 season, although he played just one game in 2019 after a Week 2 shoulder injury sidelined him for the rest of the year. He was the 39th-ranked safety by Pro Football Focus in 2018.

From what I’ve seen on Twitter, plenty of Steelers fans are happy to have him off their hands, but he seems to be a solid pass defender who is certainly an upgrade over incumbent Montae Nicholson, who has a slew of off-field issues to go with underwhelming play on the field. For just $5 million and one year, this is an extremely low risk move for a bounce-back candidate. You can’t be mad at it.

Hopefully the team is not done with the secondary. Contrary to what I said yesterday, the team reportedly looked into signing Desmond Trufant, but he ended up going to Detroit on a two-year/$21 million deal. Bashaud Breeland is still on the table, but as more time passes, fewer options will remain.

Tight end remains a gaping hole, and the team reportedly has interest in Delanie Walker. Walker is well-past his prime, and I personally believe Eric Ebron would be a much better option (at least at a reasonable price), but it will be interesting to see what it comes down to.

As for other targets still on the market, Emmanuel Sanders and Robby Anderson come to mind. The team still needs receiving help, and missed out on Amari Cooper, who turned down the Redskins to return to Dallas for slightly less money. Sanders turned 33 yesterday, and had 869 yards last season with the Denver Broncos and San Francisco 49ers. With Terry McLaurin entrenched as the top receiver, Sanders could be a valuable, productive veteran presence.

Anderson will be 27 in May, though he’s never topped 1,000 yards in a season. His career-high 914 yards came in 2017, so while he has talent, he may not be worth the price tag he could generate. The Redskins could use one or two proven veteran options to compensate for the youth of McLaurin, Kelvin Harmon and Steven Sims Jr. Cooper would have made the receiving corps much more lethal, and judging on the Houston Texans’ return for giving up DeAndre Hopkins, the Skins could have conceivably struck up a great deal for him.

While those top tier options are off the table, there are other options out there. The defense has received much of the attention early in free agency, so look for the offense to get some additions as the days go on.

(Cover Photo Credit: NBC Sports Washington)

Skins Free Agency Update

By: Joe Pohoryles

Piggybacking off of yesterday’s post about Austin Hooper and Ereck Flowers, I will continue to break down the Redskins’ signings (and missed chances), as there is not much else to cover in the sports’ world these days.

Since yesterday’s post, the Redskins have been a bit busier, but maybe not as much as fans were hoping/anticipating. The biggest impact move so far has brought back a familiar face. After being traded two years ago to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for quarterback Alex Smith, Kendall Fuller returns to DC with a four-year/$40 million deal.

Fuller made the game-sealing interception in the Super Bowl in February, and now cashes in with the team that drafted him. The Maryland native started just four games in 2019, playing in 11 total. He has not reached the same level of play as his final season with the Redskins in 2017, where he was the second-highest rated cornerback in the league according to Pro Football Focus.

With this signing, the team is hoping he can return to that level as one of the best slot corners in football. With the status of breakout corner Quinton Dunbar up in the air, the Redskins need to shore up a secondary headlined by safety Landon Collins. Dunbar requested to be traded or released on Feb. 10, so he may be shipped out soon.

Two free agent defensive backs that many fans felt would have been excellent additions/replacements are now off the market. Former Panthers corner James Bradberry signed with the New York Giants for a three-year/$45 million deal, and safety Tre Boston re-signed in Carolina for three years with an $18 million contract. Both played under Ron Rivera in Carolina, but neither will be reuniting with him in Washington.

Bradberry had three interceptions last season, and has been a fixture in Carolina’s secondary since his rookie year, which coincidentally came right after Josh Norman signed his five-year/$75 million deal in Washington. Bradberry even took Norman’s No. 24. He’s started every game that he’s played in his career, which is 60 out of a possible 64. He’s been as consistent as they come, and at just 26 years old, would have been a prime option.

But now he’s with a division rival. Maybe it’s telling that his former coach did not make any real move to sign him (at least based on what has been reported), but he certainly would have made a great addition. $15 million per year is an iffy price tag, but with “just” $32 million guaranteed, it probably would have been feasible. Doesn’t matter now.

Boston would have been an intriguing partner with Collins at safety, and his $6 million average annual value is a bargain, but Carolina kept their man. With these two no longer available, there are not many suitable options remaining in the secondary.

Xavier Rhodes and Desmond Trufant were both released recently in cap casualty moves by their respective teams, but with Fuller already signed to a decent-sized deal, it’s unlikely the Redskins would put up the money necessary. The team needs solid production from guys in their prime, which would rule out older, more expensive options like Chris Harris Jr. and Aqib Talib.

Ha Ha Clinton-Dix spent half a season with the Redskins in 2018 before joining the Chicago Bears last season, and could be a decent re-addition at the right price. Bashaud Breeland has also been mentioned as a guy who could make a homecoming. Neither are top-caliber, but plenty of mid-level options beyond these two are out there, and the Redskins should look to add one or two to solidify the secondary.

The Redskins did add depth elsewhere, signing guard Wes Schweitzer to a three-year/$13.5 million deal. The former Falcons guard may compete with Wes Martin for the starting left guard spot that Flowers left behind, but will more likely serve as a reserve guard who can fill in at center.

The Redskins also brought in some help to the linebacking core. They signed Kevin Pierre-Louis for one year on a $3.45 million deal. After spending his first three seasons with the Seattle Seahawks, Pierre-Louis has now bounced to his fourth team in the past four seasons. He will be nothing more than a depth player.

More notably, the team brought in 36-year-old former All-Pro linebacker Thomas Davis (terms TBA). Davis spent many years playing under Rivera in Carolina, and was a major leader on the defensive unit. He and Luke Kuechly spearheaded the defense of the 15-1 Panthers that made a Super Bowl run in 2015. After 13 seasons in Carolina, Davis spent last season with the Los Angeles Chargers, where he made 112 combined tackles, his most since 2013 (123). The man can still play, but he should play an even bigger role in the locker room. A Walter Payton Man of the Year, Davis will help Rivera establish the culture in DC. This is a move fans should be excited about.

There’s much more that needs to be done. The team still lacks a competent tight end, and the offensive line could use some more reinforcement. Really, any part of the team could be improved, so let’s hope there are some bigger impact moves in store.

(Cover Photo Credit: Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)

Skins miss out on Hooper, Flowers in first days of Free Agency

By: Joe Pohoryles

Two of the Redskins’ top free agent targets of the 2020 offseason have signed with other teams.

The Cleveland Browns made former Falcons TE Austin Hooper the highest-paid tight end in the league with a four-year, $44 million contract. Hooper posted 787 yards and six touchdowns on 75 receptions — all career-highs — across 13 games last season.

The Redskins are in deep need for tight ends. After former Pro Bowler Jordan Reed was released last month after years of injury-related issues, plus the retirement of Vernon Davis, an already-thin tight end group is now essentially non-existent.

Hooper and the Los Angeles Chargers’ Hunter Henry were two talented options in their prime entering the 2020 free agency period, but the Chargers placed their franchise tag on Henry three days ago, and now Hooper has a new team in Cleveland.

Nothing the Redskins could do about Henry, but it certainly appears they missed out on Hooper. That said, it appeared leading up to the signing that Cleveland was the front-runner. It was reported that Hooper labeled the Browns as “the leader,” so maybe he had no interest in going to Washington at all. Or it was purely based on who would offer the most money.

Hooper had a solid year as Matt Ryan’s third receiving option in Atlanta behind Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley, but I don’t know how comfortable I would be with the Skins throwing that much money his way. Of course, the scarcity of quality tight ends in today’s league, plus the lack of better options on the market certainly drove up the price for Hooper’s services, but $10-11 million per year is steep for a guy who isn’t the same type of play-maker as Travis Kelce or George Kittle.

Perhaps new head coach Kevin Stefanski will give Hooper an even bigger role in the Browns’ offense, as incumbent tight end David Njoku has struggled, but with Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry still in town (for now, anyway), it would be hard to imagine Hooper becoming the No. 1 option, unless he just totally clicks with quarterback Baker Mayfield.

The Redskins gave Reed a five-year/$50 million deal just four years ago, and we saw how that played out. Hooper is definitely less injury-prone than Reed, but maybe management wasn’t too eager to throw another massive deal at a tight end after just getting out of a bad one. Hooper was the best on the market, but is by no means the best in the league, and it may be best that the Redskins did not pay him that much.

Perhaps it was always Cleveland for Hooper, and the Skins never got a chance to talk to him anyway, but regardless it’s a missed opportunity, for better or worse. With Hooper no longer an option, tight end remains a massive hole, and as I mentioned, the remaining free agent options are not as enticing. There are not too many high-caliber tight ends still in their prime.

The best option is probably Eric Ebron, who is coming off a down-2019 after a 2018 Pro Bowl season with the Indianapolis Colts, where he posted career-highs in yards (750), receptions (66) and touchdowns (13). His 13 touchdowns led all tight ends, and was tied for second across the entire league with Green Bay’s Davante Adams, behind only Antonio Brown’s 15 in Pittsburgh.

This year, he fell back down to Earth, with 375 yards and three touchdowns on 31 receptions. Except for his 13 touchdowns in 2018, Ebron has never scored more than five touchdowns in a season. It’s worth mentioning that Ebron’s big 2018 season came with Andrew Luck under center, where Indy was a playoff team and arguably a Super Bowl dark horse. In 2019, Luck suddenly retired, and Jacoby Brissett was thrust into the starting quarterback role.

Brissett was not terrible, but he was downgrade from Luck, so that could partially account for Ebron’s drop in production. Dwayne Haskins Jr. is no Andrew Luck, but if the second-year QB can take a step forward in 2020, perhaps Ebron’s numbers would trend back up. Ebron is 27 years old, and has proven he can be a quality tight end when in the right situation. Does Washington give that to him?

The price tag will not be as high as Hooper’s, but certainly won’t be cheap. If the Redskins can’t strike up a deal with Ebron, then the remaining top free agents are Delanie Walker, who was just released by Tennessee and is coming off a season-ending ankle injury entering his age 36 season, and 33-year-old Jimmy Graham, who is coming off a couple underwhelming seasons in Green Bay. Vance McDonald and Tyler Eifert are slightly younger, yet lower quality options, and the Redskins will likely want to draft a tight end in 2020 to help carry the load, regardless of who they sign in free agency.

The other target they lost out on was offensive guard Ereck Flowers, who inked a three-year, $30 million deal with the Miami Dolphins. Flowers was drafted by the New York Giants ninth overall in the 2015 NFL draft, and struggled immensely as the team’s starting left tackle. He was soon passed off to Jacksonville, where he continued to struggle and was labeled a bust.

The Redskins gave him a chance with a one-year/$4 million, and shifted him inside to left guard, where he found his footing and turned his career around. With the uncertainty surrounding longtime starting left tackle Trent Williams, and the pending free agency of right guard Brandon Scherff, Flowers would have been great to re-sign to help keep the offensive line intact.

Instead, the Miami native gets a nice deal to return home and continue his upward trajectory, while Scherff received the Skins’ franchise tag, and Williams looks for trade destinations. There are other options on the open market, but reports say the Skins believe Wes Martin, a 2019 fourth-rounder out of Indiana, looks ready to take over as a starting guard. Martin played in nine games as a rookie, and started five.

Spotrac estimates the Redskins have $44-45 million in cap space, so signing both Hooper and Flowers would have committed nearly half of that to just two players. If Martin can step in, his minimal $837,702 cap hit will be a huge help in allowing the team to spend elsewhere.

The Redskins missed out on two major targets, but with other holes to fill and other potential trade targets out there, hopefully the team can make an effective splash.

This one would certainly be a start…

Bring Stefon Diggs home, and give Kirk Cousins his old starting left tackle back? Additional picks would need to be sorted out, but who says no?

(Cover Photo Credit: Chris Keane / AP)

NBA All-DMV Team

By: Joe Pohoryles

The DC area is a major source of young basketball talent, with many local high schools competing on the national stage and producing some of the best players for the next level. The best of the best manage to go to the NBA, where they represent the DMV no matter where they go.

Following yesterday’s NFL All-DMV Team, I have assembled the best active players who played in DC, Maryland or Virginia for high school basketball. In the same way that Fork Union players dominated the NFL team, former Oak Hill Academy players make up a large portion of the players from Virginia. Just like Fork Union, Oak Hill attracts players from all over the country, which can muddy the waters when it comes to true area natives.

In any case, the 12-man roster has an impressive collection of current players, and would likely be extremely competitive in today’s NBA (although it would not fit under the salary cap).

Starters:

G Terry Rozier, Hargrave (VA) / Charlotte Hornets

G Victor Oladipo, DeMatha (MD) / Indiana Pacers

F Rudy Gay, Archbishop Spalding (MD) / San Antonio Spurs

F Carmelo Anthony, Towson Catholic/Oak Hill (MD/VA) / Portland Trail Blazers

F Kevin Durant, Montrose Christian (MD) / Brooklyn Nets

Bench:

F Montrezl Harrell, Hargrave (VA) / LA Clippers

G JJ Redick, Cave Spring (VA) / New Orleans Pelicans

G Rajon Rondo, Oak Hill (VA) / Los Angeles Lakers

F Jeff Green, Northwestern (MD) / Houston Rockets

G Markelle Fultz, DeMatha (MD) / Orlando Magic

F Jerami Grant, DeMatha (MD) / Denver Nuggets

G Josh Hart, Sidwell Friends (DC) / New Orleans Pelicans

With the team dominated by Maryland and Virginia players, Josh Hart is the only DC representative because he is the only active NBA player who attended high school in DC, according to Basketball Reference. With the rest of the team, Maryland leads the way with seven, and Virginia is second with five. Carmelo Anthony played in both Maryland and Virginia, so he is counted for both.

On paper, this team has all the ingredients for a championship contender. Kevin Durant is a top five player in the league when healthy — arguably top three — and no team can win in today’s NBA without a top-tier player leading the way. Victor Oladipo is the perfect sidekick: an All-Star guard in his prime. Anthony is a former elite scorer who would complement Durant’s scoring ability nicely, and Terry Rozier’s play would likely be elevated by the stars around him.

Outside of the main core, every contending team needs the perfect mix of veteran leadership and young talent; this roster checks both boxes. Rudy Gay, Jeff Green and JJ Redick are all proven veteran producers. Montrezl Harrell is one of the best bench players in the NBA, and would be a fantastic sixth or seventh man. Rajon Rondo is a pass-first point guard that could be mixed in off the bench.

Markelle Fultz is rising from the depths of the “bust” label and has flashed tons of potential, and Jerami Grant and Hart are both solid, young depth guys on their respective teams. If salary cap weren’t an issue, this team could do some serious damage. (Rozier’s inflated contract is the biggest issue).

The team lacks a true center, but as basketball becomes more and more positionless, that shouldn’t be a major liability, as the talent should compensate.

DeMatha has the most representation on the roster, with three former Stags on the team, and Oak Hill and Hargrave have two each. The New Orleans Pelicans are the only team with two representatives with Redick and Hart, and none of these players currently play for the Wizards. Green played in Washington last season, but no one else has ever played for the organization.

Grant’s brother, Jerian, also played at DeMatha and was drafted by the Wizards 19th overall in the 2015 draft, but was traded to the New York Knicks on draft night. The Wizards landed Kelly Oubre, who was drafted 15th overall by the Atlanta Hawks. Jerian currently plays for the G League’s Capital City Go-Go.

Though none of these guys plays in DC today, they still represent the plethora of talent that DC, Maryland and Virginia have to offer.

(Cover Photo Credit: Durant- The MoCo Show; Anthony- Amazon.com; Oladipo- Amino Apps)

NFL All-DMV Team

By: Joe Pohoryles

In the Washington, D.C. Metro area (affectionately known as the DMV), NFL football is in two polar camps. The Baltimore Ravens were amongst the NFL’s best, and with 2019 MVP Lamar Jackson at the helm, look to contend for Super Bowls for at least the next few years. Meanwhile, the Washington Redskins are among the worst teams in football, and are perennially looking to claw their way back to the top.

However, DMV football is not limited to its two NFL franchises. The DC area’s presence can be felt across the league by the players who grew up here. Stefon Diggs’ catch in the “Minneapolis Miracle,” was celebrated not only in Minnesota, but also in Maryland, where the Vikings’ star receiver attended high school at Our Lady of Good Counsel in Olney, Md. 

Vernon Davis spent years in San Francisco as a star tight end, before making a brief Super Bowl-winning stop in Denver, followed by four final seasons with his hometown Redskins. Both Diggs and Davis grew up in the DMV, played college football for the University of Maryland and each developed their own successful careers. Davis retired after this season, but Diggs remains one of the best active players to come out of the DMV.

With this, I present the NFL All-DMV team, assembling the best active players from DC, Maryland and Virginia. The players were selected based on where they played high school football, so not all of them are necessarily born-and-raised in the area, but they still represent the DMV.

These are all active players, and do not include soon-to-be standouts like Chase Young (DeMatha) and Diggs’ brother, Trevon (Wootton/Avalon), who are both expected to be selected in the first round of the upcoming NFL draft.

Offense:

QB – Russell Wilson, Collegiate (VA) / Seattle Seahawks

RB – Carlos Hyde, Fork Union (VA) / Houston Texans

WR – Michael Thomas, Fork Union (VA) / New Orleans Saints

WR – Stefon Diggs, Good Counsel (MD) / Minnesota Vikings

WR – Zach Pascal, Wise (MD) / Indianapolis Colts

TE – Logan Thomas, Brookville (VA) / Detroit Lions

OL – Duane Brown, Hermitage (VA) / Seattle Seahawks

OL – Anthony Castonzo, Fork Union (VA) / Indianapolis Colts

OL – Donovan Smith, Owings Mill (MD) / Tampa Bay Buccaneers

OL – Morgan Moses, Fork Union/Meadowbrook (VA) / Washington Redskins

OL – Rob Havenstein, Linganore (MD) / Los Angeles Rams

Defense/Special Teams:

DE – Cameron Wake, DeMatha (MD) / Tennessee Titans*

DT – Jonathan Allen, Stone Bridge (VA) / Washington Redskins

DT – Jarran Reed, Hargrave (VA) / Seattle Seahawks

DE – Yannick Ngakoue, Friendship Collegiate (DC) / Jacksonville Jaguars*

OLB – Zach Brown, Wilde Lake/Hargrave (MD/VA) / Philadelphia Eagles*

ILB – Tremaine Edmunds, Dan River (VA ) /Buffalo Bills

OLB – Leonard Floyd, Hargrave (VA) / Chicago Bears

CB – Joe Haden, Friendly (MD) / Pittsburgh Steelers

CB – Kyle Fuller, Mount St. Joseph (MD) / Chicago Bears

S – Antoine Bethea, Denbigh (VA) / New York Giants

S – Rodney McLeod, DeMatha (MD) / Philadelphia Eagles

K/P – Michael Badgley, Fork Union (VA) / Los Angeles Chargers

Bench:

QB – Dwayne Haskins, Bullis (MD) / Washington Redskins

RB – Ty Johnson, Fort Hill (MD) / Detroit Lions

WR – DaeSean Hamilton, Mountain View (VA) / Denver Broncos

OL – Quinton Spain, Petersburg (VA) / Buffalo Bills

OL – Bobby Massie, Liberty Christian/Hargrave (VA) / Chicago Bears

DL – Shaq Lawson, Hargrave (VA) / Buffalo Bills

DL – Eddie Goldman, Friendship Collegiate (DC) / Chicago Bears

DB – Kareem Jackson, Fork Union (VA) / Denver Broncos

DB – Adrian Amos, Calvert Hall (MD) / Green Bay Packers

DB – Ronald Darby, Potomac (MD) / Philadelphia Eagles

K – Joey Slye, North Stafford (VA) / Carolina Panthers

*= current/pending free agent

Breaking down the representation by state/district, Virginia leads the way with 20. Maryland is second with 13, and DC has two. (Zach Brown played in both Maryland and Virginia, so he’s counted as one for both states).

When it comes to NFL teams, the Chicago Bears lead the way with four. The Seattle Seahawks, Buffalo Bills and Washington Redskins each have three. (The Eagles would also have three, but Brown was released mid-season).

Looking at the team as a whole, this team could wreak havoc in the NFL. Michael Thomas just broke the single-season reception record and won Offensive Player of the Year, and Russell Wilson was an MVP contender at quarterback. The offensive line is tricky, as all five starters are technically tackles, but the individual talent is there.

On defense, the loaded front seven looks absolutely scary, and a secondary led by All-Pros Joe Haden and Kyle Fuller would keep opposing receivers on lockdown. The only real weakness appears to be special teams; while Michael Badgley is a fine kicker, there’s no real punter. Tight end is scarce as well. Davis would have likely been the option here, but he’s no longer active.

A big reason for the swell of talent, especially from Virginia, is thanks to Fork Union Military Academy, which you can see is well-represented on this list. While states like California, Florida and Texas churn out the most NFL talent year after year, it’s Fork Union that has sent the most players to the NFL all-time, with 70. Fork Union also has 14 active alumni in the NFL, according to Pro Football Reference, which is behind only St. Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale (15). Fork Union isn’t the only local powerhouse, however, as both Hargrave and DeMatha are among the top 10 schools nationally when it comes to producing the most NFL players all-time.

What makes Fork Union tricky, though, is their program attracts top players from all over the country, not just the DMV. For example, Thomas spent just one season playing at Fork Union through their one-year post-graduate program. Perhaps the Los Angeles native is not the best representative of DMV football players, but based on the parameters I laid out, he fits. As does Carlos Hyde, who played high school ball in Ohio and Florida before taking a detour at Fork Union.

Perhaps the Fork Union players can be taken with a grain of salt, but Wilson grew up in Richmond despite being born in Cincinnati. Cameron Wake is one of the best pass-rushers of his generation, and he was born in Beltsville, Md. Even with the Fork Union boost, true DMV natives can still be found amongst the NFL’s best.

The Ravens may be on the rise, and the Redskins really have nowhere else to go but up, but the DC Metro area remains an underrated hot bed for individual NFL talent, and the All-DMV team should prove just that.

(Cover Photo Credit: Diggs- Jim Stout; Ngakoue- 247 Sports)

Well This Sucks

By: Joe Pohoryles

The past 24 hours have been unfathomable.

Last night, I watched as my school, Boston University, won the Patriot League basketball championship, clinching their first NCAA tournament appearance since 2011. I could not wait to fill my brackets with BU upsets through the first round, and rooting hard for them on the national stage.

I could not wait to root for my childhood team, the University of Maryland, and see them (hopefully) make a deep run. Now, neither will occur, as March Madness has been canceled.

Who knows if I’ll even get a chance to watch my team play in the tournament as a student. I only have three more chances, and it may take another nine years to get back. Maybe more. Either way, my “loss” pales in comparison to the actual players who fought so hard to get back there. They deserve better than this. Every player on every team does.

Besides basketball, the Patriot League’s spring sports have been canceled, too. As has the Ivy League. So has Duke University and the University of Kansas. More will follow.

The NBA, NHL, MLS and MLB have all suspended their seasons, and the NFL’s status is still in limbo as of right now. The sports world is in the beginning of an unprecedented standstill. What is normally among the best months in sports has quickly become a nightmare.

It’s pretty impossible to place blame on any person or organization. It’s a public health crisis — one that has already impacted notable people in the sports and entertainment industry — which will take weeks, even months, to settle down. As a sports fan, this is by far one of the worst, most bizarre days in history.

It seems we will have to find other ways to entertain ourselves. You can find me heading to YouTube and binging all the March Madness highlights I can find. I urge everyone out there to fire up their PlayStations and Xboxes to simulate the rest of the NBA season on 2K. Hell, I may dust off the old Wii and go hit some dingers with Mario Super Sluggers, for old time’s sake.

The world does not make sense right now, in the sense of sports or otherwise. There is no way to predict how things will progress because of how unprecedented these actions are. All we can do is hope things will return to normal sooner rather than later.

Top Performers at Nats’ Spring Training

By: Joe Pohoryles

In just 16 days, the Washington Nationals officially begin their World Series defense at Citi Field against the New York Mets. While the team results at spring training mean little (if at all) to the team’s success in the regular season, the individual performances often reveal how the veterans will look to begin the season, and also which minor leaguers may soon receive a call-up.

After 15 games of spring training, the Nats are 5-10, ahead of only the Pittsburgh Pirates in the Grapefruit League. Despite the poor overall performance, several players have stood out in the best way.

Looking at guys key to the World Series run, Juan Soto is coming in right as he left off. He is the only player with more than one home run (albeit he just got his second today), and he leads the team with seven RBI. He has seven hits in 20 at bats (.350 AVG) to go with a .552 OBP and 1.352 OPS. The team will have to compensate for the loss of Anthony Rendon, so it’s encouraging to see Soto already stepping up offensively.

Looking elsewhere, postseason hero Howie Kendrick’s batting looks sharp as usual. He has six hits in 19 ABs (.316); for someone who will turn 37 this season, that’s great to see. Adam Eaton has done well in a smaller sample size (4-for-11), as has newcomer Eric Thames (3-for-11).

The biggest concerns at the plate among the big league regulars are Asdrúbal Cabrera, who brought great two-way play during the title run but has just three hits in 19 ABs (.158), and Trea Turner, who has just five hits in 22 ABs. Starlin Castro (1-for-22), the expected everyday second baseman, is perhaps the biggest concern at the plate, so hopefully he can get out of this slump by Opening Day.

Victor Robles, who will be relied on to make a jump on offense this season, has one hit in nine ABs, and Carter Kieboom and Michael A. Taylor have been relatively underwhelming with six hits in 27 ABs each.

The bigger red flag for Kieboom is in the field, where he has the worst fielding percentage on the team with .864 (min. 10 total chances). Pegged to replace Rendon at third base, it’s clear Kieboom — a natural shortstop and experienced second baseman — is struggling to adjust. He has three errors in 12 games, and could prove to be a liability if thrust into the every day role too quickly.

2019 Fielding Percentage data among qualified 3B (min. 110 games)

Kieboom’s sample size is much smaller than the rest of the players on this list, so the numbers are not totally comparable, but Kieboom’s struggle is evident. (Table by Joe Pohoryles; Data from ESPN)

Looking at some of the smaller names that have made a positive impact, 19-year-old infield prospect Luis Garcia is 9-for-21 at the plate, and his 1.052 OPS makes him the only player besides Soto with an OPS north of 1.000 (min. 15 ABs).

The soon-to-be 35-year-old switch-hitter, Emilio Bonifacio, has eight hits in 26 ABs, and is tied for second on the team in RBI with four. Third baseman Jacob Wilson, who hit .310 and 15 dingers in 55 games with Triple-A Fresno last season, has six hits in just 12 ABs.

Looking at pitchers, the team knows what it has in Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg and Patrick Corbin. None of them have pitched much this spring, but Scherzer does have 10 strikeouts in 6.1 innings pitched.

Aníbal Sánchez has pitched more than anyone, with 9.0 IP. He’s allowed three runs and two walks to go with 8 Ks. The three front runners for the fifth rotation spot — Erick Fedde, Joe Ross and Austin Voth — have each fared well in around seven innings pitched each. Each has allowed fewer than seven hits and three runs. Voth even has one win to his name. The sample size is small, but to see more than one viable option for the fifth starter play well is an encouraging sign for the staff.

Spring Training stats from potential fifth starters

Erick Fedde, Joe Ross and Austin Voth have each churned out similar numbers in essentially the same number of innings, although Voth has narrowly looked the best. Voth has allowed just one run despite allowing the most hits of the three, and has struck out six in 7.0 IP. (Infographic by Joe Pohoryles; Data collected from ESPN)

On the bad side, neither Sean Doolittle nor Daniel Hudson have pitched well at all, although their sample sizes are even smaller. Neither has pitched more than three innings, but Doolittle has allowed three runs, and Hudson has allowed six.

The bullpen has been the team’s weakness for years now, but it is expected to improve with Doolittle and Hudson at the helm along with new signing Will Harris, who has yet to appear this spring. To see the former two struggle is disappointing, but they may very well settle into things once they start seeing consistent innings.

Of the less heralded names on the pitching staff, James Bourque has stuck out. The 26-year-old struck out three today to move his spring total to 11 Ks, which leads the team (and he’s pitched as many innings as Scherzer). He’s allowed three hits, two runs, including one home run.

His first and only major league appearance was last season, and it was memorable in the wrong sense. In just 0.2 IP on May 26 against the Miami Marlins, Bourque allowed four runs on three hits, and walked two to give himself a 54.00 ERA and 7.50 WHIP. It didn’t cost the team much (they still won 9-6), but if Bourque gets another opportunity in The Show, he can’t do much worse.

There are still 13 spring games left, so there’s still time for offseason concerns to be addressed, but Opening Day is approaching quick, so it will be worth watching what decisions come before then.

(Cover Photo Credit: NBC Sports Washington)