DMV Sports Vol. 1

DMV Sports Vol. 1

Long live the spring. Not only do we have four sports currently in rotation but it’s also nice outside. About damn time.

Welcome to the first edition of DMV Sports. This column will cover all of your DMV Sports needs.

Let’s start with the playoffs. ‘Cause face it dogs and doggettes, ain’t nothing like the playoffs.

Both the Capitols and the Wizards are playing extra games vying for a championship in their respective league.

NBA Hall-of-Famer Charles Barkley called them “The dumbest team in the history of civilization,” guard DeShawn Stevenson called quite arguably the best player the league has seen in years “overrated,” and yet the Wizards could not defeat the Cavaliers on Saturday afternoon in Cleveland, as the Cavs now lead the series 1-0 on a 93-86 victory. To make matters worse, Stevenson was one for nine from the floor on just three points. The man he called overrated, LeBron James, scored 32. Total humiliation or what? DC fans, the Wizards are comprised of three superstar talents: Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler, and Antawn Jamison. For Stevenson to go out and call one of the top five players in the league “overrated” is completely unacceptable at all aspects. Now don’t get me wrong, James did something two years ago to Gilbert Arenas that fans will not forget. Arenas had a chance to tie and win the game with free throws, before James came up to him and told Arenas, “If you miss this. It’s over.” With that said, one shouldn’t blame Stevenson too much, however there is some thing that are better left not said. Game Two will also be played Monday, hopefully the Wiz can come through and get the victory before they head back to DC for Game Three and Four matchups on Thursday and next Sunday at the Verizon Center.

Baseball in DC has been a disappointment thus far as the Nationals, who started on a three-game winning streak to open the year, are now 5-14. The Nationals failed to sell-out just their second game at Nationals Park, the new 44,000 seat stadium by the Anacostia River. Pope Benedict XVI’s mass on Thursday at the new stadium attracted more visitors than any Nationals game played during the second week of the season, when they returned to Nationals Park and went 1-5 versus the Marlins and the Braves. What’s going on DC? Anyways, in the mean time, Manny Acta better get his managing skills up, and if the Nationals want to win some games, they need to get someone to hit. Cristian Guzman is the team’s leading hitter, hitting .304, and in the past he has batted sub .250 in two seasons with the Nationals since ‘04. Unfortunately for ace Odalis Perez, who carries a 3.38 ERA early in this season, has gone winless due to the poor hitting that the Nationals have received thus far. Things can only look up, sitting in 4th place in the NL East is not a dungeon like other divisions in baseball. I expect this team to start picking it up, and picking it up soon. Watch out for outfielder Lastings Milledge, only 22, he is a star waiting to shine, people. He has drawn comparisons to a young Barry Bonds (not steroid Barry Bonds either, I’m talking about when he was on the Pirates).

Check back tomorrow for news on the Orioles and things to watch this week!