ESPN: The confusing plan of the Nationals

[hammondsnats]

I hope not.

haha may God help us all if that's the case. 

[imref]

i'm putting ESPN on ignore.

[Minty Fresh]

It's not that hard for me to do, since all they do is talk about the NBA.  It's disgusting how they started pimping that failing league as soon as they got the TV contract. 

+1

I usually only check them out for NFL news because they actually do a decent job of following the NFL but their shameless plugging of the NBA nauseates me.

[PANatsFan]

I understand everyone's frustration.  But I don't blame Rizzo or the Lerners.  This isn't basketball where you sign one guy and change the whole dynamic.  This organization was in an awful position when it moved to DC.  The biggest mistake the Lerners made was not dealing with Bowden.  But now that Rizzo's in charge, he has a strategy and it just takes time to turn a ship that was in this bad of shape.

What should Rizzo / Lerners have done differently?  They couldn't make Texiera take their offer.  They couldn't make Lee sign.  They couldn't make Grienke approve a trade.  There is no magical answer out there.  There is absolutely nothing Rizzo can do to turn 2011 into a .500 season without mortgaging the future.  Someone tell me something that they should have done this offseason to dramatically improve without mortgaging the future....

Sanity, sir, has returned. Post more often!

[Evolution33]

Sanity, sir, has returned. Post more often!

Sanity is one thing I take a firm stance against.

[imref]

It's not that hard for me to do, since all they do is talk about the NBA.  It's disgusting how they started pimping that failing league as soon as they got the TV contract. 

did any of you guys catch Andy and Steve talking about the biggest stories in the D.C. area this year.  They almost entirely focused on McNabb, i'd argue Strasburg was a much much bigger story.

[NatsDad14]

did any of you guys catch Andy and Steve talking about the biggest stories in the D.C. area this year.  They almost entirely focused on McNabb, i'd argue Strasburg was a much much bigger story.

McNabb was the bigger story. No one in DC cares for the Nats except 20 people. Everyone cares about the Skins.

[Kevrock]

McNabb was the bigger story. No one in DC cares for the Nats except 20 people. Everyone cares about the Skins.

I don't care about the Skins.

And actually, people who don't care about the Nats cared about Strasburg. Strasburg was the hot ticket, the next cool thing, the event in the city.

The Strasburg injury set back the Nats years in terms of fan interest in this city. I wonder what the buzz is like when he comes back.

[Evolution33]

I don't care about the Skins.

And actually, people who don't care about the Nats cared about Strasburg. Strasburg was the hot ticket, the next cool thing, the event in the city.

The Strasburg injury set back the Nats years in terms of fan interest in this city. I wonder what the buzz is like when he comes back.

Strasburgs birth and debut will be nothing compared to the resurrection. Books will be written that focus on the resurrection and a new world wide religion will be formed.

[NeedaNewNick]

this franchise won 83 in 2003, and 81 in 2005, the Lerners have made things far worse than they needed to be

the biggest disaster was opening a new stadium with a bargain basement team featuring Lastings Milledge and the lowest paid manager in the league who was not qualified to coach in the California Penal League

[HalfSmokes]

Strasburgs birth and debut will be nothing compared to the resurrection. Books will be written that focus on the resurrection and a new world wide religion will be formed.

Hopefully he doesn't ascend after another five startscand leave us waiting 2000 years for his return

[NatsDad14]

What a stupid statement.  I guess the 45,000 people in the stadium that night didn't care?  That's comparable to the size of the terrible crowd at the last home game McNabb will ever start as a Redskin.  Oh and by the way, Strasburg won more games than he lost.  McNabb finished his awful Redskins career 5-8.

No one is arguing who was the better player. I don't think you want to talk about attendance considering the Nationals got something like 20000-25000 in Strasburg's last home game. For all the buzz he got, it died down considerably very quickly.

[imref]

No one is arguing who was the better player. I don't think you want to talk about attendance considering the Nationals got something like 20000-25000 in Strasburg's last home game. For all the buzz he got, it died down considerably very quickly.

in D.C., among sports fans, the McNabb trade was a bigger deal.  Nationally, and among casual fans, Strasburg was a much bigger deal.  Everywhere I went this summer with a Nats hat on someone asked me about Strasburg.  Andy and Steve did agree that Strasburg's debut was the top moment in D.C. sports this year.  I think Polin had Strasburg as his D.C. athlete of the year while Czaban said it was Ovi.

[imref]

I don't care about the Skins.

And actually, people who don't care about the Nats cared about Strasburg. Strasburg was the hot ticket, the next cool thing, the event in the city.

The Strasburg injury set back the Nats years in terms of fan interest in this city. I wonder what the buzz is like when he comes back.

I expect that opening day 2012, with Strasburg on the mound, Norris behind the plate, Werth in center, and Harper in right will be the biggest event in D.C. sports since the Redskins won their last title; if only the game ends on a Zimmerman walk-off.

[hammondsnats]

the nats are worse than the redskins, come on now.  at least the redskins have finished .500 and above .500 within the last 5 seasons.

[UMDNats]

the nats are worse than the redskins, come on now.  at least the redskins have finished .500 and above .500 within the last 5 seasons.

worse, yes, but at least the nats have some things to be excited about. skins don't have much

[PANatsFan]

the nats are worse than the redskins, come on now.  at least the redskins have finished .500 and above .500 within the last 5 seasons.

Playoffs! Are you kidding me, playoffs?

[hammondsnats]

worse, yes, but at least the nats have some things to be excited about. skins don't have much

sorry but another possible 90-100 loss season isn't anything to get excited about imo.

Playoffs! Are you kidding me, playoffs?

they were in the playoffs in 07, nats haven't been.

[PANatsFan]

sorry but another possible 90-100 loss season isn't anything to get excited about imo.

they were in the playoffs in 07, nats haven't been.

Really? I guess I can't read my own cap that reads NFL Playoffs 2007.

[imref]

the nats are worse than the redskins, come on now.  at least the redskins have finished .500 and above .500 within the last 5 seasons.

Redskins winning percentage last two years:  .281 (assuming a 5-11 finish)

Nationals: .364

[hammondsnats]

Really? I guess I can't read my own cap that reads NFL Playoffs 2007.

i guess you can't.  get your eyes fixed

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Strasburgs birth and debut will be nothing compared to the resurrection. Books will be written that focus on the resurrection and a new world wide religion will be formed.

Eastras?

[NatsDad14]

Redskins winning percentage last two years:  .281 (assuming a 5-11 finish)

Nationals: .364

Since the Nats have come:
Playoff Appearances:
Skins: 2
Nats: 0

.500+ seasons:
Skins: 3
Nats: 1

Winning seasons:
Skins: 2
Nats: 0

Seasons with the worst record:
Skins: 0
Nats: 2

[hammondsnats]

Since the Nats have come:
Playoff Appearances:
Skins: 2
Nats: 0

.500+ seasons:
Skins: 3
Nats: 1

Winning seasons:
Skins: 2
Nats: 0

Seasons with the worst record:
Skins: 0
Nats: 2

thank you

[PatsNats28]

the nats are worse than the redskins, come on now.  at least the redskins have finished .500 and above .500 within the last 5 seasons.

I would rather be a Nationals fan than a Redskins fan... we're going up and they're going down.