D.C. Sports Bog - By The Washington Post's Dan Steinberg - March 8, 2009

Wale to Caps Game

(Photoshop again taken from All Things Go.) Wale, the DMV's favorite rapper and the musician most likely to use Alex Ovechkin's name in a rap, is going to his first Caps game tonight. It's being live-blogged at Metallungies and on Wale's site, and Wale and Ovechkin/Mike Green are supposed...

By Dan Steinberg | March 14, 2009; 4:41 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Caps
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How Gary Williams Motivated the Terps

"I was surprised when Coach Williams brought up the idea that we had to win two," Dave Neal told John Feinstein on Thursday night. "He had T-shirts made up for us that were in our lockers after practice on Monday. I guess we knew then he was serious." And...

By Dan Steinberg | March 13, 2009; 11:12 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Atlantic 11 , College Basketball
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Gary-Greivis Passion Play Continues

So after American wins its NCAA tournament play-in game, Maryland follows suit. Pretty good win for Ohio State today, too. What a day for the colleges of Gary Williams. With his players now having ensured that the headline for the '08-'09 season will be no worse than "Scrappy Maryland...

By Dan Steinberg | March 13, 2009; 10:04 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Atlantic 11 , College Basketball , Terps
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Eastern Motors Makes SportsCenter

And this, ladies and gentlemen, is why you give free cars to local athletes for several years while people ask "What the heck is with all of those weird commercials?" Because I don't know how much it costs to buy national advertising on ESPN for a D.C.-area car dealer, but...

By Dan Steinberg | March 13, 2009; 3:46 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Caps , Media , Redskins , Terps , Wizards
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New WPL Host: Ivan Carter

Just a week before Washington Post Live celebrates its two-year anniversary on Comcast SportsNet comes word that a new man will take over the host's seat. Who is it? None other than The Post's Wizards beat writer Ivan Carter, who has twice filled in for Russ Thaler as guest...

By Dan Steinberg | March 13, 2009; 1:45 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (15)
Categories: Media , Wizards
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Gary + Greivis 4evr

By Kevin C. Cox - Getty. In his post-game remarks tonight, I heard Greivis Vasquez say at least twice that the Terps "have one of the best coaches in the country." Seriously, that guy can't eat a slice of bread these days without blurting out something or other in...

By Dan Steinberg | March 12, 2009; 10:04 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (11)
Categories: Atlantic 11 , College Basketball , Terps
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Redskins.com on the Haynesworth Indictment

As we all know, Redskins.com has proved an invaluable source for unfiltered breaking Redskins news in recent years, free of all the junior varsity mayhem provided by the mainstream media. And yet, due to what I can only assume was an administrative oversight, neither the news feed (Roster Review: Defensive...

By Dan Steinberg | March 12, 2009; 5:12 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (9)
Categories: Media , Redskins
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Virginia Tech Puts Scare Into NIT Fans

(By Dave Martin - AP) "Winning beats the crap out of losing," Seth Greenberg apparently said today, after winning. Maybe. But I'm mighty concerned that the Hokies might get too used to winning this week. So there's teams in the NIT, right? If things go right, up to six...

By Dan Steinberg | March 12, 2009; 3:59 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Atlantic 11 , College Basketball
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Jim Zorn Sells Great Tickets

A colleague excitedly told me that Jim Zorn had personally invited him to become a Redskins season ticket holder earlier this week. Turns out he's personally inviting a whole bunch of people, though not yet me, unfortunately. Even if he's not personally inviting you, though, you can watch this...

By Dan Steinberg | March 12, 2009; 1:38 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Media , Redskins
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Andy O. Spins Classic Skins Stories

Andy O., Sonny, Frank, Sam. Like everyone else in this town, I've made my share of "D.C. is a lousy sports town!!1!1!" cracks, but the place does have its charms. One of the charms is that small group of longtime D.C. sports personalities which sometimes gathers to tell stories...

By Dan Steinberg | March 12, 2009; 12:14 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Media , Redskins
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About Those Dutch Baseball Fans

Dutch baseball, on Mount Olympus. (By Andres Leighton - AP) I went to one baseball game at the Olympics. It was the U.S. vs. the Netherlands, and the U.S. won in controversial fashion after massive amounts of rain and sitting around. Currrent Nat prospect Shairon Martis took the loss....

By Dan Steinberg | March 12, 2009; 10:38 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (9)
Categories: MLB , Olympics
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Caps Fans Honor Don Cherry

Enough of all those items about Caps fans antagonizing Pens fans, and Pens fans responding with saliva-spewing vitriol. I've neglected the items about Caps fans antagonizing Don Cherry! Here's a shrine from a recent game that was built by the Caps Fan Club. It's kind of hard to see,...

By Dan Steinberg | March 12, 2009; 9:52 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Caps , Morning Look
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American Eagles, and American Idol

An American Idol. (By Kevin Winter - Getty) During the American basketball team's media availability this afternoon, a few players were asked how much college basketball they've been watching lately, with their school on spring break and the Patriot League final not until Friday. Brian Gilmore and Derrick Mercer...

By Dan Steinberg | March 11, 2009; 5:37 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Atlantic 11 , College Basketball
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Danny Being Danny

You've heard the talk. We've all heard the talk. That the Redskins sign free agents primarily to sell their jerseys. That the Redskins will charge premium prices for Archuleta chaff. That a trip to FedEx is like a trip to the mall, except the Dippin' Dots cost more and you'll...

By Dan Steinberg | March 11, 2009; 4:05 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Redskins
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Boze Hits the Postseason

(By Jonathan Newton - TWP) With Morgan State poised to open its MEAC tournament tonight and validate its win at Maryland by going to the big mazurka, this is apparently the day to write in praise of Todd Bozeman. Rick Maese in the Baltimore Sun lays out the case...

By Dan Steinberg | March 11, 2009; 1:31 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (8)
Categories: Atlantic 11 , College Basketball
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Wizards and the Chase for History

Farzan Ahmed from Bangladesh and two others are sworn in as U.S. citizens during halftime eight years ago this week. (By Joel Richardson - TWP) I'm going to go ahead and disagree with my colleague Ivan Carter, whose recent Wiz story focused on the 1961-'62 Chicago Packers as the...

By Dan Steinberg | March 11, 2009; 12:41 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Wizards
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Gary Williams Breaks Coaching Rule

When I wrote about the American playoff beards, I left out what should have been the ending of the item. "If we go back to the tournament, if we're lucky enough to go back, I'm going to shave my head," Nick Hendra told me, "and just leave this [beard]." Then...

By Dan Steinberg | March 11, 2009; 10:37 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Atlantic 11 , College Basketball , Terps
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Went to a Fight Last Night; Hockey Game Broke Out

(By Frederick Breedon - AP) So say you were trying to explain to a friend in one sentence what they missed by watching American Idol instead of the Caps game last night. Tough to do without mentioning the word "fight." Or let's say you wandered over to this Web...

By Dan Steinberg | March 11, 2009; 10:01 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Caps , Morning Look
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Georgetown Completes Collapse

(By Chris McGrath - Getty) Questions about the Hoyas, following Monday's freefall out of the Big East Tournament. 1) Remember when the season started, and Georgetown was unanimous on top of the Atlantic 11 just about every week? And when I wrote this: "Barring some major meltdown or an...

By Dan Steinberg | March 10, 2009; 5:21 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (9)
Categories: Atlantic 11 , College Basketball
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How Ovechkin Joined Eastern Motors

I mentioned this on my chat, but Alex Ovechkin's Eastern Motors spot has done gangbusters traffic in its two days of Internet existence. More than 24,000 views. The No. 3 most viewed autos and vehicles video of the day (No. 1 in Canada!). The 19th most viewed overall video in...

By Dan Steinberg | March 10, 2009; 4:45 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Caps
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Jason Bergmann on Pitch Counts and Existential Despair

Bergmann, early in the Spring. (By Gary Bogdon) One of the last interviews I conducted before I left Viera was with pitcher Jason Bergmann, who had proved willing to provide sarcastic responses to virtually any question I asked while in Florida. Somehow, that made me think that I should...

By Dan Steinberg | March 10, 2009; 3:38 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (6)
Categories: Nats
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D.C. Armor Media Day

He's an Armor. Or an Arm. Or whatever. (2004 photo by John McDonnell - TWP) I actually didn't make it to D.C. Armor Media Day this morning, instead choosing to sit at my desk and stare at this computer screen. Still, it's worth noting that the team has everything...

By Dan Steinberg | March 10, 2009; 2:13 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Minor League Football
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Penguins Fans and You

Look, this self-referential biz gets old pretty quick, but just to set the record straight: 1) I think the Crosby pacifiers and their like are mildly funny, completely harmless, and great for the Caps, the Pens, NBC, the NHL and every blog in the universe, plus their associated Twitter...

By Dan Steinberg | March 10, 2009; 1:38 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (57)
Categories: Caps
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Maynor Wears Title Belt While Snipping Net

(By Steve Helber - AP) Hmm, what was that around Eric Maynor's waist as he snipped his piece of CAA championship net last night? Oh yeah, it was his personal championship belt, presented last week. That just has to be the goofiest gimmick going in March Madness--yeah, goofier than...

By Dan Steinberg | March 10, 2009; 12:31 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Atlantic 11 , College Basketball
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Caps, Skins, Nats Go Green

I guess these must be based on the historically large population of Irish immigrants who have long called Washington home. Either that, or it's a way to make a buck. Not sure why no one's thought to launch a line of President's Day apparel, featuring the side-by-side portraits of...

By Dan Steinberg | March 10, 2009; 10:54 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (8)
Categories: Caps , Nats , Redskins
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Ben Bernanke Slams the Nats

Noted briefly * Fed chairman Ben Bernanke, speaking at the Council on Foreign Relations this morning, when asked when the recession would end. "My forecasting record," he said, "is about the same as the win-loss record of the Washington Nationals." Wow. That's a gut-shot to the Nats, but probably an...

By Dan Steinberg | March 10, 2009; 9:36 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (6)
Categories: Caps , Nats , Redskins
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My Favorite Caps Fans Ever

Let me just put it this way: did Kornheiser ever have a family of four wearing HIS name on their sweaters just a few rows in front of the hockey press box at the Verizon Center? Are there a lot of El-Bashir old-school Caps jerseys running around town? Yeah,...

By Dan Steinberg | March 10, 2009; 8:53 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Caps , Media , Morning Look
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Local Poll Week XVII: (Mid)Major DC

Radford loves VMI. (Photo by Don Petersen - AP; logo and editing by Ian Oland - Atlantic 11 Media) Conventional wisdom holds that this has been a horrific year for D.C.-area college basketball. But I'd say that's only if you're talking BCS-conference D.C.-area college basketball. Sure, throw the Atlantic...

By Dan Steinberg | March 9, 2009; 5:16 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (16)
Categories: Atlantic 11 , College Basketball
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David Stern on Ovechkin, Gilbert's Blog and Bandwagons

Before this afternoon's Abe Pollin lunch, David Stern spent about 45 minutes talking to various local media outlets about things like the economy and the Wizards' descent into the wilderness of despair. Cheerful stuff, in other words. I tried to ask him about the debate between Ovechkin the showman and...

By Dan Steinberg | March 9, 2009; 3:38 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Caps , Wizards
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Abe Pollin, David Stern and George Washington

As guests like Ted Leonsis and David Stern lunched on salmon ceviche in cucumber barquettes and spring lambchops with artichokes and lemon, Abe Pollin was inducted into the George Washington University School of Business Sports Executives Hall of Fame today. He joined Ted Lerner and Jerry Reinsdorf, among others. Apparently...

By Dan Steinberg | March 9, 2009; 2:06 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (7)
Categories: Wizards
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Adam Dunn Makes People Laugh

(By Mike Cassese - Reuters) "It was an 87 mph fastball thrown by a 25-year-old Venezuelan right-hander who's never sniffed the major leagues," Amy Nelson wrote for ESPN.com this morning. "And when Adam Dunn saw it, he smoked it, and then a small smirk pursed his lips as he...

By Dan Steinberg | March 9, 2009; 11:15 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (7)
Categories: Nats
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About Those Sidney Crosby Pacifiers

The last time the Penguins came to town, I highlighted some of the anti-Crosby pranking carried on in the stands. That, though, was before Crosby and Ovechkin had their run-in and mild verbal scuffle, which caused Caps fans to take things to a whole 'nother level. Crosby has zoomed...

By Dan Steinberg | March 9, 2009; 10:36 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (24)
Categories: Caps , Wizards
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See Ovechkin Sing the Easterns Jingle

If you had asked me four days ago to name 10 developments that would be locked-and-loaded D.C. Sports Bog magic with no questions asked, "Alex Ovechkin singing the Eastern Motors" jingle would probably have been about seventh on the list, right ahead of "Gary Williams and Greivis Vasquez admit...

By Dan Steinberg | March 8, 2009; 9:39 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (13)
Categories: Caps , Redskins
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D.C. Sports Bog: March 8, 2009 - March 14, 2009