D.C. Sports Bog - By The Washington Post's Dan Steinberg - January 3, 2010

Jamison speaks from the heart

(By Toni L. Sandys - TWP) You don't often see emotional post-game interviews following regular-season NBA games in mid-January. Friday night was different. With almost all the remnants of Gilbert Arenas peeled away from the Verizon Center, with trade talks swirling, with the franchise turning into a national punchline,...

By Dan Steinberg | January 8, 2010; 10:02 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (37)
Categories: Wizards
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Shanahans to become latest Skins father-son duo

As the great Dave McKenna pointed out earlier this week, Mike and Kyle Shanahan will become at least the sixth father-son coaching duo in Ashburn this decade, following Marty and Brian Schottenheimer, Steve and Steve Jr. Spurrier, Joe and Coy Gibbs, Al and Bob Saunders, and Gregg and Blake...

By Dan Steinberg | January 8, 2010; 4:52 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Redskins
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Frank Hanrahan moves on from ESPN 980

For the third time in five years, ESPN 980 is without a Redskins beat reporter. First Bram Weinstein left for Red Zebra (before the merger), then Jerry Coleman was let go, to be replaced by Frank Hanrahan, who was in turn let go this week, as DCRTV reported Friday morning....

By Dan Steinberg | January 8, 2010; 1:57 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (26)
Categories: Media , Redskins
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Vegas odds on Portis, Campbell

Anyone who watched the Mike Shanahan introductory press conference this week came away with the impression that Jason Campbell was staying, and Clinton Portis was going. "Anyone" apparently included oddsmakers; the PR machine behind Bodog.com sent out 2010 Redskins odds, which favored Campbell over Portis. I know everyone may not...

By Dan Steinberg | January 8, 2010; 11:51 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (14)
Categories: Redskins
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Gilbert becomes America's punchline

(Via Someecards.) There's a certain surreal quality to this Gilbert Arenas incident. As immature and irresponsible as is behavior was, he obviously is miles and miles from being one of the bad guys in pro sports, and yet he's become both a punchline and a national symbol for evil...

By Dan Steinberg | January 8, 2010; 11:27 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (15)
Categories: Wizards
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Arenas banner removed from Verizon Center

Ok, it's not exactly kids toppling over a statue of Saddam or weary souls tearing down the Berlin Wall, but watching this video of the giant Gilbert banner being removed from the 6th street side of the Verizon Center feels like watching an icon crumble before our eyes. You'll...

By Dan Steinberg | January 7, 2010; 4:53 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (41)
Categories: Wizards
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Hall: Zorn couldn't get the Redskins to scrap

(By John McDonnell - TWP) Albert Haynesworth's broadside against Greg Blache and the Redskins' coaching staff last month included the insinuation that other players on the defense were also fed up with the scheme. "We got great corners and safeties here that can play if they were used right,"...

By Dan Steinberg | January 7, 2010; 4:39 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (14)
Categories: Redskins
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A history of Gilbert's practical jokes

This whole issue of a Gilbert practical joke gone wrong? It seems fairly predictable in retrospect, though obviously not to this degree. Some of his jokes have always veered a bit too close to the edge. A few years back, a teammate told me a story that involved Gilbert flinging...

By Dan Steinberg | January 7, 2010; 1:29 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (12)
Categories: Wizards
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Why the Crittenton tale doesn't exonerate Gilbert

I don't know exactly who Mike Wise's sources were for his masterful story about the Gilbert-Crittenton showdown, but you have to guess it's someone who's sympathetic to Gilbert. And the idea seems to be that the truth about Crittenton--if this new version is indeed the truth--will make Gilbert look a...

By Dan Steinberg | January 7, 2010; 12:26 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (16)
Categories: Wizards
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Stackhouse on Gilbert, guns and goofing

(2004 photo by John McDonnell - TWP) It's hard to remember just how long Gilbert Arenas has been in D.C., but he's actually been here long enough to have teamed with Jerry Stackhouse for one season. That was 2003-2004, and you'd assume that the 2009-2010 Gilbert is quite a...

By Dan Steinberg | January 7, 2010; 10:55 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (24)
Categories: Wizards
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Snyder: "The foundation...is awesome"

(By Win McNamee - Getty) I earlier lauded the fact that Daniel Snyder wasn't on the podium during the introduction of Mike Shanahan. Out of sight, out of mind, out of the plane during scouting trips to see hot young quarterbacks, was the idea. Well, not so fast. Snyder...

By Dan Steinberg | January 7, 2010; 8:31 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (24)
Categories: Redskins
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Why Arenas was unfit to take the court

If you accept the fact that NBA players fiddling around with firearms in the locker room--whether loaded or unloaded, whether seriously or in jest--is an image problem, then you have to judge Arenas unfit to take the floor. Here's why, in six stages. 1) JOKE. After the incident went down,...

By Dan Steinberg | January 6, 2010; 5:11 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (27)
Categories: Wizards
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Gilbert Arenas stars in PETA ad

Having finished jousting with Al Sharpton and getting suspended indefinitely by the NBA, it's now time for Gilbert Arenas to move on to his new ad campaign with PETA. Because the animal-rights group is, you know, never controversial. Yup, file this one in the "unfortunate timing" folder, which I...

By Dan Steinberg | January 6, 2010; 4:21 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Wizards
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Shanahan enters, Snyder steps aside

Sure, this move was carefully orchestrated. Sure, it was focus-group-driven. Sure, there was a little smirk involved, as in "am I really doing this?" But whatever. The number one most encouraging thing about Wednesday's Mike Shanahan press conference occurred before Shanahan said a single word. The men in suits...

By Dan Steinberg | January 6, 2010; 3:59 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (14)
Categories: Redskins
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Arenas responds to Sharpton, hugs a heckler

So this is what we've now come to: a media war of words between Gilbert Arenas and Al Sharpton. I'm thinking 2011 can't come soon enough. Obviously you've read by now how Sharpton criticized Arenas's recent behavior and called for the NBA to come down harshly on the Wizards'...

By Dan Steinberg | January 6, 2010; 1:27 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (27)
Categories: Wizards
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Is Dan Snyder backing off?

With everything else going on, I hope you've taken the time to read Barry Svrluga and friends breakdown the Jim Zorn Era. The most interesting nugget--and biggest reason for optimism I've heard in months--came near the end, when Dan Snyder talked about his relationship with Zorn. "I think we had...

By Dan Steinberg | January 6, 2010; 10:21 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (6)
Categories: Media , Redskins
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Shanahan meets Lindsay Czarniak: The video

So I'm not sure exactly what you can learn from this video. I'll say that Mike Shanahan definitely seemed a lot more interested in meeting Lindsay Czarniak than in meeting Dave Feldman. Near as I can gather, here were his quotes. "Very excited....Great to be in the nation's capital....Great...

By Dan Steinberg | January 5, 2010; 11:47 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (15)
Categories: Media , Redskins
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Romanowski: "A Super Bowl is coming"

Bill Romanowski won two Super Bowls with Mike Shanahan, and has remained a staunch advocate of the former Broncos coach. But Romanowski's comments after the Redskins hired Shanahan went well beyond those of an "advocate." I mean, Romo was pretty fired up. "Bottom line is he is a winner,"...

By Dan Steinberg | January 5, 2010; 10:57 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (8)
Categories: Media , Redskins
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Gilbert had a golden gun

Today, in ridiculous, absurd, not possibly true, can't-this-season-just-end-already Gilbert Arenas news.... TMZ says Gilbert's handguns included "a gold-plated Desert Eagle -- a gigantic handgun." Sports By Brooks says the gold-plated Desert Eagle "turns out to be the same model used by Mike Myers in the Austin Powers in Goldmember flick."...

By Dan Steinberg | January 5, 2010; 4:58 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Wizards
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Portis discusses relationship with "Mr. Snyder"

After Abe Pollin died, both Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler discussed how frequently they'd talk to Pollin on the phone or visit with him in his office, talking about their families and about life. This was seen as a charming thing, showing how much Pollin cared for his players, and...

By Dan Steinberg | January 5, 2010; 4:17 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (23)
Categories: Redskins , Wizards
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Inside Gilbert's statement

I thought it was great news that Gilbert Arenas finally issued that statement on Monday, and that he's working with real lawyers. But I couldn't help but notice that the statement from his law firm took a slightly different tone than some of his classic tweets from recent days. I...

By Dan Steinberg | January 5, 2010; 1:38 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (17)
Categories: Wizards
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Joe Bugel and the birth of the Hogs

(By Jonathan Newton - TWP) My Redskins Insider brethren have indicated that the Mike Shanahan hiring might be delayed due to a retirement celebration for Joe Bugel. So if I'm taking a 24-hour hiatus from looking at old Shanahan stories, I can instead devote myself to old Bugel stories....

By Dan Steinberg | January 5, 2010; 11:28 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (16)
Categories: Redskins
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D.C: Still the coaching graveyard

D.C.'s third- and second-longest tenured pro coaches. Chatting at 11:30. Submit questions here. And don't ask me when Shanahan is getting hired. I don't know. When Manny Acta was fired this summer, I posted some stats showing that D.C. had, by far, the shortest combined coaching tenure of any...

By Dan Steinberg | January 5, 2010; 11:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Caps , D.C. United , Nats , Redskins , Wizards
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Letterman does the Wizards

All publicity is good publicity, right? So when David Letterman devotes his Top 10 list to the best of Wizards gun-related explanations, that's a good thing, right? No? Hey, it's better than a history of the Washington Wizards in the playoffs. Or in the regular season. Anyhow, thanks again,...

By Dan Steinberg | January 5, 2010; 10:18 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Media , Wizards
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Shanahan arrives: The video

So NBC's Dan Hellie was one of the media types who staked out Mike Shanahan's arrival at Dulles on Monday afternoon. Still waiting for the first stealth YouTube of Shanahan and Daniel Snyder eating steak, but in the meantime, let's settle for the ambush footage of him exiting a...

By Dan Steinberg | January 4, 2010; 7:56 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Media , Redskins
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Mike Shanahan as Captain America

So Mike Shanahan is here to rescue us. Witness the photo of him as a superhero, right there, via @NattyBo. And check out these two awesome tales from the archives. First, from the Denver Post, in 2004, when Shanahan was still in charge....

By Dan Steinberg | January 4, 2010; 7:33 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (7)
Categories: Redskins
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Local Poll Week VI: Pug Life

(Photo by Jonathan Newton - TWP, editing by Ian Oland. Follow his twitter feed.) Good times in local college hoops. The top five teams in the area went a combined 14-1 since the last time we voted, with the one loss being Richmond's narrow defeat at Wake Forest. That's...

By Dan Steinberg | January 4, 2010; 7:01 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (6)
Categories: Atlantic 11 , College Basketball
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Worst moments of the Zorn era

(By Toni L. Sandys - TWP) I noted before, in discussing his best moments, that Jim Zorn was unique, quirky, honest, interesting and refreshing. He also turned out to be a bad NFL head coach. And so, presenting the six worst moments of the Zorn Era. I'm not including...

By Dan Steinberg | January 4, 2010; 3:03 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (8)
Categories: Redskins
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Players remember Zorn

Because it's hard to get great player quotes about a coach who hasn't yet been hired, I figured we might as well take one more day to reflect on the coach who was just fired. Thus, I asked a few players how they'd remember Jim Zorn. "I don't know," Carlos...

By Dan Steinberg | January 4, 2010; 2:00 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (8)
Categories: Redskins
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Hall: "We needed a change"

Several Redskins players had very fond things to say about Jim Zorn the person, but there were plenty of players whose comments seemed less complimentary of Zorn the coach. "The way we lost was just very disheartening," DeAngelo Hall said. "I think this organization needed a change. ... You know...

By Dan Steinberg | January 4, 2010; 1:15 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (8)
Categories: Redskins
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Best moments of the Zorn Era

Jim Zorn lasted something like 695 days as the Redskins head coach. That's about 21 days less than Steve Spurrier. Both men leave with 12-20 overall records. Zorn was 3-9 in the NFC East, and Spurrier 2-10. Both men lost their final three games, and six of their final...

By Dan Steinberg | January 4, 2010; 10:40 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (6)
Categories: Redskins
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Best of Zorn: Faces

Here's something I feel comfortable saying: I will never, as long as I live, cover another coach who makes as many funny faces during his press conferences as Jim Zorn. Now, does the ability to make funny faces qualify one to serve as an NFL head coach? Heck no....

By Dan Steinberg | January 4, 2010; 8:45 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (9)
Categories: Redskins
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Daniel Snyder's coaching carousel spins again

I've always been a little uncomfortable with the "Six Coaches in 10 Years" accusation leveled at Dan Snyder. He inherited Norv Turner, and interim coach Terry Robiskie shouldn't really count on that ledger. "Six in 10" sounds great, but it doesn't seem entirely fair. But now, with reports that...

By Dan Steinberg | January 4, 2010; 6:45 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (15)
Categories: Redskins
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Jerry Gray still wants to be Redskins coach

(By John McDonnell - TWP)) There were so many massive clumps of weirdness during this Redskins season that the final bit of weirdness with Jerry Gray may soon be forgotten, but, man, has it been weird. Even after the Fritz Pollard Alliance publicly said, on the record, that Gray...

By Dan Steinberg | January 3, 2010; 9:04 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (9)
Categories: Redskins
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Zorn's final press conference: denial + insight

(AP Photo) I think I might have just watched Jim Zorn's final press conference as Redskins head coach. Just as his final game had all the elements of the Zorn era -- wasted timeouts, blown leads, dropped interceptions, ill-timed penalties, an exciting finish that benefited the wrong team and...

By Dan Steinberg | January 3, 2010; 8:04 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (6)
Categories: Redskins
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Bruce Allen on the future of his coaches and QB

Redskins General Manager Bruce Allen appeared on ESPN 980's pregame show for about four minutes Sunday afternoon, and was asked about the future of his coaching staff and his quarterback. He didn't exactly break news--there's nothing much to say about the zombie coaching staff, and there's no way to judge...

By Dan Steinberg | January 3, 2010; 3:16 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Redskins
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End of Zorn: The talking head speculation

Will be updated all through the day. And, sadly, the early morning hours....Most recent update first.... 5:16, Fox analyst John Lynch: "We've been hearing a lot of things about Jim Zorn not being here, about who is going to be here, Mike Shanahan being one of those names tossed around....

By Dan Steinberg | January 3, 2010; 1:01 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (10)
Categories: Media , Redskins
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Virginia TV stations bail on Redskins

As you've perhaps heard, the Fox affiliates in Richmond and Hampton Roads have chosen to go with Eagles-Cowboys over Skins-Chargers on Sunday afternoon. These are Redskins markets. That's not supposed to happen. "Honestly," said Bruce Rader, the sports director of Fox 43, "the Redskins are just unwatchable." That's via...

By Dan Steinberg | January 3, 2010; 10:48 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (14)
Categories: Media , Redskins
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D.C. Sports Bog: January 3, 2010 - January 9, 2010