If the Nationals had any marketing prowess, they would buy Walter Johnson's former house in Bethesda at the corner of Old Georgetown and Cedar Lane and turn it into a museum. We've said this before, but it's a shame that the Nationals don't do more to embrace the history of the Washington Senators. Johnson was the team's best player, and the Nats should wrap the franchise in his memory. We blamed their failure to do this on major league baseball, but MLB no longer owns the franchise.
If there aren't any historical structure restrictions, the Lerners could move it to the the parking lot of the new stadium. If that's not possible, make the house a museum in Bethesda.
The organization is running out of excuses for its lame marketing. How about some creative thinking, people?!
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Blockbuster Wizards Trade?
Ethan's post about a Wizards/Lakers trade got me to thinking about some moves the Wizards might want to make. How about this: Arenas, their first round pick, and maybe a guy like Haywood for the Blazers' first pick and some stiffs?
Arenas is undoubtedly the Wizards best player, but the Wizards as currently configured are unlikely to get to a championship level. It's very hard to improve in the NBA, and without top draft picks or cap room a team like the Wizards has very limited tools to use in improving. So, maybe they have to break out of this box and do something dramatic.
Getting the next dominant center is pretty dramatic. I don't know whether Portland would part with Oden, but the Wizards have been without a productive big man (at either the center or power forward positions) for what seems like forever. Arenas, Butler, and Jamison are nice, but without a good player at the 4 or 5 spots, good luck and good night.
Leiv
Arenas is undoubtedly the Wizards best player, but the Wizards as currently configured are unlikely to get to a championship level. It's very hard to improve in the NBA, and without top draft picks or cap room a team like the Wizards has very limited tools to use in improving. So, maybe they have to break out of this box and do something dramatic.
Getting the next dominant center is pretty dramatic. I don't know whether Portland would part with Oden, but the Wizards have been without a productive big man (at either the center or power forward positions) for what seems like forever. Arenas, Butler, and Jamison are nice, but without a good player at the 4 or 5 spots, good luck and good night.
Leiv
Nat's lose to Pirates 7-6
The nationals lost last night to the pirates 7-6. The nationals had help from Ryan Church who had 3 hits and 2 runs. Felipe Lopez drove in 2 runs and Mike Bacsik gave up 6 hits/6 runs in 6 innings. It's funny because Mike Bacsik woke up with a stomach ailment. This brings me back to think when they were doing well in their first half of their first season. Everyone was excited, and I loved watching their games, now I don't that often. I am hoping that before I go to college they will ever be exceptionaly good. They lose .600 of their games. It's just terrible. I want your thoughts.
Erik
Erik
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Nat's new stadium
I was biking with my family once and we found out like the Anacostia River, I think. So, we got there and we couldn't find how to get to the bike path. (The bike path was on the other side of the river) So we were just biking around town when my dad and I found out that we were near the National's new stadium. We got there and there was a lot of traffic and noise. I just thought it was so cool because the Nat's don't get a lot of excitement after the 1st season and they will get some excitement from the cool stadium. You might want to check it out with your family one day. It's pretty cool.
Erik
Erik
Monday, June 04, 2007
But What Does He Know About Basketball?
Erik's recent musings have inspired me to play GM: would the fans of the Wizards be willing to trade Gilbert Arenas for Andrew Bynum?
The salaries don't fit is an unacceptable response.
I digress. Erik's appreciation for all things Lebron is echoed here on the Left Coast. However, these NBA Finals, like so many recent NBA Finals, will be boring. And that boredom evolves from neither the talents nor the passions of the Spurs or Cavaliers. It is a by-product of the lengthy NBA season.
Which brings me to the point of today's Post. If David Stern intends to cement his legacy as a Great Commissioner, accompanied in the pantheon by only Pete Rozelle and Bowie Kuhn, he needs to do something about the NBA regular season.
Some demand to shorten the season. However, in the immortal words of Celtic Legend, "Cornbread" Maxwell (I paraphrase), "...and earn less money?" The Players' Union will cease to exist before the season is shortened.
Some, like Mark Heisler of the LA Times, call for the Conference Finals to be re-seeded in a 1-4 bracket. That is still boring.
The NBA - if it intends to be Great - needs to take a page from club soccer and make the sport a year-round event. Tournaments and Invitationals should break-up the "regular season." NBA teams should play European teams in 8-team invitationals. The FIBA World Cup and the Olympics should get more play. Heck, wouldn't it be great to see the bottom four of the NBA take on the NCAA Final Four? Now, that's must see-TV!
Ethan
The salaries don't fit is an unacceptable response.
I digress. Erik's appreciation for all things Lebron is echoed here on the Left Coast. However, these NBA Finals, like so many recent NBA Finals, will be boring. And that boredom evolves from neither the talents nor the passions of the Spurs or Cavaliers. It is a by-product of the lengthy NBA season.
Which brings me to the point of today's Post. If David Stern intends to cement his legacy as a Great Commissioner, accompanied in the pantheon by only Pete Rozelle and Bowie Kuhn, he needs to do something about the NBA regular season.
Some demand to shorten the season. However, in the immortal words of Celtic Legend, "Cornbread" Maxwell (I paraphrase), "...and earn less money?" The Players' Union will cease to exist before the season is shortened.
Some, like Mark Heisler of the LA Times, call for the Conference Finals to be re-seeded in a 1-4 bracket. That is still boring.
The NBA - if it intends to be Great - needs to take a page from club soccer and make the sport a year-round event. Tournaments and Invitationals should break-up the "regular season." NBA teams should play European teams in 8-team invitationals. The FIBA World Cup and the Olympics should get more play. Heck, wouldn't it be great to see the bottom four of the NBA take on the NCAA Final Four? Now, that's must see-TV!
Ethan
Sunday, June 03, 2007
A digression from baseball...
The Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Detroit Pistons 98-82 last night. Daniel Gibson had a great game, especially 19 points in the 4th quarter, 31 points on the night.
I'm not really a fan of the Cavaliers; I like the Wizards and Lakers. I am rooting for the the Cavs after the Wizards got out because of Lebron James. He runs the team and is so fun to watch. Lebron doesn't get recognized enough for making his teammates better. He usually gets recognized for his points.
I don't think that points make people great. I think their all around skills do. For example, Gilbert Arenas is popular all around DC for scoring 30 PPG, but does he make his teammates better? Antawn Jamison had his best games when Arenas was out, although Caron Butler pretty clearly was a better player when Arenas was in the lineup. The Wizards could be a much better team if they get a plan for going forward that makes sense. Any plan like that has to involve getting a productive big man. The Wizards have been without one for years, and they'll never take the next step without one. They don't need Tim Duncan, but they do need someone who can rebound, play good defense, and score when needed.
Right now their plan is to get the ball to the big 3, Gil, Caron, and Antawn. That's not bad, but it won't get them to the championship series. Last season, Caron and Gil were injured for like 1/3 or 1/4 of the season, maybe even more. We can't blame them for being bad late in the season, but we can ask what is the plan for the future? I don't see one. It's ridiculous; I just don't get it. I want your thoughts.
Erik
I'm not really a fan of the Cavaliers; I like the Wizards and Lakers. I am rooting for the the Cavs after the Wizards got out because of Lebron James. He runs the team and is so fun to watch. Lebron doesn't get recognized enough for making his teammates better. He usually gets recognized for his points.
I don't think that points make people great. I think their all around skills do. For example, Gilbert Arenas is popular all around DC for scoring 30 PPG, but does he make his teammates better? Antawn Jamison had his best games when Arenas was out, although Caron Butler pretty clearly was a better player when Arenas was in the lineup. The Wizards could be a much better team if they get a plan for going forward that makes sense. Any plan like that has to involve getting a productive big man. The Wizards have been without one for years, and they'll never take the next step without one. They don't need Tim Duncan, but they do need someone who can rebound, play good defense, and score when needed.
Right now their plan is to get the ball to the big 3, Gil, Caron, and Antawn. That's not bad, but it won't get them to the championship series. Last season, Caron and Gil were injured for like 1/3 or 1/4 of the season, maybe even more. We can't blame them for being bad late in the season, but we can ask what is the plan for the future? I don't see one. It's ridiculous; I just don't get it. I want your thoughts.
Erik
Saturday, June 02, 2007
Further Adventures with Trivia
Last week's visit by the Dodgers has conspired with the previous post to create treacly feelings within regarding the career of Don Sutton. For those of you too young to remember Sutton was Tom Delay to Steve Garvey's Mitt Romney.
Sutton's career was not without significance. However, with regards towards Righties who started for the Dodgers, he only straddles the great divide that separates the likes of Drysdale and Hershiser from Ramon Martinez.
What is astonishing is how Sutton fit in within the parameters of success within his era. The Trivia Answer reveals that Sutton was remarkable for his durability - indeed, nos. 2 through 8 on the list are all occupied by pitchers from the late '60s through the 1970s.
What was it about the strengh of these pitcher's bodies that enabled such longetivity? Or, does responsibility for this statistical revelation lie within the minds of the managerial class?
Ethan
Sutton's career was not without significance. However, with regards towards Righties who started for the Dodgers, he only straddles the great divide that separates the likes of Drysdale and Hershiser from Ramon Martinez.
What is astonishing is how Sutton fit in within the parameters of success within his era. The Trivia Answer reveals that Sutton was remarkable for his durability - indeed, nos. 2 through 8 on the list are all occupied by pitchers from the late '60s through the 1970s.
What was it about the strengh of these pitcher's bodies that enabled such longetivity? Or, does responsibility for this statistical revelation lie within the minds of the managerial class?
Ethan
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