Sometimes the different DC Sports teams all come together to provide worthy (or non-worthy) fun and excitement. Instead of just posting it a zillion times, this segment will just link you over to the main story.
Here is a picture of Gio Gonzalez's dog wearing a Redskins hat. Gio even used the hashtag HTTR.
Head over to our Skins site to see the full photo and read the story.
Washington Nationals pitcher Gio Gonzalez tweeted a picture of some cool looking playing cards that have caricatures of different Washington Nationals players on them. Well they looked awesome so I decided to find out where he got them. Here's what I found out.
After getting a talking to from somebody in his entourage, Bryce Harper has renounced his love for the Dallas Cowboys and has become a Redskins fan. I'm sure its that easy. You just flip the Redskins/Cowboys switch and you are all of a sudden a fan.
It's a smart marketing idea, and Bryce seems to be really trying to get on board with the Skins. Lucky for Bryce RG3 has made it pretty easy to get excited about the Skins. And maybe if the Nats do real well and Bryce gets attached to the local area then he won't leave for the Yankees in 2015.
Because Harper is now a very vocal Redskins fan, he has been doing the wacky socks bit at church on Sundays. He tweeted the following pictures from before church started the past two weeks.
In case you were wondering one sock says "Work Hard" and the other sock says "Stay Humble" one of the crazy phrases that RG3 has tried to trademark.
A few weeks ago I had tickets to watch my alma mater JMU get destroyed by WVU at Fed-Ex field. It was going to be a long day of enjoying beverages at a stadium that is a disaster to get to. Instead of worrying about driving, parking, and then finding a designated driver, I decided to try out this new service I heard about on Twitter.
It is called the Ballpark Bus, and for a pretty fair price they drop you off and pick you up right at the stadium for Nats games, Redskins games, concerts, and more.
When I saw them on Twitter (@BallParkBus) I was intrigued. I have taken my fair share of busses to places in the DMV like the Preakness, wineries, and some other events. I decided to try out the bus for the football game.
I took some video from the guys at Ballpark bus, so check them out...
The other busses I have travelled on had stripper poles, loud Usher music blasting, and people peeing in gatorade bottles. Typically on the ride home some "skank" or "bro" pukes all over the floor. That was fun at some point in my life but thankfully, the Ballpark Bus is not like this.
The bus is a very nice charter bus with...a bathroom! Thank goodness. I almost got hit by a car on the highway when a Boomerang Party Bus pulled onto the shoulder of a highway to let people go to the bathroom in the woods on the way to Preakness. I seriously almost got hit by a car going 50 mph as I ran across an exit ramp back to the bus. This did not happen on the Ballpark Bus.
The bus picked us up at Clydes in Ashburn, and I talked to the guys that run the bus and they are looking to expand to different areas if the demand picks up. My friend and I got on the bus with our cooler, enjoyed a few drinks on the road, and were dropped off right in the parking lot at FedEx field where we were ready to tailgate.
The bus isn't just for people who drink too much like myself. It is just plain convenient and removes all the stress of going to a ballgame. FedEx is the worst, but coming from farther out in Northern Virginia the journey to Nats Park is a pain in the neck too. The bus made everything easy, and for the first time ever I wasn't all sweaty from walking all over the place and riding on a hot crowded metro.
If you live out near Ashburn I encourage you to look at their website and get on one of the busses. It looks like they are filling seats for the Nats home Playoff game. I had a great time, I met the guys behind the business, and everyone on the bus had a great time.
The sun was brutal for centerfielders at Nats Park on Sunday afternoon, and it caused Bryce Harper to lose a flyball in the sun and allowed the Marlins to score 2 runs.
Remember Maniac Mike? Sure you do! He was the guy who screamed for about 13 straight innings in an empty Minute Maid Park. It was annoying. It bothered the fans, the announcers, and probably even the players. So who is this guy and why was he screaming!
I took some time to speak with Mike, and he actually isn't a bad guy. He was just cheering hard (he says for both teams) and he was just having some fun. He didn't even know he was on TV at the time.
At the DC Sports Nexus, we created a show to add to our coverage of the DC Sports teams. The show is called Nexus Now and will be a weekly or monthly show with lots of fun stuff. Each time we do it we will try to add new stuff and actually turn on the HD switch on our cameras. Typically we will try to cover each team, but the first episode was very Nats heavy.
In the first (and possibly only) ever episode, we interview
the famous Nationals Rally Kid, a huge 10 year old Nats fan who is traveling around the
country trying to hit every Major League Stadium. We talk about how he helped the Nats win, and
we talk to his father about the famous Bob Carpenter Scorebook and the secret Carp doesn't want you to know.
I also talk about each of the 4 DC Sports teams, watch some dancing by umpires and Davey Johnson, and my favorite part, "Oh, Hello"! Check it out!
In 2005, local legend Frank Robinson watched as his Washington Nationals team exceeded all expectations with their play on the field. By the time the All-Star break hit, the Nats were in 1st place in the division with a 52-36 record. Was a World Series possible for a new team?
In 2007, Washington Wizards coach Eddie Jordan stood on the sidelines in Las Vegas coaching NBA stars like Shaq, Lebron, and Dwayne Wade. It was the NBA All-Star game, and Jordan was given the coaching position because his Washington Wizards had the best record in the Eastern Conference. NBA Finals talk began.
In 2008, the Washington Redskins cruised through the first half of the season going 6-2 in their first 8 games. While they were still one game back of first place, the city was starting to think Super Bowl.
-------COLLAPSE-------
That Washington Nationals team collapsed and finished the season at 81-81 (.500). That Washington Wizards team collapsed and finished the season at 41-41 (.500). That 2008 Washington Redskins team finished (.500).
In 2012, right now, the Nationals and Orioles are both in first place. Each team started out smokin' hot, outshining all expectations. However, fans in DC and Baltimore aren't getting overexcited. They have seen this before with the examples above (and with the O's shorter term examples not listed).
And now things are starting to turn the other way. The Nationals & Orioles have lost a combined 8 games in a row. The O's now share the division lead and the Nats are only 1/2 a game up. The All-Star break is still a month away but are things collapsing a little early?
As a fan of either team, you have to take a deep breath and hope this is just a blip in the radar. Just a snag. You have to read the examples from past teams and believe that history will not repeat itself. You have to pray that the teams won't collapse down to .500. It's DC Sports...you have to hope...you have to believe...you have to pray...
On March 28th, 2008, an oversized plush mascot resembling the 26th President of the United States raced across some freshly cut grass. The occasion was the first ever President's Race at the newly constructed Nationals Park.
Forty thousand people rose to their feet and laughed as they watched a giant Theodore Roosevelt screw around in the outfield and squander an opportunity to win the race. Teddy, as he is more familiarly known, crossed the finish line, but it was too late. He had lost.
What started out to be a fun gag at the ballpark has turned into a metaphor for sports teams in Washington, D.C. Teddy is everything that DC sports are. In fact, you could say that Teddy IS DC sports. He is a loser.
The last time that one of the major four DC sports franchises won a championship was when the Washington Redskins won the Super Bowl in 1991. After some quick math you will realize that the victory took place 21 years ago. Teddy hasn't won in over 250 races; DC franchises haven't won in over 21 years.
So why do we watch Teddy run when we know that he is destined to lose? Maybe it is the same reason we watch the local sports teams when we know that they are destined to lose.
Well I'm sorry to say it. Look at one of the greatest President's in our nation's history. It may never be his race...and it may never be our race...
Just like Teddy, DC teams are often on pace for a victory, but in the end an egregious act causes their undoing. Whether it be a high stick penalty, a player bringing guns in the locker room, signing toxic free agents, or a coach quitting in the middle of a winning streak. DC always finds a way to lose.
So next time you are at the ballpark watching a great President shamefully fail, take a second to think of the bigger picture. Teddy and DC may never win.
As a fan all you can do is hope and scream...Let Teddy Win! Let DC Win!
