By DERON SNYDER (as published in The Washington Times)
Houston has been lauded for its acumen
in analytics, its ability to gather and dissect data in determining the best
moves – on and off the field. The Astros’ new-school approach, once
revolutionary, nowadays is commonplace in major-league front offices, largely
run by Ivy League grads with degrees in business and finance.
But for all of the organization’s smarts
in crunching numbers, poring over video, and analyzing trends, Houston proved fairly
dumb this week in handling human relations and crisis communications.
An incident that could’ve blown over
with an upfront admission of guilt and sincere apology, instead became an unwelcome
storyline and World Series distraction. Major League Baseball has launched an
investigation and disciplinary action is expected by week’s end.
The Astros have no one to blame but assistant
general manager Brandon Taubman and themselves, respectively, for committing the
original offense and attempting a cover-up.
By DERON SNYDER (as published in The Washington Times)
The Washington Nationals need to beat the Houston Astros in the World Series.
Not
just for 94-year-old Ted Lerner and the ownership group he formed to bring
baseball back to D.C. Not just for their fans near and far, including many who rooted
for two incarnations of the Washington Senators decades ago. And not just for the
Nats’ former players and employees who suffered throughout the RFK Era into early
seasons on South Capitol Street.
Yes,
those stakeholders would be absolutely thrilled if the Nats prevail against the
American League champions.
But
other onlookers, less obvious, will secretly pull for Washington, too, based on
their self-interests and problems on the job. They include MLB commissioner Rob
Manfred and counterparts Roger Goodell (NFL) and Adam Silver (NBA).
By DERON SNYDER (as published in The Washington Times)
LANDOVER, Md. – The San Francisco 49ers came to FedEx Field Sunday and Bay Area weather tagged along. With conditions to remind them of home – wet, windy and chilly – the Niners displayed a mindset directly from the school of positive psychology, finding sunshine on a rainy day.
Meanwhile,
the elements provided a perfect reflection for the Washington Redskins’ damp
and dreary season, which is already a washout less than halfway through.
When
quarterback Case Keenum was sacked on the final play, capping a hopeless
situation with Washington trailing, 9-0, the Niners turned the drenched field
into their personal Slip N Slide. First, defensive end Nick Bosa hydroplaned on
his belly to celebrate the game-ending sack. A few teammates on the field
joined in, with defensive tackle D.J. Jones creating a splash with his hook
slide.
Then,
multiple players on San Francisco’s sideline dove and slid onto the field as Washington
coach Bill Callahan walked to meet his counterpart for the postgame handshake
at midfield. He almost had to wait because Niners coach Kyle Shanahan contemplated
taking a plunge with his players.
“It
was definitely fun watching our whole team slide across the field at the end,” Shanahan
said. “I did think about joining, but I don’t think I would’ve done it right.”
While
the visitors and their fans frolicked in the wet conditions, the ‘Skins departed
to dry out quickly and begin preparations for Thursday’s game at Minnesota.
“The
only thing I’m thinking about right now is that it’s going to be about 70
degrees with zero chance of rain,” Keenum said about facing the team he led to
the NFC title game two seasons ago.
By DERON SNYDER (as published in The Washington Times)
Not everything is worth the wait.
Folks can spend hours waiting in line to enter a new establishment but proceed to have a terrible time once inside. A person can invest weeks getting to know someone via phone and cyberspace, only to experience a first date that couldn’t end fast enough. Or, there might be something they looked forward to for decades – maybe landing a particular job or moving to a certain city – only to learn that the reality isn’t close to their fantasy.
But in sports, the reward is often sweeter the longer the delay.
The Cubs went 108 years between World Series wins, and no one in Chicago
felt unfulfilled after the wait. The Red Sox won World Series 86 years apart,
and New Englanders toasted the drought along with the trophy. If the Cleveland
Indians eventually break through (they haven’t won a title in 71 years), their
fans would be overcome with too much joy to fret about the lag.
Such is the case for Washington baseball fans today. The Nationals have
won the pennant. The D.C. team has advanced to the World Series. The pain endured
in the 86 years along the way no longer matters. All is well; all is forgiven.
WASHINGTON – After opening with a performance at the Symphony Center in Chicago, the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra visits the nation’s capital. But this week’s show at the Kennedy Center isn’t the only option for D.C. classical music fans who want a taste of Australia.
They
can get a bargain – and support emerging musicians at the same time – by attending
a performance at Duke Ellington School of the Arts. Members of the MSO will
be in concert with the DESA String Orchestra at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 18. The
evening will include works by Bartok, William Grant Still, and Elena
Kats-Chernin.
“It
has been nearly 50 years since the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra last performed
in the United States,” MSO Concertmaster Dale Barltrop said. “We are beyond
excited at the prospect of returning to fly the Australian flag in some of the
world’s most iconic music venues.”
The
MSO tour, featuring Melbourne’s finest musicians, celebrates more than a
century of “mateship” between Australia and the United States. General
admission tickets for the Ellington concert are $15 and student tickets are $10l
they can be purchase onsite or at www.ellingtonschool.org/boxoffice.
MSO’s
residency at Ellington is courtesy of Washington Performing Arts. The entire
orchestra performs at the Kennedy Center Concert Hall on Oct. 16.
In a season that couldn’t be much worse – beating Miami on Sunday was
like putting a Band-Aid on a spouting jugular – thank goodness for Terry
McLaurin. Washington’s rookie wide receiver is the gift that keeps giving.
Meanwhile, the team as a whole remains the toilet that keeps overflowing.
The 17-16 victory kept the Redskins from continuing down the road to 0-16,
leaving the Dolphins and Cincinnati Bengals alone in walking that path. It
should be noted that Miami came within a failed two-point conversion attempt of
winning, after eschewing a point-after kick that could’ve forced overtime.
Interim coach Bill Callahan improved his career record to 16-17. The
bulk of those wins came in his first season as Oakland Raiders coach, when he
went 11-5 after replacing Jon Gruden. Mathematically, the ‘Skins could finish
11-5 now that Callahan has replaced Jay Gruden.
By DERON SNYDER (as published in The Washington Times)
Several hours after firing Jay Gruden as head coach, Washington Redskins
president Bruce Allen addressed the media at team headquarters. He holds news conferences
about as often as Washington makes the playoffs, but there was no avoiding this
one.
It was time to take questions and provide answers, a daunting task for team
executives with a 59-92-1 record. However, Allen was ready. He had committed
his talking points to memory and was prepared to repeat them like a needle skipping
on vinyl albums.
We’re all disappointed. We’re not hiding from our record. We’re going to
keep working.
He was big on “we,” not so much on “I.” When asked directly about his
personal accountability for the ‘Skins’ sorry state of affairs, Allen stayed
stuck in the groove. “We’re all involved in this,” he said.
“I absolutely want what’s best for the Washington Redskins and we’re going
to make sure we do it.”
If that’s the case, he should fire himself. Owner Dan Snyder clearly won’t
do it, making you wonder what he sees.
By DERON SNYDER (as published in The Washington Times)
LANDOVER, Md. – At this stage of the Washington Redskins’ season – five games with nary a win – and this juncture of owner Dan Snyder’s two-decade reign of error, you’re justified in asking yourself an honest question:
What’s
the point?
The
self-reflection is for fans, not the players and coaches who absorb literal and
figurative beatings each week. Those employees are compensated for preparing, practicing,
and playing, the latter done faithfully even when the other duties aren’t reflected
in the outcome.
And
remember, no matter how bad you feel, frustration in the ‘Skins’ locker room
was higher than anywhere else in metropolitan D.C. after Sunday’s 33-7 defeat
against the New England Patriots.
“0-5
is not fun,” quarterback Colt McCoy said. “I’ve never been 0-5. I doubt that
many guys in that room have been 0-5. But it’s not for lack of effort.”
He
got the start, playing his first game since suffering a leg injury Dec. 3. He
actually led “led” Washington on a 67-yard scoring drive on the team’s second
possession, by executing deft ballhandling on a 65-yard touchdown run by Steven
Sims. McCoy faked an inside handoff to Adrian Peterson and gave the ball to
Sims, headed around right end. A juke and a couple of missed tackles on the
sideline gave Washington a lead that it nursed for a whole 10 minutes.
There
were moments when you entertained wild thoughts, imagining that the winless
home team would topple the undefeated Super Bowl champs. But those were
fleeting and spiritless visions, despite New England being held to a touchdown
and two field goals at the break.
By DERON SNYDER (as published in The Washington Times)
Manager
Dave Martinez laid the groundwork for the 2019 Washington Nationals last year. It’s
what helped him – and his team – survive an abysmal start this season and
eventually capture a playoff berth.
The
Nats were coming off back-to-back, first-round flameouts when Martinez replaced
Dusty Baker – who himself inherited a club that failed to advance in its two
previous postseason appearances.
Washington’s
reputation was such that being 0-4 in National League Division Series shared equal
billing with its four NL East titles in six years.
Sensing
a team under pressure last year, in his first spring training as a manager,
Martinez sought to replace the steam with a cool breeze. He instilled a light
and loose tone, heavy on fun. There were team relay races, walk-off practices
and golf-chipping contests. There was a Circle of Trust, a la “Meet the Parents,”
including skits and funny speeches.
Of
all the gimmicks Martinez implemented, none was more noteworthy than the three
camels. He brought them to camp so his team could face the elephant in the clubhouse,
the Nats’ inability to get over the hump and win a playoff series.
“My
intentions were to bring the hump to us – the proverbial hump question that we
all try to answer, Martinez told reporters that day in February 2018. “For me,
as I thought about it, the hump is every day. And I want them to embrace it,
not fear it. And have fun with it.
“We
all know why we’re here.”
The
answer, then and now, remains the same. Ownership and general manager Mike
Rizzo confirmed as much upon hiring Martinez, and the rookie manager bought into
the thought process during his introductory news conference. “We’re not here
just to win a playoff game,” he said. “We’re here to win the World Series.”
By DERON SNYDER (as published in The Washington Times)
The
Nationals got off to a 19-31 start but didn’t let it stop them from clinching a
postseason berth Tuesday. That accomplishment led to an epic clubhouse celebration,
a raucous bash that World Series champions would struggle to top.
Cue
the party poopers.
“Act
like you’ve been there before,” they sniffed on social media. “Celebrate when
you actually win something.”
No
offense to any grouches, killjoys or sourpusses, but please go far away and
stay there.
Something’s
wrong with your ticker if it didn’t get toasty at the sight of second baseman Brian
Dozier, shirtless and singing in Spanish, surrounded by Latino teammates dousing
him with beer as they sung along. Your facial muscles need electric stimulation
if they didn’t reflexively form a smile as Celebrator-in-Chief Gerardo “Baby
Shark” Parra was in the middle of jubilant teammates clapping to the infectious
children’s song.
The
scenes from Nationals Park after Washington beat Philadelphia – and Pittsburgh beat
the Chicago Cubs (on the centerfield video screen) – epitomized unbridled joy.
Starting
pitcher Anibal Sanchez turned into a different sort of whistleblower, leading a
conga line through the clubhouse. Centerfielder Victor Robles and an
unidentified teammate engaged in some up-close dancing and gyrating that was
funny if a bit uncomfortable.
Follow
