DC Sports: August 2013

Saturday, August 31, 2013

Too little too late for the Nationals?

Just when the season seemed lost, the Washington Nationals have finally started winning. The Nationals have won eight of their last ten games and face a very favorable schedule to close out the season. But is there enough time for them to climb back into the playoff race?

All season long amidst the Nationals’ struggles, we have heard the same refrain over and over again: all they need is a win streak. The baseball season is full of ups and downs, and every team goes on a run. Once the Nationals hit theirs, they would be fine.

It was that mentality that perhaps got them into this predicament.

The Nationals refused to panic as the team continued to play .500 ball, feeling everything would be ok when they hit the inevitable run that never came. Suddenly, it was August, the Nationals still hovered around .500, and the Braves were firmly entrenched in the top of the division.

Whether the Nationals finally realized the season was slipping away or no longer played under the pressure they felt to start the season, the team is suddenly hot.

Just to keep things in perspective, the playoffs are still a long shot. The Nationals trail Atlanta by a whopping 14 games in the division despite being in second place and they trail Cincinnati for the final wild card spot by 6.5 games.

They are not going to catch the Braves. That leaves the wild card. The Reds are on pace for 90 wins. To match that, the Nationals would have to win 22 of their remaining 28 games. That’s a tall order.

It is good to see the Nationals finally string some wins together in an attempt to make things interesting. If they can continue then perhaps they will play some meaningful games in September as they fight for the playoffs. For a team with such high hopes, it is hard to see this season ending in anything other than disappointment. There is still enough time though to make it a little interesting.

For the latest DC sports news, check out CSNWashington.com and follow me on Twitter @TheDC_Sportsguy

Thursday, August 29, 2013

Concussion settlement may relieve harsh penalties in NFL

Today was a big day for the future of the NFL as the league reached a settlement in the concussion lawsuit brought against it by retirees. The settlement will hopefully slow down the NFL's march towards flag football.

As our knowledge of concussions has grown, the NFL has worked very hard to stop head injuries. Cynics will claim the league was more concerned with the pending lawsuit by retirees than it was with they safety of their players, but I think we can all agree trying to reduce injuries is a good thing.

The problem is that the league has gone too far.

For a long time, I dismissed the doom and gloom predictions that likened the NFL to boxing. Many argued the new rules and fears over concussions would end up ruining the NFL's popularity and that it would subsequently fade into obscurity just as boxing did. I refuesed to believe that a multi-billion dollar industry would simply fall apart. From what I have seen this preseason, however, I have become legitimately concerned.

EVERYTHING has become a penalty. Every time you touch a quarterback, every big hit, everything is flagged. I was especially bothered when the leauge fined Jon Bostic for his hit on Mattie Willie. Willie catches the ball, takes two steps up field and is blasted. Bostic was fined as Willie was deemed a 'defenseless' receiver. If that qualifies as a defenseless receiver, then every receiver is defenseless. It's ridiculous.

I applaud the league's efforts in trying to prvent head injuries. Players should not aim for other players' heads, nor should they lower their own head when trying to make a tackle. When players like Bostic get fined, however, that changes the game because it takes awy some of the LEGAL plays and hits that make the game great. When you start talking abot taking away kickoffs, you are changing the game. When you begin contemplating taking away lower body hits to prevent injuries like we saw happen to Dustin Keller, you change the game. There is simply no way to prevent injuries like that in a tackling league. Today's NFL is the most popular sport in America. At this rate, however, tomorrow's NFL is going to look very different.

The problem is that the lawsuit caused a disconnect between the league, the players, and the fans. Usually when there is a massive outcry following a rule change or a blown call, the league hears and responds. Last season, a labor dispute between the league and the referees forced the NFL to use replacement officials to start the season. When the debacle in Green Bay happened, the outcry forced the NFL's hand and by Thursday, the regular referees were back. The threat of this lawsuit, however, has deafened the NFL's ears to complaints from the fans and the players. Even when replays show one hit was actually to the shoulder rather than the head, or a roughing the passer call was actually the quarterback tripping over his own feet, the NFL continues to encourage the referees to continue making those calls. Rather than listening to the fan base that has made the NFL what it is, they ignore bad call after bad call all in the name of safety.

The stupidity of this is that it could all be fixed so easily. Do you think the player's union is not just as concerned over head injuries? Players these days are aware of the health risks associated with football, risks that former players may not have fully understood, and they still choose to play. The NFL should start a dialog with the union. They need to discuss what the league needs to do to keep the players safe, but also what risks the players are accepting by playing in the NFL. Make them sign a waiver saying they accept those risks so long as the NFL fulfills its obligations to keep them safe. Done. Problem solved. Maybe it is a bit more complicated than that, but I know the league and players could come to an agreement that acknowledges the inherent risk of playing football.

The league's tough stance on big hits stems from its fear over this concussion lawsuit. Now that it has been settled, I hope an actual solution can be reached because what I've seen in this preseason is not NFL football.

ACC preview: opening kickoff

http://www.csnwashington.com/ncaa/acc-preview-opening-kickoff

For the latest DC sports news, check out CSNWashington.com and follow me on Twitter @TheDC_Sportsguy

CAA football preview: kickoff weekend

http://www.csnwashington.com/ncaa/caa-football-preview-kickoff-weekend

For the latest DC sports news, check out CSNWashington.com and follow me on Twitter @TheDC_Sportsguy