Sports Fix

Sports Fix: The Heat Is On

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‘DSC_4085’
courtesy of ‘Ghost_Bear’

It’s been a busy and eventful last two weeks in the Washington DC sports world.   The Caps are ON FIRE!!!  The Wizards might be getting there. And we’ve had  some solid developments for those out-of-season teams, some expected, some not so much.

Capitals
Record: 37-12
Last Two Weeks: 7-0
Place:1st in the Eastern Conference

With yesterday’s win over the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Capitals are on a 10 game wining streak tying their 1984 franchise record.

Defender Mike Green will be out for the next two games for an elbow to the head of Michael Frolik during Friday night’s game. Green’s absence yesterday was a huge disadvantage for Washington, as Green is the league’s leading defensive scorer. However, with Ovechkin’s third period goal, they managed to pull out the victory.

Over the next two weeks, the Caps are out of town quite a bit, traveling to Boston, Ottawa and Atlanta. Look for a solid match against the Penguins at the Verizon Center on February 7th.

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Sports Fix

Sports Fix: Firearms Edition

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‘_MG_5524’
courtesy of ‘dbking’

Redskins
Record: 4-12
Last Two Weeks: 0-3
Place: Last in the NFC East

Well, this is one season no one will want to revisit anytime soon. This morning, Jim Zorn was fired (my only surprise was that he rode their plane home), after the Skins put up their worst record since they went 3-13 in the 1994 season. Zorn finishes his tenure with the Redskins at a tremendous 12 and 20 (.375), or, just where Steve Spurrier finished in 2003. He is the sixth coach of the Skins to be fired since Dan Snyder bought the team in 1999, none of whom have an over-.500 record.

There’s little to celebrate at the end of the season. Jason Campbell still isn’t the Quarterback-leader the Skins are hoping for. Chris Cooley is on the mend, this is true, and he’ll be a bright light for 2010/2011, but there’s a lot of rebuilding left t go.

But if the Skins were to do one thing this off-season to engender trust from their fans? Take Dan Snyder away from the reigns of the team. Entirely. Hire Shanahan and then take two years away from the team, Danny boy, and maybe then you’ll be alright.   Continue reading

Essential DC, Fun & Games, People, The Daily Feed

Zorn Gets the Axe

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‘_MG_0229’
courtesy of ‘dbking’

The inevitable has finally happened and the Zorn era is no more. After a 4-12 season and an overall 12-20 record, the Redskins leadership decided that it was time to fire head coach Jim Zorn.  This move, of course, has been speculated for months, particularly after Redskin owner Dan Snyder stripped Zorn of his play calling responsibilities earlier in the season. It really comes as no surprise to most football fans.  Still, I ask myself: was the Redskins abysmal 2009 performance a symptom of bad coaching, or of something deeper?  Many Washingtonians feel that Dan Snyder’s meddling in the day to day affairs of his team is far more to blame than Jim Zorn’s apparent lack of ability.  So, Skins fans, what’s your analysis?  Was this a good move, bad move, or will it even matter?  Supposedly Snyder is courting Mike Shanahan as Zorn’s replacement.  Any thoughts on that?

The Daily Feed

Largent Says Zorn Nearly Quit

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‘Jim Zorn’
courtesy of ‘Keith Allison’

According to Hall of Fame receiver Steve Largent, Redskins coach Jim Zorn just about quit his job when he was asked to give up his play-calling abilities. Largent told KJR in Seattle that Zorn did consider quitting and didn’t want to give up his responsibilities as coach. But apparently, in typical Dan Snyder fashion, the upper management pulled out Zorn’s contract and basically told Zorn he had to do whatever the owner tells him to do.

Sounds like Snyder tried to force Zorn to quit, rather than fire him, so that Snyder won’t be liable for Zorn’s contract.

Largent blasted Snyder even more over at NBC Sports: “I think it will be humbling and it will be embarrassing, but not for Jim,” Largent said to NBC Sports. “I think it’s humbling and embarrassing for the Redskins and the Redskins owner and Redskins management that made the decision. To think that you can bring a guy in from a retirement center, who is pulling out ping-pong balls in the Bingo games and say, ‘You are going to call the plays for the next game against the Philadelphia Eagles, a division opponent, on Monday Night Football,’ and think that that’s going to be successful, that’s a joke. That is really a joke.”

That whole boycott thing sounds better and better, doesn’t it?

The Daily Feed

Zorn’s Fate

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‘Jim Zorn’
courtesy of ‘Keith Allison’

Let’s face it: the 09 Redskins are abysmal. The play calling is bad, the team is vapid, and theoretically good players aren’t living up to their potential. Last year’s mediocre performance and the mess that this season is shaping up to be are leading many to call for the head of coach Jim Zorn. Many NFL analysts saw yesterdays game as being the deciding factor in Zorn’s fate. If he could stop the Lions and pull his team to 2-1, he might be able to salvage his career and hold out for at least another year. Unfortunately, that’s not what happened. The Lions managed to snap their 19 game skid and beat the Skins 19-14. So what happens to Zorn, now? According to ESPN, nothing for the moment. In order to maintain continuity and the integrity of the play-calling, Zorn will likely keeping his job for at least the rest of the season. What his eventual fate is has yet to be seen. Personally, I’m shocked that the Skin’s leadership has decided to retain him. I can’t imagine he’ll be around next year. What are your thoughts?