top of page
Search

A (Suddenly) Bright Future for DC Sports?

Writer's picture: IE Sports RadioIE Sports Radio

By: Mike Patt


Original Date: 11/14/24




Hello sports fans, and welcome back to the IE Sports Radio Blog. We have just completed one of the most exciting sports months of the year; October. The baseball playoffs have come to their conclusion (congrats to the Dodgers for winning the World Series), Football is in full swing at both the professional and collegiate level, and the NHL and NBA regular seasons have begun. We are not too far away from College Basketball joining the fray, and CFB conference championship week is just around the corner. Oh, and Thanksgiving is coming up soon as well, so I will wish you an early happy Thanksgiving if we do not see you between now and then.


One city where the mood has been brighter recently is Washington DC. Despite having won a Stanley Cup, World Series, and WNBA Championship all within the past six years, DC sports had returned to its traditional state of dread and misery to starts the 2020s. The Capitals, Nationals, and Mystics had fallen from relevance post titles, and the Wizards (with new nickname “Lizards” from all their Ls) and Commanders/Redskins/Football Team have not had a winning season or semblance of title contention in the new decade. No diehard fan in the Nation’s Capital was surprised. It was almost relaxing to not have expectations for any professional sports season.


Even this time last year, the mood for every team was down. It’s amazing the difference a year (or less in the case of the Wizards and Caps) can make. Not everyone has become title contenders overnight. However, each team has something to be excited for and give them hope for either the remainder of their regular season or the future of the franchise. Let’s take a look at what each team has going for them:


Commanders –

Current Status: The Commanders are one of the surprise teams of the 2024 NFL season. They currently sit at 7-3 and are right on the Eagles’ coattails for the division lead. They have the frontrunner for rookie of the year, a much-improved offensive line, and a defense that is not necessarily perfect, but makes plays. They have played some tough teams recently and played competitive football in every game except week one where they were still learning how to play as a team. There are some high-pressure games coming up that will determine how well the season ends, but the playoffs are almost certainly in the cards.


Biggest Question: Can they build for and maintain success for the foreseeable future? This franchise has not strung together multiple successful season in. decades. There are some pieces in place to make that happen, but they need to be able to keep those pieces healthy and happy (and add a couple more). Teams with long track records tend to make that happen. Those teams also have the ability to retool where and when needed. It is one thing to be a surprise for a season. It’s quite different to translate that sudden success into sustained contention.


Capitals –

Current Status: What a pleasant surprise this team has been. The Caps had been in a slow decline over the past 3-4 years. Their recent approach has been retooling by moving players who do not want to sign contract extensions, bringing in new pieces, and signing young talent to affordable longer deals. The result is a well-balanced team that gets production out of all four lines. There are promising prospects that are close to making the team, especially at forward. Oh, and Alex Ovechkin has found the fountain of youth as he continues to chase Wayne Gretzky’s goals record.

Biggest Question: Have they found a solution at Goalie? The Caps have struggled with consistent play in the net since Braden Holtby left. Darcy Keumper was good for a while, but his play tailed off last season and the team traded him. Charlie Lindgren fought admirably last year but has struggled so far this season. Now the team turns to young journeyman Logan Thompson, who has won several games early on and had solid performances. Can he continue this success and secure the top goalie spot for the foreseeable future? Something to watch as the season evolves.


Wizards –

Current Status: Nobody expected the Wizards to be a competitive squad this season, and their start has met those expectations. Aside from a couple or surprise wins against the Atlanta Hawks, Washington has suffered double digit losses across the board. Key players, like Kyle Kuzma and Corey Kispert, have been disappointing. It’s not all bad though. Their young core is getting consistent minutes and showing flashes of great playmaking ability. Jordan Poole continues to show skill as the team’s point guard. Best of all, they are right on track to land a high lottery pick in what is looking like one of the best drafts in recent memory.

Biggest Question: Can they find their Superstar? Yes, the Wizards have a young exciting core that they can keep them together for several years. But I do not know if any of the current players can become the main guy on the team. Can they take over a game here and there? Sure. But can they go Lebron James, Kevin Durant, or Steph Curry and will their team to victory night in and night out? Maybe not. In today’s NBA, you need a guy like that to win a title. The Wiz need to find one.


Nationals –

Current Status: The Nationals fall right in the middle of this group in terms of rebuild progression. They are not in a potential break out stage like the Commanders and Capitals, but are further along in their development than the Mystics and Wizards. There is a group of prospects fresh up to the majors with incredible promise. The pitching depth in the minors is outstanding, and the current rotation is young. What gives me the most hope is the payroll situation. The Nats just had several large contracts expire (for players who are not part of the long-term picture), meaning there is money to spend to add pieces and jump start are return to prominence.


Biggest Question: What to do about SS CJ Abrams? Abrams was an NL MVP candidate through the first third of the season. He hit a mid-season slump but started to rebound before and off-the-field incident led to the team sending him down to AAA for the last week or so of the season. Now Washington is at an impasse. At his peak, Abrams is an electric player and one of the brightest young stars in the league. But there is also considerable downside, and the organization has to decide how to handle the high-risk high reward situation moving forward.


Mystics –

Current Status: The Mystics started off the 2024 regular season by losing their first 12 games. After that, they went 14-14 and nearly snuck into the playoffs (very weird that a team can almost make the playoffs at 14-26). They got some surprising performances from unknown players like Jule Vanloo and Emily Engstler, and their veterans performed admirably as well. Their core is under contract for 2025, and the team will have cap space available to make additions where needed.

Biggest Question: Can they find a main player? Much like the Wizards, the core is looking good, but nobody on the team screams superstar or main option. Brittney Sykes and Ariel Atkins can score well, but neither of them can take over a game whenever they want to. The Mystics need to find that player. They have a lottery pick (exact spot to be determined) and the #6 pick in the draft next April. We shall see what they can make of that draft capital. The health of young players Aaliyah Edwards and Shakira Austin will also be important to watch moving forward.

Now you will notice that I did not mention DC United. Well, maybe not EVERY pro team in DC has a bright future to look forward to. Based on the past couple of seasons, it would take a lot for DC United to join the ranks of the hopeful. Their best player is aging, and year in and year out nobody else really steps up to make an impact. And since the MLS has grown significantly, it is much harder for teams to climb the ranks without pouring significant resources into doing so. I just do not see that happening in this case, at least not any time soon. Maybe I am wrong and will gladly admit that I am wrong if it happens, but I doubt it.


I am not saying that DC will be bringing home a championship in every major sport in the next 3-5 years. Many rebuilds do not work out, and teams end up back at the drawing board more often not. Still, there is an energy surrounding the city that I have not seen in some time. Maybe at least one of these teams will translate that energy into great success. Tune in to Let’s Wine About DMV Sports on Saturdays at 9 PM EST/6 PM PST. Be sure to tune in to all of the great shows we have throughout the week at IESR. Shout out to our sponsors, Planet Jerky and Seal the Deal Wax Seals, as well as all you loyal viewers that continue to help our network grow. Thank you for reading, and we will see you next time on IE Sports Radio; your direct feed for ALL that is sports.

0 views0 comments

Comments


©2018 by IE Sports Radio. Proudly created with Wix.com

  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • generic-social-link
  • youtube
bottom of page