OT: Nats, Wiz, O's, Ravens, Terps, Navy, Gtown, Mystics, Golf, Summer 2024 (Paris Olympics 2024 as well)

[John Price]

So here's my question, that I've asked multiple times, with no answer.

How do you make the Wizards good again?

The NBA has kept teams like the Wiz, Charlotte, Orlando, heck even Dallas, down for decades. Sacramento is just now breaking out of purgatory and the best they can get is just a 2nd round apperance.

I've never liked the NBA post 2007 because of what they did. The rigged game got more rigged and corrupt.

Now you see even as a mid market (let's not call it small, but mid) that this team STILL cannot get any consistency in winning, even after firing Ernie and bringing in a completely new staff. Do not tell me about Ted. Do not. This went on before he did.

We all play 2k I guess. You can make trades, make deals, make teams win. But it's 2k. You can't do that IRL. You can't make the game easier or alter 3 pt sliders. The game is the game. And right now the Wizards are losing out in the long run. How do you make this team a championship contender? Is it even possible?

I mean I will still be a fan. I will always support DC teams. But the Wizards have got to be the least favored of the big 4, no? Especially with the constant losing and mediocrity. No matter what they do, their ceiling is a 2nd round appearance. That's why the NBA sucks.

 

[Brian23]

The reason those teams, well at least Charlotte and Washington as I can't speak to Orlando or Dallas but I think it still holds, are in purgatory is entirely because they refuse to truly tank. They've treated Beal like he's Ovechkin when he should have long been sold off and the team blown up. Awful executives or coaching aside, the NBA is a league entirely driven by stars. They need to suck bad enough to land a surefire star and their fortunes would change.

Charlotte I can at least understand, they had Kemba Walker for most of the decade and were just trying to keep local fans engaged enough so they didn't have to leave the area. Washington doesn't have that excuse. They're a huge market, a market that actually loves basketball if the Terps and Hoya's are any indication, and have zero fear of needing to relocate.

And as I write this I realize Orlando and Dallas both have in-market competition. They probably can't truly tank because any market share they have would then be eaten up by the Spurs, Rockets, and Heat respectively. Dallas at least has Luka, and that's reflected in the previous 4 years of them being 2nd or 1st in their division. I think comparing them to the other 3 teams is just not a fair comparison right now.

 

[AlexModvechkin8]

So here's my question, that I've asked multiple times, with no answer.

How do you make the Wizards good again?

The NBA has kept teams like the Wiz, Charlotte, Orlando, heck even Dallas, down for decades. Sacramento is just now breaking out of purgatory and the best they can get is just a 2nd round apperance.

I've never liked the NBA post 2007 because of what they did. The rigged game got more rigged and corrupt.

Now you see even as a mid market (let's not call it small, but mid) that this team STILL cannot get any consistency in winning, even after firing Ernie and bringing in a completely new staff. Do not tell me about Ted. Do not. This went on before he did.

We all play 2k I guess. You can make trades, make deals, make teams win. But it's 2k. You can't do that IRL. You can't make the game easier or alter 3 pt sliders. The game is the game. And right now the Wizards are losing out in the long run. How do you make this team a championship contender? Is it even possible?

I mean I will still be a fan. I will always support DC teams. But the Wizards have got to be the least favored of the big 4, no? Especially with the constant losing and mediocrity. No matter what they do, their ceiling is a 2nd round appearance. That's why the NBA sucks.

Trade Beal. Sign and trade Kuzma. Extend KP. Beal and Kuzma should net premium assets they can use to get younger and rebuild properly. And most importantly, draft better and draft with a plan.

I know it’s easier to blame market size but the Wizards are in the 9th largest market in the NBA and many above them like NY and LA have multiple teams. This is not Oklahoma City or Milwaukee we’re talking about… oh and by the way both of those teams are in the playoffs this year.

The top four this year in the East are Philly, Boston, Milwaukee, and Cleveland. Philly and Boston are big markets but they also are good because they committed to a process that would take years to pull off and they drafted and developed their players. They all tanked and took their lumps knowing it would be better on the other side. None of those teams are super teams that just sign UFAs.

In the West the top four are Denver, Memphis, Sacramento, and Phoenix. Are those teams in giant markets where they can easily attract the best UFAs or did they commit to a process that would see them earn long term gain if they accepted short term pain?

The Wizards will remain irrelevant until they’re willing to commit to a rebuild and or at least a significant retool. They have to draft in the lottery for multiple years to get the talent necessary to compete.

 

[Ridley Simon]

Trade Beal. Sign and trade Kuzma. Extend KP. Beal and Kuzma should net premium assets they can use to get younger and rebuild properly. And most importantly, draft better and draft with a plan.

I know it’s easier to blame market size but the Wizards are in the 9th largest market in the NBA and many above them like NY and LA have multiple teams. This is not Oklahoma City or Milwaukee we’re talking about… oh and by the way both of those teams are in the playoffs this year.

The top four this year in the East are Philly, Boston, Milwaukee, and Cleveland. Philly and Boston are big markets but they also are good because they committed to a process that would take years to pull off and they drafted and developed their players. They all tanked and took their lumps knowing it would be better on the other side. None of those teams are super teams that just sign UFAs.

In the West the top four are Denver, Memphis, Sacramento, and Phoenix. Are those teams in giant markets where they can easily attract the best UFAs or did they commit to a process that would see them earn long term gain if they accepted short term pain?

The Wizards will remain irrelevant until they’re willing to commit to a rebuild and or at least a significant retool. They have to draft in the lottery for multiple years to get the talent necessary to compete.

Haven’t we had this same discussion before?

 

[AlexModvechkin8]

Haven’t we had this same discussion before?

Many times but maybe one day it’ll stick since we keep getting more and more evidence that mid to small market teams can compete and it’s just the Wizards own incompetence holding them back.

 

[Ridley Simon]

Many times but maybe one day it’ll stick since we keep getting more and more evidence that mid to small market teams can compete and it’s just the Wizards own incompetence holding them back.

Blasphemy. It’s all rigged (which is something I DO think about, my Merrill tin foil hat moment), so it’s now our turn to get the luck. Aren’t we screwed enough, us Angelos/Snyder children??

In one of these damned leagues, we are due.

I will say this, the Wizards are the NBA’s forgotten franchise. But it’s of their own doing. No one else’s.

 

[Corby78]

The wizards suck because the front office has not been good at its job. Dallas has had some good years so i'm not sure why they are included here. It's not the NBAs fault the wizards have made awfull decisions with the rosters and hired bad coaches.

 

[John Price]

Many times but maybe one day it’ll stick since we keep getting more and more evidence that mid to small market teams can compete and it’s just the Wizards own incompetence holding them back.

Is that why Detroit and Orlando have stacked rosters full of young talent yet can't seem to win? Or Charlotte, Minnesota (weren't they "good" last year), New Orleans, Indiana, Houston, etc.

This has been going on far beyond Ted and Sheppard. The Wizards have been bad since 1979. That's not Ted's fault.

The only way you fix this is getting lucky in the draft, and even then you can't guarantee a title. Heck Dallas lucked into Luka and they are missing the playoffs. You have to draft some one in a generation superstar like Giannis or LeBron, and then buy a shitload of supporting cast. The Wizards can't draw any talent here through FA. Thus they will continue to fail.

That's not Ted's or Ernie's or Tommy's fault t hat the best FA's that they can muster up are Gilbert Arenas and Paul Pierce

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

Is that why Detroit and Orlando have stacked rosters full of young talent yet can't seem to win? Or Charlotte, Minnesota (weren't they "good" last year), New Orleans, Indiana, Houston, etc.

This has been going on far beyond Ted and Sheppard. The Wizards have been bad since 1979. That's not Ted's fault.

The only way you fix this is getting lucky in the draft, and even then you can't guarantee a title. Heck Dallas lucked into Luka and they are missing the playoffs. You have to draft some one in a generation superstar like Giannis or LeBron, and then buy a shitload of supporting cast. The Wizards can't draw any talent here through FA. Thus they will continue to fail.

That's not Ted's or Ernie's or Tommy's fault t hat the best FA's that they can muster up are Gilbert Arenas and Paul Pierce

The Pistons won a champ starting a bunch of ex wizards. That was a good team bad boys part 2

 

[AlexModvechkin8]

Is that why Detroit and Orlando have stacked rosters full of young talent yet can't seem to win? Or Charlotte, Minnesota (weren't they "good" last year), New Orleans, Indiana, Houston, etc.

This has been going on far beyond Ted and Sheppard. The Wizards have been bad since 1979. That's not Ted's fault.

The only way you fix this is getting lucky in the draft, and even then you can't guarantee a title. Heck Dallas lucked into Luka and they are missing the playoffs. You have to draft some one in a generation superstar like Giannis or LeBron, and then buy a shitload of supporting cast. The Wizards can't draw any talent here through FA. Thus they will continue to fail.

That's not Ted's or Ernie's or Tommy's fault t hat the best FA's that they can muster up are Gilbert Arenas and Paul Pierce

Again this is completely wrong but I’m not having this conversation again. It’s like you’re being purposefully dense on this because you don’t want to admit what you said has no merit. Having high draft picks doesn’t guarantee you anything in any sport and you already know this but you try to use a few examples of teams struggling in order to prove a point that’s completely wrong. If you want to believe that teams like Oklahoma City, Denver, Utah, Memphis, Phoenix, Portland, New Orleans, etc can compete because they are in better markets and the Wizards are just a blameless victim then go for it. I guess the San Antonio Spurs didn’t dominate the NBA for two decades and that was just my imagination.

 

[John Price]

So sad that Tiger had to pull out from the Masters. He hasn't looked the same lately.

I guess the San Antonio Spurs didn’t dominate the NBA for two decades and that was just my imagination.

The same Spurs that are 2nd in the odds for Wemby, and have been largely trash since Duncan and Robinson retired?

 

[AlexModvechkin8]

So sad that Tiger had to pull out from the Masters. He hasn't looked the same lately.


The same Spurs that are 2nd in the odds for Wemby, and have been largely trash since Duncan and Robinson retired?

And remind me how they got Duncan, Robinson, Manu Ginoblli, Tony Parker?

Largely trash… after winning five championships in 16 seasons. Maybe don’t forget to add that part. Is your argument really, “Well the Spurs were the gold standard of the NBA for two decades and they did it by building through the draft but they haven’t been very good recently so it proves small market teams can’t compete”?

With very few exceptions, contending NBA teams are built around a star they drafted. Even the super teams started that way. The Heat started around Dwayne Wade. The Lakers started around Kobe. The Warriors started around Curry and Draymond.

 

[John Price]

And remind me how they got Duncan, Robinson, Manu Ginoblli, Tony Parker?

Largely trash… after winning five championships in 16 seasons. Maybe don’t forget to add that part. Is your argument really, “Well the Spurs were the gold standard of the NBA for two decades and they did it by building through the draft but they haven’t been very good recently so it proves small market teams can’t compete”?

With very few exceptions, contending NBA teams are built around a star they drafted. Even the super teams started that way. The Heat started around Dwayne Wade. The Lakers started around Kobe. The Warriors started around Curry and Draymond.

Duncan and Robinson i'll give you but much of their foreign talent like tony parker and ginoboli were gotten off very strong international scouting, which at the time was a moneyball they had to exploit to get a "competitive advantage".

 

[John Price]

 

[AlexModvechkin8]

Duncan and Robinson i'll give you but much of their foreign talent like tony parker and ginoboli were gotten off very strong international scouting, which at the time was a moneyball they had to exploit to get a "competitive advantage".

Let me just ask it this way: can you give me examples from the past 25 years or so of NBA championship teams that were built without a foundation of homegrown talent? I can think of one team.

Of course you need free agency to help fill out a roster or a key trade or two but I’m talking about teams that bought their way to NBA titles without having to emphasize the draft.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Duncan and Robinson i'll give you but much of their foreign talent like tony parker and ginoboli were gotten off very strong international scouting, which at the time was a moneyball they had to exploit to get a "competitive advantage".

This just further highlights how bad the Wizards organization has been.

what, they can’t scout and draft international talent just like anyone else? Of course they can, they just draft bums largely.

Parker 28th overall….Manu, 57th….

 

[AlexModvechkin8]

This just further highlights how bad the Wizards organization has been.

what, they can’t scout and draft international talent just like anyone else? Of course they can, they just draft bums largely.

Parker 28th overall….Manu, 57th….

When was the last time the Wizards had a second round pick that did anything?

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

And yeah….just brutal to see Tiger physically destroyed by 2 chilly days of golf.

not even sure why hes out there, other than ego/his incredible will to be great.

At this point, he should focus on the Champions tour and getting ready for that. He doesn’t look like a guy who can walk 72 and still compete.

Such an incredible shame he had that car accident.

 

[usiel]

And yeah….just brutal to see Tiger physically destroyed by 2 chilly days of golf.

not even sure why hes out there, other than ego/his incredible will to be great.

At this point, he should focus on the Champions tour and getting ready for that. He doesn’t look like a guy who can walk 72 and still compete.

Such an incredible shame he had that car accident.

Bolded driving around in a 760HP car the dominant thought one has to remember is don't do something idiotic to regret.

 

[Dr John Carlson]

And yeah….just brutal to see Tiger physically destroyed by 2 chilly days of golf.

not even sure why hes out there, other than ego/his incredible will to be great.

At this point, he should focus on the Champions tour and getting ready for that. He doesn’t look like a guy who can walk 72 and still compete.

Such an incredible shame he had that car accident.

I think he can still compete in the perfect conditions - 4 hot days, no rain at all, reasonably flat course that he can strategize around rather than needing to bomb it off the tee.

I still like Royal Liverpool for him, as long as this foot thing is cleared up by then... but I ain't gonna be picking him to win.

 

[g00n]

Everyone suddenly throwing up all over themselves. Augusta on Sunday.

WRT Tiger, I've battled plantar fasciitis for 20 years. It sucks shit. Tried all the treatments, gadgets, techniques, etc. The only thing that ever worked well enough to qualify as healing instead of pain management? Rest. And losing weight, maybe. But that's not really an option if you're already pretty fit and you don't want to lose muscle, as is likely the case with Tiger.

PF leads to changes in gait and other compensations which ripple into other injuries of the hip, back, even neck and shoulders. If Tiger ends up with achilles tendonitis like I got, good luck trying to walk a golf course. Wet, soggy, soft, hilly courses are awful with PF and impossible with achilles problems.

 

[Dr John Carlson]

Jon Rahm right now looks about as good as any golfer I've ever seen.

(was too young to watch peak Big Cat)

I saw the vision early on!

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

I think he can still compete in the perfect conditions - 4 hot days, no rain at all, reasonably flat course that he can strategize around rather than needing to bomb it off the tee.

I still like Royal Liverpool for him, as long as this foot thing is cleared up by then... but I ain't gonna be picking him to win.

asking for perfect conditions seems like a reach. I don’t know…we’ll see. I don’t see a guy who can physically last 4 rounds walking….at least for now.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

After Tiger Woods’ Masters exit, pro shares scary detail about Woods' struggles

Playing competitive golf has been challenging for Tiger Woods over the last two years. On Sunday, Jason Day revealed just how challenging.

golf.com

“I was talking to [Woods] at the end of last year,” Day said between his third and fourth rounds, “and then he was saying the reason why he pulled out of the PGA was a screw went through the skin on Saturday or whatever it was. I don’t know how bad it is this time.”



rumors of a possible retirement circling right now also….

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

LIV's Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka, Patrick Reed finally have good news on the World Ranking front — Golf Digest

during the third round of the 2023 Masters Tournament held in Augusta, GA at Augusta National Golf Club on Saturday, April 8, 2023. The freefall for most LIV Golf participants in the Official World Golf Ranking has been steady and spectacular since joining the upstart circuit, one that...

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