Sitting behind the desk in the visiting manager's office at Nationals Park, Tony La Russa studied the Nationals' batting order for Wednesday's game against his St. Louis Cardinals. For the fourth consecutive time, Washington manager Jim Riggleman defied conventional wisdom by batting his pitcher eighth and a position player ninth - in this case, shortstop Ian Desmond. Published June 15, 2011
And so it began, another set of voluntary workouts for Washington Redskins players who were inclined to show up. Roughly 30 did so Tuesday morning, dressed in assorted T-shirts and shorts as they straggled onto a field in Northern Virginia. Inside linebacker London Fletcher was a conspicuous latecomer, arriving after the players had gone through warm-ups and split into their position groups. Published June 14, 2011
You don't have to be a LeBron James/Miami Heat hater to be glad that the Mavericks won the NBA championship. Published June 13, 2011
Their high-profile positions give them access to gifts and services not available to everyone else. They know they're not supposed to accept the extra benefits, but they do so anyway, often bringing shame to their institutions when caught. Despite numerous examples of prohibited perks leading to a downfall, the cycle continues, with new reports surfacing on a regular basis. Published June 9, 2011
The folks at Nike were amazingly prescient in November 2005 when they unveiled a 110-foot high by 212-foot wide billboard to introduce their new ad campaign for LeBron James - "We Are All Witnesses." Published June 6, 2011
We like people who don't think small. We encourage folks to not act small. We engage in small talk, though it's largely insignificant. Published June 2, 2011
'He's our coach, and we trust him implicitly." That's what Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith said about Jim Tressel during a March 8 news conference. It was a strange statement, considering Smith was in the process of announcing Tressel's two-game suspension and $250,000 fine for, essentially, being dishonest. Published May 30, 2011
When a team is "fortunate" enough to have the No. 1 pick in back-to-back years, with once-a-generation prospects available in back-to-back drafts, we shouldn't be surprised if good karma is scarce afterward. Few franchises are fortuitous enough to ever draft a Stephen Strasburg a Bryce Harper; snagging both within a 12-month span was like winning the Powerball on consecutive drawings. Published May 26, 2011
I'm not sure how many folks can watch Tyler Hamilton's interview on "60 Minutes" and still think that Lance Armstrong was clean in becoming the world's top cyclist. If holdouts were uncertain beforehand, Hamilton's apparent pain and reluctance in outlining Armstrong's supposed doping history should remove doubt. Published May 23, 2011
Once again, it's time to check off some items on my "TIDU List" — Things I Don't Understand: Published May 19, 2011
In other news, Phoenix Suns president Rick Welts announced that he's gay. Published May 16, 2011
They do it so routinely each year, we don't even blink as they jilt one campus and bolt for the next. We've turned it into a spectator sport, predicting which college coaches will fill which openings during the annual game of musical chairs. The incoming recruits and returning players left behind or waiting ahead? They're just collateral damage. Nothing to see here, move along. Published May 12, 2011
He can X-and-O with the nation's best hoops tacticians. He can recruit against anyone in the country. He can use his homegrown roots and local connections to dominate the D.C. area's fertile hotbed. The only thing Todd Bozeman can't do is give big-time athletic directors like Maryland's Kevin Anderson the courage to hire him. Published May 9, 2011
The Washington Capitals remind me somewhat of the Florida Everblades, an ECHL team I covered for several years in Fort Myers, Fla. Before the mob is assembled, the torches are lit and Bruce Boudreau's head is called for, let's consider a similar situation that might be instructive. Published May 5, 2011
There's no way of knowing how a new coach will do, though there's rarely a shortage of snap judgments. Typical reactions range from "perfect fit" and "great move," to "bad choice" and "what were they thinking?" Published May 2, 2011
When you're young, gifted and blocked, progress is measured in baby steps, often escaping notice. There are signposts that a historian will laugh at in retrospect, moments that eventually mean nothing in the arc of a career. Published April 28, 2011
The Nationals' bullpen has been a hot commodity this season. Adding relief pitcher Henry Rodriguez to the mix could mean an increase in heat. Published April 27, 2011
Many George Mason fans are upset that the school didn't do more to keep men's basketball coach Jim Larranaga, who last week resigned to accept the job at Miami. Published April 25, 2011
It seems like a long time ago. The savior was conducting his first minicamp, to rave reviews. The centerpiece was on full display, to everyone's delight. And the reject was donning silver and black, to find restoration in Oakland. Published April 21, 2011
The Nationals are 8-7 through their first 15 games this season, just like last season. This season, however, has a much different vibe. Published April 18, 2011
