Maryland’s move to Big Ten: Minor upgrade for football, lateral move for basketball

December 1, 2012
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Maryland wide receiver Stefon Diggs. Photo by Bill Bride, Inside Maryland Sports.

Maryland’s move to the Big Ten took everyone by surprise. Now that the dust has cleared, it can be said that Terp fans will miss the tradition of the ACC, and it will be strange to play teams from the Midwest. But the move should help with money, obviously, and it should improve the struggling football team. But the ACC isn’t as far below the Big Ten as most people think. As for basketball, top to bottom, the leagues are about the same. To read my articles on the Terps’ move, click here:  http://www.examiner.com/article/maryland-football-by-the-numbers-move-to-big-ten-only-minor-upgrade-from-acc

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1422859-maryland-terrapins-football-move-to-big-ten-only-slight-upgrade-from-acc

Who has Washington D.C.’s worst sports losses of the modern era: Redskins, Caps or Nats?

October 30, 2012

In D.C. we’ve had some bad sports losses. From the Redskins to the Caps, Nats, Wizards and Maryland Terrapins, we’ve just about seen it all. Of course, we’ve had our titles too – three Super Bowl wins by the Skins, an NBA title by the Bullets, and even the Senators won the World Series before most of us were born. Anyway, to see a list of D.C.’s worst sports losses of the modern era, inspired by the Nats’ recent choke against the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLDS, click below for the entire article on Examiner.com and Bleacher Report.

Washington Nationals articles on CBS Local Washington by Mike Frandsen

October 30, 2012

I had a chance to cover the Washington Nationals during the NLDS playoffs vs. the St. Louis Cardinals. Here are the articles:

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Photo by Mike Frandsen.

http://washington.cbslocal.com/2012/10/07/washington-nationals-to-play-first-playoff-game-since-1933/

http://washington.cbslocal.com/2012/10/08/washington-nationals-fans-should-never-root-for-baltimore-orioles-period/

http://washington.cbslocal.com/2012/10/09/washington-nationals-vs-st-louis-cardinals-studs-and-duds-in-nlds/

http://washington.cbslocal.com/2012/10/10/washington-nationals-fans-ready-as-nats-host-st-louis-cardinals-in-first-playoff-game-in-d-c-since-1933/

http://washington.cbslocal.com/2012/10/11/five-reasons-the-washington-nationals-can-still-beat-the-st-louis-cardinals-in-game-4-of-the-nlds/

http://washington.cbslocal.com/2012/10/12/werths-homer-gives-washington-nationals-fans-reason-to-cheer-going-into-game-5-vs-st-louis-cardinals/

http://washington.cbslocal.com/2012/10/13/epic-fail-washington-nationals-collapse-vs-st-louis-cardinals-in-game-5-nlds/

http://washington.cbslocal.com/2012/10/14/washington-nationals-2012-playoff-run-only-the-beginning-for-young-talented-nats/  

Washington Nationals fans should not root for Baltimore Orioles

October 8, 2012

Photo by Mike Frandsen.

The Washington Nationals are in the MLB playoffs for the first time in 79 years; the Baltimore Orioles are in the playoffs for the first time in 15 years. Read why I think D.C. fans should not root for the O’s, despite the great times they’ve given us in the past when we didn’t have a team. http://washington.cbslocal.com/2012/10/08/washington-nationals-fans-should-never-root-for-baltimore-orioles-period/.

Response to Michael Wilbon on his trashing of D.C. as a sports town

October 5, 2012

Michael Wilbon has done it again in trashing D.C. as a sports town in the latest issue of ESPN the Magazine. He hates D.C. and the Redskins, even though he made his living off the city for three decades. Wilbon is an average writer. If we both had to write about the same game or event, given the same deadline, I’d crush him. He’s overrated. Anyway, I’ll just repost an article I wrote last year about D.C. being a good sports town. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/914880-washington-dc-not-just-a-redskins-town-but-a-great-sports-city Also see http://www.examiner.com/article/redskins-caps-nats-wizards-united-washington-d-c-is-a-great-sports-town.

Go away, Wilbon. We don’t want you here anymore. We’re tired of looking at your sorry, no-account self on PTI, with your stupid jokes and simplistic questions. Do you know how much the players and coaches you interview on PTI look down on you for your Sesame Street approach to sports?

You’re a fraud. When it comes to Chicago you know about the ’85 Bears and the Jordan Bulls. You pretend to be a Cubs fan but you’re a fake Cubs fan. You used to like D.C. sports when the Redskins were winning Super Bowls. What does that tell you? You’re a frontrunner.

It’s not obvious that L.A. is a better sports town than D.C. D.C. is much better and it isn’t even close.

You’re a couch potato who brags about what you watch on TV every single night.

You’re always disassociating yourself from D.C. on P.T.I. D.C. made you. George Michael made you. The Redskins made you. You’re not a bad writer, but you’re nothing special. It’s so weird to watch you on the NBA show because you’re so out of place.

You’re always bragging about being from a tough part of Chicago, but something tells me you grew up privileged.

You had a heart attack and now you’re fatter than you were before? Show some respect for life.

You actually like tennis and soccer but you don’t have the guts to admit it because they’re not seen as cool.

You benefit from a culture in which yelling is associated with knowledge.

To borrow a phrase from you, “Get out!”

ESPN the Magazine trashes Washington D.C. as a sports town

October 3, 2012

ESPN The Magazine’s Howard Bryant just trashed Washington, D.C. as a sports town. It’s too much to go into, but the article is pretty weak. If you want to read an article about D.C. as a sports town by a Washingtonian, see http://bleacherreport.com/articles/914880-washington-dc-not-just-a-redskins-town-but-a-great-sports-city.

Also see an article about D.C.’s top stars: Robert Griffin III, Alex Ovechkin, Stephen Strasburg, Bryce Harper, and John Wall:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1349641-dcs-top-stars-rg3-alex-ovechkin-stephen-strasburg-bryce-harper-john-wa

The Buying Company on Amazon.com

August 15, 2012

Do not buy anything from The Buying Company on Amazon.com. I paid for a 4g phone and they sent me a 3g phone, and their response was basically, “Screw you.”

Tips to keep children with autism and other disabilities safe from sexual abuse

July 8, 2012

Keeping children and adults with autism and other disabilities safe from sexual abuse is a critical topic that people don’t like to talk about, but warrants more attention than it often receives. Several studies have indicated that children with disabilities face a higher risk of sexual abuse than those without disabilities. According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, women with disabilities are sexually abused at a rate at least twice that of the general population.

Children with autism and other disabilities can be especially vulnerable because of communication problems or a lack of fear. Incidents may go unreported because children with disabilities may not be able to convey what happened, may not fully understand what is inappropriate, or may not be seen as credible because of communication problems.

To see the rest of my article on Examiner.com, click here.

Maryland basketball star Len Bias: remembering ACC great who died 26 years ago

July 8, 2012

The poster is old and wrinkled, gathering dust. Len Bias is slamming home one of his ferocious dunks. The caption reads, “I’m Bias. Maryland is number one.”

It has been 26 years since Maryland basketball superstar Len Bias died of a cocaine overdose in a dorm room. Bias’ sudden death became the biggest story in the history of Washington, D.C. area sports, and one of the biggest news stories in the city’s history. How could such a seemingly invincible player be gone all of a sudden, just two days after being drafted second overall in the 1986 draft by the Boston Celtics?

To read the rest of my article on Examiner.com, click here.

D.C. United at Maryland SoccerPlex

July 8, 2012

D.C. United plays its home games at old RFK Stadium in Washington, which shakes and teems with character and memories. But United plays a couple of games each season at the Maryland SoccerPlex in Germantown, which seats just a few thousand, but is an excellent venue for soccer. I went to a game about a month ago against the Philadelphia Union.

Here’s the article on Examiner.com.


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