DC Sports Teams: Out with the Old, In With the Unknown

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March 1, 2011
Ceci Ferrara
Sports Writer
Sports Insider

Caps

The NHL trade deadline was 3 p.m. today and the Caps made sure they got in under the wire. Washington has acquired New Jersey Devils vet Jason Arnott for forward David Steckel and a second-round pick in 2012. Arnott, who had a no-trade clause with the Devils, said he would waive it if given the opportunity to go to a playoff team. After the trade was announced, Arnott made a statement that while it was tough to leave the Devils, he believes the Caps give him the best chance to win the Stanley Cup. He had won previously with the Devils in 2000. Arnott was the team’s second acquisition of the day after they dealt away with Jake Hauswirth and this year’s third-round draft pick for Dennis Wideman. Wideman is a 27-year old defenseman from the Florida Panthers who has an impressive 9-goals and 33 assists in 61 games this season.

For Caps fans, letting go of Steckel — 9 years Arnott’s junior– may have come as a surprise, as he signed a 3-year deal just last winter. The forward has struggled to score this season, and the Caps no doubt believed veteran Arnott gives them a better chance at the Stanley Cup, something that has eluded the perennial playoff disappointing Caps for several seasons.

Wizards

While the Caps have been on a bit of a hot streak – winning four of their last six games – the same can’t be said for the Wizards who have lost five straight, including weekend match-ups against the James-Wade-Bosh Miami Heat (121-113) and Dallas Mavericks(105-99). Surprisingly, neither was a blowout, as the Wizards put up a fight against the superstar Heat, instead of letting them bulldoze them in four quarters. Like the Caps, the Wizards are experiencing locker room changes beyond their uniforms. 32-year old point Mike Bibby, who came to Washington just last week in a trade for guard Kirk Hinrich, has agreed to a buyout with the Wizards, turning down his 2011 $6.2 million salary. Bibby’s departure was fueled by his desire to play for a title-contending team, with the Heat, Boston Celtics and Portland Trail Blazers all having expressed interest in the newly available point guard.

With about 25 games left in the season, it’s no secret that the Wizards will again finish at the bottom of the NBA rung. Despite their undesirable record, the team is starting to look like a cohesive unit. If they can put up 113 points against, possibly, the best team in the NBA right now, it shouldn’t be taken as just another loss, but as an omen for the good things to come. On his blog, “Ted’s Take”, Ted Leonsis was optimistic about the team’s future, resigned that this season is just a building block in an epic rebuild. “We are done now in collecting picks and prospects. We have to let them work hard and learn. We have to see how the new NBA is set up in the go forward years, and because we have some financial flexibility now, we can start to see and map out how our team could look in year 2 and 3 of the rebuild. We will be younger, but we will also adds vets via trades and some free agency.” He ended his entry stating that he shares the same anxiety and excitement as the fans, adding “I need to be patient,” no doubt echoing the sentiments of the rest of the city.

NFL/Redskins

It looks like the battle between the NFL players union and team owners is going to go down to the wire, as the current collective bargaining agreement expires this Thursday, March 3 at 11:59 p. m. According to reports, the whole matter could be brought before the court. The players union is rumored to have plans to “decertify”, which would dissolve the union and allow individual players to file for an injunction to prevent owners from “locking them out.” This whole ordeal is caused by the inability to agree on how to split the nearly $9 billion of NFL revenue with owners who scoff at the idea of a 50-50 split and players unwilling to continue with the current agreement. This agreement gives them around 60 percent after a $1 billion owners credit. With the expiration date looming, it’s possible the players may find themselves in the shoes of many other Americans: unemployed.

The Washington Redskins released running-back and 7-year Redskin vet Clinton Portis today, who at 29 seems to be on the decline. Portis had previously expressed a desire to stay in Washington, where he was obviously loved and had spent most of his career. With his release, he loses the chance at becoming the franchise’s No. 1 all-time rusher. He leaves the city at No. 2 with 6,824 and only 77 yards shy of 10,000 for his career. While bittersweet, this move was not a surprise to Portis or his fans. Coach Mike Shanahan announced at the NFL Combine that he would like Portis back, but at a lower price. His 2011 salary would have been $8.3 million and hard to justify. The 29-year old has been plagued with injuries in recent years, rushing for 721 yards in only 13 games over two seasons. Portis was gracious at the news, thanking the organization and owner Dan Synder, in particular. “I would like to thank the organization. Dan [Synder] and Mike [Shanahan] were honest, straight-up people with me. I always appreciated the opportunity from Dan to play here,” said Portis. “Being a Redskin was a special part of my life. Coming and being in that organization, I turned from a kid having fun to a man carrying responsibilities. I tried to put the world on my shoulders for Coach Gibbs and the Redskins fans.”

While Portis might not be at the top of the NFL stock, if he can stay healthy, his legs may have a few years left on them. A possible team for the vet is the Indianapolis Colts, who are in desperate need of a dependable running-back to provide relief for franchise QB Peyton Manning.

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