SB Nation DC: Redskins Fandom: Blind Love Or Insanity?

[pjfootballer]

It takes luck because the worst team doesn't always get the first pick. It takes luck because the first pick sometimes turns out to be a bust like Kwame Brown. It takes luck because Ovechkin is a once-a-generation talent and if they'd have dicked around an extra year before blowing it up and committing to the plan, then he'd be playing elsewhere.

So yeah, I'd say luck was involved.

Hockey's lottery is more weighted than the NBA's. I can't remember a year where a team in the NHL moved from the #11 position into the top 3, like the Wizards did this year AND when they took Kwame. And the draft they took Kwame in was probably the worst in talent in 30 years in the NBA. And Hockey has less bust potential because they can tool around in the minors while the NBA wants the 1st pick to be an instant star. There is a big difference in the 2 leagues and how the players are developed. Again, I want to know if the Pens lucked out 2 years in a row? I can't say it was luck. We were the worst team, he was the best player.

[themurf]

Hockey's lottery is more weighted than the NBA's. I can't remember a year where a team in the NHL moved from the #11 position into the top 3, like the Wizards did this year AND when they took Kwame. And the draft they took Kwame in was probably the worst in talent in 30 years in the NBA. And Hockey has less bust potential because they can tool around in the minors while the NBA wants the 1st pick to be an instant star. There is a big difference in the 2 leagues and how the players are developed. Again, I want to know if the Pens lucked out 2 years in a row? I can't say it was luck. We were the worst team, he was the best player.

The Penguins won the lottery, even though they didn't have the best odds, and landed Sidney Crosby. If I'm not mistaken, the Caps had better odds of landing the top pick that year, which meant that Ovechkin and Crosby could be teammates. Luck is involved in everything, man.

[pjfootballer]

This year no team outside the top 3 made the top 3 picks in the NHL. Whereas the NBA had 2 teams sneak into the top 3.

If I were the Wizards 10 years ago, the safest pick in that draft was Shane Battier. I hadn't even heard of Kwame until a week before the draft.

If the Caps had have waited one more season, they would have Crosby and odds are Ovie would have been a Pen.

[pjfootballer]

The Penguins won the lottery, even though they didn't have the best odds, and landed Sidney Crosby. If I'm not mistaken, the Caps had better odds of landing the top pick that year, which meant that Ovechkin and Crosby could be teammates. Luck is involved in everything, man.

It was different in years past because of the lockout when the Pens got Crosby,

"As a lockout cancelled the 2004–05 NHL season, the draft order was determined by lottery on July 22, 2005. Teams were assigned 1 to 3 balls based on their playoff appearances and first overall draft picks from the past three years. According to the draft order, the selection worked its way up to 30 as usual; then instead of repeating the order as in past years, the draft "snaked" back down to the team with the first pick. Therefore the team with the first pick overall would not pick again until the 60th pick. The team with the 30th pick would also get the 31st pick. The draft was only seven rounds in length, compared to nine rounds in years past. The labor dispute caused the shortened draft.

The Pittsburgh Penguins won the draft lottery and, as expected, selected Sidney Crosby. The lottery associated with the draft has colloquially been referred to as the Sidney Crosby Sweepstakes due to the certainty of Crosby being selected first."

Three balls

Buffalo Sabres, Columbus Blue Jackets, New York Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins

Two balls

Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, Atlanta Thrashers, Calgary Flames, Carolina Hurricanes, Chicago Blackhawks, Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators, Phoenix Coyotes

One ball

Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings, Florida Panthers, Montreal Canadiens, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, Ottawa Senators, Philadelphia Flyers, San Jose Sharks, St. Louis Blues, Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks, Washington Capitals

We ended up with the 14th pick and also had Colorado's pick #27.

[LetThePointsSoar]

...Head coaches, front office types and countless coordinators have come and gone, but like I've said all along, the only constant over the last 17 years is heartache and disappointment. (Well, that and me talking myself into believing this time of year.)

Love the piece murf & it's classic irony. Drinking gallons of the koolaid this offseason, but just praying it's this last point that finally changes. The book won't be written for a few years, but let's pray this new regime actually brings some stability and the successor to be (young Kyle) just keeps the same successful ball rolling we're starting this offseason.

On a side note, dead on about the Hershey Bears comment - I just moved to Missouri from Hershey last year, that is one dominant minor league team....they're always stacked...

[wildbill1952]

Anybody who has read more than two of my posts knows I believe the OL is the heart of the offense. No OL = No offense. The difference this year, for the first time since Snyder and Cerrato flushed the team down the porcelain receptacle, is this year, the team actually paid attention to the first string, the depth and the pipeline (aka future) of the OL. The draft of a first string OL (T. Williams), the draft of OL in the pipeline (Capers and Cook), the pickup of some experienced depth and/or fiirst team talent (Hicks/Brown), is proof positive someone in the front office actually did something about the OLine.

At then end of this year, there will be many to point to McNabb as the reason the team turned around. Some will point to the receivers as the reason or maybe even the running backs. But the OLine will be mentioned only in passing. And it is that which will make this team's offense move. Are they there yet? Probably not. There's no experienced depth behind center, the pipeline has a lot to prove in that area and there's no proven experienced vet on the horizon to bring in. But the Skins are a lot further than they would have been if the old regime (and I'm talking Vinny and Snyder, not Zorn) were still around and calling the shots.

If I see a center drafted next year, I'm ordering a Redskin mug to drink the koolaid.

[LadySkinsFan]

I wouldn't voluntarily label myself "insane."

[charles mannley]

I would say both.

[LadySkinsFan]

I haven't drunk the koolaid. I hope the Redskins improve by 1 game, so we get a good 1st round draft pick next year. It's going to take several years to rebuild, I don't believe that we can get to the playoffs this year. This is a realistic viewpoint. I'll not be disappointed because we are now on the right track. It's going to take a few years to get rid of the AH problem, get some decent offensive guys, and to get the new defense on track. We also have some aging players that will have to be replaced over the next couple of years. The Redskins are a work in progress and I believe we are on the way up and that the slide has stopped. I don't expect miracles.

[Hitman21ST]

Anybody who has read more than two of my posts knows I believe the OL is the heart of the offense. No OL = No offense. The difference this year, for the first time since Snyder and Cerrato flushed the team down the porcelain receptacle, is this year, the team actually paid attention to the first string, the depth and the pipeline (aka future) of the OL. The draft of a first string OL (T. Williams), the draft of OL in the pipeline (Capers and Cook), the pickup of some experienced depth and/or fiirst team talent (Hicks/Brown), is proof positive someone in the front office actually did something about the OLine.

At then end of this year, there will be many to point to McNabb as the reason the team turned around. Some will point to the receivers as the reason or maybe even the running backs. But the OLine will be mentioned only in passing. And it is that which will make this team's offense move. Are they there yet? Probably not. There's no experienced depth behind center, the pipeline has a lot to prove in that area and there's no proven experienced vet on the horizon to bring in. But the Skins are a lot further than they would have been if the old regime (and I'm talking Vinny and Snyder, not Zorn) were still around and calling the shots.

If I see a center drafted next year, I'm ordering a Redskin mug to drink the koolaid.

That's a good summation wildbill, I doubt I could have put it better myself.

[tibbidoe]

...Welcome to the club.

Will there be pie and punch? Perhaps a member t-shirt and a sit-down session for us to talk about our feelings?

Nice article.