Who will become D.C.'s 2nd Most Popular Athlete? (poll)

[BRAVEONAWARPATH]

I'll pose this question to you guys: If the Wiz EVER get as good as the Caps which team will be more popular?

[TD_washingtonredskins]

To be fair, when you win so much, all that matters is the playoffs so it's not a surprise that the regular season was getting a bit old for Caps fans.

Come on man...this isn't a storied NHL franchise. Half the fans the Caps had this year were new additions, so I don't think winning had gotten old for your run-of-the-mill DC sports fan.

It might not be true for you personally or Drop's circle of friends, but the majority of sports fans in the DC area will always be Redskins-first fans. It's not taking anything away from the other teams or confusing popularity with success. It's just how it is.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

I'll pose this question to you guys: If the Wiz EVER get as good as the Caps which team will be more popular?

Wizards...hands down. I don't think that is even a fair debate.

[Warhead36]

You guys are talking about teams, but the question was who would be the second most popular ATHLETE. Even if the Skins are great, no player stands out as someone who would be transcendent and dominate national attention like Ovechkin does now, and like Wall and Strasburg likely will.

[Sticksboi05]

Come on man...this isn't a storied NHL franchise. Half the fans the Caps had this year were new additions, so I don't think winning had gotten old for your run-of-the-mill DC sports fan.

It might not be true for you personally or Drop's circle of friends, but the majority of sports fans in the DC area will always be Redskins-first fans. It's not taking anything away from the other teams or confusing popularity with success. It's just how it is.

But we are talking about recent success. And the last two seasons, winning in the regular season has been great but by February, come on man, we are ready for playoff action because the only thing left to do is win the Stanley Cup. It was great winning thirteen games in a row this year but I was just ready for the playoffs by about December. Everyone knows the Capitals can win the Cup, all they have to do is go out there next Spring and do it.

We have stated in this thread about a dozen times, that the Redskins will always be the #1 team in D.C. so I don't know why you keep dwelling over that.

And no, I am a Redskins fan fist and have never suggested otherwise.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

You guys are talking about teams, but the question was who would be the second most popular ATHLETE. Even if the Skins are great, no player stands out as someone who would be transcendent and dominate national attention like Ovechkin does now, and like Wall and Strasburg likely will.

Well, I may have misunderstood the question. I assumed this meant who was the most popular athlete in the DC area (meaning who do the DC-area fans recognize/like the most) not nationally.

I think, no matter the team nature of football, the best/most popular Redskin will usually be the most popular athlete in this area. Nationally, that might be different as the Redskin bias will disappear.

[Warhead36]

The Redskins will always be the most popular team in the area, but that doesn't mean they'll necessarily have the most popular athlete(s).

The fact is, guys like Ovechkin and Strasburg have garnered national media attention and spotlight. Ovechkin is arguably the best player in the world at his sport. And ESPN dedicated hours of pre and postgame coverage for Strasburg's debut. When has a Redskin ever got that kind of attention? If we had drafted someone like Sam Bradford and he blew up to become our franchise QB than maybe...

[Warhead36]

Well, I may have misunderstood the question. I assumed this meant who was the most popular athlete in the DC area (meaning who do the DC-area fans recognize/like the most) not nationally.

I think, no matter the team nature of football, the best/most popular Redskin will usually be the most popular athlete in this area. Nationally, that might be different as the Redskin bias will disappear.

I guess, if you look at it in that perspective. But even then, during this past hockey season I saw a TON more Ovechkin jerseys than I saw jerseys of any Redskin, and lately I've been seeing a TON of Strasburg jerseys. Now obviously NFL isn't in season at the moment, but still, I don't see any Redskin coming close to that level unless we just come out and dominate. And once Wall really gets going, you'll see nothing but #2 Wall jerseys around D.C. as well.

[No Excuses]

there is no way a 4th place Wizards team will ever be more popular than a Redskins team. A first place Wizards team might draw a buzz but still will never be more popular than the Redskins. DC does love it's basketball, but at a college level with the Terps and the Hoyas, either one of those teams is more popular than the Wizards.

There have been Wizards teams in the last decade that have been more popular than the Redskins. Some of you are really overrating the Redskins fan base. Right now our NBA, NHL and MLB teams have a brighter future than the Redskins. If the Shanahan experiment fails, then the Redskins face a good chance of becoming the fourth tier team in this city. Right behind the Capitals, Nationals and Wizards. The backlash was so bad with Zorn, if Shanahan ends up as a dud then we will no doubt be one of the most hopeless franchises in any sport.

Where as our fan base, and I only speak of this as a young fan, that my generation has VERY few Redskins fans. Literally everyone I went to middle school or high school with either doesn't care about football or roots for a team that is not the Redskins. Within our younger generation, their is definitely more Wizards and Capitals fans with these same folks liking either the Ravens or other NFC East teams for football.

[Sticksboi05]

I'll pose this question to you guys: If the Wiz EVER get as good as the Caps which team will be more popular?

In the city, the Wizards but in the metro area, that's up for debate depending on whether or not the Capitals win a Stanley Cup.

But don't worry it'll never happen. There's no way they will ever have the best record in the league.

It helps that the NBA receives far more exposure and actually knows how to market its product.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

But we are talking about recent success. And the last two seasons, winning in the regular season has been great but by February, come on man, we are ready for playoff action because the only thing left to do is win the Stanley Cup. It was great winning thirteen games in a row this year but I was just ready for the playoffs by about December. Everyone knows the Capitals can win the Cup, all they have to do is go out there next Spring and do it.

We have stated in this thread about a dozen times, that the Redskins will always be the #1 team in D.C. so I don't know why you keep dwelling over that.

And no, I am a Redskins fan fist and have never suggested otherwise.

I dwell on that because it's the crux of my argument. Whoever is the most popular/productive player on the hands-down most popular team will have a good shot at being the most popular sports figure in the town. That's why.

For example, if McNabb throws for 4,000 yards and we win 12 games this year, he's going to be MUCH more popular than Ovie. If Portis rushes for 1,800 yards and we win 12 games, same story.

I think the same goes for a good individual Redskin in a down year (if CP is going off but we're not winning, for example). Look at this area when Lavar played here...he was Mr. Redskin/Mr. DC for years and we experienced no team success.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

There have been Wizards teams in the last decade that have been more popular than the Redskins. Some of you are really overrating the Redskins fan base. Right now our NBA, NHL and MLB teams have a brighter future than the Redskins. If the Shanahan experiment fails, then the Redskins face a good chance of becoming the fourth tier team in this city. Right behind the Capitals, Nationals and Wizards. The backlash was so bad with Zorn, if Shanahan ends up as a dud then we will no doubt be one of the most hopeless franchises in any sport.

The Redskins will never be fourth tier in this city assuming they don't go 25 more years without a winning record. It just won't happen.

I think you're overrating the mass appeal of the NHL, the Wiz, and the Nats to be honest.

[Sticksboi05]

There have been Wizards teams in the last decade that have been more popular than the Redskins. Some of you are really overrating the Redskins fan base. Right now our NBA, NHL and MLB teams have a brighter future than the Redskins. If the Shanahan experiment fails, then the Redskins face a good chance of becoming the fourth tier team in this city. Right behind the Capitals, Nationals and Wizards.

Vishal, the Redskins could go 1-15 five straight seasons and they would still be the #1 team in D.C.

No other team has been here nearly as long. The Redskins play in the NFL, the biggest league in the country and are the only team in the city with an actual legacy.

I mean the Bullets won once in 1978 and have been a joke since. The Capitals are the epitome of choke artists and have been owned solely by the Penguins alone in the playoffs while watching their expansion team division rivals win Cups in the past decade. The last time D.C. won a World Series, nobody on this message board was alive or to be born probably for twenty years.

It's always a Redskins city even if you don't see the jerseys all over the place.

But as far as athletes are concerned, it's Ovechkin's town right now until the Skins build a playoff team.

[Sticksboi05]

For example, if McNabb throws for 4,000 yards and we win 12 games this year, he's going to be MUCH more popular than Ovie. If Portis rushes for 1,800 yards and we win 12 games, same story.

I think the same goes for a good individual Redskin in a down year (if CP is going off but we're not winning, for example). Look at this area when Lavar played here...he was Mr. Redskin/Mr. DC for years and we experienced no team success.

We've already stated that if the Skins win, their top player becomes #1 but that's a HUGE IF if the last 20 years have any meaning.

I think if the NHL wises up in 2011 and gets back on ESPN, Ovechkin's stardom increases dramatically because he will be on all the time if that happens. That's an advantage for Wall/Strasburg, their sports get more exposure but the teams actually have to do something.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

We've already stated that if the Skins win, their top player becomes #1 but that's a HUGE IF if the last 20 years have any meaning.

True, but the other part of that is if a current player becomes a stud on a bad team, the same thing still happens.

I think if the NHL wises up in 2011 and gets back on ESPN, Ovechkin's stardom increases dramatically because he will be on all the time if that happens. That's an advantage for Wall/Strasburg, their sports get more exposure but the teams actually have to do something.

As I said (it was buried in my anti-other sports post somewhere), I might be answering this incorrectly. Nationally, the Redskins bias is gone so I have no doubt that Ovie and maybe even Arenas/Wall are bigger names than a Redskin. I was talking more about DC fans' opinions.

It's actually funny, I think McNabb is a bigger name nationally than he is locally just because we see him as an Eagle and every other fan base (other than Philly) just sees him as a star QB. So, it's even possible that nationally he's more popular than Ovie. I mean, he certainly does more marketing, commercials, etc.

[No Excuses]

The Redskins will never be fourth tier in this city assuming they don't go 25 more years without a winning record. It just won't happen.

I think you're overrating the mass appeal of the NHL, the Wiz, and the Nats to be honest.

Vishal, the Redskins could go 1-15 five straight seasons and they would still be the #1 team in D.C.

No other team has been here nearly as long. The Redskins play in the NFL, the biggest league in the country and are the only team in the city with an actual legacy.

I mean the Bullets won once in 1978 and have been a joke since. The Capitals are the epitome of choke artists and have been owned solely by the Penguins alone in the playoffs while watching their expansion team division rivals win Cups in the past decade. The last time D.C. won a World Series, nobody on this message board was alive or to be born probably for twenty years.

It's always a Redskins city even if you don't see the jerseys all over the place.

But as far as athletes are concerned, it's Ovechkin's town right now until the Skins build a playoff team.

If the Shanahan regime ends up as a failure, you'll see nothing but empty stands at Fed Ex. The backlash will be worse than what they got last year for Zorn. Again, it's a hypothetical scenario but out of all the teams in this city, the Redskins are the ones that can least afford to have sucky seasons. The fan base is already fed up after last year, a failed tenure for Shanahan will only further crush everyones hopes.

[Drop]

hey i love the Skins and all...but i don't think anyone has to worry about Clinton running for 1,800 yards this year. lol, call me a Negative Nancy or whatever....but i calls em like i sees em.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

If the Shanahan regime ends up as a failure, you'll see nothing but empty stands at Fed Ex. The backlash will be worse than what they got last year for Zorn. Again, it's a hypothetical scenario but out of all the teams in this city, the Redskins are the ones that can least afford to have sucky seasons. The fan base is already fed up after last year, a failed tenure for Shanahan will only further crush everyones hopes.

Well, they also still have the furthest to fall...by far. Attendance at the game is only a fraction of their actual fan base.

If Strasburg got traded or Harper were to be a bust, forget the Nats for 10 more years. If Wall doesn't work out for whatever reason, the Wiz remain an afterthought. If the Caps continue to fall short of the ECF every year, they are stuck in neutral too...heaven forbid if they actually (not likely) miss the playoffs or something.

The fact is, the Redskins have been crushing fans' hope for almost 2 decades and are still the toast of the town (relatively speaking). Another 5-year window of failure will NOT put them #2, let alone #4.

[No Excuses]

Well, they also still have the furthest to fall...by far. Attendance at the game is only a fraction of their actual fan base.

If Strasburg got traded or Harper were to be a bust, forget the Nats for 10 more years. If Wall doesn't work out for whatever reason, the Wiz remain an afterthought. If the Caps continue to fall short of the ECF every year, they are stuck in neutral too...heaven forbid if they actually (not likely) miss the playoffs or something.

The fact is, the Redskins have been crushing fans' hope for almost 2 decades and are still the toast of the town (relatively speaking). Another 5-year window of failure will NOT put them #2, let alone #4.

That's debatable. They certainly weren't the toast of the town last year. The backlash we saw last year and the overall fan morale was lower than it has ever been in the last 20 years. This team had never suffered fan disapproval like it did last year.

[Sticksboi05]

cc1mB1Aders

[TD_washingtonredskins]

That's debatable. They certainly weren't the toast of the town last year. The backlash we saw last year and the overall fan morale was lower than it has ever been in the last 20 years. This team had never suffered fan disapproval like it did last year.

I agree. And they were still head-and-shoulders more popular than any other DC team...that's why I qualified my statement "relatively speaking" in my post.

For all the recent success the Caps have had, they are still just the second most popular DC team. The three other teams have a lot of history, tradition, and loyalty to overcome until they are in the same ballpark.

I think we should just give up on this side discussion though, as it's really not relevant to the OP.

[GoSkins561]

There have been Wizards teams in the last decade that have been more popular than the Redskins. Some of you are really overrating the Redskins fan base. Right now our NBA, NHL and MLB teams have a brighter future than the Redskins. If the Shanahan experiment fails, then the Redskins face a good chance of becoming the fourth tier team in this city. Right behind the Capitals, Nationals and Wizards. The backlash was so bad with Zorn, if Shanahan ends up as a dud then we will no doubt be one of the most hopeless franchises in any sport.

Where as our fan base, and I only speak of this as a young fan, that my generation has VERY few Redskins fans. Literally everyone I went to middle school or high school with either doesn't care about football or roots for a team that is not the Redskins. Within our younger generation, their is definitely more Wizards and Capitals fans with these same folks liking either the Ravens or other NFC East teams for football.

you're killing me.

Do the Wizards have a message board similar to ES?

How many members does it have?

The Redskins are the 3rd most valuable franchise in the world, where do the Wizards rank?

[No Excuses]

I agree. And they were still head-and-shoulders more popular than any other DC team...that's why I qualified my statement "relatively speaking" in my post.

For all the recent success the Caps have had, they are still just the second most popular DC team.

Will you still say that if the Redskins continue losing and the Capitals win the Stanley Cup?

The Redskins will always have a larger fan base than every other DC team but I'm not sure if people will care as much as they have if the losing continue. I think what we saw last year could have come much earlier but Danny bought himself six years because of Gibbs.

I think we already saw a large portion of this city flat out give up on this franchise last year. The loyalty might remain but I think even Danny boy realizes that this franchise is standing on thin ice with it's current fan base at the moment.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

Will you still say that if the Redskins continue losing and the Capitals win the Stanley Cup?

The Redskins will always have a larger fan base than every other DC team but I'm not sure if people will care as much as they have if the losing continue. I think what we saw last year could have come much earlier but Danny bought himself six years because of Gibbs.

I think we already saw a large portion of this city flat out give up on this franchise last year. The loyalty might remain but I think even Danny boy realizes that this franchise is standing on thin ice with it's current fan base at the moment.

To the underlined section of your post...EXACTLY. That's the entire point. More fans = more popular.

And, yes, a Stanley Cup for the Caps and losing for the Redskins won't drastically change things at all. The Caps would go from a distant second to a slightly less distant second. That's all.

[CrypticVillain]

I'll pose this question to you guys: If the Wiz EVER get as good as the Caps which team will be more popular?

People always get mad when I say that in DC the Wizards are already more popular than the Caps. Now as far as the Washington Metro Area, it is the Caps of course.