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

[TD_washingtonredskins]

Odd... I went to school in both Loudon and Fairfax county and in all three schools I was in, we had a HUGE following for the Cowboys and the Eagles. I have to say the Eagles and Cowboys fans outnumbered the Redskins fans at least 2:1.

Times must have changed!!

I grew up going to school in Fairfax County and the ONE Cowboy fan in my elementary school stuck out like a sore thumb.

Maybe you just remember the Cowboy/Eagle fans a little more because they flaunted it...?

[Sticksboi05]

I think this point gets overlooked or missed or whatever pretty frequently in these discussions.

The Caps are really hot right now, but it's a pretty niche sport and it's also at a time when the Wizards and Redskins have both been really mediocre, or just plain sucking. The Caps' ceiling of popularity is only so high, and that includes Ovie by extension. Like LKB said earlier in the thread, ultimately, Ovie's a hockey player from Russia.

If the Wizards got another excellent piece to complement Wall and became a playoff team, then forget it.

I also slightly disagree about your comment that "unlike football, 1 or 2 players go a long way." If the Redskins finally had their own franchise QB to build around, something they haven't had in roughly 25 years, that would really be game over for all the other sports/athletes in the area.

I'll play Devil's Advocate.

Remember 2007 when the Redskins, Wizards and Capitals all made the playoffs for the first time in the same season since like the 80's?

The Redskins buzz was obviously by far the biggest, but the Capitals buzz was certainly bigger than the Wizards buzz. Part of that is because we have Ovechkin who is a top-two player in his league. But really, the Capitals are alot more popular in the metro area than people realize I think. In D.C. proper, demographics support basketball over hockey clearly but I mean when your local rapper chooses hockey over basketball and like someone earlier said when people in the barbershops talk hockey instead of basketball, you know times are changing. Wale never seeked out Arenas when the Wiz were a playoff team. If the Capitals bring a parade to D.C. they are going to secure their position because a championship changes everything.

But I do agree that if the Wiz became the #1 team in the NBA (never gonna happen), they'd have a bigger buzz but that's partly because the NBA is actually well-marketed. The NHL needs to go back onto ESPN in 2011 and then Ovechkin will become a megastar. He has all the tools to do so. He's ridiculously talented, he's a goal scorer, he is a highlight reel and he actually has a personality.

I have no problem with accepting that the NBA is far more popular than the NHL but it's annoying when people act like the Capitals never had a fan base before 07-08.

[Sticksboi05]

TD - Sad to say but there are so many bandwagon Cowboys "fans" that invaded school. But Skins fans still ruled at my high school.

[No Excuses]

That's the problem, the Wiz are one of the biggest jokes in sports.

When you talk Caps, you talk about it they can put it all together and win the SC. When you talk Wiz, you talk about if they can even be functional.

Well you could've said that about 4 months ago but most people don't view the Wizards as dysfunctional organization anymore. Dysfunctional means that we have instability with the roster, ownership or front office. I think pretty much everyone views us as a rebuilding team that is headed in the right direction (thanks to landing a potential superstar like Wall). This isn't much different than the situation the Capitals were in a few years ago when they held a firesale to get rid of the vets and accumulate draft picks.

The Wizards did the same thing at the last trade deadline giving away the veterans to acquire draft picks.

Mostly it's Vishal. He keeps implying that if the 'Skins have another losing year the city will abandon them for the Wiz.

Well I didn't mean it to come out that way, mostly I was implying that the overall popularity will definitely go down if Shanahan doesn't work out in DC and with the other DC teams on the rise, maybe the media focus and attention will sway away from the Redskins to the other leagues with people not caring as much for the Skins as they have in the past. I mean honestly, after the amount of fan backlash we saw last year, if things don't get turned around... it has the potential to get much worse.

And no, the fans don't have to abandon the Redskins for the Wiz. More fans = pricey tickets. I'm happy with sitting in the lower bowl for 20 bucks. :evilg:

[TD_washingtonredskins]

I have no problem with accepting that the NBA is far more popular than the NHL but it's annoying when people act like the Capitals never had a fan base before 07-08.

Well, I don't mean to annoy you, but there wasn't much of a fan base until 2007 or 2008. There was a very loyal but small fan base in this area...but please don't let the past 3 years skew reality. The Caps have been an afterthought in the DC sporting world since I've been alive (33 years).

Only now, with 2 straight dominant (regular) seasons, are they gaining some casual/bandwagon fans.

Isn't the 2007 season when the Wiz lost to Lebron and the Caps had that 7-game series with Philly going on at the same time (April-ish)? I would have a hard time believing that the Caps stole the headlines that year...but I could be wrong. That's probably the best example of having a similar team in both sports that we have...does anyone have any recollections of who led sports broadcasts in that time frame (other than the Redskins preparing for the draft...)?

[No Excuses]

Oh, your school was just full of *******s who liked being different just to piss people off. My HS principal was a Cowboys fan (despite growing up in MD), and he told us one day he became a Cowboys fan in the 80's because he saw everybody wearing Redskins gear after their 1st SB win (again, in MD). He thought that was a stupid reason to become a fan of a team, so he decided to become a Cowboys fan just to be different.

So your school was just full of these kinds of kids. :dallasuck

Probably, I mean I go to war with majority of my old high school budies on facebook all the time, calling them out for being the bandwagon ****s that they are. Hating on the Redskins was always the "cool" thing to do in my high school.

I'll play Devil's Advocate.

Remember 2007 when the Redskins, Wizards and Capitals all made the playoffs for the first time in the same season since like the 80's?

The Redskins buzz was obviously by far the biggest, but the Capitals buzz was certainly bigger than the Wizards buzz.

Well the Wizards buzz for the playoffs pretty much died after 2006. Hell, I wasn't that excited to watch us get hosed by the refs against Cleveland for a third straight season. The Capitals offered a much more exciting product where as everyone knew pretty much what to expect with the Wizards. I think everyone (at least the die hards) were tired of watching the same product by 2007. Badly coached defensive teams by Eddie Jordan and the same weave and heave offense that would one night light up the Lakers defense and the other night couldn't hit the ocean against the Grizzlies.

Also, I think the buzz died for the Wizards mid way through the series as well. First, we blew game 1 in a typical Wizards fashion with Jamison bricking two wide open threes that would have sealed the game. Then in Game 3, Arenas re injured (or aggravated) his knee (might have been knee soreness) and was ruled out for the series again. They were pretty much a battered team by that point.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

Well the Wizards buzz for the playoffs pretty much died after 2006. Hell, I wasn't that excited to watch us get hosed by the refs against Cleveland for a third straight season. The Capitals offered a much more exciting product where as everyone knew pretty much what to expect with the Wizards. I think everyone (at least the die hards) were tired of watching the same product by 2007. Badly coached defensive teams by Eddie Jordan and the same weave and heave offense that would one night light up the Lakers defense and the other night couldn't hit the ocean against the Grizzlies.

I understand that YOU were more excited about the Caps, but is that really a good gauge for the entire DC metropolitan area?? If you guys remember that the Caps were the lead story in 2007 over the Wizards, I'll admit that I am remembering wrong, but I would just be floored if more people cared about a Stanley Cup championship over a NBA championship in this area. FLOORED.

[No Excuses]

I understand that YOU were more excited about the Caps, but is that really a good gauge for the entire DC metropolitan area?? If you guys remember that the Caps were the lead story in 2007 over the Wizards, I'll admit that I am remembering wrong, but I would just be floored if more people cared about a Stanley Cup championship over a NBA championship in this area. FLOORED.

The lead story between the Capitals and Wizards that season were definitely the Caps. The Wizards were going into the playoffs with health questions marks (mostly Arenas) and a team that was once again facing LeBron + the refs. The Capitals had won something ridiculous like 11 out of the last 12 to clinch the division and a top 3 seed.

More so, with what i re-edited my previous post, the Wizards buzz died even more after game 1 when we blew a 7 point lead in the last two minutes. In game 2, we got blown out and then in Game 3, even though we won, we lost Gilbert to another knee injury. People didn't really care much for the Wizards in 2007 even though they were a winning team because the super star attraction (that came earlier with Arenas) wasn't their. Nobody was excited to watch Jamison, Butler, Haywood go up against LeBron.

[Sticksboi05]

Well, I don't mean to annoy you, but there wasn't much of a fan base until 2007 or 2008.

The Capital Centre was one of the best home-ice advantages in the NHL in the 80's and early 90's. While the Bullets were blowing it for almost twenty years after their 78 championship (not including their choke to Seattle in '79) the Capitals were a perennial playoff team.

Found some footage the playoffs vs. the Rangers and Devils

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[TD_washingtonredskins]

The Capital Centre was one of the best home-ice advantages in the NHL in the 80's and early 90's. While the Bullets were blowing it for almost twenty years after their 78 championship (not including their choke to Seattle in '79) the Capitals were a perennial playoff team.

I have no doubt it was, but what did it seat, 20K at the most? Just because 20K loyal fans show up doesn't mean the team was POPULAR with the average DC sports fan. I grew up in Northern VA through the 80s and 90s. Believe me, as bad as the Bullets were, they were much more popular than the Caps. The Orioles were much more popular than both the Bullets and the Caps.

Again, it's coming off like you feel like you have to prove that Caps fans are GOOD fans. I'm not doubting that...simply saying that there aren't as many of you as there are fans of other DC teams.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

The lead story between the Capitals and Wizards that season were definitely the Caps. The Wizards were going into the playoffs with health questions marks (mostly Arenas) and a team that was once again facing LeBron + the refs. The Capitals had won something ridiculous like 11 out of the last 12 to clinch the division and a top 3 seed.

More so, with what i re-edited my previous post, the Wizards buzz died even more after game 1 when we blew a 7 point lead in the last two minutes. In game 2, we got blown out and then in Game 3, even though we won, we lost Gilbert to another knee injury. People didn't really care much for the Wizards in 2007 even though they were a winning team because the super star attraction (that came earlier with Arenas) wasn't their. Nobody was excited to watch Jamison, Butler, Haywood go up against LeBron.

I guess I stand corrected when it comes to 2007 then. I wouldn't mind hearing from more people just to get a good sampling. Still though, there are more people who follow the Bullets/Wizards than the Capitals. They might lay dormant during the down times, but they are there.

[Jeff in D.C.]

#37.

The buzz he's created so far has been unreal and unlike anything this area has seen in a long time with an athlete, if ever. MJ created a huge buzz when he came back to play for the Wizards but he was 38 and at the end of his career.

I think the reason why most people around here (including myself) don't think of any Skins as star athletes is because I think of the Skins as a "team" and a sense of community, so no one player really ever stands out in my mind. With baseball, basketball & hockey, individual players are on display alot more.

[Sticksboi05]

I have no doubt it was, but what did it seat, 20K at the most? Just because 20K loyal fans show up doesn't mean the team was POPULAR with the average DC sports fan. I grew up in Northern VA through the 80s and 90s. Believe me, as bad as the Bullets were, they were much more popular than the Caps. The Orioles were much more popular than both the Bullets and the Caps.

Again, it's coming off like you feel like you have to prove that Caps fans are GOOD fans. I'm not doubting that...simply saying that there aren't as many of you as there are fans of other DC teams.

And I think there are more than you think. But I have stated that if the Wiz were the #1 team in the NBA they'd be bigger so if I agreed to that why are we still arguing? But anyway this thread has gotten so far off its discussion topic. This is about athletes not teams.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

And I think there are more than you think. But I have stated that if the Wiz were the #1 team in the NBA they'd be bigger so if I agreed to that why are we still arguing? But anyway this thread has gotten so far off its discussion topic. This is about athletes not teams.

OK, we can drop it. I guess I just don't get the idea that we're agreeing so I was continuing to engage in the debate.

In closing, even if the Caps have more fans "than I think" they still have fewer fans than the Redskins, Wizards, and Nationals, right?

[GhostofSparta]

Not to diminish Strasburg, because he seems like he's gonna be great, but he got lucky with his debut. No, I'm not saying 14Ks in a win is lucky, but I am saying that who he got to debut against was lucky. He was making his 1st start against one of the 3 worst teams in the MLB. Good for him, smart decision by management. I imagine, however, if he had gone up against the Yankees, Red Sox, or Cardinals that weekend and gotten blasted for 5-6 runs in a loss, he wouldn't be nearly as popular as he is now.

Again, none of that is to take away from Strasburg, but imagine if the Caps had gotten both Ovie AND Crosby...who would be more popular, and why? Sure, Caps fans will say Crosby wouldn't be popular at all....mostly because he plays for the Pens right now so they hate him. But popularity has a lot to do with luck, sometimes involving injuries. Arenas would probably be more popular if he didn't get hurt every year. Hell, McNabb's popularity this year will depend a lot on if he can just stay healthy.

I voted Cooley, but I may have to change my opinion on here. Strasburg was part of a brilliant marketing campaign by the Nats. They started him at the right time against the right team, and had pumped him up enough in the press that they ate his debut up. It was brilliant.

[Sticksboi05]

OK, we can drop it. I guess I just don't get the idea that we're agreeing so I was continuing to engage in the debate.

In closing, even if the Caps have more fans "than I think" they still have fewer fans than the Redskins, Wizards, and Nationals, right?

Yes to the Wiz/Skins. On par with the Nationals about.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

Yes to the Wiz/Skins. On par with the Nationals about.

Cool...as for the OP, I voted for McNabb (being optimistic that the Skins will have a good run).

[Sticksboi05]

Not to diminish Strasburg, because he seems like he's gonna be great, but he got lucky with his debut. No, I'm not saying 14Ks in a win is lucky, but I am saying that who he got to debut against was lucky. He was making his 1st start against one of the 3 worst teams in the MLB. Good for him, smart decision by management. I imagine, however, if he had gone up against the Yankees, Red Sox, or Cardinals that weekend and gotten blasted for 5-6 runs in a loss, he wouldn't be nearly as popular as he is now.

Again, none of that is to take away from Strasburg, but imagine if the Caps had gotten both Ovie AND Crosby...who would be more popular, and why? Sure, Caps fans will say Crosby wouldn't be popular at all....mostly because he plays for the Pens right now so they hate him. But popularity has a lot to do with luck, sometimes involving injuries. Arenas would probably be more popular if he didn't get hurt every year. Hell, McNabb's popularity this year will depend a lot on if he can just stay healthy.

I voted Cooley, but I may have to change my opinion on here. Strasburg was part of a brilliant marketing campaign by the Nats. They started him at the right time against the right team, and had pumped him up enough in the press that they ate his debut up. It was brilliant.

Strasburg would've blown up without the Nationals saying a thing. Every MLB analyst hyped him up to be one of the biggest pitching prospects of all-time. Not really a campaign, but inevitable.

[Spartacus87]

But I do agree that if the Wiz became the #1 team in the NBA (never gonna happen), they'd have a bigger buzz but that's partly because the NBA is actually well-marketed. The NHL needs to go back onto ESPN in 2011 and then Ovechkin will become a megastar. He has all the tools to do so. He's ridiculously talented, he's a goal scorer, he is a highlight reel and he actually has a personality.

This has already been covered but I didn't want to leave this hanging without a response, since it was directed towards me.

I agree that a lot of it comes down to marketing and popularity between the two leagues. But naturally, with that, if all things were equal (meaning both teams were making deep playoff runs, consistently successful, etc., etc.), then the star Wizards player (in this case Wall) would end up more popular in the area than Ovechkin.

Like you said, ultimately, D.C. is a much bigger basketball city than a hockey town, and (again, success of teams being equal here) they're going to be much more willing to embrace John Wall with his flashy dance than a Russian hockey player who speaks broken English but has a bit of a quirky sense of humor.

If the Caps bring home a couple Stanley Cup trophies and the Wiz max out as the 5th best team in the East, then yeah, Ovechkin will seal it in his own favor.

Well I didn't mean it to come out that way, mostly I was implying that the overall popularity will definitely go down if Shanahan doesn't work out in DC and with the other DC teams on the rise, maybe the media focus and attention will sway away from the Redskins to the other leagues with people not caring as much for the Skins as they have in the past. I mean honestly, after the amount of fan backlash we saw last year, if things don't get turned around... it has the potential to get much worse.

I don't see it that way at all.

The Redskins last year were at their lowest point in what? A couple decades? And it was total fan outrage. Large scale petitions. Rallies for people to wear bags over their heads to games. The whole town was calling for Dan Snyder's head.

The Wiz sucked and the star player got suspended for the season, and a lot of people felt pretty disappointed and then shrugged their shoulders (now hopping back on to support the team since they drafted Wall). If the Caps all of a sudden went into the cellar, the city wouldn't be heartbroken, their hardcore fans would just be upset. If the Nats stayed in the basement, they'd just be a novelty act.

The Redskins haven't been a serious contender, save for 3 or 4 seasons, since their last Super Bowl in 91. Yet the area still holds them to a ridiculously high bar and get extremely passionate about them, whether it's because they're making a playoff run or they're heading towards holding the 1st overall pick. For better or for worse, D.C. is married to the Redskins, and even if Shanahan eventually fails, I don't see that changing. It's a relationship that the fans can't leave.

[Kosher Ham]

All of the teams win a championship...same year...Redskins are the top dog. It really is not that close. To think that the Wiz could take that spot even with one championship is silly.

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

John Wall. And it won't even be close.

[Sticksboi05]

Any change in thoughts with the latest developments?

[GoSkins561]

Nope, still see more Cooley jerseys than anyone else by a long shot.

[GhostofSparta]

I hate to be the one to ask, but I'm curious on the opinions of some in here...

What happens if Strasburg isn't the next Randy Johnson, but instead in the next Pryor/Wood? You know, the 2 hard-throwing, young guns that were going to take the Cubs all the way...until they threw out their arms after a couple of years? If Strasburg gets hurt, what happens to the Nats and their following/attendance?

I hate to quote myself, but the time gap in this thread is pretty big, so here it is. Strasburg got hurt, needed Tommy John surgery at the end of the season. How much time does he miss, is he the same when he comes back, and does this allow others to leap ahead of him in popularity in the meantime?

[TD_washingtonredskins]

I think the Redskins in this area will always be more popular than the Nats or Bullets. Ovie is #1, but just wait until we finally get a good football team in here...whoever is the main reason for that will vault over Ovie in a heartbeat. Can you imagine, for example, if Mark Sanchez or Sam Bradford was in burgundy and gold and playing well?