WASHINGTON — This is always a good time of year to take a step back and take stock of the things worth appreciating that are often lost in the day-to-day din.
When it comes to sports, it can be easy to lose sight of the good things if a season doesn’t turn out the way you wanted — D.C. United losing in penalty kicks, the Nats missing the playoffs entirely, the engine-on-fire-and-the-breaks-out-careening-toward-a-cliff daily drama of the Wizards.
After all, every season that doesn’t end in a championship finishes with some measure of disappointment. But D.C. actually won a championship this year! You already know that’s on this list. Though there is more for which we should give thanks. Here are some of the WTOP Sports staff’s pick from 2018.
Wayne Rooney
D.C. United supporters and all sports fans in the DMV should be thankful for the arrival of Wayne Rooney. Consider Rooney’s resume reads “England and Manchester United’s all time goal scorer” and we should appreciate we have a global soccer icon representing the nation’s capital and not New York or Los Angeles. With class and commitment, Rooney inspired United to a return to the playoffs and in the process helped give an unforgettable christening to Audi Field.
— Dave Johnson
(AP)
AP
Max Scherzer
Since coming to D.C., the right-hander has pitched more innings, struck out more batters and won more games than any pitcher in baseball. But Max is more than mere numbers. It’s his bulldog-like mentality on the mound. It’s the fact that something special might happen every time he makes a start. It’s his dedication to make a difference at the plate and on the base paths. It’s how, after hearing Scherzer speak in the clubhouse after every outing, you sense the determination, focus, and hunger of one of the best in the business to be even better. I’m looking forward to my world pausing once again every five days during the 2019 season. Washington, enjoy the gift you have been given.
— Dave Preston
(AP)
AP
The Caps
I’m thankful that, as Nicklas Backstrom said, the Capitals finally played like they can party. And what a party it was, from the streets of Chinatown, to the fountains of Georgetown, to a parade on Constitution Avenue and a rally on the National Mall. Alex Ovechkin will no longer be the best player to never to win the Stanley Cup. This November, we can all drink and eat from the Cup and chug a beer through our shirt. It was a celebration 44 years in the making.
— Jonathan Warner
(AP)
