Caps Game Night

By: Brian McNally
11/21/09 5:14 PM

Game # 23

Caps (13-5-4, 30 points) at Toronto Maple Leafs (3-11-6, 12 points)

The best team in the Eastern Conference faces the worst tonight at Air Canada Centre. Caps are coming off a 3-2 loss at home to Montreal. The Maple Leafs? They are winless in five - including a shootout loss to Carolina on Thursday where they blew a 3-0 lead and allowed the game-tying goal with two seconds left - and have the league's worst penalty kill (72.3 %). Other than that, things are great for coach Ron Wilson.

Caps coach Bruce Boudreau was adamant last night that his team wouldn't overlook Toronto. In case they forgot who they were playing, there were reportedly close to 10,000 fans at the teams' morning skate at ACC this morning. Yeah - this sport is a big deal in TO and tonight's game will be broadcast across the country on the CBC's Hockey Night in Canada.

Washington is hurting. While goalie Jose Theodore did make the trip and could play Monday in Ottawa, seven other regulars from opening night are out. Defensemen Tom Poti (upper-body injury), Shaone Morrisonn (head injury) and Milan Jurcia (hamstring) are out. None made the trip so Tyler Sloan goes back to defense with rookie John Carlson still up. Forwards Boyd Gordon (back), Alex Semin (wrist), Mike Knuble (broken finger) and Quintin Laing (broken jaw) are all out as well.

Forward Andrew Gordon was recalled from AHL Hershey to fill out the r...

ESPN2, SPEED, ABC bring down the curtain on NASCAR 2009 from Miami

By: Jim Williams
11/21/09 7:48 AM

11:00AM on SPEED - NASCAR Live 11:30AM on SPEED - NASCAR Nationwide Qualifying. 1:30PM on SPEED - NASCAR Sprint Cup practice. 4PM ESPN2 - Nationwide Ford 300 7:30PM ET Trackside Special Edition -SPEED Sunday 10AM on ESPN2 - NASCAR NOW 11:30AM on speed - NASCAR Race DAY 1PM on ESPN - SportsCenter Race Day 2:30pm on ABC NASCAR Pre Race Show 3:30pm on ABC - The Ford 400 8:00PM on SPEED - NASCAR Victory Lane 9:00PM on SPPED - Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain,Liz Clarke, and Nate Ryan. 10PM on ESPN2 - NASCAR Now 11PM on ESPN2 - The NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Radio - the MRN Network all weekend and Sirius/XM All Jimmy Johnson has to do to claim his 4th straight NASCAR Sprint Cup title is to stay out of trouble for about an hour on Sunday. If can finish 27th or better then the title remains his and yes it sounds simple but two weeks ago in Texas he was knocked out of the race early, Mark Martin won and picked 100 points, so while it looks like a done deal – it is not over till it is over. The 2009 season finale for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is this weekend at Florida’s Homestead-Miami Speedway as the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup ends with the crowning of the champion. ESPN’s live, flag-to-flag coverage of the Ford 400 airs Sunday, on ABC and ABC HD beginning with NASCAR Countdown at 2:30 p.m. ET. The race’s green flag is at ...

Caps Postgame

By: Brian McNally
11/21/09 1:01 AM

Canadiens 3, Caps 2

Well, it was a fun final two minutes or so as the Caps pushed for the game-tying goal. Mike Green almost had it when his shot slid off the right post. Tough loss - and it doesn't help that the players immediately had to board a flight for Toronto for two more games over the next three days in Canada.

I wrote about the injury situation in my game story. Things are getting worse on that front and the Caps will almost certainly make another Hershey callup tonight. Now, if forward Mike Knuble is on the long-term injured reserve list (unconfirmed per team policy) then the money is likely there to call up defenseman Karl Alzner. He could seamlessly team up with Hershey partner John Carlson, who made his NHL debut and acquited himself well Friday night. Alzner is a +15 with a goal and three assists for the Bears, who played last night in Binghamton, NY.

If Knuble isn't on LTIR - or the Caps just want to move Tyler Sloan back to his natural defensive spot, where he finished Friday night after Tom Poti was hurt - then a forward makes the most sense. It would be a winger for sure. They already have Mathieu Perreault, a natural center, playing wing on the third line. Alexandre Giroux would work. He came up earlier this season and had one goal in three games. He already has nine with Hershey in just 14 games and had 60 last year with another 15 in the playoffs.

The Bears ha...

Thunder 127, Wizards 108: Think Durant was up for that one?

By: Craig Stouffer
11/20/09 11:04 PM

When you have D.C. natives Kevin Durant and Jeff Green together on one team that's not Washington, it's automatically a rivarly, at least for them. Durant (35 points) and Green (19 points, 14 rebounds) were clearly up for facing the Wizards (3-8) tonight in a run-and-gun 127-108 (full box score here) win for the youth-laden Thunder (7-6). Durant and Green lifted their teammates, who shot a stunning 53 percent from the field, which actually wasn't as impressive as the 52.4 percent they shot from three.

Washington's big three each had at least 22 points, too, but only Caron Butler (24 points) shot 50 percent. Gilbert Arenas had 23 points on 20 shots, and Antawn Jamison had 22 on 17 shots. Brendan Haywood again was huge in the middle, with 14 points and 16 rebounds.

The Wizards had chances, too, cutting the Oklahoma City lead to one point twice in the third quarter. Chance No. 1: Arenas hit a 3-pointer to make it 66-65, but on successive possessions, Butler grabbed Durant on an inbound, then Butler traveled, then Arenas turned the ball over. Seven-point margin restored, 72-65.

Chance No. 2: Arenas converts his 3-point play to cut the lead to 82-81. But on successive possessions, Butler got picked by Durant, Arenas bricked a 3-pointer, Andray Blatche took a poor shot, DeShawn Stevenson fouled Russell Westbrook (26 points), and then Stevenson turned the ball over, too. Ten-point margin...

Caps Second Period Update

By: Brian McNally
11/20/09 8:45 PM

Montreal 2, Caps 1

Kind of a disjointed period. Caps defenseman Tom Poti played just a few shifts and left with an injury. He is not expected to return. Will have more after the game. So Bruce Boudreau was shifting his lines all over the place. Matt Bradley took the elevator from the fourth line to the first. Tomas Fleischmann dropped to third with Mathieu Perreault and Eric Fehr. Tyler Sloan had to move off the fourth line and back to "D" to replace Poti. Caps had some decent scoring chances - rookie John Carlson banged a shot off the post - but couldn't convert.

Meanwhile, Tomas Plekanec and Travis Moen both scored for the Canadiens to give them the lead. Give credit to Montreal - they are playing hard and - as Boudreau predicted - very aggressive. They challenge shots. They fight for pucks in the corners. Both goals were the result of hard work up front. It's obviously been an up-and-down team this year. But maybe with so many new players, the Canadiens are slowly generating some chemistry, We'll see.

Absolutely no penalties on either team in the second. No chance that holds in the third. Caps will get their chances with the man-advantage. Michal Neuvirth has stopped 16 of 18 shots. Montreal goalie Carey Price has been very good - 17 of 18 saves - although the Caps have had some chances they haven't buried.

Wizards (3-7) at Thunder (6-6)

By: Craig Stouffer
11/20/09 8:01 PM

Certainly it will be interesting to see if the Wizards can build off Wednesday's emotional and satisfying win over Cleveland.

One of the things I'll be looking for is the increasing value and impact of Mike Miller, who has averaged 18.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists over the last two games.

I asked Wizards head coach Flip Saunders yesterday if Miller's growing impact surprised him: "That’s what I expected. Maybe other people didn't."

Okay, maybe the question needed to be rephrased. Here's the deal, when Miller arrived in Washington, he never had any expectations of supplanting the Wizards' big three -- Gilbert Arenas, Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler. But his value has become strikingly apparent of late as the team has struggled offensively, and it begs the question as to whether he needs to assert himself earlier instead of becoming a fallback weapon when the rest of the guys are getting themselves going.

I asked Miller if his role has changed since his arrival: "I think it’s the same thing. I think it’s the same way, its just the last couple of games, guys have been struggling a little bit from the field, and when they do that I’ve got to be able to step in and make shots for them to alleviate some of that pressure."

Blue collar, indeed.

As for his banged up left shoulder, which continues to trouble him during games, Miller said thi...

Caps First Period Update

By: Brian McNally
11/20/09 7:59 PM

Caps 1, Canadiens 0

Caps were outshot 14-7 - and at one point were down 8-1. Rookie Michal Neuvirth looked steady in goal in first NHL start of the year. Montreal did a pretty good job of getting traffic in front, but the 21-year-old appeared pretty calm. Fellow rookie John Carlson held his own playing alongside defensive partner Tom Poti. Six shifts for the 19-year-old - the youngest player to suit up for Caps since Alex Semin in 2003. Played 6 minutes, 19 seconds. No glaring mistakes at all or obvious nerves.

Caps power play looked lethargic on its first attempt and dangerous on the next two. Mike Green blasted a good half-dozen shots just wide of goalie Carey Price. Just didn't get lucky. So 0-for-3 so far. But Montreal is playing with fire with three minor penalties. Washington's lone penalty came with one second left in the period when Caps defenseman John Erskine and Canadiens heavyweight Georges Laraque jawed for a second and then lept at each other. Brief bout, but a good one. Erskine got a few good shots in and then the two fell to the ice.

Lone goal came from Eric Fehr. His shot from the left circle was set up by dirty work by teammate Mathieu Perreault, who continues to shine in his call-up from AHL Hershey. Thanks to Caps PR staff: Perreault has six points in eight games played (2 G, 4 A). Because of the injuries he's not likely to go back to Hershey anytime soon. But ...

Nats coaching staff

By: Brian McNally
11/20/09 6:38 PM

Been in Caps mode today as they get ready to play Montreal tonight at Verizon Center. But didn't want this to slip by. The Nats have finalized their coaching staff for 2010. Not real surprises were expected since Jim Riggleman simply had the "interim" tag removed from his title last week.

Hitting coach Rick Eckstein drew rave reviews last year from players and front office personnel alike and may have even stayed if Riggleman wasn't the choice. Pitching coach Steve McCatty is back. He was promoted June 2 after the team fired Randy St. Claire and has a good relationship with some of the team's younger pitchers who have come up through the farm system. Third base coach Pat Listach will also return in the same role in 2010.

The changes? John McLaren - who was the manager in Seattle when Riggleman was the bench coach - turns the tables as the team's new bench coach. Riggleman, of course, took over for McLaren after his firing by the Mariners in the summer of 2008. Jim Lett is the new bullpen coach and Dan Radison takes over at first base for Marquis Grissom.

Under Eckstein, the Nats' offense - bolstered by free-agent addition Adam Dunn and trade acquisition Josh Willingham - improved in runs per game (+0.40), home runs (+39), batting average (+.007), on-base percentage (+.014), slugging percentage (+.033) and OPS (+.047). McCatty was the Nats' Triple-A pitching coach for fou...

Caps Game Night

By: Brian McNally
11/20/09 5:40 PM

Game #22

Caps (13-4-4, 30 points) vs. Montreal Canadiens (10-11, 20 points)

Rookie Michal Neuvirth will make his first start of the year in goal for the Caps. The 21-year-old, who led Hershey to the AHL title last season, is up as Jose Theodore deals with the "personal matter" that kept him out of Tuesday's game against the Rangers in New York.

"No reason. We wanted to see him play," Caps coach Bruce Boudreau said when asked why Neuvirth was in goal. "He had a great training camp and then got hurt. So it's early on in the season and we've got three games in four nights and we just wanted to see him play."

Theodore will accompany the team on its two-game road trip after the Montreal game and Boudreau said he could even play Saturday in Toronto - "you never know." A Monday return against Ottawa seems more likely. In that case, expect Semyon Varlamov to get the nod on Saturday night and Neuvirth to make a quick return to Hershey. Neuvirth made three starts last year for the Caps and appeared in two other games. His last start was March 3 at Verizon Center against the Carolina Hurricanes. Neuvirth allowed five goals on 30 shots in that 5-2 loss. His best game in the NHL was his first - Valentine's Day at Tampa Bay when he gave up just one goal on 32 shots in a 5-1 Washington win.

Meanwhile, Alex Ovechkin will make his return to Verizon Center. H...

Redskins, Cowboys injury report

By: John Keim
11/20/09 5:08 PM

For the Redskins:

Out: TE Chris Cooley (ankle), RB Clinton Portis (concussion), FB Eddie Williams (ankle).

Questionable: DT Albert Haynesworth (ankle), OT Mike Williams (ankle), RT Stephon Heyer (knee). Not much has been made of Heyer and I would be surprised if he sat.

Probable - RB Ledell Betts (ankle)



For the Cowboys:

Out: CB Allen Rossum (hamstring), RT Marc Colombo (ankle), S Ken Hamlin (ankle). The latter two injuries really hurt Dallas; Colombo was a solid right tackle while Hamlin is the vocal leader in the secondary. He has struggled at times however.

Probable: RB Marion Barber (thumb), K David Buehler (toe), CB Mike Jenkins (elbow), S Gerald Sensabaugh (thumb), LB DeMarcus Ware (foot)



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Redskins news, notes and analysis

By: John Keim
11/20/09 4:25 PM

...Running back Rock Cartwright flew to Houston after practice today to be with his father who suffered a mini-stroke. Cartwright said his father was stabilized, but that he had problems with vision in one of his eyes. Cartwright will join the team in Dallas. Cartwright's mom died a few years ago, which made him more determined to visit his one remaining parent.

...Running back Clinton Portis was in Pittsburgh to be evaluated by a concussion specialist -- the same one who performed tests on Philadelphia's Brian Westbrook.

...Redskins coach Jim Zorn commended tight end Fred Davis for his work the past two games and his improvement in blocking fundamentals. My question: why did it take until Chris Cooley was injured before Davis took this part of the job more serious. After all, he was already playing before Cooley got hurt.

"The fact that it's on his shoulders makes a difference," coach Jim Zorn said. "Also, he's taken it upon himself to really listen to those techniques that Scott [Wachenheim] is teaching and imparting to him. It's made a difference. In these situations guys either rise up or they just can't do it yet and sometimes it's a matter of maturity. Sometimes it's a matter of ability. In his defense, he's one of those guys who is really rising up."

Davis clearly has improved as a blocker in both of the past two games. He worked well alongside left tackl...

Haynesworth questionable

By: John Keim
11/20/09 3:13 PM

Defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth is listed as questionable for Sunday's game at Dallas with a sprained left ankle. He ran on the treadmill today; coach Jim Zorn still called him a game-time decision.

Most likely Zorn will keep him active to see if he can play; if not, they'll turn to Anthony Montgomery. Because of Dallas' size along the line, and its desire to run with power, it's important to keep Montgomery active this week.

Montgomery has spent most of the week using a walking boot to protect his ankle. It's not unusual for players with this sort of injury to do that and then play that Sunday.

It's also interesting because this is the first regular season game Haynesworth will play vs. Dallas since the Andre Gurode stomping incident.



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Sorry purists, replay is needed on the pitch

By: Craig Stouffer
11/19/09 10:33 PM

You can blame Thierry Henry. If his blatant double hand ball in France's World Cup berth-clinching win over Ireland stands, he'll go down in history as heir to Diego Maradona and the Hand of God in the 1986 World Cup.

You can blame referee Martin Hansson, whose blown call at Stade de France was his second goal-line botch this year -- he missed a Brazil goal against the U.S. in the Confederations Cup final in June.

But the culprit is FIFA, whose refusal to adopt modern technology and improve officiating is a stain that has soaked through the entire sport, and replaying the match should be simply the first step.

Only by adding video replay, at the very least on goals, and ending the use of a single center referee -- no self-respecting team sport in the world is officiated by one person (the NBA can't get it right with three) -- can soccer rise above the regular suspicions that purists think are endearing but in reality are embarrassing.

Knucklehead of the week: Mark Mangino, Kansas Jayhawks, football coach

By: Jeffrey Tomik
11/19/09 10:28 PM

The big man on campus has created the recipe for getting fired. After losing five straight games, allegations have surface about how he verbally abused players.

Mangino will still be waddling around the Jayhawks' sideline on Saturday against Texas, but he'll be shown the door if these allegations turn out to be true.

At least this guy has a future at the New York Friars' Club for celebrity roasts. He has no limits for his material:

This is what he allegedly told wide receiver Raymond Brown, who's brother had been shot in the arm in St. Louis: "If you don't shut up, I'm going to send you back to St. Louis so you can get shot with your homies."

Boom!

A player who had aspirations outside of football, but may have had some problems at home: "Are you going to be a lawyer or do you want to become an alcoholic like your dad?"

Zing!

The team captain: "I'll send you back to Oakland where you could drink out of a brown paper bag."

Whoaaa!

Mangino has helped turn the Kansas football program around, but winning is never a good reason to sweep this kind of abuse under the rug. Coaches yell and have a number of different ways to motivate players, but (if these allegations are true) there is no place in college football for these type of personal attacks.

QB club dinner saved

By: John Keim
11/19/09 10:16 PM

The Quarterback Club's Redskins Player of the Year dinner has been saved. Apparently, the dinner, a 40-year tradition, was nearly nixed because of very slow ticket sales. Apparently, Chris Cooley's art show did not have such a rebound.

But a late push enabled the QB Club's Dec. 15th dinner at the Westin Hotel in Tyson's Corner to continue. This won't be a surprise: the five finalists all are defensive players. London Fletcher, Andre Carter, DeAngelo Hall, Rocky McIntosh and Albert Haynesworth are the finalists. Among the 20 former Redskins attending the dinner: former MVP Mark Rypien.

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Redskins news, notes and analysis

By: John Keim
11/19/09 9:25 PM

…Running back Clinton Portis will miss his second straight game because of a concussion. Portis worked again in the morning and has less blurred vision. But he has not yet recovered enough from the concussion, suffered in the first quarter of the Nov. 8 Atlanta game to return.

“I’m going to rule him out,” Redskins coach Jim Zorn said after a rainy afternoon practice today.

Analysis: Ladell Betts will make his second straight start. Betts was terrific last week with 114 yards rushing, but the biggest thing, teammates say, is that Betts is able to practice. It makes a difference. Given the amount of six- and seven-man fronts that Betts faced, Portis likely would have had similar success. Portis tends to face more eight-man fronts. However, the rhythm of the running game is better when the back is able to practice often.

…Defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth wore a walking boot on his sprained left ankle today and now is a game-time decision, Zorn said.

If Haynesworth can't play, then Anthony Montgomery will definitely be active. The Redskins need to counter Dallas' big bodies up front, and its desire to run a power game, with beef of its own. So even if Haynesworth does play, Montgomery could be active for that reason.

...Tackle Mike Williams also will be a game-time decision. But he won't start even if he is healthy. I'll be curious to see what happens...

D-Steve in the zone vs. LeBron

By: Craig Stouffer
11/19/09 9:00 PM

When the Wizards went to Cleveland earlier this month, DeShawn Stevenson tried not to inflame his ongoing feud with the Cavaliers but couldn't help himself. He ended up running the city itself under a bus ["Ain't nothing to do in Cleveland. You been there?"].

But after shutting down LeBron James in the fourth quarter on Stevenson bobble-head night, D-Steve disappeared from the locker room before reporters got there, and Thursday after practice, he didn't gloat. But he couldn't hide a slight grin either.

"I was in the zone," said Stevenson, who was asked about the crowd reaction every time he forced James into a missed jump shot. "It just felt good being out there, playing against a team that you like playing against."

Despite trying to win the game by himself, James had just six points in the final period. He was 3-for-7, but two field goals were vicious dunks -- "He looked like NBA Jam for a little bit out there," said Gilbert Arenas -- after the result had already been determined. Prior to that, a stone-faced Stevenson had a hand up nearly every time James shot the ball. He forced one shot clock violation and later rejected James on the break, which led to a technical foul when James questioned the call.

"What I was trying to do is make it a one-on-one thing so he'd forget about his teammates," said Stevenson. "Even though he...

The NFL's biggest headache

By: Jeffrey Tomik
11/19/09 9:00 PM

The topic of head injuries in the NFL has never been more prevalent.

Research has been brought to light, Congress has tackled the subject and John Madden has a committee that will make recommendations to the league on ways to reduce the effects of concussions.

The list of former football players that are suffering long-term brain damage is growing.

But where do we draw the line? What changes can be made that won't take away from the physical nature of the sport? Here are some suggestions that have come up:

1. Taking off the helmets » Although helmets are worn to reduce injury, they also increase the amount of contact to the head. A game without helmets will never happen, but headgear may be limited in practices. But would the reduction of contact in training adequately prepare players for the pounding they encounter during games?

2. Looking at recovery time » Running back Brian Westbrook raced back to play for the Eagles on Sunday only to suffer his second concussion in three weeks. Players are evaluated after head injuries, but there always remains a possibility of a reoccurrence. The variance in the severity of concussions makes it difficult to have a concrete guideline for head injuries. All concussions must be addressed on an individual basis. Hopefully with more research, there will be a more accurate timetable for proper recovery.

3. Rule changes » It's not f...

Strasburg hurt

By: Brian McNally
11/19/09 8:48 PM

At this point, every bump or bruise for Nats top draft pick Stephen Strasburg takes on ominous signifigance. Even if it's something minor. So hearts are aflutter tonight as Washington has scratched Strasburg from his scheduled start in the Arizona Fall League championship game on Saturday. While shagging fly balls in the outfield during a workout today with his Phoenix Desert Dogs, Strasburg twisted his left knee.

The injury was considered serious enough that he went for an MRI. The Nats say the results showed only inflammation. Still - Strasburg will be examined by Dr. Lewis Yokum in Los Angeles on Friday. The Nats changed plans, originally scheduling a consultation for Strasburg with team doctor Wiemi Douoguih in Washington. But because of proximity Strasburg will see Dr. Yokum instead. Strasburg was earlier scratched from the AFL All-Star game after a neck strain, but quickly shook off that injury to pitch well in what was his final AFL start last week (3 2/3 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 6 K, 2 BB)

Shaone Morrisonn dinged

By: Brian McNally and Brian McNally
11/19/09 3:09 PM

Caps defenseman Shaone Morrisonn is not expected to play Friday night againt Montreal. He suffered a head injury during Tuesday's win at New York - though no team official used the word "concussion". With defenseman Milan Jurcina on injured reserve (hamstring) and Tyler Sloan needed at forward because of Quintin Laing's broken jaw, the Caps had to recall defenseman John Carlson from AHL Hershey. Morrisonn played just 10 minutes, 27 seconds against the Rangers on Tuesday. His last shift came at 3:05 of the third period and lasted 53 seconds.

"When you get hit in the head and you get basically knocked out it’s one of those things you want to really make sure that he’s ready before you send him back in and do the wrong thing," Caps coach Bruce Boudreau said. "We want to make sure we do the right thing... Well, he was almost out - like in la-la land."

Jose Theodore's status uncertain for this weekend

By: Brian McNally
11/19/09 2:52 PM

Caps goalie Jose Theodore was back at practice for the second day in a row. But he couldn't shed any more light on if he'll play this weekend in games against Montreal at home and Toronto on the road. Theodore left the team earlier this week for "personal reasons". He returned to Northern Virginia while the Caps played the Rangers in New York.

"I don’t know. I just expect that we got a [10 a.m. morning skate] tomorrow and I’m going to come here," Theodore said. "I’m back with the team and practicing hard."

Theodore has allowed four or five goals in four of his last six starts, including last Saturday against the Devils. And he was pulled from a game against the Islanders last week after allowing three goals on five shots. Theodore insisted he didn't need a "mental break" and was simply taking care of that personal matter. Now he's ready to go when asked. But the Caps appear to feel differently. Michal Neuvirth is still with the team after a recall from AHL Hershey and could see action this weekend. Semyon Varlamov will likely start vs. Montreal on Friday night.

"Well, everybody knows what’s been going on. And sometimes you go through a rough break mentally," Caps coach Bruce Boudreau said. "And [Theodore] wants to play so well and he wants to work so hard for the team that sometimes everything adds up....

Carlson to make NHL debut

By: Brian McNally
11/19/09 2:27 PM

Caps rookie John Carlson was a late first-round draft pick just 17 months ago. Tomorrow night he will make his NHL debut at Verizon Center against the Montreal Candiens. It's been a whirwind year for Carlson, who was playing junior hockey at this time last year. The 19-year-old is considered one of the organization's top prospects along with Hershey teammate Karl Alzner.

"When I was on my couch five years ago I never knew that I could ever be in this position," said Carlson, who was the 27th overall pick by the Caps in 2008. "But I’m happy to be here. I was happy to be in Heshey...I can’t wait for tomorrow."

The 6-foot-3, 208-pounder has never lacked confidence. That's one reason the Caps believe he can handle the transition smoothly. Unlike Alzner - who was the No. 5 pick in the 2007 draft - Carlson was a bit of a sleeper during his draft year. He was born in Massachusetts and grew up in New Jersey, playing just one year of junior hockey in Canada before turning pro. Carlson had only played in the less-prestigious United States Hockey League when chosen by Washington. He then spent a year in Canada with the London Knights under the tutelage of former Caps star Dale Hunter. He scored 16 goals and had 60 assists in 59 games.

Caps coach Bruce Boudreau said Carlson's recall "might have been" partly salary-cap related. Alzner makes $1.675 mil...

D-Steve in the zone vs. LeBron

By: Craig Stouffer
11/19/09 1:51 PM

When the Wizards went to Cleveland at the beginning of the month, DeShawn Stevenson tried to take the safe road and not inflame his rivalry with the Cavaliers. But he couldn’t help himself and ended up running the whole city over with a bus.

After shutting down LeBron James in the fourth quarter on Wednesday -- a night in which the Wizards handed out Stevenson bobblehand dolls -- during Washington's 108-91 win over the Cavs, Stevenson disappeared from the locker room before reporters could ask him about his performance, and on Thursday after practice, he still played down the rivalry, albeit with a slight grin.

“I was in the zone,” Stevenson, asked about the crowd reactions every time he forced James into a missed jump shot. “It just felt good being out there, playing against a team that you like playing against.”

James racked up seven assists in the first quarter alone -- with equal parts boos and cheers raining down on him from stands every time he made a play. But then he took it upon himself down the stretch – “He looked like NBA Jam for a little bit out there,” said Gilbert Arenas, “Remember that game back in the day? – playing into the Wizards’ hands.

LeBron was 3-for-7 in the final quarter, but two of his field goals came on vicious dunks after the result had already been determined. On at least two misses, St...

Wizards 108, Cavaliers 91: When LeBron scores, the other guy wins

By: Craig Stouffer
11/19/09 1:10 AM

Despite having a positive vibe for the Wizards prior to their 108-91 win over Cleveland earlier tonight, not all of my three reasons were totally accurate. Let’s evaluate:

Antawn Jamison is back. Definitely accurate (as if it was a difficult call). He may have hit the front iron once or twice early, but Jamison showed no signs of rust and his contribution early was invaluable. He finished the first half with 21 points and 8 rebounds.

Shaquille O'Neal (shoulder) isn't in the building, and Anderson Varejao (bruised hip) isn't playing either. Accurate. This call looked like a botch early, as Zydrunas Ilgauskas was bombing wide-open jumpers early and Darnell Jackson also had a strong start. Both went into halftime with 10 points – the same numbers they had when the game finished. In addition, the Cavaliers got only 24 points in the paint, slightly more than half of the 40 they got vs. Washington in Cleveland on November 2.

Without O’Neal and Varejao, the scale couldn’t help but tip toward LeBron James and Mo Williams, who both got baited out of their games in the second half. Sure, James finished with 34 points, but that’s what the Wizards wanted. When he hits a trio of three-pointers “from the parking lot,” as Caron Butler put it, that’s actually when Washington had him where they wanted him. At that point, James' teammates disappear fr...

Cavaliers (8-3) at Wizards (2-7)

By: Craig Stouffer
11/18/09 7:01 PM

The Wizards' record is vastly different from the Cavaliers', they began their six-game losing streak in Cleveland two weeks ago, and LeBron James and his gang have won five straight. But Washington has to like its chances tonight. Three reasons why:

Antawn Jamison is back. It's been explored at length already, but here's what Wizards head coach Flip Saunders had to say: "I think the energy level’s up. I think there’s no question, it’s a combination, you better have energy when you play against the Cavs and LeBron and those things, but also I think that now, any time you get back one of your team leaders, a guy that’s been not only a very good basketball player for you but a vocal player for you, I think it kind of ignites you a little bit."

How does that translate onto the court? This is the starting lineup -- Jamison, Gilbert Arenas, Mike Miller, Brendan Haywood, Caron Butler -- that the Wizards have been waiting SINCE JUNE to unveil.

Shaquille O'Neal (shoulder) isn't in the building, and Anderson Varejao (bruised hip) isn't playing either. Those two combined for 31 points, 18 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 blocks in the Cavaliers' 102-90 win in Cleveland on Nov. 2. With them out, the Wizards' decision to shelve Fabricio Oberto (hamstring) for the night is easier to digest. Saunders actually cautioned against it resulting in more minutes for JaVale M...