Thom Loverro
Columns by Thom Loverro
LOVERRO: The bargain-basement Nationals kneecapped by ownership
Nationals fans deserve better than four straight losing seasons and counting. Published February 13, 2024
LOVERRO: Winning in this NFL begins with the guy under center
Twice, Washington has had the No. 2 pick, and the team in front of it has both times taken a championship-caliber quarterback. Will the Commanders make it three for three? Published February 12, 2024
LOVERRO: Add Kyle Shanahan to the list of nice things Washington couldn’t have because of Dan Snyder
In another world -- another universe, perhaps -- Kyle Shanahan, whose San Francisco 49ers face the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday in Las Vegas in the Super Bowl, might be coaching the Washington Commanders in the big game instead. Published February 8, 2024
LOVERRO: Chemistry, attitude, swagger. What’s not to like?
It was a banner day for the Washington Commanders on Monday. New owner Josh Harris introduced his first NFL coach -- former Atlanta Falcons head coach and, more recently, Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn. Published February 6, 2024
LOVERRO: Angelos was seen as a Baltimore hero when he bought the Orioles
This is how it began for Peter Angelos -- sweating in a hot August New York courtroom in 1993, bidding up a million dollars at a time against art dealer Jeffrey Loria to buy the Baltimore Orioles in bankruptcy court. Published February 4, 2024
LOVERRO: Just win, Quinn, and this awkward hiring process means zilch
If the reports are accurate, Dan Quinn's hiring represents the culmination of a fumbled coaching search process by new owner Josh Harris. Published February 1, 2024
LOVERRO: Ben Johnson’s loyalty to the Lions is admirable, but maybe a bit short-sighted
Ben Johnson told both the Seattle Seahawks and the Washington Commanders that he didn't want to coach either of those teams, according to various reports. Published January 31, 2024
LOVERRO: Ravens got bullied, baited by the best in the business
What was the pregame drama all about? Was it to remind everyone that the Chiefs, who posted an 11-6 record this season and who were 4 1/2 point underdogs going into the game against the 13-4 Ravens, were the defending champs and recent two-time winners of the Super Bowl? Was it Kansas City's response to a perceived lack of respect? Published January 29, 2024
LOVERRO: Interesting event in Lions history spawned famous Plimpton book
The Detroit Lions don't have much of a championship history. But they have one particular unique chapter in franchise history that took place 60 years ago during the 1963 NFL season, when a Sports Illustrated writer reported to Lions training camp to play quarterback -- and wrote a memorable book about the experience. Published January 25, 2024
LOVERRO: Without Bonds, Clemens, Hall of Fame lobbying for steroid cheaters trickles away
The Baseball Hall of Fame voting isn't what it used to be. No torches, no pitchforks, no villagers storming the gates protesting the trampled rights of cheaters. Published January 24, 2024
LOVERRO: How about rebuilding Commanders in the mold of the Ravens?
Washington Commanders fans should feel great about Saturday's 34-10 playoff win over the Houston Texans. After all, the Ravens are new owner Josh Harris' franchise role model, according to what was left of Sports Illustrated last month. Published January 21, 2024
LOVERRO: Favre, Rodgers added to a legacy created by the late, great Bart Starr
A word to the children at Fox Sports who will be contributing graphics and information about the Green Bay Packers to their divisional round playoff game Saturday night against the San Francisco 49ers -- two words, actually -- Bart Starr. Published January 18, 2024
LOVERRO: Goal is everyone on same page, asking same question: What’s best for franchise?
I wonder if chills of excitement -- excitement tinged, perhaps, with just a bit of fear -- went down Adam Peters' spine when he walked into the Washington Commanders headquarters in Ashburn for his introductory press conference Tuesday. Published January 17, 2024
LOVERRO: Adam Peters is a dose of credibility for Harris, Commanders
Washington Commanders owner Josh Harris appears to have hired a chief credibility officer -- Adam Peters, the assistant general manager of the San Francisco 49ers -- according to various reports. Published January 14, 2024
LOVERRO: NFL finds another way to stick its fingers in fans’ wallets
If you want to watch the Kansas City Chiefs and the Taylor Swiftettes face the Miami Dolphins on Saturday night, you'll have to buy a Peacock streaming subscription to watch. This one should go down in history as "The Greed Bowl," remembered for the avarice of NFL owners. Published January 11, 2024
LOVERRO: Culture counts, Ron, but winning matters too
If the culture has indeed been changed by Ron Rivera and his 26-40-1 four-year record here, you couldn't prove it by his Commanders players as they were heading out the door. Published January 8, 2024
LOVERRO: If NFL can’t clean up shoddy officiating, Congress — yes, Congress — needs to jump in
If the NFL is going continue to count its millions without accountability to the public, perhaps it's up to Congress to step in. Hearings on NFL officiating would force the league to invest more and improve the officiating -- to take it far more seriously than they do now. Published January 4, 2024
LOVERRO: Panthers owner’s unmanly drink toss better suited for ‘Real Housewives’ than NFL stadium
It was an expensive drink, but Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper, who is worth more than $20 billion, can afford the $300,000 fine. Throwing a drink at someone is the move of the rich and the petty. Published January 3, 2024
LOVERRO: Disastrous year with Commanders undercuts the ‘passed-over’ Bieniemy argument
Imagine Washington Commanders offensive coordinator and assistant head coach Eric Bieniemy walking into a job interview this off-season for a head coaching job. Let's say there's someone out there who still believes Bieniemy is some sort of offensive genius being held back by lack of opportunity. Published January 2, 2024
LOVERRO: Snyder’s shenanigans pale in comparison to DeBartolo’s time with 49ers
A federal prosecutor said Nicky Scarfo was a "remorseless and profoundly evil man" who became one of the most powerful mobsters in the country. This was who Eddie DeBartolo Jr. owed money to, according to a new book. Published December 28, 2023
