Thom Loverro
Columns by Thom Loverro
LOVERRO: Nationals’ reboot likely to test owners’ commitment to winning
We knew that Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo could build a baseball team. Now we know he can raze one. ... Rizzo is not a big fan of rebuilding. We'll see if he has the resources that he's had for this past reign of success. Published August 2, 2021
LOVERRO: Rodgers, Packers boss Murphy come from different worlds
Is Aaron Rodgers -- who reported to training camp after giving every indication he wouldn't play for the Packers again -- really back? Published July 27, 2021
LOVERRO: Unseld name carries weight, good and bad, for Wizards fans
The Unseld name carries a lot of weight. But for Washington Wizards fans, it also comes with a lot of baggage from Wes Unseld Sr.'s losing stints as the team's vice president, coach and general manager. Published July 18, 2021
LOVERRO: Two-way Ohtani takes center stage at All-Star Game
Ohtani, 27, is the starting pitcher for the American League All-Stars, facing off Tuesday night against the National League starter Max Scherzer. For Scherzer -- 7-4 with a 2.66 ERA this season -- it's a fourth All-Star Game start. For Ohtani -- 4-1 with a 3.49 ERA and 33 home runs -- it's an acknowledgment of one of the most remarkable seasons since the days of Babe Ruth. Published July 12, 2021
LOVERRO: Berra, Campanella defined an era of greatness
Playing in the same city -- one in the National League, the other in the American League -- Yogi Berra and Roy Campanella each won three league most valuable player awards. It was a five-year run of unprecedented excellence recognized for the position. Published July 4, 2021
Snyder’s slap on the wrist isn’t so surprising. NFL’s brazen hypocrisy, though, is stunning
So how do we think it went, that little chat? You know, the conversation between NFL lackey Beth Wilkinson and the man in charge of league lackeys, Commissioner Roger Goodell -- the one about Dan Snyder and the sexual harassment scandal inside his Washington Football Team organization. Published July 2, 2021
LOVERRO: The real story behind Dan Snyder’s twisted fairy tale
It's always someone else's fault. It's Bruce Allen's fault. It's Mike Shanahan's fault. It's the minority owners' fault. Published June 29, 2021
LOVERRO: Villanova’s Wright would be right pick to change Wizards’ loser culture
Sheppard is stepping up to the plate now in a key moment, a moment that could change the fortunes of a franchise that has been walking in the desert for more than 40 years. And the swing he needs to take is just up the interstate in Philadelphia. Published June 21, 2021
LOVERRO: Australian taxpayers next in line to be fleeced by IOC gangsters
Brisbane has won the endorsement of the carrier of the virus, the International Olympic Committee, which pretty much means that they will officially be awarded the 2032 Summer Games when the gangsters meet next month. Published June 14, 2021
LOVERRO: Wizards will be a hard sell for potential Brooks replacements
The NBA's post-playoff coaching and executive shuffle, so far, has not been great for the Washington Wizards. Published June 7, 2021
Dan Snyder could be forced out by NFL if no stadium deal is reached
With that loan, the league has turned up the pressure for Snyder to get a new stadium deal -- the most important currency owners deal with, the work that helps drive up the value of every franchise. Published June 1, 2021
LOVERRO: Capitals will never know if Trotz might have made the difference
On Sunday, the Capitals were again shown the playoff door early, this time with their Barry Trotz replica, Peter Laviolette. Laviolette is a veteran, Stanley Cup-winning coach who gladly took the top-tier money that Ted Leonsis and his brain trust could have -- and should have -- paid Trotz. Published May 24, 2021
Wizards and optimism? They’ve absolutely earned it
The outcome on the court and in the standings may not be any different under general manager Tommy Sheppard this season. But possibilities exist. The Russell Westbrook trade speaks to those possibilities. Published May 17, 2021
Aaron Rodgers to Washington just crazy enough to work
The very idea that one of the greatest quarterbacks of his time -- the NFL's 2020 Most Valuable Player, his third such honor -- is being touted somehow as a good fit for the Washington Football Team is amazing. And get this: No one is laughing. Published May 10, 2021
LOVERRO: Only NFL draft grade that matters comes later
Here's a necessary reminder that what anyone thinks of a draft class hours after the selections are made means nothing. That goes for anyone, even the geniuses who made the picks. No, make that especially the geniuses that made the picks. Published May 2, 2021
This NFL draft era is missing personal, behind-the-scenes stories
The draft has changed dramatically over the years, from a conference call exercise to an elaborate staged event, complete with hugs from NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. What is often missing are the personal behind-the-scenes stories that led to the draft picks that became stars of their new teams. Published April 26, 2021
Dan Snyder, Bruce Allen divorce gets messy
What happened to those days of partying on the yacht, flying around the world, and the intimate games of Putt-Putt in the office? What happened to the Bruce Allen-Dan Snyder love? Published April 18, 2021
Tyson, Holyfield and the dying gasp of a once-great sport
First Mike Tyson climbed back in the ring, now former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield will, at the age of 58, stage an eight-round "exhibition" against 47-year-old Kevin McBride. And that, folks, tells you how far boxing has fallen. Published April 12, 2021
Grit guts and Soto winning Nationals formula
Winning, even during their title year, never seems to come easily or simply for these Nationals. Published April 6, 2021
Rob Manfred puts baseball in middle of political fight
This notion that baseball's decision to pull the game out of Atlanta is some sort of "cancel culture" travesty is absurd. The game was awarded to Atlanta through politics and it was taken away because of politics -- the controversial new Georgia voting law. Published April 5, 2021
