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Thom Loverro

Thom Loverro

Thom Loverro has been a professional journalist since 1977, working for a number of newspapers, including eight years as a news editor and reporter for The Baltimore Sun, where he covered government, politics, and crime. He moved into sports writing when he joined The Washington Times in 1992. He moved to The Washington Examiner as a sports columnist in 2009 and returned to The Washington Times in 2013, where he is currently the lead sports columnist.

Columns by Thom Loverro

Scot McCloughan, right, speaks during an NFL football press conference where he was introduced as the Washington Redskins new general manager, Friday, Jan. 9, 2015, in Ashburn, Va. At left is Washington Redskins president Bruce Allen. (AP Photo/Nick Wass) **FILE**

Redskins’ offseason has been far from successful

The definition of repressed memories: Memories that have been unconsciously blocked due to the memory being associated with a high level of stress or trauma. For synonyms, see Washington Redskins fans. How else do you explain the narrative that the team has had what some are calling a successful offseason? Published April 30, 2017

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Ian Cole (28) battles for the puck against Washington Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom (19), of Sweden, during the second period of Game 2 in an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series, Saturday, April 29, 2017, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Capitals don’t have answer for Penguins’ ‘compete level’

When the Penguins disposed of the Columbus Blue Jackets in five games in the first round, their coach, Mike Sullivan, spoke of his team's "compete level." That's a level the Washington Capitals, in the era of Alex Ovechkin, have never had in postseason hockey. Published April 30, 2017

Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) celebrates his goal with the bench during the second period of Game 1 of the team's NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series against the Washington Capitals, Thursday, April 27, 2017, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Sidney Crosby, Penguins make Capitals pay for lack of fight

Crosby and company sized up the lack of fight in the Capitals early in the game, and it wasn't hard to make that determination. Washington playing at home in the first game of the second round of the playoffs before a juiced up home crowd with the intensity of a game in Edmonton in February. Published April 27, 2017

Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby plays against the Columbus Blue Jackets during Game 4 of an NHL first-round hockey playoff series Tuesday, April 18, 2017, in Columbus, Ohio. The Blue Jackets beat the Penguins 5-4. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)

Sidney Crosby, Penguins all business in first round

What can we conclude from the Washington Capitals' difficult six-game series win over the Toronto Maple Leafs? Apparently, the message is that the Stanley Cup playoffs are hard. Who knew? Published April 25, 2017

Simon Mathiesen about to kick his way into the NFL

Starting Thursday, NFL general managers -- and others who fancy themselves as personnel experts -- will do the football version of shopping spree at Costco's when the draft gets underway. Published April 23, 2017

Toronto Maple Leafs center Tyler Bozak (42) celebrates his goal against Washington Capitals goalie Braden Holtby (70) with center Nazem Kadri (43) as Mitch Marner and James van Riemsdyk look on during overtime in Game 3 of an NHL Stanley Cup first-round playoff series in Toronto on Monday, April 17, 2017. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

When bad things happen to good hockey teams

Self-help guru Tony Robbins says one of the secrets to success is you can use pain to your advantage. Well, if that's true, shouldn't the Washington Capitals be unstoppable? Published April 18, 2017

Reviving baseball in African-American communities

Longtime D.C. baseball coach Jimmy Williams has watched the decline in African-American participation in the sport over the years -- and he has some ideas about how to reverse the trend. Published April 16, 2017

FILE - In this April 8, 2017, file photo, Washington Capitals' Alex Ovechkin skates during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Boston Bruins, in Boston. With Ovechkin's ice time and Braden Holtby's workload down, the  Capitals are well-positioned for a Stanley Cup run. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson, File)

LOVERRO: This year a referendum on Capitals’ heart

You'll probably hear a few references during these Stanley Cup playoffs about Washington Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan's quote in February 2016 about the team's window "closing" in two years. Published April 11, 2017

FILE - In this Jan. 1, 2017, file photo, Dallas Cowboys' Tony Romo smiles on the bench during the second half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles in Philadelphia. Those closest to Romo on the Cowboys aren’t ready to discuss the future of the Dallas quarterback, probably because they know the likely final answer. After 156 games, 34,183 yards passing and 248 touchdowns, Romo’s career in Dallas appears over after he lost the job he held for 10 years to rookie sensation Dak Prescott following a preseason back injury. The question is, what’s next. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

Tony Romo isn’t a Hall of Famer

The Hall of Fame should be about more than just statistics. That's why, as far as I'm concerned, Tony Romo doesn't rate. Published April 9, 2017

**FILE** Patrick Ewing, basketball player for Georgetown University, with coach John Thompson on March 9, 1985.  (AP Photo)

Patrick Ewing’s odds stacked against him at Georgetown

Patrick Ewing's tenure as head basketball coach at Georgetown University will be likely be considered successful if he has this resume -- a 278-151 record over 13 seasons, eight NCAA appearances, three Big East titles and a Final Four. Published April 4, 2017

Washington Redskins head coach Jay Gruden watches the action on the field during the second half of an NFL football game against the New York Giants in Landover, Md., Sunday, Jan. 1, 2017. (AP Photo/Mark Tenally)

Jay Gruden’s optimism feels forced

Jay Gruden says he doesn't know why those who follow the Redskins are so doom and gloom. OK, let's review ... Published March 30, 2017

Scot McCloughan, right, speaks during an NFL football press conference where he was introduced as the Washington Redskins new general manager, Friday, Jan. 9, 2015, in Ashburn, Va. At left is Washington Redskins president Bruce Allen. (AP Photo/Nick Wass) **FILE**

Bruce Allen’s answers just raise more Redskins questions

The exit of Scot McCloughan, in some ways, mirrors that of Mike Shanahan. When asked at the Shanahan firing press conference about reports of fractured relationships, Bruce Allen insisted otherwise. Published March 28, 2017

FILE - In this March 9, 2013, file photo, former Georgetown coach John Thompson Jr., left, congratulates his son Georgetown head coach John Thompson III, right, after the Hoya's 61-39 win over Syracuse in an NCAA college basketball game in Washington.  Georgetown has fired basketball coach John Thompson III on Thursday, March 23, 2017, after two consecutive losing seasons at the school his father led to a national championship. (AP Photo/Nick Wass, File) **FILE**

John Thompson III’s name, Georgetown tradition should have bought coach more time

Thompson represented the tradition of basketball excellence that put the school on the map -- the son of the father, the great Hall of Fame coach, John Thompson Jr. In the end, though, it wasn't enough for the son of the father that represented the school's legacy, far more than any rich or powerful alumnus. Published March 23, 2017