Thom Loverro
Columns by Thom Loverro
LOVERRO: Injuries causing Nationals’ Opening Day lineup to have unfamiliar look
When you see your Washington Nationals take the field Monday afternoon for their opener at Nationals Park against the New York Mets, you will indeed need a scorecard. Published March 31, 2015
LOVERRO: Wizards would be wise to consider John Calipari as coach
If Kentucky's coach is truly considering a return to the NBA, then Wizards owner Ted Leonsis needs to be ready now to convince Calipari that the best place for him to erase his previous failure is in Washington. Published March 29, 2015
LOVERRO: Unbelievably, the Redskins are in line to bring back all three quarterbacks
Granted, NFL teams weren't knocking down Colt McCoy's door for his services, but the fact is that right now, of the three, the only one we really know if general manager Scot McCloughan really likes or not is McCoy. Published March 26, 2015
LOVERRO: John Dowd, author of Pete Rose report, leery of potential reinstatement
While Rob Manfred has said he'd consider reinstating Pete Rose from his lifetime ban from baseball, Dowd, who investigated Rose in the late 1980s, thinks he shouldn't. "I don't see any basis for Pete to be reinstated," Dowd said. Published March 24, 2015
LOVERRO: Chuck Bednarik’s tough-guy image provides a contrast to today’s NFL
The NFL was built on the shoulders of players like Bednarik. It faces a crisis because of the still-unscrambled brains of players like Chris Borland. The two players represent the evolution of football. Published March 22, 2015
LOVERRO: The luster of March Madness salvages an unwatchable season
It is the sudden-death quality of March Madness that makes the tournament so attractive. The regular season, though? It's getting harder and harder to get people to pay attention. Published March 19, 2015
LOVERRO: Greater the injury risk, greater the fear for parents after Chris Borland retires
I wonder how many mothers, upon hearing the news that a 24-year-old NFL player is quitting football because of fear of brain and body damage, will not sign the permission slip this year for their sons to play football. Published March 17, 2015
LOVERRO: Though locals bristle, megafight has boxing back in headlines
While boxing's spirit never faded for some in the District, the fact is that the circle of interest widened significantly when a fight between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao was finally made. Published March 15, 2015
LOVERRO: Marcus Mariota would make one too-many saviors for Redskins
One of the inspirational phrases that is part of the National Football League language is "Next Man Up" — someone goes down, another man steps up. The Washington Redskins may have their own twist on that tune — "Next Savior Up." Published March 12, 2015
LOVERRO: Bad rosters, bad seasons stem from Redskins’ bad free agent decisions
The winners of this time of year in the NFL are the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks, the teams that met in the Super Bowl. This is the time of year where good teams are built — and bad teams as well. Published March 10, 2015
LOVERRO: Ryan Zimmerman is showing transition to first base won’t be difficult
The question that everyone should be asking is if Ryan Zimmerman can return to being the productive hitter he once was. If that can happen, it goes a long way to this Nationals team fulfilling lofty expectations. Published March 8, 2015
LOVERRO: Anthony Rendon finding it harder to blend in under the spotlight
Rendon would just as soon wish that they didn't notice his every move, but it's getting harder to ignore the best player on the most talented team in the majors. Published March 5, 2015
LOVERRO: Several expiring contracts should make Nationals hungry for success
We've seen in sports the impact of playing for a new contract. Some or all of those whose contracts are expiring have been offered a lot of money to stay with Washington, and they said no, we want more. Published March 3, 2015
LOVERRO: Don’t give up on Wizards in Ernie Grunfeld’s second ‘Golden Age’
Wizards fans are up in arms over the team’s struggles of late, losing six consecutive games and 11 of their last 13, including an embarrassing loss to the lowly Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night. Published March 1, 2015
LOVERRO: Dave Butz’s College Hall of Fame selection a deserving honor
The Redskins may have been shut out of the Pro Football Hall of Fame this time around, but Butz was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Published February 26, 2015
LOVERRO: Nationals doing the right thing by finally honoring Frank Robinson
Washington was given a gift in 2005 not just of a baseball team, but to have the presence of such a historic figure in the history of the game connected to the baseball in this city. Finally, it is time to say thank you. Published February 24, 2015
LOVERRO: Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao fight will feel like biggest ever
To see boxing dominating the sports pages or trending daily, to see a fight become a national debate — it's been a long time, maybe more than a decade. Mayweather and Pacquiao would like to welcome you back. Published February 22, 2015
LOVERRO: Mike Shanahan confirmed fears of Robert Griffin III coddling
Shanahan confirmed the worst fears of Redskins fans — that the owner, Dan Snyder, has continued to meddle in everyday football affairs, and that the quarterback, Robert Griffin III, is every bit the self-absorbed diva he has appeared to be. Published February 19, 2015
LOVERRO: Kevin Durant speaks to media ‘friends’ — that pay him
Durant and Marshawn Lynch are freedom fighters, card-carrying members of the spoon-fed generation — stroked from the time they showed enormous talent to do what people will pay to watch them do. Published February 17, 2015
LOVERRO: Rob Manfred can’t have it both ways with Pete Rose, sports betting
Manfred, the new commissioner of baseball, has basically let everyone know that he is open for business and everything is on the table — including reinstating Rose, the all-time leader in hits, and supporting legalized sports betting. Published February 15, 2015
