Thomas Boswell

4 weeks ago | washingtonpost.com | Thomas Boswell

Throwing out the first ball on Opening Day is a bit of a horror as well as an honor. The internet never lets a ludicrous ceremonial pitch die a dignified death. I think half of Google’s $2 trillion market cap is revenue from the views of “Worst First Pitches” on YouTube. Sports pontificator Stephen A. Smith spoke for all first-pitch bunglers who threw 10 feet short of the plate. “I was disgusted with myself,” Smith said. “… I got on that mound, and it looked like it was a mile away.

1 month ago | washingtonpost.com | Thomas Boswell

When I asked Siri to name the greatest underdog general manager in history who won despite almost no resources, I was not expecting my iPhone to answer, “Vo Nguyen Giap, who defeated both the French and American forces in Vietnam.”No, Siri: general manager, not general. I was leaning toward Mike Rizzo, the GM assigned to turn the 71-91 Washington Nationals into a .500 team with masking tape, spit and mystic incantations — but no money.

1 month ago | dailyprogress.com | Thomas Boswell

LANDOVER, Md. - The prestige and status of the Washington Redskins within the District of Columbia area reached their absolute bottom - the lowest point in the existence of the franchise in this city since 1937 - on Sunday at FedEx Field. Just 15 days earlier, a downtown parade celebrated the World Series victory of the Washington Nationals. The 2018 Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals have the most wins in the NHL.

Jan 24, 2025 | washingtonpost.com | Thomas Boswell

Our expectations are rooted in our assumptions. Because the public assumes the Washington Commanders are not in the same class as Philadelphia, Kansas City and Buffalo, they expect that Washington has little chance to win the Super Bowl. That disdain is reflected in the odds. On the BetMGM app on Friday morning, you could win $180, $200 and $260 respectively if you bet $100 on the Eagles, Chiefs or Bills. But if you bet $100 on the Commanders, you would win $850.

Dec 14, 2024 | washingtonpost.com | Thomas Boswell

The biggest winners at the MLB winter meetings this past week were the New York Mets, who signed free agent Juan Soto for 15 years; the Los Angeles Dodgers, who signed free agent Blake Snell for five years; and then the Washington Nationals, who were blessed by the draft lottery gods. Wait, the Nationals? Few, except true baseball nerds (me), grasp . No stroke of luck in any major pro sport has anywhere close to as much value as moving up to No. 1 in the MLB amateur draft.