Curse of the Capital? A look into DC’s sports championship drought

Graphic+by+Charlotte+Alden.

Graphic by Charlotte Alden.

By Abby Snyder

At the mention of sports championship droughts, Cleveland and Chicago likely come to mind. The Cavaliers ended Cleveland’s 52-year dry spell with a victory in the NBA Finals, and the Cubs just won a World Series for the first time in 108 years. With these curses finally over, DC is left with one of the longest droughts in professional sports.

The last time a top-four DC sports team (Redskins, Wizards, Capitals or Nationals) won a championship was in 1992 with the Redskins’ Super Bowl win. The Nationals have never won a World Series since they came to DC in 2005, the Capitals have never won the Stanley Cup since their founding in 1974, and the Wizards haven’t won a championship since 1978, when they were still the Washington Bullets. Since then, the closest DC has come to a championship was the 1997-98 Capitals, who lost in the Stanley Cup finals; after that, there’s been a significant drop off, as all four teams have struggled to make deep runs in the playoffs.

So how are chances for each of DC’s four major sports teams? Here’s a look at each team’s prospects for the current or upcoming season as well as some memorable moments from the last few years.

Washington Nationals

For all of the talent on the Nats, it’s surprising that they haven’t won a World Series yet. With stars like Max Scherzer and Bryce Harper, as well as a promising minor-league farm system with elite players like Lucas Giolito and Victor Robles, it seems almost inevitable.

For the past several years, the Nats have been perennial picks in preseason predictions, but come October, they fail to perform. Even the addition of players who excel in the postseason, like Daniel Murphy, couldn’t help the Nats. This year, disappointment came from the Dodgers in the divisional round.

Two years ago, it came at the hands of the Giants, who took down a talented Nats team in a thrilling but ultimately disappointing 18-inning heartbreaker. The Nats were favored to win it all that year, but lost early to a team with more postseason experience.

The MLB offseason is just beginning, so it may be too soon to tell whether the Nats will get out of their disappointing rut next year. For now, though, we’re stuck with the regret about wasted talent and tough matchups.

Washington Redskins

The Redskins are coming off a triumphant NFC East championship last season. But that elation soon fizzled as they suffered a discouraging loss to the then-intimidating Packers in the first round of the playoffs, reminiscent of a disheartening first-round loss to the Seahawks in 2012.

It’s unlikely that the Redskins will defend their NFC title, and their hopes for a deep playoff run this year aren’t looking great either. Their offense struggled throughout the first half of the season, but they may have found a long-term quarterback solution in Kirk Cousins. Their defense is looking up, as well, with talented players like cornerback Bashaud Breeland and linebacker Will Compton. However, it’s not looking like this will be enough for an extended postseason appearance.

This isn’t looking like the Redskins’ year; they’re not playing at the level they need to be to go far in the playoffs or to even make it to the postseason. But they have hope for the future if they can continue to improve. Until then, though, it looks like we’ll have our fair share of disappointment from FedEx Field.

Washington Wizards

Last year, the Wizards finished with a disappointingly mediocre 41-41 record, and at 4-9, they are not off to a promising start. It was clear after last season that the team needed an attitude reset, and it doesn’t look like we got one, and the team looks even worse.

The Wizards missed out on a talent-rich free agent class, failing to sign Al Horford and not getting into talks with hometown favorite Kevin Durant. They’re overpaying center Ian Mahini, who has yet to play this season. Bradley Beal does not appear to be clicking with John Wall, and Scott Brooks has done a poor coaching job thus far.

The undeniable talent of players like Beal and Wall alone is clearly not enough to put the Wizards in real contention, and until the Wizards can figure out a solid support and a steady rhythm, things aren’t looking up.

Washington Capitals

Washington’s best hope for a championship this year is the Capitals, whose star players and excellent coaching look strong as they fix mistakes from previous seasons and plan for a deep run into the postseason.

Year after year, the Caps, like the Nats, have suffered devastating losses to less talented teams with more postseason experience.

The Capitals were clearly the best team in the NHL for the duration of the regular season last year, eventually going on to win the President’s Cup, the award granted to the NHL team with the most points scored. But all the momentum came to a grinding halt as the Caps lost to the eventual champion Penguins in the second round of the playoffs. Year after year, the Caps, like the Nats, have suffered devastating losses to less talented teams with more postseason experience. In the Caps’ case, this heartbreak has come from teams like the Rangers and the Penguins.

The talent and coaching on this year’s team shows promise, with outstanding players like Alex Ovechkin, Braden Holtby, and Nicklas Backstrom, and a strong leader in Coach Barry Trotz. If they can continue last season’s momentum and improve their postseason play, they could have a real shot at the Stanley Cup.

Being a DC sports fan isn’t always touchdowns and home runs. With teams that show this much promise, there’s a feeling of disappointment. But if there’s one expression that holds true across all four sports, it’s that anything is possible.