Deron Snyder
Articles by Deron Snyder
SNYDER: 2012 a year to remember because of two rookies
Where has the time gone? Published December 27, 2012
SNYDER: Darryl Hill breaking down pay-to-play barrier in youth athletics
No one has to convince Darryl Hill about the value of sports in society. He has been a first-hand witness for a half-century, ever since he enrolled at the University of Maryland and became the first African-American to play in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Published December 25, 2012
SNYDER: Too many bowls have ruined a good thing
Once again, it's to check off some items on my "TIDU List" — Things I Don't Understand: Published December 23, 2012
SNYDER: Jets never bothered to clear Tebow for takeoff
At times we forget about the humanity within our gladiators, viewing them solely as padded combatants who perform amazing athletic feats for our entertainment and pleasure. Published December 20, 2012
SNYDER: Sidelining Wizards’ Wall for season becomes a stark possibility
If John Wall isn't ready about a month from now, midway through the schedule, the Washington Wizards probably should keep him sidelined for the season. Published December 18, 2012
SNYDER: Big East pays price for abandoning its values
The Big East's chickens haven't come home to roost. They've come back to destroy the place, ripping off the ceiling, knocking down the walls and smashing up the foundation. They've come home and created a shambles, just like the Big East has decimated Conference USA, twice. Published December 16, 2012
SNYDER: RG3 possesses rare combination of skills for any athlete, any color
I was driving my youngest daughter to school Thursday when a text message appeared on my cell phone: "Sup Deron. Wats ur take on RF3 (sic). Real Brutha or a cornball who don't wanna b a Bruhtha." It was from a friend, ESPN commentator Rob Parker. Published December 15, 2012
SNYDER: Roger Goodell finds it’s lonely at the top
Someone needs to give NFL commissioner Roger Goodell a hug. Or a shoulder to cry on. Published December 13, 2012
SNYDER: WKU will let Bobby Petrino atone for sins
When a big-boy school welcomes Bobby Petrino as the new football coach, in a year or two, it can thank Western Kentucky for paving the way. Until then, the Hilltoppers can thank Tennessee, Auburn and Kentucky for being phonies, hypocrites and cowards. Published December 11, 2012
SNYDER: Ravens, Joe Flacco can’t seal the deal
Losing back-to-back games — on the final play of regulation last week and in overtime on Sunday — is no way to begin your stretch run. It's also no way to bolster your argument for consideration as an elite quarterback. Published December 9, 2012
SNYDER: Focusing in on Adderall
Playing defensive back in the NFL has never been harder. They barely can touch a wide receiver past the line of scrimmage. They must master physics while delivering hits over the middle. They must stay in coverage longer and longer against pass-happy offenses and quarterback-friendly rules. Published December 6, 2012
SNYDER: Redskins cultivating a winning mindset
Santana Moss reached the playoffs in three of his first four NFL seasons, all with the New York Jets. After Washington acquired him in 2005 for Laveranues Coles, via a straight-up trade, Moss advanced to the postseason in two of his first three years with the Redskins. He was accustomed to such success, having lost just eight times in three seasons at Miami, going 3-0 in bowl games. Published December 4, 2012
SNYDER: Redskins want a seat at the table for contenders
The won-lost column doesn't include moral victories, which allegedly are nonexistent if you ask coaches and players. But most of us can find some satisfaction in defeats, especially when your team exceeds expectations. If it plays well and remains competitive throughout a game against a championship-caliber opponent, that often suffices if it's more than you imagined. Published December 4, 2012
SNYDER: Who’s big enough to bring NFL to a halt?
We don't know what drove Jovan Belcher to kill his girlfriend, in front of their infant daughter and his mother, before heading to the Kansas City Chiefs' practice facility and killing himself. But in the wake of this tragedy, I find myself pondering another question, too: Whose death would be enough to alter the NFL's almighty schedule? Published December 2, 2012
SNYDER: Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens merit vote into Hall
Baseball's latest Hall of Fame ballot, a referendum dreaded for several years, was released this week. Now all of the hypothetical debates on enshrining steroid users will play out for real, argued by roughly 600 members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America. And those fine folks receive a lone instruction for making their determination: Published November 29, 2012
SNYDER: Knicks-Nets rivalry already blossoming in the Big Apple
With few exceptions, professional sports rarely contain the emotion and fervor normally associated with the college game. Aside from storied matchups like Lakers-Celtics, Cowboys-Redskins and Yankees-Red Sox, passion runs a lot cooler at the pay-for-play level. Published November 27, 2012
SNYDER: 11 games in, Wizards a lost cause
Woeful Wizards. Not only does the phrase roll off the tongue much easier than Washington Wizards, it's an accurate description of current conditions. The NBA's only winless team is a national laughingstock, a punch line waiting to happen for comics, columnists and late-night TV hosts. What a joke! Published November 25, 2012
SNYDER: Line blurs on legal, illegal hits in NFL
In attempting to predict Russia's role in World War II, Winston Churchill called it "a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma." I could say the same thing about finding a solution to the NFL's safety problem. Published November 22, 2012
SNYDER: So what if Maryland’s switch to Big Ten was all about the money?
Maryland's move to the Big Ten went from rumor to fact at a dizzying rate over the weekend. Likewise, personal opinion about the switch lurched sharply during those 48 hours. By the time the news was official Monday, my feelings had traversed every extreme of the emotional spectrum. Published November 20, 2012
SNYDER: Redskins’ feel-good win comes with caveats
When wins for the Redskins have been scarcer than African-American votes for Mitt Romney, complaints about the quality show a lack of gratitude. Victories in the NFL are not to be taken lightly, no matter the opponent or whatever transpired during the game. The standings only reflect the ends, not the means. Published November 18, 2012
