Mike Harris
Articles by Mike Harris
HARRIS: Where will Jay Gruden fall on Redskins’ Gibbs-Turner scale?
The best guess is he'll be much closer to Joe Gibbs than Norv Turner. Asking anybody to match what Gibbs did the first time is unfair. But there's a small reason to believe he may be pretty good, a somewhat crazy reason but, hey, it is my crazy and I'll stick to it. Published January 14, 2014
HARRIS: By any measure, Greg Maddux worthy of unanimous praise
Maddux, Tom Glavine and Frank Thomas is a fine, worthy class. You can make cases for a number of others but the three who definitely belong in got in the Hall of Fame. The only real question lingering over the process is how 16 of the 571 voters could leave Maddux off their ballot. Published January 8, 2014
HARRIS: BCS got it right more often than not
Are we expecting things to be better in the brave new world of a playoff or just different? Because different we're going to get and, while that's not a bad thing, it doesn't necessarily mean better. Published January 7, 2014
HARRIS: Redskins need to look at VCU and Shaka Smart as a template in their search
The Redskins need to do what VCU did in 2009: find their Shaka Smart. They need to find a guy who knows the game and can get his players to play the game. Published January 1, 2014
Bill Cowher, Art Briles figure to top Redskins’ wish list
The belief here is two names will rise above the rest and the next Skins coach will be one of them: current Baylor coach Briles and former Steelers coach Cowher. There are plenty of reasons to like both choices and plenty of reasons to be wary. Published December 25, 2013
HARRIS: As another coaching search looms, wondering why anyone would want the job
Whichever direction the Redskins eventually go, a couple of questions linger: How long will this regime last and why, besides the money, would anyone want to be a professional head coach these days? The constant pressure, headaches and growing scrutiny can't make for much fun even with a paycheck that looks like a lottery winner. Published December 18, 2013
Ovechkin glides past RG3, Harper and Strasburg to reign as D.C. sports superstar
Alex Ovechkin, the Capitals' dynamic winger, looked not too long ago like his place at the top of the list was being usurped by an impressive array of newcomers. But as the days wind down on 2013, Ovechkin, 28, has regained his place at the top as the Great 8 and is leaving no room for argument. Published December 11, 2013
HARRIS: Redskins left in limbo over $7 million question
Why doesn't Mike Shanahan just quit? Go back to the $7 million he is owed for the final year of his contract. If he walks, he doesn't get the money. Dan Snyder, no fool, is no doubt aware of what's happening. If he can wait for Shanahan to get so fed up that he quits, Snyder doesn't have to pay out that load of cash. Published December 9, 2013
HARRIS: Visions of Robinson Cano under Nationals’ tree
The odds of Cano, a free agent who has had a brilliant career with the Yankees, joining the Nats are only slightly higher than the odds of a Ferrari showing up under a certain tree in Accokeek, Md. But what's a holiday season without a few dreams? And this is one dream the Nats really should try to make a reality. Published December 4, 2013
Doing the roster math is a task Caps coach Adam Oates takes seriously
Before every game, Capitals coach Adam Oates has to make 23 go into 20. The NHL allows teams to carry 23 players. Only 20 can dress for a game. As cool as the media corps may be, players would rather be on ice than up in the press box where the scratches sit for a game. Published December 1, 2013
HARRIS: There’s always something you can put on your thankful list
Please forgive the personal nature of this column, while at the same time understanding Thanksgiving is a personal type of holiday. It is a time to give thanks and what we're thankful for is very much an individual thing. Published November 27, 2013
Martin Erat asks for trade as unproductive Caps stint appears soon to end
GM George McPhee and coach Adam Oates said they were not upset with Erat's demand to be traded. Both praised his handling of the situation and McPhee said he is working on taking care of it. Erat sat out Saturday's game in Toronto as a healthy scratch, a move Oates said was related to the request. Published November 25, 2013
HARRIS: That good or this bad? The true RG3 lies somewhere in the middle
Is he the brilliant, athletic marvel we saw in 2012 who made us dream of annual Super Bowl championship parades? The guy who could save the world, let alone the Redskins? Or is he the seemingly confused fellow we've watched much of 2013, who appears to lock in on receivers too easily, who doesn't seem to have a firm grasp on reading defenses and who has already thrown twice as many interceptions (10) as he did all of 2012? Published November 20, 2013
With Olympic coach in town, John Carlson has chance to impress
The Caps defenseman is one of 48 candidates for a spot on the United States Olympic team. Sometime around the first of the year, he'll get a phone call. He'll either be told see you in Sochi or thanks but no thanks. But he can't think about that. Published November 18, 2013
Joel Ward earns chances, increases production for Capitals
Ward's goal-scoring isn't as big a surprise if you go back to the three seasons he spent with Nashville before joining the Caps. He had at least 10 in all three seasons, with a high of 17 in 2008-09. He's on pace for about 36 this season if he can manage to continue at his current rate. Published November 14, 2013
HARRIS: In Mike London, UVa. has a nice guy who can’t last much longer
London had as many wins over Duke in two years at Richmond as he's had in four years at Virginia: one. Yes, Duke isn't the doormat at used to be. That's one of the sticking points. If Duke can upgrade its program, why can't Virginia? Published November 13, 2013
HARRIS: Richie Incognito bullying should have coaches at all levels asking questions
While there are many unknowns, here is something that is almost certainly true: This is not the only case of extreme hazing or bullying inside a locker room. This one just went public. How many coaches at the collegiate and professional levels do you think asked, "Do we have any of that going on here?" this week? Published November 6, 2013
HARRIS: Time for Caps to make drastic move on blue line
What the Caps need to do is make a major trade, one that brings back a big-time, well-respected defenseman who makes defense his first priority. A defensive defenseman is what they're called in hockey parlance and the Caps need one in the worst way. Published October 30, 2013
HARRIS: The puzzling disappearance of Fred Davis
The participation chart is telling. Davis played 48 snaps in the Redskins' season opener. He's played just 39 snaps total in the ensuing games. He was inactive one week with an ankle injury. After two more games with barely more than cameo appearances, he was inactive against the Bears. Published October 23, 2013
Roy Helu’s emergence gives Redskins three-pronged attack
Redskins coach Mike Shanahan talked about Alfred Morris and Helu providing "a pretty good one-two punch," but the team's rushing attack is back to being three-pronged. The renewed involvement of quarterback Robert Griffin III is the third prong and, Helu agreed, the facet that makes it all work. Published October 22, 2013
