Thom Loverro
Columns by Thom Loverro
LOVERRO: Nationals’ presence causing Orioles’ demise is an Angelos family myth
There is any number of reasons for the demise of the Orioles franchise that have had far more impact than the presence of the Nationals. The most obvious, of course, is the incompetence of the Baltimore franchise under Angelos ownership. Published June 20, 2022
LOVERRO: Wentz may have the cash, Heinicke still has something money can’t buy
Money -- it's why Heinicke has practically zero chance to compete for the job that he had last year, even if, by most accounts, he overachieved in that role. Published June 16, 2022
LOVERRO: Don’t count on a quick Nationals sale, that’s not the Lerners’ style
The Lerners have a well-earned reputation for driving a steep bargain when it comes to potential business partners. It's a hard-nosed approach to negotiation that has served the family well, considering that Ted Lerner's net worth in 2022, according to Forbes, was $4 billion. Published June 14, 2022
LOVERRO: Del Rio’s free speech costly for Commanders
The stadium was dead already in the city, despite Mayor Muriel Bowser's support. But Voodoo Jack's comments cost those who are still trying to salvage that effort. It cost the Commanders political capital in the city, where they have none. Published June 9, 2022
LOVERRO: Horford’s success with Celtics reminds fans of Wizards’ failures
If you are a true Wizards fan, well-versed in the missteps that have kept this franchise from climbing out of its grave, it has to be doubly painful to watch Al Horford in a Celtics uniform. Horford could have been the game-changer for Washington. Published June 7, 2022
LOVERRO: Time may be running out for Snyder’s stadium plan
The Virginia proposal for a Commanders stadium could still come up for a vote in the coming weeks, but Dan Snyder never looks better with the passage of time -- only worse. Published June 2, 2022
LOVERRO: Peterson’s passion inside ring doesn’t blind him to the corruption he sees without
"Boxing, I don't know why people call it a sport. It's not a sport. This is like organized crime," the veteran boxer said in 2015. "Where else in the history of sports where you see people around the ring and people beating the crap out of each other?" Published May 25, 2022
LOVERRO: Remembering the barnstorming Washington Black Sox
The Washington Black Sox, a sandlot baseball team consisting primarily of Black baseball players, became one of the best on the East Coast. Published May 23, 2022
LOVERRO: Author Jack Gilden revisits dark, thrilling tale of a forgotten homegrown Preakness star
When horse-racing fans make their way into Pimlico Race Course on Saturday for the 147th Preakness Stakes in Baltimore, they should be walking by a statue of Spectacular Bid and touching it for luck -- just as Baltimore Ravens fans do when they pass by Johnny Unitas' statue at M&T Bank Stadium. Published May 19, 2022
Baker’s return reminds Washington fans of his contribution to the game
When Johnny B. "Dusty" Baker returned to Nationals Park this past weekend as the visiting manager for the Houston Astros, he did so as the winningest manager in Washington Nationals history. Published May 16, 2022
LOVERRO: Time for Manfred to settle the MASN dispute between Orioles, Nationals
The ongoing high-stakes fight over millions in television revenue between the Nationals and Mid-Atlantic Sports Network and the Orioles almost surely contributed to the Lerners' decision to potentially part with their team. And it's reason enough for the commissioner of baseball to, once and for all, put an end to the squabble. Published May 12, 2022
LOVERRO: Lucchino, who works magic wherever he goes, should be in mix for Nationals
Larry Lucchino will have a place in baseball's Hall of Fame for his legacy as an executive -- a legacy that began here in Washington, as a lawyer working for his mentor, Edward Bennett Williams. Published May 5, 2022
LOVERRO: Add FIFA’s snub of Ghost Town Field to list of Snyder lowlights
Lost in the sea of embarrassment that sweeps over this organization seemingly on a daily basis was the fact that in Washington's bid to host 2026 World Cup games, the gangsters at FIFA took one look at Ghost Town Field and said, "How about Baltimore? Published May 2, 2022
LOVERRO: Cheers for Ovechkin have taken a sinister turn since Ukraine
We've let Ovechkin skate too long for his relationship with Russian strongman Vladimir Putin. Published April 27, 2022
LOVERRO: Start to this season enough to make anyone sick
Washington Nationals third baseman Lucius Fox took a few steps toward the dugout after Joan Adon's second pitch and threw up. Maybe he had a clue what was to come -- a 15-hit, 12-3 beatdown by the San Francisco Giants, sweeping the Nationals for the first time in Washington since 2008. Published April 24, 2022
LOVERRO: For better or worse, wrist surgery likely sealed Beal’s max deal
Wizards general manager Tommy Sheppard should feel comfortable -- very comfortable. After all, the deal for Bradley Beal continuing his career with this franchise was done when Beal had surgery in early February to repair a torn ligament in his left wrist, according to sources. Published April 19, 2022
LOVERRO: COVID cost some their jobs. It may cost the Lerners their baseball team.
The Lerners -- basking in the glow of the first Natonals victory of 2022, Sunday's 4-2 win over the New York Mets, attended by some Washington fans -- announced Monday that they are looking for a financial infusion, or, more likely, someone to buy the team. Published April 11, 2022
LOVERRO: Nationals save face by avoiding a season-opening sweep
The season may yet slip away, perhaps sometime soon. After all, the power and glory quotient when you walk into that Nationals clubhouse now is much dimmer than it has been in the past decade. But it didn't slip away Sunday. Not yet. Not yet. What the Nationals did show was the kind of emotion and execution you see in those teams that beat the odds. Published April 10, 2022
LOVERRO: Long-shot Nationals need every little thing to fall into place
The 2022 season may be one without the expectations Nationals fans have had over the last decade. There are a lot of ways this season could go for Washington. Published April 4, 2022
LOVERRO: Watson, Hill deals showcase true values of Goodell, NFL owners
Two players whose behavior makes a mockery of Roger Goodell's "important values" received $355 million. Let's stop the pretense. The league, its owners, the front offices and the coaches don't really care about standards and responsibilities. They care about football and the money that football generates. Published March 28, 2022
