ESPN: The Long National Nightmare is Over

[MattFancy]

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/84...-espn-magazine

IT IS A Wednesday night at the Capitol City Brewing Company in Washington, D.C. After-work coed softball teams file in; pints of Yuengling and Fat Tire pass from trays to tables. Meanwhile, the televisions that surround the bar underscore a sudden truth: A region dead to sports is coming alive. The first-place Nationals are on the big screen against the bottom-feeding Mets. So take that, New York. On the smaller screens, the last-place Red Sox (take that, Boston) are trying to play spoiler to the Yankees, a game that matters because at the same time, the used-to-be-nothing Orioles are playing the Rays with the AL East lead in sight. Outside, throughout the city, into the vast, ever-expanding suburbs, the leaves are changing and, take a deep breath now, baseball matters again. The vaunted Phillies are 17 games behind the Nationals -- chew on that, Broad Street -- and the last time the city's baseball team played in the postseason, back in 1933, television barely existed. So take that, history.

Not a bad read, but as with everything Howard Bryant does, he has to address race in there somehow.

[skinsfan07]

read this article earlier. Good piece. Worth the read.

[fullnelson9999]

Seems like he turned most of the middle part into a racial discussion.

[MLSKINS]

It was a good article. Love how Shawn Springs was incorporated in there.... he is what a good chunk of people in this area are.... BANDWAGON HOP-ONS!!!!!! Yankees, Cowboys, and Bulls fan. YOU IDIOT!!!

There are a lot of people on here that aren't from the DMV who became Redskins fan during our Super Bowl run and whatnot, but it's two reason I wouldn't call them bandwagon fans. 1. The 49ers. We were good in the 80's but the Niners were better. If they were bandwagon fans they would have went with San Frans. 2. They stayed. If they were bandwagon fans they would have left int the last 20 years when we sucked.