You're Not From Here: The District has a reputation for being a pretty transient city, what with national political types coming and going every two years. The Census Bureau just crunched the numbers, and it turns out that reputation is mostly deserved: Only 37.3 percent of D.C. residents were born here, the third-lowest percentage in the nation behind only Florida and Nevada. Of course, it's not clear how many people in the D.C. metropolitan area are natives to the region, which would probably be more informative. Still, expect to see these census figures chewed over in the next round of local elections, along with frequent bandying of the phrase, "native Washingtonian." -1

Turn That Music Down: RFK Stadium gets pretty quiet when D.C. United's season is over. But this weekend, when the creaky old venue hosted Fall Massive, an electronic dance music festival, things were loud—so loud, in fact, that neighbors complained for blocks around. Calls to police led to the volume for the festival being turned down, but by then, that just meant no one—not concertgoers, not neighbors—was happy. -2

The Red, Rocked: Things started out so promisingly for the Washington Capitals this year—with seven wins in a row, in fact. But the club's gone into a tailspin since then, so much so that instead of flopping in the playoffs as usual, if things kept up at their current pace, they might just not qualify. So bid adieu to coach Bruce Boudreau, who was fired today and replaced with former Caps legend Dale Hunter (number 32 in your programs, still number 1 in your hearts). Hunter's been owning and coaching the London Knights in the Ontario Hockey League for the past few years; whether he's up for the NHL remains to be seen. They play tomorrow at the Verizon Center. -2

The Redskins, Rocking: The NFL will not be showing tapes of yesterday's Seattle Seahawks-Washington Redskins game as promotional material. It was ugly, it was boring, and in the end, the reason the Redskins managed to win, breaking a six-game losing streak, may have been that they're so inept that their attempts to lose fell short. (How else to explain a victory by the team that had not just a field goal, but an extra point, blocked?) Still, a win's a win. Hail! +2

Wednesday's Needle rating: 64 Today's score: -3 Today's Needle rating: 61

Earlier today, Events DC, the quasi-governmental body that which now operates the stadium and is putting on the anniversary shindig, released a list of featured guests and expected attendees.

The roster's full of vintage local heroes who were with the Redskins during the fairly glorious 1970s (Brig Owens, Roy Jefferson, and Charley Taylor, among others) and others from the supremely glorious 1980s (Raleigh McKenzie, Doc Walker, George Starke). There's also some lightly remembered folks from the expansion Washington Senators and even a few from the USFL's Washington Federals (Phil Dubois? Buddy Hardeman?), and assorted politicos (Eleanor Holmes Norton and Mayor Vince Gray).

The name that really jumps out from the guest list, however, is one that's not on it: Dan Snyder.

The Redskins owner, of course, brings up how much RFK once meant to him about as often as a baby brings up dinner. And we know how much Snyder loves anniversaries. And it's well known the stadium folks and Snyder's organization have been talking for the last several years about the team making some sort of comeback on these grounds, even if it's just for a new Redskins Park.

Rumors about the Redskins' return to D.C. have picked up ever since Gray and some city councilmembers flew to Florida to inspect the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' training center.

So I was surprised that Snyder's passing up this climactic anniversary function. I asked a source with the party planners if Snyder was invited: "Yes of course he was invited," was the reply.

When I asked Redskins spokesman Tony Wyllie, he replied only, "We will have representatives there." Maybe a desire to not raise any eyebrows before a deal with the RFK Stadium people is actually done caused Snyder to not send in an affirmative RSVP. Or, continuing in this French vein: Perhaps he'll be off holidaying on his new-to-him $70 million boat somewhere on the Riviera.

RFK in 1988

Matthew Yglesias wants more city where RFK Stadium currently stands:

It’s striking to me how unpopular what I think the obvious and roughly correct solution is. The structure should be demolished and the empty land plus the open air parking lots should be sold to builders to build . . . whatever. An urban neighborhood with houses and some stores. You’re talking about a big parcel of land that’s right by a Metro station offering a convenient 10 minute commute to the House-side of the Capitol. If you build some houses, people will live there and if people live there they’ll want to shop in some stores and eat in some restaurants. Trying to lure a football team to the location to play eight times a year is insane, but in general “what to do with a bunch of transit accessible land in the middle of a city?” isn’t such a complicated question. Just build more city.

But it's not totally fair to say that the Yglesian solution is unpopular. After all, that's what the federal government's local planning agency, the National Capital Planning Commission, proposed for the 190 acres that RFK Stadium sits on back in 2006:

It should include a large waterfront park, with recreational fields and open space, augmented by commemorative works and connected to the surrounding neighborhoods by pedestrian and bicycle paths.

The interior of the site should include new residential and retail development. The retail element should include restaurants and cafés as well as service-oriented businesses such as dry cleaners and bookshops. A proposed new commemorative attraction, such as a museum, across from the D.C. Armory building, which is adjacent to the stadium, would attract a steady flow of visitors to the area.

This is definitely "more city" than currently exists there. Unless you think a skate park a city makes.

Photo by Ken Hammond via Wikimedia Commons license

Capital Helmetshare: The rides used by Capital Bikeshare are sturdy and slow as a tank, but that doesn't mean they can't crash—and if they do, your head's just as vulnerable as it would be if you crashed Adrian Fenty's Colnago. So DDOT is giving out helmets to go along with the bikes. Like the bicycles and the Circulator buses, they'll be bright red. Also like the bikes, chances are they'll be snatched up already when you go looking for them; officials are only ordering a batch of 500 to start. +2

Turn The Page: The population of vaguely clueless teenagers wandering around the vicinity of the Capitol South Metro station will soon be declining; the House of Representatives has decided to close down the page program, eliminating the fleet of blue blazer-clad kids who tote press releases and other piles of paper around the Capitol complex, on the theory that email does that just as well. The $5 million tab for the program probably doomed the program, which the occasional affairs various lawmakers have had with pages over the years never quite managed to do. +1

Cash Rules Everything Around D.C.: Sure, the economy is in the process of completely falling apart again. But before the last few weeks, we had it pretty good here; personal income in the Washington area was up 3.7 percent from 2009 to 2010, with people making $323.5 billion, the fourth-highest income in the nation. New York-area residents made $1 trillion last year, but if it's any schadenfreude consolation, they probably also lost about that much in Monday's stock market crash. +1

Skating USA: Since the Washington Redskins moved to Maryland, RFK Stadium's been sort of a lonely place; the Nationals moved to their own ballpark a few years after making their debut, leaving D.C. United as the only permanent tenant in the old facility. Now a skate park will be part of the mix, too. The Maloof Money Cup, a pro skateboarding tournament, will alight on East Capitol Street the first weekend in September, and afterwards the skate course will be open to the public. No word on whether crumbling pieces of the stadium that happen to fall during the tournament will be official parts of the course. +1

Yesterday's Needle rating: 53 Today's score: +5 Today's Needle rating: 58

RFK Stadium, 2400 Block E. Capitol Street, NE.  © 2011 Matt Dunn

Fenty Goes Tea Party: Good thing for former Mayor Adrian Fenty no one watches Morning Joe—otherwise, most of the goodwill he still had among liberal D.C. voters who backed him last year would have evaporated, when he went on MSNBC to declare he agrees with Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker's drive to end collective bargaining for government workers. Fenty's new gig as a paid speaker on education reform will surely benefit from the press—"He's a Democrat and he's anti-union!"—but the appearance wasn't generally a highlight of his career. He also weighed in on whether Donald Trump and Newt Gingrich should run for the GOP's presidential nomination, because, you know, he's an expert political strategist. -1

Free Parking: Sure, city officials are riding around in government-paid luxury cars, but at least they've got to pay for their own parking or get a ticket, just like the rest of us. Wait, what? Never mind. Turns out top bureaucrats have racked up more than $2,500 in tickets and moving violation fines, and just left them unpaid. The good news: Cutting the budget deficit may just involve taking the keys away. The bad news: There are a lot of keys to take away. -2

Direct to Cuba: Flying out of Thurgood Marshall Baltimore Washington International Airport instead of Reagan National Airport is sometimes a hassle—getting halfway to Baltimore isn't quite as easy as hopping on the Metro from downtown. But soon, the reward for a haul up the BW Parkway (or the Metro bus from Greenbelt) could be some authentic Havana Club. Federal officials say BWI will be allowed to operate charter flights to Cuba. Bonus: You won't have to fly Southwest to get there. +2

Can't Spell "Final" Without "Quarterfinal": RFK Stadium was considered so outmoded that the committee trying to get the 2022 World Cup to the United States didn't include it in its bid. But the crumbling palace on East Capitol Street will host international soccer this summer nonetheless; the schedule released today by organizers of the Gold Cup, the North and Central American soccer championship, has the path to the final coming through D.C. If the U.S. finishes first or second in its group, the Yanks will play here. And since the group also includes powerhouses like Canada, Panama, and Guadeloupe, if the U.S. doesn't play here, there's trouble. +2

Yesterday's Needle rating: 41 Today's score: +1 Today's Needle rating: 42

Shootings Linked: When someone fired shots at the Pentagon last week, it seemed like a harmless enough incident; no one was hurt, after all. Now comes word the same weapon was used to shoot up the Marine Corps Museum and, possibly, a Marine recruiting center in Chantilly, and suddenly, what seemed like a prank—albeit a sick one—looks a lot more threatening. (Nota bene for the shooter: Like the Wu-Tang Clan, the U.S. Marine Corps is generally believed to be nothing to fuck with.) -3

Smoggy Days Are Here Again: Breathing in Washington can be complicated by any number of factors: heat and humidity, in the summertime; heat and humidity in the fall, too, thanks to global warming. And also, according to the National Resources Defense Council, horrible air quality. The group will release a list tomorrow that ranks D.C. among the "Filthy 15" worst cities in the nation for bad-air days. Philadelphia, New York, Houston, and Los Angeles also ranked high. Those are some of the biggest cities in the country; apparently we have enough hot air to make up for our relatively small size. -3

This Post Brought to You By Creative Loafing, Inc.: The Bowl Formerly Known As the EagleBank Bowl was in dire need of a new name, mostly because EagleBank has seen better days financially. So now RFK Stadium will play host to the "Military Bowl presented by Northrup Grumman." Which seems reasonable; the military, after all, is a major sponsor of Northrup Grumman, so why shouldn't the defense contracting firm give something back? The renaming fuss was good for one thing—it briefly reminded people that RFK Stadium hosts a college football bowl game. -2

DeAngelo Hall of Fame: The last time a Redskins player made four interceptions in one game before Sunday, it was Sammy Baugh—who was mostly famous for being a quarterback. Which shows you how long it's been. Which, in turn, explains why the Pro Football Hall of Fame wants the jersey DeAngelo Hall wore in the Skins victory over the Chicago Bears. Fortunately for the folks in Canton, Dan Snyder can afford to buy Hall a new one. +2

Yesterday's Needle rating: 54 Today's score: -6 Today's Needle rating: 48

© 2010 Michael W. Hicks

After spending years in a shamed self-exile, McGwire's confession came as he sniveled through an interview with Bob Costas for the MLB Network.

While saying he wished he'd never done drugs and wished he'd never played baseball during the steroids era Dead Balls Era™, McGwire also blamed baseball's lack of steroids testing for his decade-long (he says) drug-taking. He said he didn't take a lot of 'roids, and they didn't help his hitting. The forbidden fruit of the day just kept him healthy, McGwire said.

He looked sad and lost. I liked McGwire better when he said under oath that he didn't want to talk about steroids.

Baseball fans in DC sure benefited from his drug taking. During batting practice at RFK Stadium in 1999, before a Cardinals/Expos exhibition game, McGwire hit two balls to the roof. Nobody there, present company included, had ever seen anything like it, because nothing like it had ever taken place. Within a matter of seconds, McGwire had reduced every tape measure shot ever hit there — even the ones Frank Howard hit which are commemorated with painted seats in the upper deck — seem like Texas Leaguers.

I'd never witnessed any athletic feat of any sort quite like McGwire's.

But, as McGwire pointed out yesterday, the drugs didn't put those balls on the roof. Other than, you know, keeping McGwire healthy enough to do it.

I remember watching McGwire after his feats of inhuman strength. He went back behind the batting cage and canoodled with his batting practice guest that day, Goldberg, the pro wrestling champion and a guy who always looked like a fellow synthetic testosterone connoisseur. Wrestlers don't have to cry or apologize for shooting things into their bodies. In any case, McGwire dwarfed Goldberg.

(AFTER THE JUMP: What's this mean for Mike Lupica? Even Thomas Boswell got caught up in the Dead Balls Era™? Another forced Google hit for Dead Balls Era™? Whatever happened to A.J. English? Not Alex English?)

The McGwire interview just continues the pain for Mike Lupica. He's the author of "Summer of '98," a book about the McGwire/Sosa home run duel and how that season enhanced Lupica's relationship with his three sons. From the Publishers Weekly blurb on Lupica's work:

In his columns, Lupica often deals with strikes, the atrocious behavior of some overpaid athletes and all the tawdriness of sports business and hype. But, in this book, he gives himself completely over to the beauty of baseball as both a game and as an agent of bonding between fathers and children.

Amazon has 37 copies available "from $0.01."

Washington Post columnist Tom Boswell, who blasted Jose Canseco for suspected steroid use as far back as the late-1980s, threw away his suspicions and picked up pom poms a decade later.

Here's a bit of his story that ran on Sept. 14, 1998:

Yesterday, baseball produced a moment that, for me, may have been more enjoyable than McGwire's 62nd homer: Sosa hit his 61st and 62nd. Hit them in a crucial game in the wild-card race won, 11-10, by the Cubs in the 10th inning. He hit them at Wrigley Field as the wonderful ivy-addled loonies went nuts. Both balls were crushed at least 480 feet.

Yesterday, Sosa matched McGwire in every way. When Sosa came to the plate with one out, nobody on base and the Cubs trailing by two runs in the ninth, my 11-year-old son Russell was literally jumping up and down in front of the TV.

Big winner yesterday: Barry Bonds. Let the feds try to put him in jail now, with everybody else already outed. He's in, well, the clear. (How slow are the wheels of justice moving in the U.S. vs. Bonds, anyway?)

The court of public opinion, if no other judicial body, has already convicted McGwire's rival Sammy Sosa, Alex Rodriguez, Roger Clemens, Manny Ramirez, and Rafael Palmeiro of using drugs. Since baseball locker rooms are real small and baseball contracts are real big, common sense tells us now that everybody used the so-called performance enhancing drugs.

Now we just have to wait for Cal Ripken to come out and confess to being a P.E.D.-ophile. Just say you took 'em and let us close the book on (here it comes!) the Dead Balls Era™.

***

Where are they now? Well, here's former Bullet AJ English.

A small story on the wires about a Delaware high school basketball game caught my eye.

At the Appoquinimink boys basketball game against Howard on Tuesday evening, junior A.J. English III, who was on the bench in street clothes while serving a suspension, left the court and went into the locker room along with his brother A’Jen, a sophomore starting guard, at the conclusion of the first quarter and neither player returned.

They're sons of AJ English, who the Washington Bullets got with a second round pick in 1990 draft. English had a quiet two year career in the pros — and is remembered in NBA circles only as the guy who was always confused with the far more successful Alex English.

I, for one, still confuse the two. Which is the only reason I read the story. But the part about brothers standing up for each other as the English boys did got me intrigued, and through some Googling it seems AJ III is a hot prospect for Appoquinimink who got in a spot of trouble with the beautifully named basketball Coach, Spencer Dunkley, and that got his former Bullet dad, who goes by A.J. Jr. in these matters, into a tussle with the coach in the local media.

First, after a loss, Appoquinimink coach told the local paper, the Middletown Transcript: “Can't play with them. Can't win with them. Won't play with them. Don't need them. Please put that in the newspaper. Thanks, that's all I have to say."

So the high school beat reporter went to the former Bullet. And got this:

A.J. English Jr. had this to say about Appoquinimink High coach Spencer Dunkley’s quotes after a 62-61 loss to Middletown:

“That doesn’t deserve a response,” A.J. Jr. said. “My maturity level allows me to take the high road on that. Any coach knows you keep that kind of stuff in the lockerroom and out of the newspaper. How can any kid trust him after that?

“He showed his inexperience by making those statements.”

Appo's leading scorer A.J. English III was on the bench as time wound down and his team was down a point.English Jr. said A.J. III was suspended until Monday, Dec. 21 and is uncertain if he'll return.

I do get giggles out of the lengths some parents go to for alliterative kids names, tho. "A'Jen" seems a stretch. Guess "Alex" wasn't on the board.

***

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The piece takes a photo of a poster taken by FedExField security guards before the Eagles/Skins game that says "Hi to my huband in Afghanistan," and runs with it. The Great Dan Steinberg made that poster famous after fishing it out of the trash near the stadium entrance.

To be fair, Snyder has shown support for our National Defense. Well, he put out a Commemorative Sept. 11 Redskins hat that had a red-white-and-blue Pentagon stitched on to the side in 2005.

And he sold that hat for only $23.99. Plus shipping. And he kept the money. But still. Bottom line: When Military.com lowers the boom on you, something's gotta give.

And everybody's favorite magazine geared toward an audience of corporate counsel people, Corporate Counsel magazine, also jumps in this week with "Not Exactly a Banner Season for the Washington Redskins."

The publication interviews new Redskins COO and total BS'er David Donovan about the new policies at FedExField prohibiting signs and banning interviews in the parking lot, and he was also asked about fans at the Eagles game having to remove their t-shirts if the message on the garments was anti-Snyder.

"We're not trying to limit what anyone wants to say or chant or wear," Donovan told Corporate Counsel.

Wow. Thus continues Donovan's awe-inspiring streak of just saying stuff so dishonest that not even he could believe it.

(AFTER THE JUMP: Not even Corporate Counsel magazine can stomach David Donovan's whoppers? David Donovan and Dan Snyder, adrenaline rush buddies? How does a Redskins win compare to a class action lawsuit? Skins are only the third-worst team in the NFL? Bono had a hand in Cooley's wounding? D.C. United coach bails?)

Though you'd think a trade publication would be a kind audience, the tone of the Corporate Counsel piece clearly shows the writer had little trust in what Donovan was spewing about the rules changes,  as the story contains clauses like "Donovan can't account for the discrepancy," and "Donovan remains vague."

"Donovan remains full of crap" is the gist of the piece, basically.

Bottom line: When Corporate Counsel magazine lowers the boom on you, something's gotta give.

***

The Web site of DC law firm Wilmer Hale has a big write up of David Donovan's path to the Redskins.

The highlight for me was an anecdote about Donovan's first game as Redskins general counsel. That came in the comeback game in Dallas in 2005 that featured two Mark Brunell/Santana Moss bombs,  and gave the team easily its biggest win in the Dan Snyder era.

Donovan was in the visiting owners box with Dan Snyder. When the Skins came back, the story goes, "the two men enjoyed the rush of adrenaline," and Snyder "grabbed Donovan by his jacket" and yelled “This beats asbestos lawsuits, doesn’t it?”

***

Everybody agrees this year's Redskins are bottom feeders. The Sagarin poll now puts the Skins as the 30th best team in the NFL. The only squads ranked lower are Tampa Bay and St. Louis, the only teams Washington has beaten this season. The two teams just above the Skins in the poll are Detroit (29) and Kansas City (28), each of whom beat Washington for their only victories.

The Redskins schedule thus far, says Sagarin, ranks as the easiest in the league.

***

Redskins fans have thrown out an interesting theory about the injury: Bono broke Chris Cooley's leg! Had Dan Snyder not thrown a midseason concert at FedExField, the theory goes, the field would have been in finer shape and Cooley's foot wouldn't have hit whatever caused it to roll over.

The turf at FedEx during the Eagles game sure did look faded and sandy, nearly a month after the U2 concert there drew 80,000 or so. (Watch the sand fly off everybody's feet here during DeShawn Jackson's long run for a TD.)

As for motive: I was at a U2 show in 1987 at the Redskins former home, RFK Stadium, where Bono separated his shoulder during a fall. Hmmm.

***

DC United Coach Tom Soehn won't be coming back. United just put out a press release saying it was all Soehn's decision to leave the team when his contract runs out after this season.

The release:

Tom Soehn removes name from consideration for Head Coach of D.C. United

Process for finding United’s next head coach will begin immediately

Washington, D.C. (November 3, 2009) – D.C. United announced today Head Coach Tom Soehn has removed his name from consideration for United’s head coaching position ahead of his contract expiring at the end of the calendar year.  Soehn served the Black-and-Red as an assistant from 2004-2006, before leading the club to two major trophies, a Supporters’ Shield in 2007 and a U.S. Open Cup in 2008, in three seasons as head coach.   The process for finding United’s next head coach will begin immediately.

“Tommy has done an outstanding job at D.C. United, first as an assistant and then as our head coach,” said United President and CEO Kevin Payne.  “Over the past three seasons, Tommy has faced greater challenges than any other Major League Soccer coach.  His record in all competitions this season was outstanding and he should not be judged on the basis of missing the MLS Cup Playoffs.  Tommy is a fine young coach and I know we will face him in the future in MLS play.  I wish him all of the luck in the world.”

Soehn was named Head Coach of D.C. United on December 21, 2006.  The Black-and-Red won the 2007 Supporters’ Shield and the 2008 U.S. Open Cup under his guidance.  In all competitions, Soehn posted a career mark of 55-48-31.  United was 36-30-24 in League play in his three seasons at the helm.

“My family and I have spent a lot of time in reaching this very difficult decision,” said Soehn.  “I've been fortunate to spend the last six seasons with this organization.  I'd like to thank the staff and fans for their support throughout my tenure.  In particular, I'd like to thank Kevin Payne, Dave Kasper, Chad Ashton, Mark Simpson, Francisco Tobar, Brian Goodstein, David Brauzer and the entire technical staff.  When you're in this business, the experiences you face together forge special bonds and friendships that will always remain.  My appreciation also extends to the players.  We accomplished a lot together since I arrived in 2004 and I thank them for their dedication and wish them the best in the seasons ahead.”

Soehn joined Peter Nowak’s coaching staff prior to the 2004 campaign.  In three seasons as an assistant coach, United won two major titles, the 2004 MLS Cup and the 2006 Supporters’ Shield.

“I want to thank Tommy for his six years of great service at D.C. United,” said United General Manager Dave Kasper.  “He is a terrific friend and colleague, and he played a major role in the club winning four trophies during his time here.  He is a bright young coach who has a big career ahead of him.  I wish him continued success with his next coaching position and his family the best of luck always.”

***

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Don't throw your rabbit ears away just yet, soccer fans. At least not until the CONCACAF Gold Cup is over.

I watched last night's USA/Honduras match in glorious analog, complete with an old-school non-digital antenna hooked up and pointing skyward.

The match was broadcast live from RFK on WMDO-47, an over-the-air Spanish station that is part of the Miami-based Telefutura network, itself a subsidiary of everybody's favorite telenovela source, Univision.

If you've got the lowest tier cable TV, you wouldn't have been able to watch the game, since WMDO (like the Anglo Fox Soccer Channel, which is also showing some Gold Cup games) isn't in every package.

But if you've got no cable, like those of us now forced to live on a budget, you could cheer our boys on.

The supposed drop-dead date for analog TV in the U.S. was June 12, when the federally mandated switch to digital kicked in. Apparently something got lost in translation, because not only is WMDO still clogging up the airwaves with analog signals, but the station doesn't even offer viewers a digital option.

"There shouldn't be any analog stations out there anymore, except for maybe a high school or college station," says "Joanne" of the FCC's Digital TV Hotline out of Niagara Falls. "Everybody's supposed to be transitioned to digital by now. Our map of DC isn't showing any more analogs."

Well, then, City Desk readers, please promise not to spill the beans on WMDO to the Feds! Not for a few more weeks! Because I plan on adjusting the rabbit ears and trying not to poke myself in the eye all over again tomorrow night for the El Salvador/Jamaica game, and again July 23 when my Gold Cup TV schedule tells me WMDO will be broadcasting both Gold Cup semifinal matches.

It'll be just between us!

My story was called "The Greatest Redskins Party You'll Never Go To."

Clark didn't like the story.

During our meeting, Clark told me, "You're on crack!" several times. He kept taking off one of his gigantasaurus Super Bowl rings and waving it in the air or putting it on the table in front of me.

He asked me whether I "ever even played the game." (As if he didn't know about my career ending with that 3-7 campaign of the Falls Church Jaguars during my senior season 30 years ago.) He told me I wouldn't have written the story like I did if I knew my Redskins history.

"Do you even know who Clarence Vaughn is?" Clark asked.

"Safety," I said, like I knew what I was talking about.

"No! Cornerback!" Clark said. (Wikipedia says safety, Gary! Why'd you do me like that?)

Clark asked for a retraction of everything I'd written, but didn't come up with anything about the story as we went over it during the meeting to back up his request. He said he would be emailing me soon with more info about the event and how the scheduling went down, and I told him I'd write about that when he sent it.

The best news: Clark, who was one of the toughest Redskins of all time and looks like he could still play the game, didn't ground and pound me into a pulp at any point during our meeting.

He did, however, tell me twice that I'd be in physical danger if "my linebackers" ever found out the way that my story mentioned Mel Kaufman, a former Skins linebacker who died last year but whose name was on the party invitation.

Oh, and he said the all-day tailgate party and gala is definitely back on. Only now it's scheduled for December 29. That's a Tuesday.

Cheap Seats Daily will stay up with all developments in Clark's shindig.

***

The streaking Nationals captured their seventh loss in a row. The long skein was in jeopardy until Joel Hanrahan's bases loaded wild pitch in the top of the ninth.

I'm no Casey Stengel, but does anybody get why Manny Acta keeps throwing Hanrahan out there as the closer? How many dead will it take 'til he knows that too many people have died?

I, for one, miss Charlie Slowes' "Curly W!" calls on the radio.

***

DC United took a four-goal lead and didn't blow it all in beating HATED RIVAL the New York Red Bulls, 5-3, at RFK. The game was billed as a play-in for the U.S. Open Cup, a tournament that goes back to 1914, and which United won last year. I always thought the defending champion automatically qualifies in major soccer tournaments — World Cup, Champions League, etc. Only about 5,000 fans showed up for the game, so maybe United fans figured the same.

***

DeMatha's own Danny Ferry has been named NBA Executive of the Year by the Sporting News. The Cleveland Cavaliers GM, Bob Ferry, won the same award twice during his days as general manager of the Washington Bullets, despite making these first round picks over his years here: Tom Hammonds, Mugsy Bogues,

Anthony Jones, Melvin Turpin (over John Stockton), Kenny Green (over Karl Malone), Randy Wittman, Wes Matthews,and Roger Phegley.

But, as Dad found out twice, if the team wins, the GM wins awards.

(But who would draft somebody named "Roger Phegley"?)

Danny Ferry was originally drafted out of Duke in 1989 by Spingarn's own Elgin Baylor, longtime GM of the L.A. Clippers. But Ferry opted to play in Italy rather than sign with Baylor's perennial doormat.

Baylor won the Executive of the Year Award in 2006, then the Clippers fired him at the beginning of this season. His replacement, Mike Dunleavy, had the foresight to win the 2009 NBA Lottery.

Baylor, the greatest player DC ever produced, surely earned his legend status. But, as the Clippers' draft lottery win hints, good things happen to teams when he leaves. Awesome trivia about Baylor: The game after he retired as a player in the middle of the 1971 season, the Baylor-less Los Angeles Lakers began their NBA-record 33-game winning streak. The Lakers then went on to win the NBA title that season. Baylor, for all his greatness, never won a championship.

Sorta Awesome Trivia about Baylor: The R&B singer Ginuwine, a local product who grew up in PG County and had several hits a decade ago, was born Elgin Baylor Lumpkin.

***

Another local boy, Chantilly's own Brandon Snyder, might yet live up to the potential he showed in Little League .

Snyder is only 22, but folks around here have been watching him play ball for a long time. After his Little League exploits, he went on to be a superstar at Westfield High and then the Baltimore Orioles made him their first round pick in the 2005 MLB draft.

Snyder gave up scholarship offers from the best college programs in the land to sign a seven-figure deal with the pros. But things didn't go all that well for Snyder as a pro, as he went through several position changes and had serious shoulder problems.

After three years in the O's organization, he was still toiling in Single-A ball.

But just when he seemed destined for Bust-hood, Snyder is making folks take notice again. Back in the area and playing for the O's AA affiliate, the Bowie Baysox, he's currently leading the Eastern League in batting average (.373), RBIs and slugging. Having seen Snyder hit a last-inning homer to win a CYA Little League championship when he was a little kid, I'm rooting for him!

***

Things are also looking up for swimming in the Potomac River: The river will be open for business for TWO days this year! DC has just been awarded the North American stop on the Dextro Energy Triathlon tour, an Olympic qualifying series. Organizers have just released the course for the event, to be held on Sunday, June 21, and it starts out with competitors diving into the Potomac River.

Folks used to dive in the river all the time — a century or so ago. But runoff from farms and factories early in the last century turned the Potomac in the DC area into one of the dirtiest water bodies in the land. When he signed the Water Quality Act of 1965, President Lyndon Johnson said: “I pledge that we are going to reopen the Potomac for swimming by 1975.”

Obviously, that never happened. Instead, in 1971, federal and local authorities made swimming in the river a crime punishable by a $300 fine. But with the advent of the Nation's Triathlon being held here each September in recent years, it became legal to jump in the Potomac on that race day only. Nation's Triathlon and Dextro Triathlon spokesperson Jennifer Devlin says all the permits have been obtained to open the river for swimming for the new race, too.

I love the idea of swimming in the Potomac. This is a good thing.

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