by  Kyle Melnick ’14

It is almost forgotten now, but during the 1970s and 80s D.C. sports were performing at their best. This was before the Bullets changed their name to the Wizards, before there was a baseball team in Washington and right when the Capitals were settling into their new home. Back then there really was something to root for; and the fans were left disappointed much less often.

The Washington Bullets won the NBA Eastern Conference four times during the 70s, winning their only league championship in 1978. The Washington Redskins have had the most success of any team in the nation’s capital. The team won the Super Bowl in 1982, 1987 and 1991, also making appearances in the 1972 and 1983 title games. However, after three time Super Bowl-winning coach, Job Gibbs retired in 1992, the team fell into a tailspin that it has been unable to escape ever since. Even though hockey has recently become an emerging sport in our area, the Capitals last made a run to the Stanley Cup final in 1997. D.C. United won the MLS title in 1996, 1997, 1999 and 2004. Since this championship appearance, no D.C. professional team has reached the final in their sport.

The Wizards have not made a playoff appearance since 2008 and have not won a series since 2005. Fans would be happy just to see them accomplish a .500 record next year after all the disappointment the team has had. The Washington Redskins had a successful season last year, yet had nothing to show for it in postseason play. The Redskins have not won a playoff game since 2005 and have not reached the conference championship since they won the Super Bowl in 1991. More recently, the Washington Capitals have been eliminated from the playoffs by the New York Rangers in seven games. This marks the sixth consecutive year in which the Capitals have finished first or second in their division, but still failed to qualify for the conference championship. Each and every year, the Capitals seem to be major contenders for the Stanley Cup, finishing the season on a high note. However, division championships are the only thing the Capitals have won. The only team that remains standing in June is the Washington Nationals, a team that finished last season with a division championship. After being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, fans tried to feel optimistic about the development of the young team and a potential championship in the future. However, the pressure is building on the Nationals, who have gotten to a slow start this season, leaving fans worried and irate about the team’s early play.

Washington sports have made a habit of losing after holding the winning tradition for years. Up and coming teams such as the Nationals and Redskins always give fans hope at the start of each season, but seem to fall short when the playoffs begin. This inconsistent and uncertain success has left fans worried; the most recent team to have any playoff success was D.C. United, and probably only half the people in our area know that.