Capitals and Wizards benefit from Dan Snyder's ownership?

For decades and decades, OK, for all eternity, Washington DC has been and will likely always be Redskins first. The tradition, glory, and history of this once proud franchise is held dear in many Washingtonian hearts, including many in Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. However, is there a limit? Will the rabid fan base trickle away? Is that possible? Peter Angelos probably answered NO, when questions like that arose over his horrific ownership of the Baltimore Orioles, another once proud and very rich in tradition and history franchise, nearly destroyed by an incompetent owner. You can bet the O's fan base is no where near what it used to be. So is it possible for Redskins fans to abandon the franchise because of an egomaniac owner who thinks running a NFL franchise is similar to running a fantasy football team? Perhaps a bigger question of asking if it is possible would be --- Is it already happening? Looking at Facebook statuses, Twitter posts, blog posts, and message boards, there are already calls to boycott games, boycott ticket purchases, boycott merchandise and gear. Yes, there are even some that are fed up and done with the Washington Redskins. Could the winners here by the Washington Wizards and Washington Capitals?Tom Knott at the Washington Times believes the Wizards and Caps may have an opening. Maybe now, with the Redskins in their most abysmal state since the '60s, the Wizards and Capitals can build their fan bases by siphoning off those disenchanted with the football team. And there is a deep well of antipathy toward the Redskins. You could hear it in the boos that rained down on the Redskins in their dispirited 9-7 victory at home. You could hear it on the airwaves last week. And you are going hear it at full throttle this week after the Redskins lost to the dreadful Lions on Sunday. So now there is the sense among many of the faithful that enough is enough, that nothing ever is going to change with this once-proud franchise so long as Dan Snyder is the owner. Snyder, fair or not, embodies all that is wrong with the team, at least as far as the fans are concerned. They hate the owner. And they are puzzled by the coach, a decent man who is not going to get the time he needs to develop. And they no longer are in the mood to accept it, not after all these years. That is the opportunity before the Wizards and Caps, with one team poised to recover from two-plus seasons of injuries and the other seemingly ready to make a run at the Stanley Cup. These franchises boast the most marketable athletes in the region in Gilbert Arenas and Alex Ovechkin. They are entertaining teams to watch, the opposite of following the offensively challenged Redskins. And they are able to go about their business without all the drama that is endemic to the Redskins. These teams have personality galore and a certain flair about them. You want hope instead of the hopelessness of the Redskins? Hope has taken root in Tony Cheng's neighborhood with the Wizards and Caps. And we say Kudos to you Tom on excellent thoughts. I don't think anyone questions that the Capitals will be in the running for the Stanley Cup, boast the best player in the entire sport, have a high quality, energetic game day experience, and the team plays with intensity and enthusiasm of a little league team. There will be plenty to cheer about. There is also an owner that knows his place. It's attractive. It's awesome. It's a team with character. But, then you have the Wizards. Fresh off an off-season in which the Wizards made a few splendid acquisitions combined with getting health back from Gilbert Arenas, Brendan Haywood, and other, the Wizards are predicted to not only be one of the top teams in the East, but an offensive juggernaut. There will be plenty to cheer about. There is an owner that knows his place. Exciting. Optimistic. Energy. It's a team with character. As for my beloved Washington Redskins, we will continue to sink into an abyss of hating football Sundays. We will continue to watch a team with no character, a team that comes out with no energy or enthusiasm, a team that moans, bitches and complains instead of worrying about winning, a team full of prima-donnas, a team full of players getting paid and checking out, and yes, finally, a team led by Dan Snyder and his side kick Vinny. There is not much to cheer about. There is an owner who has no idea where his place is to be. After slumbering through the worst team in baseball, with an ownership slightly more competent than Dan Snyder, we get handed this crap at FEDEX. Thank God hockey is back. Than God the NBA is on it's way.