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Mike Harris

mharris@washingtontimes.com

Mike Harris was a reporter for The Washington Times.

Articles by Mike Harris

Former Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Jay Gruden is interviewed by a television station after he is announced as the new head coach of the Washington Redskins at a press conference at Redskins Park, Ashburn, Va., Thursday, January 9, 2014. (Andrew Harnik/The Washington Times)

HARRIS: Where will Jay Gruden fall on Redskins’ Gibbs-Turner scale?

The best guess is he'll be much closer to Joe Gibbs than Norv Turner. Asking anybody to match what Gibbs did the first time is unfair. But there's a small reason to believe he may be pretty good, a somewhat crazy reason but, hey, it is my crazy and I'll stick to it.

January 14, 2014
Atlanta Braves pitcher Greg Maddux throws in the second inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday, May 3, 2000, in Los Angeles. Maddux was handed his first defeat of the year as the Dodgers won 6-4. This was Maddux's first loss against the Dodgers since 1993. (AP Photo/John Hayes)

HARRIS: By any measure, Greg Maddux worthy of unanimous praise

Maddux, Tom Glavine and Frank Thomas is a fine, worthy class. You can make cases for a number of others but the three who definitely belong in got in the Hall of Fame. The only real question lingering over the process is how 16 of the 571 voters could leave Maddux off their ballot.

January 8, 2014
Florida State's Jameis Winston with The Coaches' Trophy after the NCAA BCS National Championship college football game against Auburn Monday, Jan. 6, 2014, in Pasadena, Calif. Florida State won 34-31. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

HARRIS: BCS got it right more often than not

Are we expecting things to be better in the brave new world of a playoff or just different? Because different we're going to get and, while that's not a bad thing, it doesn't necessarily mean better.

January 7, 2014
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Bill Cowher, right, greets Denver Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan after the Steelers won 34-17 in the AFC Championship football game Sunday, Jan. 22, 2006, in Denver. The Steelers advanced to Super Bowl XL with the win. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Bill Cowher, Art Briles figure to top Redskins’ wish list

The belief here is two names will rise above the rest and the next Skins coach will be one of them: current Baylor coach Briles and former Steelers coach Cowher. There are plenty of reasons to like both choices and plenty of reasons to be wary.

December 25, 2013
Washington Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan speaks with official Mike Weatherford during the first half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2013, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

HARRIS: As another coaching search looms, wondering why anyone would want the job

Whichever direction the Redskins eventually go, a couple of questions linger: How long will this regime last and why, besides the money, would anyone want to be a professional head coach these days? The constant pressure, headaches and growing scrutiny can't make for much fun even with a paycheck that looks like a lottery winner.

December 18, 2013
Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder, right, watches a Phoenix Suns versus Los Angeles Lakers matchup with Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan in the second half of an NBA basketball game on Monday, March 18, 2013, in Phoenix. The Suns defeated the Lakers 99-76. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

HARRIS: Redskins left in limbo over $7 million question

Why doesn't Mike Shanahan just quit? Go back to the $7 million he is owed for the final year of his contract. If he walks, he doesn't get the money. Dan Snyder, no fool, is no doubt aware of what's happening. If he can wait for Shanahan to get so fed up that he quits, Snyder doesn't have to pay out that load of cash.

December 9, 2013
FILE - In this Sept. 25, 2013, file photo, New York Yankees' Robinson Cano looks toward the dugout during the eighth inning of the Yankees' 8-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays in a baseball game in New York. Representatives for the free-agent met Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2013, with the Yankees, and the gap between the sides remains wide, according to a person familiar with the negotiations. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because no statements were authorized. The person adds the sides may meet again Wednesday. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens, File)

HARRIS: Visions of Robinson Cano under Nationals’ tree

The odds of Cano, a free agent who has had a brilliant career with the Yankees, joining the Nats are only slightly higher than the odds of a Ferrari showing up under a certain tree in Accokeek, Md. But what's a holiday season without a few dreams? And this is one dream the Nats really should try to make a reality.

December 4, 2013
Washington Capitals right wing Eric Fehr (16) celebrates his goal past Ottawa Senators goalie Craig Anderson (41) in the first period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2013, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Doing the roster math is a task Caps coach Adam Oates takes seriously

Before every game, Capitals coach Adam Oates has to make 23 go into 20. The NHL allows teams to carry 23 players. Only 20 can dress for a game. As cool as the media corps may be, players would rather be on ice than up in the press box where the scratches sit for a game.

December 1, 2013
Washington Capitals left wing Martin Erat (10), of the Czech Republic, looks on during the first period an NHL hockey game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Saturday, Oct. 19, 2013, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Martin Erat asks for trade as unproductive Caps stint appears soon to end

GM George McPhee and coach Adam Oates said they were not upset with Erat's demand to be traded. Both praised his handling of the situation and McPhee said he is working on taking care of it. Erat sat out Saturday's game in Toronto as a healthy scratch, a move Oates said was related to the request.

November 25, 2013
Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III walks across the field after a play during the second half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles in Philadelphia, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2013. (AP Photo/Michael Perez)

HARRIS: That good or this bad? The true RG3 lies somewhere in the middle

Is he the brilliant, athletic marvel we saw in 2012 who made us dream of annual Super Bowl championship parades? The guy who could save the world, let alone the Redskins? Or is he the seemingly confused fellow we've watched much of 2013, who appears to lock in on receivers too easily, who doesn't seem to have a firm grasp on reading defenses and who has already thrown twice as many interceptions (10) as he did all of 2012?

November 20, 2013
Washington Capitals defenseman John Carlson takes the ice with young hockey players during the 2013 U.S. Men's National Team Camp at the Kettler Capitals Iceplex, Arlington, Va., Monday, August 26, 2013. (Andrew Harnik/The Washington Times)

With Olympic coach in town, John Carlson has chance to impress

The Caps defenseman is one of 48 candidates for a spot on the United States Olympic team. Sometime around the first of the year, he'll get a phone call. He'll either be told see you in Sochi or thanks but no thanks. But he can't think about that.

November 18, 2013
Washington Capitals right wing Joel Ward, right, celebrates his goal with left wing Jason Chimera (25) in the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2013, in Washington. The Capitals won 4-3 in overtime. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Joel Ward earns chances, increases production for Capitals

Ward's goal-scoring isn't as big a surprise if you go back to the three seasons he spent with Nashville before joining the Caps. He had at least 10 in all three seasons, with a high of 17 in 2008-09. He's on pace for about 36 this season if he can manage to continue at his current rate.

November 14, 2013
Washington Capitals General Manager George McPhee during the 2013 Capitals Rookie Camp at Kettler Capitals Iceplex, Arlington, Va., Thursday, September 5, 2013. (Andrew Harnik/The Washington Times)

HARRIS: Time for Caps to make drastic move on blue line

What the Caps need to do is make a major trade, one that brings back a big-time, well-respected defenseman who makes defense his first priority. A defensive defenseman is what they're called in hockey parlance and the Caps need one in the worst way.

October 30, 2013
Washington Redskins tight end Fred Davis (83) walks with head coach Mike Shanahan, right, during the second day of the NFL football teams training camp in Richmond, Va. Friday, July 26, 2013. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

HARRIS: The puzzling disappearance of Fred Davis

The participation chart is telling. Davis played 48 snaps in the Redskins' season opener. He's played just 39 snaps total in the ensuing games. He was inactive one week with an ankle injury. After two more games with barely more than cameo appearances, he was inactive against the Bears.

October 23, 2013
Washington Redskins running back Roy Helu breaks free and heads toward the end zone for a touchdown during the first half of a NFL football game against the Chicago Bears in Landover, Md., Sunday, Oct. 20, 2013. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Roy Helu’s emergence gives Redskins three-pronged attack

Redskins coach Mike Shanahan talked about Alfred Morris and Helu providing "a pretty good one-two punch," but the team's rushing attack is back to being three-pronged. The renewed involvement of quarterback Robert Griffin III is the third prong and, Helu agreed, the facet that makes it all work.

October 22, 2013