Deron Snyder

SNYDER: No denying Redskins’ place among NFL’s dregs

There really should be no doubt after last-place finishes in seven of the last 10 seasons, including five in the last six. But acceptance is difficult for diehards, who always look for glimmers of hope and reasons to refute the obvious.

October 13, 2014

SNYDER: Nationals’ October failures hurt even more

What they could have done will provide no solace. What they would have done will offer no relief. What they should have done will ease no pain. They will keep coming back to what they actually did, losing the National League Division Series for the second time in three seasons. And they will hurt all over again.

October 8, 2014

SNYDER: LeBron James, Cavs following Spurs’ blueprint could mesmerize NBA

Everyone raved about the beauty of Gregg Popovich's offense as it sliced and diced James' Miami Heat in the NBA Finals last season. In scooping David Blatt from Europe and installing him as head coach — before anyone knew for certain that LeBron was headed back — the Cavs took a step toward spreading that style of play.

October 6, 2014

SNYDER: Nationals’ cruel postseason education continues against Giants

The cusp of victory has become an unwelcome pattern for the home team. The Nats were one pitch away from knotting the NLDS against the Giants, just like they were one pitch away from advancing to the National League Championship Series against the Cardinals.

October 5, 2014

SNYDER: Pondering Buck Showalter’s work, Nats’ status as favorites and more

It's difficult to comprehend the job Buck Showalter has done to keep Baltimore on track. Having won AL Manager of the Year in 1994 and 2004, he's due again.

October 1, 2014

SNYDER: A window into Florida community that produced Sean Taylor’s killers

The Redskins safety was shot during a botched burglary attempt by some Fort Myers thugs nearly seven years ago and died the next day. "Fort Myers scoundrels" is the way journalist Amy Shipley described the killers in the documentary, "Sean Taylor: A Football Life," which aired last week on NFL Network. She's absolutely correct.

September 29, 2014

SNYDER: NFL’s Thursday night money grab does no favors to participants

"Thursday Night Football" still draws monster ratings. So who cares what it looks like? Who cares about player safety/performance after a three-day recovery period?

September 24, 2014

SNYDER: Great expectations a good thing for Nationals as playoffs approach

Two postseason trips in three years is no small feat for most teams, so these rides are to be savored no matter the final outcome. At this point, the Nats are trying to emulate two thorns-in-the-side, St. Louis and Atlanta.

September 22, 2014

SNYDER: All-consuming NFL can’t get out of its own way

Our inability to look away from football is nothing new. But the last few months have been different. We might have thought the NFL was maxed out, but it has attracted a slew of new eyeballs as women, non-fans, politicians, news producers and corporate executives turn toward the league. What they see isn't pretty.

September 17, 2014

SNYDER: Jay Gruden’s Robert Griffin III dilemma: Tough to hide face of franchise

Not that Gruden has anything but best wishes for Griffin, but life would be a lot easier if RG3 was ruled out for the season.

September 15, 2014

SNYDER: Kirk Cousins fans, your wish has been granted

If every defense plays as well as Jacksonville, the Hall of Fame is in Cousins' future and RG3 will have to resurrect his career elsewhere.

September 14, 2014

SNYDER: For HBCUs, Classics are traditions to be savored

The practice of pitting black colleges against powerhouses has its benefits, namely in the large checks that are cashed. A more pleasant tradition resumes Saturday at RFK Stadium, when Howard faces Morehouse College for the fourth consecutive year in the AT&T Nation's Football Classic.

September 10, 2014

SNYDER: Redskins’ undisputed early grade: needs improvement

The beauty of Week 1 in the NFL is you usually can see whatever you choose — good or bad — to reinforce your thoughts entering the season. Ammunition exists for pessimists and optimists alike.

September 8, 2014

SNYDER: NFL fans ready to move on from preseason penalties, Johnny Manziel

It's not that I crave additional coverage of Cleveland's much-ballyhooed backup QB. There's already been more than enough for no good reason. Johnny Football has morphed into Johnny Ad Nauseam. But that's not as sickening as the ticky-tacky penalties officials called on seemingly every pass attempt in August.

September 3, 2014

SNYDER: Robert Griffin III still finding place in QB class of 2012

Can RG3 keep up? Can he recapture the magic? Can he retain his job? Russell Wilson and Nick Foles (and to a lesser extent, Washington backup Kirk Cousins) have become significant subplots to the RG3 drama that fascinated the country from the beginning and has grown ever since.

September 3, 2014

SNYDER: Ray McDonald’s stupidity gives Roger Goodell convenient outlet for outrage

McDonald is a knucklehead if he put his hands on his fiancée at all, but doubly so for positioning himself to be a guinea pig after Ray Rice's incident led to heightened awareness.

September 1, 2014

SNYDER: Will latest preventable heatstroke death of a football player spur change?

Every measure should be in place to prevent heat-related illness. How much trouble and expense is involved in having a tub of ice water on the sideline? The National Athletic Trainers' Association says victims who are submerged within 30 minutes of collapsing have a 100 percent survival rate.

August 27, 2014

SNYDER: Mo’ne Davis, Jackie Robinson West head back to reality after LLWS

Plaudits for JRW and Mo'ne are well-deserved. But they're also part of a larger problem — the overemphasis, glorification and commercialization of youth sports. The line between's child's play and big business hasn't been blurred, it has been obliterated.

August 25, 2014

SNYDER: With guaranteed scholarships, Maryland champions education for athletes

The national conversation rarely includes any sports outside of football and basketball. But Maryland has gone all-in on all of them. Not just the revenue producers, but also the other 16 sports (six for men, 10 for women) that athletic director Kevin Anderson shepherds.

August 20, 2014

SNYDER: Notre Dame academic scandal blame should start at top

Disgraceful behavior tends to trickle down. Some athletes won't take their academics seriously if the school doesn't. And if the school doesn't, regular students won't, either. The message becomes clear to everyone on campus: The most important thing is helping athletes retain their eligibility, not receive an education.

August 18, 2014