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Thom Loverro

Thom Loverro

tloverro@washingtontimes.com

Thom Loverro has been a professional journalist since 1977, working for a number of newspapers, including eight years as a news editor and reporter for The Baltimore Sun, where he covered government, politics, and crime. He moved into sports writing when he joined The Washington Times in 1992. He moved to The Washington Examiner as a sports columnist in 2009 and returned to The Washington Times in 2013, where he is currently the lead sports columnist.

Columns by Thom Loverro

Washington Redskins President Bruce Allen, right, speaks during an NFL football press conference where it was announced that Doug Williams, left, was named Senior Vice President of Player Personnel, Tuesday, June 13, 2017, in Ashburn, Va. (AP Photo/Nick Wass) ** FILE **

Bruce Allen’s stranglehold on Redskins tightens with Brian Lafemina’s departure

Yes, of course Allen is coming back. He didn't drive Lafemina and his team from the building only to surrender power. Not only is Allen, who has become the object of the wrath of an angry Redskins fan base, staying on as team president in charge of football operations, but he is taking over the business side as well -- the job that Lafemina had. Allen drank Lafemina's milk shake.

January 13, 2019
Baltimore Ravens fans watch the second half of an NFL wild card playoff football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Gail Burton) **FILE**

Lamar Jackson feelings do not trump trying to win

Ravens players complaining about their hometown fans ... Sound familiar? At a time when the game is being criticized by hard-liners for being too soft on the field, its players appear to be softening to playing for anyone other than Kool-Aid drinkers in the stands.

January 8, 2019
Washington Redskins head coach Jay Gruden listens to a reporter's question during a news conference at Redskins Park, Monday, Dec. 31, 2018, in Ashburn, Va. The Washington Redskins ended their season Sunday with a 24-0 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) ** FILE **

Jay Gruden surprisingly honest about Redskins’ need for change

For a moment the day after their standard embarrassing season-ending 24-0 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles -- almost 24 hours since his team finished 7-9 for the second straight season -- Gruden showed a glimpse of Honest Jay, and I think it was revealing.

January 1, 2019
Former Washington Redskins head coach Joe Gibbs walks along the sidelines before the NFL football game between the Washington Redskins and the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2018 in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Daniel Snyder brings Joe Gibbs back for unholy mess of Redskins loss

Not that we needed any more proof that Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder has no capacity for embarrassment, but Sunday at Ghost Town Field there was yet more evidence of his lack of perspective. He brought Redskins coaching legend Joe Gibbs to the game.

December 30, 2018
Brian Lafemina preached a notion of truth and transparency after he was hired by the Washington Redskins to be president of business operations. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Redskins’ ‘do the right thing’ era was doomed from the start

The Christmas purge of Redskins chief operating officer Brian Lafemina and his band of suits -- chief marketing officer Steve Ziff, senior vice president of sales and marketing Jake Bye and chief commercial officer Todd Kline -- took far less time than I predicted a month ago.

December 27, 2018
FILE - In this Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018 file photo, Washington Redskins free safety D.J. Swearinger sits on the bench in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the New York Giants in Landover, Md. The Washington Redskins have lost four in a row, are down to their fourth quarterback and are mired in criticism from several players. A once-promising season has gone off the rails thanks to injuries all over the offense and a defense full of blown assignments and missed tackles. The finger-pointing is well underway for a team that has fallen to 6-7 and has plenty of blame to go around. (AP Photo/Mark Tenally, File)

D.J. Swearinger reminds us all who Redskins are

After Saturday's game, safety D.J. Swearinger reminded everyone of the poisonous dysfunction that defines this generation of Washington Redskins, from the boardroom to the locker room.

December 23, 2018
Washington Wizards owner Ted Leonsis, while sitting on the bench wearing Wizards forward Nene's jersey, watches the second half against the Chicago Bulls in Game 4 of an opening-round NBA basketball playoff series in Washington, Sunday, April 27, 2014. Nene is serving a one game suspension. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) **FILE**

Ted Leonsis has broken his promises on Wizards

There are many things on this list of promises that Wizards owner Ted Leonsis has accomplished, in terms of the arena experience, re-engage with alumni and other points. But the first thing on the list stands out for its sheer hypocrisy: "More transparency concerning strategy and plans via more connection with fans."

December 18, 2018
Washington Nationals owner Mark Lerner, right, greets pitcher Patrick Corbin, left, during a baseball news conference at Nationals Park in Washington, Friday, Dec. 7, 2018. Corbin agreed to terms on a six-year contract and joins the Nationals after playing for the Arizona Diamondbacks. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) **FILE**

Mark Lerner playing hardball on Bryce Harper offer teases future Scott Boras dealings

This was just Boras lashing out at the notion that the Nationals might not play Boras ball at the negotiating table. If that is, indeed, the case, it would be a refreshing change from the way the Lerners have done business over the years with Boras. Maybe, with a new Lerner at the head of the table, the Lerner ATM may be shut down for Boras.

December 11, 2018
Washington Redskins head coach Jay Gruden walks off the field after an NFL football game against the New York Giants, Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018, in Landover, Md. The Giants won 40-16. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Redskins’ loss to Giants shows disconnect not just within organization, but on field too

Somebody has to pay for a loss like the one that took place at Ghost Town Field Sunday, and, with the Redskins (now 6-7) on their fourth quarterback, league washout Josh Johnson, replacing Sanchez and a defense that is giving up 200 yards rushing a game, there may be more losses like this one to finish the season with three games remaining.

December 9, 2018
XFL founder Vince McMahon addresses the crowd at the start of the inaugural XFL game in Las Vegas on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2001 where the Las Vegas Outlaws are matched against the New York/New Jersey Hitmen.. (AP Photo/Laura Rauch) **FILE**

D.C. getting an XFL team while trying to woo back Redskins doesn’t make sense

The Redskins' long-term future -- specifically, where they will play -- we don't know. But we do know that there will be a football team playing in 2020, in the District of Columbia, at Audi Field, a stadium the city helped build. That much we know. And it ought to be enough to worry those who thought the District had a shot at bringing the Redskins back into the city from the Maryland suburbs.

December 6, 2018
Nike sparked fierce backlash after its new ad campaign starring Colin Kaepernick, the former NFL quarterback who led protests against racial injustice and police brutality by taking to one knee during the national anthem. Some football fans and President Donald Trump have railed against the protests.

Colin Kaepernick can’t play for Redskins

How could a social justice warrior like Kaepernick play for the franchise that most, if not all, of his supporters, likely believe is a racist organization with a racial slur for a name?

December 4, 2018
Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder, left, talks on the sidelines before an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears, Saturday, Dec. 24, 2016, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast) **FILE**

Redskins a franchise that’s now beyond salvation after picking up Reuben Foster

The Lafemina Redskins good will era came to an end Tuesday afternoon with the news that the organization he was brought in, along with a team of other suits, to save had yet again committed a self-destructive crime by picking up Reuben Foster, the former first-round pick who had been cut by the San Francisco 49ers after spending Saturday night in jail in Tampa following his third arrest in 12 months.

November 29, 2018