And we're off...

OK, Day One of the NatsGuy Blog. Since I'm an attorney in this town (surprise, surprise), the postings may be intermittent. However, my qualifications go beyond simply having lived for more than a decade in the heretofore barren baseball wasteland we call DC. I'm also a recovered journalist, proud sabermetrician, and a contributor to espn.com (I'm a Neyerian, not a Gammonsian). So, here goes.

What's the nicest part, thus far, of being a Nats Fan is certainly not the endless political wrangling, the half-assed moves of Jim Bowden (more on that later), but instead the emergence of the Nats Fan here in the DC area. In mid-December, I got my first DC Nats cap (road blue, adjustable New Era -- a quality cap, though, to be frank, I prefer the fitted Franchise brand, but I haven't seen that for the Nats yet. And what gives with the MLB-issue caps -- they are just huge, sitting like half a foot above the head. Most players appear to wear them a size or two small, and then pull them down. Then again, most ballplayers are a bit bigger than your average DC lawyer). Anyway, about the Nats cap. I started wearing in regularly (on weekends, that is -- business casual does not yet cover ball caps). And I immediately started to get nods in the supermarket, and on the street, casual nods from men (mainly), pointing to their head, and giving a slight nod and a smile. For men my age (a little south of 40), that's what qualifies for being really stoked -- the point and nod (I suppose we're a bit beyond the "That rocks, dude!" kind of enthusiasm).

I'm very optimistic that the Nats will be a new focal point for our community, and usher in an era of community spirit that I haven't seen here (then again, the Skins have been godawful most of the time I've been here in DC, and, to compound things, moved to that depressing mausoleum out in Landover).