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SPORTS ABCDE tuesday, september 7, 2010 PROFOOTBALL
Texas-size expectations Could Cowboys reach a Super Bowl in Dallas? D3
For Nats’ Espinosa, things are just grand
Rookie blasts away with two homers
in 13-3 romp over Mets BY ADAM KILGORE
The tall-tale beginning to Danny
Espinosa’s major league career reached an apex Monday afternoon. IvanRodriguez, aHall of Fame catch- er Espinosa grew up watching, had smacked him on the back with two hands and shoved him out of the dugout. The 20,224 atNationals Park — a brand new place to Espinosa — roared. Espinosa lifted his helmet, and as he waved it over his head he looked into the stands behind home plate and pointed to his family. “It was surreal,” said Dan Espino-
sa, Danny’s father. That, really, is the only way to
describeEspinosa’s first six dayswith the Washington Nationals. Espinosa arrived in themajor leaguesWednes- day, short on sleep and running mostly on adrenaline. The rest of his time in the big leagues, apparently, he has been powered by gold dust. Espinosa continued the astonish-
ing first week of his major league careerMonday in the Nationals’ 13-3 thumping of the New York Mets by blasting two home runs, one of them a grand slam, while going 4 for 5 and driving in six runs. In the first five games since his call-up, Espinosa is 9 for 16 with three home runs, two doubles and 10 RBI. He also has one whipped cream pie to the face and, after he launched a grand slamto the upper deck in right field in the sixth inning, one curtain call in his first Nationals home game. “I couldn’t have imagined this,”
Espinosa said, wearing the team’s nationals continued on D5
PHOTOS BY TONI L. SANDYS/THE WASHINGTON POST TheMaryland football team celebrates with fans following its victory overNavy atM&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. It was the teams’ second meeting since 1965. Terps are state champions
dominates statistically but is doomed by mistakes
In Crab Bowl, Navy BY ERIC PRISBELL
baltimore — Of the 121 plays in Mon- day’s game between Navy andMaryland, four snaps that Navy quarterback Ricky Dobbs took — each withMaryland’s goal line in sight—decided the outcome of an atypical season-opening game. Three times Dobbs fumbled the ball.
And the final time, a decisive fourth-and- goal play inside the Maryland 1 with 37 seconds remaining, Dobbs barreled for- ward but collided with safety Kenny Tate andfell 12 inches short of the endzone. The Terrapins, whose coach said his
2009 team was cursed by chronic bad luck, were nothing if not fortunate on a near-cloudless Monday, winning 17-14, perhaps inspite of themselves. TheMidshipmen, who had designs on
NICK WASS/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Rookie Danny Espinosa rounds third after hitting a grand slam, his second homer of the afternoon.
going undefeated, amassed 485 total yards. They controlled the ball for nearly two-thirds of the game.And they convert- ed 10 of 18 third-down chances. But Dobbs, a dynamic player who scored 27 rushing touchdowns last season, failed to come through time and again just feet fromthegoal line,noplaybigger thanthe one inthe finalminute.
Maryland linebacker Bradley Johnson, center, is the first to start celebrating as Navy fails to cross the goal line (see ball near referee's left hand) on its final play.
“Ican’t tellyouhowmanyof thoseplays
I got,” Maryland Coach Ralph Friedgen said, choosing his words carefully, “how many didn’t go my way [through the years]. I’llput it thatway.”
Afterward, Friedgen told his teamthat
it would have lost a similar game last season. This year, after spending the off-
terrapins continued on D8
l Feinstein: It wasn’t pretty, but U-Md. earned the win and
Navy deserved to lose. D8
As Cowboys loom, McNabb, Haynesworth show progress
Both quarterback and defensive lineman take snaps with first team
BY RICKMAESE Just a couple of days ago, Redskins
quarterback Donovan McNabb was re- covering from injury, his status for the season opener up in the air. Meanwhile, defensive tackle AlbertHaynesworth saw his relationship with the team suffer further injury, his exact role with the teaminching closer to beingdownfor the count. But as the Redskins began prepara-
JOHN MCDONNELL/THE WASHINGTON POST Redskins CoachMike Shanahan said that AlbertHaynesworth, above, is “in much better shape now than he was before.”
tions for Sunday’s season opener against the Dallas Cowboys and players reported for practice, McNabb showed no linger- ing effects from the ankle injury that limitedhimto only twopreseason games. And Haynesworth received a post-prac- tice report that seemed to indicate coach-
es are pleased with his progress. McNabb took snaps with the first-
team offense Monday afternoon and after practice, Coach Mike Shanahan said, “he’s ready to go.” Running back Clinton Portis and fullback Mike Sellers also were healthy enough to practice with the starters, after minor injuries sidelined each one late in the preseason. As for Haynesworth, team sources
indicated that video of last Thursday’s preseason finale against the Arizona Cardinals revealed an “awful” perfor- mance. Shanahan said Monday that Haynesworth is “getting better,” but the coach declined to discuss details of
redskins continued on D3 Redskins vs. Cowboys
When: Sunday, 8:20 p.m. Where: FedEx Field. TV: WRC-4,WBAL-11. 6Submit a question online and have LaVar
Arrington, Rick Maese and Dan Steinberg answer on Redskins Insider Live at 10:30 a.m.
The longest yards
Navy lost despite moving the ball well, in part because of five trips deep inside Maryland territory that resulted in no points. Here is a look at those failed possessions:
1st quarter 2nd quarter 2nd quarter 3rd quarter 4th quarter
Reached: Maryland 15 Result: Missed field goal
Reached: Maryland 6 Result: Lost fumble
Reached: Maryland 2 Result: First half expired
Reached: Maryland 1 Result: Lost fumble
Reached: Maryland 1 Result: Turnover on downs
HIGHSCHOOLS
AllMetSports.com rewind North Point’s Conner Crowell talks about what led to his ejection. D4
TENNIS
Looking like she belongs Caroline Wozniacki validates her place as U.S. Open’s top woman. D5
MARYLAND17,NAVY14 COLLEGEFOOTBALL
Hokies, Boise State go long Game ended too late for this edition. See
washingtonpost.com/sports
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