Ailing Wizards Don't Expect Sympathy, but They Deserve Some

"We had a good run going and that loss kind of stung," Rypien said Friday in a telephone interview. "But that loss refocused our team and got us back to playing at the level that eventually brought us the championship."

Rypien, who runs his charity foundation in Spokane, Wash., was, like many, greatly impressed by the Redskins' wins in Dallas and Philadelphia. "This team is headed in the right direction."

Veteran tackle Jon Jansen remembers that the 2001 Redskins (0-5) under Marty Schottenheimer were in the same position as the Rams of today, only with an additional loss and "looking for a spark." That spark was LaVar Arrington's 67-yard interception return for a touchdown that brought the Redskins from behind to a 17-14 win en route to an 8-8 record.

"A lof of stuff happens in a game," Jansen said. A team like the Rams doesn't "have any pressure; they have nothing to lose."

"This is the NFL," guard Randy Thomas said. "You'd better be ready. They have a new head coach [Jim Haslett] and this could be a fresh start for them."

As a quarterback at Indiana, Redskins wide receiver Antwaan Randle El often was in the same position as the Rams. "You feel desperation and a sense of urgency," he said. "That's how you play."

Rypien also remembers 1989 when the 0-8 Cowboys upset Washington (4-4) at RFK for their only win of the season, knocking the Redskins, who finished 10-6, from the playoffs. "I don't care who you're playing, it's hard to win in the NFL."

Alex the Great

The subject at Caps' media day, of course, was Alex Ovechkin. The most valuable player of the National Hockey League is still only in his fourth season at age 23 and already is clearly the best player in the history of the Caps.

Maybe the best pro athlete to play in Washington since Sammy Baugh?

Close to the equal of Walter Johnson? Hmmm.

Superior to Elvin and Wes Unseld? Sugar Ray Leonard? Even better than Riggo. Hondo? Southeast Jerome?

At this point, beyond the injured Gilbert Arenas.