Gonna Wash That Team Right Out Of His Hair

Boswell writes another entertaining column on how we're not the only ones trying to get to know the team. The team's trying to get to know the city as well and reconnect with each other.

"Somebody asked [reliever] T.J. Tucker to name the owner of the Washington Wizards. They gave him a choice of four names," said catcher Brian Schneider. "The name he picked off the list was the grandfather on 'The Simpsons.' "

Schneider then asked quietly, "Who is the owner of the Wizards?"

Tucker doesn't get the booby prize. An imaginative TV crew showed 6-foot-11 Jon Rauch a picture of D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams, complete with his trademark bow tie, and asked the Nats' pitcher who he thought the person was.

"I have no idea," said Rauch.

Take a guess.

Rauch bent over, studied the picture seriously then said, "Pee Wee Herman?"

Told that the photo was the man who had helped liberate his team from Montreal and was trying to build them a new $550 million stadium, the towering pitcher, known for his enormous tattoos, looked horrified and said, "Oh, I'm really sorry."