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Washington football legend Darrell Green reminds us of the burgundy and golden days of RFK – WTOP News

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Washington football legend Darrell Green reminds us of the burgundy and golden days of RFK – WTOP News


Who did the Washington Commanders turn to when they started a public relations push to secure the new RFK stadium? Darrell Green, of course.

Who did the Washington Commanders turn to when they started a public relations push to secure the new RFK stadium? No. 28, of course.

Hall of Fame defensive back Darrell Green is the star of a new social media video from the Commanders that shows the burgundy and golden days from RFK, along with shots from different areas of D.C.

As you see famous moments from RFK, including the legendary stadium shaking from fans jumping up and down, you hear Green saying things like: “To be together at RFK is to know we in this city are part of something bigger,” and, “For 40 years, I’ve seen so much greatness in the District.”

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As you watch the video and listen to the 1983 first-round draft pick, who played every season of his 20-year career for the burgundy and gold, you are reminded how special that stadium was and how successful the team used to be during their 36 seasons at 2400 East Capitol Street SE.

You might think to yourself, is it just the nostalgia making me feel that way? No, the numbers don’t lie.

Washington’s record at RFK was 162 wins, 101 losses and three ties. At Northwest Stadium, previously FedExField, the record stands at 106 wins, 119 losses and one tie.

Those numbers do include playoff games.

In the 12 playoff games at RFK, Washington only lost one. In comparison, at the team’s current stadium, Washington has only won one of its four playoff games.

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The Commanders put Green front and center in their PR push to counter the loud forces that are against the new stadium and the proposed $1.1 billion D.C. investment for the RFK Stadium redevelopment project.

Local groups such as Homes Not Stadiums are encouraging D.C. residents to attend the D.C. Council hearing on the stadium proposal on July 29.

Ward 6 Council member Charles Allen also went to social media to encourage people to make their voices heard at the meeting.

“Listen, we know this deal is not good and has to change,” Allen said. “$1.1 billion is a starting point, which is the second highest in history of a stadium subsidy.”

So it seems once again the owners of Washington’s football team are counting on the ageless wonder to win one more for old D.C. at RFK.

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Alaska Airlines comments on holiday-week disruption concerns due to Washington pipeline leak

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Alaska Airlines comments on holiday-week disruption concerns due to Washington pipeline leak


ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – Alaska Airlines said it does not expect any disruption in operation through this holiday week because of a leak in a pipeline in Washington, which is raising concern it could impact jet fuel supplies at Seattle and Portland airports.

“We are working to mitigate a potential impact from the Olympic Pipeline fuel leak,” Alaska Airlines wrote to Alaska’s News Source Sunday. “To ensure our scheduled service is maintained without significant disruption, we have implemented contingency plans.”

The contingency plans include tankering in fuel on inbound flights to Seattle, and tech stops on certain routes to conserve fuel. It’s also maintaining and expanding its trucking operation to bring in additional fuel, the airline said.

The airline said tech stops are “a stop at an airport along a flight’s route to add more fuel onboard. The passengers stay onboard.”

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The Associated Press is reporting that officials say Portland International Airport does not expect any problems because it can bring in jet fuel on a barge.

The pipeline system has been down since Monday, but there have been intermittent shutoffs since Nov. 11, the Associated Press reported.

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WTOP previews Washington Spirit’s NWSL championship game against Gotham FC – WTOP News

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WTOP previews Washington Spirit’s NWSL championship game against Gotham FC – WTOP News


The Washington Spirit will face Gotham FC at PayPal Park in San Jose, California, Saturday at 8 p.m. Eastern for the NWSL championship game.

WTOP’s José Umaña previews the Washington Spirit as they prepare to take on Gotham FC for the NWSL championship in San Jose, California, Saturday night.

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All eyes will be on the 2025 National Women’s Soccer League championship game Saturday, as the Washington Spirit takes on Gotham FC at PayPal Park in San Jose, California.

The game kicks off at 8 p.m. Eastern, and is airing on CBS or streaming online. It’s expected to be a close matchup.

The match marks Washington’s second consecutive appearance in the finals, after losing to Orlando last year in Kansas City, and the fourth overall in franchise history.

The No. 2-seeded Spirit last won the championship in 2021, when it bested the Chicago Red Stars in extra time.

Fans have eagerly awaited the Spirit-Gotham rematch, as the two teams hold a longtime rivalry.

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For Gotham FC, the team is looking to make history by becoming the lowest seed ever to win the title after beating top-seeded Kansas City Current and Orlando Pride in the playoffs.

Washington’s Trinity Rodman may be playing her last game in the league because of salary cap constraints. On the other side, Gotham fans will be watching the team’s Esther González, who has scored 13 goals this season.

WTOP’s Washington Spirit Beat Reporter, José Umaña, joined WTOP anchor Ian Crawford for a preview of the game.

The following transcript has been lightly edited for clarity.

Stay with WTOP for the latest developments in Saturday’s championship game.

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  • Ian Crawford:

    The Washington Spirit take a shot at their second NWSL championship in five years when they meet Gotham FC tonight in San Jose. WTOP’s José Umaña — our alcalde de Fútbol — joins us with a closer look at how the team is prepping for the big game.

  • José Umaña:

    Head Coach Adrián González said yesterday that the team have been trying to keep it loose, keep it normal. For any media member or a fan who’s been at a training session, the Spirit, especially in these last couple of weeks, has tried to remain loose. They said they learned from last year’s final where they were too focused on what Marta could do and what Orlando could do, as they were the No. 1 team in the league that year.

    This year, the Spirit are way more relaxed and are much less tense. They talked about using a sports psychologist and trying to find ways to keep their friendly atmosphere going. They played a weird version of dodge ball a couple of days ago and right before the semifinal, and last night before the media availability yesterday, they were apparently listening to Daddy Yankee the entire time as they worked out. So very chill vibes to keep it loose and keep the focus at hand, which is the final.

  • Ian Crawford:

    Now again, this kind of plays against what I was talking about before, with the great turnaround that the team had over the summer. Is some of that momentum kind of building with them going into the final?

  • José Umaña:

    Yeah, right after the summer break there was a coaching change, as I mentioned. It’s no longer Jonatan Giráldez. It’s now Adrián González, who was the assistant, and he really tried to bring more of an uplifting, relaxed attitude while the team continued playing more of an aggressive attacking style.

    They went on a 14-game unbeaten run between August all the way to mid October, and the team has really gelled — it’s found its groove. Last week, Croix Bethune, the midfielder who wasn’t able to play in last year’s final, said their semifinal match against Portland was the best game they played. But she believes they’re not peaking yet. So that’s some positive vibes that you don’t expect to hear from a player — that they believe they can go even higher as they play in a semifinal now heading into a final.

  • Ian Crawford:

    How much will the Spirit be missing the rowdy Audi Field advantage when they go to San Jose tonight?

  • José Umaña:

    It’s a huge advantage. The Spirit are 6 for 6 playing at Audi Field in front of that fan base.

    Even though there was a large contingent of Spirit fans at the neutral site game in Kansas City for last year’s championship, they will be missing that (home field).

    But for those who remember, and you kind of brought it up, in the beginning half the season, the Spirit were much better on the road than they were playing at home. There was a little bit of anxiety playing at home until the coaching change. They still were, even after the coaching change, a road-based team that could perform well. And if they start the game off on the right foot, going in on the attack and trusting their 3-forward line, there will be problems for Gotham.

  • Ian Crawford:

    Now we all know about Trinity Rodman, who is probably playing her last game in the Spirit kit. Who else should we watch for tonight? You mentioned Croix Bethune? Who else?

  • José Umaña:

    Yeah, I would definitely look out for NWSL Defender of the Year Tara McKeown. Not only has she transitioned in the last three years from attacker, playing striker, looking for the eye to the goal, but she’s now a defender, being the key cog in that defense and limiting attacks. She has also been a part of the attack. She essentially becomes what in our sport, we call an 8 — she becomes another midfielder, moving the ball aggressively and making key passes to restart the attack and bringing the ball so much so that she doesn’t even mind taking a shot.

    If she gets the ball early on and often, she may create problems for that Gotham midfield that likes to hold on to the ball, if she’s able to be aggressive right away. And look, if this game goes to penalty kicks, which I hope not, I think Spirit fans would like to avoid another heart attack.

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Man shot by Chicago police in Washington Park charged with assault, unlawful possession of a firearm

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Man shot by Chicago police in Washington Park charged with assault, unlawful possession of a firearm


A man shot by Chicago police earlier this week in the Washington Park neighborhood has been charged with aggravated assault and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.

The Civilian Office of Police Accountability said two officers in an unmarked squad car spotted 26-year-old Anthony Nelson leaving a liquor store near 57th and Michigan on Tuesday morning. Police said the officers believed Nelson had a gun, and he ran off when they tried to question him.

Cook County prosecutors said, as he was running away, Nelson dropped the gun he was carrying, and then picked it up again, despite orders not to touch it. Police said that’s when an officer shot Nelson.

Nelson suffered a graze wound to the abdomen and the right arm and was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in good condition, police said.

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On Thursday, Nelson was charged with one felony count of aggravated assault of a police officer and one felony count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.

The officer who fired the shot was also taken to an area hospital. A gun was recovered at the scene, police said.  

At Nelson’s first court appearance on Thursday, a judge ordered him held at Cook County Jail while he awaits trial.

“Ain’t nobody perfect out here. We’ve done things and we’ve made mistakes,” Nelson’s mother, Shalene Foster, said after her son’s hearing.

Thursday was Nelson’s birthday.

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“He got to go through this on today of him making 26 years old,” Foster said. “It’s like an empty space in my heart right now. … There’s a lot of mothers that’s tired too. We’re tired. We’re tired of this.”

Nelson has an extensive criminal history that began when he was 19. He has been convicted twice before of felony weapons charges, and was on patrol at the time of his arrest, according to court records.

He is due back in court on Nov. 26.

The Civilian Office of Police Accountability was investigating the shooting, and the officer who shot Nelson has been placed on administrative duty for 30 days, which is typical protocol for COPA investigations.

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