The newest crop of D.C. superheroes has arrived. Strasburg, McNabb and Wall are here to save the day. They hold office on a diamond and a pair of rectangles rather than in an oval, but the way that Washington fans have reacted you wouldn't have known.

Strasmas has already lasted 27 days instead of the traditional 12, and after just three starts the 21-year old phenom was already breaking previously unheard of psuedo-records.  

McNabb arrived, Campbell was shipped out and suddenly the Redskins were Super Bowl contenders.

The worst-to-first stories have been playing out in minds across the district for weeks. A pair of 100-loss campaigns are being erased from our collective memory by a couple of 100 mile per hour fastballs. A 4-12 season, swept away by a four-time NFC East division champion. And most recently, a crime-filled embarrassment of a year stolen away by a master of thievery, and well, just about everything else on the court.

Washington is a city of sports optimists. Only in our nation's capital could a team that has had more seasons with five or fewer wins (5) than playoff appearances (3) in the last 17 years hold what is rumored to be the NFL's longest season ticket waiting list.  

It's not just football though. Gilbert and Co. were supposed to de-thrown King James. Say what you want about the Cavs problems, but after consecutive 60-win seasons, it's clear that Cleveland got the best of that brief rivalry.

For the Nationals, it's been a promise of the days to come. "We're building through the draft," we've heard time and time again. And with Strasburg's arrival we've seen a big piece of the puzzle on the field. But long before the rookie hurler came to town, the city erected a sparkling new stadium and fans flocked to the park around league-average rates despite back-to-back seasons as the worst club in the majors.

Cautious optimism is not part of the D.C. lexicon. But if there ever was a time to add the phrase to our city's vocabulary, it's now.  

Stephen Strasburg has been dominant at times through six appearances.  He's struck out 53 batters in less than 37 innings of work. But in his starts, the Nationals are just 3-3.  It doesn't matter how dominant Strasburg is if the rest of the team can't score a run.  Literally, in his last four starts the Nats have not scored a single run during an inning which Stasburg was on the mound. 

Donovan McNabb has said and done all the right things since being acquired by the 'Skins. But with question marks at virtually every offensive position other than tight end, how effective can the six-time pro-bowler really be this season? 

As for John Wall, he's a 19-year old kid who's barely had time to put on his new Wizards jersey. And the NBA isn't about to kowtow to a team led by an unproven teenager and an ostracized criminal.

The signs are no doubt encouraging.  Even the most pessimistic of Washingtonians had to get that feeling of excitement in his or her gut when Stasburg first toed the rubber.  The same should hold true for McNabb's first snap and Wall's opener.  

But let's think back to 2005.  Alex Ovechkin had just joined the Capitals.  And despite 52 goals, 54 assists and a Rookie of the Year Award that season, they still missed the playoffs.  The same could hold true for our newest residents.  Instant fixes don't come along that often in professional sports.

Top-tier talent is in the District, and yes, that is reason to rejoice.  But each member of the new trio is human.  And three mere-mortals do not suddenly make the most disappointing, underachieving sports town in recent history the next sports Mecca. Superman, Batman and the Incredible Hulk haven't quite convened in the nation's capital. But give them a few years and, most importantly, a supporting cast and we may witness some super-human results.