Around the Caps Blogsphere on a Slow News Day

First is it me or are we now addicted to Hockey and looking for a Caps game every other night after the last couple of weeks? Seems a little unfair - first I'm od'd on it then I've got to go a week without it. What's worse is I have to travel for business the week of 12/10 so I will miss both the Devils and Rangers games; while I'm in San Diego and Albuquerque for various ICx Technologies business. (Someday "that lottery ticket" will come in and then I can be a hockey nut & sport-fishing/sailing bum again - oh to be a junior in college again - those were the days, eh?)

So as the day gets wrapped up I decided to take a quick tour around the Caps Blogsphere:

Japer wonders what's going on with Matt Pettinger and his slump. The variety of comments run the gamut, but most of us are all rooting for Matt. Last game, I was at (the 11 player shootout, I looked back at his wife, Chelsea, when he missed that chance to break the slump, and she obviously felt for him too. So I surmise it's eating at him. My 2 cents, he's getting the chances and soon that puck will drop. Any player with the utility level such that they are listed as both LW and RW by TSN who's been in the league as a "grinder" for 6 years after being drafted in the middle of the second round you have to root for. Don't you ?- well I do. LETS GO CAPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

dmg has a couple of interesting links to other posts he's been working on that make some unique points. That said, I don't agree with a couple specific sub-points. First re: Ovechkin's next contract and whether he is worth "more" than Crosby's $8.7M per year. Comparative worth to Crosby is irrelevant in my view. Just because Crosby signed a contract that "kind of" matches his jersey number doesn't mean that Ovechkin should or will (8ish mil). What will drive Ovechkin is what he thinks he's worth and to some degree what he can get elsewhere. Also, if he's getting good advice from a financial perspective, it won't just be about salary but that will be a major item. From a public figure/celeberity & "value creation" perspective, do you think that A-Rod has issues with constantly getting his name in the press as the highest paid baseball player ever? Remember the old cliche' "The worst press is NO press at all." Truthfully, the loyalty of both Ovechkin and Crosby, and the common sense of both ownerships, will likely keep them both where they are for at least the current and next contract cycles. However, neither Pittsburgh nor DC provide the best markets for big name hockey players to maximize their earnings potential outside the rink; so something will need to be done that is very agressive. My prediction: AO wants 9+M closer to the 10+ CBA max - and he'll get it. I also wonder, if so much of the NHL website's pushing of Crosby might not be related to some marketing deals the league and the Pens might have worked out in addition to his 8.7M/year, 5 year contract. If anyone knows where a publicly available version of the pact, if there is one, I'd sure like to look at it for kickers that are NOT within the bounds of the salary cap. In closing to be clear I think both Ovie and "Sid the Kid" are worth the CBA max contract and I wonder why Crosby didn't insist on it. If it was to help the PENS with Salary Cap room elsewhere so they get another Cup - then he's a smart guy though; because long term/lifelong earnings potential for both will be greatly enhanced with a couple of Stanley Cup rings.

The next point dmg makes at Caps Blue Line is he doesn't like the marketing campaigns the Caps are currently running. He has several issues with the "tattoo parlor" commercial in particular. My view - I'm dense and like it (the Tattoo commercial) - to me Sports in General; Gratuitous Sex and Violence, and Hockey in particular all go together; and hockey IS the "cooler" alternative. Also the female fans at hockey games are: 1) nicer people AND on average more attractive than female fans of other sports so the tattoo ad just brings it all home for me. If we just had a commercial that went "Yo, Hockey is Cool and the "Chicks" (Sorry, I won't use rap slang to describe woman on my blog - look what happened to Imus - not worth going there!) are hot - come to a Caps game to see them both, YO! Now THAT would be "obvious pandering". Now maybe my point is biased, because I personally like hockey best AND I like to be able to talk about Hockey to both my male and female friends so that makes them more attractive to me. I don't really know - only talking from anecdotal data but, "I'm just sayin" ....

On Frozen Blog reports that Gene Weingarten, a syndicated humor columnist for the Washington Post is a moron. Based on the contents of the blog and his own words I am compelled to agree.

Peerless has some good thoughts on why Pittsburgh is struggling. However, most Caps fans will likely just be happy and enjoy the fact they are regardless whether they find his analysis insightful or otherwise.

CapsChick has an interesting article on how happy that today has been proclaimed "Abe Pollin Day" - NOT. Ted's Take clearly presents an opposing view point on this one; I think you have to give Ted some slack on this one. After all Abe clearly helped Ted work on closing some of his Life's 101 Things To Do List.

Even Tarik doesn't have much though the news on Clark and Gordon's injury status in none too rosy... How do we help Tarik get a Pulitzer for his "exclusive" stories on the coaching change anyway. He must have really scooped and embarrassed the rest of the traditional DC sports media, particularly the other print guys since he's really the only guy who made sure he covered it the day it happened. James Mirtle in Toronto had better coverage than the Washington Times - so much for the "fair and balanced coverage" of right leaning media such as the Washington Times and Fox News - it clearly doesn't extend to sports. Well I still like the Times' comics and some of their other stories/sections though.

So my conclusion from cruising the Caps Blogsphere is we're all a little strung out and confused by the lack of a hockey fix until Saturday. See you at the VC Saturday - LETS GO CAPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!