Caps End 2014 In Fine Form But Start 2015 Off Even Better - Next Up the Streaking Florida Cats At Verizon Center On Sunday

Okay so I figured I'd just muse in my own head while all the Winter Classic "hubbub" swirled and then settled. Don't get me wrong the game was an awesome experience and once again despite the high cost of the tickets and the fact my sightlines were often obscured during the play during the first and second periods by people who didn't or don't know the basic courtesy of when to get in and out of your seats at a hockey game or ushers who don't know them as well (I was in Section 109 about 30 rows up (HH)) so if you're reading this and sat lower than me or above me you know what I'm talking about...) just like the Pittsburgh Winter Classic it was an experience I highly recommend for NHL fans anywhere.  But with so much focus and blogging about the Classic and every aspect of it, I don't feel I have much to add to the specific points or discussions other than in the context of where it leaves the Caps as far as looking forward towards the rest of the regular season.

As you likely know the Caps had a pretty awesome month of December going 8-2-3 (0.731), capturing at least a point in 11 of 13 games, only four (4) of which were at home.  It's even more impressive to me that during the month the Caps played ten of those thirteen games against teams with better than 0.500 records who are also having solid seasons so far and/or competing directly with the Caps for an Eastern Conference playoff spot.  While there really are no easy games in the NHL the results the Caps had against solid, "top 10 power rankings teams" last month were also encouraging:

- they faced and beat Tampa Bay in regulation twice;
- they fought hard but lost the record longest shoot out getting a point off a hot Florida Panther team on their Sunrise Florida Ice;
- they split two hard fought OT games against Columbus and a hot Sergei Bobrovski;
- they beat the Ottawa Senators in a 2-1 goalie dual here at Verizon Center in regulation;
- they shutout the Penguins in Pittsburgh (when was the last time that happened?) .

They also won three games they were supposed to win in regulation (the Devils twice, and Carolina).  The only two teams they really couldn't solve during December were their first game of the month against Vancouver at Verizon Center and their first meeting of the season against the Rangers at MSG on the even of the Christmas break, December 23rd in NY, where they lost 4-2 in regulation.  They finished the year with a comeback against the Islanders at Nassau Coliseum on December 29th to force overtime, and basically steal a point before a double minor high sticking call on Evgeny Kuznetsov, the second 2:00 of which were questionable, IMO, gave the Islanders the chance they needed to halt the comeback by the Caps and get the second point they really did deserve anyway for playing a full 60:00 game against the good guys from 7th and F.

In any case the Caps came out of December and into 2015 skating confidently and playing far more consistently than they started the month and that bodes well for them for the rest of the season as the rest of the 2014-15 season looks to be a tightening battle for the eight playoff spots in the Eastern Conference as the Capitals aren't the only teams competing for the playoffs that are looking good through their last ten games but more on that after a quick comment on the last Capitals game - the Winter Classic.

As pretty much anyone who watches any NHL hockey knows yesterday the Caps become only the third "home team" to win the Winter Classic.  That's the part of a very well played game against a really, really good opponent that I'd like to point to as the best thing as a Caps fan to takeaway from yesterday's Winter Classic.  A lot of commentary has gone in to wondering why the Home Teams very often loose the Winter Classic.  To me after hearing all the discussion I drill in to one thing - focus/distraction.  For the away team like the Caps were against Pittsburgh, even with all the hype and the likely fact a visiting team's players have a few friends and family at the game, the distractions are far less than for the home team.  It's much more similar to a "big" road game for them and little more than it is likely for the home team, especially now with the three day mandatory Christmas break.  For the Caps and the Winter Classic, many of them had ten or more friends and family with them through the holidays as well as at the game.  Think about how much having a big family gathering at your home for the Holidays creates pressures etc. on you and then add  this Winter Classic thing/hype to it, it can't be at all easy to stay focused on just going and doing your job even or maybe especially if your job is being a professional athlete in the middle of your sports season.  I think two things really helped the Caps stay focused on what they needed to do yesterday: 1) they had two road games between the Christmas break and the Winter Classic - so it's likely we should all thank the Caps wives, girlfriends and families for dealing with a lot of their own "logistics" between December 26th and yesterday morning; 2) that "culture change thing" we all heard about during the Epix series leading up to the Winter Classic where the Caps now focus more on playing a simpler game geared towards team success, getting two points, and doing so one game at a time, for that I think we should thank the coaching staff for putting it out there, and the team (all of them) for buying into it and taking forward.  As a whole the other thing to really be happy about if you're a Caps fan is it was a well played, 200' game against a very, very solid opponent for the full 60:00.  The only thing not to like about this game for the Caps, IMO, is/was the fact they are still taking too many penalties but (7 minor penalties for the game vs. 5 for the Blackhawks) however I really grow more and more disappointed with the "activist referees" in the NHL this season and will likely blog more on that another time, when I can distill my thoughts and give a bunch of great examples though it's likely that both the call against Matt Niskanen at 16:46 of and Jonathan Toews at 18:47 of yesterday's third period will be examples of my issues on that list. 

In any case I like Mr. Leonsis am very grateful for having had the opportunity to attend yesterday's game and for all who helped make it happen, first let me say thanks to everyone who helped put me in a position to shell out a pretty penny for both my Season Tickets and my extra tickets to the WC that were pricey.  This is not a backhanded statement, it's a pricey addiction I've developed but as I've mentioned before going to games like this with my only child like yesterday are truly a joy and I don't ever want to forget that while I am splurging on things like this, others who are less fortunate are struggling, especially as the holiday season winds down.  My son and I now have two sets of Winter Classic memories both of which are really special to me. Thanks to all the other hockey fans here in DC - like the NHL commercial used to say, Hockey Fans are generally special people and I really enjoy being part of that community here in the DC metro.  Thanks to the players in the NHL - you guys all of whom seem to "keep it real" make it far, far easier for me to stay very supportive of pro hockey in a way that frankly I find much, much harder to do for any other professional sport. 

So now what about January?  Well our Washington Capitals are already 1-0-0 on January and have another busy month like December ahead of them.  Including yesterdays Winter Classic the Caps have thirteen (13) games on the schedule for January.   Of the 13 games the Caps had the Winter Classic now in their rear view mirror an a nice two point "home" win.  The rest of twelve (12) games in January consist of six (6) home games and six (6) away.  Of the thirteen (13) games, only the two games against the division rival Flyers who have only 35 points in 37 games played, as well as the games against the Avalanche (36 points in 37 games played), and  Oilers (24 points in 38 games played) are against teams with less than 0.500 records.  The Caps have a total of five (5) against Western Conference Teams and eight (8) are against Eastern Conference Teams this month. Their lonest home stretch is three games (January 10th to 14th - Red Wings, Avalanche, Flyers - three (3) games in four (4) days/nights.  They also have two sets of "back to back" road games - 1/7 and 1/8 Maple Leafs then Flyers, and 1/16 and 1/17 Nashville and Dallas .  So as you can see this month won't be an easy one for the Capitals.  Add to that that their Metropolitan Conference rivals are all also playing pretty well: Division Leading Pittsburgh 5-3-2; the second place Islanders 6-3-1; the fourth place Rangers an awesomely hot 9-1-0 and fifth place Columbus 8-1-1 all in their last 10 games and you can see why the Caps need to keep playing with the same focus and intensity - one game at a time - like they did yesterday to keep up and/or beyond the pace of the guys they are both chasing and being chased by this month.

Starting on Sunday they host the Florida Panthers who have not been an easy opponent for the Caps so far this season.  They've played the Panthers twice this season first on October 18th at Verizon Center a game the Caps won in a 2-1 shootout victory and then on December 18th at Sunrise Florida where the Panthers won the game in the NHL record 20th round of the shootout.  To say I think the Caps might be able to "get up" to play a hard 60:00 200' foot game against the Panthers is probably understatement but the Panthers are also playing well of late 5-3-2 (0.600 hockey) in their last 10 games and have 41 points in 35 games so far this season so are not to be taken lightly in any case.

So with those thoughts in mind I just want to once again say ...

LETS GO CAPS!!!!

Like I Said, Really, Really, REALLY Hard - Game 12, A One (1) Point Night

Well last night at Verizon Center I, a Washington Capitals fan, watched a hockey game between the Capitals and the Flames from Calgary.  It was exciting, generally well played and exceptionally frustrating to watch, at least for me. I can only imagine how frustrating this must be for both the players on the team and even more-so the coaching staff.  To be fair unlike Sunday's game where by the end you could really say nothing positive about a regulation loss at the hands of what is, was and remains an inferior opposing team, last night's game had some positives, actually a lot of positives.  However, my theme today, even upon retrospective reflection is mediocrity is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted.  Last night what the Capitals organization both needed and wanted was a 2 point regulation win - what they got was one (1) point, a loser's point, at the end of overtime.  Say what you want, a one point night that puts your team as playing under 0.500 (11 points in 12 games) hockey is mediocrity.  Mediocrity is "life on the bubble."  Life on the bubble, now early in the season or in April is not what I imagine a team with the 4th highest payroll in the league the Ted Leonsis and the Monumental Group were going for this season.  I'm pretty sure, they like we - the Capitals fan base, did not think or want a team that has trouble finishing games, for whatever reason.


However, I will not discriminate, you can't fault only the players here.  Everyone in this organization seems bent on celebrating mediocrity.  Last night the Capitals organization went out of it's way to do so.  Making sure we as fans saw the passing of the torch from Peter Bondra to Alex Ovechkin.  Celebrating Ovechkin overtaking Bondra as the leading scorer in Capitals history.  That's a meaningless record, by the way and one anyone capable of simple extrapolation knew would fall, and fall hard early in Ovechkin's career, barring significant injuries just three years into Ovechkin's career.  "Smokin' Al Koken's" Intermission Interview with Nicklas Backtrom was the height of celebrating mediocrity, however of the participants, the only one who seemed to understand just how stupid it was - Backstrom - who pointed out what one would expect both he and Ovechkin no doubt feel - "really right now it's all about getting a W."  Maybe if the organization didn't take so much away from focusing on it last night, having Ovie come out and wave to the crowd after a jumbotron homage, etc. everyone would realize what they needed to do and make sure a W for the Capitals was what happened.  Maybe if the MSM who voted the games top three stars realized that another example of the definition celebrating mediocrity is having the home team for two of the three stars of the game while not giving one of them to the guy who sealed the deal for his tam - opposition goalie - Jonas Hiller with his 0.912 SV% and robbing the Capitals in the final seconds of regulation, as well as several times in OT who "stole two points" last night for Calgary.  Fine give Ovie the third star if you want, I'm not saying his achievement isn't worth mentioning, but in the middle of a losing streak it's not worth celebrating the way this organization did last night.  Look let's face it, if this team never ever looks inside and fixes itself so it can win these games, let alone a Stanley Cup, ten years from now Ovechkin will take Marcel Dionne's place on the NHLN special on the "greatest players to have never won the Stanley Cup."  I don't think that's what the son of a two time gold medalist is shooting for, do you? But hey let's further celebrate the mediocrity of this meaningless record with a splash screen rather that focusing on fixing the team...if you've gone to the Caps website today you know what I'm talking about: "Congrats Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals Franchise Points Leader 827 points #AllTimeGr8"  Dissect that for a minute folks - All time franchise points leader of a team that in forty years has been to the Stanley Cup finals once and has never won.  Why not start a "40th Anniversary Celebration that celebrates what the Caps are really about - frustration and futility? That's what we'll keep being as a fan base unless this entire organization stops celebrating and taking joy in mediocrity.

Enough of the rant.  As I said last night's game had a lot to like, it had two short periods, maybe 4:00 of play where the Caps throttled back just a little and on both occasions, the Flames sensed it and took advantage of it that resulted in two goals for them.  If that was will that happened they'd have won.  Then we have the Flame's third goal - watch the replay - tough luck for the Caps, yet again if that was all that happened the Caps would have still won.  Then we had the save with seconds left where young Tom Wilson failed to raise the puck over Hiller's outstretched pad, again tough luck but again, if that was all that happened they could have won.  No this game was lost by the Capitals with you pick it, either the first goal of the game or the overtime goal - on both those occasions the Capitals "team" defense failed to properly challenge the Flames on the blueline and that set up the Flames ability to score a goal rather than getting a Caps "takeaway."  Other than that hey it was great, well played game by the Caps  - see how easy it is to accept and even celebrate mediocrity, maybe that's why so many do it, so often.  Look bottom lines -

• Caps forwards - all of them - need to forecheck and backcheck more aggressively and more effectively for every second of every game whether it's a 60:00 or 65:00 game.
• Caps defense  - all of them need to be better, both defensively and offensively.  Niskanen in particular needs to get his game and numbers closer to what the Caps paid for - his last season numbers.  Green needed to challenge and end up with the puck last night at the 4:10 mark of OT - watch that play, it was an inauspicious end to an otherwise good game for him.  The rest of the defense needs to be better at both ends of the ice, and get pucks through and on net in the offensive zone and be more constantly effective physically in the defensive zone.  Simply put at the end of a game against the Capitals, the entire opposing team's forward lines, every one of the twelve of them should be very, very tired and sore.
• Caps Goaltenders need to frankly not stink, mediocrity for an NHL goaltender is a less than 0.900 SV%, that's what this teams goaltenders are.  They need to do better, period.  The rest of this season and through the playoffs, they need to make all the saves they should and 70% of the rest required to win.  If they can't then management needs to move the players they need to move to get someone in here who can.  This isn't a personal assault on the goaltenders, they have in many, many cases the hardest job on the team and they have nowhere to hide.  That's the life they chose though.  They need to fix this and themselves so this happens pretty much now so in another eight games, when the season reaches the 25% mark (20.5 games played) the Caps are in a much better place as a team and with a much better record than they are now.  Make no mistake both #1 and #2 above need to happen for that to occur but number 3) is just as important as items 1) and 2) combined after watching last night's game.

Next up the Blackhawks in Chicago on Friday evening.  Look I'm still a loyal fan and I know this post will irritate some but Step One of any 12 Step program is admitting you have a problem, to me as I've ranted above right now the Caps real problem is accepting and indeed celebrating anything less than excellence.  However, anything can change and I hope for the Caps 2014-15 season that changes now - they played the game right last night and basically dominated the Flames they just did not however, "get it done" and celebrating anything about what leads to the results of "not getting it done" so far this season makes no sense to me.  So again I shout:

LETS GO CAPS!!!!

Caps Hockey What Is Has Meant and Continues To Mean to Me

Caps Hockey What Is Has Meant and Continues To Mean to Me

Thank You Ted Leonsis & Lincoln Holdings, LLC


[ed note] As regular readers of this blog know of late my postings have been spotty, with the end of Caps hockey for this season and an increased pace at "my day job" - one which I like and tend to work on and think A LOT more than most folks, a con to being a workaholic - that will no doubt continue through the remainder of the playoffs and the NHL off-season. That said these next two series for their respective Conference Championships are fuel to some musings as are several things that occurred to me during the last three games of the Caps - Pens "epic series." As such through the Conference finals I'll probably post those musings as well as my thoughts about the games and series in progress on a relatively regular basis. To spare regular readers from too large of a dose of my own, possibly less interesting musings, I'll not post those sort of things back to back. Today's post might be "a bit sappy" for some, it certainly isn't about old tyme hockey per say - not about how fun watching a Craig MacTavish - Dave "The Hammer" Schultz hockey fight was or anything like that. It's a plain and simple thank you to the ownership of the Caps for providing a vehicle and a forum for a father and teenage son to spend time together and connect better. Something I hope is not unique and in fact know is not so based on some of the other regular STH who co-reside during Capitals games with us in Section 103 of Verizon Center. As always comments and feedback are welcome and encouraged and I hope you don't find my musings too pedantic or even worse mindless drivel, of course if you do that often then I'm probably just "talking/typing into the ether".]


Well Caps Hockey is over for this season, hockey isn't over but since becoming a "real" Caps fan in 2005 and even more so a full season ticket holder in 2006, the emotional investment I make for NHL games wanes when it's not the Washington Capitals versus anybody else. I've loved hockey for 39 plus years. Growing up in Philadelphia, I became a rabid Flyers fan as an adolescent. I played regularly - street, roller and ice - in the "Joe & Mary Six-Pack" Northeast Philly neighborhood I grew up in. I was fortunate to grow up on a block with two other boys who loved hockey and who were only a month older and a month younger than me respectively. We had through our early teenage years we had a bond that was almost that of triplets and a rivalry that was almost as intense as three brothers each a year a part. The end result is we played A LOT of hockey. I was the only defenseman, my idol was Barry Ashbee. Rick was the best athlete and skater of the three of us; his real idol and model was Jean Rattelle, but being from Philadelphia his number was 12 and his overtly professed playing model was Gary Dornhofer. Truth be known, remember that rivalry, Rick was never as "scrappy" or "gritty" as Dorny. Walt was a rebel, he was a power forward, and his playing idol both in reality and self professed overtly was Vic Hadfield - gasp - a New York Ranger. None of us, least of all me, had the innate skills to ever even really think about hockey as a career. That became crystal clear to us at a couple of clinics the Flyers held at the Philadelphia Department of Recreation run Tarken Rec Center Ice Rink we played at. At least it surely did to me when I saw and realized just how awesome the skill level of two of the Broad Street Bullies, who always gave their time to community pursuits and causes - Don Saleski and Bob Kelly, was. My point being I've loved hockey for a long time and have had the pleasure of seeing and supporting two well run NHL organizations - first Ed Snider's Philadelphia Flyers and now Ted Leonsis' Washington Capitals.



Even being a huge hockey fan from way back though is not what drew me to the Washington Capitals or pushed me to become a Caps season ticket holder. What did that is that from July 2005 until the end of September 2006 I basically lived during the week in New York City while my family (wife and then 15/16 year old son) remained here in Bristow, VA. That wasn't the first time I spent a lot of time away from home for work, for most of 2 years from mid-1998 through mid-2000 I spent about 50% of my time in Ankara, Turkey. Both of those stints were very interesting and rewarding professionally, but as the New York stint ended I realized two things: A) I have a great and supportive spouse and B) I wanted/needed to spend more time with my son before his life changed and he went off to college. I needed a bridge to reconnect after being away from home most of his 15th year on this planet. During the prior two years and my year in New York I would take my son to games pretty often. We went to about 20 Caps games and 10 Wizards games in the 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 seasons. Even when I was commuting to NY, when I would come home I'd often buy either Wizard or Caps tickets. When you are 14 or older you need a reason to spend time with your dad instead of your friends. Realizing this, going to pro sports became that excuse for me/us.



As the summer of 2006 wound down and I knew I'd be home more, I struck up a conversation with my son while we were at the beach in New Jersey for our annual August trip to my sister's, formerly my parent's bungalow and he made it clear he strongly preferred Caps games to Wizard games and like his father he was an Eagles fan and had no desire whatsoever to see a season of Redskin's games. I guess I should have figured as much given my son much prefers playing sports to watching them, played roller hockey and at the time he was playing goalie on his high school lacrosse team. So after I was done with my stint in New York I called the Caps ticket office and it being in the middle of the "so called" rebuild, we were able to get two season tickets in a great location. So began our relationship with the Washington Capitals on a more than casual basis.



That first season, especially the first half of the first season was perfect for what my son and I needed and wanted. Ironically, transition of loyalties from the Flyers to the Capitals was pretty easy for me. As you may recall the Flyers finished 30th in the league standings and the Caps finished 27th. The quality of hockey either team played wasn't as bad as their finishes and records might have otherwise indicated. For my son, a goalie, there was "Olie the Goalie" so we promptly procured a black and gold "#37" jersey for him. For me, the decision as to a number was harder and I opt'ed for a #11 Halpren sweater even though he had gone to Dallas, he was an American, a local guy who got to Captain the NHL team he followed and rooted for as a kid - seemed like a good story to me. We went to 90+% of the remaining games that first season together.



The events were a great catalyst for us to reconnect - it was perfect. What made it so was a lot of things. Not the least of which is/was despite those struggles and the rebuild, the Caps were and are "a classy organization." The NHL doesn't have some of the over the top, poor, or totally unacceptable role models other pro sports who I won't call out here have as marquee stars. The Caps organization and it's players from Olie the Goalie to Alexander Ovechkin to "the grinders" were and remain fairly accessible. Even better is the fact you realize these are good and nice people who just happen to be world-class professional athletes. It's an easy thing to support and celebrate.



Caps fans at the time and for the most part remain folks you don't mind associating with or exposing your kids to. Sure of late with the larger crowds and the specter of more success we've all gotten more "passionate" and shouted the occasional less than totally clean response to something we didn't agree with. However, I've never seen things at Verizon Center like I've seen a lot of other pro sports events like the Redskins game years ago when my son was seven and a group of three drunks shouted for Norv Turner to attempt to do so many anatomically impossible things for over 10 minutes I felt the need to leave. Worse yet was trying to not answer the subsequent questions from a relentlessly inquisitive and persistent seven year old as to what the statements meant. By and large over the past 5 years of going to Caps games I've rarely seen or heard such things. I know when I've slipped the folks around me will politely but disapprovingly point out nearby children in our section, just as I do to others when they slip. For whatever reason, one of those quiet, polite admonitions tends to do the trick and keep us all on levels of acceptable behaviour and decorum. It's something I think most Caps fans want to take pride in - not being jerks - no matter how persecuted and long-suffering we feel we are. That too is certainly a lesson that I never minded my son taking away for our attendance at games.



Our second year as STH's was a little less intense for my son, he was a senior in high school, much more focused on in no particular order: girls, working (having his own money), lacrosse, doing reasonably well in his senior year, and finalizing his college selection and plans. I on the other hand was pretty hooked and had also found several folks who were generally willing to go to Caps games with me when he was working or begged off - which was generally weekend games when he was working or playing Lax and about 1/2 the weeknight games. The result was I traded in a number of games which gave me two weeknight games, one where I took a bunch of guys I went to college with, and a second where I took several guys from the neighborhood for a "guys night out." They were two awesome nights and a lot of fun. I'd love to do this more but two things have happened which are positive that make doing that like I did both those first two seasons unlikely: a) I now have a partner for our tickets so we miss fewer games and b) there aren't as many good seats available when you trade tickets in. In any case more importantly, that second season solidified going to Caps games as a reason to spend time together as father and son. In addition during the 2007 - 2008 season so much happened to be storybook. First and foremost, my son made his college selection and gained admittance to my alma mater - The United States Merchant Marine Academy. (Gotcha didn't I you thought I was going to lapse into the great comeback the Caps made last year to make the playoffs - that was awesome too - but nothing compared to the pride a father feels when the former occurs.) The Caps made the playoffs and won the Southeast Division. Bruce Boudreau won the Jack Adams. Alexander Ovechkin won just about every other possible individual honer available and it became clear the Caps were a talented and deep hockey club ready to take the next step. Also very importantly they were awesomely fun to watch.



When I renewed my seats this season I delayed however because I knew my main reason for going to hockey games was going to be living and going to school on Long Island, New York and since I tend to bellow "LETS GO CAPS" very loudly at least five to ten times a period, my wife prefers other things to going to Caps games with me. Then however, one of my classmates who had been to the game with us the prior February indicated he wanted to split the tickets. We did that, of course being slow to renew I lost my aisle seats in section 103 and had to move to interior seats in the section. Though I'm now on folding seats in the corner, if anything our sight lines are better since we are three rows higher. I'd still like our aisle stadium folding seats back, but I doubt that is going to happen, I noted the young couple who picked them up were at A LOT of games together, at least those seats went to folks who seem to be "real fans". On the plus side, my son and I went to a number of games together over Christmas Break and one during spring break - that was a lot of fun. Tom, my classmate and I had a great time at some of the playoffs together and Capitals Hockey continues to be a catalyst for me to escape from the cares and pressures of everyday life. The Capitals continue to be an organization I feel very, very comfortable supporting top to bottom and a fan base I'm more than happy to be counted among.



So for all those things, as much or more than for the obvious things like putting a world class hockey team on the ice, to Ted Leonsis, the other partners in Lincoln Holdings, LLC, the management, and the players of the Washington Capitals, I just wanted to publicly say -



THANK YOU.

Look Ahead to Tonight's Caps vs. Devils and Some Random Observations

If you want a great look ahead to tonight's Washington Capitals game there are two I came across in the "blogshpere." So since I hate being redundant my recommendation is to go over to "Caps Blue Line" or "Japer's Rink," both have good insights and I really would have just said much of the same thing that DMG says at Cap's Blue Line.

[Ed Note: I had hoped to finish some original analysis and commentary of the Caps first four games but my work schedule has been quite hectic and I spent some of today catching up on the 3 projects I'm in the middle of at my "day job" at ICx Technologies, where good things keep happening even though it is crowding out my available time for this avocation. I now doubt I'll get that finished and I will be traveling 3 1/2 of the four days next week so I might have to come up with another angle and will certainly need to update everything I've already done to stay current, timely and relevant. In the meantime, I'll try and keep this blog lively and interesting by offering some alternative perspectives on things that don't require so much thought or "homework". Sorry to disappoint my fellow Caps enthusiasts who follow this blog.]

Look ahead item number 1: On one hand, Alex Ovechkin has been held pointless in the Caps last two games so "he's probably due." On the other hand, Ovie has just three goals in his career against future Hall of Famer Martin Brodeur. Which hand will win out - this writer is betting on Ovechkin, in front of what could be a sell-out crowd at home.

Look ahead item numbers 2 & 3: Chris Bourque returns to the Caps lineup for the first time this season and Sergei Federov will play defense due to the injuries to Tom Poti and Donald Brashear who will be scratches tonight. Given Bourque's intensity in training camp and the preseason, here's betting the feisty prodigy of Hall of Famer Ray Bourque flys and makes himself a factor whenever he's on the ice. Given Federov's great play on the Blue Line so far this season, look for another solid game from him tonight. The real issue is how long can the 39 year old Federov log 20+ minutes of ice time a night before he needs some rest. Granted, "Feds" keeps himself in phoenominal shape, uses his body judiciously, and employs his phoenominal "puck sense" to conserve energy throughout a game; but, a 39 year body isn't a 27 or even a 35 year old body in Professional Sports.

Look ahead item number 4: Tonight's game will be another classic battle of two different systems. No one plays "The Trap" better than the Devils, who despite only having scored 6 goals this season are 3-1-0. On Washington's side of center ice, you'll find no more exciting team to watch in the NHL. Capital's coach Bruce Boudreau, may have single-handedly brought all out aggressive forechecking back to NHL Eastern Conference hockey. Other team's watched the Caps late season resurgence last year and have adopted this season. The result, in this writer's opinion, is the most fun to watch professional sports in DC. Here's hoping, the fun to watch Caps best the Devils if for no other reason than to again affirm the fun to watch, exciting brand of hockey they play is winning hockey, just as it was in the third period against the Penguins.

Look ahead item number 5: Will the other Caps who've gotten off to a great start (Semin, Fleischmann, Nylander, Green, Bradley, etc.) keep it up? Yes they will. However, look for all of them, especially Green as one of only six healthy defenseman in the lineup, to be a little more conservative against the "trapping Devils", especially in light of the injuries the Caps are now carrying. The Semin-Nylander pairing has been on fire, so look for the Devils to be prepared and give them the same respect they give the Backstrom - Ovechkin pairing,. Even with Kozlov and Brashear out and Federov on defense, the Capital's forward lineup is still loaded and will put three solid "scoring lines" and one "checking line" on the ice tonight. The "rebuild" is certainly over - "ain't it great?" How will "Flash" react to having recieved the hard hat from his teammates against the Penguins - I'm betting very well.

Look ahead item number 6: Speedy Brian Gionta and how the Caps counter him will be a key to the game. If the Caps let Gionta loose, it could be trouble. However, if they have guys like Bourque, Fleischmann or Steckel stay on him, Gionta could have a long, unproductive night.

All in all it will be a great game - now some random but relevant thoughts.

Random Thought Number 1: Over at "The Red Skate", as is often the case pepper has it right: Don't be that guy! There's 20 minutes intermission between the periods isn't that enough time to check you blackberry. Of course if that's a Caps fan texting a friend or spouse with "Hey Ovie just laid another great hit on Malkin" in the picture we both have some egg on our faces which lead to random thought number 2...

Random Thought Number 2: Some people really need to either lighten up or just get some cooth and class or both. I am a rabid Caps fan, I pay a fair amount for our two season tickets - granted they aren't the most expensive seats in the house and I've split them this season with a friend - but two seats in the lower bowl in the corner are over $5,000. I follow the team religiously, this summer I watched two days of Rookie Camp at Kettler, etc. I feel the Caps Organization basically owes me nothing more or less than I'm getting. Well actually that's I think the Caps give me great value for my investment when I compare it to the value I would get from a similar investment in the other pro sports teams in the DC Metro. However, that's almost besides the point, as a human being, I figure I owe other human beings the same respect, compassion and consideration I want them to give me. What's he talking about you're thinking about now, especially since it's highly unlikely the offensive individuals are folks who follow this obscure, off the beaten track blog. I'm talking about the fact that apparently, even more than in the past, and despite three direct requests to the contrary, a bunch of "muttonheads" deluged Ted Leonsis' email address with out of line, disrespectful, non-constructive emails during the first two periods of the Caps - Pens game. You know while they fell behind 3-0. My thoughts - first and foremost - it's just a game. Really I care as much as anybody and more than many but, why in the world would you let it make you act like a horse's backside? Second, I don't know of and doubt there is any other pro sports majority owner who puts himself out there and makes himself so accessible. In fact I'm fairly certain there's no other. Think about it - do you or can you easily get Dan Snyder, Abe Pollin or the Lerner's email addresses? Let alone if you do and send them an email what do you think the odds of you getting a response from any of Leonsis' peers, with the possible exception of Mark Cuban, if you send them an email? He's done that for years and now he rightfully feels he's put a very competitive team of exciting young players on the ice to watch and is providing the best pro sports entertainment value in the area to watch so he ought not to be deluged with disrespectful emails every time someone scores a goal on Jose Theodore or Brent Johnson or any of the skaters gets a penalty or take away. I agree and I posted a note on his blog as a comment thanking him for his great work, here, I urge and hope anyone who reads my blog will do the same. Finally last item on this topic, my inclusion of Mr.Abe Pollin's name here is not meant in any way to show diminished high regard for a person who has given so much to the DC Metro Area, only to highlight that not even a great, civic minded guy like him puts himself out there as much as Ted Leonsis.

Now kids, let's go out there, play nice, watch the "potty mouths" and bad words, and have a really fun and great evening.

LETS GO CAPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(Also Let's Go Nittany Lions, right now they're up 19-17 after trailing most of the game so far.)

Shame On You: Lisa Hillary and Comcast Commentators

After last night's game, Comcast sportscaster Lisa Hillary commented that the Washington Capitals had been outplayed by the Atlanta Thrashers for the first two periods before they came alive and won the game. In so doing Ms. Hillary seemed to imply the Caps had stolen a victory and two points during their trip to Atlanta. Facts and figures are quite contrary to the statement and the implication is wrongheaded to the point of being simply reprehensible. If anything, the contrary is true - Kari Lehtonen, Atlanta's 24 year old Finnish born netminder almost stole the game for his team in front of the home crowd.

Here's the facts -
shots on goal (SOG) period by period:
1st period SOG: Caps - 8; Thrashers - 6; Score at the end of the 1st: Caps 1, Thrashers 0
2nd period SOG: Caps - 14; Thrashers - 9; Score at the end of 2: Caps 1, Thrashers 3
3rd period SOG: Caps - 23; Thrashers - 2; Final Score: Caps 5 - Thrashers 3.

faceoffs won: (25 - 25 overall)
1st - Caps 4, Thrashers 5
2nd - Caps 12, Thrashers 9
3rd - Caps 9, Thrashers 11

hits - one of two tracked statistical categories Atlanta won for the overall game
1st - Caps 4, Atlanta 5
2nd -Caps 4, Atlanta 4
3rd -Caps 3; Atlanta 7 (relevant side note: the Caps were too busy shooting and forechecking to hit for 15 minutes of this 20 minute period).

The other statistical category Atlanta bested the Caps was takeaways (Atlanta 8 - Caps 7); however this is offset by the fact the Caps had four less penalty minutes for the game. Of particular note that is contrary to Ms. Hillary's ignorant comment are two key facts - 1) the first period ended with the Caps up in the most important category 1-0 and ahead or even in two of three categories that reflect the level of hustle and play for a team; 2) when the horn sounded to end the second period the Caps were behind 3-1 even though they were ahead in every tracked statical team category - the one they were behind for the period Save % is an individual statistic and when you look at the shot chart for the second period you can see that this period was Christobel Huet's worst as a Cap. The last statement is not an aspersion on Huet for being a human being for 2o minutes - if the Caps can resign him, they definitely should do so.

The source data for this analysis came from and is available on ESPN.com.

Visitors to the Washington Capitals website know that Ms. Hillary is now advertising for the Caps. Lisa Hillary is a Canadian and does know something about hockey. But since she either doesn't have the work ethic to the game to properly research her commentary; or she's not really a Caps fan; or like most mainstream media personages she's just trying to pass through so she get a bigger better gig by creating controversy - I say "Off With Her Head" (figuratively that is, after all she is generally better than average for a local cable newscaster). I urge all my readers to post a comment on Caps Majority Owner Ted Leonsis' blog or email him telling him to pull Ms. Hillary's advertisement and replace it ASAP. I also urge readers to write Comcast and ask that they hold their sportscasters more accountable to better research their reporting. At the very least, Ms. Hillary should be required to attend the Caps' Hockey and Heels night wearing a dunce cap.

Congratulations to Alexander Ovechkin on numbers 59 and 60 in a much needed win. LETS GO CAPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My Grandkids Will Probably See Ovie Play As A Cap - YESSSSS!

Okay I won't go too long or hard on this since everybody in the sports world will be talking about it for some time to come - first Thank YOU! Ted and Lincoln Holdings - Ovie's 13 year contract is the signal we all were looking for (at least me, here in Bristow). Please renew my seats in Section 103 (the corner the Caps shoot at) for next year. Also many thanks for this one - the Backstrom signed Jersey WILL be proudly displayed in my office right next to the Jersey that Johnnie and Olie signed for me at the STH party last year - that's a "way cool gift for us season ticket holders - can't wait till it comes in! Maybe for next year's STH gift, I was think now since I plan on having it there a lot for sometime to come, would you consider sending someone over to get a mold on my butt to personalize the cushion - it would probably make the experience at the VC even better though I'm not sure, Thank You! Again - I'm pretty tickled with this Ovie signing and babbling as you can tell. My only son is just 17 and will graduate high school this fall, but in earlier posts I indicated it was my hope that my grandchildren when I had them, got to see Alex Ovechkin play as a Washington Capital; this contract makes that a distinct possibility - as Napoleon Dynamite would say - YESSSSSSSS.

Also thanks to the Caps and the Coaching Staff for the last 6 weeks - hope the karma continues - we could actually make the playoffs if it does. Since the coaching change the Caps are 12-6-0-4 and have captured 28 points our of a possible 40 (playing 0.700 hockey). Even better they are 5-1-0-1 versus Southeast Division opponents. Prior to the coaching change they had scored more than three (3) goals in only 3 games and allowed more than 3 in 8 of their contests. Since the coaching change they have scored more than 3 goals in 7 games and allowed more than three goals in eight (8) games including 3 wins, NY Rangers on December 12 (Caps won 5-4), Ottawa Senators on 12/29 (Caps won 8-6); Montreal Canadiens on 1/5 (Caps won 5-4). On 2other of those 8 occasions the Caps came away with a point and a one goal overtime loss: league leading Detroit in Joe Lois Arena on 12/17 (Red Wings 5 Caps 4 in a shootout loss), Penguins in Pittsburgh on 12/27 (PIT 4, Caps 3 in an OT loss).

This isn't the same team to watch it's a lot more fun and it's not just because they are winning; it's because they are playing with confidence and a lot of cool things to watch are going on. Last night, Donald Brashear scored his third goal of the year and Matt Bradley got 2/3rd of the way to a Gordie Howe hat trick (he had the fight - a pretty good one, and the assist, all he needed was the goal to "Cap" it off and he tried to get it too.) Jeff Schultz wasn't Jeff "The Anvil" Schultz; he's been playing a different more physical game since Thanksgiving; last night Schultz had 1 hit in the stats, and he also worked the corners with confidence and man-handled a couple of the Avs out of the low slot. At the end of the third, as has been well reported elsewhere by now it was Caps 2 - Avalanche 1 and my buddy Bob who came to the game with me (his first in over 20 years) thought it was a blast to watch. I have no doubt Bob would gladly come with me again and I'd love to have him.

Unfortunately, my tickets to the Flyers game will be used by others (good Hockey Fan kind of guys though) as I have to go to San Diego on ICx Technologies business with a Sunday afternoon flight for an early meeting Monday Morning. But for the Senators game on Tuesday the 15th I'll be there with a posse of 9 of my college classmates (USMMA Class of 1982) - thanks for ticket exchange nights Ted! That should be a blast. All the Caps - Senators games so far this season have been awesome to watch and I expect this one will be the same. LETS GO CAPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ted's Take - Interesting Edits - Understandable but Disappointing

Over the past few month's I've been participating in the "blogsphere" I've noticed a few things about blogs by "new media experts" such as "Ted's Take" by Ted Leonsis and Mark Cuban's blogs. Not surprisingly, while these blogs serve to make their authors much more accessible then prior forms of communications, new media savvy execs like Leonsis and Cuban's blogs are quite self serving and pretty heavily edited when it comes to responsive comments. Regardless if they are on topic or not.

I do not take issue with the practices of these bloggers - their blogs are indeed their creations in cyberspace and it is their right to exercise some control on their web presence. Indeed over the weekend, I saw an interview with Presidential Candidate Ron Paul where he was taken to task by Internet "supporters" who hijack and otherwise twist and subvert some of his populist/libertarian views. So it's only smart that folks with high web profiles want to exercise this type of control. What I'm doing here in this article is pointing out that the practice, subtle though it is, does occur.

I offer the following two examples with regard to "Ted's Take" as evidence of it.

Back in late November I posted a comment back to Mr. Leonsis that in addition to his "Revolution Money" card and approach to the market and alternative technology and start-up "Pay By Touch" did away with the card and "token" that cash or other payment forms use by linking someone to their funds via biometrics. I pointed out that this alternative technology was potentially the next step beyond his Revolution Money venture. Not surprisingly, that post and the link to a start up one of my friends is involved with out the San Francisco Bay area never was published on his widely read Ted's Take blog; after all if it were to catch on why would anyone need Mr. Leonsis' "Revolution Money"?

In response to Mr. Leonsis' recent "Beauty is In the Eye of the Beholder" post on his Washington Capitals - I posted a response thanking him for all he and the team does for the community. I also offered five suggestions on how the Caps might enlist more cooperation of us current Caps Season Ticket Holders (STH) in trying to get a couple thousand more STHs signed up. Those suggestions were: 1) When he holds a fire sale to fill the seats next to our $75 and $58 seats for $35 to throw us a bone of some sort. 2) a) Re-sign Ovie now so we know he has a commitment to the team, b) Get a clear successor to Olie on board now, and c) Fire McPhee so we don't have a guy who can't figure out how to sign a guy like Bryzlaglov when he's available in the front office. I believe so far Boudreau is a keeper but the issues with McPhee go deeper than the coaching staff. 3) Influence the Verizon Center to fix the Ice Surface - it hurts the Caps as much or more than their opponents. 4) Improve the food at VC - it would help folks use STH for business purposes. and 5) Host two nights - weeknight games in February & March where STHs could bring an equal number of folks to the game provided they attended a reception before the game with Caps sales staff and heard the benefits of season ticket ownership. (A sales approach similar to what time shares do to sell their wares.)

The reasons for not posting the first comment are probably fairly obvious. The reasons for the second are probably more subtle - from perhaps these ideas have been discussed and discarded for sound business reasons - so why start/encourage further discussion on them if they can't/won't be implemented - to - maybe it was just too long a comment.

In any case I don't have an issue with this censorship. I haven't had reason to implement such censorship here on "Mark's Musings", but if I had the readership and number of comments that Mr. Leonsis has I'm sure I'd need to do similarly. If for example, someone posted something in response to my highlighting the offerings of ICx Technologies, that was erroneous or inflammatory, I'd be tempted to edit it as well and would do so if I felt such action was warranted. I just figured I'd use cyberspace and my own blog to bring these ideas up as well. Merry Christmas & LETS GO CAPS!!!!!!!!

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!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Another wonderful day in Bristow

Yesterday we (my nulear family - me, wife Cindy & son Chris) spent a lovely relaxing day at home. We were going to spend it in Mrytle Beach with Cindy's family but Chris started a new part time job recently at Best Buy and had to work today. It was fun seeing him being the one who had to get up early - they opened at 5AM this morning, but I digress. We had a wonderful dinner, I roasted a 9# Turkey and Cindy made all the usual "fixins" - string bean casserole and baked yams and pineapple with marshmellows on top. We relaxed and I planned our annual "holiday bash" which we'll host on Saturda.y December 8th. Now it's back to work - I have to get several things done before next week starts.

The usual football games were fun to watch yesterday - isn't Brett Farve just awesome to watch. The Packers this year certainly are on a roll as are the Colts - well given Michigan, Notre Dame and the craziness in the Big 10 at least the Pro Teams are providin mid-western football fans with a spark, eh? The Packers, Colts, Cowboys and of course, the Patriots are all just so dominant this year. There's leassons to be learned watching them for business and sports - they stick to a system and execute as a team. Oh and while I'm on the subject in the NFL there's no way to run or not run "up" the score. Let me ask you this - when you shell out what will be $200+ bucks for seats, parking, and a bottle of something to drink, do you really want to see the second and third string for 1/2 the game? Well, if you do - "we just disagree" - especially before the last game or two of the season when a team has things "locked. But I digress again.


I'll also watch the Caps-Flyers game today with great interest, as I suspect most Caps fan will. Tarik's blog yesterday was a surprise (that he did a post as well as the contents). I saw lots of banter in the blogsphere, from the malcontents, who still think the answer is to sack George McPhee as well as Craig Patrick in some cases. I think one conclusion is premature and the other is just a dumb statement. The issues to date don't seem to be a lack of enough talented players, IMHO. I look at the recent past - the last 10 games - and don't see the chemistry and discipline there like they were the first three. Putting things in place so the talented players on the team play in a motivated but disciplined manner so the whole is greater than the sum of the parts is the responsibility of the coaching staff, and at the pro level, the experienced players. From Tarik's blog it sure sounds like Boudreau understands that and will drive it home to the younger players on the team. I also think as a former NHL player he'll understand the feelings of the older more experienced guys like Olie and Chris Clark so I'm taking a position of gaurded optimism. I don't expect things overnight but I do expect folks to drive harder through all 20 minutes of all 3 periods. If nothing else the extra laps for various mistakes in practice can only improve stamina in the long run.


Relative to the comments related to Craig Patrick, I think they are ignorant and dumb. I understand that Ted Leonsis is the majority owner but he has partners and one of them is Craig Patrick. I seriously doubt he picked any of his partners lightly, including Patrick. Mr. Patrick grew up in a family with a solid NHL pedigree, some will scream that doesn't mean anything. My response is talk to folks who are rabid Clemson Football fans and see if they don't think their head coach learned anything over the dinner table growing up. There's plenty of other good examples as well. These issues aren't solely anybody's fault; one recurring theme the blogs allude to have merit - the big mistake on the Jagr extension which the Caps are still literally paying for. It's like the Texas Rangers who also had to be breathing a sigh of relief when A-Rod opted out of his "Yankees" contract this year. Welcome to the era of the salary cap - back when the "Jagr Mistake" was made it was early in the current socio-economic world of today's NHL and "shoulda, woulda, coulda" doesn't get anyone anywhere. Let's move on, I'm sure Glen Hanlon will and do well; I'm sure the Caps Ownership, Management and Players will - they live in the real visceral world where you have to do that - we fans here in "cyberspace" need to move on as well. If you're a real geek I say: clear out the buffers; flush the algorithmic filters and start anew.

If 10 to 20 games from now you still want Ted Leonsis to sack McPhee or buy out Craig Patrick; get 10 or 20 friends and buy a bunch of tickets; go to a couple games and scream a chant about it. Remember at my heart, I'm a boy from Philadelphia, growing up even when the Eagles or Phillies had horrible seasons we still had fairly good PAID attendance figures - we just gave both our own teams AND the opponents a hard time verbally. Watching Steve Carlton throw a near perfect game in a really imperfect season was still a better way to spend an evening than sitting at home. One other note on that, when I was growing up and we shouted our discontent in public, we managed to tell people to stick it without that much hardcore profanity. I've never heard that much bad language at the Verizon Center; but several years ago, I stopped taking my then 10/11 yo son to FedEx Field when I was up in the 400 level and a whole section of drunks were really, really vile in the description of what they wanted Norv Turner to do by/to himself. That was my last game with him for a long time because I didn't want to subject my son to that environment. (Please put this in context and remember this isn't coming from a "prude" I'm a Merchant Mariner and there's a reason for the cliche' "swear like a sailor".)


One last set of thoughts and comments about a really class act that was rightfully sacked yesterday. I think it's really ignorant and yes - stupid - to not agree and admit that Hanlon is a driven guy and solid coach. He was an NHL player - actually a goalie - for many years; to compete at the highest level of your sport you have to be a special person both physically and mentally. But to be a goalkeeper in any sport - soccer; lacrosse; or hockey - you have to be so mentally tough and competitive - the description "Type A" has to be understatement. Yes it's true, the last two months have been painful for us fans to watch; but I cannot accept it was because of lack of drive, desire or intensity on Hanlon's part. He and this team are just at a juncture where a new set of eyes and fresh approach are needed. I have no doubt Glen Hanlon will be back at the helm of an NHL club and do well soon. We should wish him well, thank him for three solid years, and we should let the dust on this change settle before we get ahead of ourselves on calling for other wholesale changes.

Now back to work, lunch break is over.

Caps Tonight (Home Loss to Atlanta)

Since I thought we'd be out of town I sold my tickets for tonight's game vs. Atlanta so I watched on the tube. I also cruised the other blogs that I look at (Japer's Rink, Ted's Take, etc.). The Caps, like most things in my life these days, perplex me. Alex Ovechkin and Olie the Goalie are awesome and the Caps have so many other really great players this season but, for whatever reason, 25% through this season they aren't clicking as a team. The Caps are the only DC team I'm a die-hard fan of; for the most part I hold to my childhood teams, particularly the Eagles - talking about perplexing teams; and the Phillies. For the NBA I really don't have a team for whatever reason I never got into the 76ers - don't get me wrong I don't mind watching a game - who can't enjoy watching the giants in the sport of basketball light up the courts, especially during the playoffs when they don't just give 100% but are all putting out 110+%? (and the Wizards are a fun night out) But I digress - tonight's caps game - why do they do "that"? - you know what I'm talking about - that seemingly, of late, inevitable ~10minutes of every game where they all (the Caps) seem to not be "there" and the other team just goes crazy. One minute they're in the game and starting to look like the team that played the first three games this season and then 5-10 minutes later they are down by 2 or more goals and someones in the penalty box to boot...

There will no doubt be more "soul" searching but from the outside looking in one can't help question the preperation especially looking at the stats and the unending changes to the lines, and the lapses in efforts by the defense.

I'll keep coming, if for no other reason than to see the magic Ovie and Semin can do with a hockey puck and hockey stick and to see the great saves and determination of Olie the Goalie. Also the Caps are a class organization and of all pro athletes NHL players in general and the Caps in particular are just great corporate citizens of their communities and basically good examples to kids. But wouldn't it be a lot more fun to go to the Verizon Center and watch them win more often and with this team of super players why can't we have that kind of experience more often.