August 30 - What's On Tap for the Hockey Starved?

Well it's another Saturday here in sunny Bristow and what's on tap for the hockey starved? Just as I was fully prepared to "use" watching a third round match between Venus Williams and Alona Bondarenko at the US Open to put off on yard work, replacing some mulch and putting weed&feed on the lawn, I stumbled onto "Alexander Ovechkin's Top 10 Goals of 2005 - 2006" on the NHL Network. Thank you! Of course it's not commercial free, but it sure beats yard work and it's Caps hockey at it's best. Even if having been there, you know some of those greatest goals came during loosing efforts. My only regret is it's only 1/2 hour show then it's back to US Open Tennis.

I have to say the top 3 (which are really the top 5 since number 3 was Ovechkin's first career hat trick) are all just awesome highlight reel goals. When you realize that as a rookie Ovie scored 52 goals and 54 assists for 106 points, at a time when it's been historically harder to score than say the fast & furious '80's, it's really even more amazing. Of course, number 1 is "THE GOAL" against Phoenix. The comments from his fellow players during this 1/2 hour show really make you understand what a great opportunity Washington DC area hockey fans have since we get to watch him every home game.

Well back to the US Open and in just over 53 minutes it seems like Venus Williams is making short work of Bondarenko, she won the first set 6-2 and she's up 5-1 in the second with Venus serving for the match. As Patrick McEnroe just said "Under an hour and match point" right before Venus wins the final game, set and match 6-2/6-1. During a commercial break from Ovie's goals I caught a 127 MPH Venus Williams first serve ace Amazing, Venus had 19 aces for the match.

Around the Caps "blogsphere" today, it's clear all Caps fans are getting a little restless. "On Frozen Blog" spoke to Chris Clark yesterday and he's 100% and looking forward to the season. Peerless has several "interesting" how they are made videos linked in - hockey pucks, hockey sticks, goalie masks, and hockey skates. At "A View From The Cheap Seats", CapsChick continues enumerating the 64 reasons she loves hockey. Japer and Alexander Ovetjkin are carrying reports that "The Great Eight" has a new love in his life, surprise, she is a tall, attractive, blonde, Russian beauty - Victoria Lopyreva, Miss Russia 2004. To be fair, checking out her website and it sure looks like she is a very smart, attractive, woman who is accomplished in her own right, in addition to being, pardon the expression a "stone, cold, fox." Hey CC, I bet a lot of guys would add #65, "Hockey Player's Girlfriends and Wives." Over at The Red Skate, the article centers on "“Hockey mom” turned VP candidate" with allusion to the fact that a vote for McCain-Palin might be a vote for Hockey fans, especially if Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty also somehow ends up in a McCain administration. So much for the hockey news, even Tarik and Corey don't have much, Corey continues his reviews of the 30 NHL teams and their prospects this coming season if you're into that sort of stuff like I am.

Can't Wait For Next Season; LETS GO CAPS!!!!!

The Tickets - Who Do You Want To Vote For

I'm a moderate and I think the next 61 days are going to be very interesting. A site I really like to look at when thinking about national and stat elections is "On The Issues.Org" What I like about this site is that it gives a really great summary of elected officials voting records and positions on many key issues. Per their analysis they then categorize an elected officials political perspective based on those positions. Here's what they have to say about the Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates:

John McCain is a Populist-Leaning Conservative;
Sarah Palin is a Moderate Populist Conservative;

Barack Obama is a Hard-Core Liberal;
Joe Biden is a Populist-Leaning Liberal.

Let the games begin - the pundits are out in force on the tube tonight and I'm sure the Republican Convention will be as Jingoistic as the Democratic Convention this past week was.

It's Still August - Hockey News? - Not So Much...

There is not even a little hockey news today - the big story is that you will need tickets, all be it free tickets, to get in and watch the Caps - Flyers Prospect Game at Kettler Center this year. The details are on Tarik's "Capital Insider" Blog as well as the Cap's Official Website.

Even the stories on TSN's site aren't too interesting and definately aren't any sort of major news. Finally if you are like me you have even gotten tired of watching reruns of the 2007 and the 2008 playoffs on the NHL Network. August, no Hockey, no Football of note, no Basketball of note, Olympics now over, no Baseball that matters if you are an O's or Nats fan so to some degree I just decided to return to my roots and cheer the Philadelphia Phillies on since they are 1/2 Game Back of the dreaded NY Mets, and there is the US Open for tennis this week. But in reality what am I thinking about besides work now that my vacation is over?

I can't wait for the Caps 2008 - 2009 season to start.

Do you think Bruce Bodreau would mind if I stopped by to see him at KCI on my way past the place going home from work next week to get a hockey fix. Would he chat with us all (I'll be your proxy) what would you ask "Gabby". I'd ask him how great it felt to finally make it to the NHL and show everyone what a great coach he is? I'd next ask what he bases his system on, and thank him for making the game so much fun to watch here in DC by letting the "young guns" play fast and furious hockey instead of the dreaded "Trap". What would you ask him if you could do so?

Can't Wait Till Next Season --- LETS GO CAPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not Much News for the Hockey Starved But - CLARKIE'S BACK!!!!

Per Tarik El Bashir over at Capitals Insider, yesterday, Chris Clark returned to the area and "he joined teammates Brent Johnson and Boyd Gordon for his first informal practice of the summer in Arlington. Clark appeared at ease when skating top speed, turning sharply and shooting (more on this later), though he did back off during the start-and-stop skating drills at the end of the session. No cause for concern, he said, he was just being cautious." Like Brent Johnson, I too think that the return of Clark is good news for the the Caps and for all Caps fans. Now that's about it for hockey news and the thoughts on it. These are the boring days of summer when it comes to hockey news and right now I can't wait till camp starts next month. And I really

Can't Wait Till Next Season --- LETS GO CAPS!!!!