Monday Caps Clips: A Winning Weekend in Washington
by J.P. on Oct 5, 2009 6:49 AM EDT
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PrintYour savory breakfast links:
- Despite the prevailing sentiment expressed in certain schadenfreude-heavy corners of the interwebs, there's still a substantial number of folks who root for both the Caps and the Redskins and to whom stuff like this is pretty cool. [D.C. Sports Bog, Comcast (video), Redskins Blog, Peerless, @homermcfanboy] Update: Check out Fight For Old DC on the subject.
- Regarding that last point, take a second and vote in the poll below.
- Alex Ovechkin's mother loves Ted Leonsis, but is somewhat less fond of Gary Bettman at present. [Capitals Insider]
- If you missed the two-part interview that Russ Thaler and Dmitry Chesnokov did with Alexander Semin for Comcast SportsNet, check it out. [Examiner]
- I buy that Jose Theodore is "under-the-gun" this season, but where does "[he] is going to have to earn the trust of his Capitals teammates" come from? [The Hockey News]
- Sovetsky Sport caught up with Semyon Varlamov after the home opener. [Examiner]
- Speaking of the Leafs game, astute point by Brian Pothier: "[Varly's] play can lead to a sort of a false sense of security a little bit, because he played so well we might have been thinking that we were playing better in front of him than we actually did." [Washington Post]
- Pictures from Saturday night's win. [Caps In Pictures]
- So far, so good for Mike Knuble. [USA Today]
- Ovechkin and Semin arguing prior to the Bruins game. Funny. [Alex Ovetjkin]
- Semin declares himself ready for "more physical play this season" and has these words of warning for the League: "Let the rest be scared of us" (though, in fairness, they sound bolder taken out of context as I did here than when shown as merely a response to whether or not the top line should be proactive or reactive in their play). [Examiner]
- A look ahead to Tuesday night's game in Philly. [Cap Centre]
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Its not so much about hating the Redskins...
…but its more about the local media’s focus on them 24/7/365. Case in point, when the Caps opened their season against Boston, on the 630 SportsNite, we got 30 seconds of the Caps in an intro, and then it was back to “what’s wrong with the Redskins”. I get that the City jumps whenever someone on the Redskins farts, but at some point, its just “enough already”, and its pretty much like that with EVERY NFL franchise, to the point where its completely driven me from the game and I only really care about football on Saturdays now.
Ron and Fez 11 to 3
by YvonLabresMoustache on Oct 5, 2009 7:11 AM EDT reply actions
Up until about 10 months ago, the Redskins dominated my life just as much as the Caps did. I had just as much of an emotional attachment to them as I did the Caps. But as last NFL season winded down, and the Caps season started to gain steam, I realized that there are so many reasons why not only do I like the Caps more, but why the NFL is inferior to the NHL. With a tight salary cap, the NHL teams are always going to be closer in competition. You will never have a team that goes anywhere close to 0-82. With the CBA, palyers cant make that much money, especially guarenteed money. Hockey players arent as selfish as NFL players (mostly). But above all, at least what I witness here in DC, hockey players are so much more passionate about the game, their team, and their teammates than NFL players. Obviously this rant is probably affected by the two teams in the area, but I have a feeling that its mostly true. Do I still care about the Redskins? Yeah. Will I still follow them in the future? Of course. Will I ever be upset about anything that happens to the Redskins as I was after Game 7 last year? Almost definitly not.
Fehr is fair, but I like Laich
Very well said. I am a fan of the Redskins’ archrival, but I can’t force myself to care about football anymore the way that I care about the Caps. I think a lot of that has to do with seeing how much passion the players have about their team and about winning the Cup. I think there is an additional factor that helps the Caps here – the special emotional attachment that comes for fans that watch a young team grow up together and evolve into a true contender with home grown talent.
There’s no other – I’m boycotting the Redskins until Danny-boy sells the team or dies. I can’t bring myself to become a full-fledged fan of another team, not even the Colts. I care about the NFL, but I don’t root for any specific team, I just want good football; the Dallas Denver game from yesterday comes to mind. That was a tense 4th quarter.
by Knee high to a duck on Oct 5, 2009 7:57 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Rec’d. I’m a dormant Redskins fan, and none of the poll responses really fit that. My response would be something to the effect of
“I used to root for the Redskins, and would enthusiastically do so again in the future if given a team and owner worth rooting for. But enough has happened in recent years to make me stop following the Redskins.”
If the definition of madness is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting a different result, then ‘Skins fans are mad for following Snyder’s team and expecting anything but disappointment.
Atta dinnin stick a who!
by Gould Old Days on Oct 5, 2009 9:21 AM EDT up reply actions
I don’t disagree and feel similarly, though I’d still rather see the Skins win than lose, which I suppose means I root for them. I long ago stopped dumping money into the franchise, as I can’t stand the guy at the top, but I still hope for wins from the guys on the field, albeit at a much lower give-a-shit level.
It’s similar in many ways to how I’ve felt about the Orioles for more than a decade now – I grew up with the team, loved them, then watched a bad owner ruin seemingly everything I loved about ’em.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Same exact pattern for me.
With the Orioles, what worries me is that they seem to have had a really fun season just now (not the least of reasons for that being that Angelos hired a professional to run the team and got the hell out of the way). But although it looks like it was a good season, it wasn’t enough to bring me back.
I used to really, really love baseball. I don’t anymore. I’m sad that I seem to have lost that. (Growing up may have something to do with it too).
Atta dinnin stick a who!
by Gould Old Days on Oct 5, 2009 9:29 AM EDT up reply actions
The O’s are still starting to trend upwards though. This season was fun only for the fact that we got to see so many rookie debuts. If you have been following this past month, it’s been downright miserable. If all goes to plan, the O’s will be hot in a couple years and the fans will come back in droves (strong emphasis on “If all goes to plan”).
"If you're gonna die after 24, might as well jump out at 23:59, no?"
by Laich It Or Lump It on Oct 5, 2009 9:34 AM EDT up reply actions
The problem is that the O’s play in the AL East – you’re always going to have two 800lb gorillas in the room if the spending continues as it has. One of them has to seriously falter, like the Yankees last year, for another team to make the playoffs out of the East.
by Knee high to a duck on Oct 5, 2009 9:42 AM EDT up reply actions
No doubt the path to success is much harder in the AL East. If the O’s can actually put up a winning season though, I think the fans will come back. The mid-90’s O’s had plenty of “all most”s and they drew a significant crowd. There are plenty of dormant O’s fans out there, and I think a winning team will bring them out of hiding.
"If you're gonna die after 24, might as well jump out at 23:59, no?"
by Laich It Or Lump It on Oct 5, 2009 9:50 AM EDT up reply actions
Right, but that was before Boston decided to spend enough to become relevant again. The Jays were on the downslope, the Yankees were in the middle of their ascension and the Red Sox were an average team at the time.
I’m not saying the fans won’t be back, I think they will be. I’m just saying it’s going to be a herculean feat just to make the post-season out of the east.
by Knee high to a duck on Oct 5, 2009 9:53 AM EDT up reply actions
Definitely agree, but it can be done. The Rays have shown us as much.
"If you're gonna die after 24, might as well jump out at 23:59, no?"
by Laich It Or Lump It on Oct 5, 2009 9:55 AM EDT up reply actions
For sure, but remember that the Yankees were barely a .500 team last year, which they fixed by throwing wads of money at Sabbathia and Texieira (and to a lesser extent, Burnett). Boston has been a 90-100 win team for at least the last decade – it would be hard to come out of the East if you merely had to compete with their records, much less having to play 16 (18? I can never remember) games a piece against them.
by Knee high to a duck on Oct 5, 2009 9:59 AM EDT up reply actions
18 games I believe, and valid points all. It would take the right set of circumstances for sure.
"If you're gonna die after 24, might as well jump out at 23:59, no?"
by Laich It Or Lump It on Oct 5, 2009 10:03 AM EDT up reply actions
With the right commissioner, the other 20some owners might one day do what it takes to make baseball competitive for all the teams.
Atta dinnin stick a who!
by Gould Old Days on Oct 5, 2009 10:21 AM EDT up reply actions
I don’t think they’ll ever be able to push the rich owners around, and that’s the problem with baseball. Until they have increased revenue sharing (specifically through shared TV revenues) and a salary cap baseball is going to have the same ridiculously unbalanced competition.
If you're after gettin' the honey, then you don't go killin' all them bees.
the thing I love about baseball, and why I can endure the Nationals, the Orioles, and baseball anywhere, is that is defines summer for me. $10 seats, a beer (and BBQ if you’re at Camden), on a beautiful summer night, that laid-back rhythm of the game. I can and have abandoned football at every level, but I cannot tear myself away from baseball. Angelos can run the team right into the ground, and I still go (less than I used to, but I still go). The Nats can loss 103 games, but I go, throwing all rational thought aside and hoping the Nats win (the outfield bar helps ease the pain).
Strangely, we’ve been blessed with two awful teams, which means anyone can just walk up and ask what’s available for that night’s game in two really beautiful parks. Even when teams win, baseball is accessible to everyone in a way that football is not.
Drinking outside in nice weather is the best reason to go to a baseball game, but I don’t follow it at all if I’m not at the stadium. I know who makes the playoffs and all that but I don’t really care. Maybe the dormant O’s fan in me will awake if they become good again, we’ll see.
If you're after gettin' the honey, then you don't go killin' all them bees.
I married a baseball player—we live and die by the sport. Gary Thorne, Jim Palmer, Bob Carpenter, and Rob Dibble dominate our TV during the summer. Yes, we are gluttons for punishment. This weekend was just brutal for us, since we have opposing rooting interests in the AL Central. Tuesday is going to seriously suck for one of us.
It’s hard to beat a $1 ticket to an O’s game.
"If you're gonna die after 24, might as well jump out at 23:59, no?"
by Laich It Or Lump It on Oct 5, 2009 10:47 AM EDT up reply actions
the thing I love about baseball, and why I can endure the Nationals, the Orioles, and baseball anywhere, is that is defines summer for me. $10 seats, a beer (and BBQ if you’re at Camden), on a beautiful summer night, that laid-back rhythm of the game.
This. I occasionally go to games for exactly this experience. There’s nothing quite like that hotdog from the ballpark.
by Knee high to a duck on Oct 5, 2009 10:51 AM EDT up reply actions
I don’t think they’ll ever be able to push the rich owners around, and that’s the problem with baseball. Until they have increased revenue sharing (specifically through shared TV revenues) and a salary cap baseball is going to have the same ridiculously unbalanced competition.
I hold out hope. In the last 20 years, the NBA, NFL and NHL have done what they needed to do to bring real competition to their leagues. Baseball has not. The big difference is that the three leagues that start with “N” have all had professional commissioners, and baseball has not.
I believe one day baseball will have a legitimate commissioner again, and some of the inherent structural problems with that league will be addressed. The current situation is bad for the sport.
Atta dinnin stick a who!
by Gould Old Days on Oct 5, 2009 11:43 AM EDT up reply actions
I can’t stress how important it is that every other league centralizes TV revenue, while baseball does not. The YES network is worth more than a lot of MLB teams (haven’t fact checked myself, but I assume it’s true).
If you're after gettin' the honey, then you don't go killin' all them bees.
Yes indeed. The NFL made the Giants share TV revenue back in the day and that’s what kept small teams like the Packers in business.
"If you're gonna die after 24, might as well jump out at 23:59, no?"
by Laich It Or Lump It on Oct 5, 2009 11:49 AM EDT up reply actions
Which is why the Yanks can basically buy a team of proven stars to field against a club made up of prospects, journeymen and a couple of stars thrown in for seasoning.
Very frustrating…
"You're gonna eat that g**d**n Koho, three!"
I’m refraining from using that little tidbit until this postseason is over.
"If you're gonna die after 24, might as well jump out at 23:59, no?"
by Laich It Or Lump It on Oct 5, 2009 12:06 PM EDT up reply actions
Too old – they bludgeon mediocre to bad pitching, which they see a lot of during the regular season, but by the playoffs they’re all worn out and they get a steady diet of good pitching.
Still, getting to the playoffs all those times is just because they’re rich…
"You're gonna eat that g**d**n Koho, three!"
and yet, they still absolutely blew chunks last season,
Being able to say this is indicative of just how screwed up the financial system is in MLB – the Yankees won 89 games last year but their financial standing such that that’s regarded as awful year.
And they won 89 while starting 3 rookies to open the season…
Any other team does that, and you’re looking at 89 losses, minimum.
The part that ticks me off the most about the Yanks and the Red Sox is that they can paper over their mistakes with money. Any other team dumps 50 million into Kei Igawa, and they’re paying for it for the next 5 years. Same with the run Boston has had at shortstop. There is basically no deterrent effect to bad decisions, because they can just eat the money and sign another FA.
"You're gonna eat that g**d**n Koho, three!"
Right. And the O’s haven’t been over .500 since I was in High School, at least. I may still be an O’s fan if 89 wins was blowing chunks.
I took a Sports and Antitrust class last year and Tom Osterag came in to talk to my class. He extolled the virtues of the MLB system and their “competitive balance” (no joke). It was all I could do to keep quiet. I went home and went through the numbers, as of fall 2008 only 1 NBA team hadn’t made the playoffs in the last ten years (expansion Bobcats who were younger than 10); 1 NFL team hadn’t made it in 10 years (Texans, younger than 10); and one NHL team hadn’t made it (CBJ, younger than 10 and now has made the playoffs). 6 of the 30 MLB teams hadn’t made the playoffs in over a decade, and that number would have been higher but for MIL and TB making their runs last year. True, MLB sends fewer teams every year, but it simply can’t be good for a league if 20% of your teams’ fans know going into a season that they have no realistic shot.
If you're after gettin' the honey, then you don't go killin' all them bees.
Your point about the professional commissioner is spot on, here.
"You're gonna eat that g**d**n Koho, three!"
I kinda like that not everyone and their brother makes the playoffs in baseball (I am not liking the whole tied after 162 games means we need a game 163, but that’s from a marital harmony standpoint)
I can understand wanting fewer playoff teams, but really the playoffs are the most exciting time so why not let more fans enjoy it. It’s not just that few teams make MLB playoffs, it’s that it’s the same few teams. I also think it’s retarded that you make the regular season so important with a 162 game schedule and then let a team get bounced in a best of 5. 3 bad games trumps 162? Chop off the last 25 regular season games and add a round of playoffs, all best of 7.
If you're after gettin' the honey, then you don't go killin' all them bees.
And this makes me laugh in light of the other thread today. The key to the health of a team is success. More playoff teams means more healthy markets and a better sport overall, financially.
Atta dinnin stick a who!
by Gould Old Days on Oct 5, 2009 4:57 PM EDT up reply actions
With you on the Orioles. I only went to 4 games this year and I live 10 minutes from the stadium.
Because now I can justify browsing and commenting during the work day with the argument that I am promoting my business.
by Sombrero Guy on Oct 5, 2009 10:40 AM EDT up reply actions
If the definition of madness is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting a different result, then ‘Skins fans are mad for following Snyder’s team and expecting anything but disappointment.
Of course, the same could apply to us Caps fans during all their years of playoff disappointment. Yet we still show up. It’s what fans do.
by b.orr4 on Oct 5, 2009 9:25 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I can deal with futile teams; I was rabid, even during the Spurrier years, to the point that I was hoarse on Mondays just from yelling at the TV, be it cheering or jeering. This has more to do with Snyder breaking the covenant that exists between fans and franchises; they’re supposed to be mutually supportive. Snyder has been the very opposite of supportive, either in terms of meddling with roster moves and signing the splashiest free-agents, be they players or coaches, to doing things like removing the public transit accessibility of FedEx field and finally suing season ticket holders.
This city pours its heart and soul into the ‘Skins and he’s done nothing but abuse that at every turn. I can’t support that and I won’t. The second he’s gone, the fandom comes back.
by Knee high to a duck on Oct 5, 2009 9:40 AM EDT up reply actions
Agreed on all counts. I guess I can separate watching the team on Sundays and not spending a penny that goes into Danny Boy’s pocket (save negligible TV ad revenues) from a total boycott. But I certainly see where you’re coming from.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
“You wanna charge me to use a damned footbridge?!?! Are you serious?!?!”
That about sums it up, I think.
"I am... *grins* ... 'Nobody' "
- Odysseus
by war_capitals on Oct 5, 2009 11:32 AM EDT up reply actions
Hmm – very similar thing going on here. I voted #1 because I still want the ‘Skins to win, but Little Danny Snyder has sucked so much of the joy out of it, that I don’t really follow them. If there was a button for “Sorta, kinda a Redskins fan, but no other team I root for” that’s what I would have chosen.
I still root for the Orioles. Baseball is such a great sport that I can’t give it up, and the O’s are the team of my childhood.
I stuck with the Caps through the laughable years before Langway, the playoff disappointments, the heady days of the Cup run, the Jagr (blech) years, the dark years of the rebuild, and now I am enjoying the fruits of persistence. Some of the bandwagon fans are a little disconcerting, but what the heck.
"You're gonna eat that g**d**n Koho, three!"
“New” is not the same as “bandwagon.” I’ve met some bandwagon Caps fans, and it’s bizzare and disconcerting. But I’ve also met some new die-hard fans, and they love the team as much as us old farts.
I find Langway is a good litmus test. If you start talking about Langway and Hunter and Hatcher and they are genuinely interested, then you’re talking to a “new” fan. If their eyes glaze over and they just don’t care, you’re talking to a “bandwagon” fan.
Atta dinnin stick a who!
by Gould Old Days on Oct 5, 2009 11:45 AM EDT up reply actions
Agree with you on the sentiment that “new” =/= “bandwagon”.
I’ll have to put your methodology to the test. If you can believe it, I saw a guy here in the hardware store this weekend (in Jackson, MS, mind you) with an AO jersey on. Stopped to chat with him, and he didn’t know any other player on the team, did not know how many “championships” the team had won, and said the thing he enjoyed most about hockey was “the fighting”. All of this he volunteered most cheerfully.
I had to shake my head…
"You're gonna eat that g**d**n Koho, three!"
Thanks for making that distinction, as I fall into the “new” category. I grew up hearing about and loving Olie the Goalie, but didn’t really start following the team until I returned home from college 4 years ago. I like to qualify my fandom by the fact that I was dragging unwilling friends to games back when they were still just barely breaking .500.
Of course, the year I move away is the year things finally start to pick up…
by SeattleCapsFan on Oct 5, 2009 5:57 PM EDT up reply actions
I voted # 2; this may be one of the reasons why.
"Good crowd out there tonight, boys, let's really try to win this one."
by Bald Pollack on Oct 5, 2009 8:09 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
“Something completely different.” Love the self-referential.
by Knee high to a duck on Oct 5, 2009 8:14 AM EDT up reply actions
Voted number 3 – Ravens. Much classier organization at present. No knock on Redskins fans, just a knock on the powers that be.
"If you're gonna die after 24, might as well jump out at 23:59, no?"
by Laich It Or Lump It on Oct 5, 2009 8:12 AM EDT reply actions
Nice to see. Us Ravens fans on here are definitely the minority. I have a gut feeling that we’ll be seeing more purple in the Baltimore/DC area in the near future.
This.
I went to my first Ravens game at the new stadium late last year and wish I had gotten there 2 hours earlier. The fans were super friendly and the atmosphere was awesome. I’d go up there just to tailgate, the pre-game was MONEY!
You Ravens fans have it good, enjoy it while the good times are rollin’. You have a disappointed Seahawk fan on your side now, just don’t blow it against the Saints in SB XLIV!!!
"I am... *grins* ... 'Nobody' "
- Odysseus
by war_capitals on Oct 5, 2009 11:35 AM EDT up reply actions
The fans were super friendly and the atmosphere was awesome.
I know what you mean though. It’s more of a small town atmosphere. The Ravens fan base really only consists of people from the city and surrounding areas, so it has that old school mentality. Like back in the old days when you only got local channels and could only watch the local team; therefore, everyone was just about the local team and had that sense of conformity (even though there is still some black and gold—yuck).
I’m also a fellow Ravens fan, and I love our small market mentality. When I’ve traveled and found other Ravens fans, they will all stop to talk to you on the street like you’re family. This has happened to me on more than one occasion in multiple cities.
I’ve also pointed out to quite a few non-Ravens fans lately that when the team sucked, our stadium was still filled. I can remember going to games at Memorial Stadium where we just got blown away, but the place was still filled. I love the dedication that our fans have to football. And as much as I hate to admit this, I think the Steelers football community is quite similar to the Ravens football community. Although in the past few years, they’ve had quite a few bandwagon fans hop on board. The Ravens don’t get bandwagoners – even after we won the Super Bowl. lol
Hey JP – I heard about this on SportsNite last night and just managed to find a link.
Ovi, Backstrom, and Green kicking (or trying to kick) field goals.
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
Thanks (note, though, that it’s the third link in the post).
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
No, it’s not. I have: Alex Ovechkin’s mother loves Ted Leonsis, but is somewhat less fond of Gary Bettman at present. [Capitals Insider]
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
Yes, it is (third link, first bullet).
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
I’m a Ravens fan, but cheer for the Skins as long as they aren’t playing the Ravens.
I grew up playing soccer on travel teams all around the mid atlantic pretty much every Sunday from age 10-17. By the time I quit playing Baltimore had the Ravens, and I started becoming more of an NFL fan. Before that, I’d cheer for and watch the Redskins but was never a huge fan.
I don’t get Ravens fans that hate the Skins and vice versa. They’re in different conferences, barely play against each other in a game that matters, and have little bearing on each other. I’d like to see both do well.
Because now I can justify browsing and commenting during the work day with the argument that I am promoting my business.
Eh, I think it’s just because the fan bases overlap so much, especially in Maryland. I personally don’t have anything against the Redskins as a franchise. In fact, I greatly respect their history. The Ravens have a great history too… if only they didn’t take a 13 year hiatus and change their name from the Colts. Not sure why they did that.
"If you're gonna die after 24, might as well jump out at 23:59, no?"
by Laich It Or Lump It on Oct 5, 2009 9:04 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I get it – there’s a biitof a bandwagon aspect to it, as the team had success relatively quickly upon arrival in Charm City. There’s also a bit of jealousy, obviously. And, of course, it’s a natural geographic rival, even if not intra-conference.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Wellll… The first year in Baltimore the Ravens were 4-12. In year two they were 6-9-1. In year three they were 6-10. And in the midst of that inglorious 16-31-1 streak they still filled a new stadium, and (I think?) sold out available PSLs.
I said “relatively quick” – a championship in Year Five is pretty damn soon.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
I don’t see the renewed support from a fan base with a long, proud tradition of football – and who happened to be robbed of their team – as bandwagondry.
"If you're gonna die after 24, might as well jump out at 23:59, no?"
by Laich It Or Lump It on Oct 5, 2009 9:25 AM EDT up reply actions
No, I think that B’more is and has been a good football town. I meant to note that the perception is there, whether or not it’s reality.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
I think that B’more is and has been a good football town
Almost as though there was some history there…
Atta dinnin stick a who!
by Gould Old Days on Oct 5, 2009 9:32 AM EDT up reply actions
Premature posting… Meant to continue “Well, at least the NFL learned a lesson with the Mayflower Vans stuff and fought hard to make sure Cleveland would always have a team. Too bad that all happened at Baltimore’s expense again.”
Atta dinnin stick a who!
by Gould Old Days on Oct 5, 2009 9:35 AM EDT up reply actions
Yea, it sucks that Cleveland lost those seasons, but at the end of the day they still have their team, their name, their colors, their mascot, their history, their records, their…..
"If you're gonna die after 24, might as well jump out at 23:59, no?"
by Laich It Or Lump It on Oct 5, 2009 9:39 AM EDT up reply actions
… his premature Subway endorsements
"If you're gonna die after 24, might as well jump out at 23:59, no?"
by Laich It Or Lump It on Oct 5, 2009 9:42 AM EDT up reply actions
Their dawg pound. Oh wait, those are the cheerleaders.
If you've read this far...seek help.
by ThePeerless on Oct 5, 2009 10:11 AM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
Careful, I can’t say I was impressed with the Red Rockers this year.
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
There’s a big quality difference b/t NHL Ice Girls/etc. and NFL cheerleaders in general, imo.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
In that one has it’s place in the sport and the other doesn’t?
"If you're gonna die after 24, might as well jump out at 23:59, no?"
by Laich It Or Lump It on Oct 5, 2009 10:17 AM EDT up reply actions
Maybe I’m not looking at this from the right perspective, but the Dallas ice girls had a lot of people drooling.
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
And yet, I’d bet not one of them could be a Cowboys cheerleader. But yeah, they’re a more attractive lot than the locals, to be sure.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
What makes you say that?
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
Because it’s damn hard making the Cowboys cheerleaders, and that goes beyond just physical appearance and dancing ability. Maybe I’m selling the Stars girls short. Whatevs.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
At the end of the day, they’re just cheerleaders. Completely irrelevant to the game on the field/ice.
"If you're gonna die after 24, might as well jump out at 23:59, no?"
by Laich It Or Lump It on Oct 5, 2009 10:36 AM EDT up reply actions
I don’t think anyone around here would disagree with that point.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
by the way… the Browns do not have cheerleaders. They are the only NFL club without them, I believe.
If you've read this far...seek help.
Close, but not 100% accurate, Z.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Heh… an entire joke lost on us puckheads.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Per Wiki, the Browns, Lions and Giants have never had ’em.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
When I am Emporer, I will unilaterally ban cheerleaders and sideline reporters.
"You're gonna eat that g**d**n Koho, three!"
When I am Emporer, I will unilaterally bannish cheerleaders and sideline reporters…. to my private quarters.
Fixed that for you.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Ehhh, not so much, actually. Not the forum for that discussion, though, so I’ll leave that for another time and place.
"You're gonna eat that g**d**n Koho, three!"
So the Bears, Packers, Lions, Steelers, Browns, Giants are the current list of teams without them?
One guy just drove his semi as a float. I guess semis are cool.
I read where Portis said he’d be at the Caps game on Thursday. One word to fans: if he does come and he’s shown on the big screen: don’t boo! They did it to Zorn last season and it’s classless. No matter what you think of the job these guys are doing on the field, appreciate that they’re coming out to support the Caps.
by b.orr4 on Oct 5, 2009 9:22 AM EDT reply actions 3 recs
About 3 ago (maybe 4 years) I was at a game (vs Montreal) with a buddy of mine and they showed Brandon Lloyd on the jumbotron. Well Mr. Lloyd had just had one of his typical games for the redskins… zero effort followed by complaining…. I let him have it. I wasn’t boo’ing because I was too busy telling him why he sucked. It was so bad, my friend was shocked at the amount of hate I was spewing.
With that said, that was the last time I boo’d another player at a Caps game. I’ve cheered them all on… Zorn, Cooley, Campbell, John Harbaugh and whoever else is in the building.
But if I ever see Snyder or Cerrato (maybe even Angelos) I will not hold back.
I buy that Jose Theodore is “under-the-gun” this season, but where does “[he] is going to have to earn the trust of his Capitals teammates” come from? [The Hockey News]
1. The Hockey News has been bagging on Theo for years.
2. Anyone who loves hockey reads The Hockey News.
3. Theo’s teammates love hockey.
I therefore follows that Theo’s teammates are on notice that Theo is lousy, and he’ll have to earn their trust. But there’s good news — It will be relatively easy for Theo to earn that trust:
1. Theo must play well enough to be noticed by The Hockey News.
2. The Hockey News will write an article full of praise.
3. Theo’s teammates will read the article, and will begin to believe in him.
It’s all pretty simple.
Atta dinnin stick a who!
Or maybe Theo’s teammates will just notice that the scoreboard consistently records fewer goals for the opposing teams, draw their own conclusions, and use the time they would otherwise spend reading The Hockey News to work on that whole “a hockey game is sixty minutes long, not forty” thing.
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I love NFL (and college) football, but I grew up around Baltimore and never really got into the Redskins after the Colts left. Today I am a die hard Ravens fan.
There is a lot more separation between DC and Baltimore sports now that Baltimore has a football team and DC has a baseball team, but when it comes to hockey, I think most folks in Baltimore (who have an interest in the sport) still consider the Caps their “home” team. Now that I live in DC, it’s easy for me to say that the Caps are the only DC-based team I really follow.
by PaintDrinkingPete on Oct 5, 2009 10:15 AM EDT reply actions
I’m the same way except for which team is involved. I grew up closer to DC and grew up with the Redskins – I now live closer to Baltimore and while I’m not as much into the NFL as the NHL, I still cheer for the Redskins.
But, I also cheer for the Ravens as long as they’re not playing the Redskins, and I still follow the Ravens week-to-week, if only because that’s the only way to get the attention of the male 7/8 of the office on a Monday morning in the fall.
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
Steelers but not Pens? Interesting.
"If you're gonna die after 24, might as well jump out at 23:59, no?"
by Laich It Or Lump It on Oct 5, 2009 10:27 AM EDT up reply actions
Actually, I don’t think it’s as strange as my friend, who has always been a Steelers fan but only recently became interested in hockey decided that the Pens were his favorite team.
Keep in mind that he’s never actually lived in Pittsburgh, and does currently live in the DC area and goes to Caps games. To me, it doesn’t make sense to follow one sports team just because they hail from the same town as one of your other favorite teams in a different sport…especially if you don’t have a home-town connection to that city.
by PaintDrinkingPete on Oct 5, 2009 10:33 AM EDT up reply actions
I grew up in MD but my dad is from Long Island. He was/is a big Giants fan but wasn’t as much of a Rags fan (though they were his hockey team). He absolutely would not let me or my brothers root for the Redskins so we were NFL orphans. The rest of my dad’s family is from Pittsburgh (3 brothers and a sister) so they sent us Steelers gear every year for xmas and pushed us to be Steelers fans. That’s how it all happened, and to this day I can’t thank my dad enough. Sadly, one of my misguided brothers succumbed and also became a Pens fan, the rest of us are Caps/Steelers fans.
If you're after gettin' the honey, then you don't go killin' all them bees.
That’s me, too — Eagles but not Flyers.
"Let the rest be scared of us." - Sasha Semin
by Scott in Shaw on Oct 5, 2009 1:30 PM EDT up reply actions
Boooooo!
j/k, but let’s keep our conversations to hockey.
by PaintDrinkingPete on Oct 5, 2009 10:27 AM EDT up reply actions
There’s a reason I never brought my Steelers fandom out before.
If you're after gettin' the honey, then you don't go killin' all them bees.
To be fair, all someone had to do was look at your “Fan Of” section in your profile.
"If you're gonna die after 24, might as well jump out at 23:59, no?"
by Laich It Or Lump It on Oct 5, 2009 10:49 AM EDT up reply actions
Yes, I agree.
So, is Ted paying Nylander to just sit this year, or what?
But Brawndo's got what plants crave. It's got electrolytes.
I hear they are close to a deal with a Russian team. It’s about the money, and they’re not too far off that I can’t see something happening.
"Let the rest be scared of us." - Sasha Semin
by Scott in Shaw on Oct 5, 2009 1:31 PM EDT up reply actions
So you think Nylander’s public statements about wanting to play in the NHL and play here are for cover?
In a perfect world, I’m sure Nyls would want to play in the NHL, and his comments are reflective of both that feeling and the fact that he is a PR-savvy veteran. I’m told he has agreed to the arrangement, though, and will be gone as soon as the details are worked out.
"Let the rest be scared of us." - Sasha Semin
by Scott in Shaw on Oct 5, 2009 1:50 PM EDT up reply actions
Got any links for this info, or are we dealing with the proverbial “inside sources”?
"You're gonna eat that g**d**n Koho, three!"
The latter.
"Let the rest be scared of us." - Sasha Semin
by Scott in Shaw on Oct 5, 2009 2:23 PM EDT up reply actions
This isn’t really news (other than that things seem to have moved forward a bit more). The front office couldn’t be dropping hints about the plan any more blatantly. It’ll happen when it happens. Hopefully in 2009.
Atta dinnin stick a who!
by Gould Old Days on Oct 5, 2009 5:00 PM EDT up reply actions
I guess I’ve been a little worried that this “plan” was more a bare concept – how to get rid of Nyls – rather than something that currently involves negotiations with an overseas club. Scott gave me a little comfort that it’s more than a pie-in-the-sky dream (not that it should be – I’m sure a Russian team would take Nyls for nothing, and if Nyls is willing to go and the Caps want him gone, it’s just an issue of how much money the Caps get back).
JP can confirm that I’ve been right before (in private email gossiping), but yeah, it’s still not news until it happens, and hope is always good.
"Let the rest be scared of us." - Sasha Semin
by Scott in Shaw on Oct 5, 2009 5:21 PM EDT up reply actions
Scott’s never steered me wrong, and if he’s going public with this rather than just dropping me a tip…
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Grew up in MoCo and Northern Virginia, so i’m a DC sports fan in general. I do like football (and the Skins, since they are my home team), but have the same sentiment about Snyder, so I don’t really follow the NFL anymore… I much prefer college football. I don’t have anything against Baltimore, but growing up in the DC area, I’ve never considered them a home team in any way (Ravens, Orioles, etc.)… so basically, I’d say sure I root for the Redskins, but I don’t follow them closely – if I only have enough energy and free time to focus on one sport, hockey definitely wins it every time :)
"No Brooks Laich, no win. Know Brooks Laich, know win."
Anyone else who thought the "OH" in the National Anthem...
…was just the way it was done?
Took me a long time to figure that one out…now that I’m eddicated and all, I only do it at O’s games, though.
"You're gonna eat that g**d**n Koho, three!"
It’s about time for Ted to film a video for the scoreboard before the anthem pleading with people to shut their yaps.
"Let the rest be scared of us." - Sasha Semin
by Scott in Shaw on Oct 5, 2009 1:32 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Hmm, I noticed Anton Gustafsson was called up on Saturday. Was he in the press box with Nyls for the game?
I’m checking on this. Fwiw, the AHL transaction page doesn’t list the recall.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Yep – confirmed by the team that Gustafsson was not recalled and that Yahoo (and other sites using the same feed) are flat out wrong.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Some interesting Caps stuff mixed in this misecellaneous CBC.ca post. Most of it may not be new, but some of it was to me.
5. George McPhee doesn’t understand where the Peter Forsberg rumours are coming from. "Not from me," he said.
I never knwo if I should believe him……
You should – there’s about a 0% chance that any rumor ever starts with George McPhee. Whether or not he has any interest, of course, is another matter. But he’s as tight-lipped as they come.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
George McPhee’s public statements about future events are 100% independent of the truth. He may or may not be interested in Forsberg, but this statement means nothing. If he was about to sign Foppa, he’d say exactly the same words.
Atta dinnin stick a who!
by Gould Old Days on Oct 5, 2009 5:02 PM EDT up reply actions
And make a trade to clear cap space or have Nylander leave to the KHL or SEL.
by red army line on Oct 6, 2009 8:59 AM EDT up reply actions
other interesting tidbits:
In going to Washington, Mike Knuble made the difficult decision to reject a free-agent plea from a former workout partner: Dan Bylsma.
this I’ve just got to hear more of.
One more note about [Green]: you may remember the story of his mother, Kate. A heart-attack survivor, she could not watch games live because of stress. She is improving, and will probably make a trip to see her son play live this season. Great news, and best wishes.
I second those best wishes!
And this:
Green is still struggling to find a stick. Easton discontinued his version, and he ran out. He was thinking of trying a Sherwood for the first time on Saturday, but went with a different Easton instead.
Someone go look @ Caps in Pictures from JPs link above, I thought I saw Gangsta with a Sherwood stick. (Work no likey blogspot sites)
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You sher-wood be correct (sigh):
But that was pre-game and Friedman might have meant he was thinking of trying it out for the game, etc.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
In-Game Photo - with Easton stick
Nice check on Primeau, BTW.
But don’t let the stick fixation drag down your whole season, Gangsta.
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Easton...
I never understood why they discontinued the Easton Stealth that Greenie loved. Green is an amazing player, and even if they were slow selling they could make more for him. They could probably attach his name to it, and sell even more. Lots of young players would want to use the stick that helped the Green get 30+ goals
I know Knuble talked a little bit about the Bylsma thing in a TV interview he did after he signed with the Caps. I’m not sure if it was a DC or Philly area TV station (I watched a few), but that’s pretty much the gist. Pitt and Philly wanted him and he chose DC, and I have to think he’s happy with his choice so far.
Erik Cole injured...
Just saw this over at Puck Daddy. Cole out 4-6 weeks with a broken leg. Not good for the ’Canes…
"You're gonna eat that g**d**n Koho, three!"
Is it too early to talk about "measuring stick games"?
Probably.
But I’m still real, real interested to see how the Caps fare against a team as good on the blue line as the Flyers. Home opener for the Flyboys, if I recall correctly, so there’s going to be effort on their part. The Caps are going to have to keep it simple and straightforward if they’re going to put some goals on the board.
Of course, it would help if Emery returns to within shouting distance of earth’s atmosphere…
"You're gonna eat that g**d**n Koho, three!"
I think if you look up “hostile environment” in the dictionary, then Flyers home opener would be one of the examples. Voted by the NHL players last year as the most disruptive fans!
Future games against Philly will be more telling. Those guys are still adjusting to each other after a fairly eventful offseason.
Atta dinnin stick a who!
by Gould Old Days on Oct 5, 2009 5:04 PM EDT up reply actions
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