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The "Not An Excuse" Canard

ex·cuse   (ĭk-skyōōz')

n.  An explanation offered to justify or obtain forgiveness

I'm not sure where this idea that injuries are "not an excuse" for diminshed play comes from, but I don't get it.  Injuries and good health are always an important explanation for why teams succeed and fail.  I understand that every team faces injury problems, but some have more luck in this regard than others.  It matters.  How could it not?

Would the Caps have beat the Pens if their key players had all been completely healthy?  In a series that turned on three overtime games, it's hard to imagine otherwise.  Would the Pens have won the series in fewer than seven games if they, instead, had been completely healthy -- for example if Gonchar had not missed time?  Probably so.  In a series this close, almost anything could have turned it.

But this topic runs deeper.  Every season at this time of year, I rethink what it means to be a fan.  Last year it was Morriisonn's broken jaw that caused some serious introspection -- tomorrow we'll hear the exact gory details from this year but they're already starting to leak out.  At least two players have been skating as hard as they could on broken feet.  Another with an arm that wasn't properly attached to his body.  These men have put themselves through serious pain.  And we're to blame. 

It's just not natural for someone to engage in a demanding physical activity with broken or dislocated bones.  But these men do it for us, so that we may be entertained.  Mind you, they're very well compensated.  And they love it.  But every year, on the day the season ends and we learn what everyone was silently going through, I wonder if it's enough to justify what they endure for our pleasure. 

At the very least, we should all appreciate it.  So I don't want to hear about how Alex Semin or Tom Poti or Mike Green are soft.  They have been doing things with three good limbs that the rest of us physically could not do with four.  They did it for pride, for profession, for each other, for their team.

The end of this season is disappointing, as it must be for 29 teams.  But as far as being the cause of the disappointment, well, in my mind Poti, Green and Semin are excused.

If this FanPost is written by someone other than one of the blog's editors, the opinions expressed in it do not necessarily reflect those of this blog or SB Nation.

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Well, let’s wait until the details come out, but I agree with the sentiment – of course injuries are an excuse in the explanatory sense of the word, but I think people are especially sensitive and hesitant to use it to shirk responsibility for poor performances, especially when you don’t know how banged up the other team is.

I also agree with the sentiment that these guys are warriors. In a perverse way, I love the days immediately after a playoff series when this information comes out and marveling at their courage. For example, Mike Green played the playoffs with one shoulder. Sure, he was a turnover machine and was a shell of “Mike Green.” But he also was credited with 34 hits in 14 games, and you can bet that not a one of them felt good. Tom Poti broke his foot in Game 1 of the Pens series, and yet went on to block 10 shots in the next six games. Tough. Period.

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on May 14, 2009 5:07 PM EDT reply actions  

At the end of the day, this team is a year ahead of the projected schedule, if I recall correctly. This year was supposed to be the year they got their feet wet in the playoffs, and next year was the year they started to get serious about a deep run. The miracle run at the end of the season bumped the timetable up in terms of our expectations. But if you look at it right, we were all playing with house money when the Caps dominated their division this year and came within a couple bounces of playing in the conference finals.

I’m as low as anyone over the loss and of course the manner in which it came – but I’m pleased with the development of the team.

Instead of a “how the fuck do we fix this mess” situation, which was the discussion 4 years ago in Capsland, we’ve got a targeted list of weaknesses that need addressing. That’s pretty good. We have a committed owner and a clever strategist in charge of player personnel. That’s even better.

I’ll come out and say it: Pittsburgh won this battle, but I like our long-term strategic position considerably more. After Guerin and Kunitz leave, the Pens are going to be in the same position as last year, but with fewer resources to bring to bear on the problem.

We’ll get ’em next year, dammit.

by fat_daddyo on May 14, 2009 5:52 PM EDT reply actions  

I think it significantly helps that our town is more fiscally stable, and people seem to come to the DC area more than people who go to P-burgh. More money in Teds potential coffers.

Ok, I’m reaching to find something we have over Pittsburgh. I don’t like the town or any of the teams. Ugh.

I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.

by Whiter Mage on May 14, 2009 6:23 PM EDT up reply actions  

Are both Guerin and Kunitz UFAs?

by privatewl on May 14, 2009 6:14 PM EDT reply actions  

Guerin is, Kunitz is signed through 2011-12

by automatic on May 15, 2009 12:08 AM EDT up reply actions  

GOD, i’m glad you made this post. i don’t mind fans and analysts calling out the team for the flat performance in game 7, but i think all caps fans had recognized at that point that this was not the same team that finished 2nd in the east during the regular season. even if it were just mike green playing hurt, that would be enough to drastically alter this team’s effectiveness. it really hurts me as a fan to see the press repeatedly calling green and semin and others out for terrible postseasons (though semin was obviously solid against the rangers)…these are our guys, and anyone that saw only a handful of caps regular season games and then tuned in for the playoffs just doesn’t seem qualified to shoot arrows. not the real world i realize, but that’s my instinctual reaction. clearly there was a lot of sacrifice going on in the locker room and on the ice, and i appreciate it.

by Natty Bumppo on May 14, 2009 9:19 PM EDT reply actions  

Apparently GMGM was just on EITM and said (per Tyler): Green and Poti broken bones (Poti foot but didn’t say what for Green. ) Semin jammed thumb with ligament damage. Had to numb him up before every game. AO groin.

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on May 15, 2009 9:02 AM EDT reply actions  

Further, per Tarik (who seems to have forgotten about Eric Fehr):

The injuries:

Mike Green (shoulder)
Alexander Semin (thumb)
Tom Poti (broken foot)
John Erskine (broken foot)
Alex Ovechkin (groin pull)
Shaone Morrisonn (groin, ankle)

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on May 15, 2009 12:10 PM EDT up reply actions  

Well, it’s not an excuse for Game 7, but it sure as hell does provide some perspective on how this series went. 4 out of 6 (and arguably 2 of the top 3) defensemen playing with injuries. It’s hard to know how severe they were based on this, but if defense was the biggest “question” coming in, injured defense sure isn’t gonna help.

Green’s shoulder obviously impacts the best aspects of his game with the break-out passes, controlling the puck and shooting. Also, based on nothing other than Boudreau’s comments, the physical issues became mental issues in him trying to do too much, or not being able to work around the injury to figure out how to be more effective.

With Semin, everyone always talks about his hands. Once again, don’t know the severity, but I have to assume a thumb injury would prevent him from being able to do what he does best. He is also one of the biggest talent guys, and I don’t know that he impresses me as someone who adjusts his game that well when that “talent” is hampered. We always talk about Ovie when he’s missing the scoring touch, you always see him out there hitting anything and everything to get that jumpstart. I just don’t think to this point Semin has demonstrated that tenacity.

As I said, not an excuse, but certainly a bit of perspective. And some comfort that, as everyone has been saying here for the most part, there are a few key pieces that need some attention, but there’s no need to overhaul a team full of ‘post-season do nothing softies’ as seems to be the sentiment in that not so sane part of the caps blogosphere elsewhere.

by Ames on May 15, 2009 12:37 PM EDT up reply actions  

He also forgot Schultz.

by Scott in Shaw on May 15, 2009 12:38 PM EDT up reply actions  

Heh. Me too. :)

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on May 15, 2009 1:10 PM EDT up reply actions  

What was Schultz’s injury? Have we heard yet?

by Gould Old Days on May 15, 2009 4:26 PM EDT up reply actions  

Just about to post on that, in fact…

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on May 15, 2009 5:30 PM EDT up reply actions  

Further per Tarik:

And Ovi had a pulled groin (since game 4 against Rags) and messed up wrist.

Injections required each game.

The keyboard is mightier.

by breed16 on May 15, 2009 12:12 PM EDT reply actions  

Groin injections. Yikes.

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on May 15, 2009 12:17 PM EDT up reply actions  

Groin injuries? To Caps players playing on bad ice? I’m shocked!

by Bald Pollack on May 15, 2009 1:28 PM EDT up reply actions  

These men have put themselves through serious pain. And we're to blame.

“to blame”? I might be complicit but I am not “to blame”. An enabler, okay yeah. My fault? Sorry. Does not compute.

by Uncle C on May 15, 2009 1:10 PM EDT reply actions  

There must be about 40 million or so hard core hockey fans. I definitely accept my 40-millionth-share of the blame for why they’d be willing to do this to themselves.

by Gould Old Days on May 15, 2009 2:55 PM EDT up reply actions  

. . .well, in my mind Poti, Green and Semin are excused.

I agree with this entirely. Where, in this Blame Game, does the decision to leave them in get examined. How did playing a crippled Green help our chances more than a playing a healthy Somebody Else? (Alzner is hurt too now, it seems. . . )

by Uncle C on May 15, 2009 1:16 PM EDT reply actions  

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