Leftovers: Media Day Interviews

by J.P. on Sep 15, 2009 5:04 PM EDT

Most of the quotes I got at Media Day on Saturday made it into the post on Bob Woods' impact on the Caps' young defensemen. But there were a couple of other topics covered, some of which might find their way into future posts, while some won't. Rather than hoard them, I'll throw 'em out to you all here.

Bruce Boudreau

Japers' Rink: With all the success you had last year during the regular season and the expectations this year, how do you stay focused over an 82-game regular season?

Boudreau: I'm looking to stay focused tomorrow - I don't know what's going on in March yet. But we will be focused because it's my job to keep them focused.

Mike Green

JR: Last season you guys had a tremendous amount of regular season success and it didn't end as well, and this year you have high expectations. How do you stay focused for 82 games over the regular season when you know that the playoffs are what really matter?

Green: I think that's half the battle - staying even keel throughout the whole season. Now a lot of us younger guys have experienced it - the travel, playing every game - and it is a long season, but you've gotta stay with it and take care of your body off the ice and on the ice and make sure that you're prepared for that new season come playoffs, because it's a whole different ball game once that starts, and if you're not in the best shape you can be in, you're not going to be at your best.

JR: How important is making Team Canada for you?

Green: It's extremely important for me personally. Growing up, I've always wanted to play in the Olympics and I have an opportunity now, but I'm not going to dwell on it too much and think about it every day; I'm going to worry about my team here and if they want me to be there, I'll do my best when I'm there.

JR: If you make the Canadian Team and you're in Vancouver and you've got Ovi lined up, do you take a shot at him?

Green: Sure. It's the Olympics - you're playing for your country. No, I'm not going to try to injure him, but I'll be playing my hardest.

Jeff Schultz

JR: What kind of things are you working on in your game, on or off the ice, for this year?

Schultz: Every year I'm trying to get stronger and faster. I think I've finally grown into my body right now and I'm able to put weight on and keep it on, so that's helping out. Maybe being a little more offensive, get a few more shots on net; I'd like to get a few more points than I have the past few years.

JR: [Re: The competition on the blueline]

Schultz: It's what everybody needs here. There are a lot of young guys coming up that want to leave a good impression and there's the older guys that want to say that ‘you're gonna have to fight us for these jobs here.' So I think camp's gonna be real competitive and that's a good thing.

JR: So are you one of these older guys... ?

Schultz: [laughs] I'm still fighting for a job.

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Boudreau: I’m looking to stay focused tomorrow – I don’t know what’s going on in March yet. But we will be focused because it’s my job to keep them focused.

This is an extremely disappointing answer. Was it not his job to keep them focused last year? Does he deny the lack of focus? Is there anything he learned about trying to keep them focused? Is he going to change his approach at all? I don’t expect him to give up the inner workings of the team but a little acknowledgment of last season’s problems would be nice.

A man must have a code.

by Rob Parker on Sep 15, 2009 5:15 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Agreed. I was hoping for “Well, we need to realize that the habits you form in February stay with you in April…” etc.

On a related note, I liked Green’s answer to the similar question.

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

by J.P. on Sep 15, 2009 5:35 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah I agree. Green’s been saying the right things so far so let’s hope he has really taken it to heart; not just learned that these are the answers he needs to give. I’m trying to restrain my optimism for him this season because it’s unlikely he’ll be as offensively dominant as last year; but if he did that last year when he was fat and injured just imagine where his ceiling is.

A man must have a code.

by Rob Parker on Sep 15, 2009 6:12 PM EDT up reply actions

He can’t shut off the Yogi Berra persona for the press all the time, you know.

"Why the [frak] would I live to 100? I'm 73 and [stuff's] starting to get boring. By the way, there's no money left when I go, just FYI."

by Bald Pollack on Sep 15, 2009 7:46 PM EDT up reply actions

He’s just happy to be here. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes you get snowed in at O’Hare.

IS PAЯTY NOW

by EmilyB on Sep 15, 2009 5:28 PM EDT reply actions

Schultz’s goals:

Maybe being a little more offensive, get a few more shots on net; I’d like to get a few more points than I have the past few years

Clearly he doesn’t understand that scoring more points will just make Caps fans hate him even more.

by LSF76 on Sep 16, 2009 1:18 PM EDT reply actions

So if he puts up a hat trick, they won’t be throwing the hats for him, they’ll be throwing the hats at him?
Every time I think of angry home fans, I think of this scenario:

PA Announcer: “The 1997 Pontiac Astrowagon goes to the fan in seat 0001 — C. Montgomery Burns.”

(No one’s happy about this but Mr. Burns and Smithers, and Mr. Burns hops in his new car, which is pelted by the pretzels thrown by the angry, booing crowd.)

Announcer #1: “And here come the pretzels!”
Marge: “Oh, no! No, don’t do that! You’re suppose to be tasting them!”
Announcer #2: “Hall of Famer Whitey Ford now on the field pleading with the crowd for… for some kind of sanity.”
Announcer #1: “Uh-oh, and a barrage of pretzels now knocking Whitey unconscious.”
Announcer #2: “Wow. This is uh… This is a black day for baseball.”

Winterion Game Studios
Visit us online at : http://winterion.com

by winterion on Sep 16, 2009 1:29 PM EDT up reply actions

If Jeff Schultz scores a hat trick, I’ll eat a hat.

by LSF76 on Sep 16, 2009 5:30 PM EDT up reply actions

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Southeast Standings

	GP	W	L	OTL	PT
Florida Litter Box Cats	55	27	17	11	65
Washington Japers' Rink	55	28	22	5	61
Winnipeg Arctic Ice Hockey	57	26	25	6	58
Tampa Bay Raw Charge	55	24	25	6	54
Carolina Canes Country	56	20	25	11	51