Wednesday Caps Clips: Round 1, Game 4 Game Day

How’d that work out for us last game?

All your obscure trade industry publications are belong to me.

So “crucial” is not necessarily “must-win.” It’s hard to keep up with these shadings, I must say.

Game 4 might be “pivotal,” or even “crucial,” but the only “must win” game of a series is an elimination game. That’s kind of the definition of “must” in this context.

Didn’t we point out here a few days back that mathematically, there is no must-win until a team loses three games in a seven game series?

Doesn’t must-win mean that, if they lose tonight, their season is over.

Bah humbug, I say.

Reading Hamilton’s work is perhaps bad for your health.

OK, there’s no doubt that the definition of “must win” is win or go home.

But I really do think that this is the game where history will be buried or history will be repeated. Tonight they need to monkeystomp the Rangers and prove to everyone that this time around they are serious contenders.

But in terms of a literal must win? Obviously not, because if the Caps lose, they still live to play another day Game 7.

Mental note for next year, start a rinkwide pool on the season/playoff’s first use of “must-win”

NBC plans to rebrand Versus with some form of NBC name. Maybe by switching the name, NBC will be able to persuade cable operators to put its channel in hotels.

This is a huge problem that needs solving for the NHL to continue to make cultural inroads. I just hope they pick a better name than SyFy.

Having paid NYC non-resident tax for many, many years while not living there, I have little sympathy for this issue. In down economic times, these are the things municipalities will do for a quick jolt of cash. And people who work in the city do make use of many city services that are paid for through taxes. Admittedly, how DC currently handles this, with not being able to set its own rules, is unknown to me. I’m surprised there isn’t already a non-resident tax.

Welcome to VA and/or MD fellas!

There’s a better chance of D.J. King scoring a Cup-winning goal than of Congress allowing D.C. to tax non-resident income.

This definitely seems like a non-starter. I just can’t see a future for a what I will now call the “Ovechkin Clause” that imposes a commuter tax on specific citizens or the general population. Most of the VA & MD congressional delegates and senators are fairly established in the committee structure of both houses and I don’t seem them lending support to a bill that reduces their own tax base in favor of an increase in DC revenue. And even if Eleanor “No Vote” Holmes Norton got it introduced, there’s no chance of it ever coming out of committee for a vote.

Commuter tax, de facto commuter tax (aka, parking tickets), red light cameras…the District is always casting covetous eyes on the revenue potential of VA and MD residents.

I couldn’t tell from the article if they’re looking for an income tax exception or an entertainment tax like in Tennessee. In all honesty, there’s nothing wrong with the District looking to tax non-residents. It could help reduce the handout they need from the fed gov because of all the federal building they can’t get real estate tax from. And as it says, it would be no different from any state that can tax non-residents.

AO’s salary wouldn’t likely be subject to the tax anyway. D.C. has an agreement with Maryland and Virginia in which residents of D.C. who work in MD or VA are not subject to the out of state tax. MD and VA reciprocate. This is known as a border state agreement, and is quite common.

If they can go after AO’s salary they can go after yours too. Why stop at pro athletes?

Don’t make this out to be something it’s not. Maryland has a Jock tax on the books and has for years.

From the state

A nonresident professional athlete or entertainer deriving income from performing services in this State has a sufficient nexus or connection with Maryland to require the filing of a nonresident return. Such individuals may also be subject to tax on the income earned in this State. Section 10-806 of the Tax-General Article requires a nonresident to file a return if the nonresident is required to file a federal return and has income or losses derived from a business, occupation, profession or trade carried on in this State.

In fact 20 of the 24 states with franchises in at least one of the four major leagues have laws that require visiting athletes to pay state income tax for each game they play there. This isn’t unique to DC or unique at all. Near every locality does this. Not saying it’s right but it’s the status quo.

Why stop at pro athletes?

Prediction: They won’t. Just give it a few years.

Hope you enjoy “Brother Sash” coming round for Xmas dinners. He doesn’t say much but he’ll no doubt intrude on your personal space anyhow.

OMG a hockey player that likes music other than country and crappy euro-booty-trance?

I heard before he checks somebody Arnott is heard to say ‘Omar coming yo.’

I think Brooksy knows his hockey. He can be a little dramatic at times, but he’s not like Wise, Wilbon or Hamilton who parachute in during the playoffs, vomit out some cliches and then leave.

I actually think they are controlling him because he’s doing what he’s always done. The system hasn’t really changed how he’s attacked. Down the wing, cut to the middle, shoot through the D. Girardi is just eating it up.

Are you saying that they need to pop that Boyle and dethrone the King while earning Dubinsky nicknames for themselves?

 TB loses 2 things in Downie, their team psycho and he is decent offensively. I just think the Pens are so decimated it hurts them to lose anyone. I say adv. TB only because of who the Pens are already missing.

I agree it hurts the Pens more because of their current injury situation. If both teams were healthy it’s probably just a wash, maybe still a small advantage for TBL.

And yeah, their D is bad. That Asham goal the other night was hilarious. Mike Rupp walks Hedman at the blueline and then the pass across on the two on one slides under Kubina. I’ve never seen a D play a 2 on 1 pass so correctly and yet so poorly. Was he in some sort of London Bridge position? How do you time the slide right and still let a puck go right under you without even getting a piece of it?