tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371396492024-03-13T13:43:28.915-05:00Bettman Hates Hockey!Ok, only a nut would think that, but that's what we are around here. Nutty.FShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264441600850855345noreply@blogger.comBlogger236125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37139649.post-1072549860877687282008-08-08T09:33:00.003-05:002008-08-08T09:46:35.939-05:00For who?<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Stubhub</span> is always a blast this time of year. Ticket brokers are selling off tickets to important games, and it's always a hoot to see how much tickets are going for. <a href="http://www.stubhub.com/washington-capitals-tickets/capitals-vs-devils-10-18-2008-677976/?ticket_id=140952236">Like seats right behind the penalty box going for $8,888</a>. Against the Devils.<br /><br />Not against the Penguins or the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Flyers</span>, or against a team whom you'd love to heckle, but against the Devils. And honestly, who would spend that much money to harass Bobby <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Holik</span>.FShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264441600850855345noreply@blogger.com98tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37139649.post-815391726134531252008-06-22T11:58:00.002-05:002008-06-22T12:22:50.959-05:00Get a job, hippie!Have you ever wanted to work for the NHL? Have you ever wanted to make more than peanuts? Well you FINALLY <a href="http://hockeyjobs.nhl.com/teamwork/jobs/default.cfm">have that opportunity</a>! Among the many menial jobs out there is one fun one.<br /><br />Do you have:<br /><ul><li>Bachelors degree in sports management, business administration or related field </li><li>At least 10 years experience in a senior level marketing position and must have supervised a staff in excess of 10 employees</li><li>Possess strong sales and marketing experience in a decision-making capacity<br />Experience at a major professional team level, with a clear understanding of the components to ticket sales.</li><li>Must have significant advertising and relevant media buying experience</li><li>Must have a clear understanding of web site operations and a creative flair</li><li>Excellent oral and written communication skills</li><li>Strong project management and copy writing skills</li><li>Working knowledge of design, brand development, interactive commerce and creative process</li><li>Must possess the ability to analyze, and prepare a budget.</li></ul><p>Well shoot, you can be the new <a href="http://hockeyjobs.nhl.com/teamwork/r.cfm?i=18883">Vice President of Marketing and Community Operations</a> for the NJ Devils! You can probably get a corner office with this one folks for a scenic view of downtown Newark. I'm sure this won't last long, so get those resumes in today!</p>FShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264441600850855345noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37139649.post-23300605207716409532008-06-12T11:09:00.004-05:002008-06-12T12:00:35.777-05:00Awards Show Preview!As tonight's NHL Awards show draws near (6pm on VS), two things are certain: bad comedians hosting, and horrible rock bands most Americans outside of Buffalo, Minnesota, Michigan and Washington haven't heard of.<br /><br />One thing is certain though, Alexander Ovechkin has already won two awards, and those shiny trophies will be on display at the Kettler Capital Iceplex on Friday during your lunch break. As far as the other trophies, well, here's my predictions.<br /><br /><b>Hart Trophy</b> (Most Valuable Player, as voted on by the writers)<br />Nominees:<br />Alexander Ovechkin, Washington Capitals<br />Jaromie Iginla, Calgary Flames<br />Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins<br /><br />My prediction: Ovechkin<br />Who should win: Ovechkin<br /><br />Really isn't a question. Malkin was great for a few months when the team needed him, but the MVP of that team was Conklin, not Malkin. Iginla doesn't feel like an MVP candidate, more like a token Western Conference guy.<br /><br /><b>Vezina Trophy</b> (Best goaltender)<br />Nominees:<br />Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils<br />Evgeni Nabokov, San Jose Sharks<br />Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers<br /><br />My prediction: Nabokov<br />Who should win: Brodeur<br /><br />Brodeur is the best goalie in league history. Even if he doesn't win the Vezina, he should win a special award for playing so well behind a defense that had Johnny Oduya seeing top pair minutes. Unfortunately, the Vezina is a tricky trophy to predict since it is the only award voted on by the GMs. My gut just tells me that Nabokov finally wins it this year.<br /><br /><b>Norris Trophy</b> (best defenseman)<br />Nominees:<br />Nick Lidstrom, Detroit Red Wings<br />Zdeno Chara, Boston Bruins<br />Dion Phaneuf, Calgary Flames<br /><br />My prediction: Nick Lidstrom<br />Who should win: Lidstrom<br /><br />Lidstrom is a living legend on the blue line. He may not have had the most goals, but he had the most points and was an amazing shut down defenseman at the same time. Simply look no further than the skid Detroit hit with him out of the lineup for further proof. He probably should have been a finalist for the Hart Trophy as well.<br /><br /><b>Calder Memorial Trophy</b> (rookie of the year)<br />Nominees:<br />Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks<br />Johnathan Toews, Chicago Blackhawks<br />Nicklas Backstrom, Washington Capitals<br /><br />My prediction: Patrick Kane<br />Who should win: Patrick Kane<br /><br />Toews was in the hunt for winning until he missed time with an injury. In a year with no standout, the guy that didn't get points playing on a line with Alexander Ovechkin is going to be win the award.<br /><br /><b>Lady Bing Award</b> (most gentlemanly/best sportsmanship)<br />Nominees:<br />Jason Pominvile, Buffalo Sabres<br />Pavel Datsuyk, Detroit Red Wings<br />Martin St. Louis, Tampa Bay Lighting<br /><br />My prediction: Martin St. Louis<br />Who should win: Jason Pominville<br /><br />I don't really understand why St. Louis is up for this. He's just as whiny as any of a number of players in the league. Datsuyk certainly is a class act, but it's easier to show class when you win every game. Things weren't so easy for Jason Pominville this year, missing out on the playoffs after his team made consecutive trips to the Eastern Conference finals. This award is extremely difficult to predict.<br /><br /><b>Jack Adams Trophy</b> (best Coach)<br />Nominees:<br />Mike Babcock, Detroit Red Wings<br />Bruce Boudreau, Washington Capitals<br />Guy Carbonneau, Montreal Canadiens<br /><br />Who will win: Mike Babcock<br />Who should win: Bruce Boudreau<br /><br />The word going around is that Mike Babcock is walking away with it. And if it wasn't for that stretch when they went 1-8-2, I'd agree with you. But when you take a team from last place in the league at Thanksgiving, and steer them to the division title, well that to me is how you say "Jack Adams."<br /><br /><b>Bill Masterton Trophy</b> (perseverance, dedication to hockey)<br />Nominees:<br />Chris Chelios, Detroit Red Wings<br />Jason Blake, Toronto Maple Leafs<br />Fernando Pisani, Edmonton Oilers<br /><br />Who should win: Fernando Pisani<br />Who will win: Jason Blake<br /><br />Without taking anything away from the gentlemen who are up for the award, there are 3 easy ways to get nominated for this award: get cancer, get a weird disease that no one has heard of, get old. And all three are demonstrated this year.<br /><br /><b>Lester B. Pearson Award</b> (best player as voted on by the NHLPA),<br />Nominees:<br />Alexander Ovechkin, Washington Capitals<br />Jarome Iginla, Calgary Flames<br />Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins<br /><br />Who should win: Ovechkin<br />Who will win: Ovechkin<br /><br />See the arguments above for Hart.<br /><br /><br />Tomorrow we'll talk about how my predictions are. If I guess correctly on every trophy except the Lady Bing, I'll consider that a win.FShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264441600850855345noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37139649.post-26635681085554758912008-05-06T13:43:00.004-05:002008-06-10T17:41:15.828-05:00The Kicking RuleIt seems like not a week goes by these days when there isn't another major controversy involving the officiating. No team sport has as much controversy around their officiating as the NHL, and it's mostly because no sport has as many rules open to interpretation as the NHL does. Even when a rule is written as explicit as possible, it veil of secrecy that surrounds "The War Room" in Toronto where all instant replay decisions are made.<br /><br />You know a sport is in trouble when the biggest question facing it is what is and is not a goal. Today, we'll review the rule on the kicking motion.<br /><br />You may have a better eye than me, but it seems that any time the puck goes off a skate and into the back of the net, that the league is going to review it. The best way to determine the actual outcome of this review? Flip a coin. No really. One night a player will kick the puck directly in the net, and the league will allow it, while other nights, the player will have the puck bounce off the back of his legs and into the net and the ref will say it was kicked in, even if the player never saw it. <br /><br />The league has planned to look at this rule over the summer. The belief is that the rule is going to be modified so a kicking motion will be allowed as long as the blade of the skate doesn't leave the ice. Is rule going to get clearer? Maybe. Anything that takes discretion out of the hands of the officials/NHL war room in Toronto is ok in my eyes, but let's see if the NHL changes the rules at all, what the new rule is, and how it is enforced before we rush to any judgement. Sean Avery showed us how quickly the NHL can act when it knows it looks idiotic. The problem these days is showing the NHL just how foolish it can look.FShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264441600850855345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37139649.post-45431381787593783622008-05-05T09:57:00.002-05:002008-05-05T11:21:42.431-05:00Your Offseason PrimerAnother season, has come and gone, which brings us to the slow part of the year: The offseason.<br /><br />BHH will be around all summer long to help you deal with the most adverse effects of hockey withdraw. We'll start off discussing the ways I think the league should change the game to improve it, and don't worry, I'm not about to suggest a glowing puck.<br /><br />As May rolls into june, we'll be looking at what the Caps are looking like next year, and we'll analyze what the Caps should do in the free agent market (Hint: Not much). <br /><br />We'll spend July looking at the moves other teams made throughout the summer and how teams will change this upcoming year.<br /><br />And August will be preview time, as I do my patented player-by-player preview in time for training camp to start in September. <br /><br />The hockey may be done, but there will be plenty of writing all summer long here at BHH!FShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264441600850855345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37139649.post-60855297610483820562008-04-11T16:43:00.002-05:002008-04-11T16:43:58.639-05:00Elsewhere in the media world . . .I did an interview for the Washington Newsmagazine <a href="http://dcist.com/2008/04/11/dcist_interview_28.php">DCist</a>.<br /><br />Check it out.<br /><br /><br />I'll have something more interesting to say later on tonight. I'm too nervous to come up with anything truly interesting.FShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264441600850855345noreply@blogger.com238tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37139649.post-49162032560338198872008-04-07T10:03:00.002-05:002008-04-07T10:06:31.322-05:00Caps on the town.After putting their golf clubs back in storage for a few weeks, members of the Caps will be out and about in the District tonight as Mike Green, Bruce Boudreau, and Cristobal Huet are set to be at the Nationals game tonigh at the new Corporate Sponsor's Name Here Stadium. <br /><br />After a few people notice Brucey B warming up throwing a couple of pitches at Caps practice, it's surmised that he will be throwing out the first pitch tonight. Probably because he doesn't want to risk Green or Huet to mess up their shoulders at this time of year.FShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264441600850855345noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37139649.post-60213925738503557562008-04-06T18:19:00.001-05:002008-04-06T18:19:42.980-05:00A picture says a thousand words<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/6rg2EiSBZ6Y"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/6rg2EiSBZ6Y" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>FShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264441600850855345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37139649.post-192326315317271042008-04-02T13:47:00.002-05:002008-04-02T13:56:07.964-05:00What the world needs now . . .Is decisive leadership. From the top. I am of course looking at your Mr. Leonsis. In a way I have never called him out now, I am pointing the finger at Ted, DEMANDING that he help his team in a way he never has before.<br /><br /><br />We here at BHH want Ted to grow a playoff beard. No more of the Van Dyke. No cutsey little goatee. I want Mr. Leonsis to grow a full-blown playoff beard. <br /><br />Here is one mock up of what Ted would look like with a playoff beard.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjROI0AD78JtJi79YBuiClDvf7ljiKT-YvhjzMRPvm58gazTSxupDlydC0W9ybvahWIFGCJ1J2i2iYVv6T4IKC8rpezgbkqeNKCVL5h8T8RaraUfskeFN9OvvFvoKXqlENQHPjR0w/s1600-h/Teddy+Beard.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjROI0AD78JtJi79YBuiClDvf7ljiKT-YvhjzMRPvm58gazTSxupDlydC0W9ybvahWIFGCJ1J2i2iYVv6T4IKC8rpezgbkqeNKCVL5h8T8RaraUfskeFN9OvvFvoKXqlENQHPjR0w/s400/Teddy+Beard.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5184723591746191234" /></a>FShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264441600850855345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37139649.post-66710523160781630172008-04-01T12:39:00.005-05:002008-04-01T12:53:46.480-05:00An addition to the Caps blogging community.<a href="http://www.hockeyprimetime.com">Hockey Primetime</a> is a start up hockey forum, with a brand new Caps Blogger, Meghann Bowman. For those unaware, Ms. Bowman has edited this very blog many times. So, if you see a down turn in quality on this blog, it's most likely due to the fact that she is occupied with her own endeavors. Ah, who are we kidding. This blog doesn't have any quality.<br /><br /><br />As far as tonight's game, it's going to be an intense game, the most important hockey game in Washington in five years. If I wasn't at work right now, I'd be drinking, or sleeping, but honestly, I can't think of anything to write that hasn't been said elsewhere, so I shall bury myself in work and get ready for tonight's game.<br /><br /><br />Dear Jeebus I'm stressed.<a href="http://www.hockeyprimetime.com/meghann-bowman/the-caps-push-for-the-playoffs"></a>FShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264441600850855345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37139649.post-29012992669894800782008-03-26T14:38:00.002-05:002008-03-26T15:18:34.602-05:00Pay no attention to the Men Behind the CurtainI don't get it anymore. Anytime these days that the NHL goes to a review, you might as well flip a coin, there really is no logic behind the outcome. <br /><br />Let's look at two very similar plays last night. The first one occurred in the NJ-Pittsburgh game.<br /><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/GSUFacvl5Lg&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/GSUFacvl5Lg&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object><br /><br />If you go to the 1:09 mark of the preceeding video, you see Aaron Asham of the Devils driving the net. Kris Letang of the Pittsburgh Penguins has lost his stick and is chasing Asham. As Asham gets to the goaltender Mark-Andre Fleurry, Letang gives Asham a bear hug, and the two fall on top of Fleurry. Would Asham have run into Fleurry had he not been tackled? Maybe. We cant tell for certain. Letang certainly had a good hold on Asham though. The Devils scored on the rebound, and it was immediately washed out, and the referee on ice refused to even review it, claiming "The goalie has to be able to play the puck. Fleury was still in the crease and got bumped out."<br /><br />Now look at the play again. Two people make contact with Fleurry. Asham, and Letang. Neither of them bump him out of the crease. The player that made more contact with Fleurry was his own defenseman, who was committing a blatant holding penalty at the time without a call. The referee further compounds this by refusing to even allow a review, taking matters into his own hands. If there was a competent explanation, that's fine, but his explanation of what happened does not match what the replay shows.<br /><br />Now let's move onto exhibit 2, a very similar play from last night. <br /><br />In the second period of the Capitals - Hurricanes game, Carolina forward Eric Cole drives the net. Eric Cole skates into the middle of the crease without getting touched. Then he is legally bumped (not a bear hug) by Shoane Morrisonn, and both players go into the goalie, and the puck might have gone into the net. I'm not really sure, as I have yet to see anything showing the puck in the net. There isn't a replay available that physically shows us the puck in the net, you can even watch the NHL highlight video (the play happened with about three and a half minutes left in the second). Somehow the goal counts, and league passes along word to both telecasts that there is a view that shows the puck in the net that wasn't available to the broadcasts. Here is my question:<br /><br />What "other feed?" Why is there a feed that is available to the folks in Toronto reviewing the play that isn't available to the camera crews? Is it like the Zapruder film? What is the point of not allowing the telecasts to see something when it is available? Does the league not want the best possible telecast? It seems like every time the league doesn't know what to do, they flip a coin. To placate fans of the other team, they tell them "there was another feed" so the fans can grumble. It isn't just a problem with last night, it is an ongoing problem with the league. <br /><br />Coming out of the lockout, the league claimed that they wanted officiating to be consistent. The claimed they wanted something that was called in the first period of opening night to be the same call that was made in game seven of the Stanley Cup Finals, and that is far from the case. The league has repeatedly proved that they have favorites that get the calls, and other teams that don't get the calls. As the among of evidence keeps stacking up, it becomes harder and harder to deny. <br /><br />Something that is ruled one way in one game, is not ruled the exact same way in another game. What is a penalty for one team is not a penalty for the other team. Something that was a penalty in the first period is not a penalty in the third period. It happens time and time again, and the league won't do anything about it.FShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264441600850855345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37139649.post-24984242220953580332008-03-13T10:46:00.002-05:002008-03-13T10:50:13.476-05:00Congrats Olie!Here at BHH, we want to congratulate Olaf Kolzig on his 300th win, joining Martin Brodeur and Mike Richter as goaltenders with 300 wins with one organization.<br /><br />Sadly, in the postgame interviews, Olie made it sound like this might be his last season. We want to implore Olie to hang around a few more years so we can have more memories like this one.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/MunTf_Xcgbs&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/MunTf_Xcgbs&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object><br /><br />Besides, who will be there swearing a storm in front of children at practices?FShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264441600850855345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37139649.post-10099096183650869832008-02-29T10:28:00.003-05:002008-02-29T10:30:40.511-05:00Oh Say Can You Sing?Interested in singing the national anthem before a televised Caps game? Tuesday, March 4th (like, next Tuesday), there will be an American Idol style competition at the ESPNZone in DC at 6 pm. The winner of said competition will get to sing the "Star Spangled Banner" before the Capitals-Penguins tilt on Sunday the 9th at 12:30 pm. Good luck to all! You won't be any worse than Bitsy.FShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264441600850855345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37139649.post-43163874808731742762008-02-26T00:34:00.002-05:002008-02-26T00:37:19.863-05:00COL-NYR rumourColorado gets: Valiquette<br />Rangers get: Parker<br /><br /><br />Do I need to explain this one to you?FShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264441600850855345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37139649.post-51093964180312619002008-02-25T14:44:00.002-05:002008-02-25T14:51:09.388-05:00NYR RumourHere's another fake rumour for you all.<br /><br /><br />Rangers sign Forsberg to 3 year, $15m contract. It's a perfect fit for the team, after all, they still have about $25m in Cap space for next year ringht now, right?<br /><br />Right?FShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264441600850855345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37139649.post-40126211800610309542008-02-25T12:51:00.003-05:002008-02-25T12:56:47.337-05:00Tampa - Vancouver rumourWith every other blogger out there publishing the latest trade deadline rumours, I figured I'd spend the next 26 hours making up my own rumours off the top of my head.<br /><br />That said, here's what my sources are telling me is the latest juicy bit.<br /><br />To Vancouver: <br />Brad Richards<br /><br />To Tampa:<br />1st Round Pick<br />Alexander Edler<br />A Conditional Sedin<br /><br /><br />The way in which the Sedin is selected shall be determined by how far Vancouver advances in the playoffs. If Vancouver fails to make the playoffs, no Sedin shall be traded. If Vancouver advances to the first round, the Sedin shall be picked by rock, paper, scissors. Should Vancouver advance to the second round, the Sedin shall be determined by hot potato. Should Vancouver advance to the conference finals, the Sedin shall be picked in a thumb wrestling match between GMs Dave Nonis and Jay Feaster. Should Vancouver Make the Stanley Cup Finals, the Sedin shall be picked through an episode of American Gladiators (the old one, without Hulk Hogan). Should Vancouver win the Cup, Jay Feaster will simply take both Sedins, and Nave Nonis can suck it.<br /><br /><br />Check back through today and tomorrow for more fake trade rumours!FShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264441600850855345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37139649.post-21581574671218700082008-02-24T15:20:00.003-05:002008-02-24T15:34:50.105-05:00Another writer makes a mistake.Normally this feature is filled with a writer from an sports website that makes an egregious error. This time though, it's NHL.com. It's not a major mistake, but still, you'd expect them to be able to get the facts.<br /><br /><br />Evan Weiner has a <a href="http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=354023">niece piece about </a>the trade deadline and how it relates to Mike Gartner. Of course, there's a glaring factual error in it that makes you bang your head and wonder who makes this stuff up.<br /><blockquote>Gartner led the Caps in goals (36) and points (68) in his rookie NHL season. Over the next eight years, Gartner scored 35 or more goals annually, and became the first Capital to hit the 50-goal mark, in 1984-85.</blockquote><br />Here's the problem. There was this guy Dennis Maruk who played with Gartner early in his career, and Maruk hit the 50 goal mark twice before Gartner ever did. The year that Gartner first hit 50, some other kid on the time actually had 53 goals. I don't have the game by game stats to figure out who hit 50 first, but there's a really good chance that Gartner was actually the third Cap to hit 50. He was definitely no better than second.<br /><br />My gripe aside, this is a good article with some nice quotes from Gartner. Again, I'm not trying to tell professional writers how to do their jobs. I just wish they'd check their facts.FShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264441600850855345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37139649.post-58300527685886657652008-02-21T23:35:00.004-05:002008-02-21T23:38:23.296-05:00I've Never Been ProuderAs the Capitals headed into yet another skills competition following the completion of Wednesday's game against the Islanders, something happened in the arena that made me proud to be a Caps fan. A decent chunk of the crowd, (maybe a thousand) got up, and left. They left the game before the shootout, and that to me says more about the shootout than any focus group or Bettman spun logic EVER could. <br /><br />God bless America.<br /><br /><br />Meanwhile, our owner is trying to <a href="http://ted.aol.com/index.php?ID=1891">stifle civic pride</a>, and the Flyers <a href="http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app?service=page&page=Recap&gameNumber=918&season=20072008&gameType=2">keep on trucking</a>.<br /><br /><br />I'll probably write more on the Ted thing tomorrow.FShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264441600850855345noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37139649.post-71516675019642473522008-02-17T21:41:00.002-05:002008-02-17T21:47:53.589-05:00A New Curse?With a 5-3 loss to the Montreal Canadians tonight, the Philadelphia Flyers have extended their losing streak to 7 games. Not only have the lost 7 straight, but every single last one was in regulation, so not a single point has been gained. The losing streak started back on February 6th in a game against the Capitals, which may be remembered best as Ron Hextall night, with the Flyers having a lengthy ceremony before the game. And another lengthy ceremony during the first intermission. Well, the hockey gods were apparently upset with the lengthy delay during the game. The NHL certainly was, as they have fined the Flyers $25,000 for failing to forthcoming with the length of the pending delay. Since the Flyers have not won a game since the ceremony, one has to wonder if the Flyers have been cursed by Ron Hextall?<br /><br />I leave you with my personal favorite Ron Hextall moment.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/6rg2EiSBZ6Y&rel=1&border=0"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/6rg2EiSBZ6Y&rel=1&border=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent"width="425" height="355"></embed></object>FShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264441600850855345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37139649.post-92158706794560948172008-02-07T09:57:00.000-05:002008-02-07T09:59:27.674-05:00Vote for Ovy!You may wish you were a little bit taller, you may wish you had a girl that looked good so you could call her, but this week you can make one dream come true.<br /><br />You can vote for Alexander Ovechkin in Doc Walker's "Baller of the Week" award.<br />No really.<br /><br />Go <a href="http://wtem.com/pages/docwalker.html">here to vote</a>. It may not be the most prestigious award, but heck, it'd be funny to name Ovy a baller.FShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264441600850855345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37139649.post-63780720550209175242008-02-05T23:03:00.000-05:002008-02-05T23:12:40.865-05:00Really NHL.com?Has anyone checked out the NHL.com "recap" to tonight's win?<br /><br /><a href="http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app?service=page&page=Recap&gameNumber=805&season=20072008&gameType=2">Here's a link</a><br /><br />Caps fans are always complaining about how the NHL never gives us much love. We beat the Penguins in one of the most exciting games of the year, and it's not on NHL.com. We have the rookie of the year two years back, but the league hardly gives him lip service as the Crosby promotion machine roars on. Following the Calder victory for Ovechkin, the myth of "Ovechkin edges Crosby for the Calder" begins. We could count to hundred of screwjobs by the refs (including incidents like tonight). <br /><br />But here it is in a nutshell, from the article,<br />"With the score tied at 2 early in the third period, Nash was on a mini-break. . .Nash skated around the pileup . . . and beat Brent Morrison on the stick side for his second of the game and 28th of the season."<br /><br /><br />really NHL.com? I understand that the AP wrote the article, but shouldn't you have someone around to fix these types of things? I understand that the author probably confused the Caps' defenseman Shoane Morrisonn in there, but if that were the case, "Morrisonn" was spelled wrong.<br /><br />I'll just take the two points and move alongFShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264441600850855345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37139649.post-7661057547133323462008-02-05T15:34:00.000-05:002008-02-05T15:44:46.257-05:00853 Days"What is how long it has been since the lockout ended, Alex?"<br /><br />On October 5, 2005, the NHL resumed regular season play with all 30 teams in action. That night was heralded around the league as the debut of Sidney Crosby. Alex Ovechkin played his first game that night as well, scoring a pair of goals as the Capitals defeated the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets by a score of 3-2. 28 months later, the Caps are finally going to Columbus as part of the NHL's unbalanced schedule. I don't know about you, but that is a looooong time between games. <br /><br />Of the Capitals that are taking to the ice tonight, here is a complete list of those that played the last time these two teams tangled:<br /><br />Alexander Ovechkin<br />Matt Bradley<br />Olaf Kolzig<br />Shoane Morrisonn<br />Boyd Gordon<br /><br />We all know that the NHL's unbalanced schedule is to blame for this, and we all know that the reason the NHL created the unbalanced schedule was to create rivalries among teams that are closer to each other geographically. But think for a second. Of the four other teams in the Capitals' division, only the Carolina Hurricanes are closer to Washington than Columbus. But I won't begrudge the team a couple of trips to Florida in the middle of winter. I'm just glad the Caps will get to go off to far away Columbus more than once every three years now.FShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264441600850855345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37139649.post-22506176057686504952008-02-03T10:14:00.000-05:002008-02-03T11:05:20.816-05:00Would You Like To Take a Survery?Upon leaving the arena yesterday, members of the staff were handing out business cards that mentioned an online survey. So having some free time to myself this morning, I sat down and took the aforementioned survey, taking the onus to do what I can to contribute to a better Washington Capitals experience. That may sound cheesy, but I'm the kind of guy that believes every vote matters. You know, a nerd.<br /><br />The survey was actually about fans' experiences with the concession vendors at Washington Capitals games. I find this odd because Ted Leonsis has said repeatedly that the Capitals have very little control over the concessions in the arena, since those are controlled by Washington Sports and Entertainment (the parents company of the Wizards). The survey got me thinking about the food at Verizon Center nonetheless.<br /><br />I don't eat at the Phone Booth often. Usually I get a soda and a pretzel. My father usually buys popcorn, and my mom and sister might get a coffee from Dunkin Donuts. If they Caps are playing particularly bad, I'll drink a beer (or 4). But the food inside the stadium is so poor, I rarely, if ever, eat it. One used to be able to bring in food from the outside, but that was something that was done away with last year due to "security reasons." I assure a $5 combo from McDonalds was FAR better food than the Chicken Tender Basket and a large soda inside (which would cost three times as much).<br /><br />Thinking about how bad the food is, I started thinking about sporting stadiums I have been to in the last five years, be it for a concert or sporting event, and ranked the food.<br /><br /><b>Oriole Park at Camden Yards</b> (Baltimore): A-. Good selection, including Boog's BBQ, and all kinds of really good food. A little pricey, but the quality of the food is second to none.<br /><br /><b>Scott Stadium</b> (UVa) B+ Not great, but LOTS of variety scattered throughout. The Second Quarter Cheesburger is a staple of my diet.<br /><br /><b>Ravens Stadium</b> (or whatever corporate name it has this week. Baltimore). B+. One of the cheaper stadiums, great selection, and the lines weren't too horrific for the few Ravens games I've gone to.<br /><br /><b>Giant Center</b> (Hershey, PA) B. Not too expensive, the food is good, not great. Not a wide variety of food, but a wide variety of beer and chocolate. Duh.<br /><br /><b>The Patriot Center</b> (George Mason University) B Not a lot of variety, but not very expensive, and what they do have isn't screwed up that much.<br /><br /><b>FedEx Field</b> (Redskins, DC United Game).B Surprisingly really good food. Not surprisingly, ridiculously expensive food. Not necessarily a wide variety of food, but this is a football game. Lines weren't too horrible either, which surprised me. Then again, anything good involving the Redskins these days is a bit of a surprise.<br /><br /><b>RFK Stadium </b>(Washington DC). B- Former home of the Nationals, current home of the DC United. For the most part the food is really lousy, but cheap. Then I tried the Chicken Tenders. AMAZING. Simply Amazing.<br /><br /><b>Lincoln Field</b> (Philadelphia PA). C+. I didn't get the full experience at the stadium, as I was there for a Temple Football game and there were maybe 20,000 people there and the upper level was closed. That said, the food was decent, moderately cheap, and all around not horrible. Not great either though.<br /><br /><b>Wallace Wade Stadium</b> (Duke University). Kind of meh. Barely a stadium (does it even seat 15,000?). Food is more like a glorified high school football game than a college setting. Of course, you can also buy a large pizza from Dominos inside the arena for $15 and it tastes just as good as it would outside. An excellent idea if you spent the previous night having too much fun in Chapel Hill.<br /><br /><b>Nisaan Pavillion,</b> Bristol VA. C- Ok, not a stadium, but a concert venue. Not great food, but not horribly expensive. I guess prices trend downward when people are tailgating outside the arena. Not really much to choose from either, in food or beer. Get there early and go to one of the multitude of fast food establishments in Gainesville.<br /><br /><b>The Prudential Center</b> (Newark NJ). C. Not particularly good from my experience. Not particularly Cheap. But loads better than it was at the old arena, and not really exceptionally bad.<br /><br /><b>Verizon Center</b> (Washington DC)D-. The food is simply bad. The Fries taste like cardboard, the chips taste poisonous. The burgers are dry, the tenders are cold, and the "Papa Johns" doesn't even taste like Pizza. The only thing redeeming the place is the Dunkin Donuts inside the arena and the wide selection of beer.<br /><br /><b>Izod Center</b> (formerly Continental Airlines Arena), East Rutherford NJ. F The Worst Food Ever. I was there for a Pearl Jam concert, and was extremely disappointed in the level of food, especially after having been in the car all day.FShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264441600850855345noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37139649.post-39619861470783891972008-01-28T16:17:00.001-05:002008-01-28T16:26:51.753-05:00A good idea that works!It seems <a href="http://www.nhl.com/news/2005/09/234592.html">every</a> <a href="http://mirtle.blogspot.com/2005/11/that-dreaded-trapezoid.html">time</a> we <a href="http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1208/is_39_223/ai_55983090">turn</a> around, the NHL is coming up with some new gimmick to change the way we play hockey. Well, this weekend, we stumbled on a change that actually seemed to make the game more entertaining, even if for only the weekend.<br /><br />During the All-Star weekend in Atlanta, the VS Network had a pair of goalies equipped with microphones while the played. Not an interview on the bench, but an actual participant with the studio team while the game was even in play. Rick DiPietro and Manny Legace donned microphones and managed to bring an extra level of entertainment to the game. Whether it was DiPietro saying 'hi' to the folks at home as he was getting scored on during the openning faceoff, or Legace debating with Commissioner Bettman about the size of goalie pads, the first and third periods had an extra entertainment factor as we got to listen to the goalies chat with the guys in the booth during play. Rick DiPietro even did the play by play himself during the last thirty seconds of the first stanza.<br /><br />And of course, there's always the chance that one of the goalies could drop the f-bomb on the air. Thank goodness the game was on cable.FShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264441600850855345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37139649.post-91355552822045502322008-01-22T12:23:00.000-05:002008-01-22T12:39:38.795-05:00Record, ShmeckordCongrats to Nicklas Backstrom on becoming the first rookie EVER to record back to back 4 assist games. Think about that. In the 80+ years of the NHL it's never been done before. Not by Crosby. Not by Lemieux. Not by anyone. Of course, Gretzky was never a "rookie" in the NHL by league standards, so there's always that caveat.<br /><br />So what is Backstrom's reward? <br /><br />A Star of the night from the league at NHL.com? Nope.<br />At least he got props at ESPN.com in <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/recap?gameId=280121016">their post-game wrap-up</a>. Except that they spelled his name wrong, and the link under it goes to the Minnesota Wild's goalie.<br /><br />At the end of the day, the only place he got any credit at all for his record is from the Pittsburgh Media, who gave Mr. Backstrom Third Star of the game.<br /><br />Props from the Pittsburgh Media? Who'd a thunk it.FShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264441600850855345noreply@blogger.com1