Vote 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.

You can vote for Alexander Ovechkin in Doc Walker's "Baller of the Week" award.
No really.

Go here to vote. It may not be the most prestigious award, but heck, it'd be funny to name Ovy a baller.

853 Days

"What is how long it has been since the lockout ended, Alex?"

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.

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:

Alexander Ovechkin
Matt Bradley
Olaf Kolzig
Shoane Morrisonn
Boyd Gordon

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.

Ask FS! 10/29/07

Welcome back loyal readers! It's time once again for the only online column to win the triple crown . . . in horse racing. It's "Ask FS!" Today's question comes from Suzie in Wheaton. Suzie asks

Why doesn't Nylander get moved to the [Ovechkin] line?

Great question Suzie! Hanlon loves mixing up his lines, based on performance, injury, and the moon's position, but as of yet, we haven't seen a lot of Ovechkin and Nylander together. When Nylander was acquired, everyone assumed it would be to play with Ovechkin, but everyone had the wrong Alex. Now that the Caps have no right wings (Alexander Semin and Chris Clark are both hurt), it is possible that we will see Nylander moved up to the top line, but not necessarily. In the one game that Ovechkin and Nylander saw considerable time together, we saw Ovechkin and Nylander put a -2 together up on the boards, and that seems to be the real reason that Hanlon is keeping them apart. Another reason could be that Hanlon wants to develop two scoring lines, and putting his two most healthy forwards on the same line is no way to do that. Until the team gets healthy, we really have no idea what the plans are for the future with regards to the Caps' top 6 forwards.

Thanks for the question Suzie! If you have a question you'd like to see show up in a future edition of "Ask FS!" just drop it in the comments section below, or send an email to the link provided in the profile. Until next time, "Let's Go Caps!"

Your no brain move of the week.

Am I the only one that is saying "No duh" after watching Chris Clark's breakout performance on Wednesday? It's not that hard to predict, take a guy that scored 50 goals the last two seasons on a line with Ovechkin, throw him back out there with Ovy, and watch him put in his first two goals of the season. Despite what some people have said, it's not THAT easy to play on a line with Ovechkin. If you can figure it out, you're going to get inflated points, it's that easy, as Dainius Zubrus and Chris Clark will tell you. It's also not the most obvious thing in the world, as some guys like Jiri Novotny, Joe Motzko, and Thomas Fleischman will tell you, as they have been given opportunities out the wazoo, and have been unable to perform anything.

Now that the Motzko experiment has ended, and Fleischman has been proven to be a bust, could we finally see some real playing time for Brian Sutherby? One could only hope so. Maybe #16 on the score sheet, but #1 in my heart will get to see the ice this weekend or on the ensuing "Western" road trip.

Season Preview: Alexander Ovechkin

Who? Oh, yeah. Alexander Ovechkin has completely lit up the NHL since his arrival after the lockout, starting with 2 goals in his debut. He won the Calder his rookie season, and finished 3rd in the scoring race. A slump in the middle of his second season left him with a "measely" 94 points last season, but he had to adjust to linemates being traded, and the team generally sucking in the second half. Now the Caps have increased Ovy's support cast, but not necessarily his linemates. A lot has been said about the Caps adding offense to help Ovy, but not much of that will be playing on Ovy's line. Sure Kozlov was a nice signing, but I don't think you'll find too many people out there that will say that Kozlov and Fleischmann are better players than Chris Clark and Dainius Zubrus. The real help will be in the Caps having a third line that can score, and very potent second line to play between the two lines. Will that help Ovy learn that he can't do it all by himself? Will Ovy have a "breakout" year and win the Richard trophy like everyone knows he can? Will I keep asking rhetorical questions?

Tooting another blogger's horn

Now if that wasn't misleading, I don't know what is.

If you've got some spare time today, go read Mike Vogel's piece on Ovy's offseason training over at Dump and Chase. If I had Mike Vogel's kind of connections, well, I'd probably be a professional hockey writer.

Ask FS! 4/3/07

Welcome back loyal readers! It's time once again for the only online column to constantly run out of humorous things to say, it's "Ask FS!" Today's question comes to us from Juan in Puerto Rico! Juan asks

What was your favorite moment from this season?

Great question Juan! Although I can't pick just one, I'm going to do it in the time-honored American Tradition, a top 10 list!

10. The Minnesota Wild and Calgary Flames play to a scoreless tie - last week. It was the best game of the season.
9. Olaf Kolzig blows a shutout in the last 5 minutes of the game. Pick any of the dozen or so times it's happened this year! One of the best goalies of the last ten years, but he hasn't had a shutout since the lockout (not that anyone else would playing behind the Caps).
8. Getting up to 2 Hershey Bears games. I've already doubled my attendance from last year. This would be higher up the list, but both games I attended were Shootout losses to Bridgeport. Maybe one of these days I'll see them win.
7. Alexander Ovechkin scores in the all-star game. But because Crosby didn't score, Ovechkin's performance is called a "disappointment." Go figure.
6. John Erskine scores a goal from behind his own net. A short handed goal at that. As it slowly trickled towards the empty net in a 12/2 game against Buffalo.
5. The Caps sweep Philadelphia - Fortunately the Caps managed to play all 4 games against the Flyers before they started playing better late in the season. Around the same time the Caps started to tank. Hmmm . . .
4. Alexander Semin speaks english to me. While attending a Caps practice in december, I got Alexander Semin to sign a puck for a Christmas gift. I told him spaceeba ("thanks" in russian), and he looked up at me, winked and replied "You're Welcome." I wouldn't put Semin winking at me on ANY memorable moment list, though.
3. I started a hockey blog! And the internet took an immediate decline in quality. Seriously, this has been a great way for me to pass the time when I'm supposed to be working. I've even met a few of my fellow bloggers. Oh, well, there's always drawbacks to every endeavor.
2. I met Donald Brashear. I don't like Donald Brashear. I never liked him when he was with the Flyers, but I always respected him. After watching him play this season, I don't really have that going for me anymore either. I'm sure there's something he does in the locker room that makes the team respect him, but I don't see it as a casual fan. That said, during training camp, I was fortunate enough to bump into some friends of mine after practice one day. We wandered outside and talked to the Donald as he was exiting the Ashburn Ice House, not 15 miuntes from my home. As he was signing pictures, I managed to get a loveley little photo of myself and Donald together, just to annoy a fellow Donald-hater in my father.
1. Alexander Ovechkin gets a fighting major without actually throwing a punch. In the same game that John Erskine got his lone goal of the season, Alexander Ovechkin pulled up on a check that sent Daniel Briere flying into the boards. It wasn't a clean hit, but it wasn't that dirty. It wasn't nearly as dirty as the spear Daniel Briere delivered to Ovechkin in their next meeting. Yet two Sabres players jumped over the bench and started pumelling Ovechkin from behind. Ovechkin never had a chance to get his gloves off to defend himself, yet the officials decided to give him a 5 minute major penalty.

Well, there you have it. The warmest memories from a miserable season. If you would like to submit a question to a future edition of "Ask FS!," drop a comment in the comments section below, or send me an email in the link provided in my profile. Until next time, "Let's Go Caps!"

Ask FS! 3/12/07

Welcome back loyal readers! It's time once again for the only online column that always puts the toothpaste cap back on, it's "Ask FS!" Today's question comes from Joel who ponders

Are the capitals big in Washington D.C? If AO is walking down the street do most people recognize him, or think he is a KGB officer?

Great question Joel! To answer the first part, The Caps aren't so big in DC. As very city loves a winner, the Caps tend to do about as well in Washington as a market as they do on the ice. During the Finals run in 1998, there'd be an article in every single section of the Washington Post throughout the month of May, even the Business and style sections. The past month or so We're lucky to get anything more than 3 or 4 articles a week in the Washington Post, the team's losing, combined with the success of local basketball teams, both college and pro, has greatly reduced the city's interest in hockey. As far as Ovechkin, if people saw him walking down the street, they wouldn't know who he was. If he talked, they'd think he was just another Eastern European diplomat Little do they realize he's a hockey-player by evening, and Soviet Super Hero by day. Morons.

If you've got a question you'd like to see in a future edition of "Ask FS!" You can email it to me via the link provided in my profile, or leave it in the comments section. Until next time, Let's Go Caps!

Ask FS! 3/10/07

Welcome back loyal readers! It's time once again for the only online column that knows all the lyrics to every Kris Kross song, it's "Ask FS!" Today's question comes from the Peerless who wonders,

With the addition of Alexandre Giroux, do the Caps now lead the planet in Alexes?

Great question Peerless! But to answer your question, no they don't. They greatest collection of Alexes has to belong to Alexander the Great of Macedonia. During his many conquests, Alexander left a trail of cities in his wake, all named after him. Cities named "Alexandria" popped up in modern-day Egypt, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, India and Syria.

Thanks for the question Peerless. If you have a question you'd like to see in a future edition of "Ask FS!" just drop it in the comments section below or send it to me via email in the link provided in my profile. Until next time, "Let's Go Caps!"

Ask FS! 1/11

Welcome back loyal readers! It's time once again for the internet column that singlehandedly solved the energy crisis, Ask FS! Today's question comes in from Bob in London, Ontario. Bob asks

FS,
You seem to really hate Sidney Crosby. How do you feel about the Sidney for Hart Trophy campaign that is really starting to gain ground.

Well Bob, I don't hate Sidney Crosby. I just hate revisionist history that ignores facts. I have a degree in history, and it is one thing to have history written by the winers. It's another to have it rewritten and bastardized by the losers, which is what the NHL is trying to do, as seen in my last post. Is Crosby overrated? Absolutely. In his first game in which Malkin did not have a singlge shift on his line, Crosby had no points and was a -1 last night.

In regards to the Crosby for Hart campaign, it's way too early in my book to choose that. I do have one requirement that be granted before anyone ever be considered for the Hart trophy. Did the team make the playoffs?* If your team does not make the playoffs, I don't think a player should be able to be considered the most valuable. If they were all that valuable, the team would be in the post season. If The Penguins make the playoffs, I have no problem with Secondary Sid being considered for teh Hart trophy. The exact same logic applies to Ovechkin, by the way.

Thanks for the question Bob, and remember, if you have a question that you would like to see in a future edition of "Ask FS!," just drop it in the comments section, or send me an email via the link in the profile. And remember, LET'S GO CAPS!


* = Normally I would say "do something in the playoffs," but the voting is done at the completion of the regular season, before the writers association knows what happens in the playoffs.

"I'm talking about a Whole Lot of History . . ."

Sometimes the league just sickens me. Look at the this article from NHL.com, and explain to me this part:

Crosby, the League’s leading scorer with 64 points in 37 games, is joined by five other first-time starters in the Eastern Conference starting lineup.

Washington’s Alexander Ovechkin, who nipped Crosby for the Calder Trophy last season, will play one of the wings. Ovechkin, who earned the most votes by a Russian since fan balloting began, has a League-high 26 goals this season and scored 100 points last season, the first rookie to turn that trick in 13 years.

Three step process time, kiddos.

1. Let's look at this quote right here: "Ovechkin, who nipped Crosby for the Calder Trophy last season."

2. Now, let's look at the final voting for the Calder: "Ovechkin got 124 of 129 first-place votes and earned 1,275 points in the balloting. Crosby, who received four first-place votes, had 831 points (thanks mostly to 95 second-place votes)." Shoot, Ovechkin got twenty-five percent more first place votes than Crosby got first and second place votes combined!

3. Let's look at the dictionary! The word Nip is defined as: "to defeat (an opponent) by a very close margin; edge."

Analysis: Remember the old song from Sesame Street? Which one of these things doesn't belong here? Well let me explain. When one person takes more than 96% of the first place votes, and the other person takes 3% of the first place votes, that's a runaway. That's a landslide. That's not "nipping." The NHL and it's determination to place Crosby on a Pedestal is starting to sicken me.

Back later this afternoon for "Ask FS!"

I hate being proven right.

But it happens all the time. *sigh*

I've written repeatedly how much I despise the rule about instigating in the last five minutes, and how it gives players room to make dirty hits. It's now surpassed my hatred of the shootout. Congrats NHL. Sure enough last night, with under 5 minutes left, Colton Orr makes a blatant dirty run at Alexander Ovechkin. Shoane Morrisonn goes over to talk to him about it. The end result is a Rangers Power Play, which is a joke in and of itself. Of course, Morrisonn will be suspended, because he got the instigator. Orr will be given a ticker tape parade. The NHL really tries my patience some days. It's no wonder the league doesn't have any fans. I'm as dedicated as they get, and I'm this close to giving up on the NHL.

Ask FS! 12-26

Welcome back loyal readers! It's time once again for everyone's favorite Advice column, "Ask FS!" The only column that can singlehandedly break the internet in half! Today's question comes to us form Daniel in Buffalo, who postulatesWill Alex Ovechkin still exist at the end of the night?Wow! What a deep question, Daniel! Many people jump to the assumption that Daniel was talking about whether or not Alex will still be alive, but maybe the sentiments go deeper. Maybe talking about Ovechkin's future existance is simply talking in the Philosophical sense. If Ovechkin suffers brain damage, how does that affect the antithesis of the famous Descartes postulate ("I don't think, therefore I am not?"). Maybe the poster was simply talking in the biblical sense, and had a foreshadowing of the rapture, figuring someone as blessed in skill as Alex would be among the first to ascend to heaven when the Apocalypse comes. Maybe the person was simply talking in the agnostic sense. Do any of us truly exist?

The only way to know for certain is to check back here tomorrow. I'll let you know about my own existance, and probably that of Mr. Ovechkin.

That's it for today folks. Until next time, Let's go Caps!

People are Talking. Talking about people.

I have a gripe, if I may, with the way NHL players conduct themselves in public. After attending practice last week, the Caps were very loose out on the ice, with players cracking jokes and smiling all practice. This was highlighted by a "brawl" between Alexander Semin, and Olie Kolzig, with Johnson coming over to help his partner out. This of course lead to Alexander Ovechkin coming over to help out. As a result we had a mid-ice scrum between Alexander Ovechkin and Olie Kolzig. Words cannot describe the comedy of seeing Alex trying to pull Olie's jersey up over his goalie mask to block his vision. So it was good to see the players relaxed and happy in front of the fans.

Jump forward 20 minutes, the players are coming out of the locker room to sign autographs. They are cold and distant to the fans. Signing everything politely, but not smiling, not even for photographs, warily suspicious of their own fans. Even jovial characters like Olie Kolzig and Alex Ovechkin remain stoic in the face of their autograph seeking fans, even after these fans have waited over an hour to get their signature.

Now I completely understand why the players are reserved. It's easy for one of these fans to go home, take a quote out of context, post it on a blog or message board, and suddenly someone is very upset. Take the following quote said by an imaginary player: "Teammate Y plays a great game in the open ice, but if there's an area he needs to work on, it's his toughness in the corners and along the boards." Now, suppose some ignorant person goes home and posts on a message board, "OMG! I was just at practice, and Player X said Teammate Y isn't very tough!!!!1 LOL!" I'm sure it's happened before, I'm sure something like that will happen again, and it's unfortunate.

There are certainly fans that the players will open up in front of, those that are able to build a relationship with the players, those that the players can trust, much in the same way reporters have to build their relationship with their contacts, but these fans are few and far between.

I don't like that players are afraid to talk in front of the fans, looking grim and emotionless, but I'm sure they are taught to act that way by someone, be it their agents, veterans on the team, the NHLPA, or even management. It's far too easy for some idiot fan to go home, and post something for the world to see that isn't quite true. And the fact that the players aren't even allowed to be themselves in front of their own fans makes me cry inside.

Sorry there's been no posts recently, but I've been trying to help publicize "Marty Sunglasses Night" or whatever we're calling this thing, and I spent almost my entire day off yesterday Christmas Shopping, or at Caps practice, or seeing "Agents of Good Roots" in concert. So I'm beat.

As far as tonight's action, the plan is that one should show up between sections 104 and 105 around 6:30, so that we can all be in place when the Devils come out for warmups. If you donated money, great. There should be some shades reserved for you. If you did not donate money, there should be some extra shades, but bring your own just in case. Heck, I bought 60 pairs, but I plan on bringing my own shades so there's plenty to go around.

The press has gotten on board a little with this. Dan Steinberg, official post sports blogger, has mentioned it in his daily media wrap up, the last couple of days. Elsewhere on the post front, Tarik El-Bashir told me he'd mention it in his blog, but no sign of it yet. Dave Faye had something about it in Wednesday's paper.
The word is still going strong over on the Caps' boards.

So what are Devil's fans saying about all of this? Well, in addition to the usual comments about the Caps being hicks we get unbelievably stupid comments like:

"I can't blame Marty from putting his foot down when it comes to yet another stupid rule (probably designed with the intention of "generating more offense.")"

Well, bad grammar aside, someone missed the whole point completely. Marty went to the NHL and complained about ONE PLAYER'S VISOR. The league changed the rules to punish that one player.

Of course, then there's the other types of comments one would normally associate with a team from NY:

"Your starting to sound like the guy that said here lets all drink this kool aid in a mass suicide, and then your the only one that drinks it. Because not only is your idea fuking stupid. Its going to go down in flames, and no one will even care. "

"I'm sure you'll all be touching each other too."

I cry for the metropolitan NY area. I really do.

Ask FS! 12/19

Salutations loyal readers, and welcome to another editoin of the advice column that is breaking the internet in half, "Ask FS!" I have to say, in light of Bettman Hates Hockey being the internet home of the grassroots sunglasses/Brodeur campaign, readership is at an all time high! FOUR people came by yesterday to see what is happening! I'd like to ask the dozens and dozens of readers out there to spread the word about this lovely little corner of the internet we've created together!

Today's question came via email from Victor! Victor ponders

Let's say you could get only one more autograph for the rest of your life. Which one would you get: Dale Hunter, Olaf Kolzig, or Alexander Ovechkin, and why?

Great question Victor! For me, that's the easiest question ever, I already have autographs of all three! I've got autographed hockey cards from all three, and I have an autographed authentic Alexander Ovechkin jersey! But if I was forced to give up the others and only hold on to one, it would the autograph of Mr. Capital himself, Dale Hunter. Dale represents everything a hockey player should be to me. He had offensive skill (1,000 points) and was aggressive, chippy, stood up for his teammates, and wasn't afraid to get his nose bloody (3,000 PIMs). In my opinion, the only player in my lifetime to be such a complete well rounded player is Mark Messier. Unlike Messier though, Dale Hunter was an angel off the ice, supporting the community, and helping bring media attention to a sport in a town where it was desperately needed.

That wraps up another edition of "Ask FS!" If you've got a question that you'd like to see answered in this fine publication, just drop me a line in the comments, or send me an email. LET'S GO CAPS!