The Horse is Dead. RIP Horse

Once upon a time, a guy associated with professional sports media acted like a dick. Multiple times. Total dick move and he got called out on it. Appropriate response to a dick move.

Guy got fired from the professional sports media organization. Another appropriate response to his dick move.

Guy tweeted an apology. Once again, an appropriate response to his dick move. (Who am I to judge an apology? Whether heartfelt or lackluster, one was made)

End of subject. Everybody carry on. The End. The horse is dead. RIP horse.

Oh wait! Lots of “gentlemen” (note the “air quote” please) are bitchin that the guy should have never been fired for the dick move. Srsly? Are you boneheads seriously thinking that the dick move wasn’t really a dick move? What, because you would have totally done it yourself if you had the chance to use whatever professional standing you had to hit up some hottie who liked hockey? “Score!”???

Did your Mama drop you on your head or did it happen when you fell off the turnip truck?

Now, everybody in the hockeysphere knows what I’m talking about here. And it’s not like the boss of the guy is my BFF or nuthin. I’m just sick to death of this freaking dead horse getting bashed over and over.

Even if the dick move wasn’t sexist, objectifying, and rude (which it was, among many other things-trust me on that), now all these “gentlemen” expect to be told the who, what, when, where and why of the actions against the guy.

Dear “Gentlemen” – it is not a news story. It is also none of your business. You do not get to object. You have no horse in this race.

Oh, you think you DO have a horse in this race? What, is it some bro code you have to honor?

Ok, let’s take your horsie for a ride…let’s suppose you did something in private that was exposed in public because it was inappropriate and you should be stopped from doing it again. And let’s say that not only did you seem to use your professional connections to do this, but you did it in such a way that you insulted many customers of your business. Then, let’s add that, based on reports, you have done this many times to multiple customers. Oh, and let’s not forget the fact that by taking that action, you tarnished the reputation of the company you work for. And, to top it off, your company has to take just as much heat for it (if not more) as you do, because your employment with them was their responsibility.

And that is all just from an HR stand point, nothing personal. Here’s personal…the dick move was towards your sister, wife or mother. Go explain to her why the guy shouldn’t have gotten fired. See what she says to that. You’ll be sleeping in the stable for a long time coming.

Giddy up cowboy; you’re fired. (Consider yourself lucky you didn’t get gelded before you got put out to pasture, Mr. Ed.)

So, can everybody please just stop with the fucking whining and bitching over a guy who made a dick move and got fired for it?  The horse is dead. RIP horse.

Episode 13: The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Year

(This isn’t a hockey post. This isn’t a sports post. This is a life post. And since it’s my fucking blog, I’m just gonna leave this here.)

First I’d like to say “Hey World, did ya miss me?” Secondly, a big THANK YOU to everyone who noticed I’d been pretty much non-existent for quite a while and DM’d, texted, and emailed me with their concerns. You all rock and you know who you are.

It’s been a pretty bad year for me, both personally and professionally. I didn’t want to post long diatribes on FB of all my problems, I kinda cringe when I see those in my timeline, so it felt hypocritical. But lately, I’ve been tempted to and realized what significance that was to me. So, here’s the deal…

Last summer, my life started into a downward spiral with some dysfunctional family decisions that were forced upon me. Autumn arrived with some professional disappointments that seemed unfair and overwhelming. Then the spiral became a true pit of despair when I decided to quit smoking on top of all that. Yeah, pile on the misery. The anxiety of nicotine withdrawal and the weight gain, certain work related problems that were not improving, throw in some fucked up family shit and the result was full blown depression. Not as far as suicidal, but pretty fucking bad. The kind of depression that is so close to self-loathing that mirrors are in danger of being smashed. The kind of depression that makes you hide from everything and when forced to interact, you plaster a phony smile on because resting bitch face has become real bitch face. Not many people realize how depression can result in so much anger. Anger at the world for putting me in that position and anger at myself for putting myself in that position. I wasn’t very nice to people during this last year. I’m truly sorry for that. Baby steps.

Anyway, I knew I needed to face my professional disappointments and work towards a new solution. I knew needed to tackle the fucking weight gain and get back to feeling half-way normal again. I knew needed to let go of petty family bullshit and not allow the hurtful behavior of assholes rent space in my head. I knew all of these things in my brain, but convincing the rest of me was pretty damned tough. Being the ornery bitch that I am, I found my “fuck it” voice and I started working really hard to overcome the total blueness of my life. There is no quick solution to depression, even with medication, it takes time. Baby steps.

Then, Robin Williams committed suicide and my world crashed down into a reality check of epic proportions.

Epic proportions? Scoff all you want, but it felt that way to me. It wasn’t because his death was so personal to me, it was the aftermath; the reactions to his death that did it. It was odd- reading all those articles and blogs about depression, but I kinda took them to heart. That outpouring of support after Robin Williams’ death actually kinda helped me in a roundabout way. That was when I realized that I wanted to talk to the world again. That I was an ok person and I could find a way back. And, that there were people in the world that were ok with me that I had forgotten about. I didn’t want sympathy for having depression, I was just ready to get back into life again. I needed to recognize that the work I had been doing to overcome all my misery was actually paying off; in small degrees but degrees nonetheless. So being tempted to write posts on FB signaled to me that I was beginning to see a light at the end of what had seemed like an endless tunnel. Ancient proverb says: The road to recovery is long, but worn out shoe leather is proof of the journey (or some such bullshit). Baby steps.

So, anyway, that’s it. That’s my story. Hopefully, ya'll aren't thinking "TMI woman, T. M. I." Actually, if you are thinking that and got this far, that's really your problem, not mine. Suffice it to say, I’m not 100% yet, but who is? Carry on and thanks for reading.

Hockey Towns need Hockey Songs

Every fan of the NHL has their favorite goal songs. Everybody knows Chicago’s signature song, but, “Chelsea Dagger” gets pretty irritating to non-Blackhawks fans. (I guess that’s why it works and they keep it.) Boston’s use of Zombie Nation’s “Kerncraft 400” is a win in my book.  Detroit’s “Hockey Town” is very original. Gotta say, “Rock and Roll Part 2”, which is used by 3 or 4 teams a year, can die a slow and horrible death. Its overuse has made it trite. Not sure if they still use it, but Phoenix Coyotes use of the Black Keys “Howlin for You” was certainly different. The LA Kings have used Randy Newman’s “I Love LA”, but does it really get fans moving in their seats? And the Washington Capitals have a really great song…. oh yeah, we never decide on a goal song. Many have been tried, but none seem to stick. They even tried a song written especially for them once, but when I was at the game where it “premiered”, I couldn’t even hear it.

We do have some songs that have been used in intros that will always remind me of the Caps. Remember that video of the Young Guns “playing” “Hell Yeah” by Rev Theory? I always think of that video when I hear that song. And for a while they used Foo Fighters “The Pretender” and just recently “Arlandria”. Anybody who knows me knows I am a huge FF fan, so using these songs garner two thumbs up from me. So, yes, we’ve used some cool songs for video intros, but what about a goal song??

Now that the NHL season is about to begin, and the Washington Capitals will probably be rolling out the “We are a Hockey Town” mantra again, I think it’s about time we settled on a goal song and make it stick. That’s what Hockey Towns have. Something that will become our signature (besides the very long and very loud goal horn w/sirens).

I’ve had a few ideas in the past: the “Hey-a-heyaaaa, Hey-a-heyaaaa” chorus of “Shout” from “Animal House (which ties in nicely to the video montages).  And then there is my personal signature goal tweet of "Click, Click, Boom"…ok, that might be too violent for the kiddies, but it is a thought. How about “There’s Gonna Be Some Rocking” by ACDC? Hey, we are rocking the red, right? “We Will Rock You”? I know it's been used in the past, but it's a golden oldie...ok, I'm a golden oldie for suggesting it. I’m figuring it needs to be something more “classic” for it to not get stale, but you could always use something more trendy (but still not very new), like Pink’s “Raise your Glass” refrain. Ok, maybe not. But my point here is IF we are trying to be a “Hockey Town” we need a signature goal song, something that gets people rocking in their seats. Not like we are Chicago or Boston or nuthin.

Voice your suggestions in the comments; they can’t be any worse than the ones I mentioned here. And who knows, maybe we can find a really cool goal song that everybody can rock to and convince the Caps to adopt it…I wish (they'd have to be open to suggestions and read the blog, so don't get your hopes up).

P.S. ANYBODY WHO SUGGESTS GANGNAM STYLE GETS SMACKED REPEATEDLY.

P.P.S. Yes, I do know that copyrights might be a problem, I'll leave that up to Ted Leonsis to take care of.

Let’s Make Shit Up

You all know I do not belong to the mainstream media, which is a blessing because I can use my blog to make shit up. So, let’s play a game and make some shit up! And since this is a hockey blog (at times) mainly devoted to the Washington Capitals (at times), I am going to use them for inspiration. (It’s not like I’m going to be allowed to interview any of these guys anyway, or that there is any REAL hockey news that you haven’t read elsewhere.)

 

Alex Ovechkin once wrestled a bear from the Russian circus. He beat him in round 5 with a power slam to the mat. The gold belt is hanging in his walk-in closet in Moscow. Mama polishes it once a month. Alex and the bear still exchange emails and photographs on Instagram. If the Russian circus ever comes to DC, the bear was promised the use of Ovi’s guest suite.

Nick Backstrom enjoys cooking Italian food, (no, not Swedish). He has a pasta attachment on his Kitchen Aid mixer and makes a mean sausage ravioli. But the sauce is by Newman’s Own. Nick has always identified with Butch Cassidy. He also has a “Kiss the Cook” apron hanging inside the pantry and a complete set of DVD’s of Giada De Laurentiis.

Eric Fehr loves bird watching. While growing up in Manitoba, he would spend his summers, binoculars in hand, combing the shore of Lake Agassiz for the elusive Cinnamon Teal. He once won a medal at summer camp called “The Feathered Friend” for his heroic life saving techniques when he discovered a duck sitting quietly on the shore that he felt needed to be returned to the water, asap.

Mathieu Perreault is really 5’ 7”; his height on record includes skates…and lifts.

John Carlson, known to Caps fans as Captain America, actually wore a Captain America costume for Halloween in 4^th grade. He also got a tattoo of Captain America’s shield on his right ankle after the World Juniors, but it’s a bit faded now and needs retouching.

Braden Holtby was going to name his child Sunshine Lollipop Holtby if it had been a girl, because his father is such a huge Lesley Gore fan. Here’s hoping he gets his chance with the next one.

Brooks Laich actually makes his own yogurt. He uses a special yogurt maker from Williams-Sonoma, purchased with a gift card that he won in the annual Caps Christmas grab bag. His favorite flavor is vanilla. He uses whole vanilla beans that he gets at Trader Joe’s and deseeds them with a French knife. He also has color coded cutting boards for fish, meat, and vegtables. The man is a cooking fool.

Jeff Schultz is just a 6’ 6” hunka hunka burning love. Or so I’ve heard.

John Erskine went to school with my husband’s uncle Joe (who is also from Kingston, Ontario). John once shared a pack of gum with Joe in the school cafeteria. Joe still needs to pay John back, but he can’t remember if it was Bazooka or Double Bubble. John, give Joe a call and take him out of his misery, ok?

Tom Poti includes Pilates in his daily workout. He was inspired to do so by watching Susan Lucci demonstrate the Malibu Pilates system ($369.95 on HSN), while recovering from hockey injuries. He credits his return to hockey on his strengthened core and sculpted arms.

Michal Neuvirth chose #30 for his jersey as a nod to former Capitals goalie Jim Carey, but when asked, will say it’s because all goalies wear #30 and deny all knowledge of any Capitals goalie prior to Olie Kolzig, (even though Olie wore #37 and he wishes he could change it now because Olie is the greatest, but that would piss off too many fans like that guy Varly did when he switched from #40 to #1). Michal actually speaks in run-on sentences just like that.

Jay Beagle loves the nickname Snoopy so much; he built a doghouse in his backyard and pretends to chase after the Red Baron when he takes breaks from mowing the lawn. He also likes to steal blankets and carry dog bowls in his mouth, but that really is just hearsay until someone catches it on YouTube.

Jason Chimera eats two bowls of Wheaties with 4 teaspoons of sugar on each bowlful every day. Yeah, that’s how he got so fast. It’s also why he speaks so fast. Sugar buzz baby.

Karl Alzner is secretly on Twitter as @KarLznerInc0g0nit0. Don’t tell anyone I told you, he doesn’t want crazy fans making stupid comments to him. Just let him be, ok?

Aaron Volpatti was so happy to become a Washington Capital that he promised to cook a special dinner for Ted Leonsis and his family once a week. But with the diet Ted’s been on, Volpatti has yet to make good on that promise. He did get a secret recipe for tortellini from Backstrom when he arrived, but Laich keeps on insisting he use some of his homemade yogurt in a dish, so it’s a good thing none of this has come to fruition yet.

Joel Ward doesn’t approve of being made fun of. I’m not risking it.

Troy Brouwer once took the L to the Wilson Red Line stop in Chicago at midnight on a dare from Patrick Kane and thankfully, he was lucky he got back alive. He says it was the craziest thing he’d ever done. Well, except for believing Kane that he’d find a Tim Hortons there but he was really jonesing for some Timbits.

Matt Hendricks belonged to Boy Scouts in school, and even achieved the Eagle Scout rank, but his badges and sash were stripped from him when he was discovered giving some disrespecting punk a wedgie at the annual Jamboree. He still sings campfire songs in the shower though. You can take the boy out of the Scouts, but you can’t take the Scouts out of the boy, I guess.

Jack Hillen is really 5’ 7”; his height on record includes skates…and lifts.

Mike Green doesn’t really drink Muscle Milk, he pours it into the Jacuzzi for its skin softening attributes. Sadly, it has clogged the jets. But Mike did see that guy waving on the back of the plumber’s truck driving through Ballston, so he called him and has an appointment to get it fixed later this week. Well, he doesn’t have anything better to do than wait for plumbers, right?

Marcus Johansson really doesn’t shop at Ikea. He prefers Danish Modern furniture. And, Princesstårta. (Oh, just go Google it. Geesh)

Joey Crabb isn’t a real blonde. You can tell because his eyebrows don’t match his hair. He obviously bleaches his eyebrows to create that intimidating blank face look. You know, like when you forget to use eyebrow pencil and it looks like you’re surprised all day and people ask you why you look different? Oh, that doesn’t happen to anyone else? Ok, never mind.

Steve Oleksy carries a secret stash of Milk Duds in his luggage, cuz he really really liked his time in Hershey. Whenever the team travels, he breaks them out and uses them as chips for the poker game. Well, who the hell carries matchsticks anymore? And the guys don’t mind winning them off him; it keeps the hunger pangs at bay until they can soak him for a pricey rookie dinner at The Palm.

Mike Ribeiro was once asked to play DJ Pauly D’s sidekick on Jersey Shore. Unfortunately, Mike’s bling was at Zales getting cleaned that week. Now that Jersey Shore is gone, his agent is calling MTV in hopes of hookin’ him up somewhere else. A man needs a retirement plan, I’m just sayin’.

Tomas Kundratek thought he had to wear an actual medicine hat when he went to play in the WHL. It took four weeks before his road roommate could snatch it away and throw it over the balcony of the Marriott. It happened to land on a groundskeeper, who promptly stomped it to death, thinking it was some kind of gigantic bird that had fallen out of the sky. The groundskeeper has lived off the beers from this story when he tells it in the Marriott bar.

Wojtek Wolski really doesn’t speak English that well. He actually uses Al Koken as a ventriloquist dummy when he is interviewed between periods at games. Next time it happens, look really close and you’ll see his lips don’t move. Oh, and Al Koken really isn’t 5’ 6”; his height on record includes skates…and lifts.

The Wheels on the Bus

Ok, I know that the Caps have made it into the playoffs every year since 2007. It’s been a great run these past few years. But speaking as a fan from the pre-Ovi era, if the Caps don’t make it this year, I am not gonna die. Yes, the wheels do seem to be falling off right now. Yes, I’d love to see them make it to the post-season. But, sometimes we have to accept the fact that not every team can be playoff contenders every year. At least we aren’t Blue Jacket fans. But maybe that’s the lesson that needs to be learned. Imagine being the fan of a team that has only been to the playoffs once and then not even making it past the first round. That would require true dedication. (Sorry, Columbus fans, but it’s an apt example.)

I’m not gonna make excuses for my team. No “short season”, no “new system”, no “lazy players”. It is what it is. If, for some reason, the Caps can pull off a post season this year, I’ll be as happy as I always am. BUT, if they don’t, I’ll be back next season, cheering the guys on and bitching and moaning about all the bad plays, bad penalties, optional practices, injuries and every guy who screws up something. After all, isn’t that what being a fan is all about? Gotta take the bad with the good, even if it is a hard pill to swallow. And if you can’t…the next stop to jump off the bus is just around the corner.

How I Watch Hockey

It’s been a long time since we’ve actually watched live NHL hockey but old habits will be reemerging tonight. I’ve (thankfully) gained a few new followers since the last time there was a live NHL game on my TV and now it’s time for me to lose some of them by doing the following:

1.       I live tweet hockey games when I am not at them. Yeah, one of those annoying tweeps. Unaccustomed followers will bail within the first period.

2.       I am not a real live media type credentialed blogger so I get to cuss a lot. Most of my tweeps don’t care. So I cuss a lot. New followers may hate this. If so, see ya.

3.      Because I am not a real live media type credentialed blogger, my tweets may not be the insightful type. Game time is not time for serious evaluation for me, it’s fan-girl time, ok? You’ll see more like the F*CK and SH*T and G DAMMIT, HOLY HELL kind of tweets. Especially if my team is losing or some player makes a really stupid move. (The blessing of not being a real live media type credentialed blogger)

4.       Oh, yeah…I YELL a lot during live games. A LOT!

5.       When my team scores, I tweet out “CLICK CLICK BOOM!!!!”  That’s my version of “He shoots, he scores”. This is not an advocacy for violence, just something I do. Get used to it.

6.       I drink. I drink beer. I drink beer during hockey games. I drink beer during hockey games and tweet at the same time.

7.       I do not take any responsibility for typos. If you are a member of the grammar police, please just ignore me during hockey games.

8.       I’m a big fan of #thatswhatshesaid (or just #TWSS ). You’ll see that from me whenever I think it fits. Also, refer back to point #6 if you don’t get my timing/jokes.

9.       I don’t argue online with tweeps who are fans of my team’s opponents. Since I can appreciate their fandom as much as I hope they appreciate mine, my usual tweeps don’t give me grief about my team. Mutual understanding and respect kinda thing. Please don’t bother to try to bait me, I’ll just ignore the tweets and move on.

10.   I get really really wrapped up in the game and miss a lot of @ replies. Please don’t be insulted if I don’t answer your tweet during a game. Also, refer back to point #6.

I enjoy live tweeting games. If it annoys you- mute me, unfollow me, ignore me. I will do this EVERY game I watch on TV. Also, refer back to point #6.

Hockey in BlondeSpeak - Shake That Rust Off, It's Hockey Time Again!

NHL hockey is back tomorrow! Need a little refresher course on the terminology you'll be hearing? Never fear, BlondeSpeak is here; to simplify all the gibberish you'll hear. (Yes, I took a poetry course during the lockout, specializing in dirty limericks; but that's for another post on another day.)

If you are a little rusty, brush up on your hockey terms so you know what's going on while you listen to Joe and Locker (or whoever your particular commentators are for your team if you're not a Washington Capitals fan. Wait...if you aren't a Caps fan, how the heck did you end up here?) And remember, BlondeSpeak is not meant to be technical, it's just the basics in simple language, you know, for blondes and wanna-be blondes.

Anyway, here we go:

Attacking zone: Ok, this is kinda a no-brainer, but maybe you’re not sure. So, when a team is on the attack, their attacking zone is between the opponent's blue line and goal line.

Breakaway: A player in control of the puck has a breakaway when the only opponent between him and the opposition's goal is the goalie and there is a reasonable scoring opportunity. You’ll hear this often, but sometimes it goes pretty quick and you miss the actual execution.

Charging: No, it has nothing to do with a credit card. It’s when the "actions of a player or goalkeeper who, as a result of distance traveled, shall violently check an opponent in any manner”. So in this case “distance traveled” is akin to something like more than three strides before deliberately smashing the living sh*t out of him. Pretty broad interpretation allowed for the refs here, no wonder so many coaches argue when it happens. Oh yeah, it can also result in a game misconduct or a suspension if the infraction is deemed severe enough. Really broad interpretation allowed, hope there are good ref’s on the ice…Yeah, right.

 Dump and chase: “An offensive strategy used to get the puck over the opposing team's blue line and into the corners where players can race to get it, thereby moving the play into the attacking zone”. Basically, they dump the puck down the ice and everybody chases after it. Simple, right?

 Freezing the puck: Nope, it is not putting the puck in the icebox before the game. Well, on second thought, it could be that too. Actually, a player freezes the puck by holding it against the boards with the stick or skates. A goalie freezes the puck (when the opposition is threatening to score) by either holding the puck in the glove or trapping it on the ice.

 Half Boards (or half walls): The half boards are not the short wall around the rink. It really is an actual specific location. It’s the areas along the side boards, half-way between the blue line and the goal line.

Odd-man Rush: Sounds like a dance, right? An odd-man rush happens when the team with the puck has one more player entering the other team’s zone then the other team’s defense (i.e. 2 on 1 or 3 on 2)

Offside: When a player crosses the attacking blue line before the puck does, the team is called for offside. A face-off then takes place just outside that blue line (in the offending player's defensive zone). The determining factor in most offside situations is the position of the skates: both skates must be completely over the blue line ahead of the puck for the play to be offside. That’s why you’ll sometimes see a player standing on either side of the line waiting for the puck; he's getting as close as he can get without going over. Yeah, sometimes that plan doesn't exactly pan out.

The Point: The point is the area just inside the opposition's blue line close to the boards on either side of the rink. Usually a defenseman usually parks himself there when his team is in control of the puck in the opposition's defensive zone. Playing the point has some responsibilities. It includes trying to keep the puck in the offensive zone when the defensive team attempts to clear it; receiving a pass from the forwards to allow the play to reset, and taking slap shots at the goal, hoping to create a rebound or a deflection. On the power play, however, one of the positions is often played by a forward and he attempts to control where the puck goes through passing, and also takes lots of shots. LOTS of shots if he can.

 Referee's crease: Yes, there actually is a referee’s crease! It’s the semi-circular area at the red line, beside the scorekeeper's bench, which a player may not enter when it’s occupied by a referee during a stoppage of play. Ever notice how players hang back when refs are conferring about a play or on the phone for a ruling from Toronto? Yeah, the ref’s in HIS crease and nobody better enter it. If they do, the player could get a misconduct penalty, but usually the ref politely asks the player to move his ass away. (I just threw this in because I thought it was interesting, you’ll probably never hear any reference to it during a game, ok?)

 The Shots: There are three common shots you’ll see and hear about, sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference and you have to trust the commentator to tell you what you just saw. But, here are the very basic descriptions of them. You’ll understand them better if you watch the replays or rewind your DVR and slow the action down:

            Slap shot: A slap shot occurs when the player swings the stick back and then quickly forward, slapping the puck ahead with a forehand shot. It’s a forceful shot, usually with a big wind up, where the player bends his stick on the ice and allows the energy stored in bending the stick to launch the puck forward.

            Wrist shot: A wrist shot is when a player shoots the puck off the blade of the stick with a flicking motion of the wrist. Normally a shot with accuracy and quick delivery. Wicked Wrister!

            Snap shot: A snap shot is a like an abbreviated slap shot, and combines the advantages of the wrist shot (speed and accuracy) and the slap shot (force).

The Slot: This is the area directly in front of the goalie’s crease between the face off circles. It is the prime scoring area up the middle of the ice, between the face-off circles. When a player is said to  "clear the slot," he’s shoving an opposing player out of the area in front of his goal.

 

 

Merry Christmas from the NHL

The NHL says Merry Christmas to the players and the fans:

 

That lump of coal almost looks like a pile of shit...Oh wait, it IS!!!

 

Opportunity Knocked

I am extremely fortunate to have a job that allows me to "sneak" away to Kettler every once in a while. So, today, the opportunity arose for me to do just that. I figured with the CBA deadline looming just a few days away, I may not get my hockey fix for a while. Kind of glad I did, but it really didn't satisfy my "photographing hockey players" itch all that much when I knew in the back of my mind that it could be a long time before I get this opportunity again.

Lucky for me, I got a chance to see a few new guys today, and it was also the first day back for Mike Green and Brooks Laich. So here are a few shots from today's informal practice. More can be found here.

Hendy being the coach

Jack Hillen

Joey Crabb

Marcus Johansson

Dmitry Orlov

Mike Ribeiro

Michal Neuvirth

Nicklas Backstrom

Stanislav Galiev

Backstrom, Ribeiro, and Crabb

Mike Green

Hopefully, these can hold us for a while...(Oh, who am I kidding?)

"Red"-headed Stepchild

I've had a few new followers email me asking how I am affiliated with the Washington Capitals. Short answer is: I am not. I am listed as a "Hockey Friendly Blog" on the Caps website and a member of the TBD Community Network, but you will probably never see a link to me on either of those sites.

I have been fortunate enough to get linked from accredited bloggers such as Japers' Rink and Russian Machine Never Breaks and even Ted Leonsis himself; but I have not asked for and do not hold credentials. I have never been in the pressbox at Verizon Center and don't expect I ever will.

Even though I've written a few posts for the Scarlet Caps, this is done as a favor to the people who run the site and my own desire to educate their readers about the team and hockey in general. It does not include any perks other than occasionally getting free admission to an event to cover it for their blog. It also does not qualify me for accredtation with the team (at least I don't think it does). All photographs taken during Caps practice are done from the public viewing areas of Kettler. (I do sometimes wish I could get over to the press area for a few, but again, I have never asked for this and probably never will.)

So why haven't I pushed my blog or myself out there to get the credentials? To be completely honest, I don't mind not having any of it. Except for the modified profile picture, I have complete anonymity. Unless you have met me in person, no one knows my name or a complete idea of what I look like so I can fly under the radar as much as I like. All opinions, remarks, thoughts, rants and photographs (unless otherwise accredited to their respective owners) are mine and mine alone, which I consider a good thing. I am my own boss; and with the rare exceptions of deadlines from Scarlet Caps; I can write whatever and whenever I want.

I am extremely grateful to those of you who have asked, and especially those of you who think I should have credentials. I'm flattered, truly flattered. I am also extremely grateful to everyone who has ever clicked on this site, no matter how you got here. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. You make my "job" of writing worthwhile.

Alex Semin: Misty Watercolored Memories

All stats and facts aside, Sasha is best remembered as eye candy, goofy antics and awkward faces. Thank goodness I have a huge stockpile of pics to remember him by.
Misty watercolored memories:

Sneaky Sasha

This face...oh, this face

Who's Your Daddy?

Epotime of Eye Candy

Annual Valentines Card just wouldn't be the same without Sasha

Sasha was always good for "Awkard Practice Pics"

Will I Ever Get the Soul Searching Look from Sasha Again???

You Have Been Knubled

So long @MikeKnuble22

BTW, click here to read an Ode to Grandpa Slipper's game #900 post.

HBH - It Bears Repeating

On April 30th, I saw an announcement via an article from Tim Leone of The Patriot-News that the affiliation contract between the Hershey Bears and the Washington Capitals had not yet been renewed.

Bears President-GM Doug Yingst said a deal to extend the highly successful Washington affiliation, which began in 2005-06, beyond 2011-12 is “still in negotiation.”

This brought several questions to mind and I just had to have these questions answered.

1. Biggest question: what happens if the affiliation contract isn’t renewed? Brief answer I got was that the Caps would go in search of another affiliation, even share an affiliation with another NHL team if necessary. Yeah, thanks; that just begs for more questions.

2. Why wouldn’t the Capitals renew their contract with Hershey? As found in past history, many times an NHL changes its affiliation if an AHL team folds or is losing money. Got to think neither of these is an issue with Hershey reporting this on 5/1/12:

The HERSHEY BEARS announced today that the club has once again topped the American Hockey League in attendance, setting new club records in the process. The announcement was made by BEARS President/GM Doug Yingst.

And the banner on the Bears home page does boast #1 AHL Regular season attendance 06-07,07-08, 08-09, 09- 10, 10-11, 11-12. That’s a lot of seasons of being #1 folks. Yeah, don’t think that is the issue.

So, could it be a falling out between the two franchises? Could another NHL team be trying to woo the Bears away from the Capitals, or vice versa? While proximity to the parent club is a factor for any affiliation, it isn’t the “be all – end all”, but the convenience of having call-ups close by is important. Without that proximity, a NHL team might have to carry a couple extra players on their roster to make up for it, which really messes with the salary cap. But in that case, it is what it is. It’s happened before.

3. What happens to players under NHL contract playing in the AHL if the affiliation contract isn't re-signed?

Also from Tim Leone was this:

Washington Capitals under contract: Cody Eakin, Dmitry Orlov, Braden Holtby, Cameron Schilling, Mattias Sjogren, Tomas Kundratek, Philipp Grubauer, Garrett Mitchell, Brett Flemming, Brandon Anderson, Ryan Potulny, Patrick McNeill.

Washington Capitals unrestricted free agents: Keith Aucoin, Dany Sabourin, D.J. King, Joel Rechlicz, Sean Collins, Christian Hanson, Chris Bourque, Zach Miskovic, Jacob Micflikier, Kyle Greentree.

Washington Capitals restricted free agents: Mike Carman, Kevin Marshall.

That’s quite a few guys who have no clue where they are going to be if the affiliation contract isn’t re-signed.Yes, players still under contract with Washington would be moved to whatever AHL team becomes the new affiliate. Does that bump players from those rosters? Without going into tremendous detail, let’s just say it would have ripple affects all around the league. What a clusterfuck that would be! But again, it's happened before. Usually team affiliations between the NHL and AHL are shortish contracts, usually one or two years at a time. Look at the history of any AHL affiliation and you'll see most of them have "changed hands" several times throughtout their history. Even the Bears have been affiliated with 9 different teams since 1938.

4. What would happen to the Hershey Bears if the affiliation contract with the Washington Capitals is not renewed? I found one answer from 2009 in a letter from Jason Chaimovitch, Vice President of Communications, American Hockey League the on the HFBoards that is probably still applicable:

As part of the initial AHL membership application a potential owner must have an NHL affiliation in place, but the league’s governing documents do not necessarily prevent an existing franchise from continuing to operate should it lose its affiliation.

And this:

The league's constitution, by-laws, regulations or policies do not necessarily prevent an existing franchise from operating independently should it lose its NHL affiliate, but considering (a) there are 30 National Hockey League teams who need an environment in which to develop their top prospects; (b) there is not a surplus of AHL franchises relative to the number of NHL franchises; (c) the additional costs that would be incurred if an AHL owner had to pay all of its players' salaries and other expenses; and (d) it would likely be difficult to ice a competitive product using a talent pool that doesn't include NHL-contracted players while still being guided by the AHL's development rule; I don't think it's likely we would see it happen.

Does Hershey go looking for another NHL affiliation? With 30 existing affiliations between the NHL and the AHL, this becomes an even scarier proposition for HBH. But it brings me back to the question of the possibility of them being wooed by another NHL franchise. Keep an eye out for candygrams and flower deliveries at Giant Center folks ;)

As you can see, I actually did a bit of research here (surprise, surprise). The more I ponder this, the more I hope that the delay in re-signing the contract between the Hershey Bears and the Washington Capitals is nothing more than waiting for the Caps post-season to finish before delving into negotiations. But many of my questions are still unanswered. Several times in the past, the contract renewal between our teams wasn’t signed until the summer, so until we get some definitive answers from the organizations, we’ll all just have to wait it out. Yeah, fun times.

Author's Note: 5/23/2012 The Capitals and the Hershey Bears announce they have extended their affiliation through the 2013-2014 season. Read the HBH press release here.

Shortest Blog Post Ever

Playoff hockey is like sex; sometimes it's great, sometimes it's good, sometimes it's bad; but it almost always gets your juices flowing and makes you want more.

Sneaky Sasha: Semin vs Backstrom - A Different Kind of Battle

Although "tragedy" struck at Caps practice today, there were also lots of smiles, shoulder punches, goofy guys and practice battles on the ice. Here's one that caught my attention:

The rest of the pictures from practice are here. And no, I didn't catch a picture of Ovi and Knuble's ka-boom, got there a few minutes late and didn't have my camera in my hands yet.

My Rulz

Recently, I’ve gained a bunch of new followers. If you are one of them, let me say: Hi! If you are wondering why I have not followed you back yet, let me explain. You’ll see from my Twitter following count, I am not one of those people that automatically follows everyone back. For some reason that I really don’t get, some people have a hang up about follower counts. Seriously, in my mind, Twitter should not be a popularity contest, its quality over quantity that matters to me. Anyway… after writing multiple social media posts, ranting and bitching about it ad nauseam (just click Social Media in the “Tag, You’re it” column in the sidebar if you want to read some < gratuitous self-promoting plug >), I guess I still need to explain my follow/unfollow “policy” and the rules I play by. Because I actually do have reasons why.

I might follow you back if:

• We have some actual meaningful conversations. I consider Twitter to be the “social” tool that it was created for, not to further some agenda. But that will probably require you to say something to me, since I tend to get distracted easily, sometimes staying off Twitter for a day or three just to keep from being overwhelmed or because my actual job gets in the way. Don’t worry, I try my best to answer as many @’s that come my way as I can, so if we have lots of great discussions, you’ll probably get a follow back in the near future. But if I don't, we are still interacting, right? Isn't that enough?

• We have something in common. Since I’m cautious, I usually check out new followers; their tweets, bios and who is following them back. If you share the same interests as I do (i.e. hockey, beer, photography, travel, etc.), there’s a good chance I may decide then and there to follow you back. If not then and there, at least I'll pay closer attention to when you @ me, so chances are improved for a follow back.

• If you are followed back by some of the same people I interact with on a regular basis. But, you do need to interact with them too (remember, I check tweet streams). I have a lot of people that I’ve followed for a long time, many I’ve even ended up meeting in real life, so I trust their tweets. If you have somehow flown under my radar, I’ll remedy that.

I might not follow you back if:

• Your bio is blank and/or you have very few (if any) @ replies in your tweet stream, I’ll bide my time.

• You tweet negative stuff all the time. (Actually, I’ll probably never follow back).

• You have your account locked. I know that doesn’t seem fair, but if I can’t check you out, I have nothing to go on. It’s ok to have a private account, just go back to my first reason above and that could change from a “might not” to a “might”.

• Your only way to interact with people is to retweet them or brown-nose them. Honestly, false flattery isn’t the way I roll. You need to speak up in your own voice, that’s what I’m going to look for.

• You beg me to follow back. Seriously, go reread this post from the beginning. I follow a lot of people who don’t follow me back because if I send them an @, they reply to me. Whatever their reason for not following me, they still interact with me. Don’t beg, please. Get busy being social and you’ll have tons of followers in no time.

 I might stop following you if:

• You’re nuts. I don’t know if you started acting nuts after I began following you or if you were always a nutjob and I just missed it, but once I realize it, I’m history.

• You’ve pissed me off. Come on now, would you continue to stand around listening to somebody who makes your blood boil? Since I can’t reach through the screen to smack you upside your head, unfollow is the next best thing.

• You’ve stopped interacting with people and have begun your own personal campaign to further your own cause or political agenda. That’s not what I want from Twitter, sorry.

• You’ve stopped tweeting. It’s ok if you’ve run out of things to say, but since there is nothing left to listen to, I’ll move along. If you’ve stopped tweeting, you probably aren’t even on Twitter anymore, so that should be a moot point. But, if you come back at some time in the future and wonder where I’ve gone, now you know.

• You’ve never responded to any of my @’s to you. If you can’t be bothered with me, I can’t be bothered with you. (And if you only tweet to advance your own blog, news articles, website, business or product, shame on you for not replying. If you are going to use Twitter to promote a “product” but don’t respond to your target audience, you have very flawed marketing skills and don’t deserve followers anyway.)

Truth be told, I’ve been unfollowed lots of times. Once or twice I even asked the person why, and their answer gave me the clarity needed to accept their decision. Some of them I still follow anyway. I’m quite sure I’ve pissed people off by not agreeing with them, or my incessant live hockey game tweets were flooding their tweet stream and they just couldn’t take it anymore. Once I get over the initial “WTF?” moment, I’m usually ok with it. Even though I may not always understand why they unfollowed me, in the grand scheme of things, it usually works out for the best.

I know there are going to be some people that have a problem with this whole post. I don’t claim to be a social media expert, and these rules are not about how everybody should use Twitter, just how I use Twitter. And, if by reading this, you decide I’m just too high and mighty to be worthy of continuing to follow, may I just say: “Buh Bye”. My game - my rules, that’s how I roll…Any questions?

Was It Worth It?

With the trade deadline looming, lots of fans and pundits are quick to speculate on the Capital’s needs for players to support them as they try to get into and through the playoffs for yet another year. This got me to thinking about two trades in previous years that still kinda bug me and make me ask, were they worth it?

First up, Tomas Fleischmann, who was traded to Colorado for veteran defenseman Scott Hannan on November 30th of 2010. At the time, Flash wasn’t having a great start to the season; he had only scored 4 goals and 6 assists in 23 games and his ice time was down to 14:17 during that same period. But, the previous season, Flash scored a career-high 23 goals, so the skilled forward was certainly trade bait for GMGM. Hannan was to bring grit and experience to the team, especially to help the progress of John Carlson and Karl Alzner. So how did they each finish out their seasons? Flash played 22 games for Colorado, with 8 goals and 13 assists. Hannan played 55 games for Washington, with 1 goal and 4 assists. But, here is where it gets interesting, Fleischmann, now on the Florida Panthers currently has 20 goals and 25 assists, and may be having his best season ever if he continues with this success. Was it worth it?

The next trade that still sticks in my craw; David Steckel. While I wasn’t Flash’s biggest fan, I really was a fan of Stecks, (aka Ohio State). On February 28th of 2011, the Capitals traded Stecks to New Jersey for veteran center Jason Arnott, just moments before the deadline ended (oh, and a 2nd round draft pick was involved in there as well). Steckel is a skilled center with a great faceoff percentage and is willing and able to crush opponents against the boards whenever necessary. (Not to mention, accidently hitting the Caps fans most hated player; Sidney Crosby.) And, Arnott (aka The Sasha Whisperer); while a good acquisition; really didn’t have as much impact in the stats. With only 11 games for the Caps, Arnott tallied 4 goals and 3 assists, but his leadership in the locker room was well documented. Maybe that in itself was worth it? Anyway, neither Steckel nor Arnott had the best finish to their season in 2011; maybe those trades shook them up a bit. And while Arnott seems to be thriving a bit better on the St Louis Blues with 13 goals & 14 assists so far, Steckel doesn’t seem to be doing as well. Poor Dave has only 7 goals and 1 assist so far with the Toronto Maple Leafs, and that assist stat is really one of his worst in his career. Maybe he misses good old DC? (hmm, I wonder if he would come back?) Overall, yes, we did trade a center for a center, but, since we seem to be in need of a center now, was it really worth it?

The most interesting thing that both Hannan and Arnott said after their trades to Washington? They both were willing to come to a team with the chance to win a Stanley Cup. That worked out well, didn’t it? Another interesting thing? All of these players only lasted on their respective new teams one season. All four of these players were really just rentals. Kinda think that wasn’t what any of them wanted either.

So, IF GMGM does do any trades before the deadline ends tomorrow, I really hope they are worth it, because no matter who gets traded, I’m sure there are going to be more than a few Caps fans who will be disappointed, one way or another. And, if it does happen, I really really really hope none of the new guys say they look forward to playing for a team that stands a chance to win the Stanley Cup. I’m kinda tired at laughing at that joke-turned-jinx.