Fan Post: Capitals Mesmerize the Nation’s Capital

A post by "Blake the Megalomaniac" To see more posts click here

As I walked into my house last night a full day after the Capitals season came to an unceremonious ending, I didn’t know what to do with myself.  The last two months were consumed by this hockey team and now, all I had left were the United and the Nationals until the football season.  Regardless of the way in which we lost or what you blame that loss on whether injuries, faulty hockey, sticks, lack of conditioning, lack of killer instinct — the Capitals are set-up to bring an exciting brand of hockey into your living room for years to come.  I tip my hat to the Caps and hope they all have a relaxing summer.

Now a fan post that was originally scheduled to post before Game 7. Although it’s a bit late it’s a good way to sum up the ride we just took with a bunch of Russians and Canadians.  From the Weez:

“Having lived in the Washington metro area my entire life I have, no doubt, grown up a die hard Redskins and Wizards fan. I was John Riggins for Halloween three years in a row (ages 3-5), owned a Chris Weber jersey, and of course had the burgundy and gold Starter jacket. I did not, however, own any Washington Capitals paraphernalia. Throughout the €˜90s and into our current decade, I probably couldn’t name a single player on the roster. I had heard the Washington Capitals drafted some phenom a few years back, and I had recently seen him on the ever so famous Eastern Motors commercials, but I really never bothered to sit down and watch. That all changed for me towards the end of last season€¦

The Capitals, led by €˜07-€˜08 MVP Alex Ovechkin, went on an improbable run to win eleven of their last twelve games of the regular season along with their division and earn a playoff bid. They lost in seven games to the Flyers in the first round, but they finally had my attention and it seems a lot of other Washingtonians.

I’ll admit, even during most of this years regular season, I found myself watching the last place Wizards, rather than the first place Capitals on Wednesday nights, but I began to notice a buzz around Washington as the season grew old. OVIE was having another MVP year, the Verizon center already sold out its season tickets for the 2009-2010 season, and I was now flipping between hockey and basketball on those Wednesday nights. Well, it’s safe to say, after two amazing seven game series, I am€¦.fully-vested, as they say at udothedishes.

How could you not be? I have finally realized how amazing this sport truly is. It has all the brutality of an NFC East showdown between the Skins and the €˜Boys. It has as much if not more tempo than the NBA, for sure, and perhaps March madness. The puck handling skills of some of these players can be as brilliant as watching Ozzie Smith turn a double play. And the playoffs€¦You want to talk about playoffs? In all the sports I’ve watched, it’s hockey that I have noticed the biggest difference in the fans from the regular season to the playoffs. The Verizon center and the Igloo have been absolutely electric, and that is just watching on my TV.

The Caps/Pens rivalry, from a Washingtonian perspective, looks a lot like the Wizards/Cavs €“ only difference is the Caps can actually beat the Penguins. I have a feeling these two teams could be matching up in the playoffs for years to come. Sure the Pens have Crosby and Malkin, but the Caps have a group of young stars of their own €“ Ove 23, Nicklas Backstrom 21 (whom I met at Ihop at 4am last Saturday in Ballston€¦nice guy), Mike Green 23, Varly 21, Alexander Semin 25, and many more that Bruce Boudreau himself has mentored and brought up from Hershey (who also just happened to win a big game seven last night against Pittsburgh’s minor league club). The point is; the core group of players this team has along with its ability to develop players in their minor league system is going to have me, and everyone else, watching from now until 2022.

So, if you have been a die hard hockey/Caps fan for 15 years I apologize that you had to read this. But if you are like me, and have just discovered how entertaining and exciting the NHL, and the Caps, in particular, are, I wish you all good luck in whatever it is you are doing for tonight’s festivities. And if you have been living on a different planet for the past month, and still don’t know about the greatest show on ice, then you need to get your FANHOOD up, quick. I implore you to tune in tonight for a game seven that the NHL and Caps fans will not soon forget. Better yet, meet me at the Hooters in Manassas off route 234 @ 7:00 pm sharp; I’ll be there. I’m predicting a 4-3 OT win. Ove scores two and Mike Green has the game winner. If I’m right, all you die hard fans have to let me into the Capitals Fan Club, no questions asked.”

udothedishes…