All-Star Rundown

- Mea Culpa: I said some not-nice things about USA Today recently, but I may have to take some of them back...and that’s not just because I got called out by USAT’s resident sports blogger, Beau Dure (ummm, oops). Just to clarify, I consider Beau to be one of the better bloggers around, subtle butt-kissing aside. I hope my comments were taken with the humor with which they were intended.

(Please don't hurt me, USA Today. )

Anyways, aside from the coverage of the new uniforms, they published an interesting and balanced look at the MVP race this season and managed to not wet themselves in excitement over Sid the Kid, choosing instead to merely throw his name in there with many other candidates, including our very own Ovechkin. They also gave us a ‘B’ for our overall performance, which is higher praise than most media outlets seem to want to bestow on the Caps and better than the grades given to Toronto, Tampa and the Rangers.

Hey, I guess I really do like pretty colors and shapes...

- Then there’s the Associated Press, who are in fact wetting themselves over Crosby. Blech. Okay, Gary, we get it – Sid the Kid good, crazy Russian kid bad. And not for nothing, but if the NHL and the NHLPA hadn’t blown it with the lockout Ovechkin probably would have been an all-star at 19 as well...

- How do you not get excited about this All Star Game?

I know, it’s not real hockey, and I know, it’s a silly exhibition that takes time out of the busy schedules of all the players and interrupts the hockey season for no good reason and there's no hitting or passion, blah blah blah.

I love every second of it, and although I’m no fan of Briere or Crosby, I’m looking forward to seeing that trio together on Wednesday night. Whether you love the ASG or hate it, if you’re a hockey fan you have to admit there’s something thrilling about seeing the best players in the league come together for one night. And from the sound of it, it looks like Sidney will be helping Ovie pot a couple of goals. I wonder if Alex will request a red truck for his MVP award...

- This is a couple of days old, but I thought it was worth mentioning that TSN gave Semin a plus for his recent offensive production. It’s nice to see Sasha getting a little more respect nowadays, isn’t it? Funny what happens when all of a sudden you’ve got the third highest goal total in the league...

- How I Spent My Vacation, by the Washington Capitals: some are fleeing the cold for the Sunshine State, others are leaving snow for even more snow, and a few are sticking it out right here in good ol’ DC.

• Johnny’s not fooling anyone, he’s definitely stalking the Kolzig family...
• I hope Laich, Sutherby and Eminger stay out of trouble in Florida; those three together could be disastrous...
• I wonder what show Pettinger and Mo are going to see...
• As usual, the coach said it best:

  “For the team and the whole league, you get to a point now with the pace of the game that you see every lineup starting to lose man-games [to injury] and I think for the players it’s nice for them to have a break. And maybe for the fans, too. There is so much hockey, and so much coverage and Internet and it just sort of goes all year long. I think it’s nice sometimes to take it away for a few days and you appreciate it more.”

I couldn’t agree more.

So on that note, I’ll be posting a little less frequently over the next few days - I’ll check in after the Young Stars game/Skills Competition and again after the actual game, but other than that I’ll probably be MIA until at least Thursday.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder, right? Enjoy the festivities!