The Wandering Blogger Returns

In what is arguably the slowest time of the offseason - arbitration hearings are complete, free agent frenzy dying down, vacation time for everyone - there remains a consistent and palpable buzz here in DC. There's nothing to talk about, yet people continue to talk.

But why?

Could it be that we are finally ready, after years of accepting our role as the downtrodden ne'er-do-well team, to begin our rise to the stratosphere? Is everyone actually on the edge of their seat to see if GMGM put together a roster that can challenge for the long-awaited playoff spot? Are we that anxious to discover whether the youngsters we've been stockpiling for the better part of the last decade will finally come into their own?

I think the answer to all these questions is yes...and then some.

Let's face it, the last few years have been tough on everyone, but particularly the fans. Our taunts and insults have grown rusty with lack of use; our pom-poms are perpetually covered in dust. But with the moves of the offseason and the promise of a team moving beyond the much ballyhooed rebuilding phase all that appears ready to change - which means the summer becomes that much longer and more unbearable as we wait it out.

But take comfort, kids. A little over a month from now we return to the icy chill of the rink, the grin of our Russian superstar, the roar of the crowd (such as it is). In a little over a month the good guys return to work with some new faces and a new look. Less than six weeks and the dog days of summer will be replaced with the crisp, cool beginnings of autumn. It hardly seems real and yet it can't come fast enough.

You may be asking me, what is the purpose of pointing all this out?

No purpose. Just my little way of saying I'm back and I'm counting the days.

...is it October yet?