When you get knocked out of the playoffs in a year like this has been, it's understandable that the local papers will pay homage to the magical journey that it was, and rightly so.
But when both the NHL's official website and ESPN come out with articles about how much the Caps achieved, how bright the future is, and how amazing they've been...you know you've got something good on your hands.
From NHL.com:Yes sir, what Bruce Boudreau, Alex Ovechkin and the rest of the Capitals gave the hockey world this season was indeed memorable. And this could just be the very beginning. Ovechkin – who scored 65 goals during the regular season – will turn 23 during Washington’s next training camp. Mike Green showed signs that he will be a premier defenseman in this League for years to come. Alexander Semin proved he can pick up the slack when Ovechkin is struggling during those 12 seconds per year.
From Scott Burnside at ESPN.com:This isn't a team that is rebuilding, but rather building. To what? Who knows? But there is something mindful of the Pittsburgh Penguins and how they have quickly learned what it takes to win in the playoffs. Perhaps, more importantly, the fans in this oft-maligned NHL market seem to have understood what was happening here, too.
Just one difference, Scott...when the Pens returned to the postseason after years of rebuilding? They only won once.
Just something to chew on.
Chin up, Caps fans. The 2008-09 season is just around the corner!
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Winners Even In Defeat
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Kolzig: Big Man, Big Shot
If you've had enough of the ridiculous stories that sometimes emerge here in the Cheap Seats, check out a great piece on Olie on NHL.com. There's no real purpose to it other than to spotlight the big guy and some of the behind-the-scenes action we love so much, but it's a fun read - something I'm sure we all need in these final nervous hours before puck drop.
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Stop, You're Making Us Blush
It's always fun to see ESPN's "experts" weigh in on different hockey-related subjects - it's more fun when they're nice, even glowing, in their discussions of the Caps. Observe:1. Which player do you think will be one of the out-of-nowhere role players who surprises everyone in the playoffs?
They also go on to say that Sid will go further than Ovie in the playoffs, but that's neither surprising...nor necessarily wrong. As much as I love our boys, the Penguins are a Cup favorite, the Caps a Cinderella story - and if both win the first round they'll probably have to face each other.
Scott Burnside: I would keep an eye on Tom Poti. The veteran in Washington has put some injuries behind him and moves the puck well. He plays in the shadow of Mike Green now, but that's not a bad thing.
E.J. Hradek: I think Capitals forward Brooks Laich and Red Wings forward Johan Franzen could be two under-the-radar type players who can be surprisingly big contributors in the coming weeks.
Barry Melrose: That's a good question. I think you'll see players like Mike Grier of San Jose as well as a fan and team favorite like Ian Laperriere of Colorado step up, players who play a hard style that's perfect for the playoffs. Steve Ott of Dallas is another one; he gets under people's skin. In the East, look for Scott Hartnell (Flyers), Matt Cooke (Capitals) and Nigel Dawes (Rangers) to score big, timely goals.
5. Which arena will have the most electricity in the first round?
Burnside: It's hard to believe I'm writing this, but the Verizon Center in Washington.
Hradek: The Bell Centre just ain't the Forum, but the place will be nuts when the Habs take the ice to face the Bruins. The atmosphere will be nuclear! The Verizon Center in D.C. should be jumping, too.
Melrose: The Shark Tank. It's the loudest building in the NHL. All of the first-round arenas will be great; Washington will be unbelievable. But with all of the optimism and the team's strong finish to the regular season, San Jose will be rockin'.
Monday, April 07, 2008
Beaming Live Coast to Coast
Okay, Caps fans, no whining allowed.
Why? Because the NHL has released the first round broadcast schedule - and while we love moaning and complaining that Crosby gets more attention, it seems that for the moment Ovechkin's playoff debut has become a bigger draw.
The Caps-Flyers series has apparently been tabbed as the must-see Eastern Conference matchup (Detroit-Nashville will get the love for the Western Conference), and our scrappy Caps will be featured in the national broadcasts for every game but Game 7:
Fri., April 11 7:00 PM Philadelphia at Washington VERSUS, TSN
Sun., April 13 2:00 PM Philadelphia at Washington NBC, TSN
Tues., April 15 7:00 PM Washington at Philadelphia VERSUS, TSN
Thurs., April 17 7:00 PM Washington at Philadelphia VERSUS, TSN
Sat., April 19 1:00 PM Philadelphia at Washington* NBC, TSN
Mon., April 21 TBD Washington at Philadelphia* VERSUS, TSN
Tues., April 22 TBD Philadelphia at Washington* TSN
*if necessary
The Caps and Flyers will be the weekend matchup on NBC, the only Eastern Conference team selected for those Saturday time slots. Devils-Rangers will appear on Versus three times, Pens-Sens twice, and Habs-Bruins just once.
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Cox on Board
Lately it seems like someone new jumps on the Caps bandwagon every day. Our newest traveling companion, though, is the most unlikely of supporters - Damien Cox. Yes, the man who has consistently berated and mocked and belittled this Caps team is finally on board with a staggering statement: the Caps are so much more than just Ovechkin.
Read on:
A team that was the NHL's worst in November and not much better as the calendar flipped over from 2007 to 2008, the Capitals are now demonstrating that they are about more than just trying to sneak into the No. 8 seed. They certainly are not just a team being carried on the back of a single man toward the franchise's first playoff berth in five years.
Ovechkin, with the Art Ross (leading scorer) and Rocket Richard (most goals) Trophies both sewn up, is surely making a compelling case for his candidacy for the Hart (league MVP), regardless of whether the Caps qualify for the 2008 Stanley Cup playoffs. But to suggest Washington is a one-man team would be wrong. For starters, you don't win nine of 10, as the Caps have done at the most important time of the season, if you don't have more than one weapon.
Second, Ovechkin was there for the first 21 games under then-coach Glen Hanlon, and the club started 6-14-1 and looked headed for a lottery draft pick. Clearly, the tactics and decisions of Hanlon's replacement, Bruce Boudreau, over the past 59 games has had an awful lot to do with the resurgence of the Caps.
Finally, GM George McPhee might as well take a bow now, for it appears that while other teams were busy landing bigger-name players, he made the best moves at the February trade deadline. In Tuesday's crucial game against Carolina, the players McPhee acquired -- goalie Cristobal Huet, winger Matt Cooke and center Sergei Fedorov -- all played significant roles.
Check out the rest here.
Caps Fans in the Spotlight
Last night's crowd drew more than a few raised eyebrows and it seems to be all anyone can talk about - every newspaper article, blog post and column will be talking about what transpired at the Phone Booth last night, and for good reason. A sellout crowd swathed in red and cheering on the home team as though it was Game 7 of the finals? Unheard of in most hockey cities, let alone in DC.
Two of these pieces in particular stand out for the way they truly captured the moment as it was for those of us who experienced it, either in person or watching at home. Must reads for any Caps fan immersing themselves in post-victory media for sure.
One comes courtesy of NHL.com, a recap and yet more than that - it's a narrative of the game, a description of the passion that is here in DC yet unknown to most of the hockey world.
The other is local, a piece by Post sports' columnist Mike Wise that not only paints a loving picture of Ovechkin as the genuine superstar he is but also gives credit for the rebirth of the team and hockey fandom where credit is due. It's Ovechkin but it's so much more, from the coach to the guys who don't get the spotlight nearly as much. It's maybe something that doesn't get said enough but seeing it show up in the Post, just one of the many media outlets turning away from the Caps in recent years, makes it that much better.
Both seem to agree on one thing - last night's group of Verizon Center faithful was unlike anything we've seen around here in years. Let's repeat it on Thursday, shall we?
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Food for Thought
With Saturday night's victory over Tampa the Caps earned their 28th win of the season, the same number of wins they had all last season. With one more win they tie their single season high over the last three years. The last time this team had a 30+ win season? 2002-03, when the Caps finished their 92-point season with a record of 39-29-14.
Whatever happens from here, it's important to take away the fact that the Caps are on the right track.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Flashy New Contract
We've got contract news!
Tomas Fleischmann has been re-signed to a two year extension, bumping his salary up from the current league minimum to about $725,000 a year and giving some security to a guy who came into camp without a contract.
Thoughts? I think it's a great deal. There are a lot of people around here (myself included) who have questioned Fleischmann's role on this team and his potential to be what he's supposed to be - a consistent scorer and top six candidate. He's even earned himself a not-so-nice nickname here in the Cheap Seats that unfortunately cannot be printed in a family friendly blog.
Sufficed to say, that nickname has since become more of a term of endearment than a knock on his playing ability (much to the confusion of anyone who sits around me at games) and he's slowly starting to win me over. His timing and finish are still a little off but he's made some fantastic plays recently that show glimpses of the player he can be. Flash is exactly that - he's flashy, and when he finally finds his game he's going to be an entertaining player to watch for sure.
The biggest knock against him before was that he just wasn't physical enough. Too much stickhandling, taking a nanosecond too long to shoot, getting knocked off the puck much too easily...but in the last month or two he's really started to step it up a bit, and while it doesn't always show on the scoresheet it's at least a marked improvement on the ice.
A two-year deal at this amount of money is ideal for someone like Flash. It gives him time to prove that he belongs in the lineup as Fehr starts to find his stride and Clark (hopefully) returns, and at a rate that isn't going to break the bank. If he performs, he's a bargain; if not, it's a contract that is easily moved if necessary. Good deal all around.
The media blitz around the Caps continues, with mega-newsmongers USA Today and the New York Times paying our little team (and some Russian kid) a bit of attention. I like what Ted had to say about it all, though - "come back and see us when we make the playoffs". I agree. It makes all of us a little nervous to be the center of attention when there are still 20+ games to go...I think we can get used to it, though.
Oh, and newsflash - Ovechkin is MVP-worthy.
Um...duh.
Thursday, February 07, 2008
All About Bruce
Boudreau gets yet another well-earned day in the spotlight, as ESPN continues their "surprise story" spotlight of the Caps with part three, a look at BB himself. Meanwhile over at WashingtonPost.com the coach took some time to answer questions from the fans, which included these little gems: Reston, Va.: Would you prefer to coach in a 1-0 game or a 6-5 game? South Riding, Va.: How do you pick players for the overtime shootout? Sandwiched between college football and NBA news...proof of ESPN.com's undying (and until now, hidden) love for the Caps
And of course this Bruce quote, pointed out by astute reader Victor:
Bruce Boudreau: Coaches love to be thought of as defensive gurus, but personally I just want to be the coach that has the higher of the two numbers on the scoreboard. So it does not matter to me.
Mohawk, MI: What do you miss most about coaching in the minor leagues?
Bruce Boudreau: McDonald's of course. And the movies on the bus.
Oh, Matt Bradley. We do love you.
Bruce Boudreau: You have your standard go-to guys, but you might sneak in a guy who is having a hot game. Or if you go 10 or 12 rounds then some of the guys just jump on the ice and go.
Then there's the AP story about how the Caps went from worst to first and why. Of course they point to the fact that the Southeast Division is the weakest in the league - and I have to say, I take issue with that. Not that it's a barn-burning division by any stretch, but Carolina got off to a very hot start and was right on pace with Detroit and Ottawa before a rash of injuries devastated the team and cooled them off; on the flip side, both Washington and Atlanta got off to a slow start and are just now getting hot.
It's not so much a weak division as it is an inconsistent one - should the Caps win the division and make the postseason I'm sure we'll have to revisit that discussion time and time again.
Here's the promising part, though. In Burnside's piece on Boudreau, he clearly states that this is not where they want to be. They want to be challenging the Senators, Habs and Devils of the league, not just the Thrashers and Islanders. As a Caps fan you have to feel encouraged by the continuing sense on this team that good enough is not good enough. And if that keeps up, whether or not the Southeast Division is weak or not may not be the story for much longer.
Continuing the ESPN lovefest, we have a question and answer session with Alex Ovechkin, again over on ESPN.com...they always did love us over there, didn't they? Nothing particularly earth-shattering, just more of the same lovable Ovechkin we see everyday. The kid was raised right for sure.
And rounding it all out, props for Boudreau from "the hairdo" himself, Barry Melrose - who needs to learn how to pronounce Semin's last name before the FCC steps in:
H/t to Peerless for the video
It's funny how getting first place in the division suddenly shines the spotlight on the little team that could, isn't it? Not that we don't welcome the attention, of course. We even got a little more love from ESPN last night, when one of the commentators followed up a blink and you miss it highlight reel of our game by saying "that's it, I'm officially a bandwagon Ovechkin fan."
Welcome aboard, friend. You're not the first and you certainly won't be the last - but there's room for all.
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Something's Not Quite Right...
Per the Washington Post website:
The Washington Capitals have been one of the hottest teams in the NFL since Coach Bruce Boudreau took over in November. He will be online Thursday, Feb. 6 at 1:30 p.m. ET to take your questions about the team and his coaching philosophy....oh, WaPo. You do make life more entertaining, that's for sure, but come on - you're a major newspaper. Hire a proofreader of some kind, that's all I ask.
Friday, January 25, 2008
The Caps Play Dirty
A little love for the Caps today as we head into the All-Star break...and a little something less than love from Canada.
First up, AP has news for everyone that Caps fans already know - the playoff race is now on in DC.
Playoff race? Capitals?So true. Brooks Laich had this to say:
Well, take a long, hard look at those standings as the NHL heads into the All-Star break. Washington (23-22-5) is one point behind first-place Carolina in the Southeast Division. Granted, it's a weak division, but even this is more than anyone could have expected considering where the Capitals were two months ago.
"It's been a lot of hard work. It's come from the change. It's come directly from Bruce. He's a confident guy, and he preaches that to his players, and his players are playing with confidence. He makes the game real easy to play. It's a lot different around here now than it was before."Then the spotlight comes to rest on little Nicklas Backstrom as he heads off to his first - and probably not last - All-Star Game. He was rookie of the month in December, 12 points in 9 games in January, and poised to do even more down the stretch:
“Everything is different,” said Backstrom. “Now I know where I should go and where I should be on the ice. If you know that, that’s pretty good. I think it’s going better and better. But I think it can get even better.”And finally if you hadn't heard, the Caps are the second coming of this year's Philadelphia Flyers. Well, according to the Star, that is:
Hockey should be a no-contact sport. Got it. Don Cherry will be so pleased.Cliff Fletcher was brought into Toronto as interim general manager to prepare the Maple Leafs for the future and a new head hockey honcho.
Really, all the team needs is a few more games against the hard-hitting, some might say dirty, Washington Capitals. [Subtle...]
The way bodies have been dropping over the last two games, a little bit more of this Capital punishment and the entire Marlies squad would soon be wearing Maple Leaf jerseys. The future would be now.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Say It Ain't So Indeed
Monday, January 14, 2008
Word is Spreading
In one of his daily dialogues recently Coach Bruce Boudreau joked that he almost wished Mike Green wasn't getting so much attention - it's easier to burn teams with his talent when they're not keeping a close eye on him.
Well, if other teams are noticing either they don't care or they're simply not able to shut him down. Safe money is on the latter, as Green has rocketed to the top of the goal-scoring defensemen despite continuing to be the subject of national discussion.
...someone explain to me how he wasn't picked as an All-Star again?
The spotlight continues today for Green as he's featured in the New York Times (swanky), where he put into words what it seems a lot of fans and players alike are starting to feel:
“I see a bright future for this organization,” Green said. “We have the right foundation as far as players and direction. It feels like we’re really starting to put things together.”Then there's the massively long piece on NHL.com, Green's "In the Spotlight" moment. Of course we've read a lot about him in recent weeks, but there's some good stuff in there from the coaching staff and Green himself that's new to any fan. In the piece he talks about everything from good eating habits to modelling his game after some of the greats to working on his game in his own end:
"Offense comes a lot more naturally than the defensive game for me," Green said. When there is offense to be created as the fourth guy jumping up into the play, that's what I want to do, and continue working the power play. It has taken some time for me to come into my own and I finally feel ready to fill that role. But I really try to work on my defensive game. I don't want to be known as just an offensive guy, though I think over the course of my junior career and AHL experience I have developed that (reputation), but I want to be a guy that can play solid minutes and play against top lines."Sounds good to me.
So now that the Ovechkin deal is done there's talk that negotiations will begin with Green shortly if they haven't already. The way Green has been talking about the team, the coaching staff and the organization lately, it's likely that the Caps can lock up Green long-term and keep this team in very good hands for a very long time.
Just nobody give that kid keys to a segway ever again, okay?
Friday, December 28, 2007
Same Old, Same Old
Reading the headlines the morning after, one would get the sense that Sidney Crosby outdueled Alex Ovechkin to lead his team to a win.
Anyone who watched that game, Caps fan or Pens fan, would have to respectfully disagree.
That's not to say that Ovie came out on top, either. He finished the night with a goal and a +2, Crosby had two assists and a +1. Both respectable stats for a game that saw each of them have a few chances and a few good shifts...but neither player dominated this game.
This game was in fact a workshop on how to shut down a superstar, a clinic on how to take away time and space. Neither one had much room to maneuver, although being the phenomenal talent that each of them is, they were able to create that room when it was needed the most. When your offense for the night consists of names like Taffe (who?) and Brashear and Pothier and Armstrong...this ain't a battle of the number one draft picks that the NHL seems to want so badly.
I'm not sure when, if ever, the NHL and the 
media will decide to stop making this into the Ovechkin vs. Crosby show. If anything the likelihood goes down with every meeting that games between these two teams will end up panning out that way. Sure, they have different styles, but you have to think that practicing with Sidney Crosby gives you a better idea of how to shut down Ovechkin - and vice versa. Learn how to take away time and space from someone and you're going to take the power away from any forward.
Yesterday in the gameday preview I mocked how much the commentators love to drool over Crosby, and the same can probably be said (to a lesser extent) for Ovechkin. It's understandable. Two amazing talents cannot be denied. But at what point do we start recognizing the real heroes of a game, even when they're not named Ovechkin or Crosby?
Last night the Penguins got an overtime winner from Gonchar, who had a horrible game otherwise but more than made up for it by...well, winning the game. Evgeni Malkin was everywhere and took more than a few bone-rattling checks from Ovechkin while still making plays and Taffe (WHO?) came out of nowhere to get the Pens on the board early.
For the Caps you had Brashear with an absolutely dominant first period that included a fight and a goal. Then there was Nicklas Backstrom, who continues to thrill and basically created two of the Caps three goals just by being his hard-working, talented self. And Boyd Gordon, returning from an injury that kept him out most of December, slipped right back into his old role of shutdown master, keeping Crosby virtually silent for a majority of the game.
Oddly enough not one of them, with the exception of Gonchar (OT goals are sexier than just being a talented hockey player, I guess) shows up in the headlines. Instead we get things like "Crosby Outduels Ovechkin" and "Crosby Leads Pens Over Ovechkin" and so on and so forth. It almost makes you think they've just got headlines already written regardless of how the game turns out.
Guess what, members of the mainstream media, AP headline writers, whoever you are - it's been three years now. Enough is enough.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Gabby Gets Noticed
Here in DC we're used to everyone being ignored by the general media - local and otherwise. The number of times the Caps have shown up on NHL.com anyplace other than the Southeast Notebook could probably be counted on one hand. The amount of articles written about this team in the Canadian Press or the Associated Press that aren't related to the outcome of a game, just as infrequent.
Enter Bruce Boudreau.
He's the NHL's latest media darling, a good guy done good who has arguably become the biggest interview in Washington hockey. The focus has suddenly shifted from a superstar Russian phenom to a slightly chubby, talkative, middle-aged man with horrible taste in clothing and a refreshing outlook. He even got DC Sports Bog to write about hockey for a day...
It's not hard to see why exactly Boudreau is now the subject of so much interest. Besides having a quick wit and a conversational style that screams sound byte, the results on the ice simply can't be denied. The Caps have rebounded from a horrific start to the season, a stretch that saw losing streak after losing streak, crippling one goal losses and sub-par effort on a nightly basis, and are now chugging their way back into the thick of the race. Although still in last place, the gap between the Capitals and the coveted eighth spot has shrunk and teams ahead of them are starting to look over their shoulder.
The wins have been hard-fought; the losses often have been as well. Overtime wins against the Flyers and the Rangers, a one-goal thriller over the Devils, a blowout against the Thrashers - and most recently, an effort that saw the Caps go punch for punch with the league's best team, the Red Wings.
When asked about his success Boudreau's first response always seems to be that he just does what he's always done - sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. But it's clear that his dedication to three key concepts has gotten the team this far.
He preaches discipline. He preaches confidence. He preaches winning.
And after a less than stellar effort, Boudreau is the first one to name names, to single out players who should be playing better. And that means any player. Everyone from Kolzig to Pothier to Fleischmann to Semin has been called on the mat, but it's not in a Tortorella-esque way, where you picture the player in question cowering in a corner being admonished like a child. Instead he's matter-of-fact, respectful in his criticism and always grounding it in the belief that the singled out player can do better.
Therein lies the difference between a good coach and a blowhard...but that's an issue for another day.
Since taking over, Boudreau has managed to get good performances out of most of the team on a consistent basis. More notably, though, he's gotten great performances out of his young players who spent time with him in Hershey. Mike Green obviously stands out as someone who has blossomed this year, his confidence and his ice time increasing with every game.
But what about Jeff Schultz, who suddenly has five goals of his own? Or Brooks Laich, who has stepped up his game despite occasionally being on the fourth line and has developed into a consistently smart player? And let's not forget Quintin Laing, who has stepped in and put together an impressive stretch since being called up, doing all the little things that don't show up on the scoreboard and adding a few points as well.
This team is clicking on almost all cylinders right now. It's important not to get ahead of ourselves, and consistency will be the big test down the line. At the moment, though, this team is doing what they should have been doing all year long - proving people wrong.
Monday, December 17, 2007
The Cheap Seats Award for Dumbest Idea Goes to...
And his argument that Ovechkin being a Cap is no guarantee of success also holds little water because...well, what is the guarantee? Signing Scott Gomez to an obscene amount of money? Hiring Wayne Gretzky to coach your team? There's no such thing as a guarantee in sports and I'm betting our chances are slightly better with a talent that only comes along so often among our ranks. But more importantly, trading Ovie would be disastrous to this team right now because the team has been built around him. Players have been drafted to complement his skills, players have been signed to create plays just for him. Trade Ovechkin now and you've got a shell of a team but no core - and in a town that has merely a passing interest in hockey as it is, trading the flamboyant superstar player would be far more catastrophic for DC hockey than even I can imagine.
In the latest chapter of insane analysts we get today's entry by THN columnist Mike Brophy. His premise? The Caps should trade Ovechkin.
Before I get into this - show of hands, how many people would cancel their season tickets right then and there should GMGM pull off such a trade?
Brophy is saying that basically the Caps are floundering. They aren't drawing crowds. They're not a contender nor is there any proof they will be in the near future. So clearly the thing to do is trade the superstar Russian for some obscene package of players, the way Quebec did back in the days of Eric Lindros.
That's his theory, based on one phenomenally lopsided trade in the annals of NHL history.
But actually it's not.
Pay close attention to the following line: "What if the young superstar tells the Caps he’d prefer to play someplace a little more cosmopolitan than Washington?"
This isn't an op-ed piece on making the Caps a better team, although it is certainly doing a great job masquerading as such. It's a deeply veiled attempt to say that Ovechkin would be better served playing in a more cosmopolitan city, a city that clearly will treat him better than DC ever could.
First of all, I've lived in and around DC all my life - it's a pretty cosmopolitan city in it's own right. So is Brophy suggesting a move to Toronto or Montreal on the basis that hockey love makes a city cosmopolitan?
No, I'm thinking he's referring to a different city, a city that they say never sleeps - a city like New York. Shocking that someone would again suggest that one of the best players in the league should go to what everyone has decided is hockey heaven. Never mind that New York is notorious for being unable to grow their own young talent, or that they are captained by someone who despite being among the greatest hockey players in the league has managed to do little more than lead them to stunning mediocrity.
But okay, we'll pretend for a minute that Brophy actually does care about the state of the Caps (and ignore the fact that in the last month the Caps have played like more of a playoff contender than a number of teams already in the top 8). We'll grant him the notion that this is actually a piece about the future of the Caps, the darlings of the NHL and all media types as we well know.
"Because it worked for Quebec/Colorado" means nothing to me. Eric Lindros in his prime was no Alex Ovechkin - character-wise, talent-wise and personality-wise. Their impact on their respective teams could not be more different. And I'm thinking the knowledge that Lindros did little to increase the number of Cups in Philadelphia probably would give some GMs pause about pulling the trigger on a lopsided trade like that anyways.
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
New Media, Old Media and Everything In Between
The continuing debate over the place of bloggers in the hockey world is one that is filled with conflicting arguments and different perspectives. Newspapers have covered it, bloggers have discussed it, and it was most recently given a spotlight by the crew over at CBC's Hockey Night in Canada.
Adding their voice to the debate, my two favorite Devils fans over at Interchangeable Parts have put together a questionnaire for bloggers to get a better feel for where we are and where we're going.
Now I think...I think...there are a few other Caps blogs around somewhere. Guys, this issue is one that hits us closest to home - I invite you all to take this questionnaire and run with it.
1. What was your motivation for starting blogging? Has that changed at all in the time you’ve been blogging?
The simplest answer is I just wanted a place where I could talk about my team. There is nothing I am more passionate about than my love of the Caps and hockey in general; blogging just seemed like the perfect outlet for me to talk hockey without bugging my family and friends any more than I had to. And frankly when I started I was frustrated by the distinct lack of coverage given to the upcoming season, a season I was actually very excited about (one of those ignorance is bliss moments, I admit). I figured if I couldn't read about the Caps, I could write about them.
In the fifteen months since I started, my blog has become much more than just a place for me to babble on about my team. It is now a way for me to interact with other passionate fans, to become part of a community of people who share a love of hockey. I've developed friendships and broadened the way I look at a season, a game, a single play. It may sound cheesy but I really feel like I've learned something from every single person I've come into contact with, be it a commenter or a fellow blogger.
2. What do you think your blog contributes to the hockey conversation?
I hope that first and foremost I'm able to bring a little bit of humor to the table. There is so much about being a hockey fan and specifically about being a Caps fan that is just downright hilarious. If you take it too seriously you're liable to go crazy - it's a game, it should be fun!
There is also something to be said for providing a female perspective in a male-dominated medium. I didn't start out with that specific goal in mind and I don't like to specifically refer to myself as a "female fan". I'm a fan who happens to be a female and I think putting a label to it just invites further division. However I refuse to allow the "puckbunny" image to be the predominant face of the female fan and I'm happy to be a representative of the true female fans, to show that the majority of us know the game, know our team, and can handle any debate you throw at us.
Plus we're likely to engage in that debate without it dissolving into a "whose is bigger" contest...but that's a different issue.
3. What do you want to get out of the blogs you read?
A different voice. Something that isn't just a rehashing of an article or a press release, something that shows the personality of the author or authors. I read blogs because of the different opinions they provide or the way they make me laugh. I read blogs that generate debate in the comments or voice an opinion that may be unpopular. I want to be entertained, stimulated, provoked or moved.
4. What determines which blogs you read and which you don’t?
I look for blogs that show a sense of humor, blogs that show a knowledge of the subject matter, blogs that are well written and blogs that present combinations of all three. Analyzing stats is one thing; doing it with a well-defined voice and a quick wit is quite another, and those blogs that achieve that go on my reading list as well.
I won't read blogs that show a distinct lack of effort - that can mean anything from having multiple typos and errors (my pet peeve) to using dry and nondescript writing to being completely devoid of enthusiasm. I also won't read blogs that disregard all rules of basic civility. There's trash-talking and then there's being downright mean, and I can't stomach the latter, no matter what team they may represent.
5. How important is the issue of gaining press access to you as a blogger?
I have had press access on several occasions, whether it is in the press box on game night or at an event like the uniform unveiling. Every experience I've had as a credentialed blogger has brought something new and different to my posts - a quote here, a picture there, anything that gives texture and depth to what I'm already writing. It's fact-gathering with a twist, seeing the behind-the-scenes elements of the game without the restrictions of deadlines or a specific story.
It's Milan Jurcina's pink socks at opening day of training camp; it's Ben Clymer's story at the draft day party about his own draft experience; it's talking baseball with Brooks Laich.
I am definitely for press access being extended to bloggers, if they so choose to apply for it, because it does broaden the fan experience. Bloggers bring a different perspective and can pass on the benefit of that perspective to the fans. There of course should be rules and guidelines defining who is eligible and who is not, but the option should be there for those who meet the criteria. The definition of "media" is expanding beyond just a journalism degree and a byline, and nothing is gained by pretending that's not true.
That being said - I don't think that gaining credentials is something required of every blogger in order to be taken seriously. There tends to be a "holier than thou" attitude among some bloggers who do choose to get credentialed, and this drives me crazy. Gaining press access is great, I'm all for it, but it's not the determining factor on what makes a great blog.
Some of the best blogs I've ever read were written by people who have never set foot in and have no desire to be in the press box. They don't put any less work into their blogs just because they don't seek out a press pass; their opinions don't matter any less. It's in their ability to carve out a corner of the blogosphere, a readership, that they become credible - not whether someone deems them worthy of holding a tape recorder in front of a goalie's mouth.
I think that the debate about credentialing bloggers has become far too narrow, lumping all blogs in with the ones who want press access. Humor columnists and food critics are, technically, members of the press; would you want them in the press box for a Caps game? No. Does that make them any less skilled at what they do? Definitely not. And it's the same for bloggers. Each blog has a different role to play, each blogger a different goal for his or her site, and that doesn't always include press access.
I have had a great time covering the Caps for this blog and I hope to continue to do so. But I also have no plans to trade in my experience as a fan to be press full time, at least not in this capacity. I love being a part of the crowd and being allowed to cheer or boo when necessary. I like wearing my jersey; I like jumping around when the Caps score. I even like sitting among the enemy fans. It's part of being a fan, which is why I started a blog in the first place. My time spent as credentialed media enhances my blog, but it's my experiences as a fan that make it what it is - for better or for worse.
6. To what extent do you feel accountable for the content of your blog? How concerned do you think readers should be about the authority and accountability of your blog?
Every word I write on my blog counts towards my credibility as a writer. Stats and numbers need to be checked; quotes need to be confirmed and then credited. If I get something wrong I fully expect to be called on it, because my readers and hockey fans in general are smart. They won't stand for half-assed, nor should they. So when I make a mistake I own up to it and fix it; when my opinion is challenged it is my responsibility to back it up.
I know that my readers are aware when I am being opinionated, when I am being analytical, and when I am being downright silly. Things I say for the purposes of satire or humor in general are clearly identified as such, as are my personal opinions. I don't pretend that my site is a source for breaking news or deep analysis, although each will from time to time trickle into the content (usually by accident...). My blog is not here to inform but to entertain and provoke thought and debate.
7. How concerned are you about the authority and accountability of the blogs you read? Do you find it difficult to judge the authority and accountability of the blogs you read?
Every blogger regardless of the purpose behind their blog should be held accountable for things they say in the public arena. However, how much I'm concerned with it comes down to the type of blog it is. If it's a site claiming to have the inside track on a trade rumor or the latest news on a disciplinary action, I absolutely am concerned about the authority and accountability - and some are harder to judge than others, to be sure. If I'm taking something as fact, I want to know that it's real...hence the reason I avoid certain blogs at all costs.
Other blogs, though, are simply there to entertain and I approach them as just that, entertainment. I'm not concerned with their authority because they're not trying to pass themselves off as a news-gathering site or anything close to that. Accountability comes in to play only if they express opinions but don't back them up, highlight a fact but refuse to confirm it.
8. What value, if any, do you think blogging brings to the NHL?
Blogging provides a tremendous value to the NHL. Hockey fans may often be in the minority but they are also the most passionate, loyal and knowledgeable fans of any sport - and bloggers are among the most insane dedicated fans of all. First and foremost, you need maniacs like me and others to be on board, to sell the sport and pass the love down to our kids.
But more importantly it's what blogging brings to the general hockey conversation. For years the only way to get analysis on a certain issue in the hockey world was one of three ways: open a newspaper, turn on a television, or listen to the radio. You got opinions from a select few, so-called pundits and analysts who gave you one, maybe two viewpoints, and that was it.
Now with a simple click of a mouse you get 10, 50, 100 different opinions from people who can then go read the other opinions and discuss them. What bloggers write and how people react to what we write can tell the league more than any focus group, because it's not prompted or filtered; it's real.
What is great about blogs is that they can appeal to the casual fan as well as the lifelong diehards, because the writing is accessible...that alone will do more than the glowing puck ever could. In the relatively short time I've been doing this I've gotten numerous emails with questions on everything from where the best seats are for a game to what a certain rule means to how I feel about a controversial topic. I've had people write just to tell me they attended their first game and loved it, and I've had others write in to tell me that I'm an idiot and wouldn't know hockey if it bit me in the, er, rear.
That's passion at all ends of the spectrum and all levels of fandom, demonstrated through just one blog - one of thousands. And nurturing that passion, whatever stage it may be in? That's how you grow a sport.
Friday, November 09, 2007
The Aftermath
It's always fun after a win up in Canada to see what is being said, if only because it tends to get a lot more coverage than it does down here. It's that much more fun when the Caps, a lowly 15th place team, top the Sens, the mighty 1st place team. (Not to pick on Sens fans too much, because I like Ottawa. Just not for the next 24 hours or so.)
Here's a quick rundown of all the press clippings...
On that same note, here's a little local flavor, just for fun:
And finally, here are a couple of great snippets from the Ottawa Sun's game story:
- "So, the starting goaltender of one team didn't make himself available to the media yesterday while the star forward of the other team took the time to go into the hallway - in his underwear - and read a couple of lines of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas for a feature TSN does each year. Alexander Ovechkin read the lines at least a half-dozen times, laughed while doing it and when he was thanked by Brent Wallace of TSN, replied "No problem." And you wonder what makes a guy a pro."
- Backstrom on his goal: "If it hit [Emery] in the head," said Backstrom afterward, "I'm sorry."
- "[F]ormer NHLer Bob Probert was outside the Caps dressing room after the game. He introduced himself to Ovechkin. The star walked away and asked somebody, "Grobert? Who's Grobert?"
Thursday, November 01, 2007
Caps' Baby D Getting Some Love
NHL.com is spotlighting our young defensemen, who appear to be making the rounds of NHL world after appearing on XM yesterday. Nice to see - let's hope they can shut down Jagr and friends tonight, continuing the buzz that's starting to be generated.
Friday, October 12, 2007
Pissing Off Viewers, One Sport at a Time
From WashingtonCaps.com, a note regarding tomorrow's Slug-fest:
Unfortunately Washington Capitals fans who live in Fairfax and Fredericksburg and who subscribe to Cox Communications cable will not be able to receive live television coverage of this Saturday’s Capitals game against the Buffalo Sabres.
Read the rest here. It's kind of amazing how this kind of thing keeps happening with local sports teams around the District and here's hoping a solution can be found soon. The Caps, like most NHL teams, are in no position to be fighting for viewers.
Speaking of cable and hockey and annoying stuff...anyone know when RCN will start carrying the NHL Network?? *sigh*
