#1

Posted by Z, January 5, 2008 10:04 PM

WOO HOO! Life is good again, at least for now. Way to go Ovechkin, Green, and Backstrom.

Reply

#2

Posted by Robyn, January 5, 2008 11:11 PM

Life seems to be REALLY good for the Caps when they play in Canada!! That will be the next rumor when the AO rumors die down...Caps move to Canada!!! Pack your bags boys!!! GO CAPS!!!!!!

Reply

#3

Posted by Chris Green, January 5, 2008 11:52 PM

Great Game... Did you notice that when we set up to defend on a power play that we do not challenge the opposing player with the puck.... we hang back and let them make the pass...

The Habs were straight in our faces, and broke up our power plays pretty well... I like Bruce's new style of forechecking, and man to man play but it doesn't seem to bleed over into the power play..

Oh, almost forgot, I LOVED the Habs 2nd goal... "It was Dazzling".... "A Thing of Beauty"... [remainder deleted by Admin]

Reply

#4

Posted by Gustafsson, January 6, 2008 12:01 AM

Ok Chris Green... You've made your point about JoeB, not that we agree with you at all.

Now, ease up with the name calling.

Reply

#5

Posted by dmg, January 6, 2008 1:12 AM

Just because a goal is scored against the Caps doesn't mean it can't be impressive and you can't appreciate the skill level is takes to pull it off. Beninanti is a television commentator, not the president of the Capitals fan club.

My thoughts: I'm really glad the Capitals are able to come from behind to pick up wins now that Bruce Boudreau is coaching, but they have to try and prove it every game?

Reply

#6

Posted by HockeePhan, January 6, 2008 3:08 AM

Félicitations aux Capitals de Washington :)

Reply

#7

Posted by Chris Green, January 6, 2008 4:52 AM

I tell you what, I am going to put it to you the exact same way I relayed to Ted... politically not the smart way to play it, but I don't tell different parties different stories...

I have a real problem with with 'your friend'....

Awesome Game, maybe even BenaDict-nati will begin to notice...

Ted, Look.. 2nd Habs goal by Kostitson.... BenaDict: "Dazzling Goal", followed by "It was a Thing of Beauty".... (just for good measure, obviously)

Let's Say you are a Big Executive with AOL... and your spokesman is selling AOL to a huge crowd of consumers..

and your spokesman blurts out "oh, Dazzling New Feature" (that the competition has, or implemented), followed up by "It's a Thing of Beauty" (your know your competitions product)

As like Director of Marketing, exactly how long would that 'spokesman' last? I am very serious about this, not only do I take great offense as a Caps fan to him coming into 'my living room' taunting me, but he earns $$$ from me watching the game indirectly....

Are we trying to build a 'Brand' with the Caps? Are we marketing season tickets to the next generation of kids who are watching the Caps play?

Kids look for heroes, and are drawn to winners.... BenaDict-nati promotes verbally other teams, and their individual players in a very, very overt way....

If he were some national announcer, who called a Caps game every now and again, whatever.... He is our voice... and his entire mindset is that the Caps are a freaking wannabe bunch of losers, who happen to be playing against every other team in the league that is better than us......

You may be thinking, oh, he's fair, and a big hockey fan, and it carries over....

This is hockey.... from watching the officiating, I don't think it's ever been a fair game, and guess what... good guys finish last... and it's been showing for a couple of seasons now....

The coaching change brought a new winning attitude to the players, a play by play announcer change, might just bring a Freaking winning attitude to the fans!

sincerely, Chris Green

Reply

#8

Posted by Chris Green, January 6, 2008 4:58 AM

Glad I got your attention... now you can choose to censor my message... as editor of your blog that is fine... but it is not libelous, and if your readers take offense to it, they will side against my views, just because I am comparing our 'Team Voice' to Benadict Arnold...

The choice is yours... but I am going to tell you this, The Capitals fans are being condidtioned to accept losing, and I think his calling of the games has a lot to do with it....

After Kostitson's goal, I think it would be fair to be discussing a serious defensive lapse.... maybe not glorifying the other teams player...

Ovie scored 1 on 3 and that didn't elicit a "thing of beauty".

That's what I am saying...

Reply

#9

Posted by Brad, January 6, 2008 5:12 AM

Joe B called it a thing a beauty because it was, and because he is a fan of hockey and not some blind homer. If you want someone that one-sided, go watch Pens games and enjoy. Joe B is one of the best in the business precisely because he covers the entire game, not just his team. He isn't on the Caps payroll, he isn't a part of this organization, so it's just silly that anyone would consider it treason for a sports announcer [gasp] recognizing a wonderful sports play!

Reply

#10

Posted by pepper, January 6, 2008 5:24 AM

If this is a Caps-friendly and -favored blog, and I'm quite sure it is, can't we all just be happy that we pulled off an impressive win, in an incredibly hostile building, on the backs of our most brilliant young cornerstones #s 8, 19, and 52? Yes, we can!

I'm upset that we've got to wait until Wednesday for the next win.

Reply

#11

Posted by Chris Green, January 6, 2008 5:26 AM

Brad:
That's not exactly so... being on the Cap's payroll per se, maybe, but hasn't this man made his living calling our games? Being our voice?

The other day, the last Tampa game I believe they cleared the zone he literally said, "Thankfully.... for them", (they got it out of there).. as he caught himself...

My opinion is he literally looks down upon this organization... and I tell you what.... He wouldn't last 5 games in a real Hockey town calling them like he does....

You can take umbrage to my opinion, but I want Washington to be a Hockey Town! I am not saying act like philly or pens fans, but for goodness sakes.... our own play by play guy, taunting us?

Schultz got burnt.... you know the guy on the Capitals... that is who I am concerned about.... if we trade for Kostitson, then I'll worry about him.... then.

Reply

#12

Posted by MikeEaglesHlthScrtch, January 6, 2008 6:29 AM

It was Green that was undressed on that goal and it was a thing of beauty. Very Ovechkin like. By the way, didn't Joe B get a lot of Olympics time? Also you forget the lines he made denigrating the Canadiens, like the Rec League line after the Backstrom goal.

Reply

#13

Posted by HockeePhan, January 6, 2008 11:44 AM

Remember this article everyone: http://www.thestar.com/Sports/NHL/article/272495

May I point out that the "lowly" Capitals are now one point behind the Leafs.

Reply

#14

Posted by Chris Green, January 6, 2008 8:21 PM

Brad:
You say "go watch Pens games and enjoy."
What I see and saw in our game against the Pens, was a FULL HOUSE, or better known as a 'Sell out'.... They have a fanatic fan base... and you criticize their coverage of their games?

How many of them are at our games in the VC, and Caps fans at theirs? The only compensation to this is that we can at least use their ticket money to pay Ovie's huge upcoming salary....

If we could pack the VC, and not need their fans to pay our own payroll... wouldn't life be better? You build up a fan base by 'branding' your own team...

and yes, I thought I saw a 55 on the uniform, I stand corrected, it had something to do with me using some 'choice words' at the TV, as 'my Caps" voice was slobbering over the opposing teams player.... and doing his best to convince our kids watching the game to make that guy his hockey favorite....

This is serious, and it needs to be addressed. I will say it again... The coaching change brought a 'winning attitude' to the players.... A play by play announcer change (or a coming to Jesus) will bring a 'winning attitude' change to the fans....

This is elementary stuff people... Our fans are being 'conditioned' to accept losing....

Reply

#15

Posted by Brad, January 6, 2008 8:47 PM

If you think that the Caps' attendance woes are caused in part by Joe B being a competent and fair announcer, then I've got a bridge to sell you. There's a difference between hockey fans and bandwagon fans, and no hockey fan is going to be stupid enough to "accept losing" because of someone like Joe B being honest. Here's the thing: a hockey fan would see the beauty in that play, even if it hurts seeing it happen against their team. If your point was that Joe B and Locker should have focused more on saying Green dropped the ball, well maybe that could be legit (but that's still a somewhat homerish and unprofessional point of view if you don't give the other team the respect they deserve), but to say he's a traitor because of something like that makes me wonder if you even care about the game of hockey, or if you're just here to say "go Caps, everyone else sucks."

Reply

#16

Posted by Scai, January 6, 2008 10:34 PM

Hey Chris, it was a great goal and everyone who knows a bit about hockey saw and called it that way. Accept that. And Joe B is a great play by play guy who if the Caps were so stupid to let him go (which of course they won't) would have no problems finding a gig with another NHL team. I wouldn't want Steigerwald or any of those clowns.
And btw during the PK every team in the league is aggressive at times and is sitting back at other times. It depends on what the other team is doing, if they got good puck control, etc etc. The 1st goal was scored because the Caps' box wasn't tight enoug not because they weren't forechecking.
On cbc.ca/hockey they have a thing called "think hockey". Watch all the episodes and come back a little more wiser.

Reply

#17

Posted by Chris Green, January 7, 2008 3:19 AM

Brad - Scai:
Please review comment 7 here
http://www.onfrozenblog.com/2008/01/06/sleepy-time-in-montreal/#comments

about the kids watching the game...

and I will reemphasize this to you Brad in particular... How do you explain why the Pens fans are so fanatical? They Love their team and they Love their Players... and you 'poo-poo' what I am saying... that's denial my friend...

Scai says:
"would have no problems finding a gig with another NHL team"

and I say let him go... to those 'greener pastures', because we need to brand our product... and absolutely, our 'Caps Voice' should have analyzed Green's break down in coverage... not glorify the other player..

You can call a game fair... and I am all for that, but our current voice is way overboard... because if there wasn't something there to talk about... I wouldn't be talking about it now would I?

WE need a 'voice of the Caps'. Which is why having Reekie in that slot, would be just fine with me...

This is elementary Gentleman, reread my comments to Ted on this subject (#7 above), and then put yourself in the place of that AOL Marketing Executive...

Matter of fact go out tomorrow at work and tell all your clients about how good your competitors are.... You might not be so smug if you see them taking their business elsewhere...

Reply

#18

Posted by Scai, January 7, 2008 7:50 AM

Man, you must think Caps fans are really darn stupid to become fans of some other team just because the Caps' play by play announcer said that other team just made a great play. Being an out-of-towner I frequently have to sit through guys from other teams calling Caps' games. And you know what: occasionally, when a Cap makes a great play, those guys do call it a great play. And indeed, everytime that happens I see fans' of those other teams' changing sides... in masses.. Guess that's why there are these millions and millions of Caps' fans allover the continet... lol things can be so simple

Reply

#19

Posted by Brad, January 7, 2008 5:33 PM

Pens fans are fanatic because they have a strong team. They had worse attendance than us back when they were a worse team (pre-lockout at least). In DC the formula has always been "win and they will come." Don't expect the Caps to start drawing very well until they put together and extremely strong run, something they haven't been able to do for a very long time. Nothing Joe B says is going to change that, and if you can't see that then just enjoy living in that fantasy world of yours.

Reply

#20

Posted by Chris Green, January 8, 2008 2:16 AM

Gentleman:
Does the TV schedule read "Joe Benanati Show" tonight at 7PM?

No, it says Caps vs. who we are going to beat that night.... 95% of the fans who tune into the game are tuning into watch the Capitals win a hockey game....

I am going to assume you two represent the 5% of the people who want to see benanati cheer the other team on....

maybe another analogy will help...
Jerry's Dad, and Travis' dad are fist fighting, with their respective families watching.... Jerry is landing serious fist to Travis's dads face....

is Travis yelling out "dazzling punch", oh that upper cut was a 'thing of beauty'?

What is Travis's family going to think of Travis? WE are all one big Capitals (Travis') family right?

I am saying to you gentleman.... this is some isolated comments... it's consistent....benanati was part of our family, now he thinks he's above us.....

and he is conditioning the kids, our future ticket holders to make their favorite players on the other teams.... (back to the AOL model)

Reply