On Frozen Blog

For the first time in several years, the Capitals are on the edge of the playoff bubble, while other Southeast division teams are essentially out of it. And when the team has no hope of getting to the next level in the current season, interest dies down. That’s not stopping one fan in Atlanta, who shared his feelings on the subject last week:

We’ll start to see true fans of hockey and the Thrashers show up for the remaining 8 games in Philips now. Which I like better anyway. Boos from the rafters just make me wanna turn on my fellow fans and ream them for being so wishy washy. But I can’t. No matter how much I want to verbally abuse the fans who expect perfection, I have to understand that hockey is still a new sport here in Atlanta for many people.

We see this phenomenon frequently in the D.C. area. Every time the Redskins blow a game or a season, supporters scream about how they’re giving up their season tickets until the team starts to do better. The same thing happens with the Nationals, and the Capitals. Everyone wants the team to do well, but they’re not prepared to suffer through the growing pains in order to get there. The problem is that expectations are high, and everyone feels entitled to positive action in a hurry- if the ‘Skins have a lousy season one year, they’d better turn it around the next year or else. For the Caps, the rebuilding process has been going on for several years, and now we’ve been told in words and actions that it’s over. The fans are ready, but are they ready if the Caps miss the playoffs? Why not consider this attitude from the same post:

I may have mentioned the two gentlemen who sat next to me that Saturday night in Philips. They were Edmonton Oilers fans from Edmonton. As you may know Edmonton is only 2 points better than your Atlanta Thrashers with a 31-31-5 record as of today. But they way they talked about their team and their fans and the organization as a whole you would think they were Stanley Cup contenders. That is a mindset I have chosen to adopt. Its almost the exact opposite of the American mindset which is driven by instant gratification.

No, it isn’t a quick, painless attitude to develop, especially after weekends like the previous one. It’s much easier to be outwardly pessimistic while secretly hoping that the team can go all the way. But isn’t it more refreshing to have a mindset like those two Oiler fans? What’s wrong with believing in one’s team? We all need to do our part; that’s the least that fans can do right now. Even if the Caps don’t make it, this has been a season to remember, given the team’s descent to the bottom and back up again. (It can always be worse; the team could have languished at the bottom of the league and stayed there.) Now we know the team is capable, which is both a blessing and a curse, but at least there’s no doubt about their abilities. It’s time for the next step for the team and its fans. Let’s show them that we’re ready as well.