“Let’s go Flyers!” (tepid) . . . “Flyers suck!“ (thunderous)
There was last night in our building, in abundance, hatred. Blissful, beautiful, bellicose, and long-lost loathing, united against the orange and black. The universe at last seemed ordered. An observer in the Phone Booth last night couldn’t help but imagine these two teams — so evenly matched last spring, last night, and likely for much of the next decade — engaging in scores more of these heart-stoppers of hatred, but with division pride at stake each time. And near the end of regular seasons, division titles on the line. Except that can’t happen.
What a (Bettman-birthed) tragedy.
Thanks to Gary Bettman, for the past 10 years we’ve wandered in a division of dreck, an outpost of ‘Oh who cares?’ as the winter evenings’ scores scrolled by. But not last night.
You aren’t seeing many commemorations for the 10th anniversary of the Southeast division this season. In 1998-99 Carolina, Florida, Tampa, and Washington formed what some still refer to as the Southleast, or the NASCAR division. A year later expansion Atlanta arrived, adding the predictable laugher lackluster. Hockey fans whose loyalties reside outside the Southeast have been yawning ever since.
(Seriously — has ‘Hockey Night in Canada’ ever broadcast a game between two Southeast teams?) (If that doesn’t tell you all you need to know about the Southeast . . . )
This discussion is salient because a funny thing has happened in this the 10th anniversary of the division known as the children’s table at a lavish holiday dinner: the Caps have renewed a rivalry with a great old foe from the Patrick division — the Flyers. And how. And for some (like me), it’s whetting the appetite for a long overdue realignment.
We who lived and breathed Patrick division bred bile for teams from Pennsylvania and New York were afforded a rare treat in Chinatown last night: a travel back in time. Our home rink became, for two-and-a-half hours, a haven of hatred. Best of all: at evening’s end we shuffled out a beaming army of red, with that oh so rare, better-than-sex elation — triumph over they we hate the most, enjoyed the more because the ever so thick throng had dotted within it, in the streets and on Metro platforms, smatterings of the ugly sweaters. How we love being near them in that moment, don’t we?
Think I’m lost in a baseless fit of whimsical nostalgia? Try reading yesterday’s Washington Post:
“. . . when a busload of Capitals employees arrived in Philadelphia, a group
of unruly fans surrounded the bus and rocked it back and forth while
screaming obscenities. When the staffers returned, the bus was covered
in mustard, ketchup and shaving cream.”
The Associated Press yesterday noticed fresh hate for this matchup as well:
“. . . there certainly won’t be a ticket to spare Tuesday night against the Philadelphia Flyers, a rivalry so intense that an upset fan left two unbroken eggs on a wall outside Ovechkin’s house after a 7-1 loss in Philly on Dec. 20. The message attached to the eggs, according to Ovechkin: “Don’t do it anymore.”
The owner certainly recognized the importance and novelty of the evening — he was in his box, covered in his red Caps’ sweater, retrieved out of the closet for a rare and special donning. The occasion merited it.
Lots of folks are crediting the Caps-Flyers playoff series last April for reigniting a rivalry that, frankly, really never found itself fully extinguished. Folks didn’t get in much of a frenzy over Yankees and Red Sox games in the early ’90s, did they? The great rivalries endure peak and valley periods. With the Flyers, we’re peaking again. And seven-game playoff series have a way of fomenting fresh hatred.
The possibility of losing last night, which somehow hung in the air even a second or two past the realization of Jeff Carter’s game-ending shootout failure (great rivalries carry this torturous delayed gratification), seemed to carry so much more significance than last Thursday versus Tampa, didn’t it? That ought to tell you all you need to know about the sacrifice the Capitals and their fans have made these past 10 years. It was the wrong move then and it is very, very much wrong still now.
For years now we’ve been told by the apologists for the Southeast’s awful architecture that with merely patience new hatreds will descend upon our beleaguered grouping. They haven’t and they won’t. This hatred we have for those colors 90 miles to the North, it’s intrinsic, almost congenital. It’s a part of our hockey DNA.
Even having two Stanley Cup champions in the past 5 years does nothing to improve the Southeast’s standing. It’s a division that needs to be dissolved. Blown up. Obliterated. Glo-puck it. I don’t particularly care where the extraneous pieces land. I just know that last night Washington’s rink was as it should be, during the regular season. At last. I just know that Washington needs and deserves its old rivalries back.
40 Comments
The only thing is that Philly fans and even the players don’t really recognize that rivalry – at least, a lot of them don’t. And I understand that.
But damn I’m going to enjoy giving them a reason to.
I don’t know if I agree with you there. When the “let’s go cryers….the Flyers suck” chant started, it appeared to me that some of the players seemed more focused. Hell, even Kozlov looked like he had an extra jump in his skates a few times last night.
Our Caps have said that they feed off the energy that the crowd gives them, I think we brought a new level to a regular season game.
You know instead of responding to “Let’s go Flyers!” with the typical “Flyers Suck!” I really think we should just switch to drowning out the chant with a good old “Let’s Go Caps!” Yelling “Flyers suck!” seems to draw attention to the visiting fans while drowning them out with our battle cry would make them feel, well, small.
Has ‘Hockey Night in Canada’ ever broadcast a game between two Southeast teams?
No, because one of the teams is always Canadian.
The thought of catching Boston in the standings and raising an “Eastern Conference Regular Season Champs,” banner is all we need at this point. I dont care if it’s Colombus or Carolina…to be the best we need to bring it every night.
DC, in point of fact, HNIC has broadcast games between U.S.-based teams, but it has been extremely rare — generally of the novelty variety as with the Winter Classic, for instance, and in the second half of his career when Gretzky was moving about U.S. markets. This is likely to be more an issue going forward, as TSN has some playoff broadcast rights, and should it land a series with two Canadian clubs, HNIC could be in an awkward position for filling say an Eastern time slot on a Saturday night. I was being partly cutesy rhetorically here, but I also believe that even at the pointing of a barrel of a gun to their heads HNIC would sooner air a rerun of Trailer Park Boys than a Southeast game.
Oh, there’s no doubt that the Caps recognize it and feed off of it. They’ve said they do, and I believe it. Everybody had jump – some people just a little too much
I’m saying that some of the Philly folks don’t recognize it. And not all of them do – but like I said, that just gives me a reason to make them recognize it. How does a four-game sweep in this year’s playoffs sound?
@SA TOWN: How awesome would catching Boston in the standings be? And it’s not out of reach if we continue to bring it every single night.
@CK: I like the LET’S GO CAPS! a whole lot better, but I got drowned out
And DC Sports Bog is kidding itself if it wants to pretend the rivalry and animosity isn’t there. It’s very much there even between friends who are fans of opposing teams. Yeah, you’re friend, but the rivalry is still there, and a couple of guys starwted throwing punches in the rows below me last night.
here’s my thought.
why not just move the Caps into the Atlantic division and let it have 6 teams, let the Southeast have 4 and call it a day. before anyone gets all huffy about it, it works in baseball. they have 6 divisions (like the NHL) and there is one 6 team division, and one 4 team, granted I’ve never liked that and don’t see why it was necessary, but it is there and does work.
and yes I know this won’t happen, but we can hope.
I can’t say with any authority if the Flyers and their fans feel that this is a rivalry since I don’t care to know any of them. However, if they didn’t think of it as a rivalry, I wouldn’t be shocked. I think it’s nature for us to pick rivals from those who have beaten us in close contests. So it’s completely understandable for us to focus our energy on the Flyers as they dismissed us in one of the greatest playoff series in recent memory. However, they did the dismissing and therefore don’t have a built in animosity for the Caps. Now if we meet them again in the playoffs this year and return the favor…well then boys and girls, it might turn very ugly.
Throwing punches isn’t indicative of the rivalry. That’s just stupidity from both teams’ fans. I’m all for supporting the team but everyone has to remember, you don’t actually play for the team and you are definitely not as tough as them. Fighting over a game you paid to see is just stupid.
That said, my brother and I gladly replied to the “Let’s go Flyers” chant by those rival fans seated behind us with “Flyers suck”. “Let’s go Caps” is great but this is our team’s building. I also pointed out to their fans several times who the Flyers organization pays way too much. Take Little Scottie Upshall for example. Also, Scott “I’m the yappy little dog in the park that shuts up when the big dogs look at me” Hartnell. The Flyers faithful provided gentle ribbing as it became apparent that Ovie would be shut out. In the end, everyone cheering for both teams in our section left with smiles on their faces. That’s what I call, an awesome time.
Now if only we could get the Verizon Center production crew to play Rock and Roll Part 2 to provide an opportunity for the “Hey, you suck” chant. I love that.
My voice is shot, but last night was worth every bit of today’s discomfort. I do agree that fighting in the stands is ridiculous — scream your heads off people, but throwing beer (or punches) shows how stupid you really are.
But, short of physical confrontation, inter-team fan rivalry at a game really ups the energy level. On the escalator I heard one twenty-something Flyers fan complaining, “Man, I can’t believe how many Caps fans there are! Used to be it was half Flyers.” Amen.
good points, hadn’t thought of the playoff scenarios as I was just thinking of regular season saturday nights
“Now if only we could get the Verizon Center production crew to play Rock and Roll Part 2″
Like the songs writer/performer, it should be locked away. Unlike the songs writer/performer, it should never see the light of day again.
I’m a Flyers fan living in Northern VA who went to the game last night (in a Flyers jersey). The Flyers have bigger rivalries with Pittsburgh and New Jersey. The Pittsburgh one is new because the Penguins went 8-0 in the regular season, the two teams played in the Conference Finals last season, and there seems to be bad blood between the captains Richards and Crosby. The Flyers have been trying to beat New Jersey since the Lindros era in the late 90’s, but that rivalry seems to be waning.
I understand the rivalry between the Caps and Flyers because the Caps are exciting, seemed like a better team in the playoffs last year but got screwed on a questionable call (it definitely was a penalty, but I don’t think it affected the play enough that it should have been called in OT of Game 7 of a playoff series), and just lost 7-1.
There definitely were a lot more Caps fans in the stands than normal last night, but this is the first weeknight game in a couple of years. It’s harder for Philadephians to come to a weeknight game. In the past few years those seats would have been empty, though, not filled with Caps fans like they were last night.
empty seats, since the 3/4 mark of last year, most of the seats have been pretty full.
I think I read that the caps have sold out 9 of the last 11.
i mean its flattering that you have such disdain for the team and us fans…the caps arent even in the top 3 flyers rivalries…
and bruce boudreau needs to grow up….man, that pre-game bashing in the media (classless) really fired up his squad…a shoot out win vs a team with 9 injured players is nothing to write home about….at least semin didn’t try to fight anyone
Why would HNIC broadcast a SE division game?! That’s just a foolish rhetorical question.
Dating back to last season (at least), Philly fans at home brought a loud chorus of booing for every touch of the puck by AO. Whom on the Devils do they so acknowledge? The only thing I can think worthy of hating about Jersey is the numbing, somniferous manner of hockey they play.
And when a bus of Devils’ staffers pulls in in front of Wachovia, do Flyers’ fans try and over turn it? That’s some third-tier rivalry acknowledgement.
Jay, that was the point in asking it.
I’m glad they won, and Jose did come through, but they need to bring it more solidly against the Flyers who had just come off a six game road trip, have multiple injured players not playing, and were tired. A down to the wire, tied up game against a beaten, tired, injured, road weary team? Not good. At the very least, it shouldn’t have gone to overtime.
Really?
And what would be the reason for Flyers fans to troll Capitals blogs and leave comments like yours? If it isn’t a rivalry, why are you and your fellow fans wasting so much time trying to say it’s not? You sound like the Dukies down in NC.
Mind telling me which Philly media rag this statement came out of that results in all the parroting?
Flyers S–k is a stupid retort.
One we’re letting their fans dictate how we cheer and 2nd it’s just foul anyway. Let’s Go Caps is good enough or C-A-P-S CAPS CAPS CAPS.
Pardon me, I’m a CAPS fan. I’m basing my comments on the articles I read after the game quoting different sports writers who listed the Flyers’ injuries, and how many games they have played away. Anyone who says a long series of road games, for any team, is not exhausting needs a reality check.
Just because I love the Caps doesn’t mean I’m not going to be clear eyed about strategy in games and hopeful (and in full trust) that Bruce sees the same things in order to guide the guys to the playoffs.
I miss the Patrick Division.
Joffrey,
I’m not sure that that was actually aimed at his own squad – if you weren’t supposed to see it, it wouldn’t have made the media. I think it was meant to tweak your coach.
It worked, I think.
You’re right, a shootout win that should have been a crapshoot isn’t anything to write home about. Look forward to seeing you on the 24th.
@By This Space For Rent: I think it was meant to tweak your coach.
It worked, I think.”
Yep…and Stevens was STILL kevetching about it today on NHL Live!
:0)
Dare I ask why you feel leaving the SE division is needed? I love how caps fans have this “holier then thou” opinion over the SE division this year, as if you weren’t bottom feeders till the second half of last season. I’ll remind you 2 of the teams in that division have won cups while you barely made the playoffs (1 game) last year and are having your first great year of hockey in a very long time.
Is the SE division taken seriously in Canada? Should you really care? There are 3 good teams in the SE division that have a good chance to make the playoffs this year as well as a rebounding Lightning squad that have the talent to be a contender in a few years if they can get it together.
Ignore the media’s bias against the SE division and just enjoy the rivalries in and out of the division.
Try making it past the first round in the playoffs and maybe making a cup run before you bash two teams in that division that have won the cup and saying its a crap and you want out. You have talent, don’t blow it out of proportion (example: Penguins).
Need I remind you:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Capitals#Season-by-season_record
But there’s no direct confrontation there, because we’ve been in the basement for so long. We’ve never been close enough to you (whichever team you are) to really think that way about you. Maybe one day you will. A lot of what you are seeing is nostalgia, but I would agree that we have been in the basement long enough that if we really want rivalries fresh and new, we’ll just have to break a few hearts.
sounds like fun.
In all seriousness, no SE Division team I’ve ever seen attracts fans that are interesting enough to equal the shouting match that went on last night. There may just not be enough of them.
Who cares whether or not the Flyers name the Caps as one of their rivals?
They are definitely high on the Caps list.
I mean, someone can hate your guts even though you don’t hate theirs… Its your choice, not some eight ball Flyer fan. Good, Flyer fan’s biggest rivals fans are Pittsburgh, so what? Cap’s want to beat their butts for a number of reasons… So its a Cap’s rivalry.
I agree…I’ve been saying we need the Patrick for a while now…I impressed someone at the Rangers/Caps game in December (when we choked a la Montreal last season), since the last year of the Patrick was when I was 9…Get rid of 3 SE teams (Sorry Florida, TB, and Atlanta, who blew their shot w/the Flames), move the Canes back to Hartford to make divisions equal. And make the Flyers wear orange again, and the Devils go back to red and green, HAHA!
Since the Caps are south of the Mason-Dixon line, they should really be contracted, too. That’s obviously why you hate Tampa, Florida, Carolina, and Atlanta. Also, you have to consider getting rid of Dallas, Phoenix, St. Louis, Los Angeles, Anaheim, Nashville, and San Jose (on similar latitude with Roanoke, VA and central Kentucky). Don’t stop at the Southeast division, as it makes you seem ignorant of geography.
I’m a huge diehard Flyers fan so I feel like I have a little authority to speak for my people. Real fans not the bandwagon jumpers who hate Pittsburgh all of a sudden. The Flyer’s real rivals are the Rangers and Devils, with the Maple Leafs and Bruins thrown in. However, I do respect that the Caps are fighting to find a rival, it’s a wonderful thing, they are head and shoulders above their division and need to compete with someone. While the Flyguys with always need people to hate them, the fact remains the best rivalries are going to remain interdivisional, so the if the Patrick division comes back (and here is to hoping it does) I’ll welcome the Caps as a real rival. As for now, they go in the teams I have a strong dislike for, but good for you guys, you get Ovechkin which is pretty damn sweet.
the disdain for the SE division is nothing new. The Caps got screwed more than any other team with the current divisional lineup by being shifted out of a division with teams they played and fought against for 20+ years into a division with 3 expansion teams and one relocated team…. all of which are further away than all the teams in the Atlantic.
nobody ever gave a damn about the capitals until ove showed up and single handedly carried the team into the playoffs.
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the reorganization of the divisions ruined the Flyers-Caps rivalry, and unless they’re put back into the same division it will probably never regain the same fire. The Flyers are in a division that will have 4 of the East’s 8 playoff teams for the 2nd straight year, meaning the Flyers have 3 other teams who are currently more important to them than the Caps. Flyers-Rangers is New York-Philly. That needs no explanation. The Flyers and Devils went through a streak of about 10 years in which one or the other won the division. It was always just a 2 horse race. Now that Pittsburgh is finally respectable again, there’s an in-state division rivalry. If the Flyers and Caps were in the same division they could renew that great rivalry, but right now Washington seems to be on Phily’s 2nd tear of rivals along with Toronto, Boston and Buffalo.
As for the Caps, they NEED to sell the rivalry with the Flyers. It’s really their only big game to get fired up for. Sorry Tampa, Florida, Atlanta, and Carolina, but you guys just don’t have what Washington is looking for in a big time rival. You can’t hate a team that you destroy in every meeting.
It was linked to from Puck Daddy on Yahoo.
Seriously though, Caps as a rivalry are after PIT, NJD and NYR to us. Maybe behind MTL as well.
We booed Ovie after that dive he pulled in the playoffs last year. Without a doubt, the best player in hockey. Which is exactly why we booed the dive, we expect more from him. We see enough of that with Crosby.
Hats off to the Caps, they won the game. No excuses about 6 game road trip and all the injuries. You line up and play, no crying about it.
It is interesting (funny in a patronizing way) how your newspapers and media down there seem to have suddenly found hockey. The vitriol directed at us is amusing. The one Post writer who said our women should work Megadeth concert security was some funny stuff.
Flyers fans look forward to you guys learning about hockey and supporting your team. You guys are a smidge past those Cup posers in Carolina now.
Great game on Tuesday, even though the Caps won. I’m a bit of a revisionist, and would have been satisfied in a 1-1 tie because shootouts should remain buried in the minors. Seemed fitting as both teams played well enough not to be hung with an L.
Agreed about realignment. It has NEVER made sense that Pittsburgh (305 miles) is in the Atlantic with Philly when DC (130 miles) is way closer.
If only the Penguins had moved to Kansas City this year, it would have opened up the slot for Washington to go into the Atlantic and for Nashville to slide into the abyss that is the Southeast.
Until that happens, four games a year between the teams isn’t enough to stoke the fires for both sides properly. Six or seven games per year back in the day, along with a master motivator in the Dale Hunter mold, will do the trick.
As for the Flyers fans, from my quasi-professional perch, they’ll act and react crazy against most teams with star players. Doesn’t really matter if it’s a good team or not, if there’s someone in the spotlight, he and his team’s got a target on his back for sure and will be taunted vocally at the very least.
Shocked to hear that someone actually egged Ovechkin’s house. Christ, nobody’s ever been so overwrought here to do something like that to our own (hockey) players.
@ ScottyMac: Ha! Nice dig at Carolina.
And great post overall, thanks for contributing.
@ Pelle: Excellent input yet again. Though nobody actually egged Ovi’s house, they just threatened it by placing two unbroken eggs on his wall with a note. Still, a bit creepy for sure. And your final sentence rings true, though only because you included “(hockey)”.
Please, oh please, get rid of the Southeast division and put us back where we belong. Washington/PA/NY — its such a natural grouping. We don’t belong in the Special Olympics league. Please fix this nightmare.
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