23 May, 2012

Category Archives: Morning cup-a-joe

A Hardcore Hockey Fan’s Lament

12 April, 2012

Something unique has happened to me this hockey season — I largely stopped caring about the Washington Capitals, and hockey in general. Between an on-ice product that was less than inspiring to a coaching situation that was handled, from my perspective, poorly, to other management decisions that left me confused, I decided that it wasn’t [...]

Also filed in playoff hockey, The curse of Washington hockey, Washington Capitals | Comments (10)

Paroled by Playoff Puck

9 April, 2012

For me, Saturday afternoon and evening finally delivered long elusive fun at being a hockey fan in Washington, at the very end of the regular season. For me, fun with hockey is when the present and near future offer promise. This hockey season, that didn’t arrive much before the 81st game of the season. My [...]

Also filed in Alexander Semin, Boston Bruins, Braden Holtby, Dale Hunter, Florida Panthers, George McPhee, Michal Neuvirth, Much-needed realignment, playoff hockey, Semyon Varlamov, Southeast Division, Washington Capitals | Comments (6)

Boxed in, with but Hope and Wishful Thinking the Only Guide Ahead

27 February, 2012

Monitoring the NHL trade deadline Monday afternoon was a lot like riding the Red Line in early rush hour Monday morning: there was very little movement. The more I thought about where the Caps stood at 3:00 yesterday afternoon the more I thought Metro an apt metaphor. What was once proud and flagship isn’t aging [...]

Also filed in Dmitri Orlov, Eastern Conference, Entry Draft, Evgeny Kuznetsov, George McPhee, NHL trade deadline, playoff hockey, Washington Capitals | Comments (1)

‘It’s a Team That Lacks an Identity’

21 February, 2012

On at least three occasions during Monday night’s national television broadcast the NBC Sports studio tandem of Mike Milbury and Jeremy Roenick explicitly alluded to the Capitals lacking any discernible identity. It’s a sentiment I began expresing on this blog about two years ago. And it’s a lead reason why I find it, in year [...]

Also filed in Alexander Ovechkin, Eastern Conference, George McPhee, Joel Ward, New York Rangers, NHL playoffs, playoff hockey, The curse of Washington hockey, Washington Capitals | Comments (15)

Of Hope and Stating the Obvious

15 February, 2012

Nothing you read here will likely be new to you, nor will it come as any kind of revelation, to be honest. The Caps aren’t in a great state right now. Confidence is low, points are being given up, and a playoff berth looks iffy. Vitriol amongst Caps fans is high, and internet message boards [...]

Also filed in Washington Capitals | Comments (10)

When Animals in Orange Attack

6 January, 2012

Last month I intimated that the reconstitution of the Patrick division represented something very special for Capitals fans. But by very special I didn’t mean always uplifting. Dateline, Philadelphia, January 5, 2012. Three Philadelphia Flyers fans are wanted by Philadelphia police for their role in beating two New York Rangers fans in the immediate aftermath [...]

Also filed in National Hockey League, Philadelphia Flyers, The Great Old Patrick Division, Winter Classic | Comments (4)

Size, of Body and Heart, Matters — Especially in 2012

31 December, 2011

Instructive moment: Rangers’ captain Ryan Callahan, made captain at so tender an age partly out of his affinity for playing December hockey games like they’re game 7s in May, blocked a John Carlson slapshot at the point the other night, and the selfless sacrifice led to a Rangers goal in transition seconds later. The block [...]

Also filed in Dale Hunter, George McPhee, HBO's 24/7, Jeff Schultz, New Jersey Devils, New media, New York Rangers, Old Time Hockey, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, The Great Old Patrick Division | Comments (6)

A Hockey Bar Is a Great Place To Meet a Hockey Legend

13 December, 2011

In Bugsy’s Sunday afternoon three Marines in their dress blues knew exactly who Dale Hunter was two tables over, and the coach knew exactly who they were. Coach Johnson, too, seated with his new boss, greeted the soldiers with warm respect and gratitude. I enjoyed being a witness to the moment. I enjoyed greatly seeing [...]

Also filed in Bugsy's, Dale Hunter, Hockey Heroes, Jim Johnson, Puck Sodas, Washington the hockey town | Comments (6)

Failure’s Blame Stretches Far and Wide

1 December, 2011

Some random observations and notes-sharing from a remarkable last 72 hours: There’s standup, and then there’s what Gabby offered the Washington Post’s Tarik El Bashir Wednesday morning — actually agreeing with Capitals management that it was time for a change behind the bench. He actually told General Manager George McPhee, “You’re doing what you have [...]

Also filed in Alexander Ovechkin, Bruce Boudreau, Dale Hunter, George McPhee, Joe Finley, Media, Print, Tarik El-Bashir, Washington Capitals, Washington Post | Comments (4)

A Grand Experiment Begins

29 November, 2011

Early Monday afternoon out at Kettler I approached a Capitals official while awaiting Dale Hunter’s first press conference as Capitals head coach, and thanked him for “the early Christmas present.” The team rep, smiling, replied, “We couldn’t stop [the gift giving] with just [John] Walton for you!” It was for me a special moment of [...]

Also filed in Bruce Boudreau, Capitals' greats of the past, Dale Hunter, George McPhee, John Walton, Old Time Hockey, St. Louis Blues, Washington Capitals, Washington the hockey town | Comments (8)

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