Too much hype

Dear ESPN, TSN, Pierre McGuire, Don Cherry, etc:

Stop talking about my team. Pretty please? Stop talking about our "Cinderella run", how under-rated we are, how hard working, how we are definitely going to trounce the Flyers. Please, please, stop. Have I officially lost it? Maybe. Read on, then judge.

I've had Caps season tickets for two years and watched them on and off for a handful of years prior to that. What I have liked most about being a Capitals fan (and this is essentially selfish) is our little community. Yeah, there isnt a huge hockey community in DC. But the community here is tight and we all sort of recognize each other, going in and out of the metro to the Verizon Center for six months. We see each other at practice, nod hello on VC escalators, comment each other to death on blogs. And since DC is a classic band wagon town, we'll see a our ranks swell when the Caps are on a run, then even out again to the loyalists. Its as intimate an experience as you will ever get in professional sports.

But all of sudden, the Caps are everyone's team. And after watching a painful rebuilding process for the Caps, I cant help be a little weary of all these new accolades coming our way. As Shan pointed out, where are all the gloating Caps fans? Well, we are hiding behind our computers and vintage Langway jerseys, hoping that all this sudden attention doesnt distract our very young team, the majority of whom have a season or two under their belt and no playoff experience. I cant help but be a little fearful when I hear that the press box can hardly contain all the out of town journalists, after the press box used to ring if not emptily, then at the least was a bit lonely with beat writers from the Washington Post and Washington Times as the only print news regulars.

I also want to add the caveat here that I am not worried about all the chatting blogs are doing about the Capitals (including, of course, my own). I'm superstitious about all the talking heads claiming that the Flyers are going down because the Capitals are hot, hot, hot. And Cinderalla. Or some version of that.

Its entirely possible and likely that I am being paranoid, and as the Caps are consummate professionals, they will go into the playoffs with the same vigor and determination they showed in the last weeks of the off season. But I hope you dont blame me for being just a bit scared, and crossing my fingers every time I see the words "Cinderella" and "Capitals" in a story.

x-posted to Cap Addiction

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The hard line

In the past few months, the whole blogging vs. job that pays me money argument has taken up a considerable amount of room in my thoughts. Granted, my thoughts usually revolve around hockey, Chipotle and if I can get away with another day of not shaving my legs.

What brought about this internal argument was a career change. I recently started a new job that has long hours, lots of travel (to weird places with no hockey teams) and is 100% consuming of my time at work. The perk to my old job was that while some days were high stress, I still had time during the day to read hockey blogs, comment on them, and post on Capital Addiction, even if just on my lunch hour. My weekends are typically spent away from the computer so I dont have much time to post then either.

The question I have been struggling with is what makes a good hockey blogger (who posts the most?), and how do you assauge your guilt over not tending quite as diligently to your blog as you may have in the past? Or in other words, how the heck do I have a crazy job, season tickets to the Caps, soemthing of a social life, and still find time to be a good hockey blogger?

To give some perspective to this argument, I'll note here that I used to post about 1-2 day at least. Currently, I am lucky to post 2 times a week on my blog.

I still dont have all the answers, but in thinking about this, I've come to a few conclusions. Yes, I would love to be paid to write about hockey all day. But I'm not, people still pay attention to John Buccigross more then me, and I have to pay the rent, so life goes on. I havent found a solution to the guilt I feel over leaving my blog without new content for days at a time (the closest feeling I can compare it to is feeling like a bad mommy). My hockey blog is incredibly important to me, definitely not as much as a child, but it remains a fulfilling part of my life.

I've also realized that if I forced myself to post as much as I used to, the consequence would be poorer quality of posts, not to mention some growing resentment towards something that was a valued hobby. As much as I would like to post at least 30 times a month, perhaps its better that I write 15 good posts a month?

As I mentioned, I dont have all the answers on this one. As hockey bloggers who are also mothers, students and career jugglers, many of us are facing this same struggle. I imagine that some hockey bloggers out there, male or female, might be facing the same internal struggle and guilt, so I thought I would share my thoughts on this.

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Wow

I am wowing for two reasons. 1) Ovie contract extention. 2) I was so busy at work today, I FORGOT that the "Meet the Team" party for STH'ers was tonight (smacks forehead). If I wasnt going to make it, I would have liked to give the ticket to someone.

But in bigger news then my airhead moment, Ovie is ours. And we are never going to let him go! Do I sound like the stalker in one of those Lifetime movies, or what?

Alex Ovechkin's new deal is worth $124 million over 13 years and will keep the star winger in Washington through 2020-21. It's believed to be the wealthiest deal in NHL history.

The first six years are $9 million per, the last seven years are $10 per.

I'm a happy gal tonight for a lot of reasons. We get one of the best players in the world locked up for the forseeable future. At the end of his contract, AO will only be 35. That said, I think the length of the contract is a bit ridiculuous. There is no doubt that AO wasnt going to sign for less then 8.5-10mil a year. But 13 years? I didnt agree with the DiPietro contract, or the Richards one, or the Yashin one for that matter. And as much as I am a fan, I cant help but find the length excessive. A lot can happen in that time. Again though, I am certainly happy to have AO on the Caps.

This is also a happy moment because all those "well sourced" folks, who had Ovie moving to the Oilers/Habs/Rangers/Superleague/PGA circuit/Real Madrid for 15 mil a year, three live-in Playboy bunnies, a Siberian tiger and his own cotton candy machine, will finally shut up. Actually, what am I talking about? They will just move on to Dion Phaneuf.

Another plus? Its more money then Sidney Crosby is gonna get. He is probably crying in Mario's arms right now, while wailing and beating at him with his fists as he shouts "Why? WHHHHYYY? OVECHKIN!".

Lets also remember that Ovie has not cleaned the Caps out. They still have room to sign the Mike Greens of the world. Even with their off season aquisitions (Nylander, Poti, Backstrom, Kozlov), the Caps have a little under 40 mil in payroll this season (projected, because of bonuses), and about the same number (actually a little less) projected for next season. Next year's numbers of course dont include people who are UFA/RFA after this season, but the point is that the Caps still have about 13 mil to fill a couple holes - and that is based on this year's salary cap. The cap will certainly go up a bit next year. Donard Brashear is a UFA next season, as well as Matt Bradley and Olie Kolzig. Mike Green, Boyd Gordon, Brooks Laich, Shaone Morrisson and Steve Eminger round out the RFA list. While the Caps had to pay 3.46 mil to the Rangers for Jagr this year, that money does not go against the cap (though, it must effect the budget) and there is the possibility that they may not have to pay the money next year, which is dependent on Jagr hitting a series of benchmarks.

So, tomorrow night, knock back a straight vodka in salute to Ovie. I certainly will be.

PS: It was pretty classy of AO to thank Glen Hanlon during his contract announcement speech tonight. Until his Thanksgiving Day firing, Hanlon was the only NHL coach that AO has known.

x-posted to Capital Addiction

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An open letter to hockey

Dear Hockey,

Welcome back! For a minute there, I thought you would be gone forever. I mean, when you hung out with Lockout and then started getting cold sores on your mouth, I thought we wouldnt see for a while. But you came back, and when you went on your break this year, time moved oh so slowly.

I really missed you Hockey. While you were gone, the world seemed to think I could possibly care about someone else, like Football. What a douche. He gets tons of money and media attention, but spends all his time getting arrested and torturing dogs. Obviously, Football has never been to Thunder Bay, Ontario. Nobody parties like the Dutch.

And then some slut named Soccer came along, like I would ever look sideways at her. Actually Hockey, I have to admit...I did look at her out of the corner of my eye. But only for a minute, and I started to get an itch down there when I did. Who knows where she has been...

But now you are back, and I can tell that poser Baseball to stop calling me. What's that, you heard that I was hanging out with Baseball? Well, I dont even want to dignify that with a response. And even if I was with Baseball, it was because I was lonely without you. Now that you are back, Baseball is out of my life and I will never have to look at those track marks on his arm again.

I'll see you this weekend Hockey.

XOXO,

Shmee

PS: The author admits, she does enjoy baseball, soccer and even football. But hockey is her number 1 man.

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They tell me its a 12 step process...

I want to say right from the start that I am an addict. I admit it. I've been told I have all the signs: willingness to do anything for a quick fix, constant cravings, I cant go a day without it. I really didnt mean to chuck work to watch hockey games, or repeatedly hit refresh on the Washington Post website at the tradeline deadline. Or write my senior thesis on hockey. Really. You can check this addict out at Capital Addiction. Thanks for having me HLOG ladies!

1. Where you're from, what you do - basic things.

I am relatively new to Washington DC, having just moved here a year ago to continue working in politics. I moved here from Vermont, the icy cold state that taught this native New Jerseyan to love hockey!

2. Your team and why you like them.

My team is the Capitals. When I first moved here from VT, I was just excited to be in a place with a pro team (Vermont's closest pro team is the Montreal Canadians and getting tickets to a VT college game is as likely as Elvis showing up in the Poconos). I figured that I would get a ticket plan to the Caps and catch a few games. I had the Center Ice package, so I was going to get my hockey fix that way. But after going to a few games, I was drawn in by them. They are a young team in a rebuilding stage yet every night they leave everything on the ice, often against deeper, more experienced teams. The Caps don't let their age, injuries, or anything else become an excuse for them. They play a scrappy game and I know that as their experience builds, so will our chances to hoist the Cup. Sorry for how long winded I am about the Caps:)

3. Your least favourite team and why?

Toronto Maple Leafs. Darcy Tucker. If his on–ice antics aren't enough, owning a bar called Philthy McNasty's is definitely a reason to dislike him.

4. Your favourite player of all time & now?

Tough question…of all time, I would have to Wayne Gretzky. He is a great ambassador of the game. Favorite player now would have to be Milan Jurcina. He is a young and talented D-man, who I think is following in the footsteps of his fellow country man Zdeno Chara.

5. If you had to punch one hockey player or member of the NHL organisation, who and why?

Jaromir Jagr, with a right hook, on behalf of all the Caps fans who had to suffer through his era in DC.

6 What you'll be looking forward in this group blog.

I am really looking forward to having a place to blog/chat with other female hockey fans who understand that we are not puck bunnies! I know that my "voice" on my blog is a different from a lot of the other bloggers, who are mostly male.

7. What you don't like in general?

Goat cheese, warm Diet Coke, having to wrap my own sari (really, I need my Mom's help for that), girls at hockey games with signs that say something like "Alex Ovechkin, I will polish your stick anytime!" or "Ride me like a Zamboni, Sidney!", and really slippery hand lotion.

8. What role do female fans play in keeping the game alive?

First, I know I would not have played any sports in my youth if my Mother had not been around to drive me back and forth to practices & games, to buy uniforms, and most importantly to tell me I was great at a sport even after I dropped a ball or struck out. Its also important to note that we are part of a new generation of hockey fans that are female and blogging about the game, writing about it in papers, and playing professionally. I think that as the blogosphere grows, so will our influence.

9. What role do female fans play in picking heroes for the community?

I think that female fans pick more well rounded heroes – its not just the guy who scores the most points, but a player who is involved with the community, a player who will have a great legacy, etc. I have found that we are more likely to look at the bigger picture and that we are more open to hockey heroes that aren't players, but people who support the sport (like bloggers!)

10. Hockey just isn't the same without...

NHL on ESPN. Sucks for us on this side of the border who end up chucking that weekend trip away to pay for Center Ice:)

11. If you were on a deserted island, which player would you pick to
stay with you?

Zdeno Chara. He is tall, and I am going to need someone to pluck those coconuts off the trees for my vegetarian self.

12. Crosby, Ovechkin or Phaneuf (hey he tried!)?

Ovechkin!

13. The player you'd like to take for a grand night out/a movie/a boring event?

Grand night out: Mike Green, just to see a guy with a Mohawk in a tuxedo.

A movie: Donald Brashear. I'd like to see him at a screening for Sleepless in Seattle.

A boring event: Ovechkin, because he seems like he is always ready to liven things up.

14. If you could make your own team, regardless of whatever players, what would it be called and where will it be/how would it be like?

I think Seattle would be a great place for a team. I would call them the Seattle Pikers and it would be a mixed gender team. If Daniel Briere (5-9, 177lbs) can excel at this level, so can elite female players.

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