Before I get to the topic at hand, I have some thoughts:
* Holy shit, what a series. I can't honestly remember a series this intense and entertaining in the 20 years I've been watching hockey. I don't think I've ever seen a playoff series in any sport live up to the hype quite like this one.
* Pens fans - can you believe how far the team has come in 3+ months?!? Eastern Conference finalists again! Never take it for granted!
* The new Green Day song is so fucking terrible
* X-Men Origins: Wolverine was also fucking terrible
* It was so nice to see Crosby's skills on display on the national level. This is why he's a big deal. If only they'd covered his off-ice work ethic and beyond-the-call-of-duty charity work. But enough gushing about my favorite player.
Washington Capitals fans:
1. The emergence of Alex Semin and Simeon Varlamov cannot be taken lightly. These two names will be household next season, and they're both amazing players who will make Ovechkin's job so much easier to dominate.
2. Ovechkin is clearly the real deal. 11 goals in 14 games, 21 points in that same span. He was a force on the ice every shift. Whenever he had the puck, my buttcheeks clenched. Point is, he established himself as a true great this postseason.
3. The Caps won their first playoff season in a long, long time (first under Ted Leonsis). If that isn't progress, I don't know what is.
4. Caps fans showed an amazing amount of maturity during the last few minutes of Game 7. Cheering their team constantly, even though there was a clear losing effort, shows an enormous amount of class. This is a foundation of true fanhood, as well as heartbreaking playoff loss. The Caps' fanbase should be in good shape for many years to come.
5. The national exposure generated by this series ensures that the Caps will be one of the most popular NHL franchises for at least the next 5 years. This can only help Caps fans and the organization as a whole. Think about going to NYC for the weekend and being able to talk Caps with random people on the street. If that doesn't make you feel good, I don't know what can.
Anyway, hopefully that shows why the Caps are in good shape for years to come. If Ovechking doesn't win a Cup in the next 10 seasons, I don't know shit about hockey.
- Matt
PS- LET'S GO PENS!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Wholeheartedly second Matt's post. Both teams are unbelievably good, with great young talent surrounded by some solid veterans. This'll be a perennial playoff matchup, which makes me both excited and scared.
A thought about the so called bandwagonness of Caps fans: I saw an excellent rebuttal that I thought I would share - it's only the good teams that get the bandwagon fans.
Oops, forgot some things:
6. David Steckel is turning into a big game guy. I'd liken him to Max Talbot on the Penguins, which is a compliment. An informal poll on the Pensblog has "which Cap would you not mind seeing in a Pens uniform", and Steckel is running away with it. Personally, I voted for Ovechkin because, get real, him on the Pens would make them literally unstoppable.
7. Mike Green, Norris Trophy winner (probably). I was angry when he got booed last night. The one thing you should never do is boo a developing star. He may not be on the team when he reaches his prime. So Caps fans, support Mike Green. He's a good player.
8. If I learned anything from the last two playoff seasons, it's that losses make great players more mature and intense. Ovechkin grew up a lot this spring, as did the rest of the team. You're going to see a new, more determined AO come next season.
I've said it before, I have no problem with John Q. Bandwagon Fan. I just don't like it at all when they pretend to know hockey, especially when they say Crosby is overrated. I'm pretty sure this series showed that Crosby and Ovechkin are rated exactly where they should be: as superstars. Even a blind guy could tell from this site that I've gained a lot of respect for Ovie this series. I would hope that Caps fans do the same for Sid.
Post a Comment