No one wants their team to do poorly, but I've been watching DC sports since about 1988, so I've seen a lot of poorly. Those initial expectations of "Ooh, look we're getting Jayson Werth/Albert Haynesworth/Jason Taylor/Jaromir Jagr/Joe Gibbs again/David Wells/Glenn Davis/Donovan McNabb/Michael Jordan!" never quite match up to reality. I asked my resident local sports historian- ok, my dad and the best examples he could come up with of proven stars coming to town and staying good were Sonny Jurgensen and Sam Huff. Two people, fifty some years ago. Therefore I stick to my theory that Washington DC is where big names go when they want a bit of a paid vacation. They don't work hard, collect a check, and then move on somewhere else where they're good again. It seems to refresh them and frustrate us.
So I kept my enthusiasm to a minimum when it came to Tomas Vokoun. The numbers look good: no GAA over three, save percentages over .900, an under .500 record since 07-08 but it was the Panthers What I saw in practices were solid saves down low, but high and especially glove-side he was weak and slow to move from side to side. I figured (hoped) practice wasn't a game situation but still I couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't the answer to troubles I wasn't even sure they had in the first place.
I've been reading around that no one better say there's a goalie controversy, that it's only been one game and we really shouldn't focus on Varly's 30 save shutout for the Avs or Jose's 27 save shutout for the Panthers, but I don't like being told my opinion is less than someone else's opinion.
I'm not buying my ticket on the Vokoun love train just yet. Ten minutes of scoreless hockey on low shots doesn't make up for sixty minutes of poor reactions and five goals allowed, especially when the defensive style really doesn't keep down the goals against. I'd love to be proven wrong, but for now I think I'm going to be a little more anxious when Neuvy gets the night off.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Opening Night Thoughts
Here we are, the first night of the NHL 2011-2012 season for the Caps. As usual, I come to this with a cautious optimism.
Watching as many practices as I do, I was not surprised that Neuvy was upgraded to Opening Night starter. He's been smoother than Vokoun who looks to me like he has issues with anything three-hole or higher and on the blue line goal drill Thursday, I saw that it was pretty easy to fake him to one side, usually right, and then pass to the guy now in front of a half-empty goal on his left. I don't know what the official book on him is, but it seemed like a fairly consistent pattern to me on the other side of the glass.
Yes, there is a new set of fantastic guys to go with our old set of fantastic guys, (my crush on George McPhee is unabashed) but anyone watching the last few years knows that can get you through eighty-two but after that, you need a coach. The one constant is Gabby himself. I first noticed in the 09-10 season that they won games they really shouldn't have due to goal scoring. The plays were bad, the strategies were off, but when the horn blew for the last time, the numbers landed in the Caps favor. Unfortunately this encouraged this style of play which, as one would expect, fell apart as the individual numbers went down.
The one preseason game that was televised had some bright spots- there seemed to be a man parked in front of the goal on offensive plays which lasted longer than the one and done, scurry back to the defensive zone style of late last year, but then again there were power plays where the puck seemed to spend more time near Neuvy.
Upon us now is the fresh start of a new season, a blank slate where this year's team can make its mark. It saddened me that the theme of camp was "We have to try harder this year." These are good guys. I have no doubt they tried their hardest last year, but if the same things happen- and Bruce is standing in front of the cameras all wide-eyed, claiming "I don't know what happened" again, I will continue to point out the emperor may have a Mercedes and clean carpets but he has no clothes.
Watching as many practices as I do, I was not surprised that Neuvy was upgraded to Opening Night starter. He's been smoother than Vokoun who looks to me like he has issues with anything three-hole or higher and on the blue line goal drill Thursday, I saw that it was pretty easy to fake him to one side, usually right, and then pass to the guy now in front of a half-empty goal on his left. I don't know what the official book on him is, but it seemed like a fairly consistent pattern to me on the other side of the glass.
Yes, there is a new set of fantastic guys to go with our old set of fantastic guys, (my crush on George McPhee is unabashed) but anyone watching the last few years knows that can get you through eighty-two but after that, you need a coach. The one constant is Gabby himself. I first noticed in the 09-10 season that they won games they really shouldn't have due to goal scoring. The plays were bad, the strategies were off, but when the horn blew for the last time, the numbers landed in the Caps favor. Unfortunately this encouraged this style of play which, as one would expect, fell apart as the individual numbers went down.
The one preseason game that was televised had some bright spots- there seemed to be a man parked in front of the goal on offensive plays which lasted longer than the one and done, scurry back to the defensive zone style of late last year, but then again there were power plays where the puck seemed to spend more time near Neuvy.
Upon us now is the fresh start of a new season, a blank slate where this year's team can make its mark. It saddened me that the theme of camp was "We have to try harder this year." These are good guys. I have no doubt they tried their hardest last year, but if the same things happen- and Bruce is standing in front of the cameras all wide-eyed, claiming "I don't know what happened" again, I will continue to point out the emperor may have a Mercedes and clean carpets but he has no clothes.
Friday, October 7, 2011
O Frabjous Day, Callooh! Callay!
Disclaimer: In this post there are pictures of me. As much as I'd like y'all to assume I am six feet tall and gorgeous, the truth is I spent more time on chocolate peanut butter ice cream this summer than running. My skates are sharpened and I'm working on it but pictures of cool people are going to be compromised for now by my goofy face and overpadded abs..
So I'm behind on sorting out photos and summaries from practices last week, but yesterday I headed out again to Kettler. I staked out a spot on the bench side, near the media fishbowl and consequently saw Tariq El Bashir, the Washington Post writer, walk past and I had to say hi and mention that I tweeted him before. He might have been lying when he said he remembered that, but what can you do. Awesome event #1.
Plenty of banging up against the boards that I tried to capture, but the focus was a bit slow.
Since I was on the end with the press conference room and it was uncharacteristically empty, I stayed to the end to try and get Mathieu Perreault's autograph on a puck for my dad. It was a long shot, but why not try. Luckily, it worked. He was who the woman next to me was waiting for as well, and she called him over. He signed the puck and took a picture with it for me. Awesome event #2.
On the way out, right by the door, were Alan May and Craig Laughlin. I know I interrupted their conversation but they were very cool about it. I need to work on my social skills. I mentioned that I had been wondering which shirt I should buy in the shop- May, Laughlin or Sylvain Cote. Right away they said not Cote, and I said I liked him and thought he was cute when I was in high school. Then they joked about which to get, that Laughlin's mom was the only one who bought his. I showed them the picture of me and Alan from the RMNB party in April and they agreed it was a good shot.
I then said I needed a photo with Craig for my collection, and Alan May took the photo. The first one was sharp but my mouth was open. The second one was blurry but better than nothing.
Craig wandered off, though let me mention that the whole time I was getting half hugs and shoulder touches from him. Very nice. So it was me and Alan and I mentioned this blog. He said the title was catchy.
In case he does remember it, hello Mr. May. I apologize for the amateur nature of the whole blog. I'm working on it. He had things to do so he went one way and I went another. Awesome event #3.
I remembered I did want to check out the shirts in the shop so I headed back that way and Craig Laughlin was there again. I told him our picture was blurry and he said we'd have to take another, but continued on his conversation and then Joe Beninati came in and I was reluctant to speak to him again since I sounded like such a fool the first time. They headed up to the media event upstairs and I went ahead and purchased a May shirt because he had a conversation with me, I tend to agree with his evaluations on tv and twitter and I felt like it.
So I'm behind on sorting out photos and summaries from practices last week, but yesterday I headed out again to Kettler. I staked out a spot on the bench side, near the media fishbowl and consequently saw Tariq El Bashir, the Washington Post writer, walk past and I had to say hi and mention that I tweeted him before. He might have been lying when he said he remembered that, but what can you do. Awesome event #1.
Plenty of banging up against the boards that I tried to capture, but the focus was a bit slow.
Since I was on the end with the press conference room and it was uncharacteristically empty, I stayed to the end to try and get Mathieu Perreault's autograph on a puck for my dad. It was a long shot, but why not try. Luckily, it worked. He was who the woman next to me was waiting for as well, and she called him over. He signed the puck and took a picture with it for me. Awesome event #2.
On the way out, right by the door, were Alan May and Craig Laughlin. I know I interrupted their conversation but they were very cool about it. I need to work on my social skills. I mentioned that I had been wondering which shirt I should buy in the shop- May, Laughlin or Sylvain Cote. Right away they said not Cote, and I said I liked him and thought he was cute when I was in high school. Then they joked about which to get, that Laughlin's mom was the only one who bought his. I showed them the picture of me and Alan from the RMNB party in April and they agreed it was a good shot.
I then said I needed a photo with Craig for my collection, and Alan May took the photo. The first one was sharp but my mouth was open. The second one was blurry but better than nothing.
Craig wandered off, though let me mention that the whole time I was getting half hugs and shoulder touches from him. Very nice. So it was me and Alan and I mentioned this blog. He said the title was catchy.
In case he does remember it, hello Mr. May. I apologize for the amateur nature of the whole blog. I'm working on it. He had things to do so he went one way and I went another. Awesome event #3.
I remembered I did want to check out the shirts in the shop so I headed back that way and Craig Laughlin was there again. I told him our picture was blurry and he said we'd have to take another, but continued on his conversation and then Joe Beninati came in and I was reluctant to speak to him again since I sounded like such a fool the first time. They headed up to the media event upstairs and I went ahead and purchased a May shirt because he had a conversation with me, I tend to agree with his evaluations on tv and twitter and I felt like it.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Last Day at Nats Park, 2011
Sunday was the last home game of the year and I snagged some tickets with a half-price code. There were $2 tickets available but they were way up high and I wanted a good view for photos. I overestimated travel time and underestimated the supply of Strasburg t-shirts to give away so I arrived way early but that turned out well as I was able to check out Signature Sunday for the first time. The options were Craig Stammen, Ivan Rodriguez, Livan Hernandez, and Stephen Lombardozzi. I don't even know what the line was like for Stammen and knew I wasn't going to bother with Pudge and Livo, so I went straight to the Lombardozzi line with nothing but my program as a signable item. He seemed like a nice a guy, the line went fast and I told him good luck and all that once I was there. So total of Nats players met=1.
Edit:
I framed up the autographs from Mike Rizzo and Lombardozzi and I think they look pretty sharp.
Ross Detwiler put himself in a jam early on but got out of it just as fast.
Playing with the zoom: I was sitting right on left field so I ended up with lots of Morse shots. At least that's the reason I'm giving.
You're welcome, and thank you. I didn't want to leave, the atmosphere was so positive and alive, and this was before Mikey Mo's home run.
One final shot walking away.
See you April 12, 2012 Nationals Park!
I framed up the autographs from Mike Rizzo and Lombardozzi and I think they look pretty sharp.
Ross Detwiler put himself in a jam early on but got out of it just as fast.
Playing with the zoom: I was sitting right on left field so I ended up with lots of Morse shots. At least that's the reason I'm giving.
You're welcome, and thank you. I didn't want to leave, the atmosphere was so positive and alive, and this was before Mikey Mo's home run.
One final shot walking away.
See you April 12, 2012 Nationals Park!
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