My life as a DC Sports fan

I am a DC sports fan. There I said it, now bring on the jokes. I was born one and will die one but it has never been as hard as it is now to rep my teams. Born in 1988 I was physically alive for two Super Bowl wins but was too young to remember either. The first game I went to and remember was for my birthday in 1995 when we beat the “division rival” Arizona Cardinals and I was also there for the “Jerry Sucks” chant at the last game against Dallas in RFK.

I count the Orioles as a DC team because for just about all of my life they were the closest thing and I hate that people jumped off the O’s because the Expos came to town. I mean if Da Raidas moved to Fairfax would you NOVA skins fans jump on that bandwagon? I don’t think so, but that argument is for another time. My first real memory of the O’s other than worshiping the Iron Man was Jeffrey Maier robbing the home run from Tony Torasco’s glove in the 1996 ALCS. Afterwards my pissed off father lectured me for a good 10 minutes on why you should NEVER DO THAT AT A GAME, if only he was Maier’s father. Maybe then the O’s wouldn’t be where they are today?

I remember the Bullets changing to the Wizards, and Rod Strickland passing up wide open shots in an attempt to break the assist record. The NBA has always been hard for me to watch. I enjoy the college game exponentially more but never have the Wiz been as hard to watch as now.

Capitals I don’t remember much of; much like most people from the DMV. If you said Peter Bondra or Olaf Kolizig’s name I could have told you they played for the Caps but other than that I was totally disinterested. My feeling on hockey is unless you played it or someone close to you watched it you never really got in to it as a kid. That was me, never had an interest in it and if the Caps were the same team they were 7 years ago I still wouldn’t. I jumped on the bandwagon in the truest sense of the phrase earlier this season. My heart was broken from the Redskins slide from honorable franchise to doormat thanks mostly to Tom Cruise’s best friend, Danny Boy. I was embarrassed from how close the Wizards had come in the 2004-2008 seasons just to be outed by the crab dribble and then the fall that resulted in Andray Blatche being the go to guy, which should be reason enough for relocation. Just when I thought the O’s were making all of the right moves they put on a 12^th consecutive losing season. So what did I do? I needed a winner; a team that could help me rise out of my fan depression.

On Friday October 9^th I officially announced my affiliation with DC’s hockey team. What else was I to do? Jump on another city’s team? No, I couldn’t do that. I might as well check this hockey thing out. Well they dragged me in and I would watch the games on Comcast whenever I could. I still don’t completely understand the X’s and O’s of the game, which shouldn’t be expected. I’m going on my 203rd day of being a Hockey fan. But, I also don’t try and act like I do, something other Cap’s fans should take notes on. So as the season went on I was getting sucked in, thinking this could be the year that one of my teams does it, becomes a champion. I watched the 14 game winning streak including the come from behind win against the Penguinos and thought no one can slow this team down. I actually grew a deep hatred for Sidney Crosby and felt at home rooting for the Caps. They began struggling a bit towards the end of the year, but they weren’t playing for anything, the President’s trophy (a.k.a. Worthless Trophy) was already wrapped up and they were heading to the Playoffs. I was naive and forgot the golden rule of sports that I too have been preaching for years now. Defense wins championships. The Caps proved they didn’t believe in this and decided they wanted to finesse their way through. That is not DC sports! That is how they do it in California or Florida. When I think of DC I think of Riggo dragging Don Mcneal down the field on a 4^th and 1 for a 43 yard touchdown to seal a Super Bowl. Until the Caps figure this out they will never win it all. Even if they were to win that game 7 they weren’t going much further. You have to want it more than the opponent. So after last night’s game I just added another disappointing team to my repertoire of fan bases. Great.

Over my lifetime I’ve gone from fighting back tears of a loss to the Bucs in 2000 to fighting back tears after the double timeout game after Sean Taylor’s wrongful death to fighting back tears for losing to the Lions (even though I predicted it). If you are going to challenge my Hockey knowledge, save it, because you are probably right. I’m looking at this as a disgruntled DC Sports fan, something I’m definitely an expert on.

Records during my existence

Redskins: (160-177)

Capitals: (793-674-145)

Bullets: (699-1073)

Orioles: (1579-1752)

Honorable Mention: Mostly Skins

Gus Forgot - link

Fake Field goal….twice – “What in the wide world is that”

Arenas stars in classic shoot em up

Caps Rap – no explanation Necessary… I actually don’t advise clicking this link

Spurrier Era - link

Norv Era - link

Zorn Era – link

Follow me on Twitter @slicktrip

Playoffs Push Onward

......well for 8 teams at least. What a first round, two game 7's, lost a presidents trophy winner, a couple of Cinderella stories, the trap (thankfully) and an Olympics MVP. What does the second round hold, hopefully a lot of Lindsay Soto (Niklas Lidstrom and Jimmy Howard agree) and a couple of great match ups.

Western Conference Semifinals

(5) Detroit Red Wings vs. (1) San Jose Sharks

Since the Capitals are the new Sharks, what does that make the Sharks--scared, because the bullies of the Western Conference are coming into town with their big guys on fire. Henrik Zetterberg had six goals and five assists and Pavel Datsyuk had 8 points including 2 goals in the Game 7 clincher in their first round series with Phoenix.

Doesn't help the Sharks case that their top line (Thornton, Heatley, Marleau) is no where to be found with a combined minus-7 and 10 points in their first round series with Colorado. That line has to produce to have any chance in this series, as San Jose cannot rely on huge shots-on-goal discrepancies game to game against Detroit, like they did versus the young Avalanche.

Detroit has too much depth, spotlight players (who show up), experience and confidence, Red Wings in 6.

(3) Vancouver Canucks vs. (2) Chicago Blackhawks

The creme de la creme of the conference semifinal round, this series has it all, bad blood, grit, skill and revenge. The Canucks are still bitter about their loss to a young emerging 'Hawks team in this round last year. The key this year is goaltending, last year Luongo was admittedly inadequate between the pipes.

There is alot of offensive firepower on both these teams with Mikael Samuelsson burying everything, 7 G in the first round, and the Sedin twins for Vancouver. Toews, the unsuspendable Marian Hossa and clutcher by the series Patrick Kane shoulder the offensive load for Chicago. What is remarkable is the wealth of offensive depth both teams possess and is displayed through their secondary scoring.

Vancouver gets better goaltending this go around and that is the difference, Canucks in 6.

Eastern Conference Semifinals

(8) Montreal Canadiens vs. (4) Pittsburgh Penguins

Halak is the name of the game if the the Habs have an encore upset performance in them. The man whose hand was "shaken" last series needs to be just as good if not better in net for Montreal to take down the defending champs.

Pittsburgh took three of four from the Canadiens during the regular season as Sidney Crosby scored four goals and had two assists. It will be a tall task to slow down the red hot Crosby and his world class running mate Evgeni Malkin, especially when giving up forty plus shots-on-goal nightly.

The Penguins are built to wear down goalies and smaller teams, and how much does Montreal have left in the tank after holding on for three desperate wins in a row against the Caps, Penguins in 5.

(7) Philadelphia Flyers vs. (6) Boston Bruins

Have to respect the Flyers through this regular season and postseason, a club that has battled injuries and adversity finds itself in a winnable series and on the cusp of making it to the Eastern Conference Finals. Funny, you could insert Bruins for Flyers in the above sentence and it still would hold absolutely true. Marc Savard makes his return for the Bruins and Jeff Carter is out indefinitely for the the Flyers, that shot of offensive adrenaline for the boys from Boston proves to be the difference in the battle of NHL Hard Knock "Rocky" stories. The city whose fans idolize that FICTIONAL character lose, Bruins in 7.


1st Round Record 7-1 (Dag nabbit Caps) with one perfect series

Previewing Lord Stanley’s Playoff (Part Two - Western Conference)

The big boys douse you with all kinds of stats and interesting nuggets of knowledge, I am here to just give my opinion. Here is my preview of the greatest playoff tournament in sports, except for of course Women’s College Basketball.

Western Conference

(1) San Jose vs. (8) Colorado

It's easy to make a joke about how the Sharks view the playoffs like Greg Norman views a Sunday afternoon at a Major PGA tournament. Yes the Sharks have choked in the playoffs on multiple occasions, but in those instances they ran into playoff experienced teams with a playoff ready goalie. While Colorado is talented, they are young, and not ready for this stage, San Jose (finally) is, Sharks in 5.

(2) Chicago vs. (7) Nashville

Nashville cabbies beware, the one and only Patrick Kane is in town. Unfortunately for the Preds so are the rest of his talented teammates. On paper this looks like a mismatch with Nashville's lack of offensive depth; however, if the deep Nashville blueline including Shea Weber, Dan Hamhuis, Denis Grebeshkov and Ryan Suter can do their job and Pekka Rinne keeps them in a few games this one could go the distance. Toews, Hossa, Sharp and company say no way, Blackhawks in 6.

(3) Vancouver vs. (6) Los Angeles

Both teams have issues with scoring depth, some defensive liabilities, have been enigmas throughout the season and enter the playoffs playing around .500 hockey in their last ten games. The difference is Vancouver needs to prove their worth in the playoffs after a few lackluster playoff exits, and they have the home ice. You want a reason to watch this series, his name is Drew Doughty, the 20 year-old Kings sweet skating defensemen is worth the price of admission. The Kings are talented and push the Canucks to the brink, but Vancouver pulls it out in 7.

(4) Phoenix vs. (5) Detroit

Congratulations Phoenix you set franchise records for wins (50) and points (107) this season, all amidst weekly speculation of the franchise relocating. Your prize: The most successful franchise over the last 15 years and two time defending Western Conference champion, Detroit Red Wings (just as they are getting healthy). Oh and on top of that Detroit goaltender Jimmy Howard is 15-0-2 in his last 17 games. Congrats Coyotes on the great season, Red Wings in 5.

Five Predictions for the Western Conference

1. Despite winning Detroit fans will feel there was some slight against their team.

2. Jonathan Toews scores an overtime game winner against the Predators.

3. Holmstrom and Franzen team up for six goals in a short series with the Coyotes.

4. Dany Heatley has at least one Hat Trick against the Avs.

5. The LOOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU chant in Vancouver every time the puck goes near Roberto Luongo will get real old, real fast.