DCSportsChick.com

A new home

2007-10-24T11:56:00.000-04:00

You can now find me over at On Frozen Blog. Thanks for reading!

Done and done

2007-09-15T10:38:00.001-04:00

When I started this blog 2+ years and 508 posts ago, it never occurred to me that this simple step was a potentially life-changing event. Yet it has been; I've met so many amazing people and had the opportunity to do things I never would have been able to do otherwise (for example, getting this pic with Chanuck on the roof of the Canadian Embassy during the Stanley Cup playoffs). This blog has been a source of great joy for me, and it's incredibly hard to give it up. However, I'm faced with other life-changing events on the horizon, and in light of that, it's time.

You'll still see me around the rink, around the stadium, around the field. That won't change; I might not be there as often, but I'll be there. I'm still a sports fan, after all.

Will I ever return to blogging? There's always a possibility, but for the time being, I need to focus on other things. I won't stop reading or commenting, though. When I first started blogging, the DC sports blog world was a lot smaller. I'm encouraged to see how it's grown in a relatively short amount of time, and I hope it continues to prosper.

Thanks for reading. It's meant so much to me.

Ah, "Little Stevie Yzerman"

2007-09-13T20:43:00.001-04:00

Speaking of history, and this being Training Camp Eve and all, I give you Goals (Weird and Otherwise) from the '89-'90 Season.

In the mail lately

2007-09-13T19:44:00.000-04:00

I received an advance copy of Carlisle vs. Army last month, and finally finished it. Interesting story! It's about Carlisle, a boarding school for American Indians, and the football team's success. Pop Warner, the coach of Carlisle, produced a team that would just terrify their opponents through sneaky and innovative plays. The final chapters of the book detail the big game against Army, whose star, Dwight Eisenhower, was going up against Carlisle's Jim Thorpe.

I learned one new fact: Carlisle played Wisconsin in the first night college football game (under "electric lights") on Dec. 19, 1896.

The book was a mix of narrative and fact. The story was told well and kept the reader's interest. There were a number of characters, yet the author took the time to show, in detail, where each character was coming from and how that would affect the outcome. Plus, it's great to read the accounts of football back in the day, being played at places like (Old) Hilltop Field at Georgetown and Philadelphia's Franklin Field. One forgets that football was much more brutal then than it is now, despite weeks like this one with a number of season-ending and even career-ending injuries. Anyway, if you're a football and history buff, you'll like this book.

The Washington Lions live again, sort of

2007-09-11T17:47:00.000-04:00

I'm a history buff, especially when it concerns local history. So I was excited when today, DDOT released a second gallery of old photos on their website. I was particularly struck by this one:
Avid hockey fans will note the ad on the streetcar:Washington vs. Hershey, eh? And note how, even then, they had to entice people to come- "FREE skating after games." So unfortunate, but hey, if it got people in the door...

This is an ad for the AHL's 1942-1943 Washington Lions. They did not last long in our fair city; according to the Wikipedia entry, the AHL's Lions played here for two years, and then they came back a couple of years later as the Eastern Hockey League's Washington Lions. In the '42-43 season, they weren't the worst team in the AHL East; that dubious honor goes to the New Haven Eagles.

Thank you, DDOT, for providing us with this little slice of history.

Caps Rookie Camp

2007-09-08T17:44:00.000-04:00

Can it be? Are we thisclose to hockey season already? The kids took the ice today, for the first day of the Caps' Rookie Camp. Nothing too exciting happened- there was a series of drills (some significantly more complicated than others) and coach instruction, but it was great to see what the Caps' future will look like. Predictably, all eyes were on Backstrom, and he didn't disappoint.

I took some pictures and video from the fan-in-the-stands point of view, though it was hard to see through the net. Click here for the Flickr set. (As Biff pointed out, it's only a matter of time before the nets completely surround the ice in all the NHL arenas.) You too can marvel at the...interesting warmups that the coaches wear! (From a fashion perspective, I would have made the pants blue- too much red.) See the players watch Glen Hanlon's strategic whiteboard stylings with adoration! All right, so there wasn't that much to see- it's still refreshing to see a bunch of wannabe-NHLers on the ice. Maybe we should have gone to see Chris Clark pull the plane after all. I can only surmise he didn't do it like that Indian guy who pulled one with his teeth.

Donovan McBlog

2007-09-07T18:07:00.000-04:00

My friends, I have been alerted to two different very important things.

First, did you know that Donovan McNabb has a blog? It's true!

I watched the game last night between the Colts and the Saints. Saw them hang the Super Bowl banner. Saw Peyton start the season like he finished last year. I want Philadelphia to host the NFL season opener next year. Can you imagine what that would be like? It would be crazy! The party would start in February and last all year long. Instead of John Mellencamp, I have a couple of ideas for the performers from this great city of entertainers. Jill Scott, Kindred, the Roots, etc.

Actually, his entertainment suggestions aren't bad. At least he didn't suggest the Mummers.

Second, HaveYaSeenLucky sent me a link to this. It's a promotional video for Appalachian State. You too can discover the 25 reasons why Appalachian State is HOT, HOT, HOT. This includes things like:
- Our hallways will permit you and your friends to walk three abreast
- Librarians will laugh at you when you check out books
- We play the saxophone in outright defiance of the Earth's gravitational pull
- We spend a criminally and irresponsibly substantial amount of tuition funds toward the sports program
Let's be honest: all recruiting videos suck. This one is worse than most, in my limited experience viewing said videos. Thus, it's worth a look.

Goodbye goal judges, hello premium seats

2007-09-07T09:36:00.000-04:00

Looks like there's going to be new premium seats at some hockey games this season. Lion in Oil has the details:

Say goodbye to the goal judges.You know the goal judges. They're the ones who sit directly behind the goals. But they're now done. The league announced that the goal judges will be moved to the press box or another location this season. Hockey purists might decry the change, but the teams must be smiling. Taking away the goal judges means more seats to sell. More premium seats, that is.

Like the Flyers, word has it that the Caps are looking into doing something similar. The seats will likely be either regular VIP seats or premium seats with a different package, offered first to season ticket holders. Either way, some rich people are going to have awesome seats this year.

(Thanks to Mr. Smooth for the heads-up)

Also, I thought this story was entertaining, even though I couldn't care less about OSU. The fallout for Michigan continues.

...the newest trend among Ohio State fans, whose latest fashion statement is in the colors of Appalachian State, which shocked then-No. 5 Michigan 34-32 on Saturday in the first win by a Division I-AA team over a ranked I-A team. Hours after the historic defeat, at least one street vendor was doing brisk business selling freshly minted Mountaineers T-shirts near the Ohio State campus. And local stores say they've been swamped with requests for gear bearing the Mountaineers' gold and black colors and logo, as Buckeyes fans take glee in the humiliation of their bitter rival.

Ouch! However, the real winner once again is Appalachian State.

Clarkie pulls a plane

2007-09-06T17:50:00.001-04:00

To be more precise, he's pulling the plane on Saturday. Check it out:

Washington Capitals team captain Chris Clark will take part in the 15th annual Dulles Family Day Festival and Plane Pull on Saturday, Sept. 8, from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at Dulles International Airport. Clark, who will participate in the 145,000-pound plane pull for Team Southwest Airlines, will also sign autographs for fans attending the event from noon-2 p.m.

So if you don't feel like checking out the rookies at Kettler, you can watch Clark pull a plane. Not a bad way to spend a Saturday afternoon!

Cherry pies: the new stadium food

2007-09-05T09:17:00.000-04:00

I'm confident that in the new stadium, any concessionaire can be better than Aramark. (Really, how could they be worse?) Today we learn a bit about the proposed menu from Centerplate:

Company officials say they'll serve a mix of traditional ballpark food and regional specialties. The menu will include cherry pies -- to represent the cherry trees -- seafood and half smokes. Ingredients from local farmers, cheesemakers and butchers will be used. The company also is investigating partnerships with local restaurants.

I'm on board with this idea. Already they're starting to expand their thinking beyond the traditional hot dogs and peanuts, so one can assume that things will be improved. I'd like to see Hard Times return, or add an Italian Store kiosk, but I guess that's asking too much.

It's funny because it's not me

2007-09-04T20:53:00.001-04:00

I love bloopers- especially baseball bloopers. Enjoy!

Roster excitement

2007-09-04T16:50:00.000-04:00

Per Caps PR, the rosters are out:

Thirty rookies will participate in rookie camp, which begins this Saturday, Sept. 8, and runs through Wednesday, Sept. 12, when the rookies travel to Philadelphia to scrimmage the Flyers’ rookies.

Training camp begins Friday, Sept. 14 when 38 veterans – 24 of whom saw action for the Capitals last season – will join selected rookies to get ready for the upcoming 2007-08 NHL season.

I'm glad to see Luke Lynes' name on the rookie camp list. His whole family was here in July supporting him, and his little brothers were just so darn cute, wearing Lynes' Brampton jersey.

I'm curious to see how some of the unfamiliar names on the training camp roster are going to do; if there will be any pleasant surprises. But more than anything, I look forward to seeing the boys on the ice again.

Anyone who wears .08 can't be all bad

2007-09-03T11:38:00.001-04:00

In honor of today's CFL Labour Day Classic, and weird fans everywhere, I give you the Saskatchewan Roughrider "Chicken Man."

Come into the snark

2007-08-31T14:02:00.000-04:00

Here's a new ad campaign. Kudos to the Dallas Stars:

As part of the team's "come into the cold" ad campaign to sell seats for 2007-08, The Stars took a shot at the NBA's referee scandal on a billboard near the American Airlines Arena, the building the Stars share with the Dallas Mavericks. The message? "The only thing our refs shave is the ice." One board reads "One game a week? Is the N in NFL for Nancy?" the Morning News reported. Even baseball was not immune, despite the fact Stars owner Tom Hicks also owns the Texas Rangers: Another billboard reads "Maybe baseball should stop using the word sacrifice," according to the Morning News.

At least the local team owners had a good sense of humor about it. Can you imagine if a Baltimore team did something like this and poked fun at the Orioles? Angelos would probably force D.C. to implode because of his wrath.

That's one way to succeed

2007-08-30T17:21:00.000-04:00

Think the Patriots can win it all this year? Who knows, but apparently they have a higher power on their side. A group of nuns, who love the team, have been praying for them and owner Robert Kraft. When Kraft found out, he decided to show some gratitude to the nuns:

“One morning,” [Sister Susan Lamb] said, “I was called to the front door of the monastery to see a man that I was told was from the Patriots organization. I thought it was a joke, that a friend was pulling my leg.” It was no joke. “The man had been
sent to deliver six tickets, along with a ‘VIP’ parking pass, to the Tennessee
game,” she said.

It only gets better:

“Mr. Kraft met with us,” she said, “and we had some pictures taken with the Patriots’ three Super Bowl trophies. Then we all got on an elevator, thinking we were going to our seats, but we ended up going out on the field. We were stunned. It was unbelievable.” Standing near the 50-yard line, Kraft introduced the nuns to former linebacking star Andre Tippett, then called quarterback Tom Brady, who graduated from Catholic high school in San Mateo, Calif., over to meet them. “He was much taller than I thought he was,” said Sister Jean Elliott, a tiny bundle of personality who had brought a huge smile to Kraft’s face during their picture-taking session. “I was standing next to him,” she said. “When he put his hand on my shoulder, I said: ‘I feel as if I’m standing at the right hand of God.’ He laughed, and said: ‘I’ll have to tell my wife that.’”

The nuns seemed to enjoy the game from the owner's box:

“Whenever the Patriots did something good,” Sister Jean said, “Jonathan Kraft would turn and give me a high-five. They couldn’t have been nicer.”

Not bad. And what a nice gesture by Kraft.

You know, there's a lot of nuns in the Philly area; the Eagles could use some help.

Are you ready for some furniture, or Billy Badass?

2007-08-29T18:34:00.000-04:00

Just saw this ad on TV:

If you make a purchase from Belfort Furniture between August 4, 2007 and September 18, 2007, AND the Washington Redskins™ shut out Dallas on Dec. 30, 2007, Belfort will refund a total of $1 million to our customers.

Those wacky furniture kingpins and their crazy ideas. I'd really love to see the 'Skins shut out Dallas, though I doubt it would ever happen. (Remember, T.O. is last year's leader in TD catches- and drops!) Belfort's promotion is a common one; this Deadspin article mentions a similar Bears vs. Packers contest from last year. Lamentably, the promotion is not as titillating as, say, what Gallery Furniture did last year:

The store is running a promotion this week that awards anyone who buys more than $3,000 worth of furniture will receive it free if ... the Texans beat the Colts this week. That's not a shutout, or even a complete disembowelment of Peyton Manning: It merely requires a victory.

I sure hope Mattress Mack's standards are a little higher this year. Not looking as good, though, since the Gallery Furniture name is apparently off the stadium now. Some comments from his blog (yes, he has a blog):

Mac- I saw that Gallery Funiture's name is no longer on one of the gates at Reliant Stadium. Does Gallery Furniture no longer support the Texans because Vince Young wasn't chosen by the Texans? Just wondering.
Posted by: Steph | Saturday, July 21, 2007 at 02:57 PM

Steph, Gallery Furniture continues to be a proud sponsor of the Houston Texans in 2007. Yes, we had the Gallery Furniture name removed from the stadium, but our plan is to move marketing dollars from that bricks and mortar sign to online, including advertising on the Texans website. Yes, I was disappointed when the Texans did not take Vince Young, but I have gotten over it and am looking forward to cheering for the Texans as they have a great year in 2007! Mattress Mack
Posted by: Mattress Mack | Sunday, July 22, 2007 at 07:37 PM

Despite his answer, it sounds like Mack doesn't have a whole lot of confidence in the Texans this year. They can't be much worse than last year; if nothing else, their new QB should be able to keep the sacks to a minimum.

On a Timmy Chang-related note, Chanuck and I were pleased to see that Timmy is currently playing with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (or Ticats to those in the know). Yes, it's the CFL, but at least he's playing somewhere. Wish he could have made it in the NFL; he couldn't be much worse than David Carr or Joey Harrington, bless their hearts.

Speaking of Joey Harrington, he's already a winner to one demographic:

After a good first game, many fans in Atlanta are content with Joey Harrington so far. Outsports.com, a sports news Web site that covers news and analysis about homosexual social issues, interviewed some Atlanta fans about the ex-Lion and new Falcons starter at quarterback. "I'm excited about the season and yes, I find Harrington attractive. Who wouldn't?" says Gregory Hendricks, a gay Falcons fan in Atlanta. "Even my gay friends who don't like football, they like him. All of my friends who hate sports, once they see him they say, 'Hey, I'll go to a game to see him.' "

That's good news for the Falcons organization. They're going to need all the fans they can get this season.

After reading the Outsports story, I learned one new thing: that Billy Badass is a jazz pianist. Who would have thought?

A Caps Photo Shoot

2007-08-29T13:52:00.000-04:00

Now here's an idea for a ~~wedding announcement~~ save-the-date card. See As Smooth As Sandpaper for details.

eta: While Mr. Smooth may not know what a save-the-date card is, I certainly do. There is a difference between the two. capscrazy has more information on what happened today and about the wedding on the boards, as she was part of the happy couple. Among other things, she discusses having the priest dressed as a referee. Hey, if you're having a hockey-themed wedding, you have to go all the way. Hope to see some pics of the event when the time comes!

More on XM

2007-08-27T16:46:00.000-04:00

The guys on Home Ice discussed these five questions. What do you think?

1. Will the young Caps finally arrive as a group?
2. Can Olaf Kolzig be a 37-year-old workhorse?
3. Will this year's spending spree have a bigger splash than the Jagr signing?
4. Is it a team that improves in increments by adding these little parts here and there, or can they leap into playoff contention?
5. Can George McPhee and Glen Hanlon survive another so-so season?

GMGM on Home Ice

2007-08-27T16:03:00.000-04:00

Recently in from the Caps' PR department:

The Washington Capitals have re-signed defenseman John Erskine to a two-year contract, vice president and general manager George McPhee announced today.

Cool, now Chanuck can get his Erskine gloves signed.

Speaking of GMGM, he just did an interview on XM Home Ice (4 p.m EST). Here's what he had to say:

It was an active, busy June & July for us and a lot of clubs...we had to spend some money and we did, and added some pieces that we really needed, players we think can make a big difference in our club.

The hosts asked him about Olie:

I certainly think the world of Olie, they don't get much better than this. He's had very few injuries in his career, always been in great shape, and it's important to have him in our room. He can play till he's 40; most athletes can if they take care of themselves.

Would we ever see Olie in the broadcast booth someday?

He probably could if he wanted to; the franchise has been very, very fortunate to have him.

What's up with Nylander?

He's a play-making center, played very well for us, trains hard, competes hard. We thought he would help our club.

And Poti?

He played very well last year; our pro scouts were very impressed with the way he played. We needed more skill, and that's why we needed more players like Kozlov and Nylander. We also needed that on the blue line. He's at an age where he's playing as well as he can play.

The age-old question: will the Caps make the playoffs this season?

We think we're capable of making the playoffs. Didn't make sense to spend money when we weren't ready to take off just yet. Now, we expect to be knocking on the playoff door this season.

How's Ovechkin looking?

It'll be interesting to see how he does, now that we have more weapons. We're a more balanced club; we have other pieces who can score.

Will GMGM keep the current lineup?

We'll start with the club this way, we don't expect to do anything until we see how it goes in training camp. This is who we are for now, and we'll see what it looks like early in October.

Hershey's doing well. Who could we see up here this season, besides Fehr?

Steckel, Fleischmann, Klepis, Green, Bourque. The team has performed at a terrific pace the last couple of years. We expect our preseason to be very competitive, and we'll have some tough decisions to make which is why I'm reluctant to do anything right now.

After the Nylander incident, should GMs have an unwritten rule regarding offer sheets?

I can't speak for what other GMs do; the provision is in the collective bargaining agreement so these things happen. I don't think our club would do it, and I"ll leave it at that.

Nice interview; nothing too earth-shattering, but it's always nice to hear something about the Caps in August.

Get out the tuques

2007-08-27T12:46:00.000-04:00

Is anyone surprised that the Penguins are involved? (insert eye roll here)

According to a report from The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, the Pittsburgh
Penguins and Buffalo Sabres will play an outdoor game on Jan. 1, 2008 at Ralph
Wilson Stadium, home of the NFL's Buffalo Bills.

I love me a good outdoor hockey game, but I'd rather see another game involving Canadian teams. But hey, at least they're doing it again, I suppose; beggars can't be choosers. The big question is: will Raj Binder be back for some fun at Crosby or Miller's expense? We can only hope.

It's that time again!

2007-08-24T13:44:00.000-04:00

Yes, folks, it's that time of year when angry female bloggers rant about the pink merchandise. This time, though, I'll let them do it (two rants is enough for now). Here's Scarlett Ice's take:

Look, I know a lot of women like pink. I, myself have always disliked the colour but I'm not about to judge and ostracize you if you have a preference to wear it. The thing is, you can't pigeon-hole the female fanbase and say you're catering to their needs when all you offer them in their sizes and cuts are jerseys that completely eliminate the point of offering team merchandise in the first place. What's the point of shelling out for a team's jersey when they're all the same colour?

Regarding the above post, Capital Addiction says:

There is a pretty healthy discussion going in the comments as well. The common thread? Not one of the hockey bloggers who commented would ever buy a pink, "Sens Girl" t-shirt. It would kind of be like wearing a Hooters outfit to your first day at Harvard.

The formidable Acid Queen added this:

PINK? PINK?! Gee NHL, stereotype much? It has been my extensive experience that the average female fan is a fan of the GAME first, and the players a distant second...But pink? Oh HELL no–I do not need some drunken smacktard taking a look at me wearing some Pepto Pink pile of crap and projectile vomiting a bunch of puckbunny smack in my general direction...

Unfortunately, I think we're stuck with this stuff for a while. Take a look at a Caps ad from last year and note what the women are wearing. Someone doesn't get it.

Metal detectors, cockatiels, and a 1967 Stanley Cup ring

2007-08-23T19:36:00.001-04:00

So, I didn't even know there were such items as "underwater metal detectors." I do now!

"...I hated everything to do with the Leafs so I gave the ring to my father-in-law," the 67-year-old Pappin told the Star last night. But Kyrzakos...lost the ring at a beach sometime during the 1970s. Pappin only found out about the missing ring in 1982 after divorcing his wife, when Kyrzakos explained the story and gave the replica ring back...Never thinking he'd see the original again and happily wearing the replacement, Pappin forgot about the ring...That's until treasure hunter Mark DesErmia and a cockatiel named Reno showed up. Three weeks ago in Clearwater Pass, Fla., DesErmia – who carries Reno on his shoulder when searching – found himself neck-deep in the Gulf of Mexico. The underwater metal detector told him he had scored.

What a strange story; go here to read the details. I'm a little perturbed that they make the guy who found the ring sound like he's doing such a wonderful thing by agreeing to return the ring for a reward. The guy should want to give the ring back with no strings attached; after all, it's not his ring. I really don't think Finders Keepers applies here; it's not like Pappin threw the ring away, it was lost.

(thanks to Chanuck for the heads-up)

Part III of "Money doesn't buy intelligence"

2007-08-23T19:16:00.000-04:00

In this installation of Stupid Athletes Week, I'm a little disappointed. I liked Stephon Marbury for his whole "Starbury" shoe thing, but then he opened his mouth:

New York Knicks guard Stephon Marbury defended Michael Vick, calling dogfighting a sport and comparing it to hunting. Marbury spoke Monday about the federal dogfighting conspiracy charges against Vick while promoting his basketball shoe in Albany, N.Y. "I think it's tough," Marbury said, according to Albany TV station Capital News 9. "I think, you know, we don't say anything about people who shoot deer or shoot other animals. You know, from what I hear, dogfighting is a sport. It's just behind closed doors."

Oh, Stephon. What were you thinking?
Huntn' ain't so great, but even a slack-jawed yokel can recognize the difference between that and dogfighting; at least huntn' serves a purpose at times. The whole point of dogfighting is to gamble. Hunters don't usually strangle or hang animals. There's a reason why "we don't say anything about people who shoot deer or shoot other animals," but I doubt Marbury lives in our world. Dumbass.

(thanks to Shmee for the link)

Cowboys 30, Ravens 3

2007-08-23T07:48:00.000-04:00

Bwah ha ha.
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
I can't stop laughing:

The Texas Rangers became the first team since 1897 to score 30 runs in a game,
beating the Baltimore Orioles 30-3 in the first game of Wednesday's
doubleheader.

If it wasn't the Orioles, and Peter Angelos, I might have some sympathy.

Mind you, this guy shouldn't be saying much:

Ranger Marlon Byrd, who hit a grand slam in the victory, said afterward, "You
start to feel bad for the guys on their team."

OK, Marlon.
You know it's bad when a team makes MARLON BYRD look good! A grand slam. Who knew he was capable of it?

The Nats' record-setting season

2007-08-22T16:58:00.000-04:00

Did anyone notice that the Nationals made history again this week? The Nats vs. Astros game was the setting for the first rejected proposal in the history of Minute Maid Park:

The Astros fan whose marriage proposal was rebuffed in front of 30,000 fans actually struck out twice Monday night. He didn't get the girl. And now he's stuck with the $300 bill from the Astros, which is the tab for two tickets, the proposal shown on the centerfield scoreboard and a souvenir video of the proceedings.

Sure, it could be a gag, but this one doesn't sound like it. The girl left, but the guy stuck around for a couple more innings. He was probably so confused he didn't know what to do. Yet again, I urge men: do NOT use sporting events as an occasion to propose. Even if you and your girlfriend have been talking about marriage, and she's a sports fan, I assure you that she would prefer a more intimate setting.

(thanks to WFY for the heads-up)

On another topic, how about the Eli Manning-Tiki Barber girl fight?

Two days after being criticized on national television by Barber for a lack of strong leadership, Manning ripped his former teammate and current NBC football analyst for distracting the team last season with his early retirement announcement and his criticism of coach Tom Coughlin.

I can just see them slapping each other and pulling each other's hair.
Was there any reason for Barber to make those comments for a team he doesn't have anything to do with anymore? Probably not, that's just his way, but Manning the Robot Boy could use a little fire under his butt. Personally, I was just shocked to discover he felt emotion.