Jizz Cares

Ever since Matt Bradley was quoted that Alex Semin “doesn’t care” about last year’s playoffs, most of the Caps fan defended Semin, although everyone agrees he needed to step up when the stakes are higher.

This season, people have started the “Semin Cares,” “Sasha Cares” tweets and chants and it is getting old very quickly. Those chants should be only reserved for the playoffs and one other occasion.

That one occasion is “Give to the Max Day.” “Give to the Max Day” is a fundraising drive in the DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia nonprofits and charities in a 24-hour span. The fundraising event in DC is on November 9. This is where nonprofits step in.

On November 8, the Washington Capitals face the Dallas Stars. When Jizz does something during the game, I will donate money to a charity/nonprofit the following day at “Give it to the Max” Day.  Here’s the breakdown:

• JIZZ!!! (Whenever Alex Semin scores a goal): $100
• Jizz on the assist (Semin assist on the goal): $50
• Jizz in the Box (Semin gets a penalty): $25

Bonus: If Jizz is one of the stars of the game:

• 3rd Star: $100
• 2nd Star: $150
• 1st Star: $250

Rules:

The first charity/nonprofit/nonprofiteer to retweet whenever I tweet when Jizz does something, gets the donation. Your nonprofit must be in the DC Metro area (DC, Northern Virginia, Southern Maryland) participating and have a page on the “Give it to the Max” website to be eligible.

So nonprofits/nonprofiteers, root for Jizz on November 8 to do something and your charity/nonprofit will get something in return from me. Let’s hope Jizz is “Giving it to the Max”…but not the bad kind

DC Sports Review

Last year, I wrote a post on the DC Sports Renaissance and got a lot of views, even a mention on Ted Leonsis’s blog.  We are almost a year in from that post and well…DC is not there yet. Let’s review:

The Redskins stink and the lockout is still going on. There will be a season, but with John Beck. guess they want Andrew Luck.

The Wizards…you know, but they look good at it.

D.C. United has Charlie Davies and the team is meh, but could move to Baltimore.

College football rarely exists and 3 of the 4 DC area college basketball change coaches.

This leaves two teams I want to discuss:

The Capitals

I have mention this for a long time that this past regular season will be the longest preseason Caps fans have to endure. The only way to prove their worth is in the playoffs. They handled the New York Rangers easily in the first round and look like the Caps will meet expectations…then Lightning came and struck them. The Lightning swept the Caps and swept them like the most powerful vacuum known to man.  Ted Leonsis sums it up here:

Their role players outplayed our role players.

Their highest paid players outplayed our highest paid players.

In fact, their role players outplayed our highest paid players.

Right now, the Caps are what I like to call, “in the early Mark Cuban stages.” If you follow the Dallas Mavericks history, you know before Cuban owned the team, the team blew chunks and were the laughing stock of the league. When Cuban took over, he built a fun team that was the greatest show on Earth for a few years, then the transition to a championship team a few years later in 2006 and still are a contending team.

The Caps are at the end of being the fun team and are starting to transition to a championship team, but what direction will they go. It is eerie the Caps and Mavericks are alike:

Ted Leonsis – Mark Cuban
Bruce Boudreau – Don Nelson
Alex Ovechkin – Dirk Nowitzki
Nicklas Backstrom – Steve Nash (supposedly)

If you are a Caps fan, ask these questions:

1. Is George McPhee drafting on pure talent or developing talent? Talent vs. Hockey Sense.
2. Is Bruce Boudreau mentally capable of handling this job? If not, keep an eye out for Dale Hunter, Kirk Muller, and Bob Hartley as likely replacements.
3. Do you trade Alex Semin, Mike Green, or both? In addition, would you let Alex Ovechkin drop the Captain tag and give it to a veteran like…Jarome Iginla via trade?

So many questions for the Caps this offseason and the team you saw in the past 4 years is gone. Luckily for them for next season, they might be the only game in town. This was the Caps best opportunity to grab the Stanley Cup and get DC’s attention. However, 2008-2011 is the same as the ’80s and early ’90s Caps…can’t handle playoff pressure.

The Nationals

Of all the DC teams, the Nationals are the only DC team that is progressing and the future is bright. They have a young nucleus that starts with Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper and follow up with Wilson Ramos, Danny Espinosa, Ian Desmond, and an improved minor league infrastructure, which was shot during the Jim Bowden/MLB era. Also, let’s not forget the Nats have some addition money from the Lerners that they could get a first baseman next year [Pujols!].

Most will mock Jayson Werth’s contract and the numbers are not showing it this year for him, but his intrinsic value (swagger, leadership) have made the Nats a respectable team. Just imagine if they had Ryan Zimmerman back.  The team is struggling, but with a wounded lineup that is 5 games below .500, that’s not bad. Everyone knows this is a transition year for the Nats, but there is optimism. Now, the manager’s standing? That’s a different question.

Will D.C. ever be a sports town like New York Boston, or hate to say this, Philly? Not really. D.C. will always be changing, for better or worse. However, D.C. can capture the same spirit when the Redskins won the Super Bowl in the 80s.  The question is who is going to lead D.C.?  The Caps had a significant advantage the past few years as the only good D.C. sports team in town. The problem with the Caps today is they join the rest of the D.C. pack by being “choking dogs” like they were in the 90s and seem to have no resolve. The Redskins are always in flux and the Wizards need a miracle. The Caps might be the flavor now, but the Nats are coming. In D.C., it is always about winning…and joining the bandwagon.

2010 Caps Convention

The 2010 Caps Convention (CapsCon) was held yesterday to put Caps fans in a convention and have one big pep rally before the season begins the next week. Here’s my view:

The Good

• If you read my review of the 1st CapsCon last year, I knew they we’re going to move the convention to DC since a lot of fans were dedicated to go to National Harbor. The DC Convention Center was the appropriate place and the space was much bigger. If you’re at some booth, you had a good view of the main stage. Big difference from last year.
• The sessions were great again. In addition, Don Fishman improved his PowerPoint slides.
• The people on the panels were looser than last year and made the sessions even better.
• Seeing the Caps Twitter friends and for some, meeting them for the first time…and a former co-worker.
• Most of the people were wearing their Caps gear, which says a lot about the fan base.

The Bad

• Although the DC Convention Center is big, it is still operated like a small business. The lines were crowded, people were confused which line they were in. In addition, the session were literally next to each other with no barrier except for a huge piece of cloth and the sounds overlap.  Terrible planning.
• Guns n’ Roses “Welcome to the Jungle” joins Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven” as one of the most overplayed songs thanks to CapsCon.
• Everyone knew what most of the Caps Winter Classic jersey would look like. From afar, it looked no different, but if you look closer, it seems Reebok put stickers on the jerseys , which looks tacky. Reebok couldn’t find a sweatshop or someone who can sewn/stitch?
• The lines for concession foods were long. I would assume it was the food, but the registers were at fault all day. Better machinery.

Interesting tidbits

• At the end of the convention, the Caps were playing “We Are One” by 12 Stones, which is also the theme song for WWE’s Nexus, which I found interesting since last night Wade Barrett faced John Cena and if Cena wins, Nexus is disbanded, but if Barrett wins, Cena joins Nexus.  This is exactly how I feel about the caps this season. Do or Die. (Spoiler Alert: Here’s the result)
• There were many Caps fans in attendance, but there were a good number wearing Nationals stuff as well. One of Don Fishman slides also had Nats on the background. Is Leonsis willing to buy the Nationals from the Lerners? I doubt it, but I hope the Lerners learn from Leonsis (unintentional tongue twister).
• I totally lost my wrist shot from last year. Damn you, NHL Slapshot
• The Caps Convention, GMU Alumni Weekend and Wizards Training Camp all happened on one weekend in the area. Leonsis might have devious plan in the future.

Recommendations

• The Caps must own the whole DC Convention Center next year. I’ve been to the concourse and it can hold 10,000 fans (and more). It was more spacious than last year at National Harbor, but I heard complaints about the line been a clustercrap…and that’s before it opened to the general public.  If I were the Caps, I would use the SHRM Conference Model on setting up the convention. Use the Concourse for your events and big announcements; use the other rooms for sessions to make it more intimate; and have the team store in a big area like in the lower level. because it will only get bigger, not smaller (unless you trade Ovi and Backstrom, then you achieve your goal of getting smaller).
• Some of the fans were very tired 3-4 hours before CapsCon closed. I would get one preseason game in after CapsCon to get the fans excited for the evening. Use the Strasburg model where people pay for an all-day event.
• A Charging station to charge our laptops and phones.
• A music playlist. That is all.

As for my prediction for this season: I underestimated the trade with D.J.King and he has been a great addition to the team.  I haven’t watch any preseason games, but from what I heard, the addition of King will let everyone play their style.  I do think they’re going to do something at the trade deadline, but I hope they get a veteran who knows the ropes to get to the Stanley Cup.  That’s the missing part on this team. Luckily, we have 5 months to make a move.

Overall, it was good event and felt like a family reunion meeting old and new friends and the event has put me into hockey mode. Hockey has an adrenaline rush that makes fans crave like no other sport. Ted knows a thing on how to build a community and he has a powerful one growing. Hopefully, it cashes in June.

2010 CapsCon Pics

2010 Washington Capitals Development Camp and Fanfest

I attended the last day of Caps Development Camp just to see the scrimmage, get a couple of stuff, and meet other Caps Tweeters.  If you’re looking for a comprehensive report of Caps Development  for the week… I’m not that guy. If you want to, go to these Caps sites:

• On Frozen Blog
• Russian Machine Never Breaks
• Japers’ Rink
• Washington Examiner  - Caps
• Caps Snaps
• RocktheRed.net
• Corey Masisak
• Capitals Insider

As for the game I saw, the guys did look pretty tired after a long week and it showed, but this unit had more bite and intensity in this game.  Here are a few observations:

• Dmitri Orlov is simply the next Andrei Markov if he can improve on the defensive side.  If he does that, he will be a perfect complement to Mike Green, if they’re ever teammates.
• Joe Finley seems like a late bloomer to me.  He has the skills and tenacity and is literally Hal Gill 2.0.  However, he hasn’t translated to the rink yet.  He’s tall, physical, and can fight, but he needs to bring it altogether if he can make it to the Hershey roster.
• The Finley-Pisano fight was terrible, but the Della Rovere-Bruess was an epic fight and both will be in the NHL and I think the Caps needs those characters now, but they’re not ready yet.
• Almost 3000 came to see the scrimmage and the last day of Caps Development camp. Check that, 2500 people saw the scrimmage, while 500 people were waiting for Brooks Laich autograph and blow…tires.
• After the shootout ended, the refs were still in World Cup mode. Look at the video below.
• While the depth at Center for the current Caps roster has not been solved, the depth here at Caps Development Camp with Buress, Cody Eakin, Evgeny Kuznetsov, and Marcus Johansson has a lot of potential.  All this talk about Johansson is going to be a second line center should need to settle down.  He is going to be great for the Caps, but this is his first time on North American ice and coaches should be patient. If I were Boudreau, he should start in the 3rd Line at best and work his way up. You never know when he’ll hit the rookie wall. Cody Eakin showed that he can physical, which is a good thing, and Kuznetsov has tons of skill, but needs to mature and don’t choke under pressure.

This leads me to the overall viewpoint of the Caps offseason.  The future is bright as for the Caps as they have immense talent in Hershey and South Carolina.  However, do they players ready for the NHL now? No. Will some move up the NHL in a couple of years? Yes. Do I expect the Caps to resign all their UFAs next year? No.  I repeatedly said this, but it’s a critical year for the Caps next season.  They must advance far in the playoffs and stop going to Game 7s and stop getting eliminated early.  I expect one last hurrah for the current Caps team and hopefully a trade is in the works so they can get to the Stanley Cup Finals with this team before they have to make a decision.  From today, this group of players has a bright future and will be with the Caps for a long time (5 years in salary cap terms).

*Before you see the pictures and videos below, just want go off the board and tell you that the Hockey Foundation needs your help.  They need to raise $15,000 to send equipment and people to Ladakh.  If they reach their goal, one lucky person who donated $50 or more can be entered to win a trip to the Ladakh to assist handing out equipment to kids and play hockey over there.  For more details, go here: http://www.hockeyfoundation.org/active-contests/

Pics outside the scrimmage:

The game in its entirety:

The First Annual Capitals Convention

I went to the First Annual Capitals Convention expecting like a Comic Con atmosphere, just with Caps fans.  There were a lot of people and I didn’t what to expect since this was the first one and only the Blackhawks and Cubs fans know about this, but from the looks of it…we might another one next year, and then the next, and more.  Here are my observations from the Convention:

• I had to take the Metro and Metrobus and it wasn’t that bad.  It took one hour from the Vienna Metro Station to Branch Avenue and 15 minutes from Branch Ave. to the Gaylord Resort and Convention Center.  I was in the bus with the Caps Spirit, which I find it pretty cool.
• This is my first time going to National Harbor and it was the nicest places I’ve been to.  It had the great shops and restaurants and a terrific landscape.  Although, they have a restaurant called “Ketchup>’ Do you want to attract customers with that name?
• Gary Bettman walked by when I was in line. I want to punch his face there.
• Some guy who was behind me said the Exhibit Hall was huge and seeing nothing like it.  Ummm…ever been to the Washington Convention Center?
• I just realize: Bettman + Crysby + Yanni = 666.  That’s why the Pens won the Stanley Cup last year.
• I have a terrible slap shot, but a decent wrist shot if I have the stamina, I might be good.  A wrist shot would look easy, but it’s not.  I’m am still sore from all the slap and wrist shots.
• Why is Bettman so content of keeping a team in Phoenix?  Here’s what I believe: It’s fine to have hockey teams in the Sun Belt, but be smart about it.  Phoenix, although have their own arena, does not have a fan base to help the team. There are success stories like L.A., Carolina, and Dallas, but I also think Nashville and Atlanta either need to be banished or relocate since their fan base is so small.  I’ve heard about Portland, Hamilton, Ontario, and Kansas City as suitors.  Why not Milwaukee (for Winter Classic purposes).
• Bettman also said he doesn’t care who wins the Stanley Cup or the matchups.  Really?
• If there was one thing I was worried about the convention, it was the breakout sessions, but they were the highlights of the organization, although I would like an un-conference, since that’s the new buzzword is conventions.
• Don Fischman gave a great talk about the NHL Salary Cap, but Don, your Powerpoint slides were an utter piece of crap.  Don’t put a thousand words in one slide.  Take some presentation zen.
• I stepped out on the Cap-ology session and seeing a little of “Covering the Caps” with all the Caps broadcasters and apparently missed out on a great panel, though I caught little of it on the video screen at another room.
• What made the breakout sessions wonderful was how open and transparent the panelists (broadcasters, front office, players, others).
• Prices of food were reasonable since the burgers and hot dogs were big, but $4 for a can of soda? Must be the Leonsis-Snyder pact agreement that at least one item must be overpriced.  Also, no recycling bins?
• The Talent Evaluators was my favorite session (since I’m a recruiter, scouting intrigues me).  One of the more eye-popping things they said was that they’re more focus on the Southern area since the teens in the 90s were into roller/inline hockey.  I didn’t believe it until I found this article from the New England Hockey Journal.
• From the looks of it, Alex Giroux is the Byron Leftwich of hockey.
• Ted Leonsis is everywhere, literally
• My favorite part of the breakout sessions: A little girl asked the players what song they sing in the shower?  Mike Knuble responded, “I’m listening to Lady GaGa lately.”
• I was disappointed that I didn’t get autographs from Rod Langway (Asian-American) and Karl Alzner (we share the same birthday).
• Michal Neuvirth’s only words, “I have girlfriend back home,” and “that’s it” and the ladies swoon to him like Liz Clarke swoons to Springsteen or Jeanne McManus swoons to Tom Shales.  By the way, who swoons to Tom Shales?  Of course, it doesn’t hurt that Neuvy looks like an 11-year-old.
• I actually touch Alex Ovechkin.
• Great to see Chasta, Teka, Kelly, Alaina and Erika again, but didn’t see Caps Girl.  This season, I will go around the horn and meet every Caps fan on Twitter face to face.

Overall, the First Caps Convention ran better than I expected and I consider this a success.  Next year though, I believe the Caps organization will move the convention to the Washington Convention Center.  The Gaylord Convention Center acted as an experiment and there was a huge crowd.  Afterwards, there was great buzz about the Convention from fans through WOM and Twitter.  Gaylord might be a great place, but there’s a reason the Caps only gave out 5,000 tickets.  Now, imagine they gave out 20,000 in a bigger place and the amenities are much better (except the DC Convention center does not have a pineapple fountain in front of the building).  This is a start of a new tradition.

Photos from the Capitals Convention

Washington Capitals Development Camp 2009

This was the first Caps Development Camp I attended and I have to say, it was very impressive.  To be honest, I was a great hockey fan since he early 1990s.  I consider myself an expert on hockey since 2006 when I attended my first hockey game (preseason nonetheless), but compare to my Caps friends, my hockey IQ is above the Mendoza line.  However, I survived and my dignity intact…sort of.  I only attended two days of camp, but if you want full coverage, go to On Frozen Blog, Capitals Kremlin, and The Capital Letter.  Here are my observations from those two days:

• Crowds were packed during scrimmages, thus telling me the Capitals are the only team in town and getting a lot more buzz than Redskins Training Camp.
• John Carlson wasn’t spectacular, but from his body language and presence on the ice, he seems ready for the real deal.  Can’t wait to see him in September.
• Honestly, I had no idea Dmitri Orlov was 17 years old, but plays like he’s a 27 year old veteran.  Scouts say he’s an offensive defenseman, but Orlov can brought it.  Definitely a Hershey player.
• I feel sorry for Anton Gustaffsson.  Some are saying already that he’s a bust but in actuality, he gets injured.  He does have the skills to be a borderline Hershey-Washington player, but his health is a concern.  During the last scrimmage, Anton was standing by himself, watch, and ponder what could of been.
• Joe Finley surprise me with his versatility and deceptiveness.  At the second scrimmage, I called him “Hal Gill 2.0″ for being a tall defensemen who knows the ropes.  After the last scrimmage, Finley might but the Capitals utlity player and he might come in handy.
• Mathieu Perreault and Michael Dubuc entertain the crowds with their goal scoring prowess.
• If you want to know why the White team dominated over the more skilled Blue team in Scrimmage:  Brendan Holtby.
• Trevor Bruess exemplifies what the Caps need: grit, toughness with a pinch of annoyance.
• Bruce Boudreau is very excited that he can coach hockey in July…a little too excited.
• Term from Caps Development Camp I won’t forget: Euro Man Capris.
• Met most of the Caps Tweeters (all ladies), but missed on a couple.  Hopefully, I will see them during Caps training camp and/or the Capitals Convention on September 26.

Here the pictures and footage from the 2009 Caps Development Camp:

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