Done and done

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"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I love bloopers- especially baseball bloopers. Enjoy!

Roster excitement

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

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