Ken Morrow, one of the heroes of the 1980 U.S. Men's Olympic Hockey Team, is auctioning off the jersey he wore against the Russians. Click here for my thoughts over at The Daily Caller.
January 19th, 2012
Memo to Ed Reed: The Radio Microphone is Not Your Friend
Over at the Daily Caller, I take a closer look at Ed Reed's ill-considered radio interview.
January 18th, 2012
PGA Golfer Commits a “Kinsely Gaffe”
Can somebody please get Matt Every a PR consultant?
January 13th, 2012
My Take on “Tebow-Mania”
Has any NFL quarterback had a better week off the field than Tim Tebow of the Denver Broncos? I do a review at The Daily Caller:
- Earlier this week, ESPN announced that its polling unit found that the second-year quarterback is the nation’s favorite professional athlete. Perhaps when the network mentions his name a mere 160 times per hour we shouldn’t be surprised at the result.
- Following in the footsteps of Jim Palmer, Tebow is now the nation’s top male underwear model.
- The parents of newly single pop tart Katy Perry apparently want to fix their daughter up with the quarterback.
- Organizers of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am are reportedly toying with the idea of inviting Tebow to play in the event — and then pairing him with Tiger Woods.
- More than one GOP candidate for president has hit up Tebow for an endorsement.
And that's not all. Over at The TV News, I talk about how Tebow has turned into ratings gold for CBS Sports.
January 12th, 2012
Why America Shouldn’t Want to Host Another Olympics
In my latest installment at The Daily Caller, I wonder out loud why in the world America would ever want to host another Olympics.
And if anyone was wondering, I don't exactly have a great reservoir of affection for the folks who run the International Olympic Committee.
September 12th, 2011
MLB Short Hops 9-11 Tribute
This morning at The Daily Caller, I question whether or not Major League Baseball has its priorities straight when it comes to commemorating 9-11.
One of the more indelible images from the world of sport in the days following the 9/11 attacks came courtesy of the New York Mets. Wanting to find some way to honor the memory of the firefighters, police officers and paramedics who had died while evacuating the World Trade Center, the team took to the field for the first time after the attacks wearing baseball caps embossed with the logos of those first responders.
Last night in New York, the Mets were scheduled to play on the tenth anniversary of 9/11. Several months ahead of time, as part of a larger pre-game ceremony remembering the tragedy, the organization asked Major League Baseball (MLB) if it could play that game against the Chicago Cubs wearing those same hats. You’d think the answer here was a no-brainer, but you’d be wrong. MLB said no, with the league warning that there would be heavy fines if any player or the organization as a whole defied its decision.
Needless to say, I'm scratching my head here.
September 9th, 2011
The TV News: ESPN Renews Deal With NFL to Carry Monday Night Football
After an absence of a couple of weeks, I'm back on The TV News covering sports television. In this week's installment, we take a closer look at ESPN's massive renewal of its deal with the NFL to carry Monday Night Football.
September 9th, 2011
My New Column in the Daily Caller
After a couple of fits and starts, I've officially gotten back into the sportswriting game. Starting today, my columns will be appearing in The Daily Caller three times per week. In my debut, I write about the nonsensical suspensions that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell leveled on Terrelle Pryor and Jim Tressel. Click here to read it right now.
Thanks to everyone at The Daily Caller, especially Executive Editor David Martosko, for helping make this happen. Please be sure to check back in on Monday for my next installment.
July 11th, 2011
Semyon Varlamov’s Moment
After reading this interview of Semyon Varlamov by Katie Carrera, it was hard not to think of the high point of his time in Washington—namely, the first few minutes of joy after the Caps dispatched the Rangers in Game Seven of their first round playoff series in 2009.
Though Sergei Fedorov was the hero of Game Seven with a game-winning goal that nearly blew the roof off the place, Varlamov was the hero of the series after stepping in for a faltering Jose Theodore. Without his work in net, there's little doubt in my mind Washington would have been dispatched in four or five games, and the historical clash between the Penguins and the Caps that took place in the next round would have never come to pass.
Running through the hallways on the press level in the moments after the end of the game, I made sure I had my video camera out and running once I got to the Washington locker room. And here's what I saw when I got there:
Good luck to Semyon and thanks for that memory. It'll last a very long time.
July 5th, 2011
The Solution to the 3-Ball Walk
When it comes to Major League Baseball these days, it's hard for me to pay close attention to any team other than my New York Mets (middle age will do that to you). Which is exactly why I missed this news over the long weekend:
During the fifth inning of the Seattle Mariners' 1-0 loss to the San Diego Padres on Saturday, Padres center fielder Cameron Maybin(notes) drew a walk on what everyone in the ballpark believed to be a full 3-2 count. The only problem was that Mariners pitcher Doug Fister(notes) had only thrown three balls in the at-bat.[…]
The three-ball walk to Maybin was costly for the Mariners, as he eventually came around to score on an Alberto Gonzalez(notes) single. That ended up being the game's only run, as the Seattle lineup only mustered two hits against Cory Luebke(notes) and three Padres relievers.
After Maybin scored, word began to buzz around the field and press box that a mistake had been made. But since no one protested and play kept going, the umpiring crew had to wait until the game had ended to review the play. Sure enough, they discovered that the count should have been 3-2 when Maybin was given the walk.
As embarrassing as this may be, there's a very simple solution, and one that MLB has already established a precedent for. The only choice is to call a do over and replay the entire game from the incorrect call of ball four.
So what's the precedent? Does anyone else besides me remember the pine tar incident?
July 5th, 2011
… And Exit Matt Bradley
Again, while I might be coming it late, let me add my voice to the chorus singing the praises of Matt Bradley as he departs D.C. for Florida after six solid seasons with the Caps. The move was pretty much telegraphed when Bradley's agent let everyone know before the free agent signing period that Washington hadn't offered him a new contract. It's sad, but business is business, and from the looks of things last season, the team was more than happy with the emergence of Matt Hendricks, a player who stepped in and more or less stole Bradley's role on the team for himself.
For me, lasting memories of Bradley will have to include his two-goal game against the Rangers in Game Five of a first round playoff series in 2009—a game that helped the Caps stave off elimination on their way to winning in seven games. But over and above that, I'll just remember the incredible bravery and toughness he displayed time after time when he had to drop the gloves. You'll recall that the team had declined to re-sign Donald Brashear after the 2008-09 season, which meant that the responsibility for taking on the other team's heavyweights fell primarily to Bradley.
In the two seasons since Brashear left via free agency, Bradley piled up 15 fights, more than any other Caps player (though it should be noted that Hendricks piled up 14 majors in 2010-11, four more than Bradley last season). Perhaps his gutsiest moment came in the 2007-08 season when he had no choice but to drop the gloves with Boston's Milan Lucic:
Normally, you'd think that Lucic would have sought out Donald Brashear. After all, according to the tale of the tape, Lucic has at least 30 pounds on Bradley. As fighters, they're not even in the same class. If you follow "The Code," Bradley ought to have been able to decline Lucic's invitation, but it's pretty clear he didn't want to let down his teammates even though he was clearly overmatched.
That's the sort of bravery and guts Matt Bradley still has right now. The Florida Panthers are lucky to have him. Best of luck to Brads, who only did everything that was asked of him while he was in a Washington Capitals uniform.
July 5th, 2011
Enter Tomas Vokoun …
Unlike other folks who were watching the free agent news like hawks, on a holiday weekend, it was a little while before I discovered that Caps GM George McPhee had pulled off what looks like the coup of the free agency period by signing goalie Tomas Vokoun to a one-year, $1.5 million deal.
While I find myself having a hard time adding anything that Ryan Lambert hadn't already written at Puck Daddy, there is one important parallell that needs to be pointed out, namely, how McPhee has played the market so masterfully that he's been able to create an absolute strength in net without having to pay a blockbuster price. Better still, it's an advantage that's going to exist for at least a few seasons into the future.
Next season, the combination of Vokoun and Michael Neuvirth in net will cost Washington just a shade over $2.6 million, with Braden Holtby stashed in Hershey for a little under $650,000 per year. So, in 2011-12, the past, present and future in net for the Washington Capitals will cost just $3.2 million, with a little less than a fifth of that cost (the Holtby contract) not counting against the salary cap. Compare that to Philadelphia, who will be paying just a shade above $5.6 million next year for Ilya Bryzgalov alone.
Let's say next season that Vokoun takes the starting job and leads Washington to a Stanley Cup? If that's the case, Washington will still have Neuvirth and Holtby under contract for the 2012-13 season for about $1.7 million. So, if Vokoun earns one last huge contract, and Washington decides it doesn't want to pay, they can easily let Vokoun go and insert the tandem of Neuvirth and Holtby—something the team was prepared to do in the 2011-12 season in any case. And even if the converse occurs, the Caps are still set in goal for the forseeable future both in terms of personnel as well as the salary cap.
At bottom, it looks a lot like the situation that Red Wings GM Ken Holland has created in Detroit—one that's given him the flexibility to fill out the roster in front of his very affordable goaltending. I'm having a hard time thinking of a better model in the NHL to emulate.
July 1st, 2011
Caps Make a Splash as Free Agency Opens
When Washington Capitals owner Ted Leonsis said his team was going to be busy on the opening day of free agency, he wasn't kidding. In just a few hours, three new players were added to the lineup, another was traded and another left Verizon Center voluntarily. Let's take a look at how it all shook out.
Welcome Back Halpern: When I saw this deal pass over Twitter I couldn't help but gasp. While others might not recall, Jeff Halpern's departure from the Capitals wasn't exactly on the best of terms. Not that anyone could really blame Halpern. At that point in his career, it looked as if it would be years before the Caps were a contender again. It was just as clear that he would be able to fetch a higher price on the open market than he would have had he re-signed with the Capitals.
So, he was off to Dallas, and well, while nothing was really said out loud, somebody around here wasn't happy about it. The evidence: when the Stars came to Verizon Center the next season Halpern got the start for Dallas, ostensibly so he could get a nice hand from the locals on his first visit back home. Conincidentally, it was also the only time I can ever remember when the Caps failed to introduce the starting lineup of the visiting team.
Now, clearly all is forgiven. Unfortunately, welcoming back Halpern means saying goodbye to long-time good guy Boyd Gordon. His hard work all these years in a Caps uniform earned him a modest raise in Phoenix, one that the locals would soon not be able to afford.
The Varlamov Exile: The owner made it pretty clear today that he wasn't terribly happy with the way Semyon Varlamov and his agent were playing games in the press, but something tells me that Varlamov's agent played this the best way he could. Simply put, there is only space for a pair of goalies on an NHL roster. Unfortunately, the Caps had three who could legitimately lay claim to a starting job. Varlamov, who saved Washington's bacon in the playoffs two seasons ago against the Rangers, wanted the job for himself along with a requisite raise. Management, however, clearly had other ideas with cap space at a premium.
When you look at it that way, it's a little easier to understand why Varlamov and his agent made so much noise with the KHL option. The Caps made it clear they couldn't guarantee what he wanted, at least not right away, and the games began. Which is right around the time that General Manager George McPhee found a dance partner in the Colorado Avalanche—a team that apparently had draft picks to spare. Boom! Problem solved, with Washington picking up two picks in next year's draft, with one that could be from the lottery.
Fill and Patch: Neither the signing of Joel Ward nor Roman Hamrlik will go down in history as transformative deals for the Caps. Both players fill a need, and are doing it for reasonable prices. Ward seems to be a younger version of Matt Bradley, (a man who will find work elsewhere after good work here in DC) albeit with a little more scoring touch. As for whether or not Ward can kick it up a notch in the playoffs again as he did with Nashville last Spring, I'm not sure I'd count on that just yet. As for Roman Hamrlik, he's better in his own end than you might imagine, salted with just enough offensive talent to keep most folks happy. Who knows, with a lefthanded shot, he might just be able to step in on the point opposite Mike Green and let Alex Ovechkin move down to the halfboards on the power play.
So what's next? According to Cap Geek, the team has a little more than $2 million of cap space left with Troy Brouwer, Karl Alzner and Braden Holtby still needing to be paid. Long story short: expect some bodies to be moved shortly. As fast as this offseason started for the Caps, it doesn't look over yet.
May 27th, 2011
A Suggestion for the Second Edition of “Those Guys Have All the Fun”
I'm a little less than halfway through reading the Kindle edition of Those Guys Have All the Fun: Inside the World of ESPN by Jim Miller and Tom Shales. And while I'm enjoying it, a lot of it is very familiar to me thanks to having already read Mike Freeman's excellent ESPN: The Uncensored History. Here's hoping that the publication of the new book—already at #2 on the Amazon.com bestseller list—helps more folks find Freeman's book.
Over lunch, I was reading a particularly funny passage where former SportsCenter anchor Charley Steiner talked about how he was reduced to tears on air after watching a clip of Carl Lewis butcher the Star Spangled Banner before a basketball game. Even better was getting some inside scoop from Jim Rome about his famous on-air confrontation with NFL quarterback Jim Everret.
As I was reading on my iPad, I couldn't help but wonder why those clips weren't embedded in the electronic version of the book. Here's hoping that's a project already outlined on someone's drawing board.
May 26th, 2011
Underestimate John Isner at Your Peril
Yesterday in the opening round of the French Open, defending champion Rafael Nadal was pushed to the limit by American John Isner before winning in five sets, 6-4, 6-7 (2), 6-7 (2), 6-2, 6-4. But while some are choosing to whisper about how Nadal is now suddenly vulnerable in a tournament he's previously owned (yesterday marked the first time he had lost a set at the French since 2009, and the first time he had ever dropped a set in the first or second round), I have to ask another question out loud: what in the world were the people who put together the draw at this tournament thinking when they matched Isner against Nadal in the first round?
Make no mistake, when a tournament pits you against the defending champion and top seed in the first round, they're sending an unmistakable message to you and the rest of the tennis world. At bottom, they've decided that you're the weakest player in the entire draw, the guy that the top dog deserves to play by dint of his past accomplishments. So, if Nadal is like Duke or Florida, Isner is a sub .500 team from a mid-major who hit a hot streak in March and won a conference tournament. Then again, given the way things shook out, maybe it's 1989 and Nadal is Georgetown while Isner is Princeton.
In any case, given how he pushed the tournament's top seed to the wall in the first round, it ought to be clear that the Georgia grad deserved a heck of a lot more respect than the folks at Roland Garros were willing to give this time around. Then again, it wasn't like they didn't have any indication that Isner could pull off a performance like this one. Did they not watch Wimbledon last year?
At 6'9", Isner is the Zdeno Chara of men's tennis. When I first encountered him at the Legg Mason Tennis Classic in Washington several years ago, I watched him cut through half of the draw with a service game that flummoxed even the game's best players. At the time, Andy Roddick, who would go on to defeat Isner in the 2007 final, said that playing against Isner was just like playing against anyone else—as long as that anyone else was allowed to serve from two feet inside the service line.
For me, the highlight of the tournament that year had to be stifling my own laughter while watching Gael Monfils sputter through a post match press conference after losing to Isner in the semifinal. He clearly couldn't understand how or why he managed to lose to a man who boasted nothing but one of the most devastating serves in the game.
Perhaps the folks who put together the draw for this year's French Open should have taken some time to listen to their countrymen. Maybe next year, they'll pay Isner the respect he's earned, and award him the sort of seed that will propel him to a lengthy stay at Roland Garros.
May 17th, 2011
Officially Still Open for Business
A friend sent a note to me today asking if Off Wing Opinion was "officially" on hiatus.
The answer is no. I reserve the right to come and go as I please without notice, official or otherwise. Expect more soon.
January 19th, 2011
Odds on the 2011 NHL All-Star Game
Courtesty of our friends at Bodog, here's everything you need to know about betting on the 2011 NHL All-Star Game. Who knew that the draft format would create such a betting bonanza?
Who will win the 2011 NHL All Star Game?
Team Lidstrom -110
Team Staal -110
Who will be the first Player drafted in the 2011 All Star Fantasy Draft?
Alex Ovechkin 4/1
Henrik Sedin 4/1
Sidney Crosby 5/1
Steven Stamkos 7/1
Cam Ward 15/1
Daniel Sedin 15/1
Evgeni Malkin 15/1
Marc Staal 18/1
Mike Green 18/1
Zdeno Chara 18/1
Duncan Keith 20/1
Dustin Byfuglien 20/1
Jonathan Toews 20/1
Shea Weber 20/1
Jarome Iginla 25/1
Rick Nash 25/1
Tim Thomas 25/1
Anze Kopitar 30/1
Dan Boyle 30/1
Henrik Lundqvist 30/1
Marc-Andre Fleury 30/1
Martin St. Louis 30/1
Matt Duchene 30/1
Kris Letang 30/1
Patrick Kane 30/1
Patrick Sharp 30/1
Ryan Kesler 30/1
Brad Richards 35/1
Carey Price 35/1
Corey Perry 35/1
Jonas Hiller 35/1
Phil Kessel 35/1
Loui Eriksson 40/1
Claude Giroux 45/1
Patrik Elias 45/1
Ales Hemsky 50/1
Brent Burns 50/1
David Backes 50/1
Erik Karlsson 50/1
Tobias Enstrom 50/1
Who will be the last Player drafted in the 2011 All Star Fantasy Draft?
Ales Hemsky 11/2
David Backes 11/2
Claude Giroux 15/2
Patrik Elias 15/2
Loui Eriksson 17/2
Brad Richards 10/1
Corey Perry 10/1
Phil Kessel 10/1
Ryan Kesler 15/1
Anze Kopitar 20/1
Jarome Iginla 20/1
Martin St. Louis 20/1
Matt Duchene 20/1
Patrick Kane 20/1
Patrick Sharp 20/1
Evgeni Malkin 30/1
Jonathan Toews 30/1
Rick Nash 30/1
Sidney Crosby 35/1
Steven Stamkos 35/1
Alex Ovechkin 40/1
Daniel Sedin 45/1
Henrik Sedin 45/1
What team will get the first pick in the 2011 All Star Fantasy Draft?
Team Lidstrom -110
Team Staal -110
Will Henrik and Daniel Sedin Play on the same team?
Yes +200
No -270
Will Eric and Marc Staal play on the same team?
Yes +105
No -145
Will Sidney Crosby Play in the 2011 All Star Game?
Yes +115
No -155
December 16th, 2010
Some Thoughts on 24/7 Penguins Capitals: The Road to the NHL Winter Classic
I just finished watching the first episode of 24/7 Penguins Capitals: The Road to the NHL Winter Classic for the second time, and I'm already planning on watching it again.
Yes my friends, the show is that good, and if you're a hockey fan who doesn't already have HBO, you need to get in touch with your cable or satellite provider right now to address that oversight. If anything, episode one consistently exceeded my expectations. The cable outlet has another breakout winner on its hands, and the NHL should be thanking whatever god they pray to for being along for the ride.
The moment that kicked the show into overdrive for me was during Pittsburgh's road trip to Buffalo, footage that was backed musically by the 70s hit, "Right Back Where We Started From," by Maxine Nightingale. It was an obvious nod to every hockey fan's favorite film, "Slap Shot," and one that sent the message that the folks doing the series love and respect the game as much as its most ardent fans—a welcome change from the message national media outlets usually telegraph when it comes to their feelings about the game.
It was great to see hockey treated in a manner that we usually see reserved for other major sports. My colleague at The TV News, Jeff Grimshaw, says the key to shooting hockey for television is to eschew the traditional "eye in the sky" view for tight shots on the action, and HBO seems to understand that implicitly. So while you may have watched hockey in HD, few have ever seen it like this, which means while this series is a great reason to subscribe to HBO, it's an even better reason to buy an HDTV if you don't already have one.
But while it's impossible to ignore what I saw last night, it was what I heard that couldn't help but warm my heart. Sure, there have been plenty of times when players have been wired for sound during a game, but those audio tracks have usually been sanitized for a family audience. That's not the case with 24/7. Instead, we get to eavesdrop on fights, meltdowns on the bench and players cursing under their breath after enduring a locker room tirade. We've always known that Washington winger Alex Ovechkin had a wicked sense of humor, but he kicked his reputation to a whole new level last night. After an official explained that teammate Alexander Semin had drawn blood after cross-checking Avalanche defenseman John-Michael Liles in the neck, a horrible lapse in judgment that earned Semin a game misconduct, Ovechkin deadpanned, "He (Liles) must have sensitive skin."
Considering his team was in the midst of a 12-game winning streak at the time, I'm not surprised that Pittsburgh head coach Dan Bylsma was depicted as cool, cerebral and in control. Then again, through the lens of HBO, it was hard not to come away with the impression that Washington head coach Bruce Boudreau's stock had crashed out of the NASDAQ and into the pink sheets.
That impression crystallized while watching footage of Sunday's 7-0 loss against the Rangers. With his team down 3-0, Boudreau called timeout during the second period in order to rally his troops. After berating the team for demonstrating a lack of courage and strafing them with a string of F bombs, Boudreau wrapped up his rant with, "Let's get our fucking asses out of our heads," a line that can only be described as "bass ackwards." One can't help but wonder what Boudreau's players thought of his malaprop.
After one episode, we have our storyline: one one side we have the Penguins, a team that already has a title, riding high and feeling confident. On the other, we have the struggling Caps, a team with a well established reputation for failing when it matters most, struggling to get things back on track.
After taking it all in, it's impossible not to wonder how the show is playing inside each organization, especially here in Washington. In the past, if the Caps stumbled into a losing streak, the media attention would be negative, but not nearly as searing as it would be in a more rabid hockey market. But now, with expectations of success and television cameras recording their every move, ending the losing streak has become more imperative then ever before. Washington had a chance to alter the narrative last night, but still found a way to lose to Anaheim at home, 2-1 in overtime.
With six days left before the next episode airs, Washington has three chances to alter the storyline: first on Saturday in Boston, on Sunday in Ottawa and back home again against the Devils on Tuesday. As the losses continue to pile up, and the gap between Washington and the rest of the pack in the Southeast Division tightens, you have to start wondering whether or not collars are going to begin to tighten in Washington's executive suite too. Stay tuned.
December 7th, 2010
Off Wing Opinion NHL Team Flip Video Camera Giveaway
Off Wing Opinion is happy to announce that we're working with Cisco's Flip Video to help launch the introduction of 30 uniquely designed NHL team Flip video cameras. And in the process, we'll be giving away the Washington Capitals version of the camera to one lucky reader here at Off Wing Opinion.
Normally I turn down offers like this one, but given that I've used the Flip myself before to cover the NHL, I was inclinded to participate. I've owned a Flip Mino since December 2008, and used it to cover the 2009 NHL Winter Classic in Chicago for FanHouse. The Flip went wherever I went when I was at Wrigley Field. It was easy to use and it performed flawlessly, especially during the game when I was shuttling between the press box and the stands in between periods to interview fans.
Here's an interview I did with Detroit's Darren McCarty after his first time on the ice at Wrigley. News of Claude Lemieux's comeback with the Sharks had just hit the news, and given their history, I felt I had to ask McCarthy what he thought about it.
So how can you get your hands on one of the Flip NHL video cameras? One, you can buy one by going to theflip.com/nhl and plunking down $149. Barring that, you can always enter the contest here at Off Wing Opinion. Here are the rules: Tell me via the comments section below, on my Facebook page or to my Twitter feed how you would use your Washington Capitals-branded Flip NHL team video camera. I'll select a winner at random from all of the entries that I receive by 6:00 p.m. U.S. EST tonight. And yes, entries from spam bots will be disregarded.
Below is the official announcement from my new friends at Flip about the NHL branded cameras. They'll be sending me one as well, so look for a review of the camera here at Off Wing Opinion sometime in the next few days.
One of hockey’s most iconic phrases – “he shoots, he scores” may soon be replaced by “he shoots, he shares” - as Cisco’s Flip Video™, and the National Hockey League® (NHL) team up to offer 30 uniquely designed NHL team Flip video cameras. In addition, Flip Video will offer Facebook fans a chance to win Flip cameras and a trip to the 2011 NHL All-Star Game presented by Discover. Select NHL.com reporters will also receive NHL-branded Flip video cameras to capture all the hockey action on and off the ice.
Beginning December 7, fans can choose their own official NHL Flip video camera with a custom design from any one of the 30 NHL teams from the U.S. and Canada. A perfect gift for hockey lovers, the new Flip designs are available through the Flip Video online store: theflip.com/NHL. The NHL-branded Flips will be offered on all of the latest Flip video cameras including the Flip UltraHD, MinoHD and SlideHD*, starting at $149, for anytime shoot and share fun.
Edmonton Oilers right wing Jordan Eberle and Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin are among the many celebrities and sports icons featured in the Flip Video 2010 holiday campaign ‘Do You Flip?’
“Flip is the only video camera on the market that consumers can customize and select from thousands of unique designs. Our ability to offer customization has enabled us to team with the NBA and now the NHL, which was a natural extension for our brand,” said Jodi Lipe, director of marketing for Cisco’s Consumer Products. “Whether it’s at the Stanley Cup Final or an afternoon snowball fight with friends, Flip video cameras are a fun and simple way to capture and share videos with friends and family.”
“Hockey fans are in a class of their own when it comes to diehard loyalty,” said Dave McCarthy, NHL Vice President Integrated Marketing. “Owning a Flip video camera representing their favorite team is a great way for fans to show support and more importantly have fun sharing their passion with fellow hockey fans and friends around the world.”
To help promote the new NHL designs, Flip is hosting a contest called the Flip Video Fan Face-off that will give away one grand prize trip for two to the 2011 NHL All-Star Game in Raleigh, North Carolina, January 30, as well as daily prizes of NHL-custom designed team Flips every day in December. Hockey fans can face-off for these cool prizes starting on December 9, 2010 at www.facebook.com/flipvideo.
Flip Video is the only video camera line to feature official designs from the NHL and all 30 NHL teams so fans can show their affinity for their favorite NHL team while shooting and sharing video with others at games, parties or events. Flip video cameras make it easy to share video via email, Facebook™, YouTube™, Twitter™ and even on a TV.
Cisco is also equipping the team of 20 NHL.com reporters with their own NHL logo Flip video camera to use as they travel to NHL games around the U.S. and Canada. With their official NHL Flips, the on-the-scene reporters will be able to greatly enhance their coverage by capturing video footage to post to the NHL.com web site.
All NHL team designs are available at www.theflip.com/NHL starting today at $149.
So what are you waiting for? Enter now!
UPDATE: Other stories from around the Web: NHL, Cisco, Renew and Extend Partnership.
UPDATE: Congratulations to Adam Vingan for winning the Caps FlipCam! Thanks to everyone for participating.
November 10th, 2010
On The 2011 NHL All-Star Game Format
I just saw the proposed format for the 2011 NHL All-Star Game, and let me join the growing chorus of voices praising the decision to revamp the way that players and teams are picked. After all, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and I couldn't be more flattered that the league has more or less adopted the format that I proposed back in November 2008.
I for one can't wait to see how this all turns out.
UPDATE: In case you might have missed it, here are a few other ideas I posted over at Puck Daddy before the 2009-10 season that the NHL ought to adopt too.
October 20th, 2010
Vancouver’s Rick Rypien Attacks Fan in Minnesota
If there's one thing that professional sports leagues don't like, it's seeing players get into altercations with fans. With that in mind, I think it's safe to say that Vancouver's Rick Rypien is staring down the likelihood of a major suspension after attacking a fan last night in Minnesota.
The incident came in the second period of a 6-2 Wild win, after Rypien was assessed a double minor for roughing and a game misconduct for a scuffle with Minnesota's Brad Staubitz. As Rypien headed for the Vancouver locker room, he reached into the stands and attempted to grab a fan who was apparently heckling him.
In this clip, you can see the aftermath of the clash with Staubitz, followed by the actual incident. Afterwards, the fan and a companion of his were removed from the seats near the Canucks bench, but were allowed to stay in the arena and watch the game from some other choice seats.
While nobody should reach premature conclusions about exactly what happened between Rypien and the fan, the video shows that the fan was doing nothing more than applauding Rypien's exit from the game—and that in fact it was Rypien who initiated the contact. That's something that's a little easier to see in this fan video that uses a DVR to slow down the action:
Despite the fact that the NHL rulebook says that any altercation with a fan will result in an immediate ejection, Rypien actually returned to the Vancouver bench, though he never got back on the ice. Safe to say, it'll probably be a while before Rypien gets to watch the game from that close for a while. Expect a lengthy suspension, and we probably won't have to wait long before Colin Campbell lays down the law in this case.
UPDATE: Rypien has been suspended pending a hearing.
October 19th, 2010
Hockey Night in Washington: Caps vs. Bruins, October 19, 2010
Tim Thomas with the save as Mike Green slides. File photo by Pete Silver
I'll be at Verizon Center tonight tweeting live during tonight's game between the Caps and Bruins. Click here for a link to my Twitter feed. I ought to be up and running between 6:45 and 7:00 p.m. U.S. EDT. Hope you join me then.
POSTGAME THOUGHTS: Nobody like dropping a game at home (3-1), but there wasn't a whole lot to complain about tonight when it came to effort. The Caps got the lion's share of the chances, outshooting Boston 36-21, and head coach Bruce Boudreau said after the game that the team played as hard in the first 10 minute as they had all season. Unfortunately, the bounces weren't going their way tonight—two great scoring chances melted away thanks to broken sticks—though you also need to tip your cap to Tim Thomas (18 saves in the 3rd period), who after all is a little more than a season removed from winning the Vezina Trophy.
I think I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Alexander Semin's play. He let loose with a team high 10 shots on goal, and seemed to create a scoring chance every time he touched the puck in the offensive zone.
A couple of weeks back, I wrote a post about why intimidation still has a place in hockey, and having defensemen who can engage in a physical battle in front of the net can be so incredibly important. For an example of what I was writing about, be sure to watch the entire video of Milan Lucic's goal. I don't mean to pick on Jeff Schultz, who is a solid all around defenseman. He's not a physical guy, and Lucic was able to take advantage in this instance.
Special teams continue to be a good news/bad news proposition. The penalty kill continues to be perfect as Boston went scoreless on four chances with the extra man. Without Mike Green in the lineup, Washington's power play can't help but be hobbled, and it went scoreless in four chances.
The big question tonight was about Michal Neuvirth, who was lifted just 12:42 into the game after giving up two goals. It turns our Neuvirth has the flu, and Boudreau admitted after the game that he had no idea anything was wrong until Neuvirth complained of dizziness and a headache. While Neuvirth didn't say anything beforehand, it's clear that Boudreau didn't seem terribly upset, noting that he understood why a competitor like Neuvirth would prefer battling through an illness instead of sitting out.
Semyon Varlamov was more than adequate in relief, stopping 13 of 14 shots. Only a Matt Hunwick shot from just inside the blue line eluded Varlamov, a shot that he simply couldn't see through a Boston screen. As for who will start Thursday in Boston, Boudreau wouldn't say.
If there was one silver lining, it was seeing Marcus Johansson get his first NHL goal and first NHL point in the second period. Matt Hendricks did a great job on the forecheck to keep the puck below the goal line. Jason Chimera picked up the loose puck and popped it onto Johansson's stick as he the rookie cut to the net on the right wing side. After the game, the kid said he didn't know where the puck was, but that he'd be sure to keep it.
If you're filling out a fight card, tonight's game had what you were looking for with a pair of tilts: Matt Hendricks vs. Greg Campbell and John Erskine vs. Lucic. With his fight, Lucic snagged a Gordie Howe hat trick. We were almost treated to a heavyweight bout in the first period when it appeared that DJ King and Zdeno Chara might rumble, but it didn't materialize.
October 15th, 2010
Glendale Learns Lesson in Municipal Financing the Hard Way
Whatever you might have to say about whether or not moving the Winnipeg Jets to Arizona was good for the NHL or the game of hockey, there should be no doubt that the experiment with the Phoenix Coyotes has been part of an unmitigated disaster for Glendale, Arizona.
I say that after reading a tweet from David Shoalts of the Globe and Mail that Glendale is going to have to make up the difference in the purchase price for the Coyotes between what the NHL is demanding and what prospective new owner Matthew Hulsizer is willing to pay. It's just another financial blow for the Phoenix suburb that had such high hopes when it decided to turn itself into a regional sports mecca with facilities for hockey, baseball, basketball and football.
As of today, Glendale's total municipal debt for its sports facilities stands at a staggering $500 million. According to the Arizona Republic, by the time the debt is completely paid off, the actual cost of the borrowing will be more like $1 billion. Unfortunately, Glendale doesn't have much of a choice but to cough up the dough to keep the Coyotes in town, as losing the team as a tenant at Jobing.com Arena could put the city's credit rating at risk.
Granted, no one could have predicted that the nation would be suffering from the sort of economic contraction it has been enduring in recent years. Still, the story of Glendale ought to serve as an object lesson to cities around the country as to what the worst case scenario is in terms of downside risk when you use future tax reciepts as collateral on loans to build stadiums and arenas.
October 13th, 2010
Why Do Sportswriters Want to Force Older Athletes Out the Door?
Yesterday in the New York Times, Bill Rhoden used an entire column to publicly lament the fact that Brett Favre didn't have the decency to retire from the NFL before his legacy was tarnished. That led Slate's Jack Shafer to point out how all too many sportswriters seem to want to push older athletes out the door and into their dotage.
Then again, maybe not everyone feels that way. All the way back in 2002, I wrote the following when more than a few reporters were telling Mark Messier it was time to hang up the skates:
When you get to the point where Messier is in his career, it isn't long before you start to hear calls for retirement from sports writers who never spent a moment of their lives upright on a pair of skates with a stick in their hands. We begin to hear calls for protecting the "legacy" of one's career, and not wanting to sully the "memory" of their greatness with a few sub-par seasons during the time when there are fewer days ahead than behind.
Well, screw that. If Messier wants to play, I hope he does until Rangers management has to pry the skates off his cold, dead feet. And if that means some punk in the Rangers farm system needs to cool his heels, or more likely, work that much harder to break into the NHL, then fine by me too. Messier is simply one of the greatest ever to play the game, and every day he's with us, the league is better off. Welcome back Mark, even if it is for only one more year.
As it would turn out, Messier would play for two more seasons, driving Rangers management batty in the process as his decision made doling out ice time all the more problematic. But the point still holds—Messier went out on his own terms and his own schedule, not one dictated by a sportswriter looking to fill some extra column inches.
October 13th, 2010
Hockey Night in Washington: Caps vs. Islanders, October 13, 2010
Nick Backstrom and Dwayne Roloson from Nov. 2009. Photo by Pete Silver
I'll be at Verizon Center tonight tweeting live during tonight's game between the Caps and Islanders. Click here for a link to my Twitter feed. I ought to be up and running between 6:45 and 7:00 p.m. U.S. EDT. Hope you join me then.
POSTSCRIPT: The story tonight was a lot like it was against Ottawa on Monday: Caps allow an inferior team to hang around until Alex Ovechkin saved the day. Some other thoughts:
- Nicklas Backstrom might have scored the game winning goal and been named the first star of the game, but it was Michal Neuvirth who won the coveted hard hat from his teammates. The rookie had 23 saves on 24 shots, and came up big more than a few times, perhaps no bigger than when he stopped Matt Moulson on a breakaway in the third period. "I was just trying to stay patient. That was a big save for us," said the beaming rookie after the game.
- Head coach Bruce Boudreau resisted the bait when asked about a budding goalie controversy, making it clear that Semyon Varlamov would play once he was ready, but that Neuvirth was clearly making the case in these first four games to keep the job himself.
- Speaking of Backstrom, he finally broke through and got his first points of the season, assisting on Ovechkin's game-tying goal and getting a tip in for the game winner. Separated from Ovechkin by Boudreau in the first period, the pair were reunited in the second when the team woke from its slumber to put 15 shots on net—with the big strike being Ovechkin's shot that beat Dwayne Roloson to the glove side to tie things up.
- Boudreau took a timeout after a Blake Comeau penalty to stress to his team that they needed to simplify things on the power play. Boudreau said that when his power play isn't working he likes to fall back on his father's advice: shoot the puck wide and look for tips. He got what he was looking for with an Ovechkin cannon shot from just inside the blue line that deflected off Backstrom's leg for the game winner. The score was just the second power play goal of the season on 17 chances.
- As much as the power play has struggled, the penalty kill, one of the areas of concern in the offseason, continues to be perfect. Opponents have had 15 power play opportunities against Washington this season and have yet to score.
- DJ King got on the score sheet with his first fighting major of the season, a tussle with Trevor Gillies just 2:47 into the first period. The locals were clearly pleased.
- While the Islanders don't ice the same level of talent Washington does, head coach Scott Gordon clearly gets everything he can out of his young lineup. They outhit the Caps and won 59% of their faceoffs. Considering that the Islanders were without power play quarterback Mark Streit, former #1 pick Jonathan Taveres, suspended defenseman James Wisniewski and winger Kyle Okposo, they acquitted themselves well. While they're missing plenty of talent, it's clear the Islanders have a very simple system and they execute it well. Against about 28 other teams in the league, that's going to be enough, but not tonight.
- Mike Green left the game in third period and didn't return. Boudreau told the press after the game that Green suffered a stinger, and is "day-to-day." Check out the video for the sequence where he got hurt:
October 11th, 2010
Hockey Night in Washington: Caps vs. Senators, October 11, 2010
Washington's Eric Fehr and Ottawa's Chris Kelly. Photo by Roland Pintilie
I'll be at Verizon Center again on my couch tonight tweeting live during tonight's game between the Caps and Senators. Click here for a link to my Twitter feed. Looks like Michal Neuvirth is getting the start in goal tonight for Washington. In the meantime, here are some previews from around the Caps blogosphere.
Capitals Insider
Ottawa Citizen
Mike Vogel
CSN Washington
Caps Message Boards
NHL.com
Peerless Prognosticator
Live in Red
Red Line Station
Sports Network
See you sometime between 6:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. U.S. EDT.
END OF FIRST PERIOD: CAPS 1 SENS 0: We've been told over and over again that there's no substitute for hard work, but a combination of talent and a little bit of good luck came together to give Washington its 1-0 lead. Put simply, the puck squirted free from a scrum deep along the left wing boards and ended up on Alexander Semin's stick right on the doorstep of the Ottawa goal. Looking at nothing but net, Semin wristed in the puck for his first goal of the season.
But while the Caps might be on top on the scoreboard, the play on the ice has been more even. While the Washington PK kept a clean sheet in three opportunities, Ottawa had more than their fair share of good looks at the net. Your goalie is always your most important penalty killer, and that's been the case thus for for Washington, as Michal Neuvirth kept coming up with big saves during Ottawa's three power plays. But while he was getting the stops, he wasn't getting a lot of help from his teammates. It wasn't all sunshine and rainbows for Neuvirth either, as he gave up more than his fair share of juicy rebounds that Ottawa couldn't manage to capitalize on.
END OF SECOND PERIOD: CAPS 2 SENS 1: While the teams traded tallies this period, the story of this game continues to be Neuvirth, who has 22 saves on 23 Ottawa shots. Though the Senators only had 10 shots on goal in the period, they're generating good scoring chances, and Neuvirth continues to have to bat away shots from point blank range. The Sens tied the game at 9:57 when Jarkko Ruutu deflected a Matt Carknet shot from the right point into the net. The Caps responded just two minutes later when Matt Hendricks passed the puck from behind the net onto the stick of Eric Fehr, who skated into the slot uncovered. He tapped the puck into an open net to give Washington a 2-1 lead. The PK continues to get the job done, killing off another pair of Ottawa power plays.
END OF THIRD PERIOD: CAPS 2 SENS 2: Credit the Senators for playing smart hockey with more than a dash of tenacity. The game was tied at 7:20 of the third period by BC grad Ryan Shannon on the prettiest goal of the night. Peter Regin might have been pinned against the left wing boards, but he somehow managed to get the puck to Shannon, who split the Washington defense, cutting past John Carlson and putting the puck past Neuvirth. The story for the rest of the period was Washington's continued futility on the power play, now just 1-for-13 on the season. The Caps had a pair of chances in the third, but couldn't cash in on either of them.
OVERTIME: CAPS 3 SENS 2: All night long the Caps let an inferior team hang in the game, only for their captain, Alex Ovechkin, to save their bacon again. With just :32 left in overtime, Ovechkin sent a wrist shot through Pascal Leclaire's five-hole to give Washington a 3-2 victory. Over the course of a season, talented teams manage to win plenty of games like these when they're outplayed by a more disciplined team. Here's hoping we see this scenario less often over the course of this season.
October 11th, 2010
All the Fights From the Third Period of Saturday’s Caps-Devils Game
In case you missed it, here's a reel of all of the fights from the third period of the Caps-Devils game from Saturday night. While I'm sure a certain set of folks got the vapors after watching the festivities, I'm not sure I've enjoyed myself this much since the Caps-Thrashers throwdown in November 2006.
October 9th, 2010
Caps Right Ship, Open Home Schedule with 7-2 Romp Over Devils
There was a lot to cheer about during the home opener. Photo by Pete Silver.
You could be forgiven if after one period of tonight's game between the Caps and Devils if you were wondering if the home team was ever going to get its act together and start playing hockey again.
Heading into the locker room after one period the Caps were staring at a 2-1 deficit. To be charitable, they had just played their fourth straight period of lackluster ice hockey, and this time they were doing it against a team best known for taking care of business in their own end in front of a goalie bound for the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Fast-forward just one period later, and everything seemed right with the world again after the Caps scored four goals on just eight shots on their way to a 7-2 win. In the process, they chased Devils goalie Martin Brodeur and shamed a historically disciplined Devils team into gooning things up in the last five minutes of the game.
The end of the third period was most entertaining, as it included a sequence of four fights that began with Devils winger Ilya Kovalchuk dropping the gloves with Mike Green, and ended with Devils winger Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond jumping Caps rookie Marcus Johansson.
Some thoughts:
- After the game, head coach Bruce Boudreau told the press that Alex Ovechkin took a lot of heat as the coaching staff reviewed the video tape from Friday night's 4-2 loss to Atlanta. Ovechkin clearly took it to heart, tallying three points on two goals and an assist, including scoring on a penalty shot where he beat a lunging Brodeur to his glove side.
- Alexander Semin continues to impress, using his stick handling skills in close quarters to keep plays alive in the offensive zone—never more so than when his hard work behind the Devils net in the second period led to a Tomas Fleischmann goal that tied the game 2-2.
- After having a brutal first period where one of his giveaways led directly to a Devils goal, rookie Marcus Johansson settled down and started flashing some of the skill that led the coaching staff to keep him on the big club instead of sending him down to Hershey. He even got to be the center of attention late in the game when he twice refused to fight Letourneau-Leblond, but got mugged anyway.
- The Caps were perfect on the penalty kill, killing four Devils opportunities on the night. But the unit had its best moment at even strength when moments after a penalty to Jason Chimera expired, Fleischmann hit him with a pass as he popped out of the penalty box. Chimera streaked in alone on right wing and put a wrist shot past Brodeur to stretch the lead to 4-2.
- Fleischmann has taken a lot of heat from Caps fans, but he's made the most of his first two games centering the second line, posting a goal and a pair of assists in two games. Despite the points, Fleischmann still doesn't seem to have what it takes to win battles along the boards, but you can't deny his skill, especially not after the tape to tape pass that sprung Chimera.
- Defenseman John Carlson continues to look like he belongs nowhere else but in the National Hockey League, getting Washington's first goal and adding a pair of assists. It was the first multi-point game of his career.
- Michael Neuvirth got his first win of the season and kept the game close while his teammates were stripping their gears in the first period. But Neuvirth's best work probably came in the second period when he turned aside 17 Devils shots. If the Caps care about their goalie, they'll start doing a better job in their own zone, lest the rookie get overwhelmed.
- The close of the game was simply bizarre. With the game already over at 7-2, Kovalchuk sought to put a charge into his teammates by challenging Mike Green to a fight. Not much was solved as the two twirled for a few moments before both falling to the ice, but the Devils bench took it as a signal to ride to the sound of the guns.
- Next up were Matt Hendricks and Rod Pelley, a pair that fought to an unsatisfying draw. The third tilt featured Matt Bradley against Devils tough guy David Clarkson. Bradley, who had been on the wrong end of a few beatings last season brought the home crowd to its feet when he took down Clarkson with a solid right.
All in all, it was just the sort of night the team needed to wash away memories of a dog of a season opener.
POSTSCRIPT: New Jersey defenseman Anton Volchenkov was struck in the face shield by a Nicklas Backstrom slap shot in the first period. The shot broke Volchenkov's nose and sent him to the locker room bleeding. Later, the Devils reported that Volchenkov required eight stitches to close the wound, but that he still expects to play in their next game on Monday.
October 9th, 2010
Caps Win 7-2: Through the Lens of Pete Silver
John Carlson celebrates a first period goal. Photo by Pete Silver.
We'll have a game recap in just a bit, but for now, take a look at some of the shots that OffWing Photo's Pete Silver shot during tonight's 7-2 win over the Devils. Click here for the entire set.
Matt Bradley delivering the punch that felled Dave Clarkson.
Matt Hendricks tangles with Rod Pelley.
October 9th, 2010
Tweeting Live From Washington Capitals Home Opener
Just a reminder that I'll be tweeting live from the press box at the Verizon Center as the Washington Capitals take on the New Jersey Devils starting at 7:00 p.m. U.S. EDT. Click here for my twitter feed.
