Ted Leonsis was the speaker at the Chalk Talk session before the game between the Buffalo Sabres and Washington Capitals on Friday April 3, 2009 at Verizon Center. The Capitals host Chalk Talk sessions for full season ticket holders about once a month through the regular season. This season’s speakers have included NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman (somehow I missed the invite for that one), Washington Capitals General Manager George McPhee, and Comcast Sports Net broadcasters Joe Beninati and Craig Laughlin. The people may not say anything earth shattering in these sessions, but they’re fun and a very nice perk for full season ticket holders. And there’s a chance to win stuff.
Ted’s talk and the questions he fielded were mostly focused on the team’s recent success and bright outlook for the next few years. One place where that success becomes very tangible is in ticket sales. As of the time of the talk, the Capitals had nearly sold out their full season ticket allotment (12,000, I think…will update if I find out otherwise).
He also told us a story about how he had been taking his family to this restaurant for some time and that he never had trouble getting a table at the last minute. Then, a few days earlier, Ted called and they told him that they couldn’t seat him and his party…and he got mad. After reflecting for a moment, he realized that’s what it’s getting to be like for Capitals fans. There are more people that want to go to games at Verizon Center now than there are seats. To that end, Ted said he had been walking around the arena with staff to try to find places to stick more chairs so they could sell more tickets. Ted also said that he doesn’t want to make a marketing thing out of a season ticket waiting list. I guess we’ll see.
Circles
One of the questions Ted took was “Do you ever get aggravated to watch a player and think, ‘I’m wasting how much money on this guy?’”
There was a long pause before his answer.
“Yes.”
There’s one player that comes to mind immediately. Another player from the past isn’t far off. Which one popped into Ted’s head first? I wonder. He did go on to say, “I paid someone $20 million to take someone away,” but was he compensating? Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Capitals, Chalk Talk, ice, Leonsis, Ovechkin, Sabres, Ted, Verizon Center, Wizards
The Capitals-Islanders game on Wednesday April 1 sure felt like one of those mid week games against a bottom feeder that’s only looking forward to winning the draft lottery. The Caps came out flat…and so did the crowd.
I brought a buddy, Alex, who isn’t a big hockey fan and hadn’t been to a game since April of last year. I’d been trying to get him to come down from Baltimore all season, and finally got him into Verizon Center when there were just two more following home games. The game he went to last year (also at my prodding, but that’s a whole story unto itself) happened to be the one where Alex Ovechkin scored his 65th goal of the season on Karri Romo (photo of the shot) of the Tampa Bay Lightning. We had seats downstairs for that. Corporate season tickets, of course. (My photos on Flickr.)
Anyway, Alex has looked at the photos I’ve taken at Caps games over the past year and been impressed by some of them (at least so he tells me) and he wanted to take a shot at it, too. So, he brought his camera, asked me about what settings to start with and I gave some basic pointers on approach. I thought about the previous Friday when I was sitting by the bench and how different it was down there than up here. Alex took some test shots before the game started. When the lights went down and the spotlights started roving, I told him how I try to catch players, both Capitals and visitors, in a light during that part of the game in a spray and pray kind of thing…and then usually delete about a hundred dark misses during the singing of the national anthem. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: camera, Capitals, drunk, Islanders, Lightning, Ovechkin, Photos
Okay…getting more caught up. After this one, only two games and a week behind. of course, there’s one more home game in the regular season left tomorrow and I don’t know if I’ll get through the remaining two games after I finish this one before the next one is played with at least two more coming up another ten to fourteen days later. Confused yet? Good. Now, I’m no longer alone.
I have quite a few photos up on Flickr and will probably add more to this set in the future.
Theodore, Presented by Slapshot
The Washington Capitals played host to the Tampa Bay Lightning at Verizon Center on Friday March 27, 2009. I did things a little different this time around. I had plans for a friend from work to join me at this game, but he bailed. I had been checking out what was available on TicketExchange for the April 5 Atlanta game and I decided to take a look at what was available for this Lightning game.
Section 121, Row C, Seat 12. Hmm…I think that’s around the end of the Capitals bench. That might be kind of interesting, I thought. The price was, um, okay, I guess. Whoever was selling was not making a stupid profit. Probably a fair price. The last time I sat so close to the ice was at an IHL San Diego Gulls game at the decrepit not so wonderful San Diego Sports Arena (except that it’s in San Diego makes/made it oh so much better than Verizon Center) in the 1990s. So, why not? I sold my regular seats to friends and bought the third row seat next to the end of the Caps bench.
Capitals Bench
One of the first things I want to mention is that it was really cool to be there. Once. To do the things I wanted to do. I would absolutely not want to watch a game from there, though. Why? Because a decent sized portion of the ice was completely blocked, most of the rest was at least partially obscured. Most of the rest holds a really great view…but there’s a problem. Being so close to the bench, you can’t avoid sensing all the activity going on around the bench ALL the time the players are out there. It’s sort of like a missing the forest for the trees kind of thing. I had no sense of flow.
Tags: bench, bokeh, Capitals, fans, Fehr, glass, Lightning, McPhee, Ovechkin, Photos, Pothier
Another way delayed post. I’m going to get this sorted in a way that makes sense. Someday. Really. I am. I promise. Or, you know, I won’t. They don’t pump as much oxygen up into the nosebleeds as they used to. We get a little slow sometimes…just ask us “Internet?” Or “What does ‘The O’ mean?” Of course, we have more fun that way. Still, I’m totally relying on supercrappy notes from a game long ago and a brain that masquerades as a sieve with ever increasing frequency. Forgive me.
Capitals Bench
The Carolina Hurricanes came to town on March 14 to close out the Washington portion of the 2009 regular season series between the two teams. Is there another series to be played between the Hurricanes and Capitals later this spring? Personally, I hope not. Especially if what we saw at this game, despite the fact we won (in a shootout), and the next game between these teams in Raleigh a week later hint at what we’d have to expect. There are enough other blogs that talk about what they think the team is doing and how they’re doing it, and this blog isn’t meant to be that, so you can read about that part (and probably already have) on those other blogs. This blog’s focus is on what the fan experience in the nosebleed seats is all about.
Stop While the Puck is in Play
It’s about scoping out possible seats to buy down low(er) before game time so the whole family can go to a game at once some time…even if we don’t all sit together. It’s about standing with other nosebleed folks down by the glass for warm ups. It’s about thanking the ushers for holding little stop signs that say “Stop While the Puck is in Play” signs, even if they clearly don’t want to. (see photo). It’s about looking at the Japanese tourist group in the row in front of us with the very silly yet cute bags from the National Zoo and knowing they’re going to be trouble. It’s about watching some guy with a Media pass (a guy that writes for one of the blogs above or MSM, we didn’t know…or care) trying to use a point and shoot camera to take a crowd shot and only getting a big blur of FAIL. It’s about looking over at the super loud row in the next section over and knowing that they’re going to be trouble. Pay attention to this masterful use of foreshadowing: At least the one guy.
Tags: blogger, blogs, Capitals, crowd, fans, fight, Fleischmann, Green, Hurricanes, Morrisonn, Ovechkin, Red Rockers, Semin, sick, usher, Verizon Center
So,
about a month ago,
there was this game,
you see,
at the Verizon Center,
between,
a couple of hockey teams,
Capitals hosted Penguins.
It did not end well for the Caps.
I think.
It was so long ago. What do I remember? I remember the Pittsburgh Penguins topping the Washington Capitals in a shootout on March 8, 2009. I also remember that I took a bunch of pictures and posted them on Flickr.
Erskine Nails Goddard
On the way downtown, my notes tell me that there was a guy on the Metro that was talking. I kinda remember some guy talking, but, you know, people talk on the Metro and some of them are loud. Oh yeah, this was a really loud guy that was trying to figure out what some nice young couple’s religious views were and why. They didn’t want to talk to him, so they stayed quiet. He took that as code for:
“Oh, so you want me to keep talking at you real loud, huh? Okay. You better bet I can do that! Oh, um, ‘bet’…that’s a gamble and gambling isn’t a religious thing. But you know what I mean!”
Malkin and Crosby
I remember wondering if I was going to have a problems with some kind of porno producing Penguins fans in front of me leaning forward all game, but then I realized that Zack and Miri probably couldn’t afford StubHub prices. There was a Sidney Crosby jersey wearing guy, kind of a big guy, too, in front of me that thought the rail was for leaning. As soon as I tapped him on the shoulder, he waved and said “Sorry.” If only strippers with really big hats from Toronto were so considerate.
Of course, it kind of sucked to have a reason to not hate on a Pens fan. But, what are you gonna do? :dunno:
I see something here about Nick and Phil getting wet. I don’t think it was from vomit, but I don’t remember what it was.
Nick fell in love with a Penguins fangirl. “Oh, my, god! She’s gorgeous.” I wasn’t so sure, but, I don’t really care what other people are into.
For some reason that I couldn’t figure out, we didn’t “whoop” Gonchar as much as a couple weeks before. We also didn’t boo Crosby as much. My theory is that those are the two reasons that the Capitals weren’t able to grab both points. We fans let the Capitals down. Seeing what happened between then and now, I don’t feel so bad. The Caps let us down a bit in the meantime.
Laich Puts it Past Fleury
After the game, the stairs down to the 7th and Fst Gallery Place Metro entrance were blocked off. I heard someone say, “That’s Metro, even the stairs are broken.” It was one of those, “everything in the world is right, ‘cuz you ain’t the only one thinking what you’re thinking,” kind of moments.
Yes, I know…lame post. The next couple might be, too. Sorry.
But remember, more pics at Flickr.
Tags: Capitals, Crosby, Gonchar, Metro, Penguins, sports, Verizon Center
Wow, it’s taken a while to get here, but here I am with a post about the Maple Leafs-Capitals game from last week. So much happened…and now, I doubt I’ll remember it all. I think there may have been some lingering effects from the vomit at the Hurricanes game. But anyway, I’m here, you’re here, let’s have a party in the nosebleed section.
Bradley and Ondrus Fight in First Period
During warm-ups, you would have had to be a dolt or NARCF to notice that Alex Ovechkin wasn’t on the ice. He had taken a slapshot to the heel in practice the day before, leaving in a huffy bit of pain, but was expected to play. As you all know by now, he did not. And there was much sadness in the rafters.
To take us out of our misery, we were high fiving and thanking our lucky stars for seeing Circles, I mean Michael “Toe-Pick” Nylander, out on the ice for warm ups…fresh off his four game stint as scratchy trade bait with no takers. With the trade deadline passed, we’re stuck with him, I guess. Our hopes were (and, I guess, still are) that he suffers some sort of injury so we can send him to LTIR for the rest of the season and lose the salary cap impact. Now, I’m not saying that I, or anyone else, actually wants Nylander to actually get hurt. I’m thinking more along the lines of some kind of slightly infected paper cut? injury. My guess is that the CBA has some wording meant to prevent such action (but it’s got more words than a BloodyNostrils.com blog post), but hey…an inability to follow directions is a disability, so maybe Mr. Toe-Pick could qualify for LTIR under the ADA or something? Who knows? I’m just passing along what we talk about in the nosebleeds where the oxygen is thin and we have a lot more fun as a result.
Gerber In Net
Except for when there’s some almost-pretty little blonde from Toronto wearing a really big gray hat, green stripper-type coat, brown stockings and brown knee-high boots who can’t sit back in her seat at all leaning in front of you all night. That’s what happened to me at the Capitals-Maple Leafs game. It was hard to tell she was a blonde, given the fact that the she never took off her big ass hat. She couldn’t sit back in her seat at all…and it wasn’t like she was leaning forward because she was getting caught up in the uber-exciting 0-0 through 2 game. No, she was leaning forward so she could talk around her friend, sister, lover (I couldn’t really tell) sitting next to her to the third person in their party which was obviously their father. Or pimp. Or sleazy older man. Again, I’m not really sure, but he did have one of those 1970s era “Joy of Sex” type beards. She was all intent on talking to him. Oh, and her CrackBerry. She couldn’t even sit back when reading her email or thumbing out txt messages, she had to keep leaning forward. With the big hat.
I couldn’t see the western zone. At all. From just outside the blue line to just behind the goal line, all I could see was hat. And she was never looking at the ice. At all.
Tags: blood, Capitals, CBA, downstairs, Finger, Fleischmann, leaner, Maple Leafs, Nylander, Ovechkin, Semin
The vomit started a few rows up behind us, over a few seats, but it dripped all the way down to the row behind me. The Verizon Center crew got out there reasonably quickly (I think) to clean up, but the damage was done. The smell was still there. Or it wasn’t and just pretended to be. You know the way the smell just sort of lingers? Also how even when you can’t actually smell it, you still think you can, so you do?
Schultz Provides the Entertainment
Honestly, I can’t think of a more perfect backdrop for what happened in the second period. It was a fitting backdrop to the second period. In the first eight minutes of the period, the Capitals had a scare when Alex Semin was awkwardly boarded in the corner and then lay motionless momentarily on the ice, they gave up a shorthanded goal to the ‘Canes on the ensuing power play (but at least Semin had made it back out on the ice), and another shorty on their next power play, too. And then there was the ‘Canes even strength goal. And then their power play goal. There’s little Mikey Neuvy looking a sieve with no Schultz! defense in front of him. On the other hand we got to see our favorite defender Jeff Schultz go for a ride on the back of the ‘Cane’s Tim Conboy.
Neuvirth Could Give a Whit(ney)
Talk in the nosebleed seats was wondering whether we were watching (that alliteration was a complete accident, by the way) a promising NHL career self destruct in front of our eyes while the $4.5 million a year “bridge” goalie sat on the bench with a little tummy ache. And that makes me ask a question… If Jose Theodore had such a bad case of the flu, why in the world would he be let into the room or sit on the bench? So he can get everyone else on this rapidly slumping Capitals get sick? Is that what we really need?
Tags: Brashear, Conboy, fans, Kronwall, McPhee, nicknames, Ovechkin, Schultz, Semin, sick, Theorore
Ovechkin Lays at the Feet of a Panther God
In one of the season’s most dissapointing efforts, the Washington Capitals were clobbered by the Florida Panthers yesterday in another “sleepy” matinee at Verizon Center, but unlike a few weeks ago (or the previous day), they never really woke up this time. For 59 minutes and 38 seconds Red Jesus (still love J.P.’s nickname for Alex Ovechkin) was held off the scoresheet in such a convincing fashion that at one point he resorted to laying before Panthers’ goalie Craig Anderson, possibly kissing his skates in an attempt to throw Anderson off his game. As we all know, being the most inventive prophet in hockey, Red Jesus will stop at nothing to benefit his flock team.
Ovechkin "Celebrates" the Don Cherry Way
Perhaps it worked, as Ovechkin did manage to add to his NHL leading goal total with 22 seconds remaining, but the game had long been decided. When he did score, though, Ovechkin offered his lamest goal scoring “celebration” of the year. Was he was inspired by Don Cherry’s rant on Saturday’s “Hockey Night in Canada?” Or maybe it was the fact that even at that point, the crowd would not have shouted “Who Cares?!” if the Panthers had added a seventh goal. Because, really, by then, who did care? Certainly not us up in the nosebleed seats. What we were doing up in the nosebleeds was mostly centered on complaining about Jeff Schultz (again)—oh, and would you like to guess who my not-quite-seven-year-old daughter drew in the autographed Capitals photo giveaway for kids? Yeah.—and generally lamenting on the sometimes questionable state of the Capitals defense.
Michael Neuvirth Keeps His Eyes on the Puck
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think Jose Theodore was to blame on Sunday, but the puck did get past him 4, count ‘em, ”one-two-three-four, it’s not all your fault!” times. The Capitals just had no Juice to their game and I’m not sure that they’ve been more pourous this season. Michal Neuvirth generally kept his eyes on the puck when he took over goal for the second and third periods. Well, except in the third period when the second one got by him and he was still looking for it in front of him after the Panthers were celebrating.
So, up in the nosebleeds, we noticed that the Caps’ general manager, George McPhee, was was perched in the press box scowling down at watching the game below. At his season ticket holder chalk talk last Tuesday, one of the things GMGM told us was that he’s pretty happy with the team and wasn’t feeling a great compulsion to do much to fix it. We all pretty much agree that there doesn’t need to be much fixing, you know, except for that occasionally sieve-like defense thing. Mike “Norris” Green can only take you so far and we’d hope that it’s not just the first round of the playoffs (wouldn’t it be interesting to face the Panthers in that first round, which just happens to be the only team to beat the Capitals twice in Verizon Center this year? :shudder: ).
We pause here to point out that you should remember that if this comes to pass, even though you may have seen it floated elsewhere already, you heard it here first.
George McPhee Scowls at the Wonderful Verizon Center Ice
Daniel took action. As we gazed up at GMGM, Daniel screamed, “WE NEED PRONGER!!! GET US PRONGER!!! WE DON”T NEED SCHULTZ!!!” As he screamed it, I saw GMGM’s right ear visibly twitch. I think Daniel got through to him. From where we sat, it seemed entirely plausible that the idea had not crossed GMGM’s mind until that moment of the twitching ear. Despite people calling for it on blogs, message boards, even possibly a newspaper, there is no evidence that the idea had previously been put in front of GMGM. So, if it happens, this would be why. (That’s the story and we’re sticking to it!)
Freaky Size Jay Bouwmeester
And if not Chris Pronger, that Jay Bouwmeester guy is kinda big, too.
If you like these photos taken from the nosebleed seats, check out some more on Flickr!
Tags: Anderson, Bouwmeester, Capitals, Cherry, fans, McPhee, Neuvirth, Ovechkin, Panthers, Pronger, Red Jesus, Schultz, Theodore
ref you suck (by clydeorama)
There is power in as many as 18,000 people screaming three words in unison. With DC’s Red Jesus (a name I think was coined by J.P. of Japers’ Rink and first seen in the Rink’s Christmas Miracle of 2008 wrap up) on his way to the box after he TOOK a high stick to the face in the first period last Thursday, almost the entire crowd (and it was probably well less than 18,000, but still) broke into the expected three word chant. The chant was conspicuously absent in the third when Brooks Laich took a similarly high stick to the face by another Atlanta Thrasher. As I write now, I realize that I can’t remember as much about the game as I thought I did and I’m guessing that I should probably write these things up quicker, eh? At a bare minimum, maybe, it should help keep me from losing focus…like I’m doing now.
So, it was the first period Thursday with the Caps on top 2-0 on two early power play goals (imagine that) and Ovie takes a big stick to the face then crumples to the ice. Neither Stephane Auger nor Mike Hasenfratz, the guys being paid paid by the NHL to referee noticed. I remember Hasenftatz calling one of the Caps-Flyers games last spring, but I don’t remember the officiating being that bad (in the context of the series)…yet I still remember the name…and a fan should never remember the name of an official. Unless, perhaps, it’s a name you’ve never heard before? Damn, there goes that focus thing again…
So, after not getting a call of any sort, Alex Ovechkin got into it a little with Marty Reasoner and took 2 minutes for roughing. Caps fans were probably lucky that he didn’t take a 10 minute misconduct or worse (or get hurt), but as he went to the bench, all us homers in the crowd took up the chant.
“REF, YOU SUCK! REF, YOU SUCK! REF, YOU SUCK!” Three words that just sound like magic dripping off thousands of tongues. The only thing that comes close is chanting “M-V-P!” but so far, that’s probably not as appropriate this year in Verizon Center (oooh…that’s probably a good topic for another post!) Anyway, so almost everyone in the building is screaming those three words. Bruce is playing the organ in time. There is a madness overtaking everyone. A real feel-good, community kind of vibe thing…all focused (a-ha!) on a guy dressed like a zebra. It’s a totally different and antagonistic-in-a-good-way thing when it’s a call and response thing between two sets of opposing fans of “LET’S GO MY TEAM!” “YOUR TEAM SUCKS!” It just feels cathartic to excrete whatever negativity is in me, whether it relates to the game, work, whatever. Screaming, “LET’S GO CAPS!” after Smiley’s horn or Goat’s yells is fun, but it’s not the same.
Now, I know the words aren’t nice. Objectively, I know that zebra men are doing the best job they can and that some people just aren’t as capable as others, but screw them. But when I blow something at my job, I expect to get called on it by anyone that notices. If I were a ref in a professional sport, I’d be down for it. The fact of the matter is that professional sports (this has nothing to do with amateur, particularly kid level sports) is part of the entertainment business. Competition, fairness, and competent officiating on the playing field are all crucial, but they aren’t everything. If a team or league is going to survive, it needs to put paying fans in the seats night in, night out. If fans are entertained, if they have a good time, they’ll come back. Seeing their team win is a big part, but it’s still only a part. Giving them all a chance to scream together is another “leg of the stool” to borrow an Obama phrase (and picked only to say that I REALLY hope he doesn’t go to any Caps games). The wisd0m of the crowd is in the power of the chant.
Of course, I don’t understand why it didn’t repeat itself in the third period when Laich was clobbered. I think he and I may have been the only two people in Verizon Center that saw it. Or maybe we just don’t like Laich like we like Red Jesus.
Tags: Auger, Capitals, chant, entertainment, Hasenftatz, Laich, Ovechkin, Reasoner, sports, Thrashers, Verizon Center
I blame the Sports Junkies for the Capitals losing to the Flyers tonight. During the second intermission, with the Caps up 2-1, one of them predicted a 4-2 Flyers win to, “guarantee a Capitals win.” What a schmuck. I don’t know which one it was and I don’t really care. I tried listening to them a couple times, but I couldn’t stand them. I know that a lot of people like them, and that’s cool, but they don’t get hockey (as they admit), and that’s okay, too. I guess I just find them as annoying as kidney stones. “Other than that Mrs. Lincoln, how did you enjoy the play?”
It was another game with a loud contingent of fans from Pennsylvania, but at least I only heard about one fight (Caps fan won, from what I was told). The ones around me were all okay, though. One even tried to buy an Ovechkin shirt at the concession stand, but they didn’t have any, so he bought some other Caps stuff. He asked us not to let his friends know, becuase he was afraid they wouldn’t drive him back up north. This guy was also the first one I’ve heard offer the obvious retort to the “WHO CARES?!” yell after Wes announces the scoring of a vistors’ goal and he did it at full volume. We all laughed and it was good, but no one else needs to know about it. 
Karen sat with me tonight. She and Pat will be season ticket holders one section over next year and she got off to a good start with our crowd by randomly buying a beer for someone. She likes to do that from time to time. I told her I thought it was good because it confuses people.
Rock The Red Verizon Tee Shirt by clydeorama, on Flickr
The Capitals’ Red Rockers made a rare visit to our corner of the nosebleeds tonight during the first intermission to toss out T-shirts. The guy that’s really wanted a tee shirt all year, who’s name I still don’t know :banghead: and tossed one away by accident a few weeks ago, was off buying beer and missed his chance, but the girls that sit behind him took pity and gave him one they caught. I nearly snagged one the regular way, but Daniel got in the way and fought me for it. I didn’t want it for myself. I wanted to give it to my younger daughter (not quite five) so she could have a matching “nightgown” as her older sister (not quite seven) who took one home on lunchbox night thanks to some other kind season ticket holders down the row (I don’t know their names either :banghead: ) Daniel knew this. But he kept it. For his sake, I hope there are no beer spilling incidents, or worse, whenever he wears it. We’ll see. Stay tuned.
Before the game, there was a season ticket holder chalk talk with Capitals General Manager George McPhee. Before that, my daughters called and my oldest daughter screamed into the phone, “Flyers Suck! Flyers Suck! Daddy, can you tell them I said that?” One of my fondest memories of her was at the second playoff game last spring where she, as a just-turned-six year old, got in a five year old boy Flyers fan face during a dueling “Let’s Go Flyers” “Flyers Suck” chant. They were both screaming at the tops of their little lungs. I did not like having to leave early to shield her from the brawls that were starting to break out late in the third period of that game, and maybe this is how it starts, but it sure was fun to watch her and this little boy. The best part was hearing other fans talk about her before Game Five of the series. She made quite the impression and I was proud.
Like I said, there was a chalk talk with GMGM before the game tonight. I’m glad I went, mostly to see how he dealt with questions, seeming to give full answers, but not really saying anything. The most interesting nugget was probably learning that the Capitals turned down an offer of $10 million and a bunch of picks (or prospects?) for the right to draft Ovechkin in 2004. That’s one of many good moves that GMGM has made during his time with the Caps’ organization. Another good move that I thought about pointing out during the talk, but was too lazy to do so, was how he waits in the portal for a stop in play before heading to the press box. I remember one night standing in the portal with him while an usher told him he had to wait, even though he already was. The usher didn’t know who he was. But he waited. I see him run up and down the aisle at almost every game…but it is NEVER while the puck is in play. My view of the west net gets blocked by people going up and down the stairs and I really appreciate that GMGM shows us fans that respect. I even sent Ted an email about it once.
All these things are parts of why I love the Capitals. They’re why I love going to the games. They’re why I renewed my season tickets for next year. I like the people I sit near (even if I still only know a few of their names). I like how the team treats us. I love the product they’ve put on the ice (even if the ice itself is…well, you know ). The cheap nosebleeds are still reasonably priced, too, which makes it a no brainer.