Category Archives: Morning cup-a-joe

George McPhee Was Mostly the Architect of an Identity Crisis

It wasn’t supposed to end like this. Ten years ago, gifted by the draft lottery gods, and with a young but battle-tested general manager presiding over a roster rebuild he’d already appropriately earned plaudits for, the Washington Capitals were supposed … Continue reading

Posted in Alexander Ovechkin, David Poile, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Filip Forsberg, Front Office, George McPhee, Martin Erat, Morning cup-a-joe, National Hockey League, Seth Jones, Southeast Division, The curse of Washington hockey, The Great Old Patrick Division, Washington Capitals, Washington the cursed hockey town, Washington the hockey town | 8 Comments

Managing, and Excusing, the Ever Repeating Loop of Mediocrity

“I hope the Caps win a Stanley Cup before I’m dead.” — Kevin Fletcher, age 7, Alexandria, Virginia, earlier this week, relayed by his father on Facebook. The definition of precocious there. Good luck with that, Kevin. This Henrik Lundqvist … Continue reading

Posted in Alexander Ovechkin, Front Office, George McPhee, Marcus Johansson, Martin Erat, Media, Morning cup-a-joe, Much-needed realignment, New York Rangers, NHL referees, playoff hockey, Print, Southeast Division, Ted Leonsis, Thomas Boswell, Washington Capitals, Washington Post, Washington the cursed hockey town, Winter Classic | 8 Comments

The Creation of a Culture for Winning

It’s a queer feeling, moving about Washington in this the season of the calendar of our perpetual discontent, and actually feeling good about the Capitals’ chances. This morning, well post cherry blossoms, I have a startling message to convey: We … Continue reading

Posted in Adam Oates, Alexander Ovechkin, Dale Hunter, George McPhee, Mike Green, Morning cup-a-joe, New York Rangers, playoff hockey, Steve Oleksy, Washington Capitals | 7 Comments

On Moneyball Moves, and a One of a Kind Motivation

I am just returned from Pittsburgh, where Dad and I took in a most memorable Frozen Four. You know how a 16 seed has never knocked off a no. 1 seed in NCAA hoops? Well, it just happened in college … Continue reading

Posted in Alexander Ovechkin, Baseball, College Hockey, Frozen Four, Maria Kirilenko, Morning cup-a-joe, Other sports, Steve Oleksy, Washington Capitals | Leave a comment

A Desperation Move by a Desperate GM

Once upon a time, Capitals General Manager George McPhee was viewed, rightly I think, as cautious and shrewd each spring around trade deadline time. Never one to radically revamp his roster with wheeling and dealing then, McPhee in fact over … Continue reading

Posted in David Poile, Eastern Conference, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Filip Forsberg, Front Office, George McPhee, Martin Erat, Morning cup-a-joe, Nashville Predators, NHL trade deadline, The curse of Washington hockey, Washington Capitals | 17 Comments

Hitting the Reset Button

I commend to your attention the most recent fit of gutsy thoughtfulness from my blogger buddy Ed Frankovic, who with commendable clarity of consideration arrives at this sobering recommendation as it relates to the handling of the Capitals roster here … Continue reading

Posted in Alexander Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, Ed Frankovic, Free agency, Front Office, George McPhee, Jeff Schultz, Marcus Johansson, Mike Ribeiro, Morning cup-a-joe, New media, Seth Jones, Washington Capitals | 8 Comments

Suspension of Disbelief

Right as Washington was settling in for a spring-delayed/prolonged winter weekend last night came word (via Twitter, necessarily) of some manner of meteor shower, or meteor explosion, high in the sky above the capital. For those watching the hockey televised … Continue reading

Posted in Brooks Laich, Dale Hunter, Dmitri Orlov, Ice, John Druce, Marcus Johansson, Matt Hendricks, Mike Green, Morning cup-a-joe, Old Time Hockey, Steve Oleksy, Washington Capitals, Winnipeg Jets | 1 Comment

NHL Realignment Delivers the Long Overdue Demolition of the SouthLeast

Though there surely should have been, we had no mayoral proclamation, no triumphant, inspiring oratory from any of our region’s elected officials, Chambers of Commerce, or business luminaries, no acknowledgment of the Great Liberation that uniquely visited Washington this week. … Continue reading

Posted in Gary Bettman, Hockey Towns, Morning cup-a-joe, Much-needed realignment, Southeast Division, The Great Old Patrick Division, Washington Capitals | 6 Comments

A Sixty-something Suddenly Gliding Gracefully on Life’s Best Edge

Can a life on blades begin at 60 (63, actually)? I am here this morning to report, emphatically, that it can. Great amusement — and inspiration — arrived early in 2013 for me when my cherished sixty-three-year-old pal Michael up … Continue reading

Posted in Hockey hearts, Ice, Mike and Marleen, Morning cup-a-joe, Shinny, Shinny in Maine, Skating, Skating Maine, Washington Capitals | 1 Comment

A Crisis of Mismanagement

If you are shocked and dismayed by where we are with hockey in Washington these days, you weren’t reading here last July. The Unexpected Rebuild, I called it. The Washington Capitals today on the ice are receiving their just due: … Continue reading

Posted in Adam Oates, Alexander Ovechkin, Bruce Boudreau, Dale Hunter, Eastern Conference, Ed Frankovic, Eric McErlain, Front Office, George McPhee, hockey blogging, Japers' Rink, John Carlson, Karl Alzner, Mike Ribeiro, Morning cup-a-joe, New Jersey Devils, New media, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Rock the Red, Ted Leonsis, Washington Capitals, Washington Post, Washington the cursed hockey town | 26 Comments