Category Archives: Print

Managing, and Excusing, the Ever Repeating Loop of Mediocrity

Posted on May 16, 2013 by PucksAndBooks

“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

A Stick Foul into Immortal Infamy

Posted on May 8, 2012 by PucksAndBooks

Humans’ impulse for empathy is a great and powerful instinct, but there are times when it is banally misapplied. Sports are, in the biggest picture context, virtually meaningless pursuits, but we do invest billions in their architecture, to say nothing … Continue reading →

Posted in Ed Frankovic, Hockey blogging, Joel Ward, Media, Morning cup-a-joe, New media, New York Rangers, NHL playoffs, Print, The curse of Washington hockey, Washington Capitals, Washington the cursed hockey town | 35 Comments

Failure’s Blame Stretches Far and Wide

Posted on December 1, 2011 by PucksAndBooks

Some random observations and notes-sharing from a remarkable last 72 hours: There’s standup, and then there’s what Gabby offered the Washington Post’s Tarik El Bashir Wednesday morning — actually agreeing with Capitals management that it was time for a change … Continue reading →

Posted in Alexander Ovechkin, Bruce Boudreau, Dale Hunter, George McPhee, Joe Finley, Media, Morning cup-a-joe, Print, Tarik El-Bashir, Washington Capitals, Washington Post | 4 Comments

Reflections on the Post’s Survey of Our Sports Town Standing

Posted on October 26, 2011 by PucksAndBooks

If you haven’t read Dan Steinberg’s Washington Post essay on the District’s standing as a sports town, which ran on A1 this past Sunday, you really ought to. It’s underpinned by a significant survey of the region’s sports patronage/consumption patterns, … Continue reading →

Posted in Dan Steinberg, Media, Morning cup-a-joe, Print, Washington Capitals, Washington Post, Washington the hockey town, Washington the would-be sports town | 7 Comments

Yes, It’s Indeed Time To Grow Up

Posted on October 6, 2011 by On Frozen Blog

The sports section of today’s Washington Post print edition features a four-page preview pullout for the Capitals’ new season. The Post’s Katie Carrera examines the urgency of the moment for the organization in the section’s cover story, which is poignantly … Continue reading →

Posted in Media, Print, Washington Capitals, Washington Post, Washington the hockey town | 3 Comments

Washington Examiner: Caps’ Party Culture Hasn’t Had Its Last Call

Posted on September 6, 2011 by PucksAndBooks

When a hockey season is inexplicably left in tatters, underachievement its calling card, again, we who follow it with passion grasp at plausible explanations. A missing roster piece here and there. Leadership deficiency. Inexperience. Key injuries. What about the room … Continue reading →

Posted in Alexander Ovechkin, Capitals' party culture, Media, Nicklas Backstrom, Print, Washington Capitals, Washington Examiner | 25 Comments

The Sport’s Bible Calls It for the Caps in 2011-12

Posted on August 16, 2011 by On Frozen Blog

The Hockey News predicts a Capitals’ Stanley Cup victory at the conclusion of the 2011-12 season, two leading hockey media voices today informed via Twitter. Kiss of death? Meanwhile, should this prognosticating actually come true, take a look — if … Continue reading →

Posted in Media, National Hockey League, Print, Stanley Cup, The Hockey News, Washington Capitals | 4 Comments

Tim Leone, Appropriately Honored

Posted on July 19, 2011 by On Frozen Blog

Wonderful news out of Chocolatetown today: The Patriot News‘ Tim Leone, Hershey Bears beat reporter, is the 2011 recipient of the James H. Ellery Award for outstanding contributions to the American Hockey League in the newspaper category. There can be … Continue reading →

Posted in American Hockey League, Hershey Bears, Media, Print, Tim Leone, Washington Capitals | 1 Comment

A Vexing Query of Leadership

Posted on May 8, 2011 by PucksAndBooks

The Capitals may or may not have a deficit of leadership on the ice and in the room with this roster, but dogging them most in the initial hours and days of yet another postseason far too early arrived at … Continue reading →

Posted in Bruce Boudreau, George McPhee, Greg Wyshynski, Media, New media, NHL playoffs, Print, Radio, Tampa Bay Lightning, Ted Leonsis, Tim Leone, Washington Capitals | 19 Comments

Reconstruction Time

Posted on May 5, 2011 by PucksAndBooks

As implosions go, by a perennially imploding franchise in spring, this may have been an all-timer. And you know where we stand: there should be serious repercussions. On an individual game basis, the scoreboard will suggest that this Caps-Bolts series … Continue reading →

Posted in Alexander Ovechkin, Bruce Boudreau, Eastern Conference, Media, Morning cup-a-joe, NHL playoffs, Print, Tampa Bay Lightning, The curse of Washington hockey, Washington Capitals, Washington the hockey town | 72 Comments