Do me a favor. Let us “jerk it out” NOW. (See video here for one of my favorite classic songs to boot.) “Jerk it out” means be loud; go crazy; say anything; and angst and dance away.
I have already started to receive angst-filled emails from certain Caps fans pining away for the good old days and concerned about our D; our goaltending; our playoff readiness; our toughness; our overabundance of skill; our lack of heart; our size; our skill level; our leadership; our grittiness; our speed; our GM; our coach; our ownership; our lack of secondary scoring; lack of tickets available; the price of tickets; the food; the traffic; the Metro schedule; the ushers; and the ice. One fan even said - and I quote – “I am 95 percent sure you will lose this series because…”
Ninety-five percent? Why not 96 percent? 
What was the algorithm that created that prediction?
Rather than complain, let it all hang out now. Send them all my way. Do it today and all day tomorrow - vent; angst; scold; yell; complain; scream; holler; and say things so that you can say “I told you so.” Do it and do it good. Bring it. Do it til it feels good. Get it off your chest. You will feel better and I can take it.
But once the playoffs start I won’t be reading and responding to any emails of this nature other than emergency customer service issues. So don’t be offended if after Wednesday I just ignore the emails. I would like to be focused and enjoy the games too so let it rip today and tomorrow. Go for it. “Jerk it out.”
And to the silent majority, thank you!
Ted,
We moved here in 1986 and became Caps fans, was at the game against the Islanders that went til 1:45 in the morning, have endured the lean years, the Yager fiasco and never thought I would see the frenzy that is taking place at the Verizon Center, but I’am loving it. Now that we are empty nesters can afford to be Season Ticket Holders for next year instead of just couple of times a year! We have tickets for the Playoffs in Sec 418, might not be the best but, at least we will be there. For all the negative comments, I don’t think these are people that have endured the bad years, they are just spoiled by the team we have now! With “gabby” behind the bench I predict we will go far! Couldn’t believe NBC actually has the CAPS schedule to be on TV Saturday and next Sunday if needed, maybe they finally got the message that fans want to see Ovie and co. Thanks so much for being the best owner in the NHL!
a longtime Cap fan!
I’ve been a season ticket holder for almost 10 years now, and my chair has developed a little squeak. Is there anything we can do about that?
Let’s Go Caps!
There are three kinds of difficult people in this world. People who are hard to please; people who are impossible to please; and fans of the Washington Capitals.
Keep doing what you’ve been doing, Ted. Don’t Stop Believin’, and try not to gloat too hard when we finish the Blueshirts off in Game 5.
And tell those guys in Game Entertainment to keep Billy Joel’s “Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway)” in short rotation.
Our offense is undeniably better. (Heck, Mike Green had more goals from the back line than any of the Rangers.) Our defense is arguably better–if you really want to argue a whole lot of season-plus D-men on the Caps, and only one blueliner for the Rangers being a season-plus. And our power play is worlds better than theirs…and they have Sean Avery and Colton Orr in the lineup.
There are no easy outs in the playoffs, but this is as close to one as we’re ever going to get. I will say it by way of intention: the Caps WILL win this series.
Whether that will bring the nattering nabobs back into the fold is anyone’s guess, but it should help.
Keep doing what you are doing. You must know that you are a master.
I have a feeling that when the Caps win the Stanley Cup, Ted will get e-mails complaining that Ovie didn’t hold the Stanley Cup up long enough.
so someone’s an idiot or a jerk because they choose to question their team’s readiness? How small minded.
What if the Caps do lose as predicted because the Rangers are actually a better playoff-ready team than we are? You pom pom waving cheerleaders gonna come back and eat crow?
I love the mentality that you can’t be a fan and yet still analyze and critique your team. Who made these rules, 3rd graders?
Mr. Ted,
Could you also make it 75 and sunny every day and make it so that I never have to put gas in my car again? Wow, the scope of stupidity out there is a bit scary… Congrats on a great season, Part I; now Part II is here and we all can’t wait. Thanks and see you on Wednesday!
Smells like…. Victory
I’m already crying tears of joy ! And when we bring the cup home – geez, I better go buy extra kleenex now ! Caps, Coach, and Ted are AWESOME !!!
Ted,
Are you going to chronicle your playoff trips to MSG like you did last year with Philly? Was interesting to hear about your playoff experiences in other buildings.
Chris
No worries… the team will be ready, the fans will be ready, and the ketchup packets….
You did fix that for the playoffs?
(Hee hee hee!)
Seriously, don’t let the turkeys get you down! Let’s go Caps!
Do you have a lead on someone who might not ordinarily be able to attend the playoffs? Do to unexpected circumstances my husband will not be able to attend and I have an extra ticket. Section 100, Row L, seats 9 & 10.
the folks emailing him ARE from the boards !! lol (and I think quite a few are folks from other teams)
Ted,
Its amazing to listen to some of our fans. These same fans will complain in game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals. This is the most exciting time to be a CAP fan in the history of Washington Capitals in my opinion. My childhood was in the 90′s and none of those teams can come close to the excitement that this team brings. We are extremely fortunate to have this team and i remind myself that after every bad game.
Thank you!
Dan
Ted:
The Caps started in DC when I was 2. My dad took me to my first game when I was 5. Ever since I have dreamt that the Caps would be good. I mean really good. I am thrilled with the work you and the Capitals franchise have put in this year and last. This team is a dream come true and I am cannot wait for Wednesday night. There have been some great teams over the years – but the fun level has never been higher. And the team is a joy to watch and to cheer for. I just want to say thank you for turning the Capitals into a franchise that fans can proudly claim as their team. It means a lot. And although as a fan I have never had to deal with criticism like you have, when the team was down it was very painful and at times to keep the faith. However, you have really accomplished a lot. I am glowing red and will be rocking the red all week long, and hopefully we will see a stanley cup championship in DC before too long. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Josh
You can keep rocking to “Jerk It Out.” I have C-A-P-S- CAPS, CAPS, CAPS! stuck in my head – and I am ready for the Caps to unleash the fury!
Forget the naysayers. Thank you Ted for everything you have done for Caps fans this season! The best is yet to come!
Ted -
For all those who will say bad things about our team, whatever they may be…I was born and raised in DC and have been a Caps fan my whole life and would rather leave the negativity to the fair-weather fans! It’s great to see the team playing so well throughout the year and I look forward to a long playoff run and continued success in the years and decades to come.
Thanks for being a great owner, in my humble opinion, the best in all Professional Sports!
Alex
Hell I don’t care. I was at game 7 against Philly last year, right behind Huet and when that last goal was scored, and a million reasons started racing through my mind as to bad calls, interference, etc, yada yada.
But after I started leaving the phone booth I realized I just had the pleasure of watching an awesome series. So win or lose, I don’t care as much as just getting to watch some good games.
And speaking of WATCHING good games.. C’mon Ted! Put the tickets for sale to the general public! Sure the income per capita in DC is high.. doesn’t mean all us po’ ass white folk can afford seasons tickets. I know you’re trying to keep NY fans out, but c’mon! The seasons tickets holders are just buying up playoff tickets so they can make a profit on them at this point.
LETS GO CAPS! All the way to the CUP! We CAN do it, all we have to do is bring our “A” game every night and we can beat any team in this league. Heres to a long run in the playoffs and hopefully a need for a “Big Cup Holder”
I’m a firm believer that you draw to you what you put out. So for all the doubting Thomas’s, all the negative Nancy’s, for every single person that has one iota of hopelessness coursing through your veins, please, please, please, find another team, stay out of the Verizon Center, don’t email Ted, don’t post anywhere that relates to the Caps!!!
They need our support, they need our belief in them, they need our positive energy, our passion for the sport and our love of our home team to cheer them on! Now is not the time to question or worry now is the time to show everyone that Caps fans are the loudest, the proudest and that we believe in all our team can accomplish!!!! Unleash that Fury on all of the NHL, show every single team that Washington Capitals fans are positively the best fans any team could ever ask for!!!
You’re welcome. Best of luck from here in.
Remember, most people are not happy unless they are bitchin bout something. I have been a Caps fan since 1979 (Mike Palmateer was the reason). I live in New Brunswick, Canada and I’m rockin the Red. Go Caps Go, remember these will eventually be “the good ole days”.
Ted – silent majority, no way. We have the talent, we have leadership, and we have one of the most exciting teams in the NHL…ROCK THE RED!
Thanks Ted! No angst here. I am ready and I know that Coach will have the team ready. I will be there rockin’ the red and cheering right along with and for you. The only thing that makes me anxious is how loooonngg it is until Wednesday night. Well done!
Ted,
Your “Do Me a Favor” article is both funny and sad. Sad that fans have anything to complain about at this point, but funny, and indicative of your good nature, that you have opened up the floodgates for this kind of abuse. Well maybe you are just applying reverse psychology!
Anyway, a question-when will the new ice preparation begin, or has it already?
Thanks to you for a great season.
Go Caps,
Richard
Thank you for building this team, Ted. We couldn’t have asked for more. Bring it on!
GEEEEEEZ!! What you have to put up with from some “fans”….as members of your silent majority We say….BRING ON THE RANGERS!!!!(and that’s all we’ll say….till gametime!!) And BTW, GREAT job on the Frozen Four….attended Thursday’s games and they were great!(especially the BU/Miami game…..and congrats to BU, what a finish in the Finals!
to the cup all the way, our d will step up, our scorers are rolling, ovi wants it and so do we. “your time is now”
The folks who email you with this ridiculous, negative stuff ought to go post on the Caps Board. It’s full of naysayers and nonsense.
Ted,
I think we (the Caps and their fans) will all be fine. Seriously.
I think you and I may have different ideas on what makes a song “classic.”
Ted you’ve donE a heck of a job. Your passion for this team has been a great example of how a team owner should feel about his team’s progress and its impact on the lives of its home city. Even if people decide to shower you with their opinion of what should be done… you have brought us this far, and I trust your efforts and decisions that gave us this 2nd SE Champions season will no doubt leave us either extremely pleased in the end or frothing at the mouths for what next year has to offer. As a young 20 something washingtonian and a new season ticket holder, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for letting me have a good excuse to grow out my playoff beard for the second year in a row.
I will see you in the playoffs.
LETS GO CAPS
You must be doing this now so that you can laugh the hardest when we Win! I’ll be LAUGHING with you!
Screw that crap and Go Caps!
Do you ever get tired of complaining about complaint emails?
Unreal and sad….Ted…keep on rockin it!
And hey, why didn’t we get 110 points…what the you know what!
Some people just can’t be pleased……
Go Caps…
And people….shut the you know what up….geez…
… they’ve got it. They just need to get things together, keep their heads down and focus on the game at hand.
Ted, you’ve put together a great team, and together with them, you have all created a great vibe that DC hasn’t seen… ever.
People pining for the good old days, when I could run in straight circles around the arena from my seat in 412 and never hit anyone?
When people were down on the Caps for not having any good players?
When people didn’t have Ovechkin, Semin, Fleischmann and the rest to look forward to seeing at the MCI/Verizon Center?
When all the news coming off the ice was loss after loss after loss?
Sorry. This has been one of the most exciting Caps teams I’ve seen in my 32 years on the planet. Having grown up in the area and never being a fair weather fan, I have seen what this organization has been capable of and what it hasn’t been able to do. Your team this year has surpassed every hope that I’ve had for them – not having to wait for the last second before we win the SE Division, not having to worry about getting into the playoffs, record after record broken… and they haven’t let me down yet.
Well, one or two bad losses aside, they haven’t let me down yet.
But that’s already happened. Unless they don’t learn from their mistakes or completely screw the pooch, I believe that the American Service Center commercials with Bruce Boudreau and his giant “Cupholder” will actually be a good foretelling of things to come.
Good luck to you and the Caps. My wife and I will be in section 412 (as we have been these last three or four years, since we had the money), cheering the boys on towards Stanley Cup victory.
All the best. Happy Easter!
Eddie
p.s. My nephew was thrilled with the picture you took with his Flat Stanley figure. Thank you ever so much for your kindness and generosity.
Go Caps! Sorry nothing negative. Caps hockey is too fun to watch for me to be down on your boys about anything.
Your welcome!
Idiots! Ted, can’t wait for the playoffs to begin! I will be there for at least some of the games and will watch ALL of the games! LETS GOOOO CAPSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!
BTW I was at the Tampa game this past Thursday and it was GREAT to see so many Caps fans at the game!
Im excited and ready to “Rock the Red.” Anyone who is complaining needs to get their heads checked.
d- when I first went into private dental practice, we had small buttons that we wore and gave out to patients that said “no whining.” A slash-mark through the word “whining”. Have those made and give them out to the doubters and the pouters.
Go Caps!
“my answer is to bring them on”
As Larry “The mouthpiece” Michaels says on Redskins Nation, “Don’t listen to the haters”, Ted. Way to take a stand and show faith in our boys. I got a great feeling about this one.