I went to the Washington Capitals message boards today and this set of messages was cycled to the top. I hadn’t seen this thread and set of posts until just now. Click here to understand. This was not a great way to start my morning.
It is interesting to read since our second round starts tomorrow.
Put the fork away, you might hurt yourself.
It is interesting to read that Fedorov is done as well.
Nice call and great support from some of our fans here.
Which part of the sending positive vibes to us memo didn’t you understand? 
We are now locked into a very tough set of circumstances in playing a team that is focused, talented; hungry and is a mini mirror image of ourselves. They have great wings; great talent; tough D; great centers; great goaltending; great coaching; other worldly talented high scoring D men; and on and on.
The media and blogosphere attention to this series will be off the chart. We won’t be able to house all of the media credentials that are being asked for. We will do our best but the demand is overwhelming.
Ticket demand is off the chart. We have done our best to protect our house and to sell tickets to Capitals season ticket holders, their family and friends. I do expect a Red Out. Thank you all.
The countdown has now started. This series will be intense, tough and a battle royal on every shift.
Emotions will be flying. Comments and opinions will be far ranging in scope. I intend to remain calm and above the fray and believe in our team and our progress as a franchise to date. We need the good vibes and ongoing support of our community. Let us show dignity; class; passion; and creativity at the games. Let the best of our community shine through please.
Thank you for all of your support, love and care. Go Caps!
I went to the message boards last week and that was the first post I saw. (Granted, it was an intriguing thread subject line). I was dumbfounded at the negativity and defeatist attitude. I suppose some people just need something to complain about. I decided after that to read a different thread.
I never lost faith in our Caps and was also disappointed to hear the team being booed at game 7. Our boys were nervous at the beginning!! They looked magnificent in the third period and our patience, passion and excellent goaltending paid off.
Knowing I am a long-time Caps fan, numerous people playfully told me “ah, your team’s done” and “sorry about your Capitals”…I told every one of them to keep the faith, that I believe this team plays its best when their backs are against a wall and that I knew we would be in the less than 9% who come back from being down 3-1! The noise was louder at the Verizon Center in game 7 than I have ever heard it, including the finals against Detroit in 98. WOW! It brought tears to my eyes and how fitting that Federov (one of the smartest players I’ve ever seen) scored the game winner. (It brought me especially great satisfaction because the guy behind me had been booing and screaming about Sergei all night and I kept telling him to be patient, quiet down, kids around, etc….suddenly he was jumping and screaming with the rest of us and I was yelling “See? Keep the faith!”) The wave of emotions I felt during the last 5 minutes of game 7 was the one I’ve been waiting for since 98. I remember our OT winner against Buffalo in game 6 when I drove to Piney Orchard to meet the team and support them. I love this hockey team!
Thanks for all you do and have done. You have been open and accessible since game 1 of your tenure. You support the Caps always and are quick to point out the positives instead of the negatives. You love your fans and your players. You help others less fortunate and are in general a great guy. My mom has worked for a non-profit organization for many years and was organizing a summer camp for some homeless children. She sent out more than 100 letters requesting support and grants only to receive refusals and rejections. When she was about to give up, she opened a letter with the return address of your foundation to find a check that covered the ENTIRE amount needed to give these kids a chance at camp. The whole office staff cried. That’s the kind of effect your kindness, generosity and character has on others. Both “on and off the ice”, you are a stand up guy. Thank you.
How lucky we are to have you as our owner!!!
I am so proud to be a Caps fan!!! I will be at game 2 rockin the red!!
Let’s Go CAPS!!
I think Ted posted this in order to say “I told you so….,” which seems kind of childish and typically unlike Ted who is undisputedly the best owner in the NHL. There are countless message boards/blogs with negative AND positive comments; I don’t see the need to highlight them.
The initial poster was naturally frustrated after the first 2 games. Seattle Rob: He still has a right to speak his mind, whether or not he was here during the save the caps campaign.
/Caps fan since I was a kid in ’88. I don’t need others telling me that I can’t express an opinion b/c I wasn’t yet born during a difficult time in the team’s history. BTW I’m in Seattle too. Go Caps.
Ted, a lot of the people who behave like this follow hockey because it gives them a chance to vent some steam, not because they understand the nuances of the sport all that well. And let’s face it, the nature of the sport of hockey caters to this kind of person, so I think you have to put up with the irritation, especially since they pay a not insubstantial part of the freight. It’s going to unavoidably come with the territory.
What those people maybe don’t appreciate, and that you made pretty clear in your chalk talk a few weeks ago, is that this is still a team under development. The real nucleus of the team is young and still learning, and IMO they picked up some valuable lessons in the Ranger series. They can come back. They can shake off the frustration of outplaying the Rangers for 6 games and having to struggle to split them. And then, when the Rangers were able to figure out a way to dictate the tempo of game 7, we beat them anyway.
I suspect this team may still be a bit away from being a Stanley Cup winner, but I will say this: The other night after game 7 I was sort of let down when Carolina beat the Devils at the end of their game, because I was thinking that I’d rather play them than the Penguins in the next round. And then all of a sudden I said to myself, Wait a minute. If there was a team that improved its Stanley Cup chances more than any other by the way things went and what the team got out of round 1, it was the Caps. Who we have to play from now on isn’t the issue – the plain fact of the matter is that the team that others should be worried about playing at this point is US. We have the raw talent to break games open. We have the hot goaltender that no one really has a book on yet. And for all that the defense has been maligned this year, one thing that has stood out is that when we have the lead late in games against good teams (Boston/Detroit/Pittsburgh/etc.) the team has been able to consistently close the deal.
Fun times! Go Caps!
One thing to note is that a lot of those negative threads are only back at the top of the page because people who AREN’T psycho/negative/freakout about everything “bump” the thread with replies basically saying “I told you so” to the negative people.
Wow, after reading the first post on that message board I’m sitting here awestuck… wondering why that guy isn’t a General Manager for an NHL team somewhere. Then it occurred to me… that its probably because he has no friggin’ idea what he is talking about! LOL!
The puck drops in 45 minutes! Good luck Caps!!
MikeP
You shouldn’t pay attention to stuff written on message boards… People who post there tend to be extremely passionate about the team, to the point where it seems like it’s the only thing they have going on in their life. Now you as a great owner probably take it personally but you just need to look out at the verizon center on gameday to see where the real fans are.
1. playoff intensity was reached in the 3rd period, and part of the game plan for the rangers was to play in a manner that keeps the caps cool and they did it well for 2 periods. just because ovie didnt get 3 goals doesnt mean he didnt play well, he made 2 GREAT unselfish passes that did not turn into goals. he also threw a few good hits. green did play badly, but i think he was nearly knocked out in the 1st period.
2. opinions are like a-holes…
3. fed is done? im glad he wasnt done at the end of game 7. hes getting old, get over it. we should be happy to have him as long as he will stay.
4. nylander hasnt cracked ours yet, and flash has put in a lot of work to improve his game since last year and he has succeeded. so if he played last year, and is better this year, i dont see where the complaint is.
5. fehr has played alright, if you expected a lot more than what hes giving, you had bad expectations.
6. bruce is the man, and im sick of people saying hes not doing his job. we are into round 2 and had the best season in 30 years or something, RELAX.
7. you dont know much, so stop thinking and save us all some time.
Teddy People cease to amaze me. I am trying to stay calm just so I can sleep at night. Here in New York,the excitement & GOOD VIBRATIONS ARE FREE FLOWING. So, don’t worry about a thing. Coach Brucie thinks WELL on his feet as proved in game 7!! The Team will pound them with shots on goal and always look for a quick rebound. I have my Red Hat and pots and pans in “the ready position” for victory. Rock the Red and Lets Go Caps!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Shouldn’t you be trying to run a team instead of reading message boards?
I have to admit I have a post on there under Washcaps37 and I wrote it after we had lost both home games. I just could feel that old feeling and I knew our team was not playing up to the level that they could.
That being said I was still at all games Rocking the Red and supporting the team. This team I think now knows just how good they are and knows if the go out there and play at their highest level they are a tough team to beat.
I will be at all the home games this round also and I will be supporting this team 110%.
We can do this!
Ted,
I couldn’t agree more with you, but you also need to consider the type of people who spend their days posting angrily on messageboards. My wife and I are first time STH and would like to personally thank you and everyone in the organization for an amazing 46 evenings so far this season. On the other hand there are people who enjoy projecting their personal anger on other people and the easiest way is to do that hidden in a corner with a laptop or yelling obscenities at our boys from section 499 row ZZ where they cannot be confronted. Ignore them, they exhist everywhere, but trust that the quieter, happier fans are greatly appreciative and incredibly impressed with the work that you all have and continue to do. Thank you again! And I promise to leave my vocal chords at the Red House!
A very happy and appreciative fan,
Patrick
Ted,
A lot of these people use the boards as a way to simply vent. On occasion, I do just that and have, in fact, posted some negative stuff at times. For me, the boards are a mediuim of expression that satisfies a need. That said, I personally find at least 50% of the stuff posted on the boards as pure drivel. Hopefully, we don’t have many players reading the stuff on the boards.
It’s one thing to play against a NHL opponent…it’s another thing to play against a league-wide marketing agenda. Supertwit is still The Only Player That Matters, especially with this being the last Stanley Cup playoff before the Vancouver Olympics…you don’t think both the league and the Canadian hockey establishment want The Only Player That Matters to have his major international debut in the Canada-based Olympics, coming off a Stanley Cup championship? I still support the Caps, but this is going to be the handicap match of all time.
I have yet to go there and see anything supportive which is why I too have not joined! Reading it is usually so incredibly depressing! Ted I have ever intention of giving my full positive support today!! I will be there wearing my red and cheering the team on! This series is going to be a tough one, emotionally for the fans and physically and emotionally for the team! I have faith that we can all dig deep and make it one to remember!!!
i, too, confess to blowing a gasket after game two, as playoff series from years’ past loomed before us. for some – myself included – the negative banter is an over-the-top coping mechanism. sometimes it is a quick flare up in response to something that transpired in a game, or series. that said, the board has become pretty good at policing itself. i wouldn’t be too upset by the few hundred people that congregate therein – even when they are blowing off steam. at the end of the day – they will be cheering among the loudest when we raise a banner. sure, there are no pleasing some people/posters – that’s why many of us make liberal use of the “ignore” feature. the whole social networking thing (message boards, etc.) provide a relatively anonymous way of venting – and i think most people who visit the boards regularly realize and accept that. and, clearly, it isn’t hurting the bottom line. you should be rightfully proud of what you’ve accomplished – warts and all! peace danny.
(i’m off to buy my first contrasting collar shirt, in your honor…jeez, they are even less in style now than they were a year ago).
There’s always some guy out there who has to play the part of the old Liliputian from the cartoon of Gulliver’s Travel. (It will never work!!!!) Sorry. Obscure reference to my childhood. My point is I did get the memo on the Power of Positive Thinking and I believe we’ll take the Penguins in this series. Good luck Caps!
Not on the caps board either. I’ve tried to register multiple time but didn’t get approved by the administrator, I guess, as each time my login disappear the next day.
But I will be in Red at VC Monday night cheering the Caps !
(thanks to the pens message board, not the caps one, kind of funny no ?)
As I wrote on my blog, the train is leaving the station. Either stay on the platform and get left behind; get on board and enjoy the ride; or try to jump in front and get yourself run over.
We’re gonna rock this town, rock it inside out. Go Caps.
Ted,
If they don’t remember the ” Save the Caps” telethon, then they have not been caps fans long enough to honestly comment. They are a bunch of bandwagon jumpers, once the Skins start winning, they will be leaving
Realize that opinions are like assholes, everyone has one. Enjoy the fact that the caps are underestimated, and use that energy to prove them wrong.
Mr. Leonis. After game two of the first round I felt really, really down. When I got home I went to the board to find people who understood.
My thoughts after reading the boards were “What a bunch of negative nellies.” Geeze Louise. If you want to help these folks, get them some prozac quick.
Look forward to Saturday. LETS GO CAPS.
There will always be people who want to complain. But I feel like if you can’t go out, strap on some skates, and do a better job yourself you really have no room to say anything. Honestly, real fans stick with a team through ups AND downs…don’t let one person with some negative comments get you down when there’s so many of us who truly love the Caps whether they win or lose
D
I barely look at the “official” Capitals message board any more. I tried to register, and never got a confirmation, from either of two “valid” (ie., non-free) email accounts, plus the vitriol and outright pessimism — I mean, “realism” — exhibited there is absolutely dumbfounding at times. Lots of armchair GMing and coaching from the “regulars” who obviously don’t have day jobs that keep them occupied.
I guess playing EA Sports NHL 09 is enough to make an NHL GM and coach out of anyone!
No one should let that message board faze them. Visualize the goal — the CUP, the Holy Grail of Hockey — and if you are worried, just look at the Capitals message board for an amusing bit of hyperbolic response to the least little thing that happens on or off the ice. Laugh at the Chicken Littles… turn their negativity into something positive — a smile for you.
Ted,
In agreement with your statement, I’m all for protecting the house. But, I just received a ticket release email at 7pm stating that I was eligible to buy tickets. However, after selecting seats on Ticketmaster, my purchase was rejected. I assume it is because my Cumberland, MD zip code is not in the local DC database. How painful it is to live in a town in Western Maryland surrounded by Penguin fans with a growing Crosby fanbase(after 25 years there is no more HTS/Comcast Sportsnet on local cable – only MASN and Fox Sports Pittsburgh; I have DirecTV) and not being able to attend the game. I was looking forward to a 2-hour Saturday morning drive with my son to Shady Grove, catching the Red Line, and Rocking the Red; only to be rejected. I guess I’m only welcome during the regular season. What’s really sad is that it seems like half of Western PA has moved to the DC-area in the last 20 years (see I-70 on the weekends) and will have zip codes that make them eligible to buy tickets and wear those ugly cartoon Penguin jerseys to the game. Oh well, I’ll suffer through the game on NBC avoiding Mike Milbury at intermissions. In spite of it all, I’ll never defect to the Pens. (Sorry for the novel).
That was posted after the 1-0 game 2 loss with the team heading into MSG. The guy overreacted, but expressed a lot of what a good number of people feel.
The comment about Feds being done is a bit over the top. Feds has been one of my favorite players for a decade, but I think his age is showing this series…granted I can’t see in the locker room. He was even struggling in game 7 until that beautiful goal.
The only other part I disagree with is McPhee..he should be given this summer to improve the D…it’s been in shambles since jagr was here.
Ted,
Moreso than generalize the population of the message boards due to a handful of threads, try if you can find the time to look at the source of many of those threads.
Often it’s the same people everytime that start the ‘negative Nancy’ attitudes. The individual starting that particular thread is what I consider to be one of the “usual suspects” when it comes to ever present pessimism. Not sure I’ve ever seen him/her say anything positive about the team except for about the first 15 minutes after the team wins.
Often, all it takes is for one of these pessimists to get started and it generally gets received rather coldly by the majority of board members.
Also it’s important to note that many of the board members participate in what you might call ‘reverse psychology’ in that they bring up negative comments in the interest ‘anti-jinxing’ the team. (Lower your expectations and be thrilled to death when the Caps exceed them.)
Anyways, I wouldn’t let it get under your skin, sure as heck doesn’t do much to me, other than remind me just how little people know about the game of hockey.
LETS ROCK THE RED!!!!
Driving down from New York tomorrow for the game and right back after. Can’t make it for Game 2, but have gladly sold our tickets to dedicated CAPS fans for $75, below face value. Any Pens fans who would pay more on TicketExchange or Ebay can forget about coming into OUR HOUSE!!!!
Ted, I don’t think those people have a right to say they are “fans”. There are tons of us out there that believe in the caps no matter what. No matter how many games we loose. We were there before Thanksgiving last year, and years before watching our beloved team. I think we can do it!
What do you expect from the know-it-all professional couch sitting team. From the comfort of thier living room, they know what it takes to win a dixie cup. Perhaps they will advance to the kitchen.
ted–even if you win the cup, people or should i say oddballs, will still be negative and complain. forget about them, and enjoy your day !
btw- i am scheduled to arrive in dc from los angeles on thursday and will be attending game 5 at verizon (unless of course caps sweep). for this occasion i am taking out and wearing my vintage red montreal expos baseball hat…so if anyone from this board sees a guy wearing a red expos hat in the dc area next week, please say hello!
Ted, Once again your post is spot on!
My wife could hardly get over our fans in the second period of game 7 when some were booing our beloved Caps. We were there, and we were trying our best to muster the energy to continue to cheer for our team, even though we were being outplayed by a hungry and desperate Rangers team. When frustration sets in, it’s hard to bring that high level of support. But that’s why we have to stay positive and hopeful. The Caps came around in the 3rd and played their best hockey of the postseason.
People who make these comments are more guilty of giving up than the players they’re accusing of dogging it. As fans, we’ve got to hope for our team in the tough times. We can be frustrated, but we have to hang on and do our part, and not call for everyone’s head when things don’t go our way.
I have disagreed with you in the past about a few things not related to the actual team (The “O” in the anthem), but I have NEVER abandoned this team, and I have not fed into the negative talk about our players. I have always believed in your plan, and I have always believed in these players.
John Erskine had a FANTASTIC series. He was a defensive force. I’ve always loved this guy. He gives it his all every game, and he’s a loyal competitor. He also used to be a whipping boy on the Caps board. It just goes to show that many fans have opinions that are so big, they have no room for heart.
All of my Russian friends never lost hope after game 2. Every one of them believed with all of their hearts that the Caps would win the series. They love this team, and they are so proud of this team. I wish I could say the same for all of my American friends, but I can’t.
Most of appreciate the team you have built Ted, keep up the great work! GO CAPS!
You’ve got to bring a lot of salt to that message board some times. LOL
Overwhelming negativity…
Number one reason i’m not a member of the caps board. That and I’ve never been able to register with my yahoo email address
In response to you Ted:
I will be watching game 1 from my living room…So, my expectations for my behaviour are lower….
I do not intend to remain calm…quite the opposite in fact.
I certainly won’t be above the fray
I believe in our team
I’ll have lots of good vibes
It is not likely that I will be displaying much dignity nor class. Passion…oh yes, lots of passion.
Beer. lot’s of beer.
Go Caps!
Now, how exactly can I remain calm when we are going to demolish this very good Penguins team?!!!!!