Comments on: Olie the Goalie Retires

By: Lisa McGrath

Lisa McGrath — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 22:13:18 +0000

Great post. I could not agree more. Olie was and is a class act. Especially where it matters most … off the ice. Don’t get me wrong, I love and respect what he did for us on the ice as well … but his charity work and his community activism are what ALL local atheletes should strive for. Thanks. And I look forward to celebrating raising 37 to the roof. In my own #37 jersey!

By: Bob

Bob — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 18:42:59 +0000

Ted, will you invite Olie to the Convention as an alumni ??
See you Saturday

By: Bucknell Dad

Bucknell Dad — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 18:25:02 +0000

Thanks for your post, and all these posts. I had the pleasure of following Olie’s career from start to finish, and if anyone deserves to have his number retired (and, if possible brought back to the organization in some capacity) in a ceremonial way, it is Olie Kolzig. He was a role model for my son, a high school sophomore goalie, both in style and substance. I only wish that I’d had the chance to meet him. We’ll always love and admire him.

By: Pete

Pete — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 14:33:40 +0000

Olie was a beast for us and just a great guy in general. Please set it up and retire his number.

By: Brian Chapin

Brian Chapin — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 13:34:38 +0000

Mr. Leonsis: I know it’s early after this announcement, but can we Caps fans expect a night devoted to honoring Olie, perhaps including a jersey retirement?

By: Toni Trombecky

Toni Trombecky — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 11:48:21 +0000

Ted — I respect you greatly but you need to back that up with action. Give Olie the one-game contract and retire him here, in front of us, celebrating with us. It’s the class-act thing to do. How can you say he was the face of the Capitals and then let him slink off into the netherlands without the red on?

How he left was unfortunate and my guess is it was one of those communication issues that snowballed out of control with mess ups on both sides. Be the man I know you are and rise above the pettiness of the past. The Capitals organization is such a great one — here’s an opportunity to add to it’s culture and legend by doing what’s right.

Clock’s ticking.

By: Kent

Kent — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 05:22:38 +0000

Ted,

Please retire #37!!!

Thanks!

By: Stephan Levesque

Stephan Levesque — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 04:57:19 +0000

Well said Ted…well said

Olie! Olie Olie!

By: jeff

jeff — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 03:28:28 +0000

Nice post. Kolzig was an incredible player for the Caps. I’ll never forget when Bill Ranford went down… and Kolzig went in. Nobody guessed he’d have the career he did. And his impact in the DC-metro community was enormous. Congratulations to Ollie — I hope his year off with his kids is one of the best experiences of his and his family’s life.

Since there’s a lot of chatter (and polling) out there about whether the Caps should retire his number, let me ask you to at least give the question a few years of thought, Ted.

At some point the Caps need to become the sort of franchise that aims for championships rather than settles for things like “Championship Attendance” banners and other lesser ways of recognizing organizational accomplishment.

If you followed the team the first half dozen years, you know exactly why Yvon Labre’s #7 was retired - and should have been retired. Langway and Gartner are Hall of Fame players. As for Dale Hunter… while I loved him as a Cap, I’ll always question the retiring of #32. And now comes the question of Kolzig’s #37 — and let’s not forget Bondra’s #12.

The honor should be reserved for very, VERY special circumstances - legendary players or legendary commitment. Scott Stevens and Larry Murphy (who entered the Hall of Fame as a Capital) haven’t had their Capitals numbers retired. Olaf Kolzig’s shouldn’t be either.

By: Bob

Bob — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 01:46:58 +0000

Ted, time to raise 37 to the rafters. You should wait no longer than it takes to put the party together. Olie was for years, espeially the lean ones, a reason to wacth the Caps. Time to party!