I met with Alex yesterday.
We shook hands, laughed and then we hugged. He had no limp in his gait. He could play on Thursday if needed. End of worry about his health.
Alex is a wonderful kid, raised the right way and with the right value system.
He listens the most to his mom and dad and brother. I trust his family as they have great instincts and the right motives in mind always.
Isn’t that the best place to get good solid advice?
We had a short and direct conversation.
Alex isn’t trying to hurt anyone. He has an honest respect for the game and for all players in the league. Alex is trying to “get the puck. I just want what they have and that is the puck.” It is a simple logic. He plays the game the way it was designed. He is just bigger and faster than anyone. Can you name a player in NHL history that has this mix of size, skill, power and speed? I can’t.
Alex does play fast and hard. It is why he is beloved. It is why he is the two-time and reigning MVP of the league.
I believe if he changes and becomes a player that is managed by the media or fans or anyone else, he will put himself at risk. ” To thine own self be true.” That is the right motto to live by. That is what I have advised Alex. Be authentic and be respectful. Play the game with passion. Lean in, don’t lean back. Love the game. Have fun. Win.
He has managed his game, his body and his career wonderfully to date. He has a great support infrastructure around him. He knows that his teammates, his coaches, his front office and ownership have his back. I support Alex 110%. I told his mom and dad at the draft that I would treat Alex like he was a second son and I have and will continue to do so.
Alex knows that he is needed on the ice. His teammates and the fans respect him and want him on the ice. I believe Alex is so smart and so intuitive that he will measure and modify – in his own way - his game to become even more valuable to our team and franchise as he matures.
Alex will miss the next two games.
Life will go on.
Our team has lots of depth as we have shown.
Alex will return.
As will the rest of our injured players.
I promised our fans that we would be scary good one day. I believe that time is near. I want to see how well we will play when we have our full lineup on the ice. Til then - Go Caps!
@IRockTheRed
You can’t get the sarcasm from an excerpt of the play. Get to know the character as a whole.
That hit was clean. I spent 20 years playing this game and have seen many things go wrong that started right. The Fla. player tried to avoid the hit and his knee hit Ovi on the inside. The damage was done to Ovi from his knee. Ove was out for the game and hurt. Gleason returned to the game with no injury. Whose knee hit who?
Years ago I was fortunate to be able to play with some Caps and let me tell you their speed is awesome. When you combine their speed with someone who has the same speed you can get into a lethal confrontation in a heartbeat.
For guys like that SI writer with a weak stomach maybe they should stick to Golf or Synchronized Swimming.
Ted,
Thanks for everything you do and take the time to say. I agree with everything you said in this post, as I usually do.
To those who have posted to this saying that OVI is a dirty player, PLEASE! If you want to see a dirty play/player look at what happened in the Caps vs. FLA game last night. After a totally good clean hit, Alexander Giroux was attacked from behind coming up the ice away from the FLA bench. That is the kind of things that needs to be taken out of this great game. Not a hit like OVI had in which he is leading with his body and the guy moves out of the way at the last split second, these things will happen. While it looked bad and can cause injury it happens and like one person suggested “what should we do just take hitting altogether out of the game!?” OVI plays the game as hard and with more intensity then just about anyone in the game today and is something that can not be changed.
For those who have said that you are wrong or stupid for comparing OVI to the greatest to ever play, chill out! In my opinion I agree with you Ted, but I think we should all just wait and see when OVI is done playing where he ranks.
First in the division and First in the EAST!
LET’S GO CAPS!!!!!
@ Trent
The reason Eric Lindros’ career was cut short is because he never got out of his junior habit of skating through center ice with his head down. He got used to doing that in junior because of his enormous advantage in size and strength. Once he got to the NHL this habit resulted in him getting absolutely destroyed a few times, which lead to his concussion problems. Ovie always keeps his head up and sees hits coming. It’s the reason all these threats to put him in his place have not materialized. Every time I’ve seen someone try to lay him out he sees them coming and the aggressor ends up getting the worst of it.
@ Jon
Yes, Ovie is not playing the puck when he hits. Duh! He’s playing the body. Ever heard of this term, “coach”? Hits are allowed in hockey. If you were really involved in the game for 30 years you would know this.
And yes, he absolutely is one of the best ever. Anyone who actually is involved in hockey has said that. If you actually knew the game as well as you claim you would agree.
@ mike
You missed Ted’s point entirely. Mario was an amazing player, but he was nowhere near as fast or physical as Ovechkin so it’s you who doesn’t know jack about hockey. They have completely different styles of play. The player today that’s most similar to Mario is Malkin. Also, to waives statistics from a different era around as some kind of proof is just more proof that indeed it’s you who doesn’t know jack about hockey.
Right on, Ted. Anyone who thinks that Alex is trying to hurt players on purpose is an idiot and doesn’t know anything about hockey. Every hit that has been deemed dirty has been absolutely accidental. Knee on knee collisions happen when players try to avoid hits. The game is so fast that there’s no way to react. People who have never played will never understand.
Jim Kelley’s article on this issue in SI, which I just read, is most disgusting screed I’ve ever read in professional sports media and is so far beyond reason that it boggles the mind. To say that Ovechkin always hits dirty, to say that his knee on knee hit on Gleason was intentional (and even to see an attempted elbow in there somewhere) and to top it all off with comparing Ovechkin to reprehensible acts of violence by the likes of Bertuzzi, McSorley and Simon, none of which had anything to do with the game of hockey, is just absolutely ridiculous.
What annoys me the most is that all these so called pundits always whined about Russian players not being physical enough calling them all kinds of derogatory names for it. Along comes a Russian that hits and we get this garbage.
@Joshua Prentice
Sarcastic? Bullcrap.
Literature Network » William Shakespeare » Hamlet » Act 1. Scene III
Act 1. Scene III
——————————————————————————–
SCENE III. A room in Polonius’ house.
Enter LAERTES and OPHELIA
LAERTES
My necessaries are embark’d: farewell:
And, sister, as the winds give benefit
And convoy is assistant, do not sleep,
But let me hear from you.
OPHELIA
Do you doubt that?
LAERTES
For Hamlet and the trifling of his favour,
Hold it a fashion and a toy in blood,
A violet in the youth of primy nature,
Forward, not permanent, sweet, not lasting,
The perfume and suppliance of a minute; No more.
OPHELIA
No more but so?
LAERTES
Think it no more;
For nature, crescent, does not grow alone
In thews and bulk, but, as this temple waxes,
The inward service of the mind and soul
Grows wide withal. Perhaps he loves you now,
And now no soil nor cautel doth besmirch
The virtue of his will: but you must fear,
His greatness weigh’d, his will is not his own;
For he himself is subject to his birth:
He may not, as unvalued persons do,
Carve for himself; for on his choice depends
The safety and health of this whole state;
And therefore must his choice be circumscribed
Unto the voice and yielding of that body
Whereof he is the head. Then if he says he loves you,
It fits your wisdom so far to believe it
As he in his particular act and place
May give his saying deed; which is no further
Than the main voice of Denmark goes withal.
Then weigh what loss your honour may sustain,
If with too credent ear you list his songs,
Or lose your heart, or your chaste treasure open
To his unmaster’d importunity.
Fear it, Ophelia, fear it, my dear sister,
And keep you in the rear of your affection,
Out of the shot and danger of desire.
The chariest maid is prodigal enough,
If she unmask her beauty to the moon:
Virtue itself ‘scapes not calumnious strokes:
The canker galls the infants of the spring,
Too oft before their buttons be disclosed,
And in the morn and liquid dew of youth
Contagious blastments are most imminent.
Be wary then; best safety lies in fear:
Youth to itself rebels, though none else near.
OPHELIA
I shall the effect of this good lesson keep,
As watchman to my heart. But, good my brother,
Do not, as some ungracious pastors do,
Show me the steep and thorny way to heaven;
Whiles, like a puff’d and reckless libertine,
Himself the primrose path of dalliance treads,
And recks not his own rede.
LAERTES
O, fear me not.
I stay too long: but here my father comes.
Enter POLONIUS
A double blessing is a double grace,
Occasion smiles upon a second leave.
LORD POLONIUS
Yet here, Laertes! aboard, aboard, for shame!
The wind sits in the shoulder of your sail,
And you are stay’d for. There; my blessing with thee!
And these few precepts in thy memory
See thou character. Give thy thoughts no tongue,
Nor any unproportioned thought his act.
Be thou familiar, but by no means vulgar.
Those friends thou hast, and their adoption tried,
Grapple them to thy soul with hoops of steel;
But do not dull thy palm with entertainment
Of each new-hatch’d, unfledged comrade. Beware
Of entrance to a quarrel, but being in,
Bear’t that the opposed may beware of thee.
Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice;
Take each man’s censure, but reserve thy judgment.
Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy,
But not express’d in fancy; rich, not gaudy;
For the apparel oft proclaims the man,
And they in France of the best rank and station
Are of a most select and generous chief in that.
Neither a borrower nor a lender be;
For loan oft loses both itself and friend,
And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.
>> This above all: to thine ownself be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man. <<
Farewell: my blessing season this in thee!
*****
There is NOTHING sarcastic in that quote.
Trolls… jeez.
Ted – as a STH I would again like to say “thanks.” Can’t wait until the Bullets and Ticket Master are under new management.
Mr L, I agree with your statement & position. Thanx as always.
I think that it is time for Alex to grow up a bit and start thinking the game better. I love watching the Gr8 8 play. I am so glad that the Caps have him as compared to the Crysbaby, but if he is going to last and bring his game to the very top level he has to be smarter: all the time. And frankly that is what the little Penguin brings. One needs a big heart to get to the show –and nobody’s heart is bigger then Alex’s–, but if you want to stay and stay healthy, you gotta be smart. C’mon Alex: GET SMART.
Great post Ted!
I agree 1000%.
Ian
I am in total agreement with you Ted. Alex has to be Alex. Alex and the Caps have my continued support – GO CAPS!
I’m more worried about Ovechkin hurting himself than I am about him hurting someone else. Red Wing’s forward Brad May’s quote was right:
“Incidental contact! Remember, it’s a physical game,” said May. “People forget that. I have no issue with him. He’s fast and aggressive and stuff happens.” But having said that, Ovechkin has to learn to pick his spots better. Doesn’t do the Caps any good if he gets himself hurt or suspended again.
Don’t listen to Ryan or Artie Ted. They are probably Pens fans anyway.
I thought your post was spot on and thank you for saying it. I really do not like the lack of respect shown to you by people like tweetle dee and dumb up there. You have built this team up from the cellar to one of elite teams in the league. I have been a Caps fan my entire life so I just say thank you.
I think if you look at the hits you see what you want to see. Alex plays a 100 MPH and is bar none the most exciting player on the planet and one of the strongest. Maybe we should go back to all the cluching and grabbing that we had before the lock out? That would slow the game down. Maybe we should go to non check. Now that would be fun! At least you get the same game from Alex every game! 110% and not play when he feels like it Jagr, Kovelev, Lang and Yashin. And at least he’s not a cry baby like Crosby although I will give him credit. I haven’t seen him stomp his feet on the bench and few years.
Great post. Alex is the target of just as many big hits as he doles out. The difference in his game is that unlike Gleason and Kaleta, he protects himself properly by squaring up and meeting the hit with speed and power of his own. That is the way the game is designed to be played. I’m not worried about anyone passion exceding Alex’s, but rather the transformation of the sport into someting akin to Soccer because of public reaction to the dangerous and cowardly avoidance methods of lesser players.
@expo:
Mark Messier is dead on closest that I can think in my lifetime. He played hard and had great offensive skills. He wasn’t really regarded as the cleanest player by all but he was definitely regarded as a one of the best teammates and leaders of all time.
Alex should definitely go for the Red Bull sponsorship instead of his current hair cuttery one.
Sing along tonight at Verizon Center: “I want my, I want my, I want my M-V-P” [to the tune of "Money for Nothing"]
Ted speaketh – time to move on. Go Caps!
Seriously, thanks (as always) for being the calm voice of reason Ted. BTW: I love how the Pens are whining about Ovie in light of the suspension with all of this “I told you” stuff. Great comedy.
Thank you Ted. I couldn’t have said it any better myself. (Ryan and Artie…crawl back into those holes you popped out of. You evidently are fans of other teams, probably the Flyers or Rangers, and we are not interested in your ridiculous armchair remarks. You have no real idea about what is going on and we prefer not to waste time on your innuendo or perspective. The owner of our team has said everything that needs to be said on this issue.) Next…
Righ on Ted! The more I have calmed down from my initial frantic emotions on the hit and looked at Ovie with perspective, I realize that every player maked mistakes. Ovie has tremendous respect for the game and players and the players know this even if hockey fans don’t…two Pearson awards is good proof about how he is viewed in the league (at least by everybpody but Pitt!)
thank you ted. the capitals is a first class organization because of you as the owner. with your advice to alex, i have no doubt he will listen because he respect you & trully loves the game. as a fan i don’t want him to change his style of playing. that’s the reason why i was hooked to this game, it’s fast, furious and exciting, & when you learned the background of these players, the more you respect them because they come from good families and you know that they are good people. my hats off to you, ted & GO CAPS!
Being the Caps fan that I am and a huge Ovi supporter, I firmly believe that his playing style is cutting his stats short due to the games he has missed/will miss. There is no question that he is the best in the world, but headhunters around the league will not have too much tolerance when it comes to him playing “balls to the wall” and having no regard for the other players on the ice. I personally love his playing style, and I want to see him shatter the records of the greatest of all time. Just a little concern, that’s all
Ted, thanks for this post. I don’t think you could have said it any better. Alex Ovechkin has an infectious joy about him that is so much fun to watch and he does it as part of the team. I was laid off six months ago, and watching a hockey game gives me a couple of hours of not thinking about it. I’d like to thank the whole team for that. Alex, keep your chin up, kid!
Hi Ted,
I always enjoy reading your posts! I appreciate the time that you put into it. I know you must be a very busy man but, yet still find the time to give back. Thank you Ted!
After reading some of the comments in this post and the some of the past posts, I am astonished by the bad behavior of some of the people that have made comments. I am very glad that this type of behavior has not deterred you from writing to us and sharing your views.
I also just read your list of 101 things to do. I’m going to try to do the same thing. Having recently lost my job due to being laid off, it’s a good time to reflect on my life and what other things I want to accomplish.
Best wishes to you and your family!
Great post Ted; thanks for standing behind Alex. It’s truly ridiculous what the Canadian hockey pundits are saying about Ovie. Canada doesn’t like that the best player in the world is Russian. Mike Richards didn’t endure any of this after the Booth hit – and poor Booth won’t see the ice at all this year – because Richards is from Canada and plays hockey “the Canadian way.” I think pundits should focus on getting the likes of Patrick Kaleta and Sean Avery to change their ways.
Ted,
Alex is a great player but, please, the best ever in skill, speed, etc.? The hockey gods are rolling over in their graves. Only time and a very long, productive career will tell that. It is pretty pompous to make that statement. He has the potential to be great, but he really does need to be reeled in. You can’t coddle him with talk of him being the “greatest ever,” and just stand by and watch him be “Alex.” He plays with passion, and that’s great, but don’t you think the other NHL players (on the Caps and for other teams) who lay their bodies and hearts on the line every game play with passion too? It is an insult not to acknowledge that. Alex just shows his passion more than everyone, but that doesn’t mean the others don’t have it. If you continue to stand by and let him be reckless, then you are allowing him to disrespect the game and the other players in the game. If his passion causes him to be reckless and endanger himself and others, then he’s crossed the line. If Alex wants to be great longterm, and you want your franchise player to be healthly and productive longterm, you need to reel him in. You owe it to the Caps fans who support this team.
Ted, No doubt he is a great hockey player but you have invested a ton of cash in this guy. Do you really want to lose him to an injury that he caused himself. No matter what you (or him) might think, he isn’t superman. One of these fast and hard, good hockey plays gone bad is REALLY going to go bad for him. He will either injury himself to the point it will put him out for a long long time or he will put another player out permenantly. He has had several questionable plays (including the Gonchar knee on knee in the playoffs and the Kaleta hit a week ago) that will make people seriously considering him dirty. He needs to consider more than just doing anything to win….
Hey Ted. I can name a player in the history of the NHL who combined the size, speed, power and skill. Ever hear of a guy called Mario, who was 6-4 230#. Played in the 80s. His speed and stride were incredible, his size gave him the ability to power through defencemen, his skill and finesse left many a goalie undressed and his career points per game is 1.88, a whopping half a point more per game than Ovechkin?
No disrespect to the Russian, he’s probably one of the top two players in the league, and I look forward to seeing him with Kovalchuk and Malkin in Van City, but to say he’s the one player in the NHL’s history to combine power, speed, skill and size proves that you really don’t know jack about hockey.
Sorry, no doubts that 8 is talented, but the way Alex playing is SO DIRTY from time-to-time, but what is even more scary that he seems to have absolutely no regrets for what he is doing. This is not a good hockey. For this type of things repeated over and over suspension is mandatory.
Ovie is no slouch of a hockey player, this much is true. But to call him a respectful, clean, and, therefore, comparable to NHL greats like Mark Messier, Jaromir Jagr,or, as the league has done by giving him 2 Hart trophies, THE GREAT ONE Wayne Gretzky, is ridiculous.
i can’t take away everything from ovechkin’s game. You do have a hell of a player on your hands, ted.
But praising him for having character in the game is garbage. There’s a difference between playing an equally skillful and agressive games and relying on cheap shots for defense. offensively ovechkin really is a dynamo, but he relies on dirty plays to make up for defensive ability.
one nugget of truth in this that i will admit, although i’m not a capitals fan, is that you guys do have some depth.
players like brooks laich and morrison really add to your team, and the caps this year do have some talent, this is true.
Although, i think you’re truly underestimating the effect of missing ovie. while the caps do have potential, it’s hard to deny that ovechkin, thru sometimes dirty means, holds the caps together.
Ted – I have played, coached and officiated this wonderful game for more than 30 years and I can unequivically state that Ovie is 100% wrong. He is absolutely trying to hurt people with his legs and knee. I can certainly tell you that I would have given him a major and a game for his hits on Tim Gleason and Sergi Gonchar without another thought. He is not respecting the game. Take an objective look at the hits on those two players as well as others (he had a healthy vendetta against Malkin for a long while) and you will see that he is not playing the puck. He has great goal scoring talent but he is not one of the best ever.
You have Ovie’s back and, rest assured, we have yours. 110%
This year we’ve hear a lot of calls for a ‘direct’ conversation with Ovechkin from management (be it coach, Gm, captain, whatever). Most of the comparisons I have heard refer to things like Bowman talking with Yzerman and saying I need your game to be like this so we can be an even better team. I think that’s the only way that you can make someone whose prime motivation is winning improve; show him/her a better way to win. Its a challenge, but I’m sure you guys can find ways to point him on the right path. That’s your (Bruce, the Caps etc) job, right. Don’t get caught being a spectator and just being in awe of him, because you can always give someone room for improvement. And with someone of his caliber, that improvement can actually happen if we get his mind to it.
Kudos for having his back, as confidence is also one of the most important things in sports.
A very big and talented player who played phsyical comes to mind for me – Eric Lindros. His wonderful career was cut way too short becuase of his physical play. No doubt Ovie is great, but will he suffer the same fate?
Teddy, As a fan I say thank you Alex. I RESPECT his passion for the game. He gives 210% of his mind, body and spirit. He should never change. That is his joy. He does it for me (the fan), his teammates, and himself. When he plays, he is focused, he is in the moment completely! I have seen many interviews with Alex Ovechkin, he expects much of himself. Hockey can be a rough game. Collisions happen. You hope for the best. Rock the Red! Lets Go Caps!!
I wouldn’t want Alex to change his style of play and I agree that doing so means he isn’t playing the way that is true to him. He is passionate and he loves the game, he makes others love the game as well! He has brought far more attention to not only the Caps but to the sport of hockey as well.
The late Dale Earnhardt Sr. comes to mind when I think of Alex, he was quoted as having said to Jeff Gordon “As long as they are making noise kid you’re ok. They’re booing you because you are winning too much.”
In the case of Alex I think jealousy brings out the worst in other teams fans, because we all know that if he were on THEIR team they’d be singing a different song!
I hope Alex continues to play like Alex … Go Caps.
Wow Ted, it’s amazing the number of trolls that come out of the woodwork of the internet every time a certain Alex is mentioned.
I completely agree with your take. This isn’t the end of the world, Alex will be back. I think that those who call his play dirty are struck by a mix of jealousy and more than a little bit of xenophobia, combined with the normal passions of a fan having to watch the team they love go up against a superstar and friends.
Personally, there is nobody I would rather have on a team than Sasha.
It’s cool that an owner has his own blog and will put stuff on the internet like you do. But remember what you say on the internet lives forever. And this is a stupid article. Say it like it is Ted. OV is a $100 million investment and no owner likes to see his $100 million slam into the boards going 30mph+-. Or playing as reckless(synonymous with dirty in this case) as OV does. He maybe wont admit it know but he will have to change his game or he wont last another 3 years. Hello KHL.
If you asked those who criticize Ovie and how he plays if they would like to have him on their team, what do you think the answer would be? Yes, of course. Perhaps a little jealousy is in play from the critics — let’s call it Red Envy.
Great post.
Ted,
I would like to propose the name “Red Bull” for Alex. THink about it – it fits his style, his bravado, his skill, his toughness and it blends with the whole “Rock the Red”…plus there’s marketing tie-ins.
Red Bull / vodka – I think Alex would agree!
mark messier–during his era
bobby hull– during his era
Don’t think I can say anything more than “Thank you Ted”.
Perhaps Alex has a big heart. And I don’t mean that figuratively. You probably can’t compare him to anyone in NHL History, but maybe you could compare him to one of the greatest athletes that ever lived, and who had a big heart, as an autopsy discovered at the end of a great career: Secretariat.
Go Caps!
BTW — have you ever pondered that Shakespeare quote? So many people use it because of what it says, but out of context with regards to who said it. It’s a sarcastic line, in context.
Don’t forget that Alex also has the respect of not just his teammates, but other players in the league — he has won the Pearson trophy the last two years. If the majority of the players in the league felt that he should change, I don’t think he’d garner enough support to win that award.
Good stuff, Ted! I like the way you think.
I’m pretty sure that he is going to put himself at risk if he keeps playing the way that he does. He is also going to put countless others at risk. Are you going to be the person to account for whatever happens if you let him keep playing this style?
Right on, Ted! Ovie will stay Ovie, I have no doubt.
I really don’t think you could write a more ridiculous pile of garbage if you tried, Ted.
I haven’t read your blog before, I really see no read to ever read it again. Hopefully Alex doesn’t run into a player with as much or more “passion” than he has. If he does, and ends up with a torn ACL or broken neck, I hope you at least congratulate the other player for giving 110%.
BS. Sorry, but the game was not “designed” to be full of hitting from behind and stuck out knees. Kneeing people doesn’t get him the puck. he’s good, but he’s dirty. no respect for others, at least not enough.