It wasn’t pretty but we will take it.
It was a fun game in spite of the green light flashing into Jose Theodore’s face. We will look into the matter ASAP.
A wild game and a great win. A win that shows character and heart and a never say die attitude.
We now have 84 points. I think in some years 84 points qualified a team for a playoff spot. We have 25 games left to play.
We play tonight again against Atlanta at home. Stay tuned to our web site for info on the game. Both teams are here in DC so I believe the NHL will allow us to play to get the game in and stay on schedule.
I empathize. I have to drive in and back to the game as well, but if it is game on, it is game on.
Go Caps. We are humbled. This is fun. Take it one game at a time but you have to admit…. this is fun.
There’s lots of different locations for any perfect vacation on the globe. I do not fully understand the reason, still i do think i find nice mainly that asian continent with regard to my personal travels, as i think affiliates you’ll find so advantageous as well as powerful
Hi Ted-
Thanks for posting my responses. We went to the game and had a great time – as always – but it still wasn’t right. We made it to Metro before they closed but the wild ride home and it was not safe, even in our Jeep. I just think if you want to be “fan friendly,” then in extreme cases like this, even if it’s out of your hands and the NHL insists you play, I suggest you need to think of some remedy for fans. The arena was only 2/3 full and a lot of folks ate a lot of tickets without remedy or options. We made it home, but still – this was not what we hoped to hear from the Caps, I heard it repeated lot tonight in the arena. You guys are the best; and we fans are the best. Please treat us with respect when we choose to use our hard-earned money to root us on to the cup. Please don’t claim to be victim of the NHL. You don’t control whether or not the game is played, but you do control how you treat us when it’s not safe to come to Verizon.
Thank you!
Too all, It is not Teds call. It is on Gary Bettman and the NHL to call a game off. Ted may have a say but I’m sure his word is not law on this.
Ted,
Sorry to say this as I have been a huge fan of yours ever since you took over the organization, but you really let us down this time. I can’t in good conscience take my family out in this, and can’t take the metro since it will most likely be closed (and I have to go above ground) after the game.
I don’t know who makes the call–you or the NHL–on stopping the game, but either way you should have stepped in for your fans on this one and put our safety first.
Really disappointed. I hope the players and the fans that were able to get to the game make it out safely.
Folks, I think we have to face the fact that Ted Leonsis doesn’t get to tell the NHL what to do. The game can and will be played, in part because both the Caps and Atlanta are here. Should Atlanta make the trip and then be told they can’t play the game that’s scheduled, even though everything that is technically necessary to play the game is in place? I won’t be there in person, and that’s all right by me, though it’s relatively easy for me to say since I have season tickets.
I sympathize with those who have a lot of money invested in a one-time situation here, but the problem is that anytime you make one-time plans like this in the middle of winter you are assuming the risk that weather is going to interfere with those plans. Maybe the lesson is that if you are concerned about the investment loss, it would be better to get your tickets in the relatively inexpensive seats in the upper corner, where I sit. You can get 2 seats for less than $100 through ticket exchange, so your downside risk isn’t nearly so much.
And don’t blow off the issue of the difficulty of rescheduling the game either. The Olympics have forced a compressed schedule this year, and rescheduling a game requires both teams to be available. Of course, I guess maybe the game could be rescheduled during the Olympic break, when Atlanta would have its full team and the Caps would be missing their 4 best players.
Happy birthday Curt! Not easy being born on Feb 5th, eh? (see above, it is also my birthday).
How about a present Ted? Don’t make me walk 15 miles in the snow to the Verizon Center… If I freeze to death it will severely impact my ability to be a Caps fan (if possible though, I’d to haunt the Pens)
I understand game on is game on and I plan on going tonight but if Metro stops running because of accumulation on the tracks then I’m sure I won’t be the only one losing my transportation home since I don’t drive to the games.
This probably will not see the light of day on your blog, but…
Below are some tips for how to handle being stranded on the roads that you might want to post on the Caps homepage. It’s time to be a good corporate citizen…
Thanks again. Respectfully yours, etc.
GO CAPS!
Special Weather Statement
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
1234 PM EST FRI FEB 5 2010
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA-FREDERICK MD-CARROLL-NORTHERN BALTIMORE-
HARFORD-MONTGOMERY-HOWARD-SOUTHERN BALTIMORE-PRINCE GEORGES-
ANNE ARUNDEL-CHARLES-ST. MARYS-CALVERT-LOUDOUN-ORANGE-CULPEPER-
PRINCE WILLIAM/MANASSAS/MANASSAS PARK-FAIRFAX-
ARLINGTON/FALLS CHURCH/ALEXANDRIA-STAFFORD-SPOTSYLVANIA-
KING GEORGE-NORTHERN FAUQUIER-SOUTHERN FAUQUIER-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF…WASHINGTON…FREDERICK…WESTMINSTER…
GAITHERSBURG…COLUMBIA…BALTIMORE…ANNAPOLIS…WALDORF…
ST MARYS CITY…LEESBURG…CULPEPER…MANASSAS…MANASSAS PARK…
FAIRFAX…ALEXANDRIA…FALLS CHURCH…FREDERICKSBURG…WARRENTON
1234 PM EST FRI FEB 5 2010
…RECORD SNOWFALL FORECAST IN THE BALTIMORE-WASHINGTON DC REGION…
…EXTREMELY DANGEROUS WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS DEVELOPING TONIGHT…
GUSTY NORTHEAST WINDS 20 TO 30 MPH WITH VISIBILITIES FREQUENTLY
FALLING BELOW ONE-QUARTER MILE DUE TO HEAVY SNOW WILL DEVELOP
TONIGHT TO PRODUCE NEAR-BLIZZARD AND EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS WINTER WEATHER
CONDITIONS TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING. TRAVEL IS HIGHLY
DISCOURAGED TONIGHT AND WILL BE VERY DANGEROUS.
LOOKING BACK AT THE BIGGEST STORM OF RECORD FOR WASHINGTON DC… THE
JANUARY 1922 KNICKERBOCKER STORM…28.0 INCHES OF SNOW WAS
PRODUCED FROM 3.02 INCHES OF LIQUID WATER. CURRENT FORECASTS FOR
THIS EVENT HAVE TOTAL LIQUID FALLING FROM THIS STORM APPROACHING 3
INCHES…WHICH ACCORDINGLY WOULD CREATE A SNOWFALL THAT WILL RIVAL
THE KNICKERBOCKER STORM TOTAL. GENERALLY ACROSS THE REGION…20 TO
30 INCHES OF SNOW WILL FALL BY SATURDAY EVENING.
BALTIMORES RECORD OF 26.8 INCHES FROM THE PRESIDENTS DAY FEBRUARY 2003
STORM WILL ALSO BE THREATENED.
A FEW PRECAUTIONARY AND PREPAREDNESS ITEMS TO NOTE:
1. FOLLOW MANUFACTURERS INSTRUCTIONS WHEN OPERATING A GENERATOR OR
AXILLARY HEATER. ENSURE PORTABLE GENERATORS ARE ADEQUATELY VENTILATED.
2. TRAVEL CONDITIONS TONIGHT ACROSS THE REGION WILL BE EXTREMELY
DANGEROUS AND LIFE THREATENING. HELP YOUR LOCAL AND STATE
GOVERNMENT FIRST RESPONDERS AND TRANSPORTATION AGENCIES BY STAYING
OFF ROADS LATER THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT.
3. FOLLOW LOCAL AND STATE GOVERNMENT EMERGENCY DECLARATION ORDERS.
IF YOU ABSOLUTELY NEED TO TRAVEL IN AN EMERGENCY…DO NOT TRAVEL
ALONE. LET SOMEONE KNOW YOUR TIMETABLE AND YOUR PRIMARY AND
ALTERNATE ROUTES. CARRY WITH YOU A WINTER STORM SURVIVAL KIT WHICH
INCLUDES A MOBILE PHONE…BLANKETS…FLASHLIGHT WITH EXTRA
BATTERIES…HIGH CALORIE NON-PERISHABLE FOOD AND WATER…AND A
SHOVEL.
4. IF YOU GET STRANDED IN YOUR VEHICLE…DO NOT LEAVE YOUR CAR TO
TRY TO WALK FOR ASSISTANCE…YOU CAN QUICKLY BECOME DISORIENTED IN
WIND DRIVEN SNOW AND COLD. THIS STORM WILL SUBSIDE SATURDAY
AFTERNOON…SO WAIT IN YOUR CAR FOR EMERGENCY HELP TO ARRIVE.
PERIODICALLY RUN YOUR ENGINE FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES EACH HOUR FOR
HEAT. ENSURE YOUR EXHAUST PIPE IS CLEARED OF SNOW AND ICE. CRACK
YOUR WINDOWS TO AVOID CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING. TIE A COLORED CLOTH
TO YOUR CARS ANTENNA TO BE VISIBLE TO RESCUERS. FROM
TIME-TO-TIME…MOVE YOUR ARMS…LEGS…FINGERS…AND TOES TO KEEP
BLOOD CIRCULATING.
5. AVOID OVEREXERTION WHEN SHOVELING SNOW. BREAK THE SHOVELING
DOWN INTO SMALLER JOBS AND TAKE FREQUENT BREAKS.
6. IN CASE OF POWER SUPPLY DISRUPTIONS…HAVE AVAILABLE FLASH
LIGHTS WITH EXTRA BATTERIES…EXTRA FOOD AND WATER…EXTRA MEDICINES.
7. ENSURE ANY PETS AND FARM ANIMALS HAVE PLENTY OF WATER…FOOD…
AND SHELTER.
FINALLY…THE KEY TO GETTING THROUGH THIS AND OTHER PERIODS OF
HAZARDOUS WINTER WEATHER IS WITH ADVANCE PLANNING AND BEING AWARE OF
CURRENT CONDITIONS. THIS STORM WILL BE WINDING DOWN EARLY SATURDAY
EVENING…SO DO YOUR PART AND LET YOUR LOCAL AND STATE GOVERNMENTS
RESTORE ROADWAYS TO NORMAL CONDITIONS BY STAYING AT HOME.
Hi Ted, big fan but quite upset right now.
Let me get this straight. Government and weather officials urge that no one travel tonight unless it’s an emergency. Caps tell me my tickets are non-refundable if they play, i.e., I MUST travel.
Today’s my birthday so my wife sprung for the really great seats and the Dewar’s lounge package, a $300 investment before any of the other incidental, but inevitable, costs start to accure. It’s a $500 date. Not a lot for you, but a lot of money for most folks.
Logic says that both of the following are true: 1) record snow is forecast, travel will be nearly impossible later tonight and we are urged to please stay off the roads and 2)the Caps are saying either come to this game or lose your investment.
I dearly love the Caps, but these games are no one’s “emergency” and putting people is this spot is beyond irresponsible. I feel this game is being held out of convenience sake. Games can, and are, rescheduled, they are GAMES.
You say you drive and thus you feel our pain. What about the thousands of us who take metro, say from Shady Grove? When we get to 8 inches (maybe after the game, maybe mid-2nd period, who knows?) and they close the above ground stations, then what?
What about your staff and all the employees of Verizon Center who also need to get home? It’s fine if you personally want to be heroic, but it’s clearly unfair to inflict your personal decision onto the rest of us. Please don’t couch it in the terms “the NHL will allow us” to play the game as if this is some big favor.
I work in healthcare. That’s an essential thing. A hockey game is not.
ted- take the metro! mingle with the metro fans …you will have fun!
Ted, Dont you mean your driver is driving you.
Ted,
Today would have been the only game I will be able to go to this year. The tix were an Xmas present, and on top of it, I kid you not, today, Feb 5 is my birthday (24th).
I just tried to drive around my neighborhood and couldn’t make it out of my block due to the snow. I’m all for toughing up to make the game but putting my life in danger seems kind of irresponsible, so I’m not sure I’m going to try. Isn’t there any way we can reschedule the game?
Ted,
It is fine that you drive in and back but, for those of us STH that live in places like Stafford, VA that either have to take the METRO which won’t be an option because by the time the game is over the above ground stations will be closed and driving sure won’t be an option in “heavy snow warning” conditions it doesn’t seem fair to the fans who the majority would be risking “life and limb” to watch our beloved Caps!