Tell Ovechkin I’m Sorry

Alexander Ovechkin (Photo credit: davidkosmos)

Done? Me done? With Ovechkin? I don’t think so.  I admit, I was mad at him for his lackadaisical attitude on the ice and it drove me to write that I was done wearing his jersey in public.  I was disappointed in him as he would have been if the situation was reversed.

Soon after writing my blog, ‘Tell Ovechkin I’m Done’,  The Great 8 went on fire!  Six goals and 3 assists in the last five games!  Maybe he follows my blog…  He also got the attention of the league, so much that he was named the week’s first star!  Now that’s my boy!

I watched him play the first of back-to-back games against the Winnipeg Jets.  He was nothing like the ‘drag-my-ass-around’ Ovechkin that I saw in his first game in the city.  He had fire and purpose.   I was happy.  Welcome back sir!

When asked about his turnaround, Ovechkin had this to say:

“I just try to do my best,” Ovechkin said.

“Right now I’m scoring goals and I’m the king of the world. And a couple weeks ago I was almost in the toilet. So maybe you just forget to flush me.”

Sounds like the old Ovie I once knew!  The line ‘I’m king of the world…’ reminds me of my other hero, the great Muhammad Ali.

Good luck Ovie!  Keep on rolling and I’ll keep on wearing that jersey.  If you are not done, then I’m not done, son.

Interestingly,  Oveckin is fourth in the league for goals, (5 less than leader, Stamkos) and his total points are good enough for 10th.  Pretty decent.

Related articles

• Tell Ovechkin I’m Done! (myvuze.wordpress.com)
• Don’t ‘flush’ Ovechkin, Capitals away just yet (prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com)
• Ovechkin dominant in Capitals’ 4-0 win (shawglobalnews.wordpress.com)
• Holtby, Ovechkin help Capitals down Jets, 4-0 (miamiherald.com)
• Holtby and Ovechkin lift Capitals over Jets (theglobeandmail.com)
• CSN: Oates asks Ovechkin to ‘earn his keep’ (csnwashington.com)
• Alexander Ovechkin: ‘I’m King of the World. A Couple Weeks [Ago] I Was in the Toilet’ (nesn.com)

My Greedy Ex Is Back!

Have you ever been in a relationship with someone you loved, when out of the blue, they say,  ”Honey, I think we should take a break.  I need some space to sort things out.”?  At first you are heartbroken but as time passes, you start having fun enjoying the single life with your new-found freedom.  You have regular dates but nothing too serious and have your entire summer planned out.  Then again, out of the blue, she (it’s usually a girl) shows up.  ”Hey honey, I missed you.  I think I am ready to be with you now.”  Yep, how convenient.

So obviously, she was not having as much fun with the separation as you were.  For her, the grass wasn’t greener on the other side.  Unfortunately, you had made plans that did not include her, so her showing up throws a wrench into the mix.  Yes, you love her but you are just not ready for her at this time.

Well if you understand that scenario, you will understand my mixed feelings over the news that the NHL and the owners have ended their labor dispute.   This means that they would play the remaining 48 or so games instead of scrapping the entire season.  I guess they figured that a half year’s revenue is better than no revenue.

I am an avid hockey fan so I should be pleased if not excited about having some games this season, right?  Well not really.  You see the thing is, I have since moved on.  I made plans that did not include sitting down for a few hours watching hockey.  I have home renos and family stuff.  Maybe I am not that avid I guess.  I was hoping that they would have called the season and made plans for next year.  But no, here they are with 48 or so games to tantalize us.

I am also unhappy that millionaires are taking the sport out of sports with their greed for more millions.  At the end of all this, we the fans are the losers.  Not the overpaid players and not the fat cats who own them.  Lost revenue has to be recouped and I’m sure it won’t be done by a decrease in someone’s pay.  No sir, we will pay. Just watch.

And honey, I’m sorry but you just can’t show up when you feel like it.  You are toying with my emotions here.   What am I gonna do now? I have already made plans  and I just can’t fit you into my schedule right now.

Just my take.

The weird world of sports

As a big Hockey fan and an even bigger fan of the Washington Capitals, it was interesting to note the firing of their head coach Bruce Boudreau, this morning.  The same guy who just only a few years ago, was good enough to best the other coaches and win the Coach Of The Year Award. The same coach who with his last win a couple of games ago, became the fastest coach in NHL history to reach 200 wins. (201-88-40).  So we can bet our houses that he would be picked up within 24 hours by some lucky team.

Apparently, Boudreau  had lost the support of his team. Whatever he did was not working, so unfortunately, he was the fall guy as all coaches are when their teams are failing. I am not sure why this is so.  If a student continually fails to live up to his or her potential, the teacher is never in any danger of losing his or her job.  Even though in some cases, the level of tutoring provided at schools are surely reasons for some heads to roll in that department…but that’s another take.

In a league, and also a world, where athletes are extremely overpaid, I think holding same athletes to some responsibility for their performances would not be a bad thing.  Why should the peon have to pay because an overpaid athlete suddenly thinks he’s too rich to give two hoots about playing up to his potential?   They are signed to these outrageous contracts that is not performance based, so why should they risk their health when they could just coast and still pick up their fat pay cheques?  I still say ALL athletes should be paid based on how they perform.  This means that their contract should be reviewed each season and made to reflect their play.

Personally, I also think it is preposterous that someone playing a sport gets paid in the hundreds of millions.  Their job, if one can call it that, does not cure cancer or any ailment for that matter.  Unlike an educator’s, it also does not shape a child to become the next president, scientist or doctor.  In a normal world, a doctor and teacher would probably be high up on the pay scale, enjoying the respect that their careers should garner.  Unfortunately, we are not living in such a world so we will continue to watch a rich brat running up a down a hardwood floor while bouncing a ball, complaining to the ref whenever another rich brat invade his personal space. What a picture!

Related articles

• You: Bruce Boudreau Fired: Washington Capitals Look to Dale Hunter for Guidance (bleacherreport.com)
• Caps Fire Coach Boudreau; Replaced by Dale Hunter (abcnews.go.com)
• Washington Capitals Owner Thanks Bruce Boudreau In Blog Post (tracking.si.com)