Caps playoff tickets to games 1-2 just about gone. There was a password sent to season ticket holders and the pre-sale was at 10:00 today. I read where a Caps ticket representative said there probably won't be a public sale of playoff tickets.
Last year I was able to buy tickets to game one and seven vs the Flyers. This year I guess I'm the fan with his nose pressed up against the glass on the outside looking in.
If this keeps opposing fans from waltzing into Verizon Center (aka The Red House) as they did in the past, I'm ok with there being no public sale. Last year there were too many Flyers fans in the building. This year the Caps have 12,000 season tickets sold. Congrats to Owner Ted Leonsis and the Caps staff for the incredible job of rebuilding the franchise after the NHL lockout.
This is, in my opinion, the best Capitals team I have ever seen and I've been following them since the expansion year 1974-75. They are legitimate threats to win the Stanley Cup. I'll do what I can to try to get in the Red House for a game once the schedule is announced as I'd love to get some playoff game shots with my new camera. If I can't, I'll be watching them on TV with the same intensity I have when I am in attendance.
Let's go Caps!!!!
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
Thursday, April 02, 2009
Dedication and Perseverance
The other day it was announced that Capitals defenseman Brian Pothier was chosen as a nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, given to the player who "best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey"
Pothier returned to the Caps lineup recently after a 14-month layoff with post-concussion syndrome. He scored his first goal since December 2007 in the game I went to, the Caps 5-3 win over Tampa Bay. Below is a picture of Pothier I got when the three stars of that game were announced. He was the third star.
From the Washington Post: "Dedication and perseverance," Coach Bruce Boudreau said. "He missed 14 months with his fourth concussion. To be able to come all the way back, through all the pitfalls he's had, I can't find another person more suited for that. He sort of officially came all the way back when he scored a goal and now he's playing regularly on our blue line. That's a tremendous feat."
ESPN the Magazine did a feature on Pothier that is worth the read.
'Miracle' brings Pothier back to the ice
Pothier returned to the Caps lineup recently after a 14-month layoff with post-concussion syndrome. He scored his first goal since December 2007 in the game I went to, the Caps 5-3 win over Tampa Bay. Below is a picture of Pothier I got when the three stars of that game were announced. He was the third star.
From the Washington Post: "Dedication and perseverance," Coach Bruce Boudreau said. "He missed 14 months with his fourth concussion. To be able to come all the way back, through all the pitfalls he's had, I can't find another person more suited for that. He sort of officially came all the way back when he scored a goal and now he's playing regularly on our blue line. That's a tremendous feat."
ESPN the Magazine did a feature on Pothier that is worth the read.
'Miracle' brings Pothier back to the ice
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Caps vs Tampa Bay: Section 121, Row J
Every sports fan should sit as close to the ice as possible for one hockey game. I had an opportunity to sit ten rows behind the Caps bench so I brought my Nikon D40 camera and tested my new zoom lens out. Here are some of the 250 pictures I took.
I still need to really learn how my camera works. Perhaps I'll sign up for some classes and I'll keep my eyes open for some that are offered at local camera stores.
Hockey is a fast sport and it can be tough getting a great shot for amateur photographers such as myself. Throw in my being a fan of the Caps and often I was caught between taking pictures and watching the game. Taking pictures during the warm up was easier and I got some better shots. You can see more detail as players often skate without their helmets and they also work on various parts of their game.
Ten rows up behind the Caps bench is nice but there were a couple obstacles I dealt with. The glass being one of them and I really could only shoot half the rink. Also I was conscious of the person and his family behind me as I didn't want to get in their way of enjoying the game by standing up during the action. As usual, be sure to double click for a larger view of the picture I posted.
It was a very entertaining game in which the Caps won 5-3. Here is the Post recap titled Pothier Delivers for Capitals
First two pictures are Alex Ovechkin during warm ups.
Former Caps
Brooks Laich
Sergei Fedorov
Best player in hockey, period.
Alex Ovechkin faces off against Ryan Craig
Caps goal!
The pesky and quick Martin St. Louis
Keith Aucoin looking to pass or buy a vowel as Pat Sajak (middle) looks on.
Alex the Great 8
Jose Theodore with the save
Ovechkin's 52nd goal makes it 5-3 Caps!
Celebrating Caps!
I still need to really learn how my camera works. Perhaps I'll sign up for some classes and I'll keep my eyes open for some that are offered at local camera stores.
Hockey is a fast sport and it can be tough getting a great shot for amateur photographers such as myself. Throw in my being a fan of the Caps and often I was caught between taking pictures and watching the game. Taking pictures during the warm up was easier and I got some better shots. You can see more detail as players often skate without their helmets and they also work on various parts of their game.
Ten rows up behind the Caps bench is nice but there were a couple obstacles I dealt with. The glass being one of them and I really could only shoot half the rink. Also I was conscious of the person and his family behind me as I didn't want to get in their way of enjoying the game by standing up during the action. As usual, be sure to double click for a larger view of the picture I posted.
It was a very entertaining game in which the Caps won 5-3. Here is the Post recap titled Pothier Delivers for Capitals
First two pictures are Alex Ovechkin during warm ups.
Former Caps
Brooks Laich
Sergei Fedorov
Best player in hockey, period.
Alex Ovechkin faces off against Ryan Craig
Caps goal!
The pesky and quick Martin St. Louis
Keith Aucoin looking to pass or buy a vowel as Pat Sajak (middle) looks on.
Alex the Great 8
Jose Theodore with the save
Ovechkin's 52nd goal makes it 5-3 Caps!
Celebrating Caps!
Thursday, March 26, 2009
White House Easter Egg Roll Blues
When I saw that the White House was going to distribute tickets online to their annual Easter Egg Roll, I was excited for the chance to bring Benjamin, seen here at our Easter Egg hunt last year in Virginia Beach VA, to this great tradition that has been going on at the White House since 1878.
I logged on at various times in the early morning. Finally at 8:03 I got on and I was directed to a wait room. The page times out, so I had to repeat the process again and again. Finally I got in the site to get tickets! I placed the order for the both of us, filled in the letters for verification and then the site, which was very slow due to the demand, crashed again! I kept on trying and trying, each timed entry period showed no tickets were available. I even looked for the last entry of the day, the 3:00-5:00 PM slot and nothing.
Folks complained about their frustrations on NBC Channel 4's web site
I liked the idea of getting these tickets online. I admit I did get to the party late at 8:03 this morning and supply and demand got me and I was just as frustrated with the many others out there. It happens, I guess. No way could I camp outside the White House for these which was how it was done in the past.
I did see that the White House had an outside company do this as you were re-directed to a place called Front Gate Tickets and they just couldn't handle the demand.
Right now there is a message saying Tickets for the 2009 White House Egg Roll are no longer available at this time. Tickets will be available at various times throughout the day. If you are unable to order tickets at this time, please check back later.
A polite way of telling you to wait until next year.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
It's Over For Maryland
Memphis 89, Maryland 70
Howie Long is a Pro Football Hall of Famer who does commercials for Chevy Trucks. The only truck Howie Long didn't pimp was the one that hit the Terps today.
This game wasn't as close as the score indicated. Maryland's time in the NCAA Tournament is over. However brief it was, it really wasn't supposed to happen as this team was picked last in the preseason.
This turned out to be one of the more entertaining Maryland basketball teams I've seen in quite some time. You just never knew what you were going to see night after night but when crunch time came, coach Gary Williams and the team responded. They won two ACC tournament games and beat Cal in their NCAA tourney opener. Nice!
I'm sorry the season has ended. I really enjoyed getting pumped up with my friends to watch their games. In person, I got to see the first ever meeting between Maryland my alma mater Elon last December. Plus I saw what I call the best Maryland basketball game I've ever been to when the Terps stunned #3 North Carolina in overtime on February 20th.
I don't really feel like recapping this but I was there watching from start to finish and had two songs in my head during the game. Dave Edmunds "Slipping Away" when Memphis went up 20 early and a line from Semisonic's "Closing Time" as "every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end". Next year I believe the Maryland basketball team will be stronger and they learned a hell of a lot from this year.
It was fun.
Post recap
Howie Long is a Pro Football Hall of Famer who does commercials for Chevy Trucks. The only truck Howie Long didn't pimp was the one that hit the Terps today.
This game wasn't as close as the score indicated. Maryland's time in the NCAA Tournament is over. However brief it was, it really wasn't supposed to happen as this team was picked last in the preseason.
This turned out to be one of the more entertaining Maryland basketball teams I've seen in quite some time. You just never knew what you were going to see night after night but when crunch time came, coach Gary Williams and the team responded. They won two ACC tournament games and beat Cal in their NCAA tourney opener. Nice!
I'm sorry the season has ended. I really enjoyed getting pumped up with my friends to watch their games. In person, I got to see the first ever meeting between Maryland my alma mater Elon last December. Plus I saw what I call the best Maryland basketball game I've ever been to when the Terps stunned #3 North Carolina in overtime on February 20th.
I don't really feel like recapping this but I was there watching from start to finish and had two songs in my head during the game. Dave Edmunds "Slipping Away" when Memphis went up 20 early and a line from Semisonic's "Closing Time" as "every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end". Next year I believe the Maryland basketball team will be stronger and they learned a hell of a lot from this year.
It was fun.
Post recap
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