2 Days Before Semi-Finals

So I have to admit I've been VERY bored with nothing to watch on t.v. for 2 days. I'm sorry I didn't get the chance to watch the 4OT final game between Stars and Sharks - that bad boy would have ended at about 2 in the morning! I'm really looking forward to the Stars/Wings series. To be honest, I don't know much about the Stars other than Mike Modano is the highest scoring American player so it'll be fun to watch. I guess I could jump on the bandwagon and watch "Dancing with the Stars". They should have AO on there - now THAT would be entertaining! And I bet he can dance too!

So today was officially named "Washington Capitals Day" in the District of Columbia. Very cool. I'd like to see it made it into a national holiday myself. We could all use another day off work and we should have a parade too. Speaking of parades, I think a parade is definitely in order should Olie Kolzig not be resigned with the Caps. If not a parade, then at least a throw-down party complete with the Rockettes and fireworks. He is an amazing player and has done so many great things for D.C., it would be such a shame to not honor his amazing contributions to this team and this community over the years. I know I speak for lots of young players and all of us hockey moms out there when I say thank you to Olie for all he's done!

I haven't had a chance to watch the World competition so if anyone knows how our respective Caps players are doing, give me a shout out.

I did hear on Espo's show today that the Flyers will be starting Riley Cote to match up with Pittsburgh's George Laraque. For all of my new hockey mom fans, that means expect to see a lot of heavy hitting and George Foreman (the fighter - not the grill) style fighting! One of the things that I didn't like about hockey before I became a convert (and I think this might apply to many women out there who think the game is too violent) was the fighting. Once I got hooked by the speed and the extreme skill it requires to handle a puck at that speed, the fighting aspect became secondary. I recently finished the book The Code: Unwritten Rules of Fighting and Retaliation in the NHL and now fighting makes more sense. Ladies, the reason for an enforcer (see my photo with Caps enforcer Donald Brashear) is primarily to make sure that other players don't take liberties with all your guys, particularly the marquee guys like AO, Sidney Crosby, etc. They know that if they take a cheap shot at your guy, someone on their team will have to meet Donald Brashear and drop the gloves for a quick scrap (maybe during the game in question or maybe even somewhere later in the season). It really keeps the game in control so to speak in that it's not a total free for all. Look at that picture, would you REALLY want to tick him off? I didn't think so...

To be honest, hockey has gotten to be like watching golf in comparison to some of the other garbage they show on t.v. now. Ultimate cage fighting - are you serious? This is a sport? These guys are all about one paycheck away from a prison sentence...

Anyway, that's all for now. Have to take the jerseys, socks and JOCK out of the dryer. Yuck!
Happy Washington Caps Day everyone! Can't wait til the semi-finals this weekend.....