REAL Caps fans

[TheREALJBird]

Meh, I've always watched the caps. Dale Hunter is still my all-time favorite capital, him and Bonzai, Ovy is gonna take that throne though. Doesn't really bother me, if it takes some winning for people to get motivated about watching it, so be it.

[brianforster]

My "complaining" is about fans, like yourself, that were still popping pimples when these rivalries took place. Hate Crosby all you want, but you all remind of the juvenile fans at Redskins games that get so bombed before the game that all you want to do is pick a fight and give opposing fans ****

Thats cool, you don't even know me but keep making assumptions based on my age. I heckle fans at games but I understand that like me, they are just cheering on the team they love. In fact, I hardly ever say more than a "boo" or some friendly jeering. If they act obnoxious though, I voice my opinion.

I believe that if you are a fan of the visiting team at a sporting event, your job is to be respectful of your surroundings and enjoy the game. Cheer when your team scores, but don't be obnoxious. I would act the same way if I saw a Redskins/Capitals game in another teams venue.

I digress..

Game 2 was the thesis for why I hate Crosby, Ovechkin wills himself to a hat trick, and Crosby gets 3 tap ins. So all the news reads that the 2 stars delivered, but Ovechkin so clearly outplayed him.

Also the comment about picking up the hats. Come on Crosby, you know damn well your players needed that time to rest. It was also a huge cool down period for the momentum of the caps.

You sir, need to take a step back and realize that you sound like a bitter old man.

Damn us young whippersnappers.

[Major Harris]

MH, I'm all over the place? :hysterical:

You live in WV! For God's sake! You are supposed to hate Pittsburgh.

i'm always all over the place, i expect more from you though.

and, yes, a hatred for pittsburgh is in the blood. for the record though, you'll never see me acting belligerent towards opposing teams fans, drunk or not.

[rdsknbill]

this actually sums me up pretty well with the caps. i definitely remember watching all of those names play on the little black and white set w/ rabbit ears and pliers for a channel changer.

:whew: that explains alot

[rdsknbill]

i'm always all over the place, i expect more from you though.

and, yes, a hatred for pittsburgh is in the blood. for the record though, you'll never see me acting belligerent towards opposing teams fans, drunk or not.

Yea, but we have witnessed it at Skins games unfortunately! :doh:

[CrypticVillain]

If the team has Washington or DC on it, it is a strong chance that I am a hardcore fan. Reason I said good chance is because I don't like the Cougars or Huskies, that is another Washington lol.

[Touchdown Redskins]

Are you hating on people who think there are a rivalry between the Caps and Pens, or are you hating on the new Caps fans?

[Major Harris]

Yea, but we have witnessed it at Skins games unfortunately! :doh:

i've seen it. and it's ugly. it's also a given considering that 90,000 people are in one place, and many of them are drinking massive quantities of alcohol. outside of dry stadiums, there really is no perfect solution.

[rdsknbill]

Are you hating on people who think there are a rivalry between the Caps and Pens, or are you hating on the new Caps fans?

There is a rivalry that dates back 8-10 years ago. Not much one now.

Ovechkin is the better player if you are comparing him to Crosby. Hell, Pens fans even tell me that. T

this is media driven

[Sweet Sassy Molassy]

Wait, so what's the point of this thread? Are you pissed about the new generation of Caps fans, or mad because of the brewing rivalry between the Caps and Pens?

Anyway, I've always like hockey, but never really followed it. When I moved to Atlanta as a kid they didn't have a team, so hockey wasn't one of the more accessible sports for me. I always said that I was a Caps fan, because I'm from Baltimore, so it was natural. I started following the sport more and more about 2/3 years ago, when I moved back to VA, but didn't really understand the sport. About a year and a half ago a friend (a Pens fan) and I watched a game and he explained a lot of how the sport works. So I've gained more appreciation (and more interest in watching) now that I have a better understanding. It also helps that the Caps are winning.

As far as the Pens - Caps rivalry, that's to be expected. Two of the best players in the game, the rivalry is bound to happen considering the constant comparisons between the two. Much like the Kobe, LeBron, Dwyane rivalry that's going on in the NBA. Or the Patriots (Brady) and Colts (Manning) rivalry in the NFL.

[BayouBrave86]

Pittsburgh is the equivalent of Dallas to many Caps fans. And there is a rivalry now, from the trash talking between Crosby and Ovechkin to the Malkin-Ovechkin feud (Ovechkin supposedly punching out Malkin's agent in the offseason at a club) and then the Crosby laughing at the Backstrom own-goal last year, yeah I'd say the Caps and Pens still have a rivalry of sorts. There is no team in the NHL that pisses me off more than the Pens.

[chipwhich]

rdsknbill,

I have to admit I have no clue what this thread is about either.

I worked at the cap center.

I watched every playoff game the caps ever played.

I played hockey my whole life.

As a kid I had a hockey statistics book which basically showed the Caps held almost every worst record in the history of the league.

Caps hockey was ruined when they were removed from the division with their real rivals.

I skated at the cap center. I skated in the capital beltway hockey league, and I skated with ex caps at piney orchard.

My neighbor was kolzig.

I lived in the county that "saved the caps".

Not sure what your rant is, but it's misguided and misinformed.

[BigMike619]

rod freaking langway...my dad used to go to his bar all the time.

[Spaceman Spiff]

I hate hockey and I can't wait for this to be over so the bandwagoners go away. For the die hards that have been around since the Capital Centre days, the miracle run to the finals against the Red Wings in the 90's and the dark days of empty seats at the Phonebooth and the Jagr flop, I hope the Caps go far. If that makes sense.

That said, I've tried liking it several times. When I was little, I tried to get into it. I vaguely remember Langway. Dino Ciccarelli, Al Iafrate were two big names and I have vague memories of. Iafrate had a wicked slapshot, IIRC. I remember Dale Hunter knocking the living **** out of an opponent in a playoff game (Pierre Turgeon?) after the Caps gave up a goal. Hunter missed a LOT of time to start the next season.

Went to a game when Bondra had a hat trick a few years ago but I missed one of the goals cause I was asleep. Literally.

I don't know what it is, but I can't get into it. Its the only sport I won't watch.

I'd like to give a **** about all this, I'd like to become a bandwagoner but I just can't. Whatever.

That said, there are two types of bandwagoners. Like Major Harris above, who freely admits it and doesn't try to hide it....and then all of the ones that have come out of the woodwork lately and act like they've been fans all along.

Those are the annoying fans and from what I can tell it seems like there's a good chunk of people out there who act that way. They're SO excited all of a sudden but had no idea about the first thing about hockey before.

And I hate to say it, but especially the women...all the facebook updates whenever I log in after a game are annoying as hell. I liken them to the girls who show up at baseball games wearing a pink hat with a NY or a B...you know, the ones that think Jeter is hot and the Yankees are great but don't know a homerun from a ground rule double.

So like I said...for the die hards who have some idea of whats going on and some idea of the history of Caps hockey, I hope they go all the way.

For the bandwagoners who're pulling a Cowboy fan move right in the middle of DC...I hope the Pens come back and end it soon.

[skinsfan07]

Pittsburgh is the equivalent of Dallas to many Caps fans. And there is a rivalry now, from the trash talking between Crosby and Ovechkin to the Malkin-Ovechkin feud (Ovechkin supposedly punching out Malkin's agent in the offseason at a club) and then the Crosby laughing at the Backstrom own-goal last year, yeah I'd say the Caps and Pens still have a rivalry of sorts. There is no team in the NHL that pisses me off more than the Pens.

agreed. 100%

[No_Pressure]

I've been a Capitals fan since around 1997 when I went to my first game and they beat the Bruins (I was 9 years old). Tickets and chances to see sporting events outside of the skins was rare in my household so yeah I've only been to a handful of Capitals games. I lost interest in the league after the lockout year. Up until that point I had to be the only kid in my school walking around in a Bondra shirt half the time. It really bothered me what had happened to the franchise with Jagr and while I caught the occasional game and kept up with the standings and moves I paid a lot more attention to football.

When Ovechkin was drafted I started watching a few more games and last season I caught a lot more, this year I was watching them regularly again.

I am not a bandwagon fan, but many people out there are. There was a brief discussion about this on the Big O and Dukes show the other day, these people who are "true fans" getting pissed off at new fans or bandwagon fans for supporting their team simply because they are finally exciting and winning. As if watching a team for a long time gives you fan tenure and all the new fans must bow down to everyone who came before. There is enough room for everyone, this is what WINNING does, it grows your market and fanbase. You wanna know why few people noticed the caps? Because outside of some good teams in the early and late 90's the Caps have had squat to brag about for their entire existence.

You wanna know why the skins have fans wearing gear everywhere all times of the year around here? Because they have 5 NFL Championships spanning a timeframe of I believe 72 years (first one in 1937 correct?) Including 2 in the 80's in 3 trips and 1 in the 90's. There were surely a lot of bandwagon fans that showed up when those teams were winning, and now they have graduated to full fans with an entire couple of generations of fan tradition now. This is how it works. If everybody says "F off, you werent here when times were bad" to new fans, thats pretty counter-productive to the goals of the franchise.

Another point: 35 years, 1 conference championship, 0 cups. The fanbase for the caps has been below DC teams in this order:

1. Redskins

2. Orioles until nats arrived

3. Bullets/Wizards

4. TIE Caps/Nats

-----------------

I would say now it's looking more like this:

1. Redskins

2. Caps

3. Orioles

4. Wizards/Nats

And yes I include the Orioles for all the people like me who grew up with them in the MD/DC areas of Montgomery County/PG County who consider themselves Washingtonians but didn't have a baseball team except for the O's for that 34 year span there...

Anyways my point is bandwagon fans are a good thing. They are brought in by winning and should be welcomed in with open arms. Their kids will be fans, the fanbase will grow, the Caps will sell a crap load of Ovechkin or rock the red t-shirts, ticket sales will be as strong as the Skins and times will be good.

Oh and as for treating Pittsburgh as a rival...they are...I'm no bandwagon fan and I hate the Penguins. I hate them because I hate all things Pittsburgh. They aren't the Cowboys, but they're the Cowboys of the NHL to me, just like I hate the Flyers because they're the Eagles of the NHL. A little hate a rivalry is a good thing.

A REAL Caps fan is anyone who enjoys watching the caps. If you're from D.C. and you are enjoying the way this team is playing welcome to being a fan.

[Sweet Sassy Molassy]

Well said Rock.

[brianforster]

I will never understand how someone can like football but not hockey. Hockey is like football on skates for god sakes. They have so many similarities its insane. Not to mention its the only sport where you can FIGHT.

All of these people calling bandwagon fans remind me of people who support a band so much and shove them down your throats and then when they get some radio play they say they sold out and stop following them.

Its like, why do you promote them and then act surprised when others follow? All of you "old school" fans, were probably the first people to come into work after a great Caps game and tell all of your friends what they are missing by not being in to hockey. Now you have your wish and we are in to hockey and you are STILL COMPLAINING.

Spaceman Spiff, I'm not sure what to think of your post, the fact that you would root against a home team just to piss off some fans makes me question your passion for sports in general.

[willmb5]

Was a Caps fan in the late 90s/early 00s when we had Bondra, Oates, Kolzig, Halpern, Konawulchuk, etc. The lockout drove me away from the game but I came back to it recently.

I'd say that's about the same as me.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Anyways my point is bandwagon fans are a good thing. They are brought in by winning and should be welcomed in with open arms. Their kids will be fans, the fanbase will grow, the Caps will sell a crap load of Ovechkin or rock the red t-shirts, ticket sales will be as strong as the Skins and times will be good.

I liked your post, but I think this point is up for debate.

Bandwagoner fans are exactly that. Hypothetically, lets say the Capitals come out and suck next year...and suck every year for the next four years or so.

How many of those fans are going to stick around? Some might have found a genuine love for the sport, but by and large and bandwagoning fan is a bandwagoning fan...and they only come out and act like they care when the team wins.

Good in the short term, yes, you're right....but I highly doubt the Capitals are going to win over a lot of fans here when the lean years come.

[BayouBrave86]

I liked your post, but I think this point is up for debate.

Bandwagoner fans are exactly that. Hypothetically, lets say the Capitals come out and suck next year...and suck every year for the next four years or so.

How many of those fans are going to stick around? Some might have found a genuine love for the sport, but by and large and bandwagoning fan is a bandwagoning fan...and they only come out and act like they care when the team wins.

Good in the short term, yes, you're right....but I highly doubt the Capitals are going to win over a lot of fans here when the lean years come.

Well that shouldn't be happening anytime soon.:cool:

[brianforster]

I liked your post, but I think this point is up for debate.

Bandwagoner fans are exactly that. Hypothetically, lets say the Capitals come out and suck next year...and suck every year for the next four years or so.

How many of those fans are going to stick around? Some might have found a genuine love for the sport, but by and large and bandwagoning fan is a bandwagoning fan...and they only come out and act like they care when the team wins.

Good in the short term, yes, you're right....but I highly doubt the Capitals are going to win over a lot of fans here when the lean years come.

Well I hope you feel like waiting a long time for a "I told you so" because Ovechkin will be around for a very.. very long time.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Well I hope you feel like waiting a long time for a "I told you so" because Ovechkin will be around for a very.. very long time.

Doesn't mean the Caps are gonna automatically be good for his entire tenure here.

[chipwhich]

Doesn't mean the Caps are gonna automatically be good for his entire tenure here.

It's hockey, if you follow it you would know how wrong your statement is.

[brianforster]

Doesn't mean the Caps are gonna automatically be good for his entire tenure here.

He will be electrifying to watch for his entire tenure here I guarantee it. Either way, have fun hating on hockey, the rest of us will go back to cheering for the home team.. what monsters we are.