Is D.C. Now a Hockey Town?
Matt Cooke wanted into the dressing room this afternoon, looked at the masses of media persons, and smiled.
"Back in a Canadian city, eh?" he said.
Now I've never been in a Canadian city for the playoffs (although I did take my Honeymoon in Canada) and I would have thought that some sort of playoff fever would infect the entire civic apparatus and not just Washington City Paper blogs, but the Caps themselves are certainly going out of their way to talk about the excellence of the home crowd. Like, here's Fedorov, from today, talking about Caps fans:
"They were cheering so hard probably their throats were so sore next day," he said.
Or Ovechkin, from today, when asked about Saturday's crowd:
"I can say right now: Washington is hockey town," said Ovechkin, wearing purple Dolce & Gabanna and a still-growing pre-playoff beard. "Because everybody, when I go somewhere to eat, everybody: 'Let's go Caps, let's go OV, good job.' It's pretty amazing here. Somebody [used to say] Washington is not hockey town; teams knowing now we have great fans, and you see how they support us every game. Unbelievable."
Kornheiser has expressed the view that Gilbert Arenas would be recognized exponentially more frequently than Ovechkin. Not sure if that's true, but Ovechkin was asked whether he gets recognized every day.
"Not every day," he acknowledged. "When I go out somewhere, like eat food, go restaurant, movie, people recognize me. It's unbelievable how the town has changed, how the fans go to the stands and [cheer] for us. It's unbelievable things."
The same question was posed to Mike Green.
"Lots more," he said. "It's different. Grocery store, out for dinner, at a restaurant, they just say congratulations and they're cheering for us....We NEVER got recognized before, ever, before the start of the year."
Even more obscure players like Eric Fehr said they've noticed a difference in their personal lives.
"People around here are starting to recognize Caps players a lot more in general, yeah," he said. "I ride the Metro once in a while and guys will be like, 'Good job on the win last night.' "
Wait, he rides the Metro once in a while?
"Oh yeah, if I'm going downtown I usually take it, because it's quicker," Fehr said. "I don't like sitting in traffic. I don't mind it actually. I don't like driving to begin with, so if I can just sit there and listen to music or whatever, it's better."
Do hockey players take the public buses in, say, Calgary? Not sure. In any case, this celebrity stuff has its limits, such as when a small group of players emerged from a meeting today and were serenaded with chants for Ovechkin, even though their names were Steve and Shaone and Mike. Or when Bruce Boudreau came out to sign some autographs and introduced himself like this, "How are you guys? I'm Bruce."
By Dan Steinberg |
April 7, 2008; 3:38 PM ET
| Category:
Caps
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Posted by: NTPNate | April 7, 2008 3:48 PM
Now that you've exposed Caps riding the Metro, you're damn right its a hockey town.
Posted by: StetSports.com | April 7, 2008 3:52 PM
I actually ran into Ovechkin (and a few other players)after the game Saturday at Play Lounge over on Dupont Circle.
Everyone in the place pretty much knew who he was and I noticed him right away. It also helped that the team was wearing Red Capital T-Shirts and they were popping Champagne bottles and celebrating.
Posted by: Em | April 7, 2008 4:30 PM
Dan, tell Ovie he needs to start his playoff beard back at Zero. Fresh. He'll look like a one-toothed himalayan yeti if they go deep.
Posted by: please... | April 7, 2008 4:34 PM
I saw Fedorov taking the bus over on 14th and U.
Posted by: Vic | April 7, 2008 4:35 PM
Not suprised some of the guys take the train downtown. Goes straight from rink to rink. I'm sure some of the Nats do that to.
Posted by: EricS | April 7, 2008 5:28 PM
DC is a bandwagon town, and that means its a hockey town when the hockey team wins.
The real issue here is who cares? We spend too much time trying to figure out what we are and not enough enjoying the accomplishments.
Posted by: caphcky | April 7, 2008 5:59 PM
DC's a winners town, just like always. As long as we have a playoff-caliber hockey team, we'll be a hockey town.
Posted by: NTPNate | April 7, 2008 3:48 PM
Which is exactly why DC fans don't compare to the Flyers' fans. We're there supporting our team rain or shine.
Posted by: Pfft | April 7, 2008 6:36 PM
I went down to D.C. to see my New Jersey Devils play the Caps last season, and the place was one-third empty. The people who showed up rooted pretty hard, but it sure didn't feel like what we used to call a Patrick Division matchup. (The Devils won, so at least I went home happy.) I recently saw a YouTube video of Buffalo Sabres fans swarming around the Verizon Center, and I didn't see too many Caps jerseys. This is another fad, just as it was in '98 when the team reached the Cup Finals and then the Wings made them disappear. There are only three teams in D.C.: The Democrats, the Republicans, and the Redskins. Maybe four if you count Georgetown. I like the city, but it's not a good sports city. No city that's, in fact or in practice, a one-team town is.
Posted by: Uncle Mike | April 7, 2008 7:00 PM
DC's a winners town, just like always. As long as we have a playoff-caliber hockey team, we'll be a hockey town.
Posted by: NTPNate | April 7, 2008 3:48 PM
Which is exactly why DC fans don't compare to the Flyers' fans. We're there supporting our team rain or shine.
Posted by: Pfft | April 7, 2008 6:36 PM
That's exactly why Philly fans are losers.
Posted by: right back at ya | April 7, 2008 7:08 PM
DC will never compare to "sports towns" like Philly, Cleveland, Buffalo and Pittsburgh - -where real life is so depressing that you have no choice but to immerse yourself in local sports to get through the day. DC's just too good of a place to be for that. But yeah, we love our winners here. And Olie rides the VRE.
Posted by: Tay Biltong | April 7, 2008 7:21 PM
DC is no where close to being a hockey town.
- I recently received an email from the Capitals begging fans to purchase tickets before the playoff opponent was realized, so that the opponent's fans won't gobble up all the tickets.
- Only in DC would a hockey fan not be guaranteed to see their local team at a local sports bar.
- I'll bet very FEW DC residents could answer the following question, "Who is Steve Colby". In contrast, I'll bet very many DC residents could answer, "Who is Frank, Sam, and Sunny", and Frank isn't with the team any more.
DC isn't a hockey town cause of the Capitals choking history and boring style of play. Thats all changed now, thanks to Ovechkin, but it will take time to rebuild the fan base.
Posted by: sportsbogReader | April 7, 2008 8:20 PM
DC's a winners town, just like always. As long as we have a playoff-caliber hockey team, we'll be a hockey town.
Posted by: NTPNate | April 7, 2008 3:48 PM
Which is exactly why DC fans don't compare to the Flyers' fans. We're there supporting our team rain or shine.
Posted by: Pfft | April 7, 2008 6:36 PM
That's exactly why Philly fans are losers.
Posted by: right back at ya | April 7, 2008 7:08 PM
You sound like a pandering politician. No wonder you live in DC.
Posted by: Pfft | April 7, 2008 8:21 PM
i wonder if uncle mike has checked the attendance at his devils' games. they won three stanley cups and still can't draw flies. they averaged less than 100 more fans per game in a new arena with a team that competes for the division and conference title every year. imagine if the devils missed the playoffs for four years like the caps...i'm guessing they would be last in attendance. just like buffalo and pittsburgh used to be.
Posted by: Cap Fan 1 | April 7, 2008 8:55 PM
the term "bandwagon fans" come to mind. the first post said, "As long as we have a playoff-caliber hockey team, we'll be a hockey town," you guys are a joke. LET'S GO FLYERS!!!!
Posted by: derek | April 8, 2008 12:33 AM
your place was half empty last y ear when you sucked, you blowing hot air. You boo santa, you hate mcnabb, and you havent won anything in years
Posted by: flyers fans | April 8, 2008 9:35 AM
Dan, please try to get a picture of Mike Green and his playoff mohawk for those of us stuck at work and unable to make it to practices. As always, your coverage of the Caps is much appreciated!
Posted by: Kate | April 8, 2008 10:11 AM
While I could give two whiffs whether this is a sports town, or a hockey town, or whatever kinda town, I DO know that as of right now, bandwagon or not, the stands are full and the place is alive. And that's a beautiful thing.
And you can't really insult someone by telling them something they've already admitted.
Posted by: Goat | April 8, 2008 10:23 AM
I agree with an earlier poster, there are so many things to do in this region, sports compete for entertainment and recreational dollars.
Unlike Buffalo, Philly, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, etc., all of which I've spent time in, there aren't enough quality alternative activities that compete for the entertainment dollar, so sports teams have better a shot at getting those dollars on a regular basis.
Why do you think there are now over 5 million people in the metro area, because people like the activities that the region has to offer across the whole year, sports teams even the Redskins have to compete for these dollars. Winners focus peoples attention. And right now people who like sports are focusing on the Capitals, as it should be, even Manny Acta is on the bandwagon!
Posted by: OV = MVP | April 8, 2008 11:04 AM
There are over 5 million people in the area because of good jobs. Most of us are working on govt lard, directly or indirectly.
Posted by: sportsbogReader | April 8, 2008 11:47 AM
philly fans are by far the most obnoxious fans in the country and are so quick to turn on their own players (see: Mcnabb, Donovan)
DC is a transient town and most bring their allegiances with them. people who grew up here love the city's teams and it is unfair to cast a judgement with limited knowledge, but i expect nothing less from philly fans. Go back to listening to Howard Eskin and his idiotic rants and keep your dumb comments on broad st. GO CAPS!!!
-SJU class of '05, DC native
Posted by: dc | April 8, 2008 2:53 PM
Yes there are lots of good job here many of which are related to federal contracting. But there are many good jobs of the same types in Chicago, Dallas, LA, SF, NYC, Boston, etc. Quality of sports teams is not usually a defining attribute that people use to choose where they live.
Honestly, I think that most people in this region were people who were the last to be picked at recess for pick up games and who hated PE class. therefore as adults they hate pro sports and thus couldn't give two cents.
Fact is the majority of Americans don't care about any pro sports, the arguments are among a minority of us who actually do get enjoyment from following our teams no matter how good or bad. In a region of 5 million people it takes less than 1% of the population to fill Nationals Park to capacity every night. Less than 1%. Less than one half of one percent of the regions population is necessary to fill the phone booth. Wow, those are tiny percentages, but yet, usually less than that show up. Pretty remarkable in my view just on statistical terms.
Posted by: OV = MVP | April 8, 2008 3:00 PM
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DC's a winners town, just like always. As long as we have a playoff-caliber hockey team, we'll be a hockey town.