That means exactly what I said….

You want to play the gimmick game, go to frickin’ Hershey….

Along with that stupid horn, that stupid “Whoop” every time Gonchar touches the puck (yes, I know why they do it), and that stupid “Cros-by, Cros-by, Cros-by, you suck” chant….

You don’t see juvenile crap like that in traditional NHL crowds, but again, that’s why you see it in DC….

Posted by Tony F from Virginia Beach, VA on 03/08/09 at 07:38 PM ET

You don’t see juvenile crap like that in traditional NHL crowds, but again, that’s why you see it in DC….

OMG. that’s the line of the day.

The ” whoop” is a DC tradition going back to Larry Murphy. It’s basically the same thing as booing an explayer-kind of how you guys booed Marian Hossa ( maybe you should go down to wilkes-barres ).

And extending a players name is done in EVERY arena AND stadium. Like when you guys would do ” Kolllllzig. Notice they don’t do it to Malkin? We respect Malkin big time. Crosby’s qoutes and antics make him an easy target. Malkin is a beast and I will glady admit that.

Now the horn is a rare item for sure but I’m not sure why that would bother you? Maybe you should stay home since loud noises annoy you.

But come on man, DC didn’t invent the wheel-everything done here is done everywhere else. It’s funny it irks you.

You and Don Cherry both. We should all have quiet arenas that only cheer and clap when good plays are made. No booing, no chanting players names.  Hilarious. Have you been to a Pens game? Or ANY arena or stadium?

Posted by Mike Shwedick on 03/08/09 at 08:30 PM ET

I already said I knew why you did it the whoop thing, try reading next time….

You are absolutely wrong on the players name, 100% wrong…. We’ll just have to disagree on that…. I have no problem with booing, none at all….

Wow, comparing me to Cherry, that’s a new one…. Yes, I’ve been to pro/college sports games all over the country, as well as Canada….

The question is, have you ??  Because you seem to assume that whatever you do in DC is done all over the country…. Nothing could be further from the truth, and if you’ve been around at all, you’d know that….

Posted by Tony F from Virginia Beach, VA on 03/08/09 at 08:36 PM ET

no hes never been to another game tony.  caps fans cant figure out the beltway to get out of the city. 

i think in all honesty, what is most annoying is how overboard caps fans get and basically how overboard ovechkin goes when he scores, and he scores a good bit, no denying that. but its like caps fans have to cry everytime someone mentions the words crosby.  why?  ok.  a lot of people admit ovechkin is certainly a better goal scorer.  but its like, anytime i read anything about the pens, in the comments theres someone crying about crosby. 

seriously, people cry more about crosby than crosby cries.  seriously. 

maybe its because the pens have 2 cups and the caps get douched in the playoffs every year by the pens.

Posted by capssuck from whocares on 03/08/09 at 09:06 PM ET

Sid is a great player, but come on, when he complains like he does and acts like he does on the ice, he asks for that type of stuff.

Or when he punches a player in the balls when that player is already being pinned down by another Pittsburgh player. Crosby is classless and yet Ovechkin gets the bad rap for his celebrations. Maybe every player should be like Crosby during his interviews: a boring, stoned, book of hockey cliches.

Posted by SJSharkie on 03/08/09 at 10:01 PM ET

My favorite part of the game was superstar-greatest player in the league-Ovechkin’s lack of effort to get back on the Crosby goal.  Sulking all the way back to his zone because his hand got stuck in the camera hole.

That PP goal of his was sick though, and once he bothers to play defense he will be a great all-around player.

Posted by DigitalGypsy66 from SC on 03/08/09 at 10:04 PM ET

Crosby scored a goal, therefore he’s not a crybaby?

Um, ok…

Posted by Garth on 03/08/09 at 10:34 PM ET

Since goals scored in a shootout don’t count in statistics, it technically is a “Game Ending” not “game Winning” goal.

Posted by dbcooper from parts unknown on 03/08/09 at 11:24 PM ET

seriously, people cry more about crosby than crosby cries.

I’m glad someone else finds that a little strange.  It’s one thing to boo a guy if you don’t like him.  Regardless of how well-grounded your opinions are, you’re entitled to your opinion… and sure, if you don’t like a guy, boo him.  Whatever.  But to actually take time out of your day to make special preparations to bring props to a hockey game in an attempt to taunt one of the game’s best players?  Tony is right.  It’s bush league.

I know Crosby isn’t a very well-liked guy among NHL fans outside of Pittsburgh, but I feel like some people aren’t aware of how stupid they look when they go out of their way to bash him as much as some people do.  It’s as if some people sit around all day going “WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA CROSBY CRIES TOO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!11 WAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!”

Posted by rupprupp29 on 03/09/09 at 12:22 AM ET

That PP goal of his was sick though, and once he bothers to play defense he will be a great all-around player.

You think Crosby is a good defensive player? All-around player? LOL. I love the logic behind praising Crosby. Oh Crosby is a good defensive player because ... he’s Sidney Crosby. Crosbys a great leader because ... he’s Sidney Crosby. The fact is he isnt a great leader or defensive player, the same goes with Malkin and Ovechkin. Right now they are all great offensive players, in a few years they will be al-around players.

Posted by SJSharkie on 03/09/09 at 05:20 AM ET

Are you serious Jaws?

Do you actually watch Crosby on a regular basis?  He constantly backchecks and plays defense, and so does Malkin to a lesser extent.

I can’t remember the last time I saw Crosby give up on a play like Ovechkin did during that first goal.

One significant time Malkin gave up on a play was during the Eastern Conference Finals, after he got his bell rung deep in the Flyers’ zone.  He was in a perfect position to set up the point-blank slapshot on Biron.

If you are a Sharks or Caps fan, what was your team doing at that point in the season?  Golfing, right?  And if you don’t think last season was relevant, it’s about as relevant as the Valabik sack punching incident from a couple of months back.

Posted by DigitalGypsy66 from SC on 03/09/09 at 06:23 AM ET

Watch the NHL.com game recap video…Crosby made a diving leap towards the shooter in front of his own net to prevent a scoring chance late in the game.  One instance…sure…but it does show his commitment to winning and playing an all around game. 
Hate Crosby all you want because he’s the star player on a rival team, but the crybaby sh*t makes you look like you’re 8 years old.

Posted by dip from philly on 03/09/09 at 07:34 AM ET

Its called building a rivalry, its not bush league hockey.  I wish all teams had a rivalry like this.  It transcends players to include even management.

Call it what you will.  Cry about it even more.  But the bottom line is that the arena was packed and that game was one of the best I’ve seen all year.  Having fans boo Crosby and do all the other “bush league” stuff just made it sweeter when Crosby scored in the shootout.

So grow up and quit pouring gas on the fire….better yet don’t.  That just strengthens the rivalry.  Way to provoke something you disagree with.

Posted by DrW from Detroit on 03/09/09 at 07:37 AM ET

Tony F.—the real gimmick is all the so-called Pens fans who bring the Terrible Towel to hockey games (or wear the Steelers jerseys to hockey games as well).  Last I checked, that was a Steelers tradition.  My wife (who is from Brookline and can actually say she’s from Pittsburgh, unlike the geniuses from Monroeville who say they’re from the city…) absolutely despises the Pens fans who lack ingenuity and commitment to their team and so rip off the towel.  This coming from a Steelers season ticket-holder.

And yeah, my wife’s a Caps fan.  Happily wears a Caps sweater, too and absolutely hates the Pens.  Something about how Crosby is a whiner and can’t stand up for himself like a real Yinzer.

Posted by Right Winger from Centreville, VA on 03/09/09 at 08:00 AM ET

define irony - 500 fruits with pacifiers in their mouths.  their objective?  to call a 21 year old “childish”.

i hope these 2 teams meet in the playoffs.  the pens will likely spot the caps a 3-1 series lead.  history has shown us how the series will end though…

Posted by AlexOvechkin from Opposing Team's blueline(thats where i spend most on 03/09/09 at 08:01 AM ET

Psst… Tony F.

The Caps went 3-0-1 in the season series, including two wins in Pittsburgh’s barn.  Seven of eight possible points from your boys.

Where was all this big talk and bravado from the Pens fans after the first three meetings?  Oh yeah, you were all crying into your Iron City Light.

Enjoy that honorable shootout win and have a nice day.

Posted by Jason from Arlington, VA on 03/09/09 at 08:02 AM ET

Hey TonyFag, do these numbers mean anything to you?

3-0-1

But bravo, you actually managed to cry more than Crosby here.

Posted by Alex from Washington DC on 03/09/09 at 08:11 AM ET

That PP goal of his was sick though, and once he bothers to play defense he will be a great all-around player.

That was a sick goal???  OV was wide open and shot the puck off of Gonchars leg, and bounced around and went in.  Of all of OV’s goals, i would call that one lucky and not pretty…. definitely not sick.  Of course he celebrated like he did a 360 deked through 3 guys and roofed it in the upper 90 during overtime in game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals.  But that is another topic.

Posted by Gretzky_to_Lemieux on 03/09/09 at 08:18 AM ET

Yeah, 3-0-1 is pretty impressive.  But much more impressive is the thumping the Caps have received from the Pens in playoffs, when it really matters:

2001 Pens defeat Washington 4-2 1st round

2000 Pens defeat Washington 4-1 1st round

1996 Pens defeat Washington 4-2 1st round

1995 Pens defeat Washington 4-3 1st round

1994 Pens lost to Washington 4-2 1st round

1992 Pens defeat Washington 4-3 1st round

(Thanks to Raybin of thePensblog for these stats)

Posted by DigitalGypsy66 on 03/09/09 at 08:21 AM ET

If you want to talk about the games themselves, I’ll give the Caps all the props in the world this year…  They took advantage of the Pens’ lousy play earlier in the year, as they should’ve….

But I wanna know what’s next for you bush leaguers….

Lemme give you a suggestion, how about “Kleenex Night”, for that night, probably in the early rounds, when you’re bounced out of the playoffs yet again…..

Posted by Tony F from Virginia Beach, VA on 03/09/09 at 08:25 AM ET

There is a solution to getting annoyed by the Caps fans “gimmicks”:  STAY HOME IN OUR OWN DAMN BUILDING!

This is hilarious.  All the pens can eek out this year against the Caps is a shootout win, you you act all holier than Thou.

Suck on that!

Posted by Crysby needs a diaper change on 03/09/09 at 08:29 AM ET

DigitalGypsy… bringing up events from 8 years ago and farther back to claim superiority after Pittsburgh lost this season’s series so miserably?  Please. The game’s changed a bit since then… changes including the shootout which allowed your boys to get that second point yesterday.  Before the Bettman Special came into being, that would have ended as a tie, leaving the Penguins 0-3-1 on the season against the Capitals.

When you get a chance, find an MP3 of Janet Jackson’s “What Have You Done For Me Lately?” and put it on repeat.

How about you bring up those Stanley Cups that are old enough to drive while you’re at it?  1992 is a long way to go back to validate how “great” your team is, especially when (unless Canada is different than the US) your current Captain wasn’t even in kindergarten at that point.

Posted by Jason from Arlington, VA on 03/09/09 at 09:06 AM ET

hahahah wow Tony F.—- bitter much?

you are crying about fans making fun of a player crying.  they are FANS.  they paid for their ticket so they can do whatever they want.  I am a huge Caps fan and have been since i’ve been old enough to follow hockey, but i didn’t indulge in any of the anti-crosby sentiment in the arena yesterday.  that doesn’t mean it wasn’t funny though.  you act like crosby only gets crap in DC.  you’re telling me NY, Philly and NJ don’t taunt him just as much?

and shouldn’t it say something when a player who is better than crosby (malkin) gets no sort of reception from the crowd?  maybe because he goes about his business, plays hard, plays with respect for the opponent (and doesn’t jump them or punch them in the groin from behind) and shows emotion.  Caps fans have mad respect for Malkin and his game, but Crosby is just another story.

oh yea, and that was an awesome “game winning goal”.  gimme a break.

Posted by Ben from F'burg VA on 03/09/09 at 09:37 AM ET

You know, you Caps fans are pretty cocky for never winning anything.  So you beat us 3 times this year?  And?  Is that suppose to be impressive?  Win an important game in May then come talk to me.  Until then, you can whoop all you want.  You’re still a terrible sports town. 

And Jason from Arlington, VA, we were 14-6 in the 2008 Stanley Cup playoffs.  That’s not ancient history.  While true we didn’t win the Cup, we were still 2 games away from it.  Where did the Captials end up?  Oh yeah, out in the first round again.  Go put on Led Zepplin’s “The Song Remains the Same” and hit repeat.

Posted by Hept-Rossi on 03/09/09 at 09:47 AM ET

I forgot to give a shoutout to Hal Gill for his most impressive game in a Pens uniform.  Caps forwards should be ashamed for getting out raced to a puck by the USS Gill.

Posted by Hept-Rossi on 03/09/09 at 09:52 AM ET

Hept-Rossi: 

so DC is a terrible sports town eh?  how bout them pirates?  what was going on with the Penguins almost moving to Kansas City?  people talk about DC being a bandwagon town, you all had worse attendance than us just a few years back and almost got relocated because of it!  Uncle Mario had to come to the rescue again.  you’re Steelers are obviously a staple of the NFL, but don’t get all high and mighty b/c you think your DC sucks as a sports town.  the Skins have a 20 year wait list for season tickets, and thats with a constantly under achieving team.  every city is a bandwagon city, no matter what.  winning brings fans, simple as that.

oh, and you all need to get to May this year so you can win those “important games”.  it’s not a given for you yet….

love to see all the Pens fans come out and join the party after finally getting a win against the Caps in the gimmick they call a shootout.  There are no gimmicks in the playoffs, and you all were on your heels the entire last 10 minutes of the third and OT.

Posted by Ben from F'burg VA on 03/09/09 at 09:53 AM ET

I just want you to know that I pray you have a child with Downs Syndrome.  Its what you deserve.

Posted by southweststalker from DC on 03/09/09 at 10:03 AM ET

southweststalker -

thats just not cool man.  not at all.

Posted by Ben from F'burg VA on 03/09/09 at 10:05 AM ET

Wow you sure are chatty after the Pens have been stomped all over the ice all season by the Caps, and nearly blew a 3rd period lead.  That makes the season series 3-0-1 to 1-3-0, after a SHOOTOUT.  Congratulations on completely failing against the Caps all season.  You want to complain about fans?  Why not tell all these idiotic tools from Pittsburgh that they’re at a freaking HOCKEY game, not FOOTBALL.  Ben “too stupid to wear a helmet while crashing my motorcycle” Roethlisberger is not on the ice.  Take your football crap home you idiots.

Posted by Quick25 from Caps Country on 03/09/09 at 10:07 AM ET

If you are a Sharks or Caps fan, what was your team doing at that point in the season?  Golfing, right?  And if you don’t think last season was relevant, it’s about as relevant as the Valabik sack punching incident from a couple of months back.

Yeah the Sharks were golfing last May, its unfortunate they didnt have the luxury of playing in the incredibly weak Eastern conference. I hope the Pens get creamed in the first round, they deserve it after they purposely tanked their last game to play Ottawa.

Posted by SJSharkie on 03/09/09 at 10:19 AM ET

guess crosby & the pens took the high road.  you know - by not pointing (like dbags) at the caps bench after winning.

Posted by Ovechkin Floats - Big Time from Opposing Teams Blue Line on 03/09/09 at 10:50 AM ET

Hey Ben from F’burg VA, facts are facts.  You lead off with the Pirates, who have been terrible for almost the last two decades, but what about the Orioles and Nationals?  The Pirates are 619-837 this decade.  The Orioles are 634-822.  15 more wins makes you somehow vastly superior?  They haven’t been to the post season this decade either.  They are also 0-2 in the World Series against Pittsburgh.  Last time I checked, the Pirates have 5 World Series championships compared to Baltimore’s 3.  As for the Nationals, they are 284-363 so far and have never had a winning season. 

Did the Penguins move to Kansas City?  Last time I checked they have a 30 year lease with the city of Pittsburgh.  The Pirates have been here since 1882, the Steelers since 1933, and the Penguins since 1967.  So the three major professional sports teams have never left the city of Pittsburgh.  Can Washington or Baltimore make that same claim?  What about the Baltimore Colts in the NFL?  Or how about Washington losing not one, but two major league baseball teams to Minnesota and Texas?  Must be a reason teams leave that area.

Name the greatest hockey player to ever pull on a Capitals uniform.  No matter who you say, Mario Lemieux was better than they ever were or will be.  Run the numbers if you’re an idiot who is going to respond with Ovechkin.

The Steelers have had a season ticket waiting list since the 70s.  While your list has been around longer, that still only goes to show you how stupid Redskins fans are that they would want to wait to go see the mockery of a team Dan Snyder puts on the field.

Yes, it is not a given the Penguins are going to make it to the playoffs this year.  But it’s also not a given the Capitals are going to do anything in the playoffs either.  Remember, they were a #3 seed last year.  How did that work out for you?  Oh yeah, the same as it always does, a first round exit.  The Caps haven’t made it out of the first round this decade (0-4).

True, there are no gimmicks in the playoffs.  But there is also no room for having subpar goaltending that is going to be exposed during a grueling 7 game series.  In case you were wondering, Theodore has a career record of 19-24 in the playoffs.  Fleury is 15-10.  I’ll take Fleury over Theodore every single time.

Posted by Hept-Rossi on 03/09/09 at 10:58 AM ET

Hept-Rossi -

the only reason i bring up anything in Pittsburgh sports is because of your claim that DC is a terrible sports town.  I brought up examples which show Pittsburgh is on the same level with DC in most sports when it comes to success, failures, and fans.  i hate baseball and living in this area makes it harder to get into b/c of the terrible teams, much like in pittsburgh (i would assume).

a lot of you Pens fans love to attack DC and attack our fans when in essence, we are the same as you.  we want a winner, and when the team wins, fans come.  thats all i’m saying.

as for redskins fans, yes we are dumb.  but you know what?  we are also passionate, just as steelers fans are.  it’s not like we’re eagles fans who have never won a championship but think they are the greatest year in year out.

as for the greatest player to ever put on a Caps uniform?  you are seeing him right now, #8.  if that is not good enough for you because you have Mario Lemieux, then so be it.  there are 28 other teams who didn’t have Gretzky or Lemieux so i fail to see what that has to do with anything.

find me one place i said in my post that the Caps were a lock to go deep into the playoffs?  i didn’t.  i know what this team is.  it’s a high powered offense, soft as butter defense, and inconsistent goaltending.  doesn’t really sound like a recipe for playoff success.  but i also watched how this team came back from down 3-1 to philly last year and lost in OT.  this team has heart and if Jose can be like he has been the last 2 months we could do something this year, but i’m not expecting it.  but if you think Fleury is the same goalie that took you all deep in the playoffs last year, i have two words for you….Cam Ward.

remember, you brought this all up by calling DC a terrible sports town.  fact is, we got 7 out of 9 possible points against you all this year, you got 2 our of 9.  the fact that you have to resort to making cheapshots about our town shows the true colors of pens fans.

Posted by Ben from F'burg VA on 03/09/09 at 11:09 AM ET

Hept-Rossi -

oh, and who cares about baseball teams who moved out of DC in the 1950s or 60s or whenever.  way to keep up-to-date, relevant examples to help prove your point….

Posted by Ben from F'burg VA on 03/09/09 at 11:11 AM ET

But much more impressive is the thumping the Caps have received from the Pens in playoffs, when it really matters

Yeah, 8 years ago matters much more than what is happening in the present.

Posted by Garth on 03/09/09 at 11:40 AM ET

Ben from F’burg VA, the point is simple.  Pittsburgh is better than Washington/Baltimore in every area.  I don’t know why so many Captials fans are on a Penguins blog anyway.  Oh wait, yeah, I know, because you people are so caught up in the fact you are not as successful as us.  You know it in your hearts and that is what really eats away at you.

Stop trying to compare your fans to our fans.  We’re not the same.  Our teams are far more successful, our fans are all over the country, our fans travel more than any other fans combined across all major sports.  Are there not Steelers bars in Washington and Baltimore?  Do you think there is a Redskins or Ravens bar here?  Why did the Capitals put a block on selling tickets outside of their area?  Did Captials fans pack the Mellon Arena during our playoff series?  Hell no.  We may both want a winning team, but we are the ones who actually get them.

You for some reason decided to take a swipe at Lemieux.  My point was no matter who you brought up (I knew it would be Ovechkin) they would still be less of a player than Lemieux was. 

From your comment: “oh, and you all need to get to May this year so you can win those “important games”.  it’s not a given for you yet….”    While you didn’t actually say you were going to go far, you were implying that Caps fans don’t have to worry about making the playoffs like we do.  You’re 100% right.  My point was even though you are sitting pretty now during the regular season, that means absolutely nothing when it comes playoff time.  Everyone is equal come playoff time which will make Pittsburgh very dangerous if we make it. 

You obviously missed the point (or purposedly turned a blind eye to it) about the relocation of franchises.  Pittsburgh has not lost their NFL, NHL, or MLB teams.  Washington/Baltimore have lost at least 3.  It didn’t have to happen this decade to be relevant.  You brought up the Pens moving to Kansas City, which didn’t even happen.  Talk about someone using an irrelevant example to try and prove their point.

Am I on a DC blog saying how much you suck?  No.  So why are you on a Pens blog talking trash?  And it was out of a possible 8 points genius.  4 games, 2 points a piece equals 8.  I know DC has a pretty bad public school system too but you are just embarrassing yourself now.  Like a typical Caps fan, always trying to add on to something to make it greater than it actually is.

Posted by Hept-Rossi on 03/09/09 at 12:25 PM ET

wow dude, just wow. 

so i guess i am not allowed to read anything other than what is related to DC sports eh?  those damn internet laws!!

and why is it that your teams have fans all over?  THEY LEAVE PITTSBURGH.  i am not trying to bash the city like other people do, but it’s a fact.  Pittsburgh has transplants everywhere, because many people that grew up there do not live there anymore.  i know this, as i have many Pittsburgh fans as friends.

can you find me one part in anything i said that said “pittsburgh sucks”?  no, you can’t, because i didn’t say it.  i wasn’t coming on here to get into a bitch fest, but when this “writer” puts up a garbage article like this, you expect nobody to react negatively?  gimme a break man.  i didn’t come on here bashing you or your fans, just the idiot who wrote about the game yesterday.  the fans went to extremes with the crosby stuff, and like i said, i didn’t involve myself with it, i just went and watched a hell of a hockey game.

as for the relocation thing, i took a blind eye to it because first off i could care less about baltimore, so that has nothing to do with DC.  second off, you are talking about teams like the Washington Senators?  ok! awesome! who cares? i don’t even know what year that was, and it was waaay before i was even born.  if the fans are so great in Pittsburgh why did Mario have to come in and save the team from going under, in recent years?  you act like moving wasn’t a real scenario for Pittsburgh…it was.  no, it didn’t happen, but it should have never come to that.

and i also didn’t take “a swipe” at Mario.  i called him Uncle Mario, because he pretty much is Sidney’s uncle, seeing as Sid lives with Mario.  Mario is arguably the best player of all time, no argument there.

you’re taking this a bit personally my friend.

oh, and by the way, since the game went to OT yesterday, there was 9 possible points to be taken.  thats what i meant.  so we took 7 out of the possible 9 points awarded.  you took 2.  that math simple enough for ya?

Posted by Ben from F'burg VA on 03/09/09 at 12:36 PM ET

Mario is arguably the best player of all time, no argument there.

hahah i’m an idiot.  i just realized that didn’t make much sense.

Posted by Ben from F'burg VA on 03/09/09 at 12:41 PM ET

This Tony guy knows as much about hockey as my 3 year old daughter.  This link is a joke - look at the standings donkey

Posted by Chris on 03/09/09 at 12:41 PM ET

Ben from F’Burg ... you really need to look at what you’re writing.  The idea of comparing Pittsburgh and Washington as sports towns is dumb.  Just dumb.  There is nowhere near the tradition or level of success in D.C. that there is in Pittsburgh.  And as far as fanbase goes, Pittsburgh travels far better to games of every sport. 

Obviously D.C. is a place that the black and gold travels to quite frequently.  You live among millions of people there, a much bigger city than here, yet can’t keep us out of the arena/stadium.  Mr. Rossi’s examples of teams leaving actually is relevant.  It shows that you guys have been weak fans all along. 

I have family that live in Alexandria and they point out all the time that no one in D.C. is really from there and/or really cares about any of the teams there (aside from the skins).  All I’m saying is that you can try all you want, but the reality is that Pittsburgh is a better, more successful, more passionate sports city and fanbase.

Did everyone see how many Pens fans there were in Dallas a few days ago?  That was awesome.

Posted by Chris on 03/09/09 at 12:46 PM ET

This blog was linked from the Caps’ message board, which is why so many Caps fans have shown up here.

Please pay them no mind, some of them tend to be over sensitive to anything and everything.  And about a third of them didn’t exist until around this time last year when the Caps went on their hot streak to make the playoffs.  I noticed a lot more Pens fans at yesterday’s game than compared to two weeks ago.  Probably because the same group of dedicated fans dumped their tickets onto Stubhub and Ticketexchange after the Caps lost a few games last week.  They are already starting to get bored with their new toy.

BTW, I’m a Caps fan and season ticket holder, but all the Crosby bashing and the creepy obsession with him is just getting old and annoying.  And some of our newer fans, while well intended, don’t have a clue as to what the hell is going on during games.  That in and of itself is fine, but they don’t seem like they want to learn, either.  The booing of Crosby IS classless and I refuse to participate in it during games.  Don’t know about the rest of you, but it’s a rare pleasure to see three of the best players in the game suit up and play each other.

Excuse me while I throw myself off my own high horse.  Sorry if the above sounds a little “holier than though”, not my intent, but it doesn’t change the fact that it’s true.

Anyways, yesterday’s game was a good game.  I’m disappointed the Caps lost, but I think both sets of fans got to see an entertaining game.  You can’t ask for much more than that.

Posted by Rusty Shackelford from VA on 03/09/09 at 12:51 PM ET

i will have to concede the fact that pittsburgh overall has better fans and they travel in packs it seems, no denying that.

but all i am saying is that winning brings people to the seats.  us caps fans (the real ones) have gotten terrible reputations over the years as being bandwagon, bad fans, but every team has those.  those same Pittsburgh fans that are so great were barely putting 12-13K worth of fans in the seats when they were struggling (pre-crosby). 

that is all i’m saying.  everything else though, in response to Hept-Rossi is justified. 

please tell me where else i am wrong?  i don’t think i’m saying anything that is ridiculous or completely off base? 

DC has a strong fan base, but they are a fickle group.  I will pay to go to Caps games no matter what, and i did so when we were terrible.  a lot of people won’t do that though.  if the team is bad, there won’t be fans in the stands (exceptions being montreal and toronto).  Look at Colorado…they sold out for a few consecutive seasons at home, then one down year and there aren’t nearly the amount of fans there as before.

Pittsburgh has a great sports tradition and history and i probably under-stated that when comparing them to DC, but i don’t see how i am saying anything that is ridiculous or false, otherwise.

Posted by Ben from F'burg VA on 03/09/09 at 12:52 PM ET

You can read all you want, but when you come on a Penguins blog bad mouthing the writer, who is a blogging friend of mine, then chime in on what I said in a comment, of course I’m going to say something to you. 

Ben, come on, stop showing your ignorance.  There wasn’t an extra point awarded because the game went to overtime.  If Washington would have lost in regulation, the season series would have been 3-1 Washington.  That would have been 6 points.  Because you got to overtime yesterday, you got an extra point.  So you got 7 out of the possible 8 points.  By your logic, if a team won every single game in overtime they would have 246 points in a 82 game season.  Not only are we more passionate fans, we also know the rules of the game.

At least we can agree that Lemieux was arguably the best player of all time and Philadelphia has the worst sports fans.  I also like Capitals fans a helluva lot more than Red Wings and Rangers fans.  Case closed.

Posted by Hept-Rossi on 03/09/09 at 12:55 PM ET

I like Rusty Shackelford.  He is the kind of Capitals fan I could go have a beer with after the game.

Posted by Hept-Rossi on 03/09/09 at 12:56 PM ET

the teams real fans can’t help that there are bandwagoners in the arena every game.  all we can do is try to make them into real fans who won’t sell their tickets to penguins fans when we lose three in a row.

for what it’s worth, the % of Pitt fans these last two games has been remarkably less than any time in the past.

Posted by Ben from F'burg VA on 03/09/09 at 12:57 PM ET

for what it’s worth, the % of Pitt fans these last two games has been remarkably less than any time in the past.

And the only reason it wasn’t 4-5,000 Pens fans (again) is that Ted changed the ticket policy, so that you had to buy a minimum of a six-pack of games to attend at least one game… In fact, that six-pack of games did NOT include both Pens games….

I know this because I get at least 4-5 calls from the Caps ticket office every year…

Talk about paranoia….

Posted by Tony F from Virginia Beach, VA on 03/09/09 at 01:00 PM ET

Hept -

i don’t mind you coming to the defense of your friend at all, i would expect nothing less.  but when you bad mouth my team and my fans, and i read it, of course i am going to say something.  fair?

as for the 8 vs 9 point thing.  look dude, i’m not an idiot.  i know not all games are worth 3 points, i’ve been watching hockey all my life.  but the bottom line is since one game did go to OT there was 9 possible points in the series.  we got 7.  if you want to say we got 7 out of 8, thats fine, it’s actually a better % for us right? 

don’t give me Not only are we more passionate fans, we also know the rules of the game.

i know the rules of the game, i was simply stating the facts of the teams series this year.  you really like to keep harping on little things like this?  you seem to be a reasonable person and a knowledgeable fan, then you go and say something stupid like this that completely lumps one fanbase together?  not necessary.

yes, Philly fans suck a lot and Ranger fans are annoying (but my Dad is one so i can’t hate too much).  Red Wings fans think their shit doesn’t stink, so i agree with you there.

Posted by Ben from F'burg VA on 03/09/09 at 01:04 PM ET

And the only reason it wasn’t 4-5,000 Pens fans (again) is that Ted changed the ticket policy, so that you had to buy a minimum of a six-pack of games to attend at least one game… In fact, that six-pack of games did NOT include both Pens games….

is it paranoia or is it smart business?  last i checked the building was sold out yesterday and the previous game a few weeks back.  somebody is paying the money and it happens to be Caps fans.  if there are fewer Pens fans, so be it,  thats the way it should be.

Posted by Ben from F'burg VA on 03/09/09 at 01:05 PM ET

Rusty Shakelford, if booing Crosby is “classless” how do you feel watching the Caps play any bigger rival (Pitt, Buffalo, Philly, etc.) and hearing OV get boo’ed?  Caps fan my ass.

Posted by Quick25 from Caps Country on 03/09/09 at 01:31 PM ET

One thing thats always good to yell at the Pengwines fans is “If you love Pittsburgh so much, why don;t you move back???”  All the tools from that crap town move everywhere else in the country because their town blows and they need to find work elsewhere.

Posted by Quick25 from Caps Country on 03/09/09 at 01:35 PM ET

Quick 25,

Easy answer to your question - I think it’s just as classless when fans of other teams boo Ovechkin.  I know that it’s considered an accepted part of sports that fans will boo superstars of other teams.  I guess I am less of a hockey fan because I happen to disagree with it.  Just cause they do it doesn’t mean we have to as well. 

I’ve been watching hockey my whole life, but at the end of the day, as with all sports, we’re living viacariously through the accomplishments of other grown men.  I just can’t get that worked up over it.  Sorry if I’m less of a Caps fan now.  I’ll cancel my ticket plan and watch golf instead.

Posted by Rusty Shackelford from VA on 03/09/09 at 02:08 PM ET

Quick 25,

Everyone moved out in the 70s-80s because of the fall of the steel industry.  They had to move to get jobs and work.  However, they stayed fans. 

Those people had to leave — not wanted to.  They are the greatest Penguins/Steelers/Pirates fans of all of us.

Posted by Chris on 03/09/09 at 02:34 PM ET

And this is why hockey blogs that have nothing to do with either team write stories about Crosby v. Ovechkin. (see Puckdaddy)
Most of your posts get a handfull of comments, this one gets into the 50’s.

Anyone who says Crosby or Ovechkin aren’t both great players is a joke. Its just that simple.

Crosby whines.
Ovechkin hits people from behind and gloats.

You give me the ball punch, I give you the Dustin Brown “incident.”

No one is every going to convice the other that their argument is correct, so why don’t we all just STFU and enjoy hockey? That sounds like a great plan.

But as far as Pens vs Caps goes, well thats a different story. Sure you beat us three times this season, but aren’t the Pens like 11-4 against the Caps in the last couple seasons? Not to mention its regular season, and we all know that means jack.
The Flyers killed the Pens in the season series if I remember correctly, and look at what happened to them in the playoffs.

I’m not saying the Pens are guaranteed to kill the Caps or anything, but both sides need to hold off the smack talking until they face each other in a meaningful game.

Posted by kstewy16 on 03/09/09 at 02:41 PM ET

And yes, I know that The Confluence is a Pens blog, I was just using this as an example for why OTHER blogs that have nothing to do with either team write up stories about Crosby vs Ovechkin.

Posted by kstewy16 on 03/09/09 at 02:43 PM ET

Quick 25,

“Pengwines fans”. That is so clever and original. It is funny because it is a play on words. Not only are we Penguins fans, but you are also implying that we “whine” (whine is spelled with a “wh” by the way. wine is something you drink) alot.  It has never ceased to amaze how clever you guys are. Lets be honest it takes real comedic talent to come up with a line like “why don’t you move back there”. And the best part is I bet you were able to come up with that off the top of your head. I hope that we don’t have face the Capitals in the playoffs if there are guys like you who can come up with such stinging one-liners like that.

And honestly what is up with this obsession with Sidney Crosby? I would bet that Capitals fans had more stuff with Crosbys name on it than Ovechkins name. Can we say inferiority complex??

Posted by Travis from Kent, OH on 03/09/09 at 02:55 PM ET

also who do you think got a bigger laugh from the pacifiers? the 500 or so ADULTS that had pacifiers in their mouth, thinking it was hilarious to taunt crosby? OR Sidney Crosby getting to see 500 or so ADULTS with pacifiers in their mouth??

I mean come on if you can make 500 people hate you enough that they put pacifiers in their mouths, than you have definately won that battle..

Posted by Travis from Kent, OH on 03/09/09 at 03:03 PM ET

Travis -

i agree about the pacifier thing.  as i said before, being a caps fan, i did not take part in any of the Sidney-bashing goin on at the game.  dude’s a great hockey player, but some recent questionable judgment (the Valabik and McLean incidents) not to mention his comments referring to Ovechkin are going to have backlash from any fanbase, especially a rival one. 

the pacifiers though, were a little stupid.  luckily i only saw a few people actually waving them during the game and i saw nobody with them in their mouth.  i might have wanted to leave if that were the case.

bottom line is that these two teams have the three brightest stars in the NHL (malkin, OV, crosby) not to mention guys like semin (63 points in 48 games?? wow!), backstrom, staal and fleury who are going to carry this rivalry for a long time, and it’s gonna be great to watch.

Posted by Ben from F'burg VA on 03/09/09 at 03:08 PM ET

Wow, great job Travis, you got a simple joke.  Nice sarcasm as well, nothing refutes people’s arguments better then a long winded sarcastic rant.  The best fans left that crummy town when all the jobs left?  Says a lot about Pittsburgh.  The most hardcore of supporters abandoned the town 30 years ago and never move back.

Posted by Quick25 from Caps Country on 03/09/09 at 05:08 PM ET

Obsession with Crosby?  Hah, go on the Pensblog and count how many photoshops people send in insulting Ovechkin, you want to talk about obsessed…

Posted by quick25 on 03/09/09 at 05:11 PM ET

Big surprise, a Pens fan who no longer lives in Pittsburgh crying about something else.  Hey Tony F, why don’t you save your angst for the Caps and just lament over the fact that Pittsburgh is a crappy town with a crappy economy and crappy people who all leave because the city offers nothing itself but sports teams to snivel over by fans like yourself who have all abandoned the city years earlier.  But no, let’s use sports to sound the trumpet for a sewer of a city none of you live in anymore?  Pittsburgh is a blight to Pennsylvania and its just too bad the Pens didn’t end up leaving like the majority of Pittsburgh residents do.

Posted by Flyers rule from the better part of PA on 03/09/09 at 05:24 PM ET

Flyers rule,

That’s an awful lot of criticism for a city that has been named:

- #1 Most Livable City in America (Rand McNally)

- Best Arts Destination in the Country (American Style Magazine)

- One of the World’s Top 10 Cleanest / Greenest Cities (Forbes Magazine)

- One of the US’s Top 25 Cities to Relocate To (Expansion Management Magazine)

Posted by rupprupp29 on 03/09/09 at 05:40 PM ET

Travis from Kent, OH

“Pengwines fans”. That is so clever and original. It is funny because it is a play on words. It has never ceased to amaze how clever you guys are.

I seem to recall seeing the name “Crapitals” all over the PENS discussion boards. How clever is that?

Posted by DCDewey from Fairfax, VA on 03/09/09 at 05:48 PM ET

The only thing I’m going to say about the DC fanbase for sports is that it has five major league sports playing currently in four different venues:
- NHL - Capitals - Verizon Center
- NFL - Redskins, FedEx Field
- MLB - Nationals, Nationals Park
- NBA - Wizards, Verizon Center
- MLS - DC United - RFK Stadium (moving in a few years to a new facility)

That is a quite a diverse selection of sports to choose from!

Posted by DCDewey from Fairfax, VA on 03/09/09 at 05:57 PM ET

This blog just embarrassed us Pens fans.

Posted by Jimmy from Pitt on 03/09/09 at 06:04 PM ET

DC area generates more ticket revenue (from fans), than many other cities. Enough so to keep five pro teams interested in staying here!

Here endith the lesson!

Posted by DCDewey from Fairfax, VA on 03/09/09 at 06:12 PM ET

Philadelphia (and Washington for that matter) has one of the highest crime rates in the entire country and Pittsburgh is a “blight” on Pennsylvania?  It must really stick in the craw of Philadelphians that it would take about 10 more championships to even come close to the success that Pittsburgh has had.  And after waiting so long, the one year when a Philly team does win a championship 3 months later the black and gold come in and steal that thunder.  I don’t believe regular season standings mean all that much but the Penguins are 4-1 against the flyers this year not to mention the Pens in 5 Eastern Finals last year.  Flyers fans have no grounds to talk shit whatsoever against Pittsburgh

Posted by Tim on 03/09/09 at 06:26 PM ET

wow first time on this page…..penguins fans must love to live in the distant past…24 years ago they were good…any way…ovechkin is a man and the man ...sidney is a boy ...a talented boy for sure, i respect his abilities ....but he is a boy….maybe he will grow up and one day stop punching people in the nuts…. hilarious that he’s done it twice now….penguins are a joke this year ..even with guerin you wont be in the playoffs….

Posted by penguins dont cry they weep from maryland on 03/09/09 at 07:23 PM ET

To the Caps fans who want to accuse Crosby of whining too much, how about Ovechkin in yesterday’s game after Tom Poti rang one off the bar?  Ovechkin stopped somewhere in the middle of his three-act goal celebration and spent the next 15-20 seconds bitching at the ref and waiving his arms in the air… WHILE THE GAME WAS STILL GOING ON!!!  His team was trying to play hockey, and he’s giving the ref an earful.

The rest of the Caps were probably happy though, since they actually got an opportunity to touch the puck.

Posted by rupprupp29 on 03/09/09 at 07:59 PM ET

Hey penguins dont cry they weep from maryland, wasn’t Pittsburgh in the Stanley Cup Finals last year?  How is that the distant past?  Where were the Capitals last year?  Sitting at home after the first round again?  While true, it has been 17 years since our last Stanley Cup Championship, but when exactly was the last time the Captials won the Cup?  Oh yeah, that’s right, never.

Posted by Hept-Rossi on 03/09/09 at 10:35 PM ET

I’m loving all the Pitt people coming in to say “Pittsburgh doesn’t suck!  Its actually quite amazing!”  Of course most these people don’t actually LIVE there anymore or anything.  Its much better to live and work hundreds of miles away and cheer for the old home town rather then actually live there I guess?

Posted by Quick25 on 03/09/09 at 10:52 PM ET

@quick25

Where do you get the idea that none of us live in Pittsburgh anymore? At the very least there are 17,132 faithful fans that still reside in the Greater Pittsburgh Area because they “standing-room only” sellout every game with that attendance. Sure, take a few hundred off for the visiting fans.

I can assure you that there are many Pittsburgh sports fans that still reside within the area.

Posted by e.mirchich from Pittsburgh on 03/09/09 at 11:01 PM ET

This is really becoming a waste and has nothing to do with hockey anymore.  The reality is that the Pens won on Sunday and now Caps fans are scared because their team is under .500 in its last 10 games while the Pens are 8-1-1.

Here’s to HCDB.

In Shero We Trust.

I can’t wait until these two teams play in the first round.  Then the black and gold can party on the museum steps just like we did on Sunday.

Posted by Chris on 03/09/09 at 11:09 PM ET

Late to the party, but I wanted to join in just for the under-educated fans of other teams who feel that Pittsburgh’s significant population loss of the last three decades somehow makes the city a lousy worthless rust-belt wasteland of a sewer full of trash that can’t support itself, or something like that.

Sorry that a lot of people were forced to leave because of their jobs.  We all know sports are much more important. 

“If it’s so great, then why don’t you move back there???”

See, that’s the funny thing.  If you ask a lot of people who left Pittsburgh, they’ll tell you they wish they could.  (‘cause the cost of living’s pretty nice, compared to something like the Bos-Wash corridor….)
Or that if they find a job there, they’re going home.

Because this is what they miss, wherever they are.
All that stuff around the…confluence.

But, yeah, keep talking smack about how Pgh (not “Pitts”, by the way) is a craphole without an economy because you don’t like the Pens or their fans.  Makes you sound real smart, like you have an actual clue what you’re talking about.  Maybe now you can move on to disliking Pittsburgh the city, too, because this is why somebody said

“When you play Pittsburgh, you play the entire city.”

.  This is why.

Posted by nu on 03/10/09 at 01:06 AM ET

I love how the Pens win in a SHOOTOUT and act like they won game 7. Wow things are really bad in shitsburgh. Grow up.

Posted by lets go caps from ny on 03/10/09 at 06:39 AM ET

Touche!

Pitt fans are trying to salvage their season…

Posted by DCDewey from Fairfax, VA on 03/10/09 at 06:52 AM ET

You know its funny all these DC people coming on here and talking crap on the city in a hockey blog.  For the record, I just moved BACK to Pittsburgh from Fairfax. To be honest, I’m not an ignorant idiot like the caps fans on here so I can freely admit that I liked DC. Did I like it more than the ‘Burgh? No. But to each his own.  I’d love to hear where all these people are actually from, considering barely anyone that lives in DC is actually FROM DC (including the jackass making fun of people that live in Monroeville who say they’re from Pittsburgh, unless he lives in the DC city limits he should shut his mouth and get off his high horse…...because people really identify with Monroeville when they don’t know the Pittsburgh area).  The only reason there are so many more jobs in DC is because of the government.  Government jobs don’t go away morons.  And as far as comparing the troubles that teams have had with attendance, there really isn’t one.  How much larger of a market is DC than Pittsburgh (and shut up about the DC United…..does that mean we can count the Pittsburgh Passion women’s football team too?)

I digress….we’ll see who has the last laugh, enjoy your annual first round chokejob.

Posted by Steve from PITTSBURGH on 03/10/09 at 09:14 AM ET

Steve -

Caps fans are glad you moved back.  That’s one less mullet in and around the DC area.

Posted by Ben from F'burg VA on 03/10/09 at 09:21 AM ET

Not trying to get into this argument, just thought this little nugget needed to be posted again

it’s about as relevant as the Valabik sack punching incident from a couple of months back.

Posted by Big A from VA on 03/10/09 at 10:13 AM ET

I wasn’t aware Fredricksberg was considered the DC area…..does that mean its considered Richmond area too?

Posted by Steve from PITTSBURGH on 03/10/09 at 10:48 AM ET

F’burg is 50 miles from DC.  Richmond is about 50 miles south of F’burg.  so, no Richmond is not considered the DC area.

Posted by Ben from F'burg VA on 03/10/09 at 11:01 AM ET

Steve from PITTSBURGH

For the record, my father was in the military so we moved alot (not by my choice), but bounced back and forth several times to DC. After college, I moved here by choice and I have been here ever since the early-mid 80’s. So, YES, I am NOT from DC, but I think that 25+ years (since becoming an adult) qualifies as a “local or native fan”.

Posted by DCDewey from Fairfax, VA on 03/10/09 at 11:50 AM ET

DCDewey:

I have absolutely no problem with people not actually from a city being fans of a team as long as they are dedicated, which you sound to be.  I brought that up because someone earlier was criticizing Pittsburgh fans about this.

Ben:

Thanks for the clarification…..and if you want to talk about mullets, you’re from Fairfax, take Lee Highway down to 28 and hit Manassas.

Posted by Steve from PITTSBURGH on 03/10/09 at 12:37 PM ET

Steve -

yes, trust me i know how bad Manassas is.  It’s an interesting area to say the least.

didn’t mean to swipe at ya bout the mullets too, i’m not usually one to fling the insults on a blog, i just saw waaaay too many 80s haircuts at the game Sunday!

Posted by Ben from F'burg VA on 03/10/09 at 12:42 PM ET

Steve from PITTSBURGH

Yes, I have been a CAPS fan since around ‘85, and a Skins fan since the mid-70’s. Not much of an NBA, MLB, or even an MLS fan for that matter. If they ever get good again, I would probably be considered a “bandwagoner” for those teams. As far as I’m concerned, its NFL / NHL that take all my energies on/off seasons.

Posted by DCDewey from Fairfax, VA on 03/10/09 at 02:13 PM ET

Up 2-0, fool!!!

LETS GO CAPS!!!!

Posted by Matt from Bmore on 05/05/09 at 08:39 PM ET

so yeah, the pens won the cup!!
caps eliminated once AGAIN by the pens! and game 7 would have to be epic, i mean i dont really think it was even a game, since the caps couldn’t really play cuz they were “injured” awww =[ LMAO!!!!

GO PENS!!!

P.S.: the red got ROCKED! LMAOOOO!!!

Posted by ♥PENS♥ from Arlington, VA on 05/20/09 at 08:57 PM ET