The Toronto Maple Leafs have had trouble accumulating points all season. Tomas Fleischmann has had trouble accumulating points this month, which is to say he has had none. The Leafs spent the night being mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, but Tomas came through with his biggest point of the season, scoring the overtime game-winner following a game full of Beninati-and-Laughlin insistences that he has done well vs. the Lightning pretty much forever. Perhaps he took advantage of some of that loosey-goosey hockey Laughlin accused Tampa of playing.
In any case, Tomas came through with the goal, fed nicely by Brooks Laich, still fresh off his 20th goal on an amazing shorthanded sequence in the first period. Of course it’s foolish to mention that goal without first mentioning Cristobal Huet’s amazing penalty-killing save moments before. Such was the grandeur of the save I commented to Mrs. DCO that it could have been the save that clinched his contract extension. Let’s hope so. Let’s also ignore the fact that Jeff Halpern scored moments later on the very same power play.
Well, we were a little wrong with a couple of our prognostications, namely the Ovechkin-pulling-away-in-the-scoring-race prediction and the tied-with-Boston, ready-to-take-on-the-Canadiens-in-the-first-round prediction. No matter. Each was merely delayed, like Judgment Day was merely delayed in Terminator 2.
While everyone knows Alex eschews personal gains in favor of team wins (no more perfect example than tonight), let’s look at the scoring race anyhow. Evgeni Malkin picked up one point tonight, to put him still four points behind Ovechkin (no goals or assists for Sidney, though I’m sure each of his three shots on goal in his triumphant return were positively mesmerizing and further proof he is the Greatest Hockey Player Ever For All Time). Not a bad place to be for one who is chasing a scoring title and an MVP trophy. Of course, second intermission guest and respected opinionater Phil Esposito called Ovechkin the MVP “without a doubt…even if [they] don’t make the playoffs he’s still the MVP. Love you, Phil.
The Caps are still two mere points back. It surely would have been nice to be tied at this point, but with Toronto’s whimperingly pathetic, silent fade into the offseason against the Bruins, it wasn’t meant to be. Not yet anyway.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Caps Set to Cool Off Another Opponent
Fresh off of cooling down those red-hot Hurricanes, the Capitals are now threatened with the red-hot Jeff Halpern, he of the 15 points in 13 games. Or is that the Treasonous Jeff Halpern? Maybe. We did appreciate Halpern’s time in Washington, particularly his enthusiastic dislike for all things Pittsburgh; everyone can get behind that. We appreciate almost as much the irony in his bolting of the young, struggling, re-building 2005 Caps (not to mention his captaincy, after that lovely season-closing speech on Fan Appreciation Day) for the lush, contender-laiden fields of Dallas, only to end up in imminently struggling, re-building Tampa. From his perch as a center in the Lightning lineup, he will have a fine view of his now-division-rival Caps as they ascend to the realm of Contender he so eagerly sought (perhaps as eagerly as that $2 million/year salary he got from the Stars). Oh the irony. Jeff Hamlet.
Expect a couple of things from tonight’s game. First, expect to see Alex O. further extend his lead in the NHL scoring race against a dilapidated Tampa lineup. Evgeni “not MVP” Malkin has helped already with a pair of consecutive pointless games (hmm, sounds like a certain teammate’s last two playoff games), and Ovie can do a big part in putting that race to rest tonight. Second, expect the Caps to be tied for that eighth spot in the Conference by about 10:30 PM. Boston may have fought off Toronto on the road earlier this week, but they’ve lost 8-2 at home against the Leafs before and they can do it again. So in tomorrow’s “If the playoffs started today…” columns, we’ll see Montreal vs. Washington as the first matchup. And disregard Boston’s precious game in hand. Such things mean nothing to a fraudulent, slumping team.
As if that weren’t enough to look forward to, we can also eagerly anticipate a flood of glowing stories tomorrow morning dramatically chronicling the return of everyone’s favorite anointed golden boy prince. He feels “strong”, and “a lot better”. Wow. If that doesn’t spell “sizzle” and/or “dazzle” I don’t know what does.
Expect a couple of things from tonight’s game. First, expect to see Alex O. further extend his lead in the NHL scoring race against a dilapidated Tampa lineup. Evgeni “not MVP” Malkin has helped already with a pair of consecutive pointless games (hmm, sounds like a certain teammate’s last two playoff games), and Ovie can do a big part in putting that race to rest tonight. Second, expect the Caps to be tied for that eighth spot in the Conference by about 10:30 PM. Boston may have fought off Toronto on the road earlier this week, but they’ve lost 8-2 at home against the Leafs before and they can do it again. So in tomorrow’s “If the playoffs started today…” columns, we’ll see Montreal vs. Washington as the first matchup. And disregard Boston’s precious game in hand. Such things mean nothing to a fraudulent, slumping team.
As if that weren’t enough to look forward to, we can also eagerly anticipate a flood of glowing stories tomorrow morning dramatically chronicling the return of everyone’s favorite anointed golden boy prince. He feels “strong”, and “a lot better”. Wow. If that doesn’t spell “sizzle” and/or “dazzle” I don’t know what does.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Honoring Ovie and Debunking Myths, All In One Article!
The March 24th issue of Sports Illustrated contains a (prophetic?) feature article on Alex Ovechkin and his now-completed quest for 60 goals. It’s a fine piece of sports journalism, one rife with complimentary superlatives from foe and friend. Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of this article, however, was the complete absence of any reference to Sidney Crosby. Finally, perhaps, Alex has shed nearly three years of his name never being more than a breath away from Sid’s. Even at the All Star Game, Ovechkin’s potential solo-ness was overshadowed by the fresh grief of NHL writers everywhere over Sidney’s tender little ankle.
Brilliant article penner Michael Farber caught the attention of DCO Hall of Fame ballot-casters with his masterful tribute to the quest for 60. This work does indeed make a strong case for his induction, though the DCO HOF ultimately decided to exercise prudent restraint, knowing that the hallowed halls honoring DC names such as Stevenson and Lannan must be carefully guarded. While Farber is on a short list of potential future inductees, we must always be wary of a backslide into robotic Crosby worship, which would clearly be an embarrassment to the DCO HOF (and make for some awkward situations in the Deshawn Stevenson Accurate Player Assessment Wing). For the moment, however, well done Mr. Farber.
We at DCO also appreciate a small, easily overlooked portion late in the article that helps to debunk some Ovechkin myths. First, the silly notion that Ovie’s stats are padded by playing in the Southeast Division. Farber statistically annihilates this nonsense. Second, Alex’s growth as a “playmaker” are acknowledged, in that he “passes smartly and uses his teammates more effectively than he once did.”
This last part especially is important, since it contradicts the top knocks on Alex by Crosby apologists who positively bristle at any perceived threat to their Anointed One’s status of Greatest Hockey Player Forever mantle. These knocks include the notions that Ovechkin is “selfish”, “not a playmaker”, does not possess “good vision” (i.e., the ability to consistently blindly and randomly throw the puck into the crease, occasionally resulting in a good-looking goal) or “not good at defense”.
Last week’s game against the Predators contained concrete examples to debunk such absurd detractions. Selfish? Not a playmaker? See the beautiful, hockey-vision-aided set-up of Nicklas Backstrom in the first period for a 2-0 lead (a similar but more beautiful set-up was seen in the win against the Thrashers). Selfish? Not good at defense? See the heart-stopping, potentially foot-breaking, body-bruising shot blocking, particularly towards the end of the game with the Predators’ net empty and Nashville pushing hard for the tying goal. See also the lack of an attempt to wildly fire the puck towards the empty net. See the calm, time-killing easy chip out of the defensive zone that just happened to result in an empty net goal. Unselfish, team-centric play rewarded. Unselfish, team-centric style of play also confirmed by his +23 this season.
More on “not a playmaker”: this derision likely stems from some sort of misguided mathematical notion that one must have a certain proportion of goals to assists (that is, more assists than goals) to qualify as a truly well-rounded player. So a player like Crosby or non-MVP Evgeni Malkin might more readily qualify as a “playmaker” because they score fewer goals and rack up a few more secondary assists, comfortably “balancing” their stat lines towards the assists column.
Ovechkin makes plenty of plays, too, they just happen to be goal-scoring plays. Lots of them. Ironically, perhaps too many of them for the “playmaking” crowd’s liking. If he were sitting at 45 goals and 46 assists instead of 60 goals and 46 assists, he might more readily be called a well-rounded player, and not a “selfish” one. And what’s that all about, “selfish” being the go-to derisive label for prolific goal-scorers (at least those without the aforementioned cozy goal-to-assist ratio)? Is a league-leading total of ten game winning goals selfish? Those helped the team quite a bit.
It is perhaps ridiculous to sit here and complain about the detractors when Alex is rightly piling up accolades as he churns towards multiple trophies and the Caps churn towards the playoffs, but it’s always good to brush up on counter-arguments to ridiculous statements made by ridiculous people who blindly accept ridiculous proclamations on who is supposed to be the NHL’s best player.
Thus the NHL's non-anointed-from-birth best player leads his team against the Hurricanes tonight; those pesky Hurricanes who just will not give up their division leading perch. They're 11-2 in their past 13 games. Pretty hot, you could say. But we know what happens when the play hot teams, don't we?
Brilliant article penner Michael Farber caught the attention of DCO Hall of Fame ballot-casters with his masterful tribute to the quest for 60. This work does indeed make a strong case for his induction, though the DCO HOF ultimately decided to exercise prudent restraint, knowing that the hallowed halls honoring DC names such as Stevenson and Lannan must be carefully guarded. While Farber is on a short list of potential future inductees, we must always be wary of a backslide into robotic Crosby worship, which would clearly be an embarrassment to the DCO HOF (and make for some awkward situations in the Deshawn Stevenson Accurate Player Assessment Wing). For the moment, however, well done Mr. Farber.
We at DCO also appreciate a small, easily overlooked portion late in the article that helps to debunk some Ovechkin myths. First, the silly notion that Ovie’s stats are padded by playing in the Southeast Division. Farber statistically annihilates this nonsense. Second, Alex’s growth as a “playmaker” are acknowledged, in that he “passes smartly and uses his teammates more effectively than he once did.”
This last part especially is important, since it contradicts the top knocks on Alex by Crosby apologists who positively bristle at any perceived threat to their Anointed One’s status of Greatest Hockey Player Forever mantle. These knocks include the notions that Ovechkin is “selfish”, “not a playmaker”, does not possess “good vision” (i.e., the ability to consistently blindly and randomly throw the puck into the crease, occasionally resulting in a good-looking goal) or “not good at defense”.
Last week’s game against the Predators contained concrete examples to debunk such absurd detractions. Selfish? Not a playmaker? See the beautiful, hockey-vision-aided set-up of Nicklas Backstrom in the first period for a 2-0 lead (a similar but more beautiful set-up was seen in the win against the Thrashers). Selfish? Not good at defense? See the heart-stopping, potentially foot-breaking, body-bruising shot blocking, particularly towards the end of the game with the Predators’ net empty and Nashville pushing hard for the tying goal. See also the lack of an attempt to wildly fire the puck towards the empty net. See the calm, time-killing easy chip out of the defensive zone that just happened to result in an empty net goal. Unselfish, team-centric play rewarded. Unselfish, team-centric style of play also confirmed by his +23 this season.
More on “not a playmaker”: this derision likely stems from some sort of misguided mathematical notion that one must have a certain proportion of goals to assists (that is, more assists than goals) to qualify as a truly well-rounded player. So a player like Crosby or non-MVP Evgeni Malkin might more readily qualify as a “playmaker” because they score fewer goals and rack up a few more secondary assists, comfortably “balancing” their stat lines towards the assists column.
Ovechkin makes plenty of plays, too, they just happen to be goal-scoring plays. Lots of them. Ironically, perhaps too many of them for the “playmaking” crowd’s liking. If he were sitting at 45 goals and 46 assists instead of 60 goals and 46 assists, he might more readily be called a well-rounded player, and not a “selfish” one. And what’s that all about, “selfish” being the go-to derisive label for prolific goal-scorers (at least those without the aforementioned cozy goal-to-assist ratio)? Is a league-leading total of ten game winning goals selfish? Those helped the team quite a bit.
It is perhaps ridiculous to sit here and complain about the detractors when Alex is rightly piling up accolades as he churns towards multiple trophies and the Caps churn towards the playoffs, but it’s always good to brush up on counter-arguments to ridiculous statements made by ridiculous people who blindly accept ridiculous proclamations on who is supposed to be the NHL’s best player.
Thus the NHL's non-anointed-from-birth best player leads his team against the Hurricanes tonight; those pesky Hurricanes who just will not give up their division leading perch. They're 11-2 in their past 13 games. Pretty hot, you could say. But we know what happens when the play hot teams, don't we?
Saturday, March 22, 2008
The Comeback Win of a Comeback Season
Could last night’s stirring third-period storm-back against Atlanta have been more representative the Caps’ season? Coming back to win a game when trailing after two periods (by two goals no less), after compiling a record of 0-45-5 in their last 50 previous such situations? Could this be, on a smaller scale, equivalent to coming back from a record of 6-14 (last in the Eastern Conference) in November to make the playoffs in April? Yes.
Losing to the Thrashers would not only have been a horrid blow to post-season hopes, it would have been completely, maddeningly frustrating, seeing as how Atlanta has been utterly useless of late in helping the Caps gain ground in the playoff hunt. Their apparent punting of their season a few weeks ago at the trading deadline was almost as much of a blow to the Caps’ chances as a loss last night in Atlanta could have been. With the teams the Caps are chasing piling up wins and points at the Thrashers’ expense, it was important for Washington to do so as well.
Perhaps Nicklas Backstrom is finally heeding the call to shoot more when presented with an open lane to the net, rather than making the final, perfect pass for the exceedingly beautiful goal (which he is capable of making). His two-goals-in-32-seconds were a harbinger of seasons of greater goal-scoring prowess to accompany his already well-established assist accumulating acumen. Call his saving of this game and season yet another exhibit for his Calder trophy case. Once that trophy is in hand, perhaps he will no longer be confused with similarly named players.
Then of course there’s Ovie and his 60 goals, a feat last accomplished in the NHL when he was ten years old. How appropriate that the March 24 issue of Sports Illustrated featured an article on this now-completed quest. More on that, and a debunking of some cruel Ovie myths, in another post.
Losing to the Thrashers would not only have been a horrid blow to post-season hopes, it would have been completely, maddeningly frustrating, seeing as how Atlanta has been utterly useless of late in helping the Caps gain ground in the playoff hunt. Their apparent punting of their season a few weeks ago at the trading deadline was almost as much of a blow to the Caps’ chances as a loss last night in Atlanta could have been. With the teams the Caps are chasing piling up wins and points at the Thrashers’ expense, it was important for Washington to do so as well.
Perhaps Nicklas Backstrom is finally heeding the call to shoot more when presented with an open lane to the net, rather than making the final, perfect pass for the exceedingly beautiful goal (which he is capable of making). His two-goals-in-32-seconds were a harbinger of seasons of greater goal-scoring prowess to accompany his already well-established assist accumulating acumen. Call his saving of this game and season yet another exhibit for his Calder trophy case. Once that trophy is in hand, perhaps he will no longer be confused with similarly named players.
Then of course there’s Ovie and his 60 goals, a feat last accomplished in the NHL when he was ten years old. How appropriate that the March 24 issue of Sports Illustrated featured an article on this now-completed quest. More on that, and a debunking of some cruel Ovie myths, in another post.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Acquisitions Help Acquire Wins
In our recap of Friday’s game vs. the Thrashers, we noted that all the Fedorov-to-Cooke shorthanded dagger lacked was a sparkling save by Cristobal Huet to complete the Trade Deadline Payoff Play. It turns out all we had to do was wait a couple of days for Huet to shut down the Bruins to complete the Trade Deadline Payoff Weekend, which was far superior to the preceeding Attempted Hope-Crushing Weekend.
Not that Fedorov, Cooke, and Huet haven’t been sparkling since the moment they donned Caps’ uniforms, but this weekend was truly their we’re-comfortable-with-our-new-team coming out. Fedorov and Cooke nearly repeated their shorthanded mastery against Boston, and Fedorov threw in a solo scoring chance for good measure, all while continually stealing faceoffs and generally thwarting Bruins’ power plays whenever possible. So successful was the penalty kill effort that it (again) took help (or non-help) from the officials to get Boston into the net.
While the trail official casually picked up a discarded stick behind the Boston goal, Brooks Laich was hooked/hauled down/mauled at center ice, opening a lane for the Bruins to score. Too bad, because this game had Huet Shutout #2 written all over it other than that little breakdown. As it was, Cristobal had his shutout of sorts in the shootout, denying paltry Bruins’ attempts to score.
For the weekend, it was Fedorov with 1 goal, 2 assists, a +2, and innumerable faceoff wins to compliment competent penalty killing. Cooke had 1 goal, 1 assist, +1 and plenty of intangible peskiness and relentless forechecking. Huet stole the extra point Sunday with his .975 save percentage and aforementioned thievery in the shootout.
Not bad for a trio obtained for a 2nd round draft pick (thanks, Anaheim. How’s Brian Sutherby? I’m sure his lone assist in 37 games was sparkling.), Matt Pettinger, and an obscure prospect. Lock up Huet for a couple more seasons’ worth of these weekends (following this year’s playoff run, of course), and it’s even more of a steal.
Not that Fedorov, Cooke, and Huet haven’t been sparkling since the moment they donned Caps’ uniforms, but this weekend was truly their we’re-comfortable-with-our-new-team coming out. Fedorov and Cooke nearly repeated their shorthanded mastery against Boston, and Fedorov threw in a solo scoring chance for good measure, all while continually stealing faceoffs and generally thwarting Bruins’ power plays whenever possible. So successful was the penalty kill effort that it (again) took help (or non-help) from the officials to get Boston into the net.
While the trail official casually picked up a discarded stick behind the Boston goal, Brooks Laich was hooked/hauled down/mauled at center ice, opening a lane for the Bruins to score. Too bad, because this game had Huet Shutout #2 written all over it other than that little breakdown. As it was, Cristobal had his shutout of sorts in the shootout, denying paltry Bruins’ attempts to score.
For the weekend, it was Fedorov with 1 goal, 2 assists, a +2, and innumerable faceoff wins to compliment competent penalty killing. Cooke had 1 goal, 1 assist, +1 and plenty of intangible peskiness and relentless forechecking. Huet stole the extra point Sunday with his .975 save percentage and aforementioned thievery in the shootout.
Not bad for a trio obtained for a 2nd round draft pick (thanks, Anaheim. How’s Brian Sutherby? I’m sure his lone assist in 37 games was sparkling.), Matt Pettinger, and an obscure prospect. Lock up Huet for a couple more seasons’ worth of these weekends (following this year’s playoff run, of course), and it’s even more of a steal.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
NBC Courageously Presses On
Hats off to NBC for bravely showing today's Penguins-Flyers game, even with The Only Reason To Watch Hockey Ever, Sidney Crosby, again out nursing his injured ankle. We can only hope that there is enough Evgeni Malkin fawning/swooning available to pick up the slack. Godspeed, NBC.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
More Hex-Busting, More Reason To Think Playoffs
We already know hot teams are no match for the Capitals. Well, now we know that completely non-hot teams, like the Thrashers, losers of 10 of 12, are fodder as well. Further, with last night’s 4-1 win over Atlanta, we see another curse apparently broken. Recently, the Caps have solved Boston goalie Tim Thomas and the entire city of Buffalo, and now they can check Kari Lehtonen off their list of tormentors, he being the tormenting type that annoyingly likes to stop almost 40 shots, turning away a dozen or more quality scoring chances in the process (there’s still that irritating Pittsburgh hex to work on, but that could be taken care of by, say, a playoff victory this spring).
The moment the Lehtonen hex was lifted was easy to spot. It happened mere microseconds after Alex Ovechkin’s wrist shot brutally tore through his five-hole. The scored-upon-four-times Atlanta goalie smashed his fists on his pads in obvious frustration, perhaps rage. The game was already quite over by that point, given the constant Washington domination that preceded it, but that goal sealed the game as securely as Atlanta’s non-playoff fate is sealed.
Even when Slava Kozlov’s tricky little shot snuck past Kolzig to put Atlanta up 1-0, ‘tism levels in the arena noticeably did not take a hit. It clearly had something to do with the magnificent tilt in the ice last night towards the Atlanta defensive zone. Maybe it also had something to do with the massive deficit the Thrashers were accumulating in shots. Maybe the 18,000+ in attendance felt that, this time, all those chances against the mighty Kari were going to lead to something.
Of course, they were right, and optimism was rewarded just a few minutes later when Brooks Laich, clearly becoming a fan favorite if the pre-game introductioncheers are any indication calmly roofed his 18th goal.
Laich was at it again a couple of minutes into the second period, getting Verizon Center vibrating (and my ears truly hurting for the first time at a Caps game all season) by grittily poking the puck into the net as it was about to be knocked askew. At that point in the game, Brooks had as many goals as Atlanta had shots (their last shot coming on their goal 11:41 into the first period). He continues to form into the player I had always hoped Matt Pettinger would become: that grindy, gritty player who could park in front of the net, kill penalties, and score 30 goals a season while doing it. Hmm, sounds like a soon-to-be-returning injured captain, doesn’t it. Two guys like that on a team offer all sorts of line balancing combinations. Put Laich in line just behind Mike Green as the next player in need of a 13-year contract extension.
The highlight of the second period, though, had to be the Trade Deadline Payoff Play, brought to you by George McPhee. Fedorov assists Cooke on a shorthanded breakaway goal. Fedorov almost did it again about a minute later, brilliantly setting up Matt Bradley for a layup on a 2-on-1 break. Just barely not enough air for Brads, though. Oh well. Point made. The only thing that could have made the sequence more perfect (vindicating?) would have been an electrifying save by Cristobal Huet on the penalty kill. As it was, Kolzig had it well in hand anyway. Thus the period ended with the Caps up 3-1, holding the Thrashers to all of six shots, and making my neck sore from having my head turned towards the Atlanta goal for almost all of the period’s 20 minutes.
In the third, Fedorov kept it up with all that faceoff winnin’ and started a power play that ended with the aforementioned lethal Ovie wristshot goal. Laich also reminded us what a stout defensive player he is with a blocked shot on a penalty kill that boomed and resonated throughout the areana. Later he assuaged fears he might have been injured by the shot, declaring it only hit his shin pad. Still, it sounded dramatic enough to be injury-inducing.
Bruce II summed up the game nicely afterwards, calling the team “determined” and christening the Caps’ effort “as complete a game as I’ve seen.” Hard to argue with that. And with the Hurricanes suffering a hopefully confidence-and-season-crushing 7-1 defeat to Buffalo, the division lead suddenly doesn’t seem such an absurd goal again. Five points back, one game in hand, two games vs. Carolina. Pretty good. Regarding the fall-back plan of the #8 seed, they are three points behind the Flyers, who are soon to lose to the Bruins, who are in turn set to lose to the Capitals on Sunday. Thus the circle is complete and the Caps are closer to the postseason.
So you still can’t count the Capitals out of anything. As the soon-to-be-20-goal-scorer Laich said, “We were written off early in the season too”, and we know how that turned out, so it is way, way premature to write off their chances to catch the Hurricanes.
The moment the Lehtonen hex was lifted was easy to spot. It happened mere microseconds after Alex Ovechkin’s wrist shot brutally tore through his five-hole. The scored-upon-four-times Atlanta goalie smashed his fists on his pads in obvious frustration, perhaps rage. The game was already quite over by that point, given the constant Washington domination that preceded it, but that goal sealed the game as securely as Atlanta’s non-playoff fate is sealed.
Even when Slava Kozlov’s tricky little shot snuck past Kolzig to put Atlanta up 1-0, ‘tism levels in the arena noticeably did not take a hit. It clearly had something to do with the magnificent tilt in the ice last night towards the Atlanta defensive zone. Maybe it also had something to do with the massive deficit the Thrashers were accumulating in shots. Maybe the 18,000+ in attendance felt that, this time, all those chances against the mighty Kari were going to lead to something.
Of course, they were right, and optimism was rewarded just a few minutes later when Brooks Laich, clearly becoming a fan favorite if the pre-game introductioncheers are any indication calmly roofed his 18th goal.
Laich was at it again a couple of minutes into the second period, getting Verizon Center vibrating (and my ears truly hurting for the first time at a Caps game all season) by grittily poking the puck into the net as it was about to be knocked askew. At that point in the game, Brooks had as many goals as Atlanta had shots (their last shot coming on their goal 11:41 into the first period). He continues to form into the player I had always hoped Matt Pettinger would become: that grindy, gritty player who could park in front of the net, kill penalties, and score 30 goals a season while doing it. Hmm, sounds like a soon-to-be-returning injured captain, doesn’t it. Two guys like that on a team offer all sorts of line balancing combinations. Put Laich in line just behind Mike Green as the next player in need of a 13-year contract extension.
The highlight of the second period, though, had to be the Trade Deadline Payoff Play, brought to you by George McPhee. Fedorov assists Cooke on a shorthanded breakaway goal. Fedorov almost did it again about a minute later, brilliantly setting up Matt Bradley for a layup on a 2-on-1 break. Just barely not enough air for Brads, though. Oh well. Point made. The only thing that could have made the sequence more perfect (vindicating?) would have been an electrifying save by Cristobal Huet on the penalty kill. As it was, Kolzig had it well in hand anyway. Thus the period ended with the Caps up 3-1, holding the Thrashers to all of six shots, and making my neck sore from having my head turned towards the Atlanta goal for almost all of the period’s 20 minutes.
In the third, Fedorov kept it up with all that faceoff winnin’ and started a power play that ended with the aforementioned lethal Ovie wristshot goal. Laich also reminded us what a stout defensive player he is with a blocked shot on a penalty kill that boomed and resonated throughout the areana. Later he assuaged fears he might have been injured by the shot, declaring it only hit his shin pad. Still, it sounded dramatic enough to be injury-inducing.
Bruce II summed up the game nicely afterwards, calling the team “determined” and christening the Caps’ effort “as complete a game as I’ve seen.” Hard to argue with that. And with the Hurricanes suffering a hopefully confidence-and-season-crushing 7-1 defeat to Buffalo, the division lead suddenly doesn’t seem such an absurd goal again. Five points back, one game in hand, two games vs. Carolina. Pretty good. Regarding the fall-back plan of the #8 seed, they are three points behind the Flyers, who are soon to lose to the Bruins, who are in turn set to lose to the Capitals on Sunday. Thus the circle is complete and the Caps are closer to the postseason.
So you still can’t count the Capitals out of anything. As the soon-to-be-20-goal-scorer Laich said, “We were written off early in the season too”, and we know how that turned out, so it is way, way premature to write off their chances to catch the Hurricanes.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Deshawn Stevenson Newest DCO HOF Inductee
Last night wasn't just another night of strong contributions from Deshawn Stevenson despite an atypical 13 points, 5 assists, and 3 steals in a most unlikely to TNT win over the Lebrons. No, last night there was one, doubly important contribution made that immediately thrusted the occasionally accurate shooting god (aka "Man") into the DCO pantheon that includes such hallowed names as Suisham, Lannan, Khayat, and Davis. After the game, in which he was blanketing the ballyhooes that echoed around the anointed one, causing an unbelievably called charge and a miss at regulation, Deshawn stepped to Ivan Carter's tape recorder and spit hot fiya.
Stevenson, he of the vet's minimum loyalty and reasonable contract signed as a result, the big-time dagger against the Hornets, the locksmith defense on Ray Allen in Boston, the high-arching, air-reaching three point bombs (working on a career high), was so spot on in his analysis of Lebron James that proper attention must be paid forthwith. Who has said anything other than glimmering compliments about his anointedness?
Lebron, as a result of this first-ever badmouthing, likely scowled his way back to the locker room with a second straight loss and no ref-delivered heroism to build upon his phony legacy. His well-rehearsed scowl will cause reporters to fawn at his passion for missing unnecessary threes at the end of regulation when down two. Maybe these fawning reporters will ignore the seven Wizards in double figures and instead concentrate on how an "undermanned" Cavs squad played solid defense — defense meaning every big man took turns hurling themselves to the floor as violently as possible to draw an offensive foul call. The flopping from the Cavs was so furious last night that I was convinced a spate of epilepsy had been passed across the Cleveland bench. Ah, but those basketball gods, having punished Washington enough, finally realized the blasphemy that constantly pretending to be hurt or violated presents and actually atoned with that push off call with 13.2 seconds left. Where amazing happens indeed.
The Cavs "hit-the-floor" defense made me think about how one comes to adopt this method of head-hurling as opposed to, I dunno, shot blocking, stealing, putting hands in the face (as Deshawn did during 'Lebrick' at the end of regulation), talking smack, punching in the groin, etc. Then I saw this lame coach K commercial constantly bombarded upon us during these Mad March days:
Now I get it. These NBA guys have gone to that Coach K school, where they learn the art of flopping as hard as possible to draw the favors of officials. Coach K, he of the egregious Gilbert snub and resulting failure in the basketball world championships, does have a Cavs connection with pupil Lebron James who now likely infects his squad with these teachings. The predillection to flop combined with the fawning treatment from officials seems to have matriculated results, but it casts an unfortunate light on the Association. Why would us basketball consumers want to watch players mimic themselves after someone who has admitted to us all that he sucks?
But enough about the death of cohesive basketball for the satisfaction of corporate partners. The day belongs to Deshawn, whose owning up to what could potentially be posted on a bulletin board was so special and un-athlete-like that players around the league may follow suit. Maybe the next time the Cavs lose to the Nets, a wily Bostjan Nachbar will decry the overratedness of Mr. Anointed. Maybe after the Cavs fizzle in the playoffs, a bold sports commentator will think he is overrated. Maybe ESPN will revoke his "Whose Now" award, as if the trite banality of the proceedings wasn't lame already. Deshawn is starting a revolution here, a revolution against fawning, against coddling, and against latent douchebaggery. Lebron may be scowling, but we are endowing.
"He's overrated," Stevenson said. "And you can say I said that."Upon the reading of this quote, the DCO has begun construction of an entire wing of the HOF headquarters in Lanham in remembrance named the "Deshawn Stevenson Accurate Player Assessment Wing," where architects are fashioning a giant hand-like structure that waves itself across the entrance way as if the building can no longer feel its facade.
Stevenson, he of the vet's minimum loyalty and reasonable contract signed as a result, the big-time dagger against the Hornets, the locksmith defense on Ray Allen in Boston, the high-arching, air-reaching three point bombs (working on a career high), was so spot on in his analysis of Lebron James that proper attention must be paid forthwith. Who has said anything other than glimmering compliments about his anointedness?
Lebron, as a result of this first-ever badmouthing, likely scowled his way back to the locker room with a second straight loss and no ref-delivered heroism to build upon his phony legacy. His well-rehearsed scowl will cause reporters to fawn at his passion for missing unnecessary threes at the end of regulation when down two. Maybe these fawning reporters will ignore the seven Wizards in double figures and instead concentrate on how an "undermanned" Cavs squad played solid defense — defense meaning every big man took turns hurling themselves to the floor as violently as possible to draw an offensive foul call. The flopping from the Cavs was so furious last night that I was convinced a spate of epilepsy had been passed across the Cleveland bench. Ah, but those basketball gods, having punished Washington enough, finally realized the blasphemy that constantly pretending to be hurt or violated presents and actually atoned with that push off call with 13.2 seconds left. Where amazing happens indeed.
The Cavs "hit-the-floor" defense made me think about how one comes to adopt this method of head-hurling as opposed to, I dunno, shot blocking, stealing, putting hands in the face (as Deshawn did during 'Lebrick' at the end of regulation), talking smack, punching in the groin, etc. Then I saw this lame coach K commercial constantly bombarded upon us during these Mad March days:
Now I get it. These NBA guys have gone to that Coach K school, where they learn the art of flopping as hard as possible to draw the favors of officials. Coach K, he of the egregious Gilbert snub and resulting failure in the basketball world championships, does have a Cavs connection with pupil Lebron James who now likely infects his squad with these teachings. The predillection to flop combined with the fawning treatment from officials seems to have matriculated results, but it casts an unfortunate light on the Association. Why would us basketball consumers want to watch players mimic themselves after someone who has admitted to us all that he sucks?
But enough about the death of cohesive basketball for the satisfaction of corporate partners. The day belongs to Deshawn, whose owning up to what could potentially be posted on a bulletin board was so special and un-athlete-like that players around the league may follow suit. Maybe the next time the Cavs lose to the Nets, a wily Bostjan Nachbar will decry the overratedness of Mr. Anointed. Maybe after the Cavs fizzle in the playoffs, a bold sports commentator will think he is overrated. Maybe ESPN will revoke his "Whose Now" award, as if the trite banality of the proceedings wasn't lame already. Deshawn is starting a revolution here, a revolution against fawning, against coddling, and against latent douchebaggery. Lebron may be scowling, but we are endowing.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
ANALY-TISM: Analyzing MAOism
Bill Ladson of MLB.com recently sat down with the well-read master for a brief chat regarding how awesome the Nats will be next year. Think the master would let us down with a John Chaney-esque pessimistic viewpoint of his Nats, with what some would say their underdeveloped talent, latently contract-extended possibly disgruntled stars, constantly questioned questionable attitudes, and fragile pitching staff that practically IVs cortizone into surgically restructured ligaments between innings? HA! Below you will find Ladson's interview transcribed via copy and paste, with our patented 'tism analysis (ANALY-TISM) following every answer.
The Nationals were supposed to be historically bad in 2007, lacking starting pitching and having lost outfielder Alfonso Soriano to free agency. However, manager Manny Acta proved detractors wrong, guiding the team to a 73-89 record, and earning four points in last season's Manager of the Year voting.
This year, Acta expects the Nationals to be even better with general manager Jim Bowden's acquisition of outfielders Lastings Milledge and Elijah Dukes and catchers Paul Lo Duca and Johnny Estrada this offseason. MLB.com caught up with Acta recently to talk about how good the Nationals can be in 2008.
ANALY-TISM: This is the stock intro paragraph for the Nats this year. Where 2007 was defying expectations, coddling talent, garnering notice, and being overly shrewd with the Plan. Love the mention of the manager of the year (aka "The Manny") votes.
MLB.com: After a handful of exhibition games, how do you feel about the '08 Nationals?
Manny Acta: I feel good about them. I think our offense has gotten a lot better. I also don't have to motivate as much as last year because guys are motivating each other with the competition that is going on in camp.
ANALY-TISM: "Good," "a lot better": two terms actively laying out the Plan's progress and the stirring development the Nats have experienced in the offseason, robbing the Mets of their talent in exchange for a salty jerk-type and an unneccessarily praised/paid .230 hitter, brilliantly investing in low-riskers like Dukes, and improving swings with the hitting-catcher signings. Manny no longer needs to chant successories to his dugout as if they were bible verses at Coors Field. Nope, his 'tism laid a foundation that other players are building upon.
MLB.com: Entering Spring Training, is this team better than the 2007 Nationals?
Acta: It is better than last year. We have answered some of those questions that we had last year. We have a big improvement in center field with Milledge. We added Paul Lo Duca and Johnny Estrada. We are going to have Wily Mo Pena for a full season. Our bullpen is coming back intact and Luis Ayala will have one more year of rest from the elbow surgery. He is already showing that he has that zip on his fastball.
ANALY-TISM: Doesn't get more definitive than that, Mr. Ladson. We think the authoritativeness was in response to the redundancy of this question. Speaking of questions, aka the ones Jim Bowden and company brilliantly answered this offseason, what other ones might you have for this current squad that aren't speculative? A non-purveyor may come up with these: What if Patter-Hill gets hurt earlier than expected? What if Lastings attends a gogo? What if Elijah Dukes is left unsupervised? Save the what-ifs for 60000 word Bill Simmons articles, bro. This team has answers at every position. The only questions remain in how the Master decides to place each guy every day. A better question would be, why WHY would anything other than "Busting Loose" be chosen as the home run theme at Nationals Park?
Another lovely thing happening in this answer is Manny's knowledge that the brilliance of last season, including their lock-down pen, their nabbing of Wily Mo, and their healthening of Ayala's arm, is intact, and it will further help this season.
MLB.com: Talk about your starting rotation. Is it better than last year?
Acta: I think it's better than last year because those guys have a year of experience in the big leagues. It's still not where you want it to be when it comes to competing for a division title, but we'll get to that point. It's a lot better than last year.
ANALY-TISM: Division title: "We'll get to that point"? Frankly, "a lot better than last year" ought to do the trick once all of the Mets' high priced acquisitions belly-up and the Phillies become the Phillies again. Matt Chico has survived the rigors, John Lannan has traversed the long paths, earning high accollades in the process, and young guns Hanrahan, Ballester, and, jeez even O'Connor, await their eventual dances with glory. Those dudes plus two or three good weeks from Patter-Hill equals an NL East crown earlier than even the Boz might predict.
MLB.com: You have Milledge on this roster. Based on what we have seen so far, he is a good player. What do you think?
Acta: I think Milledge is the key to the offense. That rotating door that we had in center field last year is over. We had five or six guys. Now, we have Milledge.
ANALY-TISM: Yes, it is lovely that that "rotating door" is closed (stopped? locked in place?), and the answer in center field is not a seldom hitting former switch-hitter prone to terribility. The future of the door-stopper, according to just about everyone, is as bright as all typical Nationals prospects in the eyes of us, and it's great to see the Master acknowledge that.
MLB.com: You have brought stability to this franchise. How do you think you have done since the Nationals hired you in November of 2006?
Acta: All the credit goes to Jim Bowden and the scouting department. They are the ones who have found the players and it has been a big, big turnaround compared to last year. I'm just part of the puzzle.
I think the players deserve the credit because they have bought into what we are trying to do here. They saw that it worked last year. Hopefully, they will continue to give us the best effort. We'll continue to move forward.
ANALY-TISM: Typical coy modesty from the Master, deflecting the great amount of praise leveled his way to his benefactors, much in the way he deflected the gushing the DC Optimist sent his way during that fantastic Caps game where he signed one of our business cards. The credited players here wouldn't have "bought into what we are trying to do here," without having a wondrous salesman.
MLB.com: What did you learn the most about yourself as a first-time Major League manager?
Acta: All the patience that I was preaching about in the Minor Leagues paid off in the Major Leagues. You still need to be patient because it is such a long season. You need to pay attention to every single guy and make everybody feel important. You have to keep motivating [players] regardless of a winning streak or a losing streak.
ANALY-TISM: And thus, the philosphy of the DC Optimist is properly laid out. Patience, preaching, every single guy, motivation regardless of winning or losing streaks: man Manny can get the eyes welling here. Our faith in these guys may seem blind and unfortunate to some more tism-hating inclined, but to us, and to inspirations like the Master, this undying faith in the progress of the local sports lingering juggernauts will bestow itself positively, trust.
MLB.com: Where did you learn to get the patience?
Acta: I learned it in the Minor Leagues. I started managing very early. In the Minor Leagues, it wasn't about winning. It was about developing players. A lot of times, you didn't have the choices of doing what you wanted to do. I was able to sit back and let guys do what they were supposed to do. I also found out that kicking and screaming doesn't get the best out of people most of the time.
ANALY-TISM: Hmmm, the philosophy of "developing players" leading to a better understanding of coaching as a whole is something this highly successful manager learned in the minor leagues? Sounds like eerily paralelling Capitals and their new coach Bruce Boudreau has the same sort of successful philosophy. Also: RE: Lame potential manager candidate from last season, here's that last line again: "kicking and screaming doesn't get the best out of people most of the time."
MLB.com: It's been said that you are the only person in baseball with the patience to manage Dukes, who has had his problems off the field. How do you feel about that assessment?
Acta: Well, I always feel I could handle any type of personality, but it has to come from him, too. I think it takes two to tango. We are already doing the best we can to put a program in place for him. Jim has done a tremendous job doing this. Dukes did very well during the offseason -- following everything. I hope that during the season he is able to follow everything. I'm going to do my best to keep him involved here and give him love. But he has to do his part, too.
ANALY-TISM: All Dukie needs is love people. He couldn't find love from his four baby's-moms, he couldn't find love from that decrepit franchise in Tampa, and he couldn't find love from his cellphone provider. Yet the Master is here to provide that man-love needed to elicit strong, 30-home-run potentials. Is it getting misty in here, or is it my sobs of joy?
MLB.com: Of the players you had last year, who are you expecting big years from?
Acta: To me, Ryan Zimmerman is ready to turn the corner and have a very good year for us. I think the new ballpark is going to help Austin Kearns turn things around.
ANALY-TISM: People are kinda scoffing that the Planners couldn't get Zimmerman locked into an Ovie-esque deal before his contract runs out in three years. This burgeoning support from the Master ought to help iron out any hurt feelings. And after being bewhildered by Robert F. (not Fick)'s dimensions dimentia, the efforts of Kearns go delightfully noticed as well.
MLB.com: If things go according to plan, can this team compete for a playoff spot this year?
Acta: That's the goal. We are going to play out the season. We are not good at making predictions. But I believe in them. We are going to play hard, continue to make progress and we'll see where it takes us.
ANALY-TISM: No, no predictions were made there, but no denial of potential was made there either. "That's the goal," can be counted on as a qualification of Ladson's question, like, if someone were to ask me, "Would you be able to eat three double-quarter pounders with cheese?" and I answered it with, "That's the goal," I think I would basically be saying yes. And three double QPCs aren't even that tough of a challenge, as aren't the Nats postseasoning. As Boz decreed a few months back, "...it does make it a lot easier for a team like the Nationals to get to the playoffs, or even into the World Series, by coming out of the N.L." As for our prediction? Lets just go with "that's the goal" for now.
The Nationals were supposed to be historically bad in 2007, lacking starting pitching and having lost outfielder Alfonso Soriano to free agency. However, manager Manny Acta proved detractors wrong, guiding the team to a 73-89 record, and earning four points in last season's Manager of the Year voting.
This year, Acta expects the Nationals to be even better with general manager Jim Bowden's acquisition of outfielders Lastings Milledge and Elijah Dukes and catchers Paul Lo Duca and Johnny Estrada this offseason. MLB.com caught up with Acta recently to talk about how good the Nationals can be in 2008.
ANALY-TISM: This is the stock intro paragraph for the Nats this year. Where 2007 was defying expectations, coddling talent, garnering notice, and being overly shrewd with the Plan. Love the mention of the manager of the year (aka "The Manny") votes.
MLB.com: After a handful of exhibition games, how do you feel about the '08 Nationals?
Manny Acta: I feel good about them. I think our offense has gotten a lot better. I also don't have to motivate as much as last year because guys are motivating each other with the competition that is going on in camp.
ANALY-TISM: "Good," "a lot better": two terms actively laying out the Plan's progress and the stirring development the Nats have experienced in the offseason, robbing the Mets of their talent in exchange for a salty jerk-type and an unneccessarily praised/paid .230 hitter, brilliantly investing in low-riskers like Dukes, and improving swings with the hitting-catcher signings. Manny no longer needs to chant successories to his dugout as if they were bible verses at Coors Field. Nope, his 'tism laid a foundation that other players are building upon.
MLB.com: Entering Spring Training, is this team better than the 2007 Nationals?
Acta: It is better than last year. We have answered some of those questions that we had last year. We have a big improvement in center field with Milledge. We added Paul Lo Duca and Johnny Estrada. We are going to have Wily Mo Pena for a full season. Our bullpen is coming back intact and Luis Ayala will have one more year of rest from the elbow surgery. He is already showing that he has that zip on his fastball.
ANALY-TISM: Doesn't get more definitive than that, Mr. Ladson. We think the authoritativeness was in response to the redundancy of this question. Speaking of questions, aka the ones Jim Bowden and company brilliantly answered this offseason, what other ones might you have for this current squad that aren't speculative? A non-purveyor may come up with these: What if Patter-Hill gets hurt earlier than expected? What if Lastings attends a gogo? What if Elijah Dukes is left unsupervised? Save the what-ifs for 60000 word Bill Simmons articles, bro. This team has answers at every position. The only questions remain in how the Master decides to place each guy every day. A better question would be, why WHY would anything other than "Busting Loose" be chosen as the home run theme at Nationals Park?
Another lovely thing happening in this answer is Manny's knowledge that the brilliance of last season, including their lock-down pen, their nabbing of Wily Mo, and their healthening of Ayala's arm, is intact, and it will further help this season.
MLB.com: Talk about your starting rotation. Is it better than last year?
Acta: I think it's better than last year because those guys have a year of experience in the big leagues. It's still not where you want it to be when it comes to competing for a division title, but we'll get to that point. It's a lot better than last year.
ANALY-TISM: Division title: "We'll get to that point"? Frankly, "a lot better than last year" ought to do the trick once all of the Mets' high priced acquisitions belly-up and the Phillies become the Phillies again. Matt Chico has survived the rigors, John Lannan has traversed the long paths, earning high accollades in the process, and young guns Hanrahan, Ballester, and, jeez even O'Connor, await their eventual dances with glory. Those dudes plus two or three good weeks from Patter-Hill equals an NL East crown earlier than even the Boz might predict.
MLB.com: You have Milledge on this roster. Based on what we have seen so far, he is a good player. What do you think?
Acta: I think Milledge is the key to the offense. That rotating door that we had in center field last year is over. We had five or six guys. Now, we have Milledge.
ANALY-TISM: Yes, it is lovely that that "rotating door" is closed (stopped? locked in place?), and the answer in center field is not a seldom hitting former switch-hitter prone to terribility. The future of the door-stopper, according to just about everyone, is as bright as all typical Nationals prospects in the eyes of us, and it's great to see the Master acknowledge that.
MLB.com: You have brought stability to this franchise. How do you think you have done since the Nationals hired you in November of 2006?
Acta: All the credit goes to Jim Bowden and the scouting department. They are the ones who have found the players and it has been a big, big turnaround compared to last year. I'm just part of the puzzle.
I think the players deserve the credit because they have bought into what we are trying to do here. They saw that it worked last year. Hopefully, they will continue to give us the best effort. We'll continue to move forward.
ANALY-TISM: Typical coy modesty from the Master, deflecting the great amount of praise leveled his way to his benefactors, much in the way he deflected the gushing the DC Optimist sent his way during that fantastic Caps game where he signed one of our business cards. The credited players here wouldn't have "bought into what we are trying to do here," without having a wondrous salesman.
MLB.com: What did you learn the most about yourself as a first-time Major League manager?
Acta: All the patience that I was preaching about in the Minor Leagues paid off in the Major Leagues. You still need to be patient because it is such a long season. You need to pay attention to every single guy and make everybody feel important. You have to keep motivating [players] regardless of a winning streak or a losing streak.
ANALY-TISM: And thus, the philosphy of the DC Optimist is properly laid out. Patience, preaching, every single guy, motivation regardless of winning or losing streaks: man Manny can get the eyes welling here. Our faith in these guys may seem blind and unfortunate to some more tism-hating inclined, but to us, and to inspirations like the Master, this undying faith in the progress of the local sports lingering juggernauts will bestow itself positively, trust.
MLB.com: Where did you learn to get the patience?
Acta: I learned it in the Minor Leagues. I started managing very early. In the Minor Leagues, it wasn't about winning. It was about developing players. A lot of times, you didn't have the choices of doing what you wanted to do. I was able to sit back and let guys do what they were supposed to do. I also found out that kicking and screaming doesn't get the best out of people most of the time.
ANALY-TISM: Hmmm, the philosophy of "developing players" leading to a better understanding of coaching as a whole is something this highly successful manager learned in the minor leagues? Sounds like eerily paralelling Capitals and their new coach Bruce Boudreau has the same sort of successful philosophy. Also: RE: Lame potential manager candidate from last season, here's that last line again: "kicking and screaming doesn't get the best out of people most of the time."
MLB.com: It's been said that you are the only person in baseball with the patience to manage Dukes, who has had his problems off the field. How do you feel about that assessment?
Acta: Well, I always feel I could handle any type of personality, but it has to come from him, too. I think it takes two to tango. We are already doing the best we can to put a program in place for him. Jim has done a tremendous job doing this. Dukes did very well during the offseason -- following everything. I hope that during the season he is able to follow everything. I'm going to do my best to keep him involved here and give him love. But he has to do his part, too.
ANALY-TISM: All Dukie needs is love people. He couldn't find love from his four baby's-moms, he couldn't find love from that decrepit franchise in Tampa, and he couldn't find love from his cellphone provider. Yet the Master is here to provide that man-love needed to elicit strong, 30-home-run potentials. Is it getting misty in here, or is it my sobs of joy?
MLB.com: Of the players you had last year, who are you expecting big years from?
Acta: To me, Ryan Zimmerman is ready to turn the corner and have a very good year for us. I think the new ballpark is going to help Austin Kearns turn things around.
ANALY-TISM: People are kinda scoffing that the Planners couldn't get Zimmerman locked into an Ovie-esque deal before his contract runs out in three years. This burgeoning support from the Master ought to help iron out any hurt feelings. And after being bewhildered by Robert F. (not Fick)'s dimensions dimentia, the efforts of Kearns go delightfully noticed as well.
MLB.com: If things go according to plan, can this team compete for a playoff spot this year?
Acta: That's the goal. We are going to play out the season. We are not good at making predictions. But I believe in them. We are going to play hard, continue to make progress and we'll see where it takes us.
ANALY-TISM: No, no predictions were made there, but no denial of potential was made there either. "That's the goal," can be counted on as a qualification of Ladson's question, like, if someone were to ask me, "Would you be able to eat three double-quarter pounders with cheese?" and I answered it with, "That's the goal," I think I would basically be saying yes. And three double QPCs aren't even that tough of a challenge, as aren't the Nats postseasoning. As Boz decreed a few months back, "...it does make it a lot easier for a team like the Nationals to get to the playoffs, or even into the World Series, by coming out of the N.L." As for our prediction? Lets just go with "that's the goal" for now.
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