Caps/Bruins Recap

Oh hey guys, you get me again today because the Bruins are Kate's other team, so I'm taking this one off her hands.

• Being a Caps fan is such a burden sometimes. Starting out with total elation, followed by total despair, ending with total elation. Although it could have ended in total despair then you'd all be off attempting to commit suicide. Trust me, I totally get it.
• But no, we pulled out the 2 points in this one thank god. 
• Wideman scores a beauty, courtesy of a great pass by Marcus. God bless that goal I can't even fathom how loud I screamed. That goal meant EVERYTHING after the scoreless first two periods.
• Two on one, Ovie and Marcus. YES, A TWO GOAL LEAD, THIS IS GOOD.
• Oh look, the hockey gods hate us, and ridiculous deflection and the Bruins are on the board. Of course this is the Bruins we're talking about, so everyone feels a sense of impending doom.
• For good reason. Another rediciulous deflection and its all tied up. Overtime.
• Scary overtime. Ovie should have scored, and didn't. Neuvy makes the save of the game, and we're off to the shootout.
• The Bruins were scary in the shootout. 8-2. TALK ABOUT NERVE-WRACKING. Krejci misses, god bless, Hendy goes next, everyone shits their pants and loses their mind over how fucking amazing he is. You know, the usual.
• More stuff, Ovie and Semin miss, Seguin is a bastard, you know.
• Here comes Brooks Laich, flawless player who swoops in and saves the day! Caps win 3-2!
• Literally in the middle of the third period, my brother, dad and I were talking about how Brooks Laich is the root of our team, and I brought up that time he was almost injured. Scary time for us. Seems fitting he'd be the one to save all of us from the absolute despair and oblivion.

Montreal on saturday. There's a chance I'll be at the game, so we'll see. For now, gotta keep looking forward. Four more games to decide our fate.

Rage Manifested into a Rant.

This is literally all I have to say about the game. In a video. nearly 12 minutes long. Yep.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-i7FsMX5ZU

O Captain, My Captain

What a game. We started off strong, faltered a little, Holtby saved our butts, and then we started scoring. And started putting the pressure on. But unlike the last couple of games, we didn't let up.

• Our powerplay was looking pretty... but there were no shots in the first period.
• Commentators kept ripping on Semin. Too bad they obviously were not aware that Semin has been our most consistent player this year. And then Semin has a great game and a fantastic assist on Chimera's goal and basically told NBCSN to suck it.
• I don't think I can put into words how great of a game Alex Ovechkin had today. He was on fire all game. His defensive play that saved a shortie? BRILLIANT. Not to mention Perreault scored on that powerplay. And then he scored in the third. Ovi chants rained down. All was well again. 
• Holtby had another lights out game. He deserved that shutout. I love watching him play because he acts like that net is HIS. He's big, he gets in the way, and doesn't take anyone's hoopla. 
• WE DIDN'T LET UP THE PRESSURE. It was so nice to see. Ovi was talking shifts with five minutes left to play. And as a result, there was a lot of time in the offensive zone. And resulting from that, we didn't let go of our three goal lead. What a beauty.
• Alzner had a great game. IT'S NICE TO SEE HIM GET APPRECIATED EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE.
• Dmitry Orlov played for the first time in a few games today. John Carlson didn't see much ice time. It worked out okay I think. It got a little hairy when Dima AND JCar were paired together. 
• Why don't I remember anything else about this game?? IT WAS FANTASTIC.

I loved this game. I want to marry it. Maybe not the first period, but the rest. We are back in a playoffs spot and control our own destiny. The game Tuesday is huge. We need the win.

So let's go out and get it.

Despite the OT Loss, Caps Still Have Successful Roadtrip

5 points out of 10. Not a great look, but its still technically a winning record and therefore the roadtrip is technically successful. And I would honestly rather take the point than lose in regulation. But then again SO WOULD EVERYONE ELSE.

• Ovie scores 26 seconds in. Who in the hell saw that coming? I wasn't even completely settled into game mode when this happened, so I kind of lost it and freaked my roommate out. Oops.

Bless you captain

• Giroux's steal (more on that later) ties it up, and Caps sit back in the third to force at least overtime. Controversial approach to say the least, and I'm not quite sure what my stance on this would be. But, its notable that they were not in an attack mode during the third which could have possibly been our downfall. Note, possibly.

Cute face Coburn.

• Can we take a minute to talk about Hendy's shootout goal? It was filthier than... I can't even come up with an analogy to describe how filthy it was. What CAN'T this guy do? His moves were the highlight of our shootout.

• Here comes the Holtby spiel. Y'all should have seen it coming. In general, I was very, very happy with how he performed in net. He was calm, cool and collected, and our Secretary of Defense even went on to say how his calmness gave the team a collective calm. Gotta admire that. If not for his one fluke, which I attribute to overconfidence, he played a great game. Although, I do request that he keep his five hole closed in the future. But still, this guy protected his net and gave our guys a chance to win. Keep your head up Holts, you're doing great.

Jets tomorrow. A paramount game, one that we NEED to win. Then we can hopefully finally shut them up. Collect yourselves and get ready for the challenge ahead.

He Has Spoken

Dear Followers, our lovely defensemen and inspiration for this blog has created something wonderful.

Secretary of Defense it is, Mr. Alzner. As my dear friend Allison pointed out, "If he continues to bail Carlson out, he might have a nickname on his hands."

HE DOES INDEED. LET IT BECOME MAINSTREAM. 

Has a nice ring to it, doesn't it? Secretary of Defense, Mr. Alzner.

Why Can't Every Game Be Against the Red Wings?

I don't really understand this team. And you know what? That's okay. I honestly would not have it any other way.

• Joel Ward and Dmitry Orlov were the scratches. Weep about Dima getting scratched, rejoice about Ward getting scratched. It's a tough cycle.
• BUT Dima kinda did deserve to be scratched after his last couple of games. It's been rough. Settle down hon.
• ALEXANDER OVECHKIN. I don't think I can put into words how much he does for this team. He's really stepping up and being the leader we know he can be. Scoring those goals. I didn't even see how the second one went in. Ovi will put this team on his back. Sometimes I would rather that he didn't have to. But it's nice to see that he can and will play his heart out for this team. Especially when people are breathing down his neck and telling him he can't.
  
• Papa Knuble's goal though. I love seeing him succeed. I won't question any of Hunter's coaching decisions because honestly I would never want his job, but it's so nice to see Knuble take every chance he can get to prove why he shouldn't be scratched. Wish he wouldn't take penalties with two minutes left and gives us all heart attacks though.
• Look at Aucion too. He's taking every single chance he can get and trying to show why he should stay in the NHL. He may be small but he is feisty!
• Congrats to that airhead Semin on his 400th point tonight!!
• Holtby looked pretty good tonight too. A little shaky, especially in the third, but as many reporters have been saying, he was cramping up towards the end of the game. So I'm sure that had to do something with it. I'm glad he got the win and hopefully he can help us while Vokoun is recovering from his injury-thing.
• The third was boring. Plain and simple. I wish the Caps would've attacked more but instead they sat on their heels. They can't feel very confident about that, but they won. Which is the most important thing.

Can we please beat the Flyers Thursday? That would be awesome.

Oh, and I'm going to practice Wednesday! I'll try to take some good pictures to post!

Recap Caps vs. Jets, Caps vs. Hawks

Welp. Not liking having to talk about this.

Frustration is mounting. I get it. We have ten games left in the season and they are definitely ten crucial ones. Fans are getting more and more impatient as we get closer to the playoffs. And we're all handling the stress of it in a different way, but its pretty obvious that we're doing that thing where we're butting heads again.

Whatever. We'll all deal with it our own way, get our frustration out, and be ready for the next game. That's how it always is.

Lets start with a few points from the Winnipeg game.

This picture literally sums up the game for the Caps in every way possible

• This actually was a pretty good game. It could have been A LOT worse than it was.
• What the actual fuck is the reffing in Canada. Seriously. Its pretty obvious its ten times worse up there than it is down here. And that's HARD to do. They were pretty much trying to give the Jets the win.
• Speaking of penalties, can we talk about the 5-on-3 that the Caps killed? Alzner, Beagle and Hendricks were out the for the ENTIRE duration of that kill. All hail our warriors.
• Winnipeg chants "Crosby's better," just further proving the point that they have no one to chant for on their own side.



Ovie hits the ref. No one was sorry about it.

• Caps fans rabidly angry. Laich reassures us all that they'll get the back next week. You bet your ass you will, Brooksie.

And now I feel like I'm going to die so a quick recap on the Hawks game.

• Our start was terrible and pretty much everyone wanted to die.
• Papa Kanoobs scores, everyone cries a little in relief and because of all of our love for him.
• Carlson makes another stupid move and causes a goal.
• Alzner is fantastic and saves Carlson's ass on more than one occasion.
• Patrick Kane, you asshole. Way to find your game NOW.

Wings tomorrow. Collect yourself together, Caps fans. Nothing's over until its over.

So About Evgeny Kuznetsov

No one has any idea what is going on with this kid. Is he staying in Russia? Is he coming to the US? Are the reports true? Honestly, who knows at this point.

But I hate all the backlash that Kuzco (my nickname for him) has gotten from what could very well just be a rumor. Sure he made it seem like he wanted to come to the NHL. Did he string us along? Yes. But he has to make this decision on his own. 

He's only 19. As hard as that is to believe, especially with the way he handles himself and the national attention he has gotten. He has a wife. He is having the time of his life in the KHL. Looking at all of this it kind of makes leaving for the NHL a little harder for him. 

If Kuzco left for the NHL, we could only give him the rookie minimum. Back in Russia, he is looking at making millions a year. The teams over there really want him and want to pay him the big bucks. Maybe in the long run he'd make more if he came over here, but why wait? The teams looking at him want to sign him long term, maybe ten years. That's security I'm sure he wants and has stated he wanted from the Capitals.

I've seen a lot of "this is why most teams don't take chances with the Russian players". If teams aren't willing to draft players from Russia, they are missing out on a lot of talent that could make their team better. Not every single player is going to do this. In fact, I would say that most of the younger Russian players want to come to the United States and play (and you can thank huge starts Alex Ovechkin, Malkin, and Datsyuk for that). General managers know what they are doing when they draft players from there. Are they taking a risk? Maybe. But should that stop them from doing it? No. That is borderline racism.

In the end Kuzco was going to make his own decision. Dmitry Orlov said that he had talked to him and he was asking him questions about the Caps but Dima told him that in the end he was going to have to make his own decision. And if his decision is that he wants to stay in the KHL we have to respect that. The NHL is going to miss out on a lot of talent if he stays in Russia and which is going to be a shame. 

But we still have no idea what is going on because the Caps have not made a statement about it. Kuzco still has a lot of time to change his mind.

What's Wrong with Caps Fans?

Maybe its a little harsh of a title. But from what I've seen, its a pretty accurate.

There's been a trend I've noticed, for quite awhile now, that I decided to investigate a little further. Among our little community on here, there is quite a split. Quite an obvious one at that.

From the people I've heard, there is an overwhelming belief that our fanbase is split into groups. And very distinct groups, at that. And not only that, but these groups seem to be very, very set and exclusive. Going into my research on it, I obviously had my own idea of this as well as my friends' opinions, but I was a little bit surprised to see the overwhelming agreement with my own belief.

Caps fans suck. If you've followed me long enough I'm sure you've heard me say this on multiple occasions. Allow me to present evidence to prove my hypothesis:

• The "I've been a fan since they sucked therefore I'm a better fan than you" argument.

Oh my god don't even get me started on this one. There most definitely are people who consider themselves superior simply because "They've been watching the Caps since before Ovechkin." Okay guys, lets get real here. The Washington Capitals before Alex Ovechkin... we had greats, we had one cup run, but for the majority of the time, we were sinking worse than Columbus is this year.

Point being, Ovechkin was exactly what we needed and he turned our beloved team into one of the most popular in hockey. So just because people starting paying attention AFTER he came doesn't make them any less of a fan. Oh, and just because someone is new to the sport, or is learning, doesn't mean they should be dismissed as stupid and ignorant. THEY ARE LEARNING, AND YOU ARE TRYING TO DRIVE THEM OUT OF A SPORT FOR NO REASON.

But honestly just because someone has watched the Caps longer doesn't mean shit. I haven't been a Caps fan for very long, although you wouldn't know it if you asked me to talk about the team. And I'd say I'm one of the most dedicated fans out there, even though I haven't been around long. Readjust your point of thinking on this, fellow fans. Because you're only giving our fanbase a worse name with this kind of BS.

• The "You like more than one team therefore you're not a real fan" argument.

I'm not going to dive too deep into this, because Kate was going to make a more in depth post on it, but I will say a few things. Just because one person can't comprehend supporting more than one team, doesn't mean other people can't. There is a world that exists outside of your own head, I promise you that. Also, you don't know everything. People have different ways of being a fan.

So demeaning someone for liking, say the Caps and the Bruins (common theme its seems), is actually ridiculous. I do get skeptical when someone says something like they love both the Caps and Pens (I just cannot see how personally but whatever), but if its a team that isn't somehow a rival with the Caps, why should it matter? It shouldn't, and attacking someone for it just makes you look like a worse person because believe me, its possible. It would be nice to cut out this asshole-ish argument out.

• The "positivity vs. negativity" argument

I'm overly optimistic. I realize this. But the idea of a positive or negative or "realistic" fan (realism is something most pessimists say because they don't want to be labelled pessimists),  falls under the whole "the world exists outside of your own head" idea. Every single person is different, and every single person has their own way of dealing with things.

I admit that I'm quite loud about my optimism, but I'm not trying to talk anyone who is pessimistic down. Its how I deal with the stress, personally. My argument, in this case, is the difference between between faith and no faith. Which is a whole different issue in itself.

Getting off track. my point, is that the fans tend to group themselves based on this, which is kind of natural, but again the nastiness seems to seep through in all that. Which I will elaborate on in a later point. But its kind of a cornerstone of all of our issues.

• The "Neuvy vs. Vokoun" argument.

Lord. Its been nothing but drama since GMGM went out and signed Vokoun. I'll admit, I wasn't a fan of his after the Tampa game where he totally shat the bed. BUT, I respected that he took the blame. I thought that was important.

But this argument really drives all of us away from each other because we have people who no matter what happens, argue that Neuvy should always be the starter, people in the middle, and then people who actually like Vokoun who feel the need to be silent BECAUSE the loud Neuvy supporters will attack them. Which I have seen before.

Listen. Neuvy fans. Vokoun is here this year and he's done a pretty damn good job too. Sure, he's had bad games, but Neuvy has as well.

Ugh I'm getting off topic again. These point is all leading up to my final point that is the most significant. But one last thing here.

• The "Boudreau vs. Hunter" argument.

This one is my least favorite. This one has been a pain. When the Caps were struggling in November, nearly EVERYONE was shouting about firing Bruce. I wasn't ready to let him go, but GMGM was, and I accepted that. When it happened, I was ready to accept Hunter as my coach, if after a little mourning for Bruce.

But the Caps still struggled under Dale's system, and the fanbase had a short fuse. It wasn't long before I saw posts cursing him out for his coaching decisions in my tags.

As my dear friend Tiff says frequently, opinions are like assholes, we all have one but everyone thinks another person's stinks. And this leads me into my final, and most crucial, point.

• Caps fans don't respect each other's opinions

Look closer. Its obvious. Most of us, if our opinion is challenged by an opposing one, we generally go into defensive mode. And this defensive mode involves the logical fallacy known as 'ad hominem,' in where personal attacks happen in order to prevent the questioning of beliefs.

Obviously, none of us respect each other if we have this divide. The Neuvy vs. Vokoun argument and the Boudreau vs. Hunter argument just highlight it because GOD KNOWS how many fights have been started because of this thing.

It also ties into the whole "I'm a better fan because I've been a fan longer" argument. No respect for anyone who has a differing opinion and that's why we can't seem to get along.

I've talked to my non Caps fan friends about this, and they've all noticed it too. Its harder within this fanbase to be accepted, and MY GOD is it cliquey. And an interesting observation from someone who considers herself somewhat on the "outskirts" of the group:

"The fanbase as a whole is really judgmental... if you're not part of the oligarchy of Caps fans, you're kind of exiled... It's kind of like a high school clique, but worse..."

This struck a chord. I don't know about the rest of you, but its frightening to me. None of these people, who are somewhat on the "outskirts," deserve to feel that way. Its very alarming to me. The word oligarchy sticks out as well... what I picture, is a leader of three different groups, who control who is in and who is not in their group; judging people and acting like their better. Makes me think of sorority rushing and that just makes me SICK. Maybe that's just my imagination running wild but its an interesting analogy...

Its the sad, sad truth. And I've got another quote that should be eye opening for all of you... I asked this person about their feelings on people on tumblr, group/clique wise, and this is the response.

Think about it guys. This statement is so true it hurts. We all love the Washington Capitals and we all want to see them succeed. Why do we all have to be so nasty to each other? Its so high school it hurts.

It needs to stop. All of this is ridiculous, and the pettiness of all of us is pathetic. Obviously some people are never going to get along; that's just the way the world works. I'm not saying we all have to love each other, but we should at least all respect each other and acknowledge that we all have a common interest, and that is our team.

I know talking with people, my own eyes were opened on the subject and personally, I'm sorry about my own contribution to this.

It should change. We're all fans of the same team, regardless of our different opinions. We should be getting along instead of fighting WITH EACH OTHER. We already have to fight Pittsburgh fans, Tampa fans, Winnipeg fans, etc. What is the point of fighting among our own group?

Try evaluating yourself. Think about your own role in this whole ridiculous situation, and think about how you can change it. Its been something Caps fans have been silent about, until now. Fans have spoken, and its time for all of us to open our eyes to it. And I hope anyone who has been feeling like this is the case feels like they finally have a voice in it, because that's important to me that you do.

Think about what I've said, Caps fans. Try not to pull a logical fallacy just because you don't like what I say.

So with all that, I'll leave you all with this. Let's be friends!

Here are my thoughts about Nicklas Backstrom skating yesterday and today:

• GOD BLESS SWEDEN
• !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
• WITH THE WAY WE HAVE BEEN PLAYING AND WE GET NICKY BACK OH LORD COULD WE ACTUALLY WIN PLAYOFF GAMES???????
• I'M SO EXCITED I TURNED MY CAPSLOCK ON AND CAN'T REMEMBER HOW TO TURN IT OFF

now I bring to you: coherent thoughts about Backstrom skating:

• this honestly could not have happened at a better time. We seem to have started to get our act together and this could just put us over the top.
• I am a little concerned about how this will affect Backstrom's game. We all know that he isn't a rough and tough player, but I would imagine that it will take him a few games to get back to "normal". It would just be awful to have him be gun-shy. 
• This has to do something for team morale right??
• Just think, we haven't had a fully healthy team since the beginning of the season. I don't want to jinx it or anything but I think we all remember how that started out...

Here's to more good news and no setbacks.

Caps/Isles Recap 3/13

What. A. Game. Afterwards I sat here wondering how that even happened. Did this team really rally down from 4-1 to win it in OT? DID MATT HENDRICKS REALLY DO THAT?? What a great day to be surprised because things were looking bleak.

My thoughts:

• I don't even know what the refs were doing the whole entire night. Wideman gets crosschecked which causes his stick to break, no call. Knuble highsticked which caused him to bleed and the refs didn't see it. Not to mention a lot of the calls that gave the Isles powerplays were weak. It's infuriating because the Isles scored in two of their powerplays. Not to mention that our powerplay is FINALLY starting to heat up a little. But I couldn't be sure seeing as we haven't had a powerplay in YEARS.
• I'm tired of all the good bounces going AGAINST us. Who needs good luck? Not us!!!!
• Enough of the sad stuff. Can we please talk about Alexander Ovechkin. When this team needed its captain to pull through, he did. He had a hell of a second and third period. Crash that net Ovi.
  
  
• SCORLOV SCORLOV SCORLOV SCORLOV SCORLOV. I love it. He said he wanted to score more, so he does. Bless his soul. (We'll forgive him for the little shootout mishap. It's his first try I'm sure he was nervous. AND DON'T GET ME STARTED HE IS GOOD IN SHOOTOUTS)
  
  
• Neuvirth was stellar. Kept us in the game in the third and during overtime. I'm happy that he's not injured lord.
• Aucion had such a great night. Using that super long stick (giggle) for good results. 

Great effort. Great win. Let's just not get down 4-1 Friday night to the Jets okay?

Whatever Dale Hunter is selling, the Caps are buying. I love it.

PS: you all should buy me a beer because I took one for the team. Every time I would watch the game the Isles would score. when I turned it off, we would score. I missed Dima score because I was in the bathroom. For some reason my bladder is magical so I stayed in the bathroom for the whole shootout and we won. You are all welcome. 

Caps/Leafs 3/11/12 recap

Wow. What a game. 3 game winning streak feels great, doesn't it?

• Being naturally optimistic, I feel the need to say it. I've seen a shift in energy, and it looks like things are finally gelling and this team looks like the team they should be. 
• Offensive depth. Really, what more do I have to say on the subject? The hole of Nicky Backstrom down the center is becoming less noticeable, at least in my eyes. Of course, nothing can replace him.
• BROOKS LAICH. Can we take more than a minute to discuss this one? Two consecutive game winning goals? He gets himself a shorty today? AND THE WAY HE READ THAT PLAY that in itself was remarkable. Talk about a hot streak. And its something he definitely earned. Brooks is the heart and soul of our team, as shown by the collective suicide our fanbase nearly committed after his knee injury. He's definitely showing leadership and dedication here and GODDAMN are we happy to have this man on our team. God bless you Brooks Laich just... you are just perfect.

And of course, we love all the puns that come with your name. (Laich a boss, baby I Laich it, LAICHLY SUSPECT, etc.)

• Mattie P nabs another one, but really lets be honest here this one was ALL Alex Semin. As this man would say, what a filthy assist. And is there really any other description for that? What a beauty. 2-0 Washington and we can all breathe a sigh of relief.
• Poor Mike Knuble. He's been scratched so often and the world just seems to have it out for him. Can't seem to buy a goal to save his life. Might want to look into sacrificial slaughtering, Papa Kanoobs. Worth a shot since luck seems to constantly be against you.
• The only reason this game wasn't 4-0 or 5-0, was Jonas Gustavsson. Gotta give credit where credit is due, and he pretty much kept any hope the Leafs had alive with some brilliant stops. And with a little luck, of course (aka Marcus' mysterious whiff on an open net. HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN DAMN STICK.)

• Neuvy, playing his 100th career game, earns a shutout. And MY LORD, did he earn it. That save on Frattin? Absolutely UNREAL. Congrats to him for making his 100th career game a memorable one for all of us.

I'm cautious about saying it, but I'm starting to see flashes of something great. That something that I knew was there all along and that I've been waiting for. Its so much easier to breathe after games like this, after win streaks like this. We're only one point behind Florida, but we've knocked the Leafs back 8 points, and that's nearly eliminating quite a threat.

Something had to break. I've been sitting here for months saying it; at some point, everything has to click. I didn't know when it was going to happen, but I had faith that it had to. We're too talented a team to just be as mediocre as we have been this season. There was something that was going to give and part of me believes it has. Everything just seems to be working at this point.

Islanders tuesday. Don't Stop Believin', Caps fans.

Caps/Bruins 3/10/12

Some observations:

• Whatever Dale Hunter has done to Alexander Semin, sweet Jesus I love it. He hasn't taken a penalty in what seems like forever (or 5ever whichever you prefer). He definitely was trying to be too fancy the past couple of games (the whole skating around the net and through defenders and not getting a shot off was a little infuriating to say the least) but he was definitely on his game today. Semin is so scared of Hunter it's hilarious.
• Look at Orlov getting his first career multiple points game! I'm so proud.
• I have no idea what was going on between Laich & Krejci and then Lucic and Alzner. I just want to give Alzner some advice, please don't fight Lucic because that is never going to end well. I had fun laughing about it afterwards though.
• I hate the thirds but why do they look so fresh and snazzy. They really should stop.
• Hendricks and Beagle, your love for each other was showing.
• During the Hurricanes game, I wasn't very impressed with the Brouwer-Beagle-Hendricks line a first. I am so glad they proved me wrong and all my friends laughed at me.
• What has gotten into Brooks Laich recently? Whatever it is I love it.

• Perreault you need to stop taking dumb penalties. I forgave you for last game's. I'm still holding a grudge from today's.
• This game gave me ulcers and heart attacks and I am just now calming down. 

Let's beat those Maple Leafs.

This Whole "Puck Bunny" Thing

I must admit. I don't try to flaunt my sex in people's faces. I like to watch sports, talk about them with anyone who will listen, and try to forget that people probably judge me because I sit when I pee.

I love Sports Illustrated. I read every single thing they write about football. Monday Morning Quarterback is something I pull up every Monday with my coffee.

I just don't understand how they think that a whole photo album about "puck bunnies" is okay. Much less thinking that adding three of my friends who are the farthest things from puck bunnies in it. Roxy's "Don't Stop Believing" sign has gotten a lot of face time, both on tv (we were on tv Tuesday!!), and on this album.

We don't watch this sport because of the guys who play it. We watch this sport because we like it. I cannot comprehend why guys find this so hard to believe. I hate that we have to try and defend ourselves to people.

Nicklas Backstrom is my favorite player. It is not because he has a pretty face. It is because he gives his heart and soul to this game and team. He gives his everything to try and win. He is extremely skilled but doesn't flaunt it. I detest that I have to tell people he's my favorite player and give reasons other than his physical appearance.

Girls are guilty of this. I hate the girls that give us fans bad names and that have started the whole "puck bunny" thing. But I don't want to go out and call them "puck bunnies". They could be like me. They could really enjoy the sport but get carried away sometimes. It happens to the best of us. I am guilty of this. I have a sense of humor that people don't seem to get or understand which makes me a "puck slut".

I hate that I'm labeled and judged. I like sports and I like shopping. So somehow I'm told I'm a whore. Makes sense right?

And sometimes guys don't get what we are going through. They don't understand why this bothers us so much. As one of my best friends Clare said: "[they] will never understand what it's like to have [their] dedication to the only thing [they] love in the whole world questioned on a regular if not daily basis."

I find it funny that this doesn't really happen much in football. I am never asked why I love Joe Flacco and Ray Lewis. It is easier for a girl to like football. But with hockey, my fanhood is constantly thrown into question.

I want to rock the red and I freaking will no matter what. It's just really discouraging sometimes.

Thoughts on this Puck Bunny Phenomenon

Yep, I'm at the center of this one. Unintentionally so.

It started because while going through the album, on the 31st page, I was shocked to find the picture of me with my two friends and a poster I made that said "Don't Stop Believin'" on it. Emotions that followed... how to describe. Shock, anger, pure rage, sadness, etc. Everything you can pretty much imagine.

Its hard to explain the feelings that you get from seeing yourself put in a photo album with crazy girls who have signs that say things like "Ryan Kesler leave your wife and marry me!" or girls with shirts that say "Mrs. Hall and Mrs. Eberle," each wearing their own veil. I was highly insulted to be grouped with people like this. Words can't describe it.

But then it spread like a virus. The whole female hockey fanbase catches wind of it, and it explodes like a goddamn atomic bomb. For the most part, its support among the hockey community, from big names such as Russian Machine Never Breaks and Puck Daddy voicing their support for us and against Sports Illustrated.

Its almost surreal for me to see, knowing that I'm in this whole mess completely unintentionally. But that being said, I'm loving the things I'm hearing from not only other female fans but male fans as well.

Being a female fan of hockey is a burden. It feels like we always have to justify ourselves to our male counterparts. In general, we get defensive very easily when our loyalty comes into question, which tends to happen A LOT more than it does with other sports.

I'm a casual football fan. I support the Hokies when I'm feeling up to a football game. Not ONCE has anyone questioned my support while I was at a football game. But at a hockey game? Oh words cannot describe how close I was to punching some ignorant casual male fan in the face.

Its a ridiculous stereotype. And to be honest, I do get mad at certain people, girls in general, who are loud about this sort of thing. they scream about their pride being puck bunnies, accuse other female fans of being jealous of them because they are talking to their favorite players and such. Its just annoying and it doesn't help the case of those of us who love the sport.

That being said, there is no use to attack these girls. They do what they do, but they shouldn't be the standard for the rest of us. Obviously there is a reason that these stereotypes come to be, however unfair they are.

Male hockey fans seem to be a lot more close minded than other sports fans. At least, based on what I've experienced. Its so frustrating for me to state an opinion regarding my team and have someone completely disregard it simply for the fact that I have a vagina. And trust me, its happened on more than one occasion. Of course, in general, people who use that argument are stupid and are total dicks, which tend to make themselves look worse than me.

Its just tiring. I love my team more than words to describe and I've supported them through all of the hardships we've experienced this year. I've been through all the struggles and frustrations with every other fan and I've done my best to be the best fan I can be. And yet, there are still people who call me a 'bandwagoner' or accuse me of only liking the Caps because they are pretty.

I hate this argument. Anyone remember when women's soccer was big this summer? I didn't hear anyone calling men bandwagoners because they thought Alex Morgan or Hope Solo was pretty. Its a double standard that's absolutely ridiculous.

I'm sick of feeling the need to prove my loyalty. Anyone who knows me personally knows my devotion to the Caps, and they laugh at the fact that I was put in this situation. I know I have nothing to prove to anyone, but I still feel the pressure and the need to. And I know I'm one of many who feels it.

To all the guys who are out there, defending us in this and calling out Sports Illustrated, I want to personally thank you for the support given to all of us. We really appreciate the support we get from the opposite gender in things like this. You guys are the best.

I'll leave you with a few very articulate articles that can better articulate things on this subject, or cover some bases I didn't go over. This whole controversy has been a problem for a long time and a lot of times it doesn't feel like its ever going to change. I just hope hockey fans can prove me wrong on this one.

• Ultimate Hat Trick: "The Female Hockey Fan is Not a Puck Bunny."
• Hockey Broad: "Not All Female Fans are Puck Bunnies."
• Hockey Yelling: "Why 'Puck Bunny' Bothers Me (And Should Bother You Too)."

Haters are gonna keep on hating, but this sign is still making its appearance on more than one occasion at the Verizon Center.