In a city best known for its politics, professional sports often take a backseat in Washington D.C. As one of only 13 cities in the country to have teams competing in the four major sports, the District has dropped the ball over the last year, often literally.
The Wizards had a nightmare of a year, finishing with one of the worst records in the league and humiliation at the hands of their franchise player, gun-toting Gilbert Arenas. The off-season couldn’t come quick enough for the team.
On the other side of town, Redskins owner Dan Snyder has made the city’s most popular team a laughing stock by throwing ridiculous amounts of money at high-profile free agents who don’t necessarily fit the team’s needs.
Money doesn’t buy championships, especially when there’s a salary cap and Snyder’s ways leave ‘Skins fans longing for the Gibbs era—the first one.
Rounding out the trio of disappointing teams are the Nationals. The newest D.C. team has finished with the worst record in the league the past two seasons. Although they don’t have the money other teams do, it’s never fun to be last.
It is said that every cloud has a silver lining, and the same is true for the Washington sports scene. In this case, that lining is red and represents the Capitals.
The Capital’s resurgence has been mostly due to Alexander Ovechkin who came from Russia with anything but love. He is everything you want in a franchise player—exciting, talented, and a winner. Every time he touches the puck, opposing teams and their fans fear for the worst, as his blazing slap-shot torches nets and his huge hits crush even the biggest of bruisers.
Along with other superstars, Ovechkin led the Capitals to the best record in the NHL and a No. 1 seed in the playoffs. Even more impressive is how that team has resurrected the love of hockey in the capital of a country where most of the public is only vaguely aware of the sport.
With all the other major sports teams in the area suffering, fans finally have something to be proud of, and they definitely don’t take it for granted. The home ice advantage was extremely valuable to the Caps’ success, as they won 30 games at home this year. The Verizon Center turns into a sea of red that would make the devil (or the Devils, for that matter) envious. Add in a raucous crowd that doesn’t stop yelling the entire game and explodes after every goal—especially if it’s their beloved number eight—and you have the recipe for the perfect sporting experience.
The Capitals have never won a Stanley Cup before, but their 2010 quest may be their best chance yet. The city of Washington D.C.—which hasn’t seen a championship since the Redskins’ 1991 Super Bowl victory—is hungry for another big win. Nineteen years is a long time to wait, but for a city that has seen so much change during that time, Lord Stanley’s Cup may just be the cure.
