So this is what crow tastes like

As per the rules over at the lovely blog of a certain Capitals' fan, as part of the playoff pool (which I forgot to enter for the last round, go me), the winners can pick three people to write nice things about their team and have them publicly posted humiliated for all to see.

I got picked by a Caps fan. That's all you need to know.

Ahem. So, in order to get myself into the mood for writing a bit about one of the Penguins' rivals in the joyous times of the Patrick Division, let's learn a bit about their history, shall we?

The Washington Capitals were part of the expansion that gave us the Kansas City Scouts (aka: The New Jersey Devils) in 1974, which gave them their rookie year a record of 8-67-5 (almost looks like the Penguins last year). Not a good start, to be sure, but with only room to move up they hit playoff contender status in 1980 and 81, making an appearance in the postseason in 1983 after some smashing trades with the Canadiens that proved that they were a contending hockey team and saving them from the same fate as the Scouts (who wants to end up in Jersey, really?). They have only gotten better from there, making regular appearances in the postseason and forging a nice hate of the New York Islanders like any self respecting Eastern Division team in the 80's.

The Caps have had some stellar talents come through their doors, including Larry Murphy, Robert Lang, Sergei Gonchar, and some guy named Jaromir Jagr that would probably get his ass beat if it came to town outside of a tour bus. There is one player in recent years that stands out among the crowd (I'm not talking about their recent recruit from Ravenclaw...tell me that kid doesn't look like he just came from Hogwarts) that even a Penguins fan can get behind: Alexander Ovechkin.

Aside from Ovechkin's choice in desserts and sides to sandwiches, he can play hockey (made better by the addition of Metallica), talk to Marty McSorley, give funny interviews, he golfs in his spare time and translates things for his good friend, Evgeni Malkin (couldn't find a link to it, but their interview was on OLNUSUS and worth a look). He even gets along with Sidney (and really, that video is great just to see them together having fun with Shanahan and lighting a cake with a blowtorch. Good thing they both rock at hockey, though, because they suck at singing)! Or maybe not.

On a more serious side, number 8 has all the skills and the moves of a great hockey player, and he shows them on the ice regularly. The Capitals have gone through a rough spot, but they're on the move up, and behind some good talent (Semin, Muir, Beech) and a solid goaltender (Kolzig is nothing to sneeze at, certainly), they'll make a better showing in October when they come back in retro style.

They've even got a great AHL team!

So in conclusion, the Caps are worth a watch in the coming years, even if all you take away from it is a good show of some of Ovechkin's stellar moves and his stylish yellow crocs.

The end!

(And since this has taken me three days to write, I can now add the footnote of, 'Yay! Way to go, Vermette's hair!' and, 'Chris Pronger, you suck')