There's this sport called hockey... And there's this team in DC called the Capitals... Oh nevermind - you people would rather be watching commercial-riddled "football."
Anyway, the Capitals are currently the best sports team DC has and the fan base is growing by the year. For example, last night's Winter Classic which was held in Pittsburgh had in attendance 30,000 Capitals fans who drove the five hours into enemy territory to see their beloved team dominate the rival Penguins. For hockey fans, the energy was electric and arguably way more exciting than the Super Bowl.
What's so special about hockey? I don't know. I guess it's a northern thing. I played hockey as a kid on a frozen pond across the street from my house. There's something about the cold and the snow and the quick action on the ice. There's something about the modest nature of hockey. And the intimacy of it. Hockey is an intensely emotional experience for players and fans. It's a sport relatively safe from the intrusions of money and fame. I love knowing that I could run into a Caps player or the coach while shopping here in Alexandria. I love knowing the team practices a few miles away in Arlington. There's a certain amount of pride Caps fans have that this city is sadly lacking for any of their other sports teams.
After living a life as a Bears and Cubs fan it's nice to cheer on a team that actually wins. I'm no bandwagon fan (obviously), but it feels real good to be on top. Go Caps!
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