The Local Sports Optimist

WASHINGTON CAPITALS

Though I was never really a big hockey fan growing up, our family still went to occasional CAPS games at the old "Capital Centre" with friends of ours who had season tickets. Always fun times. One thing we often enjoyed after the games was waiting to get autographs as players were leaving. 

During these and many years to follow, hockey was more of an afterthought and certainly not nearly on the level of football, baseball, or even basketball. I was more of a casual hockey follower, and didn't even know all the rules of hockey at that time. Of course I always rooted for the CAPS, especially when playoff games rolled around. My first playoff game was in 1995 vs. the Penguins. As has often been the case in their history, the CAPS would win this exciting game and jump out to a typical 3-1 series lead, only to see the Penguins come back, and lose the series in crushing fashion to the despised rivals. It wasn't really until the current "Rock the Red" era that my interest in hockey increased, and my love for the CAPS took new heights. For the last several years, I have been a full and partial season ticket holder, going to many games. 

And then in 2018, the dream was finally realized. After years of crushing playoff defeats, they did it. The Washington Capitals WON Lord Stanley's Cup! Though my love for the Redskins and Orioles will always be my 1A/1B (interchangeably) favorite sports teams, then Tennessee Vols football right behind them- all of whom have won championships in my lifetime that I have thoroughly enjoyed- I can honestly say that I have never enjoyed a sports championship as much as this particular CAPS championship. Between being able to enjoy this championship with my wife and kids (our first together!), going to the parade together (my first since Redskins in 1992), and celebrating something that the entire Capitals franchise and fanbase had waited- in excruciating fashion- 44 years to do for the first time, and in how it had to be won, it was truly exhilarating. A treasure for a lifetime.