Not everything that goes on in the room is reported...and Ill take what Bradley and Steckel said as proof that the majority of that room feels a sense of disdain towards that lazy piece of ****...even if they dont say it to the media.
Those are your words. Sorry but I'm not liking the tone.You are making stuff up in your head and using inappropriate ****language.
I think posters have been saying in this thread that Semin was the only one doing a good job yesterday. Sometimes some guys mature later than others. I know plenty of people that all of a sudden got an ah ah moment. Semin is showing that maybe that he can be the guy we all know he can be. Let him try with the new coach. I thought last year with Arnott he was already changing.
Like i said earlier, maybe more of a team problem.
D leaves him out to dry too much.
Yeah um....no.
The soft goals are the issue. Nobody is faulting him on plays where he's hung out.
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George McPhee....The Teflon GM. 15 years of failure and counting....
6 - Number of playoff series the Capitals have won since George McPhee took over as General Manager in 1997 (which makes him the third-longest-tenured GM in the League), three of which came in McPhee's first season on the job.
I don't put much stock into this, and if it's the case I don't have much sympathy for a professional team, loaded with quality players, that goes belly-up and basically mails it in when their goalie allows a soft one or two. Especially with a period or two, or more, to play. You fall behind 1-0 on a bad goal and that's it? Game over?
How many times has this Caps team fallen behind over the last few years by several goals and come back to win? We've seen what they can do, they're just too lazy to do it anymore. But I guess that's what we have now. Fall behind 1-0 or 2-0 and our collection of millionaires mails it in.
*Not absolving Vokoun by any means here. He should rightfully be blasted for letting in these continual weak goals, but that's no excuse for the other 20 guys to mope and give up immediately.
This is my thinking, except I'd replace "lazy" with "weak/fragile." When this team has some confidence or whatever it is, they can get by with crappy goaltending. When this team gets excellent goaltending, they can get by playing a meekly. But when both are in such a fragile state mentally they're screwed. One mistake and everyone takes a hit. Right now their best hope seems to be to build up enough momentum early to weather it. That's really tough to do against good teams.
Last night's problem was goaltending. If you disagree, I'd like you to name me which players (other than the goalie) had a horrific game.
Had Vokoun made some solid saves the team would've performed better. They came out flying and was the better team in the 1st period. We almost played the entire period in their zone for crying out loud. Vokoun's softies completely deflated the team.
Overreaction central in here.
Last night goaltending was only one part of the problem, not the only problem. Caps only mustered five shots on goal in the first period and most of them were from a distance from the Flyers goal, i.e. Orlov's shot to Bob's midsection. The problem was none of the Caps were crashing the Flyers net or creating traffic/screens in front of the goal. That's what the Caps had done against the Maple Leafs to allow them to score the PP goals. I don't think Carlson or Wideman had particularly strong games. I know alot are high on Wideman after the Toronto game, I don't share those feelings.
Better team in the first period, that's debatable, they were outshot that period 2 to 1.
Overreaction central, not hardly, however you play the number 1 team in the East, you are playing at home in front of your fans, you just had a 4 day lay off between games and you show no energy against your opponent. Overreaction no, major disappointment yes. It just sucked being in attendance for this one.
The orlov shot kind of mystified me. It was a great example of finally having some set plays in offensive zone. It worked to perfection... except no screeners. How can you work on give-and-goes to a dman without communicating the rest of the players? And if it was communicated... who missed what?
The forwards key should have been as soon as Orlov passed, he bolted from the wall to the center high point. Enough time transpired before the release to get into position.
It was very nice to see. But not all there yet.
edit: btw, I thought Orlov played excellent in some critical areas. He made a pass from our right corner, while under pressure, to his partner in front of the net and we had an easy break out. It would have made Neidermeyer proud.
I maintain that a 7-game sample size is far too small to declare DH a bad choice -- or a good choice for that matter. It's silly to draw conclusions from this very small, inconsistent body of work.
I maintain that a 7-game sample size is far too small to declare DH a bad choice -- or a good choice for that matter. It's silly to draw conclusions from this very small, inconsistent body of work.
Here's the situation:
We've got 8 games left in December, and 5 of them are away games.
Of the 8 games, the 2 weakest teams (and our best chance in winning), IMO, are the Blue Jackets, and the Devils.
However, I think we've won the last game we played against each of these 2, and they'll be looking for payback. And wouldn't you know it: they're away games.
The other 6 games are against the likes of the Preds, Sabres (2), Rangers, Av's, & Jets.
During a stretch that looks to me like we'll be lucky to go 500 (win half) against.
And the first half of January looks to be a disaster, with no relief coming until the middle of the month.
We've got 8 games left in December, and 5 of them are away games.
Of the 8 games, the 2 weakest teams (and our best chance in winning), IMO, are the Blue Jackets, and the Devils.
However, I think we've won the last game we played against each of these 2, and they'll be looking for payback. And wouldn't you know it: they're away games.
The other 6 games are against the likes of the Preds, Sabres (2), Rangers, Av's, & Jets.
During a stretch that looks to me like we'll be lucky to go 500 (win half) against.
And the first half of January looks to be a disaster, with no relief coming until the middle of the month.
Not the time to be implementing a new system, eh?
So at this point, do we hope Colorado gives us a lottery pick and we just keep tanking and get a top 10, 15 at most?
I cringe every time the other team takes a shot. I haven't done that since Theodore was the starter.
You can't tell me this defense is worse than previous years of Florida. Vokoun is McNabb.
First, you're correct about the forwards. And frankly, this situation is a throwback to the Ron Wilson days: these guys are trying to make a living with their bodies, and having to play as physically as we need them to this early is a hard sell.
I will give AO some props though: he is willing to throw his weight around. I'd just wish he'd do it in the defenceive zone.
The D is out of position more than Herman Cain at a press conference.
The goaltending, as you say... is hard to watch.
With the schedule as it is, this just isn't a good time.
I think it's fair to look at Mr McPhee at this point.
So at this point, do we hope Colorado gives us a lottery pick and we just keep tanking and get a top 10, 15 at most?
My .02?
I'm not sold on Florida or Tampa being able to run too far away from us. As the season progresses, the players will be more willing to grind it out, and another factor comes into play that will help us:
The fatigue factor.
By late January, the amount of games played will begin to take its toll, and our opponents will slow down quite a bit.
Between their slowdown, and our forwards willingness to sacrifice their bodies more, we should be able to make a run.
Our key is not to let Florida get too far ahead of us. We're gonna need that home ice advantage.
Finally... someone points a finger in the right direction.
It's bloody obvious. That doesn't take a visionary.
Tampa Bay remains below the Caps so they're not a worry at the moment but this is a fringe playoff team and maybe not a high competitive one if a fairly bold personnel move isn't made.
The answer may not be positioning this team to seriously compete this season but rather better position them for next season and beyond. A rather frustrating conclusion to draw but an accurate one IMO because there is not some quick fix out there to their problems. They're all paying for the shortcuts they've taken in the past and a new approach that makes that painfully obvious.
We've got 8 games left in December, and 5 of them are away games.
Of the 8 games, the 2 weakest teams (and our best chance in winning), IMO, are the Blue Jackets, and the Devils.
However, I think we've won the last game we played against each of these 2, and they'll be looking for payback. And wouldn't you know it: they're away games.
The other 6 games are against the likes of the Preds, Sabres (2), Rangers, Av's, & Jets.
During a stretch that looks to me like we'll be lucky to go 500 (win half) against.
And the first half of January looks to be a disaster, with no relief coming until the middle of the month.
Not the time to be implementing a new system, eh?
FWIW, they have to actually play the games. It might be the bloodbath you predict. It also might not. We're not the first team to implement a new system midstream. In fact, this very team did it 4 years ago.
No offense intended to you personally, but this sort of prognosticating is really meaningless.
It's bloody obvious. That doesn't take a visionary.
Tampa Bay remains below the Caps so they're not a worry at the moment but this is a fringe playoff team and maybe not a high competitive one if a fairly bold personnel move isn't made.
The answer may not be positioning this team to seriously compete this season but rather better position them for next season and beyond. A rather frustrating conclusion to draw but an accurate one IMO because there is not some quick fix out there to their problems. They're all paying for the shortcuts they've taken in the past and a new approach that makes that painfully obvious.
Lang,
If it's so obvious... how is it that you didn't post it? Hey, give him his props: he did post it, and he was right.
And aren't you the guy that tried to claim last year that ALL of the players went to practice? We know now that wasn't true, eh?
No biggie, but you did go out on a limb on that one, and you were wrong.
As for Tampa: read above that. That's my .02.
I realize they're under-performing. I also realize that they're just as likely to turn it around. I'll betcha a beer that they do.
IMO: this next series of games up through mid January is the key for the Caps. It's critical that we win enough of em so as to remain in the hunt.
FWIW, they have to actually play the games. It might be the bloodbath you predict. It also might not. We're not the first team to implement a new system midstream. In fact, this very team did it 4 years ago.
No offense intended to you personally, but this sort of prognosticating is really meaningless.
C'Mon... no one said bloodbath. What I see is 500 play.
And again, if this is so obvious, how is it you (and no one else here) haven't mentioned it?
It just boils down to this: we need very good play over the course of these next 30 days.
C'Mon... no one said bloodbath. What I see is 500 play.
And again, if this is so obvious, how is it you (and no one else here) haven't mentioned it?
It just boils down to this: we need very good play over the course of these next 30 days.
If we can do that, we'll be in much better shape.
I agree with this. I just don't think it's unthinkable that we could get it. You said they'd be lucky to be at 500 and since we're at 3-4 under Dale, I just don't see it as out of the realm. Admittedly, we've lost to most the better teams in that stretch, but with the exception of last night, we played those teams -- Pitt, Fla — fairly well.
And what is so obvious? Sorry, not following. (serious question)
