Sports Bucket List

Now that I'm inching towards the halfway point of the average life expectancy (77.4 years as of 2008 per Wikipedia) for men I figured I'd better start piecing together my Sports Bucket List. Everyone will probably create some type of bucket list during their lifetime and I'm sure I'll do one as well that is not centered around sports, but for now this is what I want to do/see/visit/enjoy before I'm laid to rest. 

What a morbid topic Jason...let me tell you what got me thinking about this. I was watching the first UNC v Duke men's basketball game this year and tweeted to @midatlanticbias (another Jason) who happens to be a Duke fan that we should watch a season series of UNC/Duke with each other. Him walking into the palace that is the Dean Dome and me slithering into the cramped, overheated high school gym that is Cameron Indoor Stadium. Now I have already watched a game in each of the two locations. About a decade ago I went with a high school friend to watch a U. of Maryland vs Duke game near the height of their rivalry. I wore a red t-shirt with the words 'Kick Their Ass' written on it in the heart of the 'Cameron Crazies.' Outside of the ticket taker, not one student said a mean word to me. I didn't even get that many dirty looks. Duke won which probably kept me from getting into a shoving match post game, but the experience was fun. Just last month I finally got to see UNC play at home when they defeated Pitt. The place was loud and it was nice to be surrounded by a bunch of fans rooting for the same team unlike my previous three UNC games that I had seen in person: 1) at Princeton 2) in DC during the ACC tournament with a mixed bag of fans 3) at the ACC Championship game last season with a bunch of Miami fans in my section as the Hurricanes won the title.

Okay I'm getting off track...back to the bucket list.

The easiest way for me will be going from sport to sport (whether you like it or not, I will be including poker as a sport).

Baseball

1) Attend a Game 7 - any Game 7 (bonus points to it including the Oakland Athletics or Washington Nationals). I was fortunate enough to see a playoff game finally two seasons ago when Jayson Werth hit a walk-off HR in Game 4 against St. Louis for the Nationals. I don't remember what ever came of that Game 5 though.

2) See the All-Star festivities - Mainly I want to watch a HR derby. Yes I'm an old soul when it comes to baseball and I thoroughly enjoy a good old fashioned HR derby. I'd go to the All Star game too, but the derby does it for me more so.

3) 30 games in 30 (or 31) days - Maybe not like this one, but something similar without the plane flights. Me and three other people in a camper going coast to coast. It can be done with the right scheduling by MLB as long as the teams who share cities play on the same day and night so you can hit both in one day. I'll blog it if somebody's wants to pay for it :)

4) Throw live to a major league hitter - This one is about 4 years expired as my shoulder has gone to hell, but what I wouldn't have given to throw live to any MLBer during my prime. Sure they would've crushed me, but what fun I would've had.

5) Spend a week with my High School pals in Arizona for Spring Training - My core high school group of friends included two A's fans, a Cubs fan, a Brewers fan, a Yankees fan and a Tigers fan. 4-2 Arizona to Florida (plus I've been to spring training in Florida). 

6) Go to Opening Day - This seems like an easy one to accomplish, but I have never gotten around to doing it. Shame on me.

Football

1) Watch the Redskins play (and win) an NFC Championship Game at home - This has many factors that 20 years ago looked to be a distinct possibility, but now looks near impossible. The Redskins have hosted just two playoff games since moving out of DC. I could be sitting on this one for a while.

2) Go to a Super Bowl when the Redskins aren't playing - Jokes aside about how easy this one could be, I don't think I'd like to be in house while the Redskins are playing in a Super Bowl. I'd much rather be around my friends and family. Football is the one sport that I like watching in a social atmosphere. I cuss far too much when watching baseball, hockey and college basketball to be around people I care about.

3) See JMU make the jump to Division 1 and watch UNC play for a National Championship - JMU seems on the cusp of making the leap away from 1-AA (I'm not using the proper terminology for a reason). Then when they beat Virginia Tech it won't be as much as a shock. UNC had a great season in 1997 and have been up and down since (with some help from some boosters and tutors). My hope is they at least play in a BCS level game in the next few years and possibly have that one magical season within the next 10-15 years.

Basketball

1) Go to a Final Four - I possibly could stomach watching UNC live there, but I'd probably be escorted out of the building before the first television timeout. There was a distinct possibility that I was going to get to go to the Final Four in New Orleans in 2012 through a work connection via my sister if UNC had gone, but stupid ass Creighton had to go and injure Kendall Marshall and derail a probable UNC/UK rematch. Still, and forever, bitter.

2) Watch UNC/Duke in both arenas - Already discussed above.

3) Be on UNC's campus during a Final Four/Championship victory - I have been on campus for four UNC games in my life. I was there when UNC lost to Duke, I was there when UNC lost the 1998 Final Four to Utah and I was there when UNC lost to Florida in the 2000 Final Four. Thankfully UNC beat Pitt last month or I may have never gone back.

4) Watch JMU become the next GMU/VCU/Wichita St. - I went to James Madison University (shocking as that is with my affinity to UNC throughout this blog) from 1996-2000. After making the NCAA Tournament in 1994 which was the culmination of 5 straight CAA regular season titles, I had hopes that JMU might be really good while I was there. After all they had legendary head coach Lefty Driesell at the helm. He had spoken to the freshman during orientation in 1996 and then promptly stepped down after our freshman year to go to Georgia St.. JMU won 16 games my freshman year, 11 my sophomore year, 16 my junior year and then had a great senior year with 20 wins. They didn't make the NCAA throughout until breaking a lengthy drought with an appearance last season where they picked up a play-in (1st round) win before losing to Indiana. What I want to see is JMU become the darling of the nation for three weekends in March/April. They don't have to win it all, but to emulate what fellow CAA members GMU and VCU have done would be nice (as long as they don't step on UNC like GMU did).

5) Witness the Washington Bullets Wizards return to glory - The reason I'm a Detroit Pistons fan is because the Washington franchise was just too embarrassing when I was a youth. I like the direction they are finally heading in with youthful talent and hopefully they're getting good enough to woo a veteran superstar to get them over the hump. No I don't think LeBron is headed to D.C., but I just can't understand why people won't consider playing here now that Washington has a couple of pieces in place to win.

Hockey

1) Go to the Winter Classic in 2015 - There is only one item on my Christmas list this year and it's to go to the spectacle that is the Winter Classic. With the Washington Capitals trending downward, next year could be a major crossroads for the franchise. Which leads me into the only bucket list item that matters for this category...

2) Witness a Stanley Cup for the Capitals franchise - I've been to regular season games, 1st round playoff games, 2nd round playoff games and even an Eastern Conference Final game back in 1998. I've sat through four overtime horror shows and screamed in excitement after a Game 7 OT game winner (thank you Joel Ward). The highs have been high and the lows have been soul crushing. I know I will literally weep like a baby if the Capitals ever hoist Lord Stanley's Cup. 

3) Watch a Game 7 playoff game live when the Capitals win - I've never been to Game 7 in the playoffs and for good reason as a Capitals fan. It hasn't been pretty. One year I'll suck it up and go to try and break the trend, but the fan in me knows what will happen.

Poker

1) Play in the WSOP Main Event - $10,000 buy in with the longest odds of winning millions of dollars. I just want the chance.

2) Play in a $5,000 WPT Event - 1/2 the cost, much better odds of winning. 

Obviously I better start making some more $$ if I want either of those to come true.

Golf

1) Hit a hole-in-one - It's every golfers dream and I got within 10 feet once when I used to play a bit more. Simple dream, difficult to achieve.

2) Watch the Masters in person - It's not spring until I start seeing commercials for the Masters on CBS. The best looking course in the world with the best players competing, what more could one ask for?

Soccer

1) Watch the USA win the World Cup - I was fortunate to go to a World Cup match back in 1994 when Mexico and Norway played at RFK in D.C.. I love international soccer (really any international competition when the best are playing the best in any event) and just once the USA will make that magical run to shock the world.

Olypmics

1) Go to an Olympics: Summer or Winter or both - I love the Olympics for the same reason I love the World Cup. I'm a competition junkie. I took off of work during the 2nd week of the Winter Olympics once again to watch the Men's Hockey tournament in peace and quiet. It's what I do. The USA is due to host the Summer Olympics within the next 20 years and I'm in wherever they may be. Same goes for the Winter Olympics and especially the Men's Hockey....

2) Watch the USA men win Gold Medal in the Olympics - The one sporting event I wish I had been at live would easily have been the 'Miracle on Ice' in 1980. While the USA winning a gold medal won't reach the fervor that occurred in 1980, it'll still be fantastic.

Horse Racing

1) Go to the Kentucky Derby - I have already asked my wife to book a trip to Kentucky for my 40th birthday which just happens to be the next time that the Derby falls on my birthday. Perfect. I'll see you there in 2018. I'll be betting on the 5 horse and the 10 horse.

I'm sure I'm missing stuff like going to the Big House to watch a Michigan game or tailgating before an Auburn v Alabama game in college football. I want to go to Dodger Stadium and sit in the 5th upper level or just sit with Vin Scully for nine innings. I'd love to meet a ton of people including Dean Smith even with his heartbreaking mental state right now. I'm sure my list could go on and on because outside of my personal favorite teams, I just love sports.

I know I'd love to sit in with Bill Belichick or any other NFL head coach for a week and see what exactly goes into game planning for a week. Obviously coaching a single MLB game would be ridiculous.

So many things to do so little time and money to do them.

I have knocked some items off the list:

1) Visit Fenway/Wrigley Field

2) Go to the College World Series (although going and seeing UNC win would be perfection)

3) Play basketball on a NBA court (sure I was 12, but I got to shake Charles Barkley's hand)

4) Visit Notre Dame

5) See the Oakland A's play in Oakland (I've also seen them play at Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Chicago (both White Sox and Cubs) and Pittsburgh).

I would enjoy any feedback and any of my reader's bucket list items. Maybe it'll jog my ever crumbling mind on things I have forgotten. 

 

Heartbreak and Elation: Washington Capitals

I recently posted my memories of the good and bad feelings that came from being a fan of the Washington Redskins.  Although recent years have not been kind to the franchise, they have, at least, been to the mountain top in my lifetime.  I have memories, faint as they may be getting, of them being the best team in the NFL and on the cusp of a championship year in and year out.

Being a Washington Capitals fan has been difficult.  Outside of the city of Cleveland, I don't know a worse franchise to be so enamored with.  No, the Capitals aren't a bad or poorly ran franchise.  They aren't the Washington Bullets Wizards.  The Capitals have been, for the most part, a really good team.  From the early to mid 1980's through this past season, Washington has made the playoffs in 23 of 29 seasons.  That's quite consistent.  The other consistent is the heartbreak that they have caused fans once the schedule changes from the regular season to the post season.

It's one thing to be hapless and it's an entirely different feeling to be so close to glory that you can taste it only to have the rug pulled out from under your feet in a different way every time.  At least Charlie Brown knew Lucy was going to pull back the football, didn't he?  The Capitals find a new way every year it seems to reinvent heartbreak.  They give fans just enough elation to think maybe this is the year...they can't be the Chicago Cubs of the NHL forever can they??

As for me, I was born in 1978 and began listening to the Capitals on the radio as I went to sleep in the late 80's.  My father was never, and still isn't, a big hockey fan so I didn't get to watch them much on HTS (before becoming CSN).  I remember the playoff run in 1990 faintly, but between the Redskins dominating the headlines and my own busy athletic schedule of rec basketball, I couldn't follow them day to day.  It wasn't until 1992 when I coaxed my father to take me to my first Capitals game up in Landover, MD that I became a budding fanatic.

We'll start there as I go through my own personal journey of my top 10 moments of elation and heartbreak provided by the Washington Capitals.

TOP 10 MOMENTS OF ELATION AS A WASHINGTON CAPITALS FAN

Honorable Mentions:
1988 Game 7 vs. Philadelphia (Dale Hunter OT Game Winner)
1990 Playoffs (John Druce Gets Loose)
2009 Game 6 vs Pittsburgh (David Steckel OT Game Winner)
2011 January 1st Winter Classic vs. Pittsburgh

10. 1992 - February 9th vs. San Jose

This game won't stand out to anyone reading this, but it was the first game I saw in person.  This is where it all began for me.  John Druce apparently was still 'loose' as he scored a hat trick in a 6-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks.  It was about that time where 'Starter' jackets were en vogue and everyone owned a San Jose Sharks jacket.  I remember that is why I chose that game to be my first to attend.  As I have told everyone since that date, hockey is best in person.  This was doubly true pre-HD and wide screen televisions.  Screw that glowing Fox puck and red tail.  Go to a game, go to a playoff game.  If you don't get goose bumps and chills down the spine, hockey isn't for you.

9. 1994 - February 5th Peter Bondra 5 Goal Game

My favorite player of my youth had his best game as a professional that night.  To be honest, I wasn't watching the game.  I was, though, listening to the game on the radio as my mom and I drove to Washington D.C. to watch a comedy show.  I still remember yelling Bonzai!!! when he scored.  When I got back in the car and listened to the recap on the radio and heard he ended up with 5 goals, I was amazed.  I didn't think that was possible.  When you as a fan can remember exactly what you were doing, who you were with nearly 20 years after it happened for a regular season game, you know it meant something special.

8. 2009 Playoffs - Game 2 vs. Pittsburgh 

Now we leave my own personal memories and begin to relive all the seminal moments of the franchises' history.  What better place to start than Washington vs. Pittsburgh.  No, don't click away, every once in a while the Capitals were on the happy side of things against their bitter rivals.  Game 2 in 2009 was one such night.  At the peak of the Ovechkin vs. Crosby rivalry came a 2nd round playoff match up.  After taking Game 1, the Capitals made it two straight wins behind the a hat trick by Ovechkin.  He was matched goal for goal by Crosby as both superstars finished with 3 goals.  The dueling hat tricks between the two elite superstars was exactly what NHL fans wanted to see.  It highlighted what turned out to be a full seven game series (shocker!) that will be covered later in this post.

7. 1998 Playoffs - Game 6 vs. Boston

1998...all happy moment stories for Capitals fans begin and unfortunately, usually end with this single year.  The run to their only Stanley Cup Finals appearance all started here.  Before we get to Game 6, let me tell you a quick story:  Going into Game 3 of this first round series, the Capitals were coming off a 2OT loss.  I knew that the Capitals always seemed to lose OT playoff games.  Game 3 looked to be no different.  I was at college (JMU) and Boston scored the OT winning in Game 3 and before the red light even came on, I turned my television off, threw the remote and stormed off to dinner.  Hours went by and I avoided the internet, television and suite mates.  I isolated myself until 11:00 pm when I flipped on SportsCenter while doing some homework and the Capitals highlights came up and I sat there cussing at them until I heard the OT goal was waived off...WHAT?!??!  In fact, Joe Juneau scored in 2OT to give the Capitals the victory and a 2-1 series lead.  Fast forward to Game 6 and the Capitals now held a 3-2 series lead in games and once again the game headed to overtime.  Back at my parents house, I screamed with excitement as Brian Bellows unleashed a slap shot past Byron Dafoe to stun the Boston faithful and the Capitals moved on to round 2.

6. 2008 - The Streak to End the Season

For many fans of Capitals rivals, this is where many jokes occur that the city of Washington actually discovered they had a hockey team.  At the start of the season, Verizon Center often frequented more fans of the road team than the home team and fan interaction during games was scarce.  Glen Hanlon was fired as Capitals coach after a 6-14-1 start and mostly unknown Bruce Boudreau was elevated from the AHL farm team Hershey to take over.  He brought a fast paced, run and gun, offense oriented style of play that fit to a tee the skill players that were on the roster.  From last place in the Eastern Conference, the Capitals climbed the ladder and were within earshot of a playoff spot with a month to go.  Hopes were dimmed somewhat after Nicklaus Backstrom scored an own goal against Pittsburgh as the Capitals dropped their second game in a row.  With 12 games remaining the margin for error was slim.  Washington, behind a new 'Rock the Red' fan campaign and stellar play from goaltender Cristobal Huet reeled off 11 wins including a division clinching 3-1 home victory over Florida on the final day of the season.  After 3 straight seasons finishing in last place, the Capitals were once again Southeast Division champions.

5. 2008 Playoffs - Game 1 vs. Philadelphia

That streak of wins leads us into the first game of the playoffs that season.  It was the first playoff game for Alex Ovechkin and I happened to be sitting 4 rows from the glass right on the blue line where the Capitals were shooting in the 1st and 3rd periods.  The 'Rock the Red' fan campaign was still in its infancy and by game time I looked around at the arena and had only seen fans like this one other time in my life (foreshadowing alert).  The place was electric.  After Donald Brashear (of all people) put the Capitals up 1-0, dreams of a Stanley Cup flowed throughout the arena.  Then the reality of the moment seemed to hit the young Capitals as Philadelphia scored 4 of the next 5 goals to hold a 4-2 lead after two periods.  The Verizon Center was silent.  Then Mike Green took over.  Less than two minutes into the third period he scored to shave the deficit to one and on a power play about five minutes later he scored again to tie the game at four.  The crowd was back in it.  That's when the face of the franchise announced his arrival with not only his first ever playoff goal, but a game winner to boot.

The place went nuts.  My friend and I were hugging each other, we were hugging strangers.  This was only game one.  Imagine how it would feel in the later rounds with even more at stake.

4. 1998 Playoffs - Game 2 vs. Buffalo

Memorial Day 1998.  The day started as any normal Memorial Day had to that point in my life.  In Falls Church there has been a parade since 1982 and I had been to just about all of them.  I knew the Capitals were playing Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals that night and that was the only thing on my mind the whole day.  My best friend worked for the local paper (The Falls Church News-Press) at the time and the editor received four lower level tickets to that nights Capitals game from a Washington Mystics player who the paper sponsored to be in the parade.  He took my friend, me and one other friend that night.  It was the first ever playoff game for me and I had never been more excited.  Dressed for the 'white out' the and with two pom-poms in hand I rocked out to the 'Beautiful People' intro and I don't think my feet ever hit the ground.  I had never witnessed a crowd like that at a Capitals game.  Even President Bill Clinton showed up.  The game had everything.  Peter Bondra scored.  Dominik Hasek threw his catching glove in frustration after being hit in the corner.  I openly mocked Matthew Barnaby...at least until he scored in the final moments to send the game into overtime.  Down 1-0 in the series, it was basically a 'must-win' game for Washington.  Just over three minutes into the extra frame, Todd Krygier sent the fans home happy.  I didn't have a voice for days.  Greatest Capitals moment I saw in person ever.

3. 2009 Playoffs - Game 7 vs. New York Rangers

By the time the 2009 playoffs began, the Capitals were beginning to resemble Stanley Cup contenders.  They drew the New York Rangers and promptly dropped the first two games at home.  The season appeared to be over as the Capitals were apparently headed for another playoff bust.  They won Game 3, lost Game 4, but won Games 5 and 6 to even the series at three games apiece.  Just like in 2008, the Capitals hosted a Game 7, but this year they were seen as the prohibitive favorite.  The Rangers struck first, but were answered later in the 1st period by Alexander Semin.  Halfway through the 3rd period, the game was still knotted at one and it looked as though the next goal was going to be the winner with the way Henrik Lundqvist and Semyon Valarmov were playing in goal.  That next goal came from nineteen year veteran Sergei Federov.  In what turned out to be his final goal of his Hall of Fame career, he sent Washington to the second round for the first time since 1998.  It was their first Game 7 victory of any sorts since the Dale Hunter overtime goal in 1988.

2. 2012 Playoffs - Game 7 vs. Boston

The 2011-12 season was tumultuous to say the least in Washington.  The high flying, offensive dominant Capitals shot out of the gate with seven consecutive victories.  Fifteen games later, they had fired their head coach, Bruce Boudreau as they stood 12-9-1.  The ex-captain Dale Hunter was brought in to coach the team and he quickly instilled a defensive minded approach to the game.  Difficult at times to watch, the Capitals stayed afloat enough to earn a playoff spot as the 7th seed (out of 8) and were paired up against the defending Stanley Cup champion Bruins from Boston.  Heavy underdogs this go around the Capitals managed a thrilling 2OT victory in between two losses over the series first three games.  Then Washington won two straight and headed to D.C. with a chance to eliminate Boston in stunning fashion.  Game 6 went to overtime and as Washington fans had witnessed time and time again, Boston scored sending the series back to Boston for a decisive Game 7.  Nobody seemed to give Washington much of a chance, and to be honest, I didn't think they would fare well at all.  They played snug to the vest and for the fourth time in the series the game headed to overtime.  That is where Joel Ward forever etched his name into Washington Capitals lore.  He cleaned up a shot by fellow fan favorite Mike Knuble and Washington dethroned the champs and moved on to round number two.

1. 1998 Playoffs - Game 6 vs. Buffalo

As stated earlier, most good stories about the history of the Capitals end with 1998.  Their final win of that magical season came in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals in Buffalo.  The series between future Hall of Fame goalie Dominik Hasek and future Vezina Award winner (Best goalie of the year in 2000) Olaf Kolzig was as good as billed.  Through five games each goalie had a shut out and there were three one goal games including two in overtime (both won by Washington).  Game six would be the third overtime game of the series.  I was at my parents house, still wearing the same white t-shirt from Game 2, still waving the pom-poms that were handed out there and I don't think I blinked the entire game.  I had no interest in a Game 7 for obvious reasons, but knowing that Hasek had the ability to stand on his head (literally) and dominate was the primary reason.  Joe Juneau made sure that didn't happen.  He got a shot past Hasek and I erupted and streaked through the house screaming like an idiot.  My friend called me and all I remember yelling was 'We're going to the Stanley Cup!!!'  Good times.

But there have been plenty of bad times.

TOP 10 MOMENTS OF HEARTBREAK AS A WASHINGTON CAPITALS FAN

HONORABLE MENTIONS:


1987 Playoffs Game 7 vs. New York Islanders (Too young to remember)

2003 Playoffs Game 6 vs. Tampa Bay
Fire Sale of 2004

10. 1995 Playoffs Game 6 vs. Pittsburgh/2010 Playoffs Game 5 vs. Montreal (Tie)

I couldn't decide which possible clinching, non Game 7 was the worst home playoff performance in the history of the franchise.  In 1995, Washington was en route to blowing a 3 games to 1 best of seven series lead against Pittsburgh (shocked, I know).  Their best chance was in Game 6 at home, but Washington was spanked in that game as the Capitals ended up using three goaltenders.  That final score 7-1.  Not surprisingly the Capitals mailed in Game 7 as well losing 3-0.  Fifteen years later, the Capitals were the best team in the NHL.  They had a 3 games to 1 series lead against a seemingly over matched squad from Montreal.  Ten minutes into Game 5, Washington had already surrendered two goals, thrown away momentum and gave the Canadiens a glimmer of hope.  Even though neither of these games had true 'heartbreak', they were seminal moments of playoff failures in a long string of playoff failures for the franchise.

9. 1993 Game 6 vs. New York Islanders

This was early on in my life as a Capitals fan.  Again there wasn't heartbreak in the truest sense, but it was my first real experience with the season ending.  Washington lost in six games against the Islanders, but this game will always be remembered for the late hit that Dale Hunter laid on Pierre Turgeon after he iced the game with the fifth Islanders goal.  He separated the shoulder of Turgeon and received a 21 game suspension the following season which left a permanent black eye on the stellar career of Washington's beloved captain.  As a fan you never want a player on your team to be 'that guy' and on that night, Hunter was him and then some.

 8. 1995 Playoffs Game 5 vs. Pittsburgh

The game before the one written about earlier definitely had heartbreak.  Up 3 games to 1 and up 2 goals to 0 in Game 5 and coming off of consecutive 6-2 victories, things were looking as good as possible for Washington.  Then Jaromir Jagr undressed Joe Juneau who got stuck on defense and Jim Carey to pull the Penguins within one.  Then it was tied.  Dale Hunter put the Caps back up 3-2 with his second goal which was quickly answered by Ron Francis.  My emotions were on tilt.  Peter Bondra and Jagr both scored in the third period and once again the game was knotted up.  Unbelievable.  Then the third goal in 90 seconds and the second of the night by Bonzai!!!! gave the Capitals a 5-4 lead.  That had to be enough...right??  Nope.  Goal Pittsburgh, tied at 5...to overtime we go.  That's where Luc Robitaille ended it, giving Pittsburgh a 6-5 win.  As stated above the Penguins outscored Washington 10-1 in Games 6 & 7 and the collapse was complete.
 
7. 2012 Playoffs Game 7 vs. New York Rangers

It still stings like it just happened.  Mainly because as of me writing this the Capitals have only played one game since.  From huge underdogs against Boston to slight underdogs against New York to even expecting to win Game 7, the Capitals gritty style of play just began to click come playoff time under Dale Hunter.  Through six games the two teams had traded wins and losses, but the last two wins for New York had required overtime, giving fans and players alike supreme confidence that going to New York for Game 7 would be winnable.  The team had just gone to Boston and done the same thing so why not once more?  This is why this game makes the list.  After a season of lethargy, I began to believe.  The city began to believe.  More importantly the team seemed to believe in the system and in itself.  Unfortunately, Henrik Lundqvist was too good on that night and rookie goaltender Braden Holtby was just not good enough.  The Rangers took a 2-0 lead midway through the 3rd period and even though Washington answered right back to keep me glued to the screen, they could never get the equalizer and the short, uneven tenure as head coach for Dale Hunter came to an end. 





6. 2003 Playoffs Game 3 vs. Tampa Bay

This is the forgotten playoff year for many in Capitals history.  The only playoff appearance for Washington over six years (five seasons) began with high hopes and ended with the franchise on the cusp of disarray.  After trading for hated Cap-killer Jaromir Jagr the year before, the '02-'03 Capitals had hoped to ride his talents along with Peter Bondra and Olaf Kolzig to the promise land.  In round one, Washington marched down to Tampa Bay and outscored the Lightning 9-3 to go up 2-0.  Heading back to Washington, I secured tickets to both Games 3 and 4 with the hopes of sweeping away the Lightning.  Silly, silly, boy.  In Game 3 Tampa Bay held three different 1 goal leads, but each time Washington evened it up as the game headed to overtime tied at 3.  That's where all hell broke loose and I will forever blame the referees for changing the course of the series and the franchise as a whole for the next half decade.  *Editor's note* (Yes I understand that Ovechkin era also came from that crap, but I'll never let this game go).  It's rare to see penalties called in overtime.  Not only did Washington get called for a penalty, but :54 seconds after one was called, a second was called.  If I remember correctly, never had a home team faced a 5 on 3 power play in the history of the playoffs.  I'm so happy I was there for the first time.  Of course Tampa Bay scored, and the ice was then littered with anything and everything.  I used so much foul language that even George Carlin told me to watch my tongue.  The Capitals came out flat in Game 4 and never recovered, eventually losing four straight including a gut wrenching 3OT game to end their season in Game 6.

5. 1996 Playoffs Game 4 vs. Pittsburgh

Speaking of multiple overtime games.  My senior year in high school saw yet another Capitals versus Penguins playoff series.  This time the series started in Pittsburgh and Washington promptly went up north and took the two games.  With their foot on the throat of Pittsburgh, Washington played another poor home game in Game 3 dropping it 4-1 making Game 4 a big swing game.  I had my friend over to my house for the game that started just after seven p.m. and wouldn't end until two in the morning.  The usual suspects were present as both Jaromir Jagr and Peter Bondra scored for their teams respectively.  The game was tied at two when it went to overtime #1.  No scoring.  Onto overtime #2.  No scoring.  During that overtime, Washington had a chance to win it, but Joe Juneau flubbed a penalty shot on the terrible ice.  Onto overtime #3.  No scoring.  That is when my dad awoke and yelled down questioning why my friend and I were still up and had the television on.  'The game is still on, Dad,' I pleaded.  My friend was spooked.  He wanted to leave as the fourth overtime began.  I told him that he couldn't leave.  Bad karma.  He insisted, I relented.  The rest is history.  The Penguins received a power play (yeah where have I heard that before) late in the period and with less than a minute until intermission for a fifth overtime Petr Nedved beat Olaf Kolzig and I was crushed.  Washington never recovered (same story, different year) as they lost the next two games as well.

4. 2008 Playoffs Game 7 vs. Philadelphia

Game 1 of this series was on the happy side of this post, but like many series including this one, the Capitals started hot and ended up fizzling away.  Up 1 game to none, Washington went on to lose the next three games and faced sudden elimination.  Then they righted the ship winning Game 5 at home and Game 6 on the road.  Heading back to D.C. to the ravenous fans that had finally bought into the franchise in droves looked to be perfect for Washington.  Nicklaus Backstrom scored first and momentum had completely swung in favor of the young Capitals.  Although the Flyers scored the next two goals, Alex Ovechkin tied it up at two and the game headed to overtime following a scoreless third period.  Once again, the referees helped play a part in the demise of a Capitals season.  A 'penalty' by Tom Poti just 4 minutes into overtime gave Philadelphia all the edge they would need.  With just nine seconds left to kill of that penalty Joffrey Lupul broke the hearts of the red clad fans in the Verizon Center with a series ending goal.  Once again, vitriol was spewed towards the referees as another overtime power play goal that had crippled the Capitals in past seasons finally cost them one.

3. 2009 Playoffs Game 7 vs. Pittsburgh 

The following year and another series where an earlier game proved to be much happier than a later one.  The Capitals once again won the first two games against Pittsburgh in a series and as per usual pissed their advantage away swiftly.  The Penguins won three straight games and headed back to Pittsburgh for Game 6 where every fan expected Washington to crawl into the fetal position and die.  Somehow this version of the Capitals proved resilient as the not only played tough, but survived a late Sidney Crosby game tying goal to win in overtime.  The curse had been broken.  Washington was now going to be the one that came from behind to steal a series.  This was the beginning of something special.  Game 7 started and Alex Ovechkin had an early breakaway opportunity.  Stoned.  That was it.  That is all the Capitals brought to the penultimate game against their bitter and hated rivals.  The Penguins scored two goals within 8 seconds of each other and the rout was on.  It was 5-0 before the Capitals scored.  It was pitiful.  It was painful.  It was to Pittsburgh and to Sidney Crosby of all people.  The kicker was that Pittsburgh went on to win the Stanley Cup leaving Capitals fans thinking about what could have been.



2. 1998 Playoffs Game 2 vs. Detroit

The only negative memory for me from the 1998 playoffs comes from Game 2 against Detroit.  Of course it was the best game of the four that Washington played against an obviously more talented Red Wings squad.  After being held in check in Game 1, Washington exploded in Game 2 leading 4-1 after two periods.  Then Detroit made it interesting as you figured they would.  With two goals the lead had dissipated to just one, but an Esa Tikkanen breakaway looked to be the goal that Washington would need to finally ice the game and give the Capitals their first ever victory in a Stanley Cup Finals game and more important level the series at a game apiece heading back to Washington.  Then it happened...watch for yourself, if you can:

Shortly thereafter Detroit tied the game up, and then went on to win the game in overtime.  Washington (have I typed this before?) never recovered and lost both games in Washington.  I'm not saying that the Tikkanen miss would have turned the series, but we'll never know, and that is what kills me.

1. 2010 Playoffs Game 7 vs. Montreal

This was probably the best Capitals team to ever take the ice.  They won the President's Trophy that regular season by having the most points in the NHL.  They were a favorite, if not the favorite to win the Stanley Cup that year.  They led Montreal 3 games to 1 and then it all fell apart.  Game 5 was covered earlier.  A horrid start and Jaroslav Halak took care of the rest.  Game 6 was no better as Montreal jumped on Washington with the first 3 goals and Halak made 53!! saves to win 4-1.  Back home, the pressure was squarely on the shoulders of Washington.  I headed to Atlantic City for an already planned birthday trip.  As the puck dropped I settled into an out of the way bar to watch the game, thankfully in peace and quiet because I was a nervous wreck.  Then it happened.  About a dozen people entered the establishment and saw that I was watching the game and were happy.  They told me they had just gotten into town from...wait for it...Montreal!!  Then I knew, I definitely knew.  Washington dominated the game, again, out shooting the Canadiens 42-16, but still trailed 1-0 heading into the 3rd period.  That's when Montreal seemed to have put the game away with their second goal with only 3 1/2 minutes left.  Brooks Laich finally solved Halak with just over two minutes remaining in the game.  With 1 minute 44 seconds left Montreal took a penalty giving the vaunted Capitals power play on final chance to salvage their season.  It didn't happen.  The best season in franchise history was squandered away in a blink of an eye.  They didn't play poorly, but were just out dueled by a ridiculously hot goal tender.  Frustration doesn't even begin to cover my feelings about this one.  At least I wasn't surrounded by a bunch of Canadiens fans.  Dammit.

Celebrating 25 Years of Fanaticism: High School Pt. 4

Senior Year 1995-96

The summer of 1995 was all about baseball for me.  I'll give you a minute to compose yourself as I'm sure you are shocked by that.  Jody and I were teammates again playing on the same team we had played with the year before.  A rag tag group of kids coached by beer swilling, good old fashioned red necks.  I was not there to learn from them, they didn't have much to teach me.  The best thing they did for me though was allow me to pitch as much as I could.


I was a fastball pitcher, not because it was so good that I didn't need anything else, I just couldn't throw anything else.  I tried and tried to throw curve balls and sliders but it didn't stick.  I kept working on my splitter/fork ball/knuckle ball concoction in practice and very rarely in games.  On car trips I would split my pointer finger and my middle finger around the ball and just let it sit there.  I had heard a television report about pitchers injury their elbows when throwing split fingered pitches because the tendon wouldn't stretch out enough.  I don't have big hands so I tried to get ahead of the possible injury.  I wish someone had told me about avoiding shoulder pain though (a teaser line for the next 15 years).

Maybe it was the lack of pitching at a young age or just dumb luck, but I could throw and throw and throw and never seem to get tired.  It was my greatest strength and the causation of my eventual downfall.  I loved to pitch.  You asked me to toe the slab and I'd say okay.  As a fierce competitor, pitching fed a burning desire in me that I had never had with baseball.  Hitting was a one on one battle, but you were lucky to succeed 3/10 times.  That's quite discouraging.   Pitching puts you on the other end of that equation and have a 70+% success rate is a lot more fun.  I embraced the challenge of getting the other team out.  The entire focus was on you and how well you performed.  Its an ego trip, I kid you not.  Nobody asks the left fielder about their day in the field, its how did you pitch.  There were stats to keep, stats to talk about and stats to brag about.  I was smitten.

By the time my senior year started I knew I was going to compete for some innings on the mound whether I was going up against two of my longtime friends or not.

That summer also marked the return of Major League Baseball.  After the strike of 1994 canceled the playoffs and World Series, the powers that be finally got their *stuff* together and struck a deal.  It still cost fans the start of the 1995 season, but finally in late April baseball was back.  Some fans stayed away, bitter about millionaires fighting with billionaires, losing a World Series for the first time since 1903 and refused to acknowledge that the sport even existed.

With the national pastime in dire straights the baseball world was looking to something to be proud of.  That something turned out to be a someone and he was Cal Ripken Jr..  As the schedule was finalized the date September 6th, 1995 became a beacon of light for everyone to focus upon.  That date would mark Cal's 2,131 consecutive game played breaking the streak of Lou Gehrig.  The number 2,130 was up there with 755 and 61 as one of the most revered numbers in a sport that focused completely on numbers.  Cal Ripken was also a very stand up guy, a great ambassador for the game and everything that was the exact opposite of the ugliness that had just occurred last summer.

Living in northern Virginia I watched more Orioles games than anything else.  For Oakland Athletics games I was forced to a ritual of watching the ticker on Headline News, ESPN2 or calling Post Haste.  Yes Post Haste, who remembers that in the DC area?  It was a hotline from the Washington Post that you could call (toll free) to get updates on all subjects...or basically the Twitter of the 1990's.  At 10pm I would tune to headline news and just stare at the ticker, religiously.  It was so sad looking back, being glued to numbers scrolling by.  I had it timed it out, if the Top of the 1st lasted longer than 5 minutes on the ticker it meant the Athletics were in trouble.  Only bad things could be happening if it didn't shift to the bottom of the inning quick enough.  I'd flip back and forth between Headline News and ESPN2 to make sure one wasn't behind the other.  How I didn't invent Twitter boggles my mind.  I needed information on a real time basis.  It was a drug addiction that I wouldn't shake for a long time.  I watched numbers on a screen hours at a time, day by day for the next decade.  Believe me, if you think this was bad, it got a whole lot worse when I was older and could stay up longer and then combined with the Athletics actually being good.  In the morning I would get up, dial up Post Haste and listen to the game recap.  I knew as soon as the first word was said who had won.  The recording also started with the player of the game.  If I recognized the name the Athletics won, if not, I hung up in disgust.  I couldn't wait for the Post to have the box score printed the following day.  It was never in the paper the next morning, just listed as 'Late Game.'

Back to Baltimore.  Without the ability to watch my favorite team save for the occasional late game on the Wednesday night ESPN DH, I watched the Orioles.  Deep down inside I still had a soft spot for them no matter how badly they embarrassed me in 1988.  My sister who was turning into a female me, caught the baseball bug as well.  Mainly it was her attraction to Orioles outfielder Brady Anderson.  As the Athletics plowed towards another last place finish against all my wishin' and a hopin' and a prayin' I squared my focus on Cal Ripken and his streak.  Every game you held your breath...just don't get injured.  To get this close and to not break the streak would be devastating.  I went to a couple games that summer including 2,128.  If you weren't around to watch the daily ceremonies, the Orioles used the B&O Warehouse facade as a makeshift 'count up' draping huge numbers signifying the games played as the game because official.  Cal would get as standing ovation and the game would move on after a new number was displayed.

The night of the streak tying game, Cal hit a home run.  It was a great story.  My sister was happy that Brady hit two home runs.  He was slowly becoming a power hitter, it was odd to see hit transform from a slap hitter to a power hitter, but oh well, nice story as well.

The next night, ESPN aired the game nationally.  People at school were abuzz about that night.  Who was going? Oh you're so lucky to go.  It was a big deal.  President Bill Clinton attended and Chris Berman called the game which signified the importance as he never left the studios at ESPN.  All eyes were focused squarely on Cal as he was being dubbed the man that saved baseball.  I am sure this streak would have been big without the strike and the fan backlash, but because of it the country swarmed to it.  It was pure baseball.  Forget the contract, the bumps and bruises and show up to work.  A blue collar millionaire.  It was the perfect distraction to bitching about labor issues and who would get more money from playing the game we played as children.

What did Cal do for an encore during the famous 2,131?  He homered again.  Of course he did.  With all the reason in the world to lose focus, he was a steel trap.  You don't play every day for 13+ years without the ability to put aside distractions.  After the top of the 5th concluded, the announcement about the game becoming official started...he had done it!  He took a curtain call and tried to get the game started again.  He just wanted to play.  His teammates and the great fans of Baltimore wanted more Cal.  Bobby Bonilla shoved him out to shake hands with the fans and Cal took a lap.  At first he was going quickly, but you could tell the moment got to him.  He slowed down, shook more hands and thanked as many fans as he could.  It was a tear jerking moment.  It might have been the only time Chris Berman didn't speak for 20 minutes in his life.

The streak continued for three more seasons before Cal sat on the final home game of the season and I was shocked to see it happen.  It is up there with the most unbreakable records in sports history. 2,632 games. In a row.  Unbreakable.

The 1995 season also marked the onset of the Wild Card.  Because of the strike we didn't get to see how expansion of the playoffs would affect the purity of baseball, but after the initial American League Wild Card series between the Yankees and Mariners everyone knew it was here to stay.  Seattle forced the series to a deciding game 5 in the Kingdome.  To make a long story short, the city of Seattle almost lost the Mariners.  They needed a new stadium and the eventual win in game 5 practically saved the franchise.  When Edgar Martinez doubled home Ken Griffey Jr. it was as if the ribbon cutting ceremony for a new stadium took place.  My friends and I were at home watching a movie, but we stopped it to watch extra innings and thought for sure the Yankees were going to win after scoring in the top of the 11.  We all hated the Yankees, save for Jody, and we cheered right along with Seattle.  Jody remained silent.

As the calendar turn to fall, we picked up our rollerblades and starting playing hockey again.  3-4 nights a week we were at a tennis court.  We thought we were getting good.  The next step was to find a league to play in and that's just what we did.  We got snazzy jersey's and the Rink Rats were born.  It turned out that outside Isaac, we weren't that good.  It was fun to play against somebody new on a real rink with officiating, but we weren't structured enough to really compete.  Back to the tennis courts with you amateurs.

The Washington Redskins were looking to rebound from a 3-13 record and hopefully Heath Shuler would show signs of life in year 2.  This did not happen.  In fact he regressed as the city was split between being on his side and those wanting Gus Frerotte to play more.  Bumper stickers shouting 'In Gus we Trust' were all around the area and I was on board.  Heath Shulers' tenure in Washington was nothing short of an unmitigated disaster.  He played one more season in Washington, never starting and appearing in just a single game in 1996.

Unfortunately for Washington, that even though Frerotte was better than Shuler he was still not good enough to bring home a winning season.  By week three I was already done with this team and they were only 1-1.  We were playing roller hockey and listening to Sonny, Sam and Frank do the game on radio when John Elway threw a 43 yards Hail Mary to Rod Smith to win the game on the final play of the 4th quarter.  The season only got worse from there on.  The team bottomed out at 3-9 before saving face and costing them a better draft pick by winning 3 of the final 4 games.  Of course one of those wins came against the rival Dallas Cowboys in Dallas.  This was a small consolation prize when later that season the Cowboys won their 3rd Super Bowl in the last 4 years.  It couldn't get any worse could it?

At least the Detroit Pistons started heading in the right direction.  They were basically a two man team with Grant Hill and Allan Houston each averaging about 20 PPG.  They made the playoffs as the #7 seed and were promptly swept away by the Orlando Magic.  I still found it hard to root for a team that was led by somebody who went to Duke, but winning was better than losing.

Speaking of college basketball, UNC lost both Jerry Stackhouse and Rasheed Wallace to the NBA but welcomed two more potential superstars in Vince Carter and Antawn Jamison.  Sometimes when I am sad, I dream about a team with all four of them playing together and it makes me smile.  At point guard Jeff McInnis, who was pretty good in his own right, would have had Carter and Stackhouse at each wing and Wallace and Jamison at the post.  I don't see that team losing ever.  Instead it was a freshmen led team that was highly talented but not tested.  Then they decided to mess with my mind and come out of the gate 9-1 and eventually 16-4 (7-1 in ACC play) with 2 losses coming out of conference to Villanova in a weird scheduling oddity.  This included a one point victory over Duke so by February I was thinking championship yet again.

Then the wheels came off with 5 losses over the next 8 games, then a win in the finale against Duke and a 1st round loss to Clemson in the ACC tournament.  Something wasn't right, you don't lose to Clemson and think you can win a National Championship.  Given a #6 seed UNC cruised in the first round, but were thumped by Texas Tech in the 2nd round and the result was forever immortalized on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

It was an ugly end to an up and down season.  Continuing the trend of my arch rivals winning championships, the University of Kentucky wound up beating an over matched Syracuse squad and my friend Erin let me have it.  After starting my high school years with a UNC championship, I had to watch both UCLA and Kentucky match them.  At least Arkansas beat Duke in the other year and we were all thankful for that.

On the ice the Washington Capitals had another slightly above average season.  Good enough to make the playoffs behind the emergence of young goaltender Jim Carey.  He won the Vezina Trophy that season for the best goalie in the NHL a year after coming in second.  He was the goalie of the future and to know he'd be there for another decade was thrilling.  Peter Bondra continued to be the best offensive weapon on the team scoring 52 goals.  Even with standouts like this, the team still struggled to make the playoffs finishing 7th in the conference only 3 points away from missing the playoffs all together.

To nobody's surprise they were paired up with the Pittsburgh Penguins once again who were the #2 seed.  I was really getting tired of this.  My friend Zack and I decided we needed a strategy to get the Capitals over the top this time.  We decided to hit up Popeye's and get some chicken and biscuits for the pregame meal and see if that would bring us any luck.

Game 1 up in Pittsburgh didn't go exactly as planned, but it went the Capitals way.  Jim Carey was chased midway through the game after surrendering 4 goals and the Penguins held a 4-3 advantage with only a period left to play.  The Capitals turned to Olaf Kolzig, a relative unknown to steady the ship.  The move worked because the Capitals turned it on, tallying 3 times in the 3rd to win.  Game 2 was more of the same for Zack and I, Popeye's for the pregame because that mattered, it really did.  Kolzig got the start again and behind another great effort down the stretch of the game including 2 more 3rd period goals, the Capitals won again.  They had walked into Pittsburgh and taken both games.  Maybe this was their year after all.

Back in Washington, Zack and I settled in to our third Popeye's meal ready to see the Capitals take a stranglehold on the series.  We were both a bit surprised to see Jim Carey back in goal for game 3 after Kolzig had won the first two games, but he was the best goalie in the NHL in the regular season and being at home would help him get back on track.  Yeah, about that.  He was riddled for four goals again as the Capitals fell flat losing 4-1.

The pressure was back on Washington in Game 4 and Zack and I still got Popeye's, but switched to my parents house for this game.  The Capitals also switched back to Kolzig in goal.  Holding a 2-1 lead in the 3rd things were looking good, and Pittsburgh evened it up...ugh.  The game headed to OT and nobody scored.  A second OT and the best chance was a penalty shot for the Capitals by star forward Joe Juneau...he missed.  Onto a 3rd OT, no scoring.  The 4th OT began and my father awoke hearing noises from downstairs.  'What the hell are you still doing up??' he bellowed.  'The game isn't over it's in the 4th OT!!' I pleaded.  He went back to bed, I went back to the game, but Zack was shaken.  He said he had to leave because he didn't want to get me in trouble.  I told him forget about it...he couldn't.  As he was getting up to leave I told him the Capitals were going to lose now that he was leaving and about 5 minutes after driving away the Capitals were called for a penalty.  Less than 10 seconds left in it and less than a minute until the 5th OT, Petr 'bleeping' Nedved scored.  The series was tied at 2 games apiece and I refused to speak to Zack the rest of the series.

As you can guess Pittsburgh won the next two games including a heated game five when the coaches went toe to toe in addition to on ice fights.  Another year wasted, more animosity towards Pittsburgh growing.

Back at school we had survived the Blizzard of 1996

 and I for one was really looking forward to finally getting a chance to play regularly on the baseball team.  I knew I had an outfield spot locked up, but I wanted to pitch and that would be tough as the 3rd or 4th option on the team.  As practice was about to begin our top two returning pitchers announced they weren't playing which made me angry and happy all in one.  I knew we couldn't be a good team without them, but selfish me was happy I'd get a better shot at pitching.  Even after I pleaded with them to play, they refused and I moved on.


Of course this also opened up some spots for my friends to play.  Jody and I were already fixtures, Isaac was pretty decent, but Zack and Justin also played and they had...um....a learning curve.  We had a really good catcher and a stud center fielder/pitcher who ended up getting drafted 4 years later.  Our 2nd baseman was a talented freshman, but that was about it.  If I could pitch, we'd at least have a shot a competing, if not, it was going to be a long season.


Coach Horn worked with me knowing he had no other options and I must have responded.  He tabbed me as the opening day starter in a two day tournament.  I don't think I had ever been so nervous and so thrilled at the same time.  It was what I was waiting for ever since leaving 2nd base at 13 years old.

I struck the first batter out on 3 straight pitches, all fastballs and I settled right in.  We won that game and I was named all Tournament (4 teams, not a big deal).  The entire season consisted of me pitching one game and Eddie pitching the next one.  No bullpen, we didn't have one.  There were a couple of memorable moments for me from that season and I'd like to share them with you.

-I remember losing to Central High School and getting into it with Coach Horn.  Bases loaded, nobody out in the bottom of the 7th, he called for our catcher to throw behind the runner at third to try and get an out but our catcher threw the ball into left field.  Looking back it was a good call, but the egoist that I am wanted to strike out the side.

-I remember pitching 7 innings on a Tuesday, but because of a rain out the week before we played Wednesday as well and then again on Friday.  I woke up Friday morning in pain, my arm was very sore.  I told my mom and she said to tell Coach that I could only throw a couple innings, but not the full game.  We went out to Page County over 2 hours away to play.  The boys out there were the size of the cows that were in the pastures across the street.  They were huge.  I gave up a 3 run homer in the 1st inning and we were down 8-0 after 3 innings.  That is when my pitching career changed once and for all.  My catcher told me to throw my splitter.  I did...over and over and over.  For the most part it was effective.  He didn't know where it was going, I didn't know where it was going, but most importantly the batter had no clue what it was.  I heard the chatter in the dugout.  'He's got a curve...no its a knuckle...no its a change up.'  We rallied back to tie the game and after 8 innings the game was called due to darkness.  The bench told me I through 157 pitches.  I'll never forget that number.  At home I told mom 'Good news, I didn't pitch 7 innings' and she was so happy...'I pitched 8.' Hahahahaha.

-I remember going to Brentsville High School to face the best player in our District who was aptly also named Jason.  My coach advised me that he was being scouted by a few colleges that night so it was up to me to get them to take notice of me.  I think I did a good job of it.  I pitched a complete game victory and hit  a 'home run' off of the other Jason.  The home run is in quotes because they didn't have a fence so I hit the ball and ran...but it counts and I'm sticking to it.  It was a party on the way home from that one.

-I remember getting to start the 2nd Annual Falls Church News Press Day at the Ball Park where our local paper would advertise the game by giving away free hot dogs and sodas.  Instead of 15 fans we had 100 or so.  One of the fans was our old coach who walked by while I was warming up and joked with me that I must have gotten my fastball over 50 mph in the last 2 years.  Thanks, dick.  It was a rematch of my earlier loss to Central and 'Smiling' Joe Kane.  He would stand on the rubber and grin at you while pitching.  It infuriated us to know end.  By game's end he wasn't smiling.  We won and outside of me pitching the only thing I remember is Isaac laying down a bunt that turned into a 3 run home run*  (*there may have been an error or 6, but who is really keeping track??).

-Finally I remember ending on a sour note which was the story of my playing career.  Last game was a make up game played on the morning of prom and we needed a win to qualify for the district tournament, but it was Eddie's turn to pitch.  I was in center field and in the 1st inning a guy rocketed a ball over my head.  As I picked it up to throw it back in I wrenched my back.  Mid inning I limped back to the dugout and told Coach 'I did something to my back' and he gave me a look...the look and dryly asked 'So you want out of the game?' Nah coach I'm fine I thought and ran away with my tail between my legs.  We lost and my career at George Mason ended as quickly as it started.

I grew leaps and bounds during that season.  I took on a leadership role, I realized I was pretty good on the mound and I started throwing my splitter for strikes by seasons' end.  Coach told me I was going to get to play American Legion baseball that summer with the best of the bigger schools in our area along with Eddie and Jody.

 That was going to be an exciting litmus test.