Remembering a Legend

Today marks a day many Caps fans, employees and others never thought was possible. It's the first game in the history of the franchise that will be played without Abe Pollin. The man who brought hockey to Washington, built the Capital Centre and Verizon Center with his own money and revitalized Chinatown died yesterday at the age of 85.

The Washington Post and Washington Times have done an amazing job in today's editions of remembering somebody who truly, as it is said in Yiddish, was a mensch. He always put others first and was one of the classiest owners around. Although everybody didn't agree with all of his decisions, Mr. Pollin (as it is only fitting that he be called) is the reason all of us can cheer for the Caps every day. Without him, there would be no Eastern Conference championship, no retired numbers, no place for the team to play and certainly no Alex Ovechkin in D.C.

Amongst all of the debates about the Verizon Center ice, the Caps' defense, whether the team really can put forth a 60-minute effort and where Alex Semin will end up next year, it's important to put things in perspective. The man that brought hockey to Washington got it. He realized that the future of local sports was much more important than he was and did everything in his power to ensure that the teams would prosper long after he died.

That is why we are blessed to have Ted Leonsis as the Caps owner -- and, most likely, the owner of the Wizards, Verizon Center and other aspects of Washington Sports and Entertainment. That is why Mr. Pollin has been selling Leonsis and his Lincoln Holdings group small pieces over the years: because he wanted to make sure that his babies -- the local sports franchises and Verizon Center -- were in good hands.

Mr. Pollin was so selfless that, as one of his last acts, he made sure Wizards employees received a Thanksgiving bonus and got to leave early today in advance of the holiday. He always thought of others first -- and that, more than anything, should be the legacy for the man who created the Caps.