As a follow-up to the popular Inside the Press Box series, STC is asking (mostly) local bloggers about why they do what they do. Today's second installment: Muneeb Alam (aka Red Army Line) of Red Line Station.
Blogging allows me to give back to the online hockey community that has shared so much insight and knowledge with me.
My dad took me to my first ice hockey game in April 2000. I remember my dad getting a pair of tickets from scalpers around MCI Center, Jaromir Jagr scoring a goal, and then my dad taking me home after the second period because it was getting late (I wasn't even 10 years old). Thereafter, my interest in hockey gradually grew.
After the firesale, I was devastated -- mainly because the Caps had traded Peter Bondra and Robert Lang -- but also excited. I remember taking some toy plastic golf clubs and pretending I was Alex Ovechkin scoring against the Lightning (the 2003 first round loss was relatively fresh on my mind).
Once Bruce Boudreau took over in November 2007 and the Caps started winning -- a lot -- I just needed more and more information about my new favorite professional sports team.
I found Puck Daddy, On Frozen Blog, Japers' Rink, and the Peerless Prognosticator, and those blogs became daily reads for me. I was amazed at the wealth of hockey knowledge and resources available to me. Blogs by Elliote Friedman, Darren Dreger, and others, even if not on the Caps, became more and more interesting, as my curiosity increased in its insatiability. Links pointed me to Behind the Net, Puck Prospectus, Battle of Alberta, and other statistically-inclined blogs, and they've really inspired me to, in a way, continue their work.
It is a herculean task to do an in-depth analysis of every player with every statistic and considering every significant factor, and I know that while I may not be able to match bigger and older blogs in content, reader contribution, and historical knowledge, I know that I can at the very least look at the numbers to see how our perception and reality may differ, and perhaps find interesting trends that have otherwise been overlooked.
Since I started about six months ago, I've found blogging to be more than that. Often, just by writing thoughts on a game, I can better remember how well or poorly a player has been playing recently. I've found that I can more completely articulate my thoughts on a topic and not simply have it in bits and pieces in another discussion setting. I've found that I can stop boring my parents and friends with analysis of "the sport no one cares about."
Blogging is a way for me to let go, to "let it all out," and to have some fun after simulating a dynasty season on NHL09 with a loaded roster and missing the playoffs. I feel like by blogging I can give back to the hockey community that has given me so much. That is what I try to do.
August 31, 2010
August 29, 2010
Introducing Inside the Blogosphere
As a follow-up to the popular Inside the Press Box series, STC is asking (mostly) local bloggers about why they do what they do. Today's first installment: me!
Blogging gives me an opportunity to fulfill my lifelong dream of being a sportswriter.
It all started with my first memory of watching a sporting event: the Redskins' horrible 38-9 loss to the Los Angeles Raiders in Super Bowl XVIII. From there, I began to watch more sports, attend more games and eventually found my way to the Capital Centre where, on Nov. 11, 1989 (at least according to my records), I witnessed my first hockey contest: a 5-3 loss by the Caps to the Edmonton Oilers (in their first season after the Wayne Gretzky trade, which didn't stop them from winning the Stanley Cup).
I won't bore you with an extensive record of every game I've attended but, needless to say, it's a long list. By the time I made it to college, though, I was hooked. I ventured up to Syracuse University with the hopes and dreams of being a sportscaster. That dream pretty much ended (by choice) after graduation, but it didn't die.
I have been reading the sports page of the print version of The Washington Post every morning since I was a kid and thinking about ways to cover the teams I love. The Web has given me a vehicle.
One of my floor mates in college introduced me to the world of HTML and it didn't take me long to create a Web site with a page for all of my favorite teams. That site died when I graduated, but I didn't stop thinking about the joy I derived from maintaining my own sports page.
One fateful day in 2006 finally brought me into the blogosphere. As I was unloading another brain dump of statistics on my wife one night at dinner, she uttered a throwaway line: "why don't you start a blog?" She continued, "that way, I can read it when I want and you can write as much as your heart desires about everything you want."
The light bulb went off very brightly. On May 25, 2006, I launched my first foray into the blogosphere, Random Reality Thoughts. It covered everything from the Caps, Wizards and my alma mater to "The Amazing Race" and "Survivor." I was in heaven.
But my journey wasn't complete. As time progressed, and the percentage of posts relating to the Caps increased, a few wise people (including my wife) helped me realize that blogging only about the Caps and the world of hockey was the best way to go.
The rest is history. This very blog officially launched on Sept. 18, 2008, making me a true online journalist. I hold a full-season press credential to the Caps and attend about 25 or so games per year. I've been to every game seven in the Bruce Boudreau era and have watched Alex Ovechkin blossom into one of the best hockey players on the planet.
I'm not sure what the future holds, but I can't picture a day when I'm not covering my favorite sport and fulfilling a lifelong dream. For that, and many other things, I'm extremely thankful.
Blogging gives me an opportunity to fulfill my lifelong dream of being a sportswriter.
It all started with my first memory of watching a sporting event: the Redskins' horrible 38-9 loss to the Los Angeles Raiders in Super Bowl XVIII. From there, I began to watch more sports, attend more games and eventually found my way to the Capital Centre where, on Nov. 11, 1989 (at least according to my records), I witnessed my first hockey contest: a 5-3 loss by the Caps to the Edmonton Oilers (in their first season after the Wayne Gretzky trade, which didn't stop them from winning the Stanley Cup).
I won't bore you with an extensive record of every game I've attended but, needless to say, it's a long list. By the time I made it to college, though, I was hooked. I ventured up to Syracuse University with the hopes and dreams of being a sportscaster. That dream pretty much ended (by choice) after graduation, but it didn't die.
I have been reading the sports page of the print version of The Washington Post every morning since I was a kid and thinking about ways to cover the teams I love. The Web has given me a vehicle.
One of my floor mates in college introduced me to the world of HTML and it didn't take me long to create a Web site with a page for all of my favorite teams. That site died when I graduated, but I didn't stop thinking about the joy I derived from maintaining my own sports page.
One fateful day in 2006 finally brought me into the blogosphere. As I was unloading another brain dump of statistics on my wife one night at dinner, she uttered a throwaway line: "why don't you start a blog?" She continued, "that way, I can read it when I want and you can write as much as your heart desires about everything you want."
The light bulb went off very brightly. On May 25, 2006, I launched my first foray into the blogosphere, Random Reality Thoughts. It covered everything from the Caps, Wizards and my alma mater to "The Amazing Race" and "Survivor." I was in heaven.
But my journey wasn't complete. As time progressed, and the percentage of posts relating to the Caps increased, a few wise people (including my wife) helped me realize that blogging only about the Caps and the world of hockey was the best way to go.
The rest is history. This very blog officially launched on Sept. 18, 2008, making me a true online journalist. I hold a full-season press credential to the Caps and attend about 25 or so games per year. I've been to every game seven in the Bruce Boudreau era and have watched Alex Ovechkin blossom into one of the best hockey players on the planet.
I'm not sure what the future holds, but I can't picture a day when I'm not covering my favorite sport and fulfilling a lifelong dream. For that, and many other things, I'm extremely thankful.
August 25, 2010
There's a (Hockey) App for That
As the season approaches, it's never too early to locate the latest information from all sources. And since so many of us have some kind of mobile device, here are a few good downloads:
Caps Mobile: It all starts with the home team. The app opens to a Rock the Red-themed screen with several options, including a game day section featuring the next game, the last game and the season schedule, the roster, a news feed, and a few other features -- including a way to get Caps wallpaper and ringtones (when available).
The Hockey News Mobile: A good collection of information from the preeminent publication on the sport. Here you can find headlines, columns, blogs and features as well as scores, stats and standings.
Versus Hockey: Similar to the Hockey News app, you can find headlines, scores and standings here. But you also can access some videos and a news ticker.
ESPN ScoreCenter: It’s not the best around, but it's certainly good at what it advertises -- giving you the score for your favorite team or any other squad. And you can customize it by sport or franchise.
AP Mobile: All the latest from the Associated Press on hockey or any other sport.
NHL Mobile: For Blackberry Verizon users only, the league has an app that tracks ice time. The league's mobile site isn't bad either, but it's more basic than you would expect.
Finally, while we're on the subject of great Web sites, be sure to check out hockey-reference.com, one of the finest statistical databases around for our favorite sport.
Caps Mobile: It all starts with the home team. The app opens to a Rock the Red-themed screen with several options, including a game day section featuring the next game, the last game and the season schedule, the roster, a news feed, and a few other features -- including a way to get Caps wallpaper and ringtones (when available).
The Hockey News Mobile: A good collection of information from the preeminent publication on the sport. Here you can find headlines, columns, blogs and features as well as scores, stats and standings.
Versus Hockey: Similar to the Hockey News app, you can find headlines, scores and standings here. But you also can access some videos and a news ticker.
ESPN ScoreCenter: It’s not the best around, but it's certainly good at what it advertises -- giving you the score for your favorite team or any other squad. And you can customize it by sport or franchise.
AP Mobile: All the latest from the Associated Press on hockey or any other sport.
NHL Mobile: For Blackberry Verizon users only, the league has an app that tracks ice time. The league's mobile site isn't bad either, but it's more basic than you would expect.
Finally, while we're on the subject of great Web sites, be sure to check out hockey-reference.com, one of the finest statistical databases around for our favorite sport.
Some Dates to Consider
After a bit of a quiet summer hiatus, the Caps are gearing up for some tangible dates. Single-game tickets go on sale Sept. 10, while the team's annual rookie scrimmage against the Philadelphia Flyers will be held Thursday, Sept. 16 at Kettler IcePlex. The team will appear 11 times on national television this season.
August 4, 2010
New Features
Just like summer is a season of renewal for the players and coaches, it's also a time for STC to undergo some minor changes. OK, that might be a stretch, but here are some new features on the blog:
* A new Facebook page, where you can "like" STC. You can find it on the right along with a new, stylized link to our Twitter feed, as well as an easy-to-use link to the blog's RSS feed.
* A home for all of my crazy predictions, aptly called "Mr. Cleo's Corner."
* A newly-updated State of Local Sports, where you can see how the Caps compare to the other Washington, D.C./Baltimore teams.
* And don't forget to pick up some STC merchandise before the new season begins.
* A new Facebook page, where you can "like" STC. You can find it on the right along with a new, stylized link to our Twitter feed, as well as an easy-to-use link to the blog's RSS feed.
* A home for all of my crazy predictions, aptly called "Mr. Cleo's Corner."
* A newly-updated State of Local Sports, where you can see how the Caps compare to the other Washington, D.C./Baltimore teams.
* And don't forget to pick up some STC merchandise before the new season begins.
August 2, 2010
Hershey Continues to Soar
One of the reasons the Caps are enjoying an unprecedented run of success is organizational depth. When GM George McPhee needs to fill a vacancy, he doesn't always have to make a trade or sign a free agent. He can look down the road to Hershey, home to the two-time defending Calder Cup champions.
"Hershey's philosophy is 'earned never given,'" Bears President Doug Yingst says in the Aug. 2 issue of The Hockey News.
The article in which Yingst is quoted details how Hershey is not your average AHL team, starting with the fact that McPhee signs players specifically to play with the Bears. However, there are some players (such as Keith Aucoin) who can seamlessly fill in with the Caps and others who don't need too much time in the minors to start soaring in the NHL.
"The organization believes that players develop quicker through winning and being in a winning culture," Yingst said in the same issue.
The new class of recruits from up Route 15 include John Carlson, Karl Alzner and Michael Neuvirth, all of whom have tasted NHL experience but will be up full time this upcoming season. Semyon Varlamov spent last season with the Caps, joining former Bears Mike Green, Eric Fehr, Brooks Laich and Jeff Schultz on the squad.
It also doesn't hurt that Bruce Boudreau and Bob Woods spent a few years coaching with the Bears, and Boudreau's system is still used in Hershey. This kind of organizational synergy isn't as common in hockey as it is in baseball, but the Caps certainly are showing they're onto something.
Note: The same issue also debuts a sweet ad for the AHL's 75th season. The four players on the page are Dustin Byfuglien, who just won a Stanley Cup with Chicago before being traded to Atlanta; Mike Richards, who won a goal medal with Canada at the most recent Olympics; Ryan Miller, most likely the best goaltender on the planet right now; and Carlson, a two-time Calder Cup champion and a favorite to win the 2011 Calder Trophy as the NHL's rookie of the year.
"Hershey's philosophy is 'earned never given,'" Bears President Doug Yingst says in the Aug. 2 issue of The Hockey News.
The article in which Yingst is quoted details how Hershey is not your average AHL team, starting with the fact that McPhee signs players specifically to play with the Bears. However, there are some players (such as Keith Aucoin) who can seamlessly fill in with the Caps and others who don't need too much time in the minors to start soaring in the NHL.
"The organization believes that players develop quicker through winning and being in a winning culture," Yingst said in the same issue.
The new class of recruits from up Route 15 include John Carlson, Karl Alzner and Michael Neuvirth, all of whom have tasted NHL experience but will be up full time this upcoming season. Semyon Varlamov spent last season with the Caps, joining former Bears Mike Green, Eric Fehr, Brooks Laich and Jeff Schultz on the squad.
It also doesn't hurt that Bruce Boudreau and Bob Woods spent a few years coaching with the Bears, and Boudreau's system is still used in Hershey. This kind of organizational synergy isn't as common in hockey as it is in baseball, but the Caps certainly are showing they're onto something.
Note: The same issue also debuts a sweet ad for the AHL's 75th season. The four players on the page are Dustin Byfuglien, who just won a Stanley Cup with Chicago before being traded to Atlanta; Mike Richards, who won a goal medal with Canada at the most recent Olympics; Ryan Miller, most likely the best goaltender on the planet right now; and Carlson, a two-time Calder Cup champion and a favorite to win the 2011 Calder Trophy as the NHL's rookie of the year.
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