Monday, March 12, 2007

It's called a REBUILD, people

The Deuce is fed up with all the negativity and idiots calling for McPhee and Hanlon's heads on the message boards, especially on Capitals Insider. Now the Deuce is grumpy, but he's not going to refuse to renew his tickets for next year or give up on the Caps because of three down years. As such, he is providing some food for thought for these enraged impatient "fans."

Here is a listing of point totals and draft picks for the last 10 years for the last two Stanley Cup Champions, and the Pittsburgh Penguins. Everyone is enraged that we may ONLY get 70 points this year. How would you like to see FOUR sub-60 point seasons in a row, then a sub-70, like Tampa Bay? How about a season of excitement and a trip to the finals, followed by two awful seasons - like Carolina (sound familiar)? Now try Pittsburgh on for size -- everyone complains that they are so good and the Caps so bad -- well, you need to be prepared to endure 3 straight years of finishing near dead-last in the league.

Also, if you want to complain about the Caps' horrible drafting, take a look at Tampa! Sheesh.

Tampa Bay
1997 - Paul Mara (44pts)
1998 - Lacavalier, Richards (47pts)
1999 - traded away, signed St. Louis as FA (infamous Kris Beech draft year)
(54 pts)
2000 - bust (59pts)
2001 - bust (69 pts)
2002 - traded away (Eminger, Semin, Gordon Draft 93 pts)
2003 - traded away (106 pts)
2004 won Cup

Carolina
1997 - Bust (74pts)
1998 - Bust (86 pts) (Erik Cole 3rd Round)
1999 - Dave Tanabe (84pts)
2000 - no 1st rounder (88pts)
2001 - Bust (91 pts)
2002 - Cam Ward (61 pts)
2003 - Eric Staal (76 pts)
2004 - Andrew Laad
No season
Cheater Draft - Jack Johnson 112pts
2006 Won Cup

Pittsburgh
2000 - 96 pts
2001 - Colby Armstrong (69 pts)
2002 - Ryan Whitney (65 pts)
2003 - Marc-Andre Fleury (58 pts)
2004 - Evgeny Malkin (no season)
2005 - Secondary Sid (58 pts)
2006 playoffs

Washington last 3 seasons - 70 pts, 59 pts, this year, ??? So, as Original Six would say, "Wait 'till next year."

2 comments:

CapsChick said...

Hell...YEAH.

Couldn't have said it better myself. People around here are so impatient I can't even believe it. I'm frustrated too, but I'm actually planning on getting my very first season ticket plan next year and I couldn't be more excited!

Anonymous said...

Out of all my years of loving hockey, I've never given up on my favorite team! It isn't just Caps fans that get impatient, it's almost every fan of every team that isn't doing what they (the fan) thinks needs to be done.

We all need to remember that we are FANS, and we need to be behind our team(s) no matter what. I have several teams that I root for, but my favorite team always seems to have its ups and downs, and you can never really tell for sure if they'll be in the playoffs. I'm hoping for this year, and if they play the way they did when Crosby scored his 100th point this weekend, we have a shot. (So, that just gave away my team, but oh well! Please don't hate me if they go to the playoffs.) ; )

For many a years I watched the Caps, in many different arenas. And although I'm not "supposed" to like them (being that I'm a Pens fan), they'll always be a home team to me (as long as they don't get in my team's way - hehehe). I'm also a Lightning fan... this should show that I am no fair weather fan, and that I always cheer my teams on, no matter what (until you're up against my Pens in the playoffs, they always come first, but I pretty much still cheer for both teams, I'm odd like that). There are almost always periods of bad after good years, and great years can come out of some of the worst. That's why it's a sport - you never can tell what will happen in the end.

For the most part, there are more bad seasons than good in hockey (and in just about everything else as well), or at least it seems that way. You always have good years and bad years. There are always times of frustration... just keep being a fan and cheer for your team, and ignore all the crap. There's always another season, another cup, and waiting for it can sometimes make that victory even sweeter. It's just the fact that you have to wait that sucks...

I hope I didn't ramble on too much...