A kick in the gut. Devastating. A loss for words. Or as Capitals forward Jason Chimera said, "If someone came to your work and stepped on your desk or punched you in the head, that's how it feels."
This post is not about blame, bad calls, a dreadful power play or a brick wall-like goaltender. Nor is it about what the Caps do off season to make any necessary changes. I leave that up to the pundits, sports radio and sportswriters to debate in the coming weeks and months.
Over the last 12 hours or so, I've been thinking about how best the community of Caps Nation can move on from such a devastating defeat after a season where we had the best record in the league. For inspiration, I sought out the insights of a former colleague, Andrew Cuneo, a Red Sox fan who until 2004 experienced gut-wrenching defeats almost year after year. He had this to say:
"It hurts. Sure it hurts. I still to this day say seeing Aaron Boone's homer in Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS is the closest I've ever come to crying over a sporting event. But I can say this. The greatest part about losing like this is knowing that once it does happen (and it will) winning will be that much sweeter. The feeling in 2004 was so unreal I honestly STILL haven't come down from it. '07 was nice, but that 2004 club will go down as the greatest sports moment of my life. Losing hurts...and you feel [just awful]. But then you start to realize the day will come when we can all celebrate. It has to."
Thank you Andy. Your words are dead on.
I am an Orioles fan too. Just shy of my 10th birthday in 1979, I experienced my first "kick in the gut" sports moment. That year I attended my first post-season game in Game 2 of the ALCS when Jim Palmer pitched against Nolan Ryan -- one of my fondest childhood memories. We went on to win that series to play the Pirates. Like the Caps, the O's went up 3-1. Then suddenly hall of a famer Willie Stargell led the charge and they came back to take the series. To this day, the song "We are Family" makes me cringe. Then in 1982, we were -- if memory serves -- three games behind the Brewers going into the last series of the season. As fate would have it, we played the Brewers in a four game series at home. We won a double header and then won the third game -- only to lose the AL East on the very last day of the season. But then I experienced such joy in 1983 when the O's took the World Series. The image of Cal Ripken catching that last out will always be in my memory.
I also am a Terps fan. They were up 20 points on Duke in the 2001 Final Four only to lose. But then they came back the next year to win the whole thing. That win was sure sweet.
So Caps Nation, we too can learn to move on as the days turn to weeks and months. Again, the team may change before October, but we can hope and have faith that we too one day will see Ovie and the boys lift that Stanley Cup.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Watching the 2010 O's Reminds me of Swingers
There's a scene in the film Swingers where the character Mike, played by Jon Favreau, decides to call the girl he just met at a bar that night. It begins innocently enough, but then he's not sure if the answering machine cut him off or not before leaving all of his digits. So he calls back again, and again, and again. And just when you think it's over, he calls again. And finally a last time when the girl picks up and says, "Mike, don't ever call me again!" While hysterical, the scene is so painful to watch. So are the 2010 Orioles.
Just when you believe they cannot possibly think of another way to lose, they surprise you. Let's see... yesterday...17 hits, a lead and then two three-run homers by Boston in the seventh. Friday, I believe the bullpen walked in the winning run. Opening Day in Tampa, their closer can't hold a lead with one out in the ninth. That's just three; there's probably at least a half dozen more losses like this in the O's dreadful 2-16 2010 season, the worst start since 1988 when they went 0-21.
I'm not sure what the problem is. Sure, their bullpen is the primary culprit. But there is a lot of talent on this team; and from what I understand some real solid young players in the farm system. So what gives?
Prior to the start of this season, pundits in newspaper columns and radio shows said the O's were good, but would be better in another division. That's a load of &^%%$$. You play up to your competition. Just look at all the teams that play Duke in college basketball. Every team plays their best against them. So it should be true for the O's against the Red Sox and Yankees. One only needs to look at Tampa, a team that almost won the World Series two years ago.
I heard another pundit say that O's Skipper Dave Trembley needed to have at least a .500 season to keep his job. .500! Are you kidding me?! What kind of goal is that?! That kind of mentality has kept the O's in mediocrity and loserville since 1998. I truly believe that their woes are primarily due to a lack of leadership from players, coaches and ownership. Their mission and culture needs to be about winning as a team and nothing else. If that means letting Trembley go to send a message or find a replacement who can light a fire in players' bellies, then so be it. They need someone like a Davey Johnson. Oh wait...Peter Angeles fired him after the 1997 season when the O's were AL East wire-to-wire champs.
And apparently Angelos allegedly shunned Cal Ripken's offer to help the younger players. A report that I believe is true because Angelos rarely talks to the press. However, he made sure to come out and immediately deny the reports. By the way, are we still paying Albert Belle's contract?
Just when you believe they cannot possibly think of another way to lose, they surprise you. Let's see... yesterday...17 hits, a lead and then two three-run homers by Boston in the seventh. Friday, I believe the bullpen walked in the winning run. Opening Day in Tampa, their closer can't hold a lead with one out in the ninth. That's just three; there's probably at least a half dozen more losses like this in the O's dreadful 2-16 2010 season, the worst start since 1988 when they went 0-21.
I'm not sure what the problem is. Sure, their bullpen is the primary culprit. But there is a lot of talent on this team; and from what I understand some real solid young players in the farm system. So what gives?
Prior to the start of this season, pundits in newspaper columns and radio shows said the O's were good, but would be better in another division. That's a load of &^%%$$. You play up to your competition. Just look at all the teams that play Duke in college basketball. Every team plays their best against them. So it should be true for the O's against the Red Sox and Yankees. One only needs to look at Tampa, a team that almost won the World Series two years ago.
I heard another pundit say that O's Skipper Dave Trembley needed to have at least a .500 season to keep his job. .500! Are you kidding me?! What kind of goal is that?! That kind of mentality has kept the O's in mediocrity and loserville since 1998. I truly believe that their woes are primarily due to a lack of leadership from players, coaches and ownership. Their mission and culture needs to be about winning as a team and nothing else. If that means letting Trembley go to send a message or find a replacement who can light a fire in players' bellies, then so be it. They need someone like a Davey Johnson. Oh wait...Peter Angeles fired him after the 1997 season when the O's were AL East wire-to-wire champs.
And apparently Angelos allegedly shunned Cal Ripken's offer to help the younger players. A report that I believe is true because Angelos rarely talks to the press. However, he made sure to come out and immediately deny the reports. By the way, are we still paying Albert Belle's contract?
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Where's The Box? Lessons Learned on The Job Search Trail
Thanks to Shonali Burke for including my post on her blog.
Where's The Box? Lessons Learned on The Job Search Trail
Where's The Box? Lessons Learned on The Job Search Trail
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Buzzer Beater Punch in the Gut
There's nothing worse than replays of a buzzer beater when your team is on the opposite end of it. The Terps made an amazing comeback late in the second half to take a one-point lead twice (I think I heard one of the announcers say "Fear the Turtle" twice), only to see that erased in a matter of seconds. A punch in the gut; screams across Terrapin Nation this afternoon. Kudos to Michigan State on a big win.
Maryland, you had an over-achieving season, sharing the regular season ACC title and making it to the tournament. Congrats to Gary and team on a great season. While a disappointing end, as someone used to say, "Wait 'til next year."
Maryland, you had an over-achieving season, sharing the regular season ACC title and making it to the tournament. Congrats to Gary and team on a great season. While a disappointing end, as someone used to say, "Wait 'til next year."
Friday, March 19, 2010
Make Maryland/Georgetown an Unrivaled Rivalry
Aside from totally messing up my bracket, Georgetown ruined the opportunity for a local match up with Maryland. [Full disclosure: I'm a Maryland alum so this will be a biased posting]. The reality is that we shouldn't have to wait for the unlikely scenario of playing each other in the post season.
The two teams last played each other in a consolation game of an early season tournament in 2008. Prior to that, they played each other during the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA's in 2001. But the last true regular season game between the two schools was in November 1993 at the USAir Arena (formerly Cap Center). I was fortunate enough to attend that game. To this day, that game is probably the best live sporting event I've ever seen. (Terp fans: check out the YouTube video below). That game was the first one between the schools in 13 years. A day after the game, Tony Kornheiser's column in the Washington Post led off with:
"By all means you want to see this again. Oh, sure, absolutely. You want to see Maryland play Georgetown next year. You surely don't want to wait another 13 years for this. Thirteen years between games. What was that, bar-mitzvah scheduling?"
Well, it's now been almost 17 years. Someone born that day can now drive and see an R-rated movie without a parent or guardian. My understanding of the situation is that Maryland Coach Gary Williams is happy to play Georgetown again as long as it takes place at Comcast Center, the Terps' home court -- since the 1993 game took place at USAir arena, which was Georgetown's court for the majority of their home games (today, it's Verizon Center). Georgetown's argument is that Verizon Center is more of neutral court for both squads. A valid argument; however, it is not Maryland's fault that Georgetown does not have an on-campus arena outside of McDonough that is large enough for such a game. So why not alternate Comcast/Verizon every year and give local fans the unrivaled rivalry that we deserve?
The BB&T Classic
And speaking of Verizon Center, the BB&T Classic, which has raised millions of dollars for the Children's Charities Foundation, switched formats several years ago from a four-team two-day tournament to just two games on one day. Perhaps the local powers that be could use this tournament as an opportunity to make the possibility of a Terps/Hoyas rivalry a reality by turning this back to a real early season tournament. It could include: Maryland, Georgetown, GW and George Mason. Perhaps the BB&T could be a compromise option if Maryland and Georgetown can't agree to terms for a yearly match up. Let's make it happen!
The two teams last played each other in a consolation game of an early season tournament in 2008. Prior to that, they played each other during the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA's in 2001. But the last true regular season game between the two schools was in November 1993 at the USAir Arena (formerly Cap Center). I was fortunate enough to attend that game. To this day, that game is probably the best live sporting event I've ever seen. (Terp fans: check out the YouTube video below). That game was the first one between the schools in 13 years. A day after the game, Tony Kornheiser's column in the Washington Post led off with:
"By all means you want to see this again. Oh, sure, absolutely. You want to see Maryland play Georgetown next year. You surely don't want to wait another 13 years for this. Thirteen years between games. What was that, bar-mitzvah scheduling?"
Well, it's now been almost 17 years. Someone born that day can now drive and see an R-rated movie without a parent or guardian. My understanding of the situation is that Maryland Coach Gary Williams is happy to play Georgetown again as long as it takes place at Comcast Center, the Terps' home court -- since the 1993 game took place at USAir arena, which was Georgetown's court for the majority of their home games (today, it's Verizon Center). Georgetown's argument is that Verizon Center is more of neutral court for both squads. A valid argument; however, it is not Maryland's fault that Georgetown does not have an on-campus arena outside of McDonough that is large enough for such a game. So why not alternate Comcast/Verizon every year and give local fans the unrivaled rivalry that we deserve?
The BB&T Classic
And speaking of Verizon Center, the BB&T Classic, which has raised millions of dollars for the Children's Charities Foundation, switched formats several years ago from a four-team two-day tournament to just two games on one day. Perhaps the local powers that be could use this tournament as an opportunity to make the possibility of a Terps/Hoyas rivalry a reality by turning this back to a real early season tournament. It could include: Maryland, Georgetown, GW and George Mason. Perhaps the BB&T could be a compromise option if Maryland and Georgetown can't agree to terms for a yearly match up. Let's make it happen!
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Starbucks: Handling a Tough Situation the Right Way
As someone who is committed to open and transparent communications, especially with employees, I was really impressed by this video segment presented by Ragan. It's about how Starbucks handled layoffs. I would like to highlight two best practices that stand out in my mind:
1) Brainstorming with colleagues all the questions that will be on the minds of employees.
2) Holding meeting/event with displaced employees and their families a week after the action to network and ask questions. Such a move allows employees to fully digest what has happened to them.
Check out the video.
1) Brainstorming with colleagues all the questions that will be on the minds of employees.
2) Holding meeting/event with displaced employees and their families a week after the action to network and ask questions. Such a move allows employees to fully digest what has happened to them.
Check out the video.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
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