Capital Spirit

Noticed that Caps owner Ted Leonsis was keeping an eye on the Capitals Message Boards–what’s left of them, that is–and took offense at some of the snide comments directed his way.

The whole sorry mess is disappointing on all sides. I suspect I’m going to get in trouble for this one, but I’m going to add my two cents for whatever they may be worth.

My thoughts for Mr. Leonsis: I understand that you took extreme offense at the snarkiness directed at AOL. It’s your pride and joy; it’s helped make you who you are today; and it is part of the reason the Internet took off the way it did. It is an American success story, your American success story, and standing up to defend your legacy and your company against, admittedly, idiotic remarks is a very noble, very laudable instinct. But these sorts of inanities aren’t entirely unheard of on the Caps Message Boards, which I skim and sometimes post on. They can be a little rough around the edges, yes. But sometimes, the best rebuke to ignorance…is to ignore it. Your well-intended defense of your company could have been read by some as protesting too much, I fear.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile.”–Matthew 5:38-41, NRSV

That’s hard to live up to, I know–I’m not saying I always manage it myself (perfect I ain’t). But the challenge is there, isn’t it? This might have been better ignored as the folly it was.

To my fellow Caps fans: I don’t know if you saw this in the ESPN rankings that just came out, but out of a hundred and some-odd teams in all four major sports, our ownership ranked #5. (Might that be the real reason Ted linked to that story?) I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: we are extremely lucky to have the ownership that we now enjoy. (Disclosure: I have been a guest in the owner’s box. Ted’s also said some very kind things about me on his blog.) There are very few team owners with an open Inbox policy. Not every owner gets it, as Ted does, that it’s best to leave the sports decisions to the sports people (cf. Angelos, Peter).

It takes an incredible amount of personal success to end up as majority owner of a sports team. I’ve never had to sign anyone’s paycheck in my life, and I sort of doubt I ever will. Insult me howsoever you please, but I think it indecorous in the extreme to be so demeaning of the man who, you know, signs Alex Ovechkin’s nine million dollar paycheck.

That’s not meant to say that Mr. Leonsis should be completely above all criticism. That’s meant to say, rather, that I think it’s only civilized for us to be respectful of men and women of high station. We can do better. We must do better. Or scurrilous mockery from the safety and comfort of distant computer desks will turn us all into Philistines with keyboards.

“A slip on the pavement is better than a slip of the tongue; the downfall of the wicked will occur just as speedily. A coarse person is like an inappropriate story, continually on the lips of the ignorant. A proverb from a fool’s lips will be rejected, for he does not tell it at the proper time.”–Sirach 20:18-20, NRSV

Caps fans, we can, and must, be more loving–to our team, and to each other. I’ve said it before, and I’m probably going to have to keep on saying it for a very long time. Aren’t we all fans of the same team? Don’t we all want to see the Caps hoist the Stanley Cup? Don’t we all have at least that much in common?

Look, I’m no saint. I’m not even in the same time zone as perfect, all right? But I know we can, and should, strive to be better than this. And while I stand by my remarks that some ignorance ought to be ignored, the better solution would be for us, as fans, to end the ignorance. We can be so much better than this. It breaks my heart to say that, the way things stand right now, I really think we’re not.

CAPITAL SPIRIT
VIA EXCELSIOR

I could have been on that train. I could have been on that train. I could have been on…that train…

I haven’t been able to dislodge those words from my mind since last night. I could have been on that train.

It’s the sort of mental refrain that could drive a man to momentary madness. I could have been on that train.

The Capitals Select a Seat event was last night, and I had been slated to arrive at 6:30. I’m not quite senior enough to warrant first crack at better seats, and that’s fine–I know my place. I thought about heading downtown right after work, and grabbing a bite near the Phone Booth. But the bus heading home was sitting right there when I got to the bus stop, and I got this very, very strong idea–it was almost a need–to get on that bus right now and stay off the Metro at all costs. If the bus hadn’t been there, I would have walked straight to the Metro and boarded what might well have been my last train ride. As it was, I rode the other way, went home, got changed, and headed back to the Red Line to go downtown.

I eventually got to the Red Line at 6…only to find out there was a bus bridge in effect. I was slightly disgusted that I wasn’t going to be getting a better spot for next season, but hey, it’s Metro, and isn’t something always going wrong on there?

Oh, did I ever have no idea…

I headed over to the Tastee Diner to console myself with some comfort food. But then I noticed that they were showing something about the Metro on CNN. Evidently, this was not just your ordinary Metro malfunction–this was national news. My disgust turned instantly into a mixture of concern and horror–concern for the injured, and horror that I could have been on that train.

Dinner disappeared in no time flat, and I spent the rest of the night following the news online. Meanwhile, I kept the Caps-Rangers encore going in the background to keep my spirits up. It didn’t do much good, because the refrain had already begun: I could have been on that train.

I was a basket case at the office today. One of my co-workers actually was on the train, but wasn’t, so far as I know, seriously hurt, so that was another stressor. I doubt I was the only worrywart at the office today, quite frankly. I just haven’t been able to get away from it: I could have been on that train.

Worse, I would have been in the last car. The exit to Verizon Center is all the way aft on the Shady Grove platform. I usually ride in the last car, so that I can get right to the escalator and upstairs before being mobbed on the platform at Gallery Place. I could have been on that train. Worse, I could have been in the last car–possibly of the train that was rear-ended. I might not even be alive today. I could have been on that train…

Nor is that the end of the matter.

Almost a quarter-century ago, my family was stationed in Germany. My Boy Scout troop did a cross-country skiing trip along the inter-German border. I got separated from the rest of the troop, but was rescued by a mysterious stranger–one who spoke perfect English and who knew exactly where I was going…which I myself didn’t even know. It took a full decade to accept that my rescuer had been an angel. And even though my heart has known–and accepted–the identity of my rescuer, my head has been fighting it the whole time.

The short version is that I believe my rescuer was Archangel Raphael, and have been trying to disprove that for a decade and change. Getting a second chance is humbling enough. Getting a second chance straight from an archangel is something you spend the rest of your life trying your best to live up to. Might just be me, but I don’t want to disappoint the angel that saved my life, you know?

But that wasn’t the end of it. I just got a third chance last night. There are people who’ve never even gotten a second chance at life. I didn’t get on the wrong Metro train because of a fortunate (divinely sent?) bus, and that may very well have saved my life. Let’s see, bus and subway…transit…transportation…travel…and guess who the patron angel of travelers is?

I desperately want to be wrong here. I really do. I’ve had enough trouble coming to terms with the idea that I even got a second chance because of angelic intervention. The idea that the very same angel has intervened again to give me a third chance is something I just flat-out can’t process right now. It can’t have been. It was just one of those things, right? Right?

Once again, I can’t accept in my head what I know in my heart is true.

I could have been on that train. I could have been on that train. I could have–

But I wasn’t. It’s not my time yet. God still wants me here, for reasons I have yet to understand.

Does it mean anything? I know some would say it doesn’t–coincidences happen, and I shouldn’t spend one more minute on this than it took to breathe a sigh of relief and move on. That’s not what I believe, for better or worse. With a second chance comes responsibility; with a third chance comes responsibility greater still. For now, I’ll get the basics down pat: accepting each day as a gift, and not taking tomorrow for granted. It sounds absolutely Mickey Mouse, and I guess it is, in a way. I guess I just needed to be reminded of that. Sometimes a close call is the best remedy for a life that’s not being well-lived. And if that’s what the message is, well, I think I get it, this time.

The tricky part is living that knowledge for the rest of my days.

I could have been on that train…but I wasn’t. I’ve been given another shot at life. It’s up to me now to make the most of it.

CAPITAL SPIRIT
GRATEFUL, SIMPLY

I’m probably going to be writing multiple posts this summer about VNV Nation, an electronica group that isn’t afraid to get INCREDIBLY deep with their lyrics. I listen to these guys A LOT–I probably have “Genesis” memorized nearly note for note as much as I’ve listened to it–and I’m thinking very strongly about seeing their live show at the 9:30 Club next month, even though I’m normally not a club-goer. But after hearing the concert tracks on Reformation 01, I’m thinking twice–but that’s another post for another day.

For now, I’m just counting the days–fifteen of them as of today–until their new album comes out. It’s called “Of Faith, Power, and Glory,” and if it’s anything like their last album, “Judgement,” it’s going to be spectacular.

I must confess to not being a total fan of the group: the earliest album of theirs which I own is “Futureperfect.” (A MUST-OWN album, by the way. Go buy it. Immediately.) And if Ronan Harris–VNV’s everything-but-the-drums guy–is going to take a negative line on faith in general, there will be plenty for me to dispute in a couple of weeks. As is, I’m just excited to be a little over two weeks from some new VNV material. Yes, and I own Reformation 01–hey, they’re spoiling us this summer, I guess.

Would that Afro Celt Sound System would get back together for Volume 6–dream on, I guess. And Karl Jenkins is evidently done with Adiemus, otherwise we’d have had a new album sometime in the last, I don’t know, half-decade. And why the heck does Amazon want $170 (!!) for a 3-CD edition of Tubular Bells? I know box sets are collectors’ items and all that, but I could buy the first four seasons of Touched by an Angel for THAT kind of coin.

Also on my summer list of wanna-do’s: Spend some time with my brother and his family; finish Shadow of the Colossus (the electric eel is currently driving me nuts); finish Russian 1 on Rosetta Stone; MAYBE go up to Atlantic City; see some touristy stuff here in DC (you folks have no IDEA how reclusive I can get sometimes); get back in action with Stars-n-Bars Poker (no excuses here–they play just up the street from me, two nights a week); and perhaps, if the weather’s too bad for any of that, try to become less of a stranger to my guild on Reel Deal Vegas. PERHAPS I can make it to Level 50 by Opening Night in October.

Nor does that exclude keeping things going on my blog and staying current with the Capitals’ offseason, and any activities associated therewith.

I have no excuses for being bored this summer. I might not be on here every day to blog about it all, but I’m definitely going to try to live a bit–something, I have to admit, that I haven’t exactly been giving myself permission to do ever since Dad died. And I’ve been getting a lot of very strong encouragement from several different angels to get over my fear and get out of the house. And on one level, I know I should. But on another level, I’m a creature of habit, and I like the comfort of a familiar routine. Nevertheless, there’s not much difference between a groove and a rut. I sometimes have to remind myself that it’s really OK to live a little.

Which brings me full-circle to VNV Nation, and the song “Fearless.” (Yup, it’s on “Futureperfect.”) Even though the refrain is, “I’m not alone, I’m not afraid, I’m not unhappy,” the general sense from the song as a whole isn’t as a statement of fact, but merely a verbal attempt at self-convincing. And when the singer screams, “I am not afraid!,” it doesn’t seem–to me–that he’s screaming from strength, but rather, that he’s desperately trying to convince himself that he’s not afraid–when, in truth, he’s scared to death.

But that really IS a whole other discussion, and there’s plenty of summer for that. And two hours crunching words is enough for one night.

CAPITAL SPIRIT
VICTORY NOT VENGEANCE

I’m re-tooling a bit to prepare for what I hope will be a new feature come next season.

This past spring, I was trying–with some success–to maintain a Magic Numbers table for the entire NHL. I was doing OK for a while…but late in the season, I ended up needing to find a lot of head-to-head tie breaks. I couldn’t find a central repository for head-to-head matchups, and I ended up having to manually look up the head-to-head results for almost every team, every night–especially in the West, where a lot of the teams were very closely matched.

Sooner or later, every team has to face every other team in the standings for a clinching or an elimination. So head-to-head data is something I’ll need at my fingertips if I’m going to try to do magic numbers league-wide again next year. And you know what they say about “if you want something done right…”

I believe I’ve finally figured out the densely written head-to-head rule–or maybe I’m just now becoming less dense myself–so I can now go forward with that project. Over the offseason, I’m going to be fiddling around behind the scenes with some table designs, and going over all 1,230 games from last year to see how to make it all fit together. I’m also going to put Magic Numbers back up at the start of the season, so that I’m not crunching numbers after Christmas like a madman in order to get the whole show online and live by New Year’s Day. A few minutes every day is better than an entire week of nonstop number-crunching.

I do, admittedly, have other non-hockey projects on my plate this summer, and I intend to pursue those now that there’s not much action left on the frozen pond (the balance of the Cup Finals notwithstanding, of course). I will update as and when I have something I think is worth my time to write and your time to read. I’m not an expert on hot-stove matters, and I’m not going to pretend to be one, so what I will probably end up writing will be a bit more Spirit and a bit less Capital.

As is, Game 4 is tonight, and hey, I gotta root against the Penguins. I don’t much like the Wings, either, but the idea of the Penguins winning the Cup before the Caps do is simply anathema to me. So let’s go Red Wings!!

Hope you’re all enjoying the Stanley Cup Finals, and I wish you all a safe, happy, and swift offseason.

CAPITAL SPIRIT
ROOTING FOR THE RED WINGS FOR NOW

It hasn’t been a good couple of days for me, and that is putting it mildly. I was laid low with food poisoning all Memorial Day weekend, and managed to miss a family outing in the process. I came about this close to having to check myself into the emergency room, but felt better Monday, and I’m back to 100% today in the health area.

Then, last night, the Penguins won their second consecutive Eastern Conference Championship by sweeping the Hurricanes. And in the back of my mind, I’m thinking, If the Caps had won Game 5, that would have been them. So that didn’t help.

Meanwhile, rumors have been circulating about Kozlov and Fedorov heading over to the KHL, making for some uncertainty around the metaphorical water cooler.

Then, earlier tonight, I came home from work to find a major steroids bust in Florida, and the suspect fingering the Washington Capitals. When it rains, it’s a monsoon, I guess.

For the love of God, say it isn’t so.

I’ve done a little bit of poking around at this story tonight, and some of the comments directed at the Caps have been, I think, overly vicious given that so far this is an unproven allegation, and nothing more. Gee…rush to judgment much, folks?

How this will play out is anyone’s guess, but it’s certainly going to make for an all-too-exciting offseason.

I’m not going to believe this one way or the other until I see enough evidence to judge this matter on merit. I am NOT going to judge this based on a preliminary presser, and I don’t think anyone with a scrap of either restraint or objectivity should do so, either. Anyone who would give instant credence to a sensational sports-crime presser needs to go Google “Mike Nifong.” And I also would put very little faith in a canary-song name-drop by a guy who’s just been arrested in a six-figure drug bust.

Let me be as clear as possible here. I’m not accusing anyone in the Tampa law enforcement community of misconduct. I’m saying that there have been cases in recent memory where sensational allegations turned out to be categorically false upon further investigation. And right now, all we have are allegations that have yet to be proved or disproved. And name-dropping teams without naming players–strictly on the braggadocio of the accused–is, at the very least, poor form.

Those fans who are so quick to pounce on the Capitals before any hard evidence is in need to ask themselves if they’d like the same treatment afforded the team they themselves root for. Those who claim neutrality should, by the same logic, withhold judgment until all evidence is presented.

All in all, it is a tragic day to be a Capitals fan.

For the love of God, say it isn’t so.

CAPITAL SPIRIT
DIA DOLOROSA

With just two minutes left to go,
We knew our year was gone and done.
Yet still, we let our spirit show,
By rising up to cheer as one.

The game was, yes, a sad defeat,
But we rose to salute our men.
Now, with our season full complete,
We stood and cheered, and said, “‘Til then.”

Our playoff dreams were dashed too soon.
We stood as one, with broken heart.
It was a bad night for a swoon,
And bitter terms on which to part.

Yet from these shattered dreams we rise,
And in October, start again.
Let’s wipe the tears from out our eyes.
Let’s stand and cheer, and say, “‘Til then.”

Our future is still full of hope,
And fortunes next year should improve.
That makes it easier to cope,
And these bad feelings to remove.

We know we’ll win the Stanley Cup;
The only question now, is when.
So let us keep on looking up.
Let’s stand and cheer, and say, “‘Til then.”

Our summer will be slow and long.
Next season seems so far away.
September will still come along,
And it will then be time to play.

Next season will be better though,
When playoff time comes round again.
But ere we to our summer go,
Let’s stand and cheer, and say, “‘Til then.”

Our loss will be a memory,
Albeit one we’d soon forget.
But there will be much more to see.
Our story isn’t finished yet.

For us, ‘08-’09 is through.
We’re waiting now for ‘09-’10.
And ’til that season starts anew,
Let’s stand and cheer, and say, “‘Til then.”

Thank you, Capitals, for a season to remember. I didn’t want to see it end the way it did, but I appreciate everything you’ve done this year. It’s been a privilege to be a part of this journey, and I look forward to journeys anew in just a few short months.

‘Til then!

CAPITAL SPIRIT
VADE IN PACE

As promised, here are the predictions for the conference semi-finals. Got started on these a little later than I would have liked, so apologies that these are up so late.

Deck: Quest Tarot (Martin)
Spread: Celtic Cross
Question: “How will the Washington Capitals fare in their playoff series with the Pittsburgh Penguins?”

INITIAL IMPRESSIONS: Only one Major Arcana card in this spread, and it’s all the way up in the Outcome spot (as always, no fair skipping ahead). This tells me that while our fate may in fact be somewhat destined, everything else in the series is not. It’s an interesting dichotomy that might be worth some discussion: how can you have free will almost everywhere you turn, but in the end, have a predestined outcome? I’d welcome any discussion on that point in the Comments section, but I know I’m not going to get it. Also of note, there are four court cards here out of a possible ten cards. That’s unusual: normal distribution in this deck would be two court cards, two or three Majors, and the rest numbers. But here, there are a lot of court cards, which indicates that a lot of big personalities will have a major impact on this series. And while that was to be expected with a Caps-Pens matchup–there are a LOT of big names in this series–it’s telling that the cards are not only confirming that, but saying that the personalities may have an even larger impact than even the talking heads would believe coming in. So, let’s look at the cards, shall we?

BASIS: SON OF STONES, ADVOCATE, REVERSED. The impression I’m getting on this card isn’t so much of a person, oddly enough. Here, I think the meaning is one of “bad advocacy.” And I think this is directed at us, the fans, more than anything else. There were a lot of Caps fans–including yours truly–who had written the Caps off after Game 2, then again after Game 4, in the previous series with the Rangers. There was a lot of weeping and gnashing of teeth, and a lot of fans who seemed to be almost HOPING the Caps would lose, that their opinions about the team could be justified in failure. The Son of Stones reversed is a caution against that. Put simply, this train is leaving the station, Caps fans. You can stand on the platform and get left behind; you can jump in front and get your ass run over; or you can hop on board and enjoy the ride, however far it goes.

CROSSING: 5 OF STONES, MATERIAL DIFFICULTY. On the one hand, we’re without Donald Brashear at this point–he still has five games left to serve in the press box. That was my immediate impression when this card fell, even before I’d finished dealing the rest of the layout. But there’s a little more to this card than simply being without your biggest bruiser. It also speaks to fear of the unknown; fear of the future; and a fear that the future is painful. Now, I don’t think that’s the road the Caps are on, and it’s certainly not a deceptive good. That means that the fears this card depicts are–and this is very, very important–the biggest obstacle getting in our way at this point. Yes, the Penguins have beaten us 6 out of 7 in playoff series past. Yes, they have won more than they’ve lost in the Ovechkin/Crosby era. Yes, by almost all accounts, this could be the most difficult draw for us in the entire postseason. Yet, the 5 of Stones as a Crossing card is a reminder to not be afraid of the future. And this is directed at the team and fans alike: DON’T BE AFRAID. The past is irrelevant, as we saw against the Rangers. This was the first time in their history that they had lost a playoff series after leading 3-1. And with the Caps and Pens having no playoff history since 2001, I think it’s safe to say that the players for the Caps could care less about the history. They’re out to MAKE history, not BE history. For us, the fans, it is our job to face this series fearlessly. Not quite as harsh a read as I would have expected from a face-up 5–I’ll take it.

DISTANT PAST: 2 OF CUPS, LOVE. This card means “love” more than The Lovers in the Major Arcana, so this is a bit of a surprise here. I’m not quite sure what to make of this–love’s done? Or is some of the love from the distant past still going to affect this new series? Shakespeare’s Sonnet 116 comes to mind here, especially the line about “Love’s not Time’s fool.” True love–capital-L Love–is timeless. So even if Love does show up in the past, if it is TRUE love–which the 2 of Cups refers to–it is still there. It’s not going anywhere. So there will still be some Love for the Caps during this series–just not on the road, to be sure. 2 of Cups love means love anywhere, anytime. So if it’s showing up in the Distant Past, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going away. Quirky, true, but that is the message I’m getting on this.

RECENT PAST: DAUGHTER OF SWORDS, CONFIDENCE. If this were a player, they would be a very young player–2 years in the bigs or less–and very, very intellectual. Varlamov, anyone? For someone who had so little experience, he came through like a seasoned vet. The playoffs are supposed to be murder on goalies, but I don’t think Varly ever got that memo during the series against the Rangers. Think somebody ought to clue him in now that it’s the Penguins we’re playing? I jest, of course–I hope he keeps playing lights-out and sends the Pens home early this year. What troubles me is that he’s showing up in the past. While it’s undeniably true that his performance in the recent past has a huge bearing on where we are right now, I hope that this doesn’t mean his best work is in the past. Time will tell.

GENERAL DIRECTION: 7 OF WANDS, COURAGE. Recall a couple cards back how I said the biggest obstacle in the team’s way was fear of the future? Courage will come as this series progresses. I assume that means it will come by way of Capitals victories, but that may be too optimistic by half. Regardless, there will be more courage to come for the Caps–and the fans, if I’m reading this correctly–as the series progresses. If so, that may end up negating that 5 of Stones at the Crossing, and move the Caps closer to victory. Overall, a very pleasant card to have in this position.

IMMEDIATE FUTURE: MOTHER OF STONES, PERCEPTION. An intriguing card for this position. Yet again, I don’t think this refers to a player, strangely enough. What I’m taking from this is that Games 1 and 2–which is about as Immediate Future as it gets in a best-of-7–will be determined by which team can PERCEIVE the weaknesses on the other side, and then ACT upon them. And since this card is face-up, I’m going to have to give that edge to the Caps. Bruce Boudreau has been quite the tactician since his arrival in Washington, and you have to wonder if the Pens’ bench boss has enough chops to compete with a coach who has a full regular season and an additional 7-game playoff series on his resume. The team whose perception is better in the first two could very well end up winning the series. Worth recalling was how the Caps eventually figured out Lundqvist–he wasn’t very good at stopping shots high and glove-side. That perception eventually clinched the series, as Sergei Fedorov’s series-clinching goal beat Lundqvist–exactly–high and glove-side. It’s that kind of perception which will determine the winner of this series.

TEAM: 7 OF SWORDS, USELESSNESS, REVERSED. I’m glad this isn’t face-up! When reversed, the 7 of Swords speaks to having things figured out. When this card is upright, everything you do seems to have no effect. It’s kind of like a Skinner box, for those of you with a background in psychology: you can see what’s going on on the outside, but you have no idea what’s going on internally. But when the 7 of Swords is reversed, you figure out the inner workings of that box. You don’t have X-ray vision or anything, but you know what’s going on inside that box. You’ve settled down and found your place. You know where you are, and where you’re going. You’ve got things figured out, and can now move forward.

OUTSIDE INFLUENCES: FATHER OF STONES, GUARDIAN, REVERSED. Again, not a player, but a situation–in this case, a bit of a read on the opposition. When reversed, the Father of Stones will destroy anything in his way to get what he wants. He is very, very dangerous, and needs to be handled with caution. I would surmise from this that the Penguins are going to come out and play their dirtiest hockey, trying to force us off our game. Expect cheap shots, and expect no whistles–such is the playoffs. And since this is the Father card of the suit, it will be someone with seniority on the Penguins–either by age (nine or more seasons) or, possibly, by letter (Sidney Crosby, I’m looking at you.) Expect a dirty game from the Pens, especially from their senior players.

HOPES AND FEARS: 10 OF STONES, RICHNESS, REVERSED. Face-up, the 10 of Stones is about wealth and celebration. Reversed, that’s still there, but just not yet. This is a card of anticipation, of hope, of being about to celebrate–or, in this position, knowing that the celebration is there, but not being ready to embrace it.

–digression–
It reminds me of the song “Airships” from VNV Nation:

I pressed my face against the glass, smiled as my breath made some pattern or other
The world beneath unfurled before me like a sail, glinted in gold from this rich dawn sky
Awaiting the ship they had told me would come, quietly anticipating that which was to come…

The whole song goes on for eight minutes and change, and the lyrics are hideously complicated, but it’s well worth a download if you have iTunes. Better, buy the whole “Futureperfect” album and thank me later. It’s life-changing if you’ll let it be.
–/digression–

Back to the cards. I think what this card is trying to tell me about the hopes and fears of the team is that they’re not quite sure they can beat the Pens. They know that it will be a heck of a celebration if they do, but they either aren’t ready to accept it yet, or are afraid to embrace that celebration. To which I’d say, Go for it, guys. Turn this card around, beat the Pens going away, and let’s get this whole city Believing with a capital B.

OUTCOME: IX, THE HERMIT REVERSED. While there is an element of “come down off the mountain and get back to work” in this card, as I’ve written recently, there’s a little more to this card than that. The Hermit reversed can indicate that a higher way is being ignored. There’s more going on that you’re aware of, but you’re ignoring it. There is a greater truth that’s not being accepted. I know my last post a couple of days ago touched on this somewhat, but that’s not the point of this card. Recall the bit about Perception a couple of cards back? It’s not about picking out the weak spots in the other goalie’s game, or about finding which buttons to push to send the Pens “on tilt” and win the mental game. There is a spiritual dimension to this series: I wrote about it a couple of days ago, and this card seems to be backing that up. How does that translate into playable counsel? Like this: if the Caps play like they’re the good guys, they’ll win. If they stoop to Pittsburgh’s level, oh well, at least they won ONE series. DON’T IGNORE THE SPIRITUAL DIMENSIONS OF THIS SERIES. Because this series will be decided as much in Spirit as it will be on the scoresheet. That’s what I’m getting from this, the final card of the reading.

DISTRIBUTION: 6 EARTH, 2 AIR, 1 FIRE, 1 WATER. That’s an odd distribution to say the least. There’s too much Earth energy going on here–way too much focusing on the physical. 2 Air cards isn’t bad, but what concerns me is that Fire and Water are singletons. There’s not a lot of emotional investment going on, and–as the Outcome hinted–the spiritual side of this isn’t being addressed much, either. The team needs to raise its sights a little higher. Yes, they can win by out-hitting and out-scoring, while ignoring the subtler aspects of the game. But that kind of lack of balance would make them a one-dimensional team, and very easy to beat. Look higher, guys. Look beyond. Look within. There’s more going on than you realize, and the sooner you see it, the sooner you’ll win this series.

FINAL THOUGHTS: I’m not getting anything easy to read here. Last round, I had an Ace as the Outcome, and that was about as open and shut a read as I could give. And while that 7 of Wands as a General Direction looks promising, that reversed Hermit troubles me a bit. If the Caps stick to their game, and play clean, they win; if not, it will be an unlucky seventh loss in the playoffs. In their favor, the Caps kept their cool against Sean Avery’s antics. So the Pens should be easier by comparison on the subtler levels, which is where this series will be won or lost. I will assume that the Caps will stay on their game, despite some cheap shots from the Pens. If they can do that, they’ll win. If they can’t…well, it’s been fun. But I’m going to assume they will stay on their game, so I’m going to call this one:

PREDICTION: CAPS IN 6.

CAPITAL SPIRIT
AS IF ANYONE CARES ABOUT THIS…

I’m about to commit Caps-fan treason here, by way of an older post on this blog; the Sermon on the Mount; a lesson on Tarot; and a song by Uriah Heep. Whether I can do it in that order is something I’ll figure out as I write this.

Longtime readers may remember this post I wrote last summer in the wake of the Pens’ loss to Detroit in the Stanley Cup Finals. No one talked about it at the time, but I’m going to bring the question up one more time, and this time in a completely different context.

Last summer, the Caps were already done playing, and the postseason was over with Pittsburgh’s loss. It was an easy sentiment at the time. Detroit had just won another Stanley Cup, and even though I don’t like the Penguins, seeing them lose the way they did was enough to make even me feel a little bit sad for them. It bears repeating: I didn’t want to see the Penguins win the Cup, but I didn’t want to see them lose like that. Still, it was an easy question, because the Caps were already out of the picture, and the entire league was on summer break at that point.

It’s one thing to consider loving the Penguins when the Caps have no stake in the Penguins’ fate. It’s quite another when the Caps and Pens are now matched up in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Loving the Penguins in defeat in the offseason is something I might get the benefit of the doubt on. But for me to straightfacedly suggest, with no irony, that we should love the Penguins–in the playoffs–may raise an eyebrow or two before it’s over.

And yet, there are reasons that I think we really should do just that.

Item:

You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
–Matthew 5:43-48, NRSV

I’m kidding, right? Penguins fans are known in some quarters of Caps Nation as Steeltown Sociopaths, and I can not be serious about loving them. Can I?

Actually, yes, I am.

Here’s part of my logic on this. I believe that there is such a thing as Divine Justice. Sooner or later, Light will always triumph over Darkness. Caps fans know all too well the hooliganism and rampant misbehavior that breaks out when the Penguins invade Verizon Center. I don’t want to start a cross-market squabble about us-versus-them, or about Caps fans being “better” than Penguins fans. That’s not my intent with this. For all I know–having never been to a game in Pittsburgh, and having, frankly, no desire to go to one–the mores of hockey fans in the Steel City may merely be much different from those here in Washington. Some of what Caps fans view as hooliganism may simply be accepted behavior in Pittsburgh, and fans who take to the road never get the memo to dial it down a notch when representing their city in a more conservative arena.

That said, there has almost always been a bit more tension in the air at the Caps-Pens games I’ve attended in the past few seasons. I have, once, seen a fight break out in my section while the game was in progress. These two teams don’t much like each other, and our respective game-night fans seem to always be one or two harsh words away from falling under Rule 47, if you see what I mean. Even with that said, I still think Caps fans come out on the right side of that Divine scale more often than not.

I believe that if we Caps fans focus more on being a source of Love and Light for our team–instead of worrying about how creatively we can taunt the Penguins–that we might end up with a slight edge on more subtle levels. And as we saw against the Rangers, it doesn’t take much to change an entire 7-game series.

Let the Steeltown Sociopaths be as hooliganistic as their little hearts desire. Let them misbehave. Heck, turn the other cheek, for all that. Because, in the end, I believe that if we win, it will be because we tried our best to be the good guys.

Item:

As to that song by Uriah Heep that I mentioned at the top of this essay, the song I’m thinking of is “Lady In Black.” Here’s how it goes:

“She came to me one morning, one lonely Sunday morning,
Her long hair flowing in the mid-winter wind.
I know now how she found me, for in darkness I was walking,
And destruction lay around me from a fight I could not win.

She asked me name my foe and then, I said the need within some men,
To fight and kill their colors, without thought of Love or God.
And I begged her give me horses to trample down my enemies,
So eager was my passion to devour this waste of life.

But she would not think of battle that reduces men to animals–
So easy to begin, and yet impossible to end.
For she, the mother of all men, had counseled me so wisely then.
I feared to walk alone again, and asked if she would stay.

Oh Lady, lend your hand, I cried, and let me rest here at your side.
Have faith and trust in me, she said, and filled my heart with life.
There is no strength in numbers, have no such misconception,
But when you need me, be assured I won’t be far away.

Thus having spoke she turned away, and though I found no words to say,
I stood and watched until I saw her black cloak disappear.
My labor is no easier, but now I know I’m not alone.
I find new hope each time I think upon that windy day.
And if, one day, she comes to you, drink deeply from her words so wise.
Take courage from her as your prize, and say hello for me.”

That Rangers series got a lot of emotions going among Caps fans, myself included, and by the end of the series, I can genuinely say that I was starting to feel a genuine, soul-level hate for the Broadway Blueshirts. Such is playoff hockey, I guess–you play the same team every other day for two weeks, and player and fan alike are going to be sick of the opposition. Now we have two teams who already despise each other, getting set for a best-of-seven. Welcome to the circus, indeed, Coach Boudreau.

But look at “Lady In Black” again. The lyric that jumps out at me here is “But she would not think of battle that reduces men to animals.” Hatred is not good for the soul–take it from someone who knows. So why should we allow a pre-existing hatred of the Penguins, multiplied by the emotions of the playoffs, to reduce us all to animals? Spiritually, would it not be better for us to approach this series with capital-L Love, and be a force for the good and noble in this series?

If Divine Justice is as fair as I believe it to be, and we Caps fans approach this series in Love, while letting the Penguins rage and roil in their hate, I believe that would report to our spiritual advantage. Let us stay high-minded, patient, and benevolent; let the Penguins simmer, stew, and, ultimately, self-destruct. We saw what happened when we turned the other cheek to Sean Avery: could the same work against the Penguins?

There is no strength in numbers. Have no such misconception. It’s an idea.

Item:

Finally, one quick Tarot lesson to finalize my thoughts here. In the Major Arcana, once you’ve gotten past the desolation of The Tower, the remaining cards run like this: The Star; The Moon; The Sun; The Last Judgment (Judgment for short); The World. The World represents completion, attainment, and victory. But you can’t win The World without going through Judgment. Judgment represents a settling of accounts, a final disposition, the last chance you have to give account for yourself. The World can’t be yours if Judgment is against you.

What that means in practical, down-to-earth terms, is this. I believe that if the Capitals are to win this series, they need to do more than just score more goals than the Penguins. Spiritually, I believe they must also demonstrate the character, rectitude, and integrity that has gotten them this far.

It is certainly true that the Caps can just score more goals than Pittsburgh, get good netminding, win the hockey games and leave the “woo-woo” stuff to the weirdo in the cloak. But I believe that misses the greater point. In the end, character matters. You cannot build the foundation for long-term success on the shifting sands of hatred. Long-term success cannot be built without some capital-V Virtue to base it on.

And that brings me full circle to the question with which I began. Should we love the Penguins? And should we love their fans?

I believe we should–and now more than ever.

While I’m all for standing up to defend our house, I would prefer that we do so in Love. I would prefer “Let’s Go Caps” to “Penguins Suck.” I would prefer “Var-LY! Var-LY!” to “FLEUUUUryyyy…FLEUUUUryyyy…” And I would much rather hear us cheering the Capitals than jeering the Penguins during Games 1 and 2. Let us stick to motivating our team, and refrain from giving the Penguins any energy–positive or negative–to feed off of. Let us Rock the Red, and tune out the tuxedoed terrors.

If I may make so bold, let me suggest this to Caps Nation: let’s conduct ourselves as though we’re on the side of the angels. Because, hey, you never know–maybe if we do, we just might be.

I have some personal matters to tend to tomorrow night, and I intend to do the reading for the series Friday evening. Until then, be blessed.

CAPITAL SPIRIT
EXCELSIOR

Well, the Capitals are now officially up against it after their third loss to the Rangers. And for the third time, they have lost by one goal. In their lone win in this series, the Caps hung a 4-0 shutout on the Rangers. In their three losses, they have scored a grand total of four goals COMBINED.

Now they’re coming home for Game 5, for what could turn out to be the last game we get to see at Verizon Center this year. I think they’ll find some way to win Game 5, and at least have the dignity to finish their collapse at Madison Square Garden on Sunday. The way the Caps have been playing, I don’t think there’s anyone outside the Capitals organization who thinks these choke artists can win three straight.

Yeah, you read that right. In my defense, however, I’m angry tonight. And being quietly supportive doesn’t seem to be working very well, so perhaps an in-print keel-hauling may reverse our fortunes. If it does, this tirade will have done its job. If it doesn’t, then the vituperation will be richly deserved.

Credit where it’s due: Erskine has found his game, Varlamov has handled a trial by fire with remarkable aplomb, and Semin has been a lone bright spot on offense.

But when your best goaltender has a save percentage of .962 and goals-against of 1.01, but he’s still 1-2–IN THE PLAYOFFS–then it’s not your goaltender who’s to blame. Also, let’s not forget that three of the goals we scored in defeat were scored in one game–which we managed to lose behind some subpar goaltending from Jose Theodore. So, in Varlamov’s two losses, we’ve managed to score one goal. Total.

The blame for this needs to go squarely up front. I’m not going to make any friends by saying this, but here goes: Alex Ovechkin is the reason the Capitals are losing.

I can’t be serious, can I?

Why not? The man clocked up 50-plus goals in the regular season, and it took him four games to get his FIRST GOAL OF THE PLAYOFFS. Yes, he does have four assists, and yes, he does lead the team on defense at +3. But we’re not paying the guy to bring the Selke Trophy to Washington. We want the Stanley Cup. And it’s not going to happen if Alex Ovechkin keeps scoring goals at will in the regular season, only to turn around and go on a scoring drought in the playoffs.

Don’t get me wrong, I love Alex Ovechkin as a player, I think he’s great personally, and I’m glad we’ve got him locked up long-term. But when a repeat Rocket Richard winner only has one goal to his credit in four playoff games, he’s simply not getting it done. Alex has been doing wonders on D, yes. He’s assisted on half the goals the Caps have scored in the postseason, yes. But if he doesn’t start scoring goals–a lot of them–for the balance of this series, then he will have to accept a large portion of the blame for the Caps’ fate, for better or worse. If he starts racking up goals on Friday night, and keeps them coming until next Tuesday, and the Caps end up coming back from a 3-1 series hole, then absolutely, all hail Alex the Great.

But if he can’t put the puck in the net, and the Rangers end up pulling off a stunning upset, then we might have to downgrade him to “Alex the Pretty Good.”

Don’t get me wrong–I want to see the Caps win, and I think that if any team can climb back into a series like this, it’s the Caps.

But after a historic regular season, Caps fans expected much, MUCH better in the playoffs than we have thus far seen. I still hold out hope, however faint, that the Caps can win this still. However, I am still having to prepare myself, emotionally, for another postseason heartbreak. And it’s only the first round.

At this point, do the Caps have the heart to win? Alas, I have no answer. And I think that about says it all.

CAPITAL SPIRIT
DISPIRITED

Wednesday night’s loss was painful, and I left Verizon Center with no small sense of dismay.
But the misery wasn’t done, as I got an earful when I got to the office the next day.
One of my coworkers, who doesn’t follow the sport and probably would not be caught dead in a hockey arena,
Still knew the Caps lost last night, and was praising the Rangers and generally laughing like a hyena.
It takes no small lack of grace
To say you don’t even follow hockey, but then turn around in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and laugh in a despondent fan’s face.
She could have kept her mouth shut, and showed at least a modicum of class,
But no, it’s first thing in the morning, I’m visibly tired and unhappy, and–pardon my French–she still had to act like an ass.
I mentioned this to my lead, and the response I got was kind of lame.
In essence, “Why do you get so worked up? It’s only a game.”
The reason my love for the game, and the Caps in particular, is so strong,
Is that this team has given me, for the first time in my life, a place where I can say I belong.
I have spent three decades and change wandering this world, looking for some place in which to fit,
And when I saw my first Capitals game, I knew right away that this was it.
Everywhere else I’ve gone in my life, I’ve felt, at best, coolly accepted; at worst, like a freak.
The Capitals, to their everlasting credit, have let me be me, even if I can sometimes be a little too unique.
I ran into my first real case of class-wide rejection somewhere around age ten.
And I must have settled on all the wrong ways to deal with it, because it kept happening again and again.
Maybe I took it so hard that my whole view of humanity got totally skewed,
And I subconsciously decided I’d be better off with a life of solitude.
But then I found the Caps, and my loneliness looked less endless.
Maybe I wouldn’t have to spend the rest of my life feeling totally despised and friendless.
Unless you’ve lived it, you simply cannot understand what it means to suddenly feel connected,
After you’ve spent two-thirds of your life feeling totally rejected.
Accepting love is something that I know I don’t do lightly.
Before hockey, never in my life had I ever felt so accepted, so forthrightly.
Being unique had always gotten me, at best, tolerated, and at worst, hated.
So it’s something special to have my uniqueness not merely put up with, but actually advocated.
And that is why I care so much about the Caps, and why I want to see them win Lord Stanley’s grail.
And that is why I take it so hard when the Caps give their all, and still fail.
The Caps have done so much good for one small fan–does God not even see?
Or is Justice really as blind as all that? If so, she’d make a wonderful hockey referee!
“Only a game”? No way–the Caps have given me a place where I can finally feel contentment.
So why do some people, who ought to know better, insist on showing such resentment?
I hope–no, I intend–that the Caps will bounce back and win this set.
One loss is just one loss, and by no means is it over yet.
And if–no, when–the Caps come back to win this series, I won’t return the incivility.
I’ll simply turn the other cheek, to the best of my ability.
I won’t sin
By rubbing it in.
Come on, Capitals. You had a wonderful regular season, and the first round is not the time to choke.
And if you can’t win this series for yourselves, then at least try to win it for the crazy dude in the cloak.
You guys can pull it out.
I have no doubt.
Now, go show the hockey world exactly what you can do
By kicking the crap out of the New York Rangers on Saturday in Game 2!

CAPITAL SPIRIT
IS IT SATURDAY YET?