My head cracked opened

The annual NHL awards show was held in Las Veags this year. Ovechkin was nominated for two awards the Lester B. Pearson Award (awarded to the most valuable player as voted by his peers) and the Hart Memorial Award (awarded to the most valuable player as voted by the NHLPA). He had already won the Rockey Richard Award (awarded to the player who scores the most goals in the season, and had won both the Hart and Pearson trophies last year.

All players nominated for an award were required to stay at The Palms hotel where the show would be held. During his free time Ovechkin could be spotted swimming in The Palms pools and hanging out with family and friends on the pool deck. Video of poker game and Ovechkin at the pool.

Ovechkin won both the trophies he was nominated for and left Vegas a big winner in the Awards Show. Video from the Awards Show

Every year the Washington Capitals hold a party for all Season Ticket Holders to attend. For the past two years the event has been held at Six Flags in Virginia. all members of the team attend the event and fans in attendance are given the chance to meet players, ride rides with them and get photographs and autographs. This is my second year as a season ticket holder and my first year going to any Capitals ticket holder party

Notes of Interest

• While waiting for rides to open for fans to ride, my friends and I headed to Superman to wait in line. We were not yet allowed to wait in line because players, coaches and their friends and family were taking last minute rides first. As we waited outside the entrance of the ride we notice Ovechkin coming down the path followed by a mob of fans. It was like a scene from a movie where time slowed down, music was played and everyone was watching the same person. With a confident swagger and a quick smile Ovechkin passed by us and the party had officially begun

• All Capitals players were shadowed by a member of the Capitals staff to make sure they kept their schedules and did not sign for fans until the designated signing time. My term for the night to describe these handlers...babysitters.
  
• Players could be seen riding rides with family and friends, Ovechkin, Semin and Ovechkin's Dad rode Superman a good 5x in a row, and waved to fans on the way down.

  

My friend Jessica is a huge Matt Bradley #10 fan and got to ride Batwing with him and David Steckel #39 and Steckel's wife.

Ovechkin held up Batwing for fans to ride because he is Ovechkin after all and wanted to ride it 3x with other players and once by himself for Caps.com But it is Ovechkin and fans seemed more than happy to snap pictures and capture videos of their own then get upset about it.

• Michael Nylander #92 and Tyler Sloan #89 played a basketball shooting game, and after several rounds of missed baskets, Micheal Nylander won by sinking a basket and winning bragging rights. Video
  
• Alex Semin #28 and Alex Ovechkin #8 rode the Tower of Terror ay least 5x in row. Everytime they were waiting for the ride to take them up in the air they would talk russian to Ovechkin's Dad and their friends waiting in the crowd.

• Alex Ovechkin, Ovechkin's brother and Alex Semin rode the skycoaster 3x in a row. They soared over fans as everyone flashed pictures of the flying players above them. Ovechkin's babysitter informed the two Alex's that they had to sign autographs for fans soon and it was time to stop riding rides. Ovechkin begged several times "one more time, last time, I swear, one more time please" After a short pause and a hesitant look his babysitter responded, "one more time, then that's it you have to sign autographs" He is Ovechkin, how can you say no?

• Snacking on a hot dog Ovechkin signed his predertimned number of 250 autographs for fans.

A lot more pictures can be seen on my facebook album.

Video of Ovechkin having fun at the season ticket holder party.

I am going to update this blog with some poems (which has been a while since I have posted one), but more than that I am going to start writting about my most memorable hockey experiences. I am going to start with the most recent and work my way back. Some will involve trips I went on, and special events I attended and others will be game or practice memories, some will be just a random but interesting fact that I would like share. Mostly this is for my own use so I can go back and remember certain things, hopefully somebody, somewhere might find something I write of interest.

I am a huge fan of the Washington Capitals and have been since 1993, most of my postings will involve a Capitals player in some way, and then probably 90% of those postings will involve my favorite player, Alex Ovechkin. enjoy!

I know it's been a while. but I've been newly inspired recently.

He knows not how I stay up at night, only thinking of him
He knows not how my patience with waiting is growing very dim
He knows not how much I miss him, and how I want him here
He knows not how the way I feel is oh so very clear
He knows not how the pain I feel when I think of all that’s past
He knows not how long I think, I hope our love can last
He knows so much about me that no one else ever will know
He knows with each new year our love continues to grow
He knows me inside and out, and has always been by my side
He knows our relationship has been an up and down ride
He knows my pains, my hopes, my dreams, my flaws and my fears
He knows for every time he wants me, I too wish he were near
He knows everything there is to know about who I really am
He knows everything he needs to do for me to be a better man
He knows everything I’ve been through and how our lives have changed
He knows everything is different and can never be the same
He knows everything he’s done to hurt me and everything to make me smile
He knows everything we’ve shared together has been worth my wild
He is the one and will always be, whether or not we stay together
Two kindred spirits…always and forever

I first saw this guy bearing a gun and fighting in the American Revolution
Alongside Mel Gibson he stood strong, flashing that smile of conviction.
His short, blonde, messy hair drew me in and his accent just about killed me
Right from that moment I always knew He was someone I always wanted to see
He died in that movie and I hated that part, never even saw it coming next
I cried that time I’m not going to lie it cut me deep in my chest
Later I saw him in 10 Things I Hate About You and his hair was much darker then before
It took me a while to realize that this was the same guy, and it just had me begging for more
I only believed it when he gave that smile, and in turn I smiled back
Winning me with that grin was something he never did lack
Posted pictures of him on my wall and forever imprinted on my brain
I went a little nut-so and liked this guy a lot, you can say I went a little insane
I found out his birthday was a day after mine and decided that we were connected
I dismissed all my friends when they denied this fact and interjected
There were several more movies after those first two, and I watched a lot of them with pride
Who would’ve thought that this growing young talent would die before 35
I know he’s an actor and its not like I knew him, but I admired him so much
And learning of his death today really has had me crushed
Jousting and fighting in A Knights Tale, watching him get back up after a fall
I loved this guy so much after that I got his autograph and it hangs on my wall
Playing a gay cowboy in Brokeback Mountain really didn’t all that impress me
And even admitting I didn’t like the movie wasn’t all that easy
Still the fact that he was a great actor never escaped or swayed from my thoughts
Oh yeah and the mere fact that this Aussie dreamboat was also extremely HOT
I loved this guy oh so much and am really sad that he’s gone
Heath Ledger, Rest In Peace your movies will forever carry on

I see him there looking just fine,
I haven't thought about him in quite some time.
Four years of good times we gladly shared,
So many memories and past times we came to bear.
If asked what I saw in the time to come,
The answer was him, there was no other one.
I never would imagen we'd grow apart,
I never dreamed another would someday have his heart.
Don't get me wrong the break up was clean,
We have still remained very close as crazy as that seems.
Still close friends but alas not like before,
As good as we can be, that's all I could ask for.
But now he's finally moved on and found another,
Asking permission and guidelines from someone else's mother.
I have to be honest hearing that makes me feel dead,
It's true the green monster is rearing its ugly head.
I moved on long before him, so why do I care?
To feel this way now, how can I dare!
He will always hold a place in my life,
And there's no need to shut him out purely out of spite.
I'm glad he's still around and I won't mess that up,
But seeing and knowing he's moved on, hurts so much.

Who is God, and does he exist?
My faith in a higher being, I cannot resist
Without any evil, there cannot be good
You don't believe it? Maybe you should
He gives me strength I thought I didn't have
I just fall to my knees and soon I feel glad
Sometimes I stray away just for a bit
But when I return, He's there, He never quits
That Jimmy Wayne song says it with trust
"I Love You This Much" isn't that enough?
Unconditionally, God is always there
When you love, hate, question or are in despair
You never lose when you trust in God
Take a leap of faith in the midst of a mob
Some people say he doesn't exist, his wonders they forgot
I look at the world and think...how could he not.

It holds me tight all around,
I cannot free myself from these ropes that are bound.
Try as I may, as hard as I can,
I'll never escape, time for a new plan.
Should I give in and learn to accept,
Life isn't as I will it, and neither is death.
I can only focus on the here and the present,
If you think I'm living depressed, I miss represent it.
Shit happens, but I move on,
I keep my head up, try to keep strong.
"Why is there death?" I often loudly cry,
"To make life important" that's simply why.
Death Makes life hard, I understand,
What to do? just live, that's all you can.

memories and past events flying through my head
good and bad and ugly days just racing through my head
was i wrong or was i right in all the things i did
could i have done more or too much were all the things i did
no regrets but so much pain i keep feeling today
so i'll cry and miss you that much is ture, the feelings i feel today

the road is long and never ending
but i am glad for the time we share
and even if this is it
i'll stick with you, i will be there
one last chance to make it right
one last chance to live
no more waiting no more lies
there is nothing left to give
so sleep well tonight for when you wake
the goodbyes will be no fun
and away you'll go only to return
when you're all healed and done.