Things Are Slow... Read Anyways

So things are slow around here recently. The free agency grind has come to a screeching hault. There is really too much to write about if you want to cover all of the free agency happenings. So I opt out and point towards those who are for the challenge.

I'm very happy with the Caps move this off-season and have told Ted Leonsis as much in a congratulatory email. Ted and I have battled on email this off-season... mainly just back-and-forths about the dysfunctional CBA. If you do a search down on this blog, you can read about how the CBA will eat up small-market teams in a mere year or two. Simply put, they won't be able to catch up to the minimum salaray cap... even with the cap being linked to revenues. It won't matter.

But the Caps were were able to fill some much needed holes and do so without spending all of the nickles and dimes in Ted's pockets. So, at this point, there is still the possibility of picking up a short-term guy in Forsberg or Yashin - the more and more I read about though, the less and less I would want him, even for a year. But really, what the Caps have done, is set themselves up for next year. There will be more holes, most likely I am sure on defense, where the Caps will be shopping a defensive defenseman next season. In addition, Olie Kolzig isn't getting any younger and the Caps will need the cap space to start thinking about bringing in a replacement should one of the youngsters not pan out. Overall, a B+ to the Caps... they should make the playoffs this year. If not, adios Glen Hanlon.

I've also been following Eric McErlain's blog about press credentials for NHL bloggers. I signed up for Facebook and joined his group, but have contributed to the conversation much. I'd rather just read at this point and let the heavyweight toss around their ideas. But the basic gist is that Eric has found a media organization that could help back the cause to formalize a process for bloggers to obtain press credentials to cover NHL games. As we saw in the Stanley Cup finals, teams are getting less and less exposure through the media. The Caps get less print space every year it seems.

Eric's idea is great. He has already taken the initiative in creating criteria for obtaining press credentials. They seem fair and would help weed out an spur-of-the-moment type blogs that have little credibility.

I've thought about looking into press credentials to do some in-game blogging for the Caps. I know it would be something I would enjoy and could do quite well. But with the family and a full work schedule, blogging 41 home games would be difficult to say the least. I've wondered, however, if a blogger would be able to work a handful of games a year. This might be something that I look into this year (once I check it out with the wife first - I'm whipped!).

So yesterday, news came out that Chris Benoit had steroids, pain killers, and an anti-depressant in his system when he killed his wife and son. I've said it before, the anti-depressant and pain killers shouldn't overshadow the steroids. Regardless of what was in his system, Benoit needed a trigger in his life to snap like he did. That trigger acts independently of what was in his system. In the end, Benoit is just another wrestler that has steroids linked to his death. It's a problem and Congress should add the WWE to their list of sports they are investigating.

Yesterday also brought about some bad news for Michael Vick. I'll wait and see what comes of this from a legal standpoint. However, I have a question and a quick piece of advice... 1) Will the NFL play star treatment? 2) Stay away from Vick in the early rounds of your fantasy draft. ;)