This great news doesn’t heal all of the wounds caused by the “Punch in the Face” to the sport (to paraphrase BL21), and there’s still so much understandable anger among fans who say they plan to boycott the remainder of the season. I know everyone’s pissed at both the NHL and the NHLPA, they should be – I am. But even though I’m angry, now the lockout had ended I’ve decided that I’m not going to let anyone, including myself, take one more day of hockey away from me.

Most of you reading RMNB are hockey lovers, or at least fans- so dig down deep and remember why. Watch “Miracle”, go on YouTube and watch fan-recorded “Unleashing of the Fury” videos, flip through some pictures of yourself and your friends at Caps games, remember how good it felt to force Game 7 in the first round of the playoffs last year against Boston and then how elated you were when we BEAT TIM THOMAS IN BOSTON IN HIS HOME!

Right now, the future of pro hockey in the U.S. is in a dangerously vulnerable place. If we, the fans, don’t come back for this short season,the future of the sport is seriously at risk. I know it’s not fair (as life rarely is), but the reality is that if we want our sport to survive the terrible blow it’s been dealt, we as fans have to migrate to the Chinatown Phone Booth, Rock our Red, buy our Boardwalk fries and overpriced beer, and stand and scream to “Unleash the Fury”. I love hockey and the Caps enough to set aside the rage I feel towards those who held my sport hostage and to SHOW UP for the sake of the game.

I’m not trying to let anyone off the hook; just taking a step back to see the full picture- both past and future. If the near future doesn’t include a consistently growing U.S. pro-hockey fan-base and/or Caps hockey in my city because my fellow fans and I didn’t come back in the Spring of 2013, it would be a much greater a crime than what’s been done to us over these last few months, and far more damaging to the sport.

Remember how much you wanted hockey back on those boring November nights? It’s back. And we’re the only ones who can keep it here.

http://www.tedstake.com/2013/01/10/a-note-of-apology-and-empathy/

The Caps are just a bit above average, but have been increasing prices faster than most of the league. I’d like to see that prince increase slow or stop, especially considering the on-ice product has declined significantly in the last 2 years.

On quality and selection, I have to disagree. The vendor right outside the press elevator (carvers?) usually has fantastic sandwiches. And there’s a great beer place near the Greene Turtle.