It seems that no matter where the Steelers travel—Las Vegas, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Denver, or perhaps even the moon—Steelers Nation shows up in astonishing numbers.
Ahead of the Week 10 contest, a video circulating on social media highlights the potential impact Pittsburgh fans could have on what should have been a tough road game for the Steelers. Adding fuel to this passionate fire is the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins defeating the Washington Capitals on Friday.
Will Steelers fans be able to outnumber Commanders fans, forcing the home team to work off a silent count for the majority of the contest? Pittsburgh could use the extra support as they face a very formidable Commanders team in a game that could set the tone for the second half of the 2024 season.
The Washington Capitals brought back the black screaming eagle jerseys as a part of the team’s 50th anniversary celebrations, here’s how to buy yours.
The Washington Capitals turn 50 years old this year, and to celebrate the team is giving fans something they’ve been wanting for a long time, the return of the black screaming eagle jersey.
Alex Ovechkin Washington Capitals 50th anniversary jersey (Fanatics)
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Washington Capitals 50th anniversary women’s jersey (Fanatics)
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Alex Ovechkin is within reach of Wayne Gretzky’s NHL career goals scoring record.
Alex Ovechkin is unquestionably one of the greatest hockey players to ever play in the NHL, and whenever he decides to call it a career, he’ll be celebrated and revered as such.
Although the Washington Capitals forward just turned 39, retirement doesn’t seem too near in the future. And that give him a chance to try to catch Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record of 894 career goals.
Going into the 2024-25 NHL season, Ovechkin has 853 career goals, which puts him in second behind the Great One. Washington’s captain needs 41 goals to tie Gretzky and 42 to break the record and stand alone.
That’s a tall order for one season, and especially from an aging superstar, but it’s still possible — especially if Ovechkin starts the season out hot in his office.
In Ovechkin’s previous 19 seasons in the NHL, he’s scored 42 goals or more 13 times, most recently scoring 42 in the 2022-23 season. At most, Ovechkin scored 65 goals in the 2007-08 season, but he tallied 31 last season.
Scoring 42 this season won’t be easy, but if Ovechkin plays a couple more seasons, Gretzky’s record will likely be his at some point regardless.
The Washington Captials’ season starts October 12 at home against the New Jersey Devils, and Ovechkin will return to trying to catch Gretzky’s mark.
Good for Logan Thompson for being a trooper in a very awkward situation.
New Washington Capitals goalie Logan Thompson didn’t abandon his Saturday 2024 NHL Draft autograph session, even after being traded.
The Vegas Golden Knights traded Thompson to Washington for two draft picks on the second day of this year’s draft, one where Thompson was slated to interact with fans and sign autographs as part of the weekend’s draft festivities at the Vegas Sphere.
Well, the former Golden Knight was traded to Washington right before his autograph availability, meaning he chose to solider on and sign photos of him in his Golden Knights jersey despite having just been sent to a new team.
Thompson reportedly learned of the trade from Vegas general manager Kelly McCrimmon roughly an hour before the session but didn’t want to bail on the opportunity to greet the fans, per the Las Vegas Review-Journal‘s Danny Webster.
Logan Thompson was in bed when he got the call from Kelly McCrimmon that he was being traded. Had about an hour to get down here to sign autographs and didn’t want to miss the opportunity to meet with fans.
At least he got to say hello to one of his new Capitals teammates, center Aliaksei Protas.
Logan Thompson briefly interrupted his autograph session to say hello to Aliaksei Protas, who stopped by to see his new teammate. They were roommates at Protas’s first development camp when he was drafted by the Capitals pic.twitter.com/WPaZIHiTon
Good for Thompson for sticking to his autograph session. Even though he was saying farewell to the Golden Knights fans in attendance, we’re sure this offered a bit of unexpected closure for the goalie.
Vegas fans sure don’t sound thrilled that he’s gone, that’s for sure.
For one, many teams around the league actively used the data and infrastructure on the website to inform their team-building. Because of course they did — it’s a terrific and accessible resource. The same could be said of NHL fans, who enjoyed monitoring how their favorite squads were built from a financial standpoint. You know, bog-standard “how is my team going afford to Player A?” stuff that builds natural buzz and interest for free agency, trades, and the draft. There’s nothing quite like playing Couch General Manager as a diehard.
According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman in the latest 32 Thoughts Podcast, it gets worse. Now that the Capitals have made CapFriendly an official league entity, they couldn’t keep the website going in a different capacity even if they tried. Why?
The NHL apparently frowns upon websites like this as it considers salary cap dealings “proprietary information.”
What a profoundly stupid league run by absolute buffoons:
Friedman on CapFriendly (32TP): "The NHL frowns on the existence of sites like this one, even though they should be doing it themselves, they consider it propriety information, so the Capitals couldn't keep it open if they wanted to…"
In this age of hyper-information, sports fans are obsessed with knowing the ins and outs of their favorite teams and sports. Having a conduit to salary cap information is just one way for people to deepen their bond with a team and league. Following cap dealings have effectively been normalized in most capacities, particularly with other leagues like the larger NFL and NBA.
Heck, for some people, it’s almost as fun as the actual games! It’s how most offseasons percolate, after all.
For the NHL to frown upon giving fans this kind of extremely basic access is just silly. It is the league once again missing the forest for the trees. In what realm of this universe does it make sense to consider salary cap dealings “proprietary information” that fans shouldn’t be allowed to have? I guess I was unaware that the NHL was a faceless corporation sending out non-compete job disclosures to its fans, not a league rooted in entertainment and public interest, first and foremost.
It’s worth noting that none of this likely comes to light without the Capitals’ purchase. If CapFriendly doesn’t become a league entity, we’re not even having this conversation. But it is now, and the aftermath has predictably made the NHL look absolutely witless. Again.
NHL fans were confounded by the league frowning upon salary cap information
I’ve said this for years: – Trades/signings create an endless amount of huge buzz for the NHL – They can only happen if teams have room under the cap – NHL doesn’t officially let fans know how much room teams have under the cap – ???? https://t.co/ZePp9OZvT6
A new Washington Post poll reveals DC-area sports fans hate or dislike the “Commanders” name.
It’s been over two years since the Washington NFL franchise revealed its new name, the Commanders. The reveal, the name, and everything that followed were viewed as mostly a dud by a large portion of the fan base.
Last summer, the Commanders were sold to a group led by Josh Harris. Harris and some of his partners mentioned the former name on multiple occasions. Limited partner Magic Johnson even said all things were on the table regarding another name change.
Since then, Harris and others have acknowledged issues with the current name, but changing it is not a priority—for now, if ever.
Harris and his ownership group have a lot on their plates. First, they hired a new general manager and coach. By all accounts, Harris did well there. His new GM, Adam Peters, built the roster while Harris focused on other issues, such as finding a new home. The Commanders are in talks with D.C., Maryland, and Virginia for a potential new stadium.
The name remains a big issue for many Washington fans. Sure, there are some who are happy with the current direction and just want a winning product. There are others who will never come back unless the name is changed. One thing we do know is that the old name is not coming back. That doesn’t mean Harris and his group can’t change it.
Hardly anyone loves the name; others like it, some have no opinion, but many hate or dislike the “Commanders” name.
Here’s what one fan said in the Post’s story:
“I’ve been a fan for a long time, since I was a little kid, and obviously, the old name was a little problematic. I saw that,” D.C. resident Andrew Ravenscroft said. “I was in favor of changing it. But it’s just kind of a strange name.”
This is a fan admitting the old name needed to go. So, this isn’t a case where it’s “Redskins or nothing else.”
There are many interesting nuggets in the story. One thing remains clear: The name remains an issue. Sure, another portion of the fan base wants to move on from it, but if the name remains in its current form, some fans will continue to stay away.
For decades, the Washington, D.C., area was all about the NFL team. The other major sports were secondary. The poll revealed that local sports fans currently prefer the Nationals (MLB) and Capitals (NHL) over the Commanders.
A few winning seasons could change everything, even those who are looking for a name change. But something we all know too well, you can’t make everyone happy.
“You can’t take the team out of D.C.,” Bradley Beal said.
The Washington Wizards and Capitals are planning to move out of D.C. and across the Potomac River to Alexandria, Virginia and into a 70-acre “entertainment district” set to be completed by 2028.
And former Wizard Bradley Beal, like many D.C. sports fans, would prefer his old team stay in the city it represents, which is extremely reasonable and fair. Should the Wizards and Capitals leave Washington, they’d join the Commanders as D.C. teams not actually based in D.C.
In a video diary entry for ESPN’s Andscape, Beal basically begged Ted Leonsis — whose Monumental Sports owns both Washington franchises — to keep the teams in D.C.
As we previously explained, money is playing a large role in this expected move. Both teams currently play at Capital One Arena, and Leonsis wants a renovation, asking the city to pay for $600 million of the $800 million project, The Washington Post noted. Not making progress with D.C., Leonsis, it seems, went to the adjacent state.
Beal acknowledged the financial situation, but he made his case to the Wizards and Capitals owner.
To Andscape, Beal said:
“D.C., there is no moving to Virginia. What is that? Ted, we love you to death. We understand what you want to do and [are] trying to do. But you can’t take the team out of D.C. It’s Chocolate City. We need, as a league, we gotta keep that. D.C. — it has to stay in D.C.
“Now, the money? Listen, that’s out of my hands, that’s out of my controls. I ain’t got nothing to do with that. Hopefully [Washington D.C.] mayor [Muriel] Bowser can work something out with you. I don’t know. I don’t know. I hope the team stays. I think it’s good for the city. Think it creates a little bit of a problem, just my personal opinion, if it moves to Virginia.
“It’s probably similar to how people felt when [the Washington Commanders] moved to Maryland. It is a tough thing. I think we just got to get everybody back to D.C. Just rebuild RFK Stadium, rebuild Cap One [Arena]. Just keep it in the city. We can make it happen. They can make it happen. They can make it happen.”
The Wizards and Capitals might be moving to Virginia soon.
It’s happening, folks. The Washington Wizards and Washington Capitals might not be based in Washington for long.
Earlier today, Ted Leonsis announced that Monumental Sports — the company that owns both teams — is planning on moving its operations across the Potomac River into Virginia. The sports teams would be coming along for the ride, too.
The state has prepared a $2 billion proposal to move Monumental and its assets into Arlington. Things seem to be moving forward with the plan, but it’s not quite over yet. There are still a few hurdles for the project to clear.
Meanwhile, Washington, D.C. has made a counteroffer to the team that may yet still come into play.
There are a lot of moving parts to keep up with here. Don’t worry about it, though — we’ve got you. Here’s everything you need to know about the proposed move.
The Washington Mystics could be on the move, but hold the celebration.
The WNBA is rapidly growing, but the Washington Mystics’ potential move to a new arena is the latest example of not reading the room.
Entertainment & Sports Arena has been the home of the Mystics since 2019. It’s located near the heart of Southeast Washington, D.C. and gives super intimate vibes with the 4,200-seat capacity building that saw Washington win its first title.
But that might be changing soon in stunning fashion.
On Wednesday, Mystics owner Ted Leonsis announced an agreement (pending approval) to create an Entertainment District in Alexandria, Virginia at Potomac Yard. The deal moves the Washington Capitals and Washington Wizards to the new arena by 2028.
It also means the Washington Mystics could be potentially uprooted.
In all of the news about Monumental Sports moving to Alexandria with the Wizards and Capitals, there was Mystics news also. They announced the intention to have the Mystics move to Capital One Arena for game days. Says the plan is to still update the arena.
On the surface, Leonis’s move seems admirable. Moving the Mystics gives them an upgraded facility and the ability to attract more fans — almost 16,000 more — to women’s sports.
The Mystics play in one of the smaller arenas in the league, and even if they maintain their standard attendance levels moving forward, it could take some time to fill Capital One Arena to capacity.
That’s no fault of the Mystics, who are doing their part to support the growth of the WNBA. But I imagine forthcoming photos of empty seats during home games and how they will imply that “no one watches women’s sports” — when that’s not the case — and it infuriates me.
Maybe Leonis is betting on that growth. Perhaps he’s got a vision that I do not understand. But, right now, this feels awfully disheartening to those in the Mystics organization, and I can’t shake that feeling.
Good morning, Winners! Thanks so much for taking the time to read The Morning Win today. We appreciate you. I hope you’re having an excellent week so far. I’m almost certain it’s going better than mine.
So it seems that I cannot escape talking about the Wizards this week, huh? Fine. Whatever. I’ll bite.
So news broke on Tuesday evening that Wizards owner Ted Leonsis was joining Virginia Governer Glenn Younkinn for a mysterious event on Wednesday. The details unraveled pretty quickly. As it turns out, Leonsis plans on moving the Washington Wizards and Washington Capitals across the Potomac River into Alexandria, Va. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski has the details here.
The very next day, we find out it’s all but official: The Wizards and Capitals are moving to Virginia. The move is officially planned for 2028.
There still needs to be approval from the state’s General Assembly to make it happen, but this is essentially a Godfather offer here on the table from Virginia that Leonsis is accepting.
This is devastating.
I know this may seem ridiculous to folks outside of the area. Potomac Yard isn’t too far away from Gallery Place where Capital One Arena is located now. It’s a simple car ride a little further down the highway. It’s another handful of stops on the train.
But distance was never the problem here. It’s always been about the community.
Ted Leonsis is packing up his two largest franchises and taking them across the river at a time when D.C. needs them badly — specifically in the downtown location they’re at.
You’ve probably heard about the crime in Washington lately. It’s become a national story. Yes, it’s bad. According to the Metro Police Department’s crime data, violent crimes are up by 40 percent year over year. Homicides are up by 34 percent. Robberys are up by 69 percent. It’s very easy to feel unsafe these days. It’s specifically bad in the Chinatown area where Capital One arena is located.
D.C. hasn’t been able to escape its post-pandemic funk. Businesses shuddered and never came back. People have grown desperate. The police department’s staffing has reached a historic low. Things just don’t look great right now. You can understand why anyone would pack up and run away in the face of all that.
But don’t get it twisted — crime would just be a convenient excuse. Cash is the reason Leonsis is leaving the city.
Time is truly a flat circle. This is the same place we were in 30 years ago in 1993 when the arena was first built. Crime was a problem. D.C. desperately needed a win. Abe Pollin — the previous owner of the Wizards — brought it. He privately funded the entire arena himself, betting on the city and the community around it. The people loved him for that. It was seen as a huge win for Washington.
Here we are again. D.C. desperately needs wins today. It needs someone to stick by it. As Washington navigates through these choppy waters it’s sailing through, it needs its anchors. Ted Leonsis is sailing across the Potomac River for public tax dollars.
Washington, D.C. has held the Wizards and the Caps down for decades. It’s seen the team’s best and the team’s worst. Through all the years of ineptitude, the real fans still showed up. The community around the building had remained vibrant. It’s turned Leonsis into one of the premier owners in sports. Instead of pouring some of that money back into the community to help get it back on its feet, he’s turning tail and running away. It’s quite shameful.
Draymond Green is probably getting suspended again
Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
In other news, Draymond Green is doing…well, Draymond things. He completely clocked Jusuf Nurkic in the face in Tuesday night’s Suns-Warriors game.
He says it wasn’t on purpose, but, man. Come on, now. Look at this.
ICYMI: Warriors forward Draymond Green was ejected during the third quarter of Tuesday’s 119-116 loss to the Suns after hitting Phoenix big man Jusuf Nurkić in the face.
Enough was enough before the Gobert choke and now it’s beyond enough. Green has proven that he’s willing to push the boundaries of safety on the court even if it costs him a few games off, and Adam Silver’s last suspension felt like a warning that there could be more for behavior like this. It should be.”
Iowa Hawkeyes guard Caitlin Clark (22) celebrates a three point basket during the third quarter of the Gulf Coast Showcase championship game against the Kansas State Wildcats at Hertz Arena in Estero on Sunday, Nov. 26, 2023.
And, of course, Caitlin Clark is the No. 1 overall pick going to the Indiana Fever, who might be the luckiest franchise in sports.
“Clark has one year of eligibility remaining. If she declares, she’s without a doubt the best guard in the draft. Clark has a high basketball IQ, is ultra-competitive, a lights-out shooter, a dynamic passer, and has been called a generational talent by nearly every coach worth their salt. The Fever shouldn’t overthink this.”
— Jusuf Nurkic had a pretty funny joke about Draymond Green after all was said and done. Though…I’m not sure he was actually joking? Bryan Kalbrosky has more.
