DC United in Loudoun County?

We are a rare breed, I guess. Too bad we're stuck with the Caps around here--I LOVE going to hockey games, but I have rarely been to an exciting Caps game. The crowd is dead. Some of our best hockey experiences have been in the south, go figure. I grew up loving hockey, playing on a frozen backyard and then (Thank God!) my son picked it up. When we moved here, we chose the Broadlands partly because of its proximity to the Ashburn Ice House since we knew we'd be living there. I even drove the Zamboni there for awhile

My son calls them the Maple Ladies, ha ha. Do you play adult league now?

 

no...stupidly i gave up my hockey when i went off to college. I had a choice between Va. Tech and Miami of Ohio (to play hockey). I chose Va. Tech---, never joined their club league...and that was that. I haven't been on the ice since probably 1996 or 97. So sad.

Yeah--it's hard to go to caps games now...where maybe 8,000 people show up (surprised 8K people know about hockey in DC). I remember the good ol' days of Mike Gartner, Dave Christian, Pete Peeters, etc, at the Caps Centre---where a lot of games were sold out---ALWAYS on the weekends. Oh yeah--we made the playoffs every year!
It took one trip to Toronto one weekend to see how hockey is loved and appreciated for me to love that team! sure they blow---but are a heck of a lot more fun to watch. A team that can actually put 3 talented lines on the ice....

 

Get your skates out (or you can buy the ones my son just grew out of after 3 months!) and go hit the ice. It's a great time and only a few minutes from here. Yep, great experience in Toronto--I like watching the Leafs cuz they are dirty and always get teams riled up. Love watching games in Edmonton, Vancouver, etc. where it's loud and raucous the whole game. Favorite time was living in Atlanta (my son was a stick boy for an ECHL team) and we lived 1/2 mile from Thrashers training camp--to see how fast and hard these guys skate up close is simply amazing. Anyway, off topic!

 

c'mon Brian.... Let's Go Flyers.... Let's go!

Help me out here and we can really hijack the thread... but seriously, what about Roller Hockey, it is a great option to getting on the ice and several kids (and me) play on the street to get a quick fix. There is also a roller rink on Claiborne at the overpass for the W&OD trail that I have played on several times... lets meet there and play!

 

Exactly. There is a one track mind and that track is traffic.

 

I remember those days and the days of "Save The Caps". Hockey is so much better in person than on TV (save the jokes of it not being on TV). I went o Caps playoff game a few years back and even thought the Caps lost 1-0 and I sat in the nosebleeds, it was the most intense sporting event I have ever been to.

 

Went to the Stanley Cup Finals a few years ago to see the Devils (my son's favorite team) beat the Ducks in a Game 7 in NJ--most intense and amazing sports experience I've seen. Anyway, we'll have to organize something this winter. Love going to Flyers games in Philly because the fans are so obnoxious!

 

I actually grew up in the DC area and am a huge Caps fan (and a huge hockey fan in general -- NHL Center Ice on Directv is the best). I agree that going to Caps games of late hasn't been that great (i.e. the atmosphere at Verizon Center), but they have made a couple of nice additions in Free Agency and, along with a solid core of young guys, I believe will be exciting to watch and will make a serious run at the playoffs. My greatest experiences attending a hockey game are a) traveling to Toronto to see the Caps play in Toronto's final season at Maple Leaf Gardens and b) Game 2 of the 1998 Eastern Conference Finals, Caps win in OT over Buffalo (on their way to getting hammered in the Stanley Cup Finals by Detroit).

 

Flyer fans are obnoxious anywhere.

 

oooh, ouch. Ok Baywatch, I can see that we are going to a boxing match where a Hockey Game might break-out! I will take you down Broadstreet one day where can meet some of da other guys.. and talk 'bout it...! LoL

 

No thanks. I got lost walking around Central City once. I'm not going to Philly unless I have to.

 

The young talent should be fun to watch. Maybe we can get a small group together this winter to go see a game--God knows they have tickets available!

 

First post in the forum, moving to Broadlands in early '08, and bring on a soccer stadium! That way I don't have to be accused by my friends and colleagues of moving out to the bland suburbs of Ashburn. It will give them a reason to visit me and I won't have to drive to DC to take my kids (in the future) to a sporting event.
I love the idea!
I currently have Redskin season tickets, and will not enjoy the trip from Ashburn to Raljon.
And the soccer specific stadium will also be great for concerts and youth leagues as well.

 

We went to philly for a maple leafs/flyers game---and got these tickets in some "party box" where they had like 30 people and all you can eat food---too bad the four of us showed up in blue and white. Luckily we won...or it could've gotten ugly for the four of us

 

you mean danny boy hasn't sold the naming rights to Jack Kent Cooke stadium's location too???? i didn't think raljon still existed----surprised it's not "TOMKAT, MD", since he's in good with that fruit loop now.

 

Did you know that the origin of "Raljon" is for JKC's sons, Ralph and John ? This is a bit sophomoric, but did you ever hear the Tony Kornheiser joke, something to the effect that it's a good thing that JKC's sons weren't named Pete and Enis ?

 

yeah i knew what raljon was named for----notice the reference to "Jack Kent Cooke Stadium". Screw FedEx...and screw dingleberry for him thinking he knows how to run a football team. Was bringing gibbs back his peace offering to the DC population? so much for gibbsy goin' out on top.

 

I was excited about Gibbs Era# 2, but in retrospect I wish that he had stayed away (unless, by some miracle, he produces a Super Bowl this year). I am a lifelong Skins fan, but this guy Snyder sure makes it tough to remain a die-hard (in fact, even if they won the Super Bowl, it would be bittersweet having to watch Danny Boy hoist the trophy). Unfortunately, we are stuck with this guy for the rest of most of our lives, I would imagine. It makes you long for the days of JKC and the paternity fights.

 

I for one enjoy having Snyder as an owner. He may still be learning how to run a team but I applaud him for trying EVERY YEAR to put out a playoff caliber team and not just in it "to make money" like alot of the current owners.

They were in the playoffs just 2 years ago and last year was bad mostly due to injuries to key players.

 

I liked JKC -- he was willing to spend the money to field a great team, but he let football people make the football decisions. I don't think Snyder is prepared to do this (not yet, anyway).