$#!!!*** My Captain says

I promise you this will be the shortest post I've ever written. Why?  Because it is about a non-issue.  Much ado about nothing. Nada.  Zip. Zero. Call it what you like, but enjoy it while you can because this is the last time it will be discussed on my blog.

I'm speaking of course about the alleged flap between Coach Boudreau and Alex Ovechkin over the latter's temporary benching.  I mentioned it in passing in the last game recap, not knowing certain idiots both in and out of the hockey media would use it as something to talk about.  Well it's time to shut the hell up about it because there's nothing to it.

For the record, yes Alex Ovechkin called the Bruce a "fat F*#%" in reaction to his being left on the bench in the last minute of the game.  What the hell else is he going to do, whistle a happy tune?  Boudreau doesn't care, he got the result he wanted.  Ovi is moving on becuase now he's motivated.  So much an authority as Barry Melrose agrees it's a non-story so why can't eveybody else shut the hell up about it?

What really bothers me is people who weigh in on it without knowing what in fact they're talking about.  If you go here you'll find that it's par for the course.  But I was listening to Elliot in the Morning this AM and his producer Tyler felt like what Ovechkin said was "disrespectful."  Not only that he was "worried this would be the start of a slippery slope that would lead to a rift" between Captain and Coach.  Bullcrap.  Open mouth, insert foot, Tyler--bad on you.  We're not Ovechkin apologists or team apologists--WE JUST KNOW HOCKEY.  If someone is lucky enough to have recovered the audio, you can hear how Elliot shoots down this ludicrous argument with ease.  Besides, does anyone remember Kovalchuklegate?  Or rather, any fallout from it? Yeah, me neither.  Same thing here--a non-issue.  Elliot was right about at least one other thing--the local media around here doesn't know jack crap about hockey.  That's one reason why you've got blogs like Japers' Rink, Kings of Leonsis, and Red Line Station to fill in the gap.

And so what even if there is a so-called rift?  I'll leave you with a short history lesson to explain why it doesn't matter if there is. And it's appropriate because it proves you can have success despite the coach and the players not exactly being butt-buddies.  Sorry Tyler, but you don't have to exchange sweet nothings with your coach or your boss, for that matter to be successful. Scotty Bowman is, without question, the most successful coach the sport has ever seen.  You know what?  His players couldn't stand him. Yet somehow he managed to win 9 Stanley Cups.  You want to read more about it--go here.  So I'll say it one more time--if putting some gluteus maximii to the wooden pony is what the Bruce has to do to get results, then so be it.

Results, folks....that's all that matters.  Ever.