The Redskins Blog

Redskins Celebrate Following Caps’ Win

(AP)

It’s been widely reported how bonkers some Washington Redskins teammates have become in the wake of the success of the local National Hockey League team, the Washington Capitals.

And that attitude was no different Wednesday night, as the Caps defeated the New York Rangers 2-1 to force a Game 7 in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

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Redskins Linebackers Fans At Caps Game

AP Image

It’s a city defined by its political divisions, the Washington sports community is coming together over one of their own in the playoffs.  The NHL Washington Capitals hosted the Boston Bruins last night for Game 4 of the first round of the playoffs, and several Redskins players had a night out at the Verizon Center.

Newly re-signed captain London Fletcher helped organize a linebackers’ trip to the game, and the starting unit (Fletcher, Riley, Orakpo and Kerrigan) Rocked the Red with the rest of D.C.:

Let's go Caps! http://t.co/3sxI0x4w—
London Fletcher (@LFletcher59) April 20, 2012

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Alexander Enjoys Capitals Playoffs Action

After his first day of 2012 workouts at Redskins Park, Lorenzo Alexander took time to give back to the D.C. sports community by supporting the Washington Capitals against the Boston Bruins.

The two teams split on the road in Boston before bringing the seven-game series to Washington for the first of two games on home ice.  Alexander has been tweeting feverishly about the opening round of the NHL Playoffs, and enjoyed the game in a John Carlson jersey with his daughter, Vanessa:

Pretty cool seeing everyone rocking the red right now!—
Lorenzo Alexander (@onemangang97) April 16, 2012

via @onemangang97

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‘Raising Hope’ To Be A Redskins Fan

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Last Tuesday evening was part one of the two-part season finale of FOX’s hit comedy Raising Hope, entitled “Inside Probe.”  In the episode, they detail the unique storyline behind how baby Hope was brought into the world.  I won’t get into the details, but it’s a fairly strange episode, complete with an investigative report by Nancy Grace.

The noteworthy part of the show for Redskins fans was the T-shirt belonging to Burt Chance (Hope’s grandfather), which said “Washington Redskins” with a faded throwback ‘R.’  That ‘R’ was instituted as the Redskins emblem under Vince Lombardi, but lasted only two seasons as the official emblem, from 1971-72.

Very cool to see on primetime television, especially during the offseason:

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Nationals’ Harper Wears Redskins Apparel

When it comes to the DC sports community, we usually try to keep an eye out for crossover support, especially in the direction of the Burgundy and Gold.

Last fall, Capitals’ owner Ted Leonsis came out to FedExField for the Sept. 18 win over the Arizona Cardinals.  When the Nationals traded for pitcher Gio Gonzalez, he ended his first radio interview with a “Hail to the Redskins.”  And when the Wizards’ Roger Mason hits hotels on the road, he used to go by the moniker of his favorite Redskins player, Doug Williams.

Now, from spring training in Viera, Fla., it appears that Nationals’ top prospect Bryce Harper is getting his season kicked off with some love for the Redskins (via NBC-4′s @DanHellie):

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Shanahan Reflects On Bruce Boudreau

AP Image

In his weekly sit-down with CSNWashington’s Chick Hernandez, Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan discussed, among other things, his budding friendship with former NHL Washington Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau.

Not that this blog should be your choice destination for hockey news, but in case you’ve been living under a rock, Boudreau was relieved of his coaching duties on Monday.

Shanahan first met Boudreau when the hockey guru paid a visit to Redskins Park during training camp, and the two hit it off well.  But on a professional level, Shanahan is a coach that has also been fired from a team after years of success.  For Shanahan, it’s just part of the business.

Video courtesy of CSN Washington: Read more »

The Capital’s Bruce Boudreau Pays A Visit To Practice

The Redskins practice had an extra set of coaching eyes today, as Bruce Boudreau, head coach of the Washington Capitals, stopped by.

Boudreau was the guest and companion of head coach Mike Shanahan on the sidelines during practice.  He was accompanied by his son, Brady, who helped special teams coordinator Danny Smith with the Jugs machine during special teams drills.

“We just talked more about [Colorado Avalanche player] Joe Sakic and stuff, so it was pretty light,” Boudreau said of his conversation with Shanahan.  ”Y’know, he was in Denver, and he was there when they had good [Avalanche] teams.

“I’m sure that most head coaches are well-versed in quite a few sports,” he continued.  ”It was pretty cool meeting him.”

In the National Hockey League, teams may have a maximum of 23 players on the roster at any given time.  While the NFL regular season roster is only a little more than twice that, there are currently almost four times as many players in the Redskins camp.

Boudreau sounded relieved that he never had to handle that many players at one time. Read more »

Congrats To The Caps

After the Caps clinched the Eastern Conference title on Sunday, according to the blog of Washington Capitals owner Ted Leonsis, Redskins owner Daniel M. Snyder sent a note “and a nice little something as congratulations.”

Leonsis continues:

Dan and his family are very generous and his gesture is very much appreciated here at our offices. I am hopeful to repay the kindness next season to the Skins. “Hail to the Redskins.”

One of the great things about the DC sports scene is how the local athletes all seem to root for each other and attend each others’ games and charity events (as with the Caps at FedExField in Redskins jerseys, pictured above, along with a billion other things), and it’s good to see the owners getting in on the fun as well.

Also, on a personal level? I look forward to repaying the “thank you for congratualations on a conference title” blog post kindness. I don’t think I can adequately describe what a pleasure that post would be to write. Until then, though, I’ll just join in the chorus congratulating the Caps and looking forward to their playoff run. Read more »

Coach Zorn On Going To Watch The Caps

At any given Washington Capitals game, it seems like there are apt to be as many members of the Redskins as there are of the Caps. Jason Campbell, Chris Cooley, Colt Brennan, and Lorenzo Alexander have all been spotted at Verizon Center recently, and Fred Smoot and Rock Cartwright — among others — consider themselves fans. Heck, a bunch of those guys — plus Clinton Portis — even show up in a Rock The Red video.

Tonight, though, the Redskins/Capitals connection moves up a DEFCON level: head coach Jim Zorn will be attending tonight’s Game 2 against the Pittsburgh Penguins. And after today’s low-intensity practice, I was able to ask him a few questions about it. As you’d expect, the conversation turned to speed-skating and broomball. But it started with the basics of his hockey fanhood.

“When we were in Detroit,” he said, “we were certainly Red Wings fans, and really enjoyed many hockey games, actually. We enjoy it, and we’re gonna go try to support the Capitals.”

Have you been out to the Verizon Center yet? Read more »