Well, back in the late 50s, CGBS had hockey on Sunday afternoons, and I fell into loving it, and rooting for the Bruins and Blackhawks. Then hockey dropped out of sight (i.e., CBS dropped them and cable wasn't invented yet, at least where I lived) and I went on without it.

Then DC got an expansion team, and I watched the Capitals through the early days (I remember when Scott Stevens was a Cap, for instance) at the Capital Center in Landover, MD, and then in their new home, the phone booth (MCI Center, now Verizon Center) in downtown DC.

I've learned to live with disappointment and excitement and expensive food and seats and the occasional Internet idiot who says to trade the goalie after only one poor outing.

My son now carries on the tradition. I've trained him well.

Bob