June 18, 2013

CAPS: Washington Capitals Fans Prepare to Rock the Red

April 29, 2013 by
Capitals fans at warmups (Cheryl Nichols/District Sports Page)

Capitals fans at warmups (Cheryl Nichols/District Sports Page)

The first playoff home game is this Thursday, May 3 when the Washington Capitals host the New York Rangers at 7:30 p.m. However, fans will be “Rocking the Red” all week. Check out all of the festivities listed in the team’s press release below.

Caps Fans Prepare to Rock the Red in the Playoffs Powered by Constellation Energy
Beard-A-Thon, Viewing Parties, Contests and More to Kick off Postseason

ARLINGTON, Va. – During the 2013 Stanley Cup quarterfinal round between the Washington Capitals and New York Rangers, Capitals fans are invited to participate in several activities to kick off the postseason.

Game 1 will be played Thursday, May 2, at 7:30 p.m. at Verizon Center and available locally on Comcast SportsNet HD. All Capitals playoff games will also be broadcast on CBS Radio (WJFK 106.7 The Fan) and Hubbard Radio (WFED 1500) as well as on WashingtonCaps.com and on Caps Mobile apps.

Playoff activities include:

Beard-A-Thon
The Washington Capitals, alongside Constellation Energy and media partners 106.7 The Fan and Comcast SportsNet, encourage fans to participate in one of hockey’s most visible traditions – the playoff beard. Beard-A-Thon participants can invite family members, friends and business associates to pledge money for their playoff beard. Confirmed beard-growers include Capitals players Karl Alzner, Troy Brouwer, Mike Green, Matt Hendricks, Braden Holtby, Steve Oleksy, Mike Ribeiro and Aaron Volpatti. Also participating are Caps public address announcer Wes Johnson, 106.7 The Fan’s John “Cakes” Auville, Eric Bickel, Holden Kushner and Danny Rouhier. Money will be donated to Fuel Fund of Maryland for every day that a fan maintains his beard.

Fans who do not wish to or are unable to grow a playoff beard can participate by pledging a donation to their favorite Caps player, fan or media personality. For more information or to enroll in the Capitals’ Beard-A-Thon, log onto http://beardathon.com/capitals. The fan that raises the most money will win a Caps VIP Game Experience, which includes two tickets to a game during the 2013-14 season, a meet and greet with Capitals majority owner Ted Leonsis and an autographed jersey from the player of their choice. All donations for the Capitals’ Beard-A-Thon are tax deductible.

Official Caps Viewing Parties at Hard Times Café
Fans are invited to attend the Official Caps Viewing Parties for each of the road games during round one. Game 3 will be held at Hard Times Café Clarendon, Game 4 at Hard Times Café Manassas and if necessary Game 6 will be held at the Hard Times Café Fairfax location. Fans will have a chance to win premium Caps giveaways at official viewing parties.

School Playoff Pep Rallies
The Washington Capitals will host pep rallies at local schools during each round of the playoffs while school is in session. Principals, teachers and students are encouraged to get their schools involved by emailing or tweeting photos of their schools rocking the red to show their Caps spirit. The Capitals will select a winning school each round to receive a pep rally featuring five stations to get the students excited to Rock the Red during the playoffs. Each student will have the opportunity to make signs to support the Caps in the playoffs, play in a street hockey scrimmage, take a photo with Caps mascot Slapshot, shoot slapshots on the Slapshot inflatable and take part in a hockey equipment demonstration. All participants will leave the Pep Rally with a Caps playoff T-shirt. Entries must be received at @CapsCR on Twitter or CapsPepRally@washcaps.com from teachers and school administers by 9 p.m. on Thursday, May 2, to participate.

“How Are You Rocking the Red” Contest
If “Rocking the Red” is what you do best, now is your opportunity to enter the “How Are You Rocking the Red” contest. The Caps mascot Slapshot is encouraging fans to submit photos to his Facebook page showing their decorated house, office work space, cars, kids, pets and even themselves. Just log onto Facebook.com/CapsSlapshot and share your image with Slapshot.

Watch and Listen
Games 1, 3, 4 and 5 will be televised exclusively on Comcast SportsNet in the Washington/Baltimore region, while Game 2 will air nationally on NBC. Games 1, 3 and 4 will also be televised to a national audience outside of the Washington/Baltimore region by NBC Sports Network. Television information for Games 6 and 7 will be announced at a later time along with the U.S. national television information for Game 5.

Comcast SportsNet will produce Capitals Postgame Live following every Caps playoff game through all rounds, regardless of the network carrying the game. Comcast will also present Capitals Central before every first-round game that is scheduled on Comcast SportsNet.

Stay Connected
MonumentalNetwork.com is your playoff information hub. Get the latest news and video from team practices, pregame show, interviews, live postgame news conferences, expert analysis and that latest viewing parting locations, contests and more.

SERIES C TIME (ET) #3 Washington vs. #6 NY Rangers Networks
Thursday, May 2 7:30 p.m. NY Rangers at Washington CSN, NBC Sports Network, TSN
Saturday, May 4 12:30 p.m. NY Rangers at Washington NBC, TSN
Monday, May 6 7:30 p.m. Washington at NY Rangers CSN, NBC Sports Network, TSN
Wednesday, May 8 7:30 p.m. Washington at NY Rangers CSN, NBC Sports Network, TSN
*Friday, May 10 7:30 p.m. NY Rangers at Washington CSN, TSN
*Sunday, May 12 TBD Washington at NY Rangers TBD
*Monday, May 13 TBD NY Rangers at Washington TBD

Filed Under: Beyond the Game Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Sports community shows support for Jason Collins

April 29, 2013 by

On Monday morning, news broke that Washington Wizards center Jason Collins announced his coming out in the May 6 edition of Sports Illustrated. In the article, he states: “I’m a 34-year-old NBA center. I’m black. And I’m gay.”

With news of Collins’s announcement, Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld issued the following statement on behalf of the team: “We are extremely proud of Jason and support his decision to live his life proudly and openly.  He has been a leader on and off the court and an outstanding teammate throughout his NBA career.  Those qualities will continue to serve him both as a player and as a positive role model for others of all sexual orientation.” [Read more...]

Filed Under: Beyond the Game Tagged With: , , , , ,

NATS: Happy Birthday, Danny Espinosa

April 25, 2013 by

HAPPY 26th BIRTHDAY DANNY ESPINOSA!

Washington Nationals switch-hitting second baseman was born on 04/25/1987 in Santa Ana, California.

Happy birthday, #8.

Danny Espinosa during his MLB Network interview - Philadelphia Phillies v. Washington Nationals, October 1, 2012 (Cheryl Nichols/District Sports Page)

Danny Espinosa during his MLB Network interview after Nats clinched – Philadelphia Phillies v. Washington Nationals, October 1, 2012 (Cheryl Nichols/District Sports Page)

Danny Espinosa turning a double play (Cheryl Nichols/District Sports Page)

Danny Espinosa turning a double play (Cheryl Nichols/District Sports Page)

Washington Nationals 2B Danny Espinosa scores on Bryce Harper's triple in 3rd inning, May 20, 2012. (Cheryl Nichols/District Sports Page)

Washington Nationals 2B Danny Espinosa scores on Bryce Harper’s triple in 3rd inning, May 20, 2012. (Cheryl Nichols/District Sports Page)

 

 

Filed Under: Beyond the Game Tagged With: , ,

NATS: Vote Washington Nationals for 2013 All-Stars

April 24, 2013 by

The 2013 MLB All-Star Game will be held at CitiField in New York City on July 16, 2013.

2013 All-Star Game Logo

Fans can cast their votes up to 25 times at MLB.com until Thursday, July 4 at 11:59 p.m. ET to make Nationals like Bryce Harper, Denard Span, Ryan Zimmerman, Danny Espinosa, Ian Desmond, Adam LaRoche, Wilson Ramos and Jayson Werth All-Star starters.

Filed Under: Beyond the Game Tagged With: , , , ,

CAPS: Current and Former Capitals Signing Autographs

April 24, 2013 by

AUTOGRAPH OPPORTUNITY FOR CAPS FANS!

Several current and former Washington Capitals will be heading out to the Dulles, Virginia on Friday, April 26, 2013 from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. Autograph tickets are available for purchase. See information below for amount per autograph. Now is your chance to get that something special signed by your favorite Caps.

Braden Holtby - ($65)
Troy Brouwer - ($40)
Jack Hillen – ($20)
Wojek Wolski - ($20)
Aaron Volpatti - ($20)
John Erskine - ($30)

CAPS ALUMNI: (Autographs are FREE with Purchase-see site)

Bryan Watson
Ken Sabourin
Paul Mulvey
Al Hangsleben

See link for more information.

Where: 21100 Dulles Town Circle, Suite #162, Dulles, VA 20166

Jack Hillen - Captials practice at Kettler, September 14, 2012 (Cheryl Nichols/District Sports Page)

Jack Hillen – Captials practice at Kettler, September 14, 2012 (Cheryl Nichols/District Sports Page)

Cheryl Nichols is a Columnist and Photographer for District Sports Page. She is credentialed to cover the Washington Capitals and has reported on the community service and fan events for Nats News Network and Caps News Network since 2006. Cheryl is an accomplished action photographer and has been published in The Washington Post and many other local media. She was a credentialed photographer for the 2010 season covering the Washington Nationals. You can follow her on Twitter @cnichols14.

Filed Under: Beyond the Game Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Potomac Nationals Players Earn Carolina League Weekly Awards

April 24, 2013 by

Potomac Nationals LogoP-NATS SS JASON MARTINSON WINS SECOND CONSECUTIVE CAROLINA LEAGUE PLAYER OF THE WEEK AWARD & RHP TAYLOR HILL EARNS CL PITCHER OF THE WEEK HONORS Potomac’s Jason Martinson and Taylor Hill Sweep Carolina League Weekly Awards

Woodbridge, VA—After a tremendous start to the 2013 campaign, Potomac Nationals shortstop Jason Martinson (5th Rd.,2010), a product of Texas State University, from Dallas, TX, has earned his second consecutive Carolina League’s Player of the Week Award for his production from April 15th through April 21st, the league announced today.

Martinson, the #14 prospect in the Washington Nationals Minor League system per Baseball America, entered the 4/15 week with a .303 (10-for-33) batting average, a .429 on base percentage, a .788 slugging percentage through nine games, with four home runs and 11 runs batted in.

Martinson continued his prowess at the plate into the next week by turning in a 10-for-28 performance with the bat, good for a .357 batting average in the week, while achieving an on-base percentage mark of .419, and a slugging percentage clip of .500.

The 24-year-old also cranked one double and one four-bagger, while collecting four RBIs, four runs scored, and three walks during his latest weekly tear.

The 6’1″, 190 pound Nationals prospect enters tonight’s contest with the Carolina Mudcats (Cleveland Indians) in Zebulon, NC tied for the Carolina League lead with 15 RBIs, a .635 slugging percentage, and 40 total bases. The offensive assassin is also tied for the circuit lead in home runs (5) and is 10th in the CL in batting (.317).

Sealing the sweep for Potomac in the league’s weekly awards, RHP Taylor Hill, after an absolute gem spun against the Frederick Keys (Baltimore Orioles) in Game One of the doubleheader last Saturday on April 20th, was announced today as the winner of the Carolina League Pitcher of the Week Award.

Hill, the 24-year-old whom Baseball America says has the “Best Control” in the Washington Nationals farm system, was selected in the 6th round in 2011 out of Vanderbilt University.

Hill, a native of Old Hickory, TN, is (3-0) on the season after a terrific pair of starts on April 15th at Salem and on April 20th vs. Frederick as he went (2-0) over the course of the week with victories over the Red Sox and Keys. He combined to pitch to a 0.69 earned run average over 13.0 innings in the two outings in which he surrendered just five total base hits, one earned run, zero home run balls, no hit batters, and one walk, while striking out eleven batters.

The only pitcher on the P-Nats staff with three victories, Hill dominated the Keys in his third start of the season tossing a one-hitter over seven shutout innings, and earning the complete game win.

The Nationals have now garnered three of the four Carolina League weekly awards in 2013.

Filed Under: Beyond the Game Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

NATS/CHIEFS: Syracuse Chiefs Introduce New Birthday Perk for Fans

April 23, 2013 by

Syracuse Chiefs Press Release Header

SYRACUSE CHIEFS INTRODUCE NEW BIRTHDAY PERK FOR FANS
Chiefs are one of 22 teams to form partnership with HULEDET

Syracuse, NY–The Syracuse Chiefs, Triple-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals, are pleased to announce that they will be partnering with HULEDET in order to give local fans a free ticket and hot dog for their birthday. HULEDET (http://www.HULEDET.com), a one-year old company based in New York City, partners with local and national companies to enable them to reward their loyal customers on their birthdays, and to bring in new customers with the incentive of a birthday perk.

As fans enter Chiefs home games this season, they will be given the opportunity to register to receive the birthday gift by simply providing their name, email address, birth month and day, and zip code. When the first day of their birthday month comes, they’ll receive an email from HULEDET giving them a free ticket and free hot dog voucher to use during their birthday month.

Fans with birthdays during the off season need not worry – they’ll get their gift from the team on their half birthday.

“We are very excited to work with HULEDET on this new promotion,” Chiefs general manager John Simone said. We look forward to offering a birthday present to each of our fans.”

The Chiefs are one of 22 minor league baseball teams who will be working with HULEDET during the 2013 season. Says HULEDET founder Michael Frankel, “We have seen great success with HULEDET at local restaurants and businesses, and we are excited to work with the Chiefs as we bring HULEDET gifts to sports fans around the country this spring.”

Fans may also join the Syracuse Chiefs birthday list online at http://www.HULEDET.com/SyracuseChiefs.

Filed Under: Beyond the Game Tagged With: , , , , ,

NATS: Happy Birthday, Zach Duke

April 19, 2013 by

HAPPY 30th BIRTHDAY ZACH DUKE!

Washington Nationals pitcher was born on 04/19/1983 in Clifton, Texas.

Follow Zach Duke on Twitter (@zach_duke) and wish #30 a Happy Golden Birthday.

Zach Duke doesn't look happy with his at bat (grounded out to pitcher in 5th inning) - Miami Marlins v. Washington Nationals, 9/7/2012. (Cheryl Nichols/District Sports Page)

Zach Duke doesn’t look happy with his at bat (grounded out to pitcher in 5th inning) – Miami Marlins v. Washington Nationals, 9/7/2012. (Cheryl Nichols/District Sports Page)

Zach Duke pitching for the first time in a Nats uniform - Miami Marlins v. Washington Nationals, 9/7/2012. (Cheryl Nichols/District Sports Page)

Zach Duke pitching for the first time in a Nats uniform – Miami Marlins v. Washington Nationals, 9/7/2012. (Cheryl Nichols/District Sports Page)

John Lannan and Zach Duke - Philadelphia Phillies v. Washington Nationals, October 1, 2012 (Cheryl Nichols/District Sports Page)

John Lannan and Zach Duke – Philadelphia Phillies v. Washington Nationals, October 1, 2012 (Cheryl Nichols/District Sports Page)

 

 

Filed Under: Beyond the Game Tagged With: , ,

CAPS: Capitals Alumnus Alan May Hosts Hockey School at Manassas Park Elementary School

April 10, 2013 by
Washington Capitals alumnus Alan May instructs a student on stickhandling during a Washington Capitals Hockey School at Manassas Park Elementary School on April 5. The visit marked the team’s fourteenth assembly of the academic year. (Photo Courtesy of Washington Capitals)

Washington Capitals alumnus Alan May instructs a student on stickhandling during a Washington Capitals Hockey School at Manassas Park Elementary School on April 5. The visit marked the team’s fourteenth assembly of the academic year. (Photo Courtesy of Washington Capitals)

Washington Capitals mascot Slapshot instructs a Manassas Park Elementary School student on goaltending during a Hockey School program on April 5. Hockey School is a free instructional and interactive program that aims to expose students to floor hockey while teaching proper technique. (Photo Courtesy of Washington Capitals)

Washington Capitals mascot Slapshot instructs a Manassas Park Elementary School student on goaltending during a Hockey School program on April 5. Hockey School is a free instructional and interactive program that aims to expose students to floor hockey while teaching proper technique. (Photo Courtesy of Washington Capitals)

Washington Capitals alumnus Alan May leads his team in a chant prior to playing in a scrimmage against Slapshot’s boys team. Hockey School is a free instructional and interactive program that aims to expose students to floor hockey while teaching proper technique. (Photo Courtesy of Washington Capitals)

Washington Capitals alumnus Alan May leads his team in a chant prior to playing in a scrimmage against Slapshot’s boys team. Hockey School is a free instructional and interactive program that aims to expose students to floor hockey while teaching proper technique. (Photo Courtesy of Washington Capitals)

Capitals Alumnus Alan May Hosts Hockey School at Manassas Park Elementary School
As a child in Alberta, Canada, opportunities for Washington Capitals alumnus Alan May to play hockey depended on one stipulation: good grades.

“School was really important to be able to play hockey because if I didn’t bring home good grades, my parents wouldn’t let me play,” May recently told a group of 215 Manassas Park Elementary School students. “In order for me to get out of the house for my parents to let me play hockey I had to have really good grades in school. It’s pretty important, especially for kids who want to go to college.”

May, who played with the Capitals from 1989-94 as a left wing, was at the Manassas Park, Va., school for a Washington Capitals Hockey School.

Hockey School is a free instructional and interactive program that aims to expose students to floor hockey while teaching proper technique.

During the program May introduced students to hockey by sharing anecdotes about his experience playing hockey, including memories from the first time he played hockey as a three-year-old to highlights of his first professional hockey game.

Following a question and answer session, May demonstrated skills and offered one-on-one instruction to students on stickhandling, passing and shooting.
Students then played in a scrimmage with May and Capitals mascot Slapshot as their teammates.

“It was a very good group of kids – enthusiastic as always,” said May, who currently serves as Comcast SportsNet’s Capitals Analyst. “They had a lot of fun and seemed like they really love the game of hockey.”

At the conclusion of the visit, which was the team’s fourteenth assembly of the academic year, the Capitals donated a set of street hockey equipment to the school.

“It was awesome to have the Capitals come into the school,” said Manassas Park physical education teacher Ryan Bogner. “Now that we’ve received all this equipment from the Capitals – we’ve got goals, we’ve got goalie equipment, we’ve got sticks, pucks – we’re definitely going to be able to incorporate hockey more into our education curriculum.”

Filed Under: Beyond the Game Tagged With: , , , , , ,

NATS: Paul McCartney to perform at Nationals Park

April 5, 2013 by

The Washington Nationals released their 2013 NatsLive FREE postgame concert lineup on Wednesday.  Blues Traveler (June 8), Thompson Square (July 6), Gavin DeGraw (August 31) and Montgomery Gentry (September 21)  will all perform at Nationals Park after the games.

On Thursday, the even bigger announcement for live music at Nationals Park this summer is that Paul McCartney will be performing on July 12. The Nationals tweeted out this clue:

Official Press Release:

2013 NatsLive Free Postgame Concert Lineup
Blues Traveler, Thompson Square, Gavin DeGraw and Montgomery Gentry are scheduled to perform at Nationals Park during the 2013 season

The Washington Nationals announced today that Blues Traveler (June 8), Thompson Square (July 6), Gavin DeGraw (August 31) and Montgomery Gentry (September 21) will comprise the lineup for the 2013 NatsLive Free Postgame Concert Series following select Nationals home games throughout the summer.

“We are thrilled to be opening the NatsLive Concert Series for the Washington Nationals this year!” said John Popper, lead singer for Blues Traveler. “My visit to Nationals Park last season to perform God Bless America was so rewarding that I’m excited to return and bring the whole band with me.”

The performances will begin approximately 15 minutes after the final out of each Nationals game. Fans who wish to attend the free concerts must have a valid ticket for that day’s Nationals game, which can be purchased at nationals.com/NatsLive. The Double Play Giveaway & Concert Packs are also available at nationals.com/flex for those who want to ensure their seat for each of the four postgame concerts.

“As we saw last season, the summer experience just isn’t complete without baseball and outdoor concerts,” Nationals Chief Operating Officer Andrew Feffer said. “We’re excited for the return of the NatsLive Postgame Concert Series because it’s a great value for our fans – not only do they get to watch the 2012 NL East Champions take the field, but they’ll be able to see best-selling artists take the stage for free all summer long.”

BLUES TRAVELER: Saturday, June 8

Eighteen years after scoring the Grammy Award winning, harmonica laced Billboard Top Ten breakthrough hit that came to define pop music in the mid-90s, Blues Traveler is still finding unique ways to ensure that they don’t give their legion of worldwide fans the “Run-Around.” On their instantly infectious, musically expansive 11th studio album and 429 Records/SLG debut, Suzie Cracks The Whip, they remain creatively focused while dramatically expanding their musical horizons upon celebrating more than 25 years as a band.

THOMPSON SQUARE: Saturday, July 6

Thompson Square isn’t a real place, exactly. It’s the musical territory staked out by the husband-and-wife duo of Keifer and Shawna Thompson, an exciting and unpredictable area where country meets rock, rough meets smooth and one vagabond heart finds a harmonious common ground with another. Fans began getting to know their way around Stoney Creek Records’ Thompson Square with the release of their GRAMMY nominated #1 Platinum radio smash, “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not.” The 2011 iTunes’ Country Song of the Year became the Most Played Song in Country Radio (Mediabase), reached the top of the Billboard Heat Seekers Chart and spent five consecutive weeks at #1 on the Country Digital Soundscan chart and 12 consecutive weeks as the #1 Country Ringtone.

GAVIN DEGRAW: Saturday, August 31

Singer, songwriter and musician Gavin DeGraw has enjoyed great success since breaking though in 2003 with his debut album, Chariot, which sold more than a million copies, earned platinum certification and yielded the hit singles “I Don’t Want To Be,” “Follow Through,” and the title-track, “Chariot.” He followed that up with his self-titled second album, which debuted at No. 1. on the digital sales chart and at No. 7 on Billboard’s Top 200 album chart in 2008, earning Gavin his first Top 10 album and spawning the hit singles, “In Love With A Girl,” and the gold-certified “We Belong Together.” In 2009, he released Free, a gift to die-hard fans clamoring for recorded versions of his live favorites.

MONTGOMERY GENTRY: Saturday, September 21

With a new album, a new label and a renewed sense of musical purpose, Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry are poised to stake their claim as one of country music’s all-time greatest duos. The pair’s new collection, the aptly titled Rebels On The Run, brings Montgomery Gentry fans back to the beginning, but with a fresh attitude. Eddie and Troy’s latest effort will likely be remembered as their best album since the two Kentucky boys first busted onto the national scene in 1999 with the defiant “Hillbilly Shoes.” Since then, the hard driving duo has had 14 Top 10 singles, including five No. 1′s, “Something To Be Proud Of,” “If You Ever Stop Loving Me,” Lucky Man,” “Back When I Knew It All” and “Roll With Me.”

Filed Under: Beyond the Game Tagged With: , , , , , ,
«Older Posts
Newer Posts»