Carl Crossman Blog

Being a lifelong Washington Capitals fan, I was extremely disappointed with the actions of our star player Alex Ovechkin today. Alex scored his 50th goal today against the Tampa Bay Lightning. After the goal, he performed the “hot stick dance” acting as if he were a fifth grader.

I found his actions embarrassing and affronting. First, I thought he looked like an idiot doing it. My next thought was that, why are you celebrating? You are a forward and you are supposed to score goals!! That’s your job. We pay these guys a lot of money to play and I do not like to witness this sort of schoolboy antics!

I certainly hope this doesn’t catch on around the NHL. I ask all the players in the league to please Don’t Start That!!

One of my many nieces was playing in her school’s Winter Band Concert this late afternoon, so I skipped work to go see her play. It is her first year in middle school and her first year in Band. She is enjoying learning the flute and did a marvelous job today. We managed to gather up nine immediate family members to attend, in order to show our support to this lovely young lady that has had a lot on her plate these past few years and is blossoming quite nicely.

She has some serious allergy issues and other medical problems that has made attending school and real challenge. She does manage to pull in all A’s & B’s even though she misses at least one day a week and many times even more, her teachers are asking what she would be able to do if she had less of an attendance issue.

She is pretty, tall, slim, very shy, well mannered and we all hope that she goes far in life, she wants to become a Marine Biologist so that she can be a dolphin trainer, something that she has dreamed of all of her life. I for one think that she has a chance, she just needs to get out of middle school and it will take off from there.

One thing that I always look forward to is our Monday evening basketball game that has been a tradition for as long as I can remember. Coming from a family with so many boys (all taller than average height) it seemed natural for our father to bring the sport of basketball to our back driveway and good things happened from there.

Actually I believe it was a Christmas present from way back before I was ever born, that thing is as old as dirt, but it still standing proud and tall (the net missing for decades) in my parents drive way and we still use it when ever there is two of more of us back at home at the folks place, for what ever reason. Our sisters even became good at this wonderful sport that has played such an important role in my immediate family’s life, health and history. Oh the stories that are shared around the family table during holiday gatherings and photos all lined up on the fire mantle and the entire hallway, filled with so many pictures taken with basketballs in hand and hoops in the background.