Washington's Wild Week

The hockey world was front and center in the political center of the USA this week and for all the wrong reasons. 

It started out when Boston Bruins goalie, the reigning Conn Smyth trophy winner as playoff MVP, Tim Thomas, decided to skip out on the annual trip by the reigning Stanley Cup champs to the White House to be congratulated by the president. Thomas claimed this was done for political reasons because he felt the government was behaving in such a manner that would be contradictory to the beliefs of the founding fathers. He claimed it was not due to political affiliation. Much like Janet Jackson claims she suffered a 'wardrobe malfunction' at the Super Bowl. As Tim Cowlishaw (@itstopcat) mentioned on Around the Horn (@aroundthehorn) Thomas sports a tea party logo on his helmet. Clearly this is not a man who lacks subtlety and while he claims his decision was not relevant to the party in power how many think this would have been an issue had it been a republican in the big seat? He embarrassed his team, the league and more importantly the president with this selfish snub. Let's face it, this was a golden opportunity to make a political statement, but he may have said a lot more than he wanted. He said in no uncertain terms to his teammates and organization that his own interests are more important than theirs. In fairness to Thomas he is not the first athlete to do this, Michael Jordan and Larry Bird are among those who have skipped out on the prez, and I certainly support his right to make his own decision, but when that decision is so blatantly self serving, what's there to gain? Thomas is a high profile athlete and a supposed leader on the team, surely there could have been another opportunity to voice your opinion without slighting those who sign your paychecks.

Then it was Washington Capitals superstar Alexander Ovechkin's (@ovi8) turn to 'shine'. Ovi was suspended three games for a head shot to Pittsburgh Penguins defenceman Zbynek Michalek, which I will admit surprised me, though it's nice to see the league isn't playing favorites. As a result a sulking Ovechkin informed the league that he would not be attending the annual All Star game in Ottawa. This is child like behavior to put it politely. Last I checked, Brendan Shannahan (@nhlshannahan) not Ovechkin is making the league's disciplinary decisions and seems to me every other player to be suspended this year took it like a man whether he agreed with the decision or not. They didn't pout or grab their puck and go home like some sniveling child. Mind you all this could have been avoided if the league had grown a pair and enforced certain rules it had previously established, but that's for another day. Ovechkin is a tremendous talent and owes it to the fans to do the right thing and honor his commitments. Being selected as an all star is a real honor and he owes everything he has to the game, as he is certainly not getting by on his looks. He owes it to the little kid in the Ovechkin jersey hoping to one fill those shoes. He owes it to the sponsors and people behind these events who make his lavish lifestyle possible, but more than anything he owes it to the game itself.