Transitioning from "Sasha" to "Alex":  Rookie Phenom Adjusts to Life in the NHL and the U.S.

With nearly seven minutes to go in the second period Tuesday night against the Chicago Blackhawks, the Washington Capitals found themselves in a familiar position.  Down 3-1, the team was desperately trying to make something happen on offense.  And as they had done so many times before this season, they turned to rookie Alexander Ovechkin. 

The Moscow-native came into the Blackhawks game leading all rookies with 49 points and accounting for nearly half his team's overall scoring total.  Pounding the boards in the Blackhawks' zone, Ovechkin deftly picked the pocket of Chicago's Matthew Barnaby.  Dodging another defender he fired the puck on net for an unassisted goal, his 26^th of the year, bringing the Caps to within one.  He then followed that with an assist to Brian Sutherby early in the third period to tie the game.  Unfortunately for the Capitals, who sit at the bottom of the Southeast Division, the effort wasn't enough.  They eventually fell to Chicago 4-3 in overtime.

Watching Ovechkin on the ice it is easy to forget that he is only 20 years old; his knack for scoring big goals and strong physical play belie an older player with more experience.  Many hockey analysts have been quick to compare his skills to those of fellow Russians Pavel Bure or Ilya Kovalchuk.  However, Capitals Head Coach Glen Hanlon sees more of former New York Rangers Captain Mark Messier in Ovechkin.  "He loves to hit or do something physically in the middle of the game that will turn the tide," he said, noting that the other players are known more for their finesse with the puck.

Once off the ice, Ovechkin's youth is readily apparent.  His boundless energy and enthusiasm pervade the Capitals' locker room.  After a recent morning skate, Ovechkin could be seen alternately high-fiving the team's equipment manager, teasing a front office official about his choice of neckwear, clowning around with his teammates as they came off the ice, and talking about his new-found love of sushi.  "He's a very intense guy, but he has a real spirited intensity.  It's not an introverted intensity; it's a passion and an enjoyment," Hanlon said of his new superstar, adding with a laugh, "It's fun to be around him.  It's very contagious.  I think that's why the players admire him so much."

Locker room antics aside, Ovechkin appears at ease with life in the NHL, and although being a rookie, particularly one so relied upon by his team for scoring production, can never be described as being a cake walk, he wouldn't have it any other way.  "This was my dream.  NHL best league in the world.  Best players in the world.  I want to be the best," Ovechkin said of his decision to leave Russia last year, then added, "When you have the chance you must take it." 

Ovechkin started playing hockey at age seven and came up through Moscow Dynamo's youth development system.  Russian Super League teams, unlike NHL teams, bring players into their farm system at a very young age.  The system takes over responsibility for all aspects of their development.  As a result, many players begin playing in the Super League in the mid- to late-teens.  For Ovechkin the call came in 2001 when he was 16 years old.  He appeared in 152 games for the Dynamo over four seasons, racking up 36 goals and 32 assists on his way to becoming a superstar in his home country. 

He could have stayed in Russia this year, indeed the Dynamo contend they still hold his rights, but he instead chose to leave his family and home behind and make the leap to the NHL for just under $1 million in guaranteed money this season, roughly half of what he was making in Russia.  While he has the potential to make up some of that lost salary in bonuses, money is not the first thing on Ovechkin's mind.  With a shrug of his shoulders, he explained simply, "Money is money, you know?  Right now I want NHL and not money."

For Ovechkin, the desire to play at the highest level and prove himself runs deep.  His parents were both products of the Soviet sports system; his mother won two Olympic gold medals in women's basketball in 1976 and 1980, while his father played professional soccer.  The value of hard work and a respect for high achievement obviously rubbed off on their youngest son.  "My mom was great sportsman and she always said me what I must do and when I must relax.  She taught me a lot," Ovechkin said of his mother's influence.  Hanlon, whose team divested itself of most of its marketable talent after last year's lockout, offered further insight into how Ovechkin's competitive drive manifests.  "He didn't want to go to a team that was one win away from a Stanley Cup.  He wanted to be responsible for carrying that team to a Stanley Cup.  That's one reason we admire him so much," he said, noting Ovechkin welcomes the pressure that goes along with being the team's go-to scorer.

Like achievement, family is a constant theme with Ovechkin.  At an age when most of his American peers are in college, Ovechkin, who studied English for only a year prior to joining the Caps, is navigating the crowded sights and sounds of our nation's capital.  To help ease the adjustment, his older brother left Moscow behind to join him in D.C. and study English.  They live together in a home Ovechkin recently purchased in the young and trendy Northern Virginia suburbs.  His parents also recently traveled from Moscow to visit and see him play.

Unlike many Russian players new to North America, Ovechkin has not retreated into a shell, nor has he tried to recreate a little slice of Mother Russia in D.C.  Far from it.  Much has been made of his request for an English-speaking roommate on the road.  Ovechkin has stated numerous times that he wants to be able to understand all that is going on around him - what  the coaches, his teammates, fans are saying - so he can fully feel a part of the team.  While his English is still not quite perfect, it has improved dramatically over the first half of the season.  He uses no interpreter and has little problem understanding and answering reporters' questions, often mimicking an American teenager's habit of speaking quickly, talking with his hands, and using slang. 

As the Caps reached the mid-point of a less than spectacular season Tuesday, Ovechkin was looking ahead.  He is on pace to log 100 points, a mark only five NHL rookies have reached before and the third-best points total in Caps history.  But awards and scoring marks are not what are on Ovechkin's mind.  "I look forward all time to win game and it doesn't matter whether the game Chicago or Colorado.  It doesn't matter.  I just want to play hockey and win games.  I want to score goals.  I want bigger," he said, waving his hands in the air as if to signify things to come.  Of the speculation that has surrounded the race between himself and the Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby for the Calder Trophy, the NHL's award for rookie of the year, Ovechkin shook his head and noted, "It doesn't matter.  He good player, I'm good player, [Colorado Avalanche forward Marek] Svatos good player ... we are all good players."

For now, Ovechkin is happy to focus on the short-term - the Capitals road trip, which begins today in Dallas, and next month's Olympics in Turin, Italy, where he will play for Russia.  "I am representing my country in a big tournament and I want to win it," he said, flashing a mischievous grin, before asserting the Russian team's chances of winning gold are "100%."

With the serious piece out of the way, I wanted to share some of my thoughts on my day following the Caps. 

First, it was incredible, and I want to thank the team's front office for letting me tag along for the day.  I was really impressed with the entire organization; everyone from the team and front office, down to the press box staff was incredibly courteous and welcoming.  I didn't grow up a huge fan, even though I lived about 15 miles from the Cap Center, but I now have the deepest respect for their organization. 

Second, love of the game is the main reward for "real" sports reporters.  I got the chance to talk with several guys who cover the Caps, along with other local teams, for a variety of local and national media.  Sports reporting is a really tough field.  The hours are long and odd, the paychecks aren't great, and the odds of making it big are low.  You really have to love sports and have a passion for what you cover to have a satisfying career.  Talking to them about their struggles and their career experience really put the outcome of this contest in perspective. 

Third, Ovechkin is the real deal.  You can actually feel the entire arena, press included, hold its collective breath when he touches the puck.  He is something special.  After speaking with him for a just a few minutes, I was struck by how he seemed to have his priorities in order and his head on straight. He seems like a really good kid, and it was obvious to see why the organization is so crazy about him.  He'll be one to watch for a very long time to come.

And finally, DC sports fans - or any sports fans who breeze through town - I implore you take in a game.  The team is struggling right now, but they are exciting to watch.  With all of the young talent on the roster, their results are bound to improve.  Tickets prices are reasonable and there is not a bad seat in the MCI/Verizon Center.  Take the kids now so they can say one day that they saw Ovechkin play.

All too often broadcasters, sports writers and pundits use the word "courage" to describe petty, everyday accomplishments such as stepping back in the box after a brush back or standing in the pocket knowing a blitz is coming.  True courage, when exhibited at a crucial moment, is transcendent.  It is impossible to escape its pull, even if at that very moment its significance is unclear.  In fact, sometimes it may not be appreciated until decades later.

Real courage enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain without fear.  The following 10 moments in sports history truly deserve to be called courageous.  In each instance, an athlete demonstrated the quality of character that stopped us in our tracks and made us take notice.  In some cases, the effects can still be felt today. 

10.  Super Mario overcomes Hodgkin's to win the NHL scoring title:  During the 1992 season, Pittsburgh Penguins center Mario Lemieux was on a streak like none other.  Through the season's first 40 games, he recorded 104 points.  But in the middle of the frenzy, Lemieux was sidelined; not by an on-ice opponent, but by a much more menacing foe:  Hodgkin's disease.  In January of 1993, doctors removed a malignant lump from Lemieux's neck and recommended radiation to eradicate the threat.  Lemieux took two months off to undergo treatment before returning to the ice on the day of his final radiation session to score a goal and an assist.  He then led the Penguins on a 17-game win streak while racking up 160 points in only 60 games to win the scoring title.

9.  Texas Western wins the 1966 NCAA men's final:  It seemed a forgone conclusion:  four-time NCAA champion Kentucky would again win the title.  But in the Midwest Region, Texas Western was making a run for the title.  Led by five African-American starters, Don Haskins' Texas Western (now the University of Texas at El Paso) team, which had faced not only taunts but threats throughout its 28-1 season, defeated Adolph Rupp's all-white Kentucky lineup 72-65.  It marked the first time an all-black team had played in the championship game and changed the complexion of NCAA basketball forever.  Soon after their win, other NCAA coaches began recruiting African-American players, leading to the integrated game we know today.

8.  Muhammad Ali lights the Olympic flame:  In 1996, the U.S. Olympic Organizing Committee viciously guarded the identity of the individual who would light the official cauldron to declare the Atlanta games open. That night spectators gasped, then applauded wildly to see former heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali atop the stadium bearing the Olympic torch.  Ali was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease 12 years earlier and quietly withdrew from the public spotlight.  The man who floated like a butterfly and was never without a witty quote could no longer control his finely tuned muscles and found it difficult to speak.  But for that one night, he stepped back into the spotlight to remind the world that, though debilitated by disease, he was still the greatest and the consummate Olympic champion.

7.  Joe Louis defeats the darling of Nazi Germany:  On June 22, 1938 as Europe stood on the precipice of war, it took American Joe Louis less than three minutes to knock out German heavyweight Max Schmeling in a fight that resonated far beyond the New York ring where it took place.  Schmeling, a favorite athlete of Adolf Hitler's, had defeated the previously unbeaten Louis just two years earlier in a 12 round fight.  As a rematch loomed, the world paused and held its collective breath, waiting to see whether the German would again triumph as Nazi propaganda promised or the "Brown Bomber" would deal the Nazis a literal and figurative blow.  They didn't have to wait long; Louis delivered a knockout punch in two minutes and four seconds, striking another blow against Hitler's social theories and, many believe, laying the ground work for the American Civil Rights Movement.  At a time when boxing was the preeminent sport in America, Louis became a hero to whites and blacks.

6.  USA men's basketball team refuses silver medals:  It was a game for the ages.  The 1972 U.S. men's basketball team, undefeated in Olympic play, had easily skated through the qualifying rounds and medal competition, setting up a showdown with a formidable USSR team in the championship game.  At the half the USSR was up 26-21.  Mid-way through the second half American Dwight Jones and Soviet forward Dvorni Edeshko were ejected from the game after a tussle over a loose ball. Without their top player, the U.S. team battled back, coming within one point with just 40 seconds remaining on the game clock.  After a steal, guard Doug Collins sank two free throws to put the U.S. up 51-49 with three seconds remaining.  The Soviets then failed to score and the U.S. team celebrated.  The Soviets argued that they had called a time out, and time was added to the clock.  They again failed to score.  However, an official ordered another three seconds placed on the clock.  This time, the Soviets managed a layup.  The U.S. team was stunned.  It immediately filed a protest but no relief was given.  The Americans composed themselves and took a vote.  They unanimously decided to refuse the silver medal in protest and did not participate in the medal ceremony.  To this day, their medals sit in a bank vault in Munich.

5.  Track stars give black power salute:  American television audiences gasped in shock in October 1968 to see two African-American athletes, Tommy Smith and John Carlos, raise their fists on the Olympic medal stand in a gesture of black power.  In addition, they wore no shoes to protest the poverty facing most African-Americans and beads to protest lynching.  Smith and Carlos were demonstrating their support for the Olympic Project for Human Rights, an organization founded the year before with three demands:  that the heavyweight boxing title stripped from Muhammad Ali for his refusal to enter the Vietnam draft be restored; that Avery Brundage, whom they believed to be racist, step down as the head of the U.S. Olympic Committee; and that South Africa and Rhodesia be uninvited from the games for their government's apartheid policies.  Both men were stripped of their medals and dismissed from the games for their actions.  However, the image they crafted on the medal stand lives on today.

4.  Magic Johnson announces he's HIV-positive:  On Nov. 7, 1991 Magic Johnson made the announcement that stunned the world.  The LA Laker superstar publicly revealed that he is HIV-positive.  Although the AIDS epidemic had been walking among us for nearly a decade, it was still thought of as a gay man's and drug addict's disease, not something that could strike down a heterosexual professional athlete at the height of his career.  Johnson, who had been revered by sports fans and his fellow players alike for years, understood the stigma and fear attached to the disease but decided that going public was the responsible thing to do, not only for the safety of those he may have come into contact with ,but to raise overall public awareness.  Old teammates and foes rushed to be tested, and some attempted to block him from playing again out of fear that the disease could be spread from incidental contact.  Nearing the end of his career, Johnson eventually decided to retire rather than sustain further controversy.  By publicly revealing his HIV status, Johnson gave a new face and brought fresh attention to a disease that had already started making inroads in the African-American community.  HIV/AIDS could no longer be thought of as a gay, white man's disease, but one that could affect anyone, anywhere, at any time.

3.  Jesse Owens wins gold in Berlin:  The year was 1936.  Adolf Hitler's Nazi party had consolidated power in Germany.  Civil war had erupted in Spain.  Mussolini had entered Ethiopia, and Europe was beginning to fear the growing military power of Germany.  Believing fully in his Aryan "master race" theory, Hitler saw the 1936 Olympics as an opportunity to prove the superiority of white Europeans.  He viciously chastised the United States for letting Jesse Owens, an African-American, and "non-humans" represent it in the Track & Field competition and openly rooted for his downfall.  In a stadium festooned with swastikas, Owens, the son of sharecroppers and descendent of slaves, competed and disproved Hitler's racial theories, winning gold medals in the 100 meter dash, the 200 meter dash, the long jump and the 4x100 relay and becoming a hero to the German public along the way.

2.  Pat Tillman foregoes a multimillion dollar contract and the NFL to enlist in the U.S. Army:  Pat Tillman had what many American men can only dream of - good looks, an adoring wife, unbelievable athletic ability and a $3.6 million contract to play in the NFL.  But the Arizona Cardinals safety gave up his career to become an Army Ranger after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, DC.  Tillman, whose brother enlisted at the same time, refused all interviews about his decision, preferring to let his actions speak for themselves.  He was killed in Afghanistan, an apparent victim of friendly fire, on April 22, 2004.

1.  Jackie Robinson breaks baseball's color line:  By putting on a uniform and stepping onto the field in 1947, Jackie Robinson struck a blow to segregationists across the United States.  Baseball, that most-American of pastimes, had until that moment existed with one foot in two separate worlds; whites had the Major League and blacks had the Negro League, just as whites had their restaurants and schools and blacks had theirs.  But in joining the Brooklyn Dodgers that year, Robinson made those worlds collide.  Americans could no longer pretend that the existence of two separate worlds was anything but a political construct, not the natural law as some would have them believe.  Robinson proved that African-Americans could not only play with whites, but compete with them.  Many other African-Americans had tried to break the color barrier and had suffered greatly for their efforts.  Robinson knew what awaited him - the hostility from fans, from opposing players and even his own teammates - but took up the burden anyway.  He wasn't the best player in the Negro League but he had speed, and as his .311 lifetime batting average attests, a good and consistent swing.  More than that, he had the patience, drive and character to be the torchbearer for future generations of African-American athletes.

So I started thinking about how, gender aside, I could distinguish myself in this contest.  I'm not a stats geek or a trivia junkie.  I freely admit all of the other finalists probably know much more about such things than I do.  What I do know is a good hook and how to make something compelling.  A profile piece would showcase that. 

As I was getting lunch yesterday, I looked down the street, saw the MCI Center, thought about the Caps-Flyers game that night, and thought, "Hmmm, I wonder if I could leverage this contest to get an interview with Alex Ovechkin?".  The fact that he's 20-years-old and carrying his team while learning a new language and acclimating himself to a  new culture is pretty incredible.  The most stressful thing in most 20-year-olds' lives is exams.  And let's face it, once you graduate college you realize they weren't that big a deal.

I got back to the office and with a few clicks of the mouse had the Caps' media relations number, called the coordinator and pitched my idea.  Worth a try, right?  The coordinator sounded enthused and I passed on a  written proposal for consideration.  Stay tuned for how this turns out. 

This is only tangentially sports-related, but I had to comment.  Men's Fitness just named Baltimore the nation's fittest city. That's right, I said "fittest" not "fattest."  This ranking placed them above Honolulu (2), San Francisco (7) and Seattle (8). 

I'm sure I wasn't alone when I saw the headline and thought to myself, "What the hell, are they crazy?!?!?!"  Not sure how many of you out there have spent time in Charm City, but we like our food fried.  Grease is actually a condiment in B'more.  We like to load it on.  And forget about finding a gym.  I think there are about two in the whole city.  Ditto for yoga studios.  Your average Baltimorean thinks yoga is Luke Skywalker's Jedi master.

The magazine's editors say they based their ranking on things such as park space and the low number of fast food chains.  Well, yes, Baltimore does have a lot of park space, but that's because we knocked down all the crack houses over the last few years.  And there are relatively few fast food chains because we prefer homegrown, artery-clogging, corner greasy spoons to Wendy's.

Conversely, Men's Health ranked Baltimore 93^rd out of 100 cities for fitness.  Men, let this be a lesson to you, Men's Fitness is full of crap.  They lied to you about Baltimore being fit, those 10 simple moves won't really give you more ripped abs in 30 days, and the secrets to a better sex life aren't found in the gym; start by listening to your girlfriend/wife, tell her she's beautiful once in awhile and see how that works for you.

San Diego Chargers GM A.J. Smith has a big decision to make, and few GMs around the league envy him the task - what to do about QB Drew Brees?

The Chargers selected Brees, a Heisman finalist out of Purdue, with their first pick in the second round of the 2001 draft.  Brees played only one game his rookie season, overcoming a 19-0 score to nearly pull off a come from behind win at Kansas City before falling 25-20.  San Diego fans glimpsed the team's future and liked what they saw.  However, Brees struggled over the next two years as the Chargers posted a .500 record in 2002 and a 4-12 record in 2003.  Brees played erratically and split time with journeyman Doug Flutie.  Suddenly, his future in San Diego was uncertain, as critics chimed in that at 6-0 and 209 lbs. he was too small and his arm strength wasn't there.  The Chargers front office seemed to agree, selecting Eli Manning with the first pick of the 2004 draft before trading him to the Giants for another top QB prospect, N.C. State's Philip Rivers, the fourth pick overall.  It appeared the Brees' days were numbered.

But a funny thing happened; Rivers held out claiming he was the de facto number-one pick and, as such, should make number-one pick money.  He reported to camp late and by that time, Brees was already stating his case for retaining the starting job.  And with little time to learn how to play Marty-ball, Rivers got the clip board and Brees received the nod.

What followed was one of the great turnaround stories in the NFL in recent years.  The Chargers went from last place to winning their division and a spot in the playoffs.  Likewise, Brees went from near has-been to Comeback Player of the Year and Chargers MVP.

This season, Brees continued to play well, but late-season injuries to key players and a tough road schedule that had the Chargers logging more air miles than a traveling salesman combined to leave the Bolts with a 9-7 record, missing the playoffs.  Coupled with that, Brees tore his labrum in the final game against Denver.  The surgery was a success and no rotator cuff damage was sustained, but he will reportedly need four months of rehab.

All of this adds up to leave Smith with a very interesting decision to make.  For the 2005 season, Brees was the team's designated franchise player.  He played with a one-year, $8 million contract.  Smith must decide by Feb. 23 whether to again slap the franchise tag on Brees and a nearly $10 million payday to go with it, to negotiate a long-term deal as he appeared ready to do prior to the injury, or to put a transition label on him, leaving open the possibility that he could go to another team.  Under the transition designation, Brees could negotiate with other club, and the Chargers would retain the right to match any offers.  But if Brees were to leave, the Bolts wouldn't be compensated in the draft.

With a first round pick waiting in the wings and also draining the coffers, it's understandable that Smith would be conflicted about Brees' future, even tempted to let him, and his salary, go elsewhere.  But Rivers is an unknown quantity.  He's thrown only 30 passes in his two-year career and hasn't played a full game since N.C. State's Tangerine Bowl win over Kansas in the 2003 season.

Letting Brees go would be a mistake.  He's proven he is a quality NFL-caliber quarterback.  But more than that, it's the intangibles that loom large in this situation.  Brees understands Schottenheimer's system, no easy task.  He and the coach have developed a rapport and good working relationship.  Again, with Marty, no easy task.  But more than that, Brees, LaDanian Tomlinson, Keenan McCardell and Antonio Gates have a chemistry that would be wrecked if one of them were to leave.  It's rare to find such a balanced offense attack - the Chargers can hurt you on the ground and in the air - and with the exception of McCardell, all of the key players are just entering their prime.  This group could form the core of a powerful San Diego offense for the next few years, an eternity in today's NFL.  Eliminating Brees from the equation and replacing him with Rivers could possibly work, but it's a big gamble.  One not worth taking.  Slap the franchise tag on Brees and deal Rivers.

I'd love to hear others' thoughts on this situation.