Caps Are the New Wiz

Hi-jinks are fun, but winning counts

Remember that buzz coming from the Verizon Center just a couple years ago?

Well, it's still there, just not when the hardwood is down.

There was a time when the denizens of our nation's capital and transients from 'round the globe threw their hat into Gilbert Arenas' three-ring circus. For a brief spell, football was cast aside and the combo of fast-paced offense and off-court hi-jinks made the District a basketball city.

The Wizards have since been cast into the gutter of apathy.

Danny Snyder's play-thing will still get a lion's share of the attention, but when it comes to winning relevancy, D.C. is now a hockey town.

Alex Ovechkin is the new Gilbert Arenas with All-Star weekend spectacles, even one-upping Gil in a more webby 2.0 manner -- twittering over blogging.

Alexander Semin is the new DeShawn Stevenson with his criticism of a league-constructed superstar. Although in all fairness, Semin's comments about Sid the Kid are probably valid, while Stevenson is just an idiot for calling LeBron James overrated.

Even Jose Theodore is getting in on the action with a resurgence from early-season struggles akin to Brendan Haywood's transformation last season when he lost the moniker, "Brenda."

The big difference is that Caps fans have a more loyal following, evident by a rabidly passionate game atmosphere. Even in the best of times, Wiz fans showed up late and sat on their hands until Arenas did his thing.

But the Caps still need your attention, and there's always room on the bandwagon.

The powerhouse Detroit Red Wings come to town this Saturday. If you can't show up, then tune in. It's time to 'Rock the Red' and show the world how D.C. supports winners.

Kyle Weidie also writes Truth About It and contributes to Bullets Forever, both Washington Wizards blogs. Because of this, some may call him self-loathing.

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