Title/Author:
“Red
Rising: The Washington Capitals Story” by Ted Starkey
Tags:
Ice Hockey,
professional, history, Capitals
Published:
September
1, 2012
Length:
272 pages
Rating:
4 of 5
stars (very good)
Review:
At the end
of the 2002-2003 hockey season, the Washington Capitals were in bad shape. Their play on the ice was poor as they missed
the playoffs, finished with the worst record in the NHL, their fan base was
shrinking, their status in Washington was quite low on the sports totem pole
and the future was not looking good for better days ahead whether in the
standings or in ticket sales. How the
team transformed itself from this situation to become one of the more exciting
and respected franchises in the league is chronicled in this book by Ted
Starkey.
Not only
does the book describe month-by-month each season of the improvement of the
franchise, it also mixes wonderful stories shared by players with matter-of-fact
interviews with front office personnel of the team. These interviews, not previously published
elsewhere, explain what player moves and organizational changes the Capitals
took to gain respectability. Of course,
the most prominent of these moves was signing Russian superstar Alex Ovechkin
but there was much more than just signing one player.
The
details of the book are excellent in both the recap of the seasons in which the
Capitals improved their record, but also their playoff adventures each season,
whether they resulted in a heartbreaking first round loss or an exciting 7 game
series. The best of these playoff recaps
was for the 2012 season when they played two series that went the full 7 games
and each game save for one – one in the second round against the New York
Rangers – were decided by one goal.
Interviews with many of the players gave extra insight into what was
going on down on the ice, which added to the excellent reporting of these
games.
The best
parts of the book for me were the chapters on what the organization was doing
to promote itself beyond putting together a winning team. Chapter 11 was my favorite one in the book
when Starkey wrote about the Capitals embracing the new digital media by
allowing members of this media such as bloggers access to the press box and
locker rooms. The resulting publicity by
allowing writers and bloggers to write about the teams has been credited as
aiding the team with its marketing. That
marketing was the subject of another chapter that was a refreshing read between
recaps of seasons on the ice.
Red Rising is a book that will be enjoyed by hockey fans, a must-read for Capitals fans and overall a very good book that should be added to reading lists of anyone who loves the game.
Did I skim?
No.
Pace of the book:
Excellent. The seasons fly by as Starkey recaps the
important games and details on each one.
The reader will be able to read through each season and/or chapter
quickly.
Do I recommend?
Yes. Hockey fans, especially those who follow the
Capitals, will enjoy this book on the recent history of a franchise that rose
from poor play and attendance to one of the more exciting teams to watch.
Book Format Read:
E-Book
(Nook)
Buying Links:
http://www.amazon.com/Red-Rising-Washington-Capitals-ebook/dp/B0092G18C2/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1382048834&sr=1-2&keywords=red+rising
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