Caps Under Construction- Part 2

Here is Part 2 of my belated running commentary of the Comcast SportsNet special profiling the Capitals 2006 draft. if you missed Part 1, well, it's right below you. Alright,if you're still too lazy, here's the link. I'll wait and let you catch up...

OK, on with Part 2:


:09 - Dirty Al Koken tells us that GMGM would be comfortable taking any of the big four forwards available (Jordan Staal, Jonathan Toews, Nicklas Backstrom and Phil Kessel) with the 4th overall pick. Then with a dramatic pause, Al says the Caps have locked in on Backstrom as their man. Sort of takes the drama out of things doesn't it?

:36 - From the penthouse of the luxurious looking Pan Pacific Hotel in Vancouver, GMGM gets on the phone with Pittsburgh Penguins GM Ray Shero. I love the "Pop-Up Video" style graphics CSN used for this thing.

GMGM and Shero hold some awkward small talk: "You getting something to eat?" "Great." Surely I could make a Hannibal Lecter-Jame Gumb joke in there somewhere. I wonder if they edited out the part where GMGM asks Shero how his woman suit is coming along. Too which Shero would respond, "No George, we drafted the woman last year." Anyway, the purpose of GMGM's call was to find out who Shero is taking with the 2nd overall pick. Somehow the conversation gets steered to defenceman Jack Johnson.

GMGM: "Umm, I'd have to think about that." He sounds like Edmund Kemper deciding whether or not to carve up his grandma.

2:21 - GMGM's next call is to Chicago GM Dale Tallon, who wisely doesn't tip his hand too much, saying he's trying to decide between Kessel and Toews, provided that Pittsburgh takes Staal at #2. I love CSN's framing of GMGM's water bottle in the foreground. It seems to say, "You WILL look at this water bottle!!" The conversation between GMGM and Tallon seems a lot less awkward. And by less awkward I mean more of a bank-robber vibe than a serial killer vibe. We also learn that Erik Johnson has already been signed by St. Louis, who will make him the #1 overall selection.

4:03 - The next call is full of high comedy. It's New York Islanders GM Neil Smith calling to see about moving up. The irony here is that Smith would be the Isles GM for about 5 minutes after this. He was fired and replaced by backup goaltender Garth Snow (you read that correctly). Ah, the Fish Sticks, always an adventure. My favorite part of this call is when GMGM says "We worked all year to get in decent position here." Translation: All the sucking we did this season wasn't for nothing.

4:41 - Dirty Al sets us up for Part 3 - Draft Day. Alas, he doesn't hit us with a breathless teaser this time. Damn you Al! Dammmmmmmmn Youuuuuuu!!!!