Tag: sports and politics

Alex Ovechkin, Vladimir Putin, and the mired line of sports and politics

I’ve always favored the Washington Capitals Alexander Ovechkin when it comes to the prominent players of the NHL in the last decade. It has to do with character and showing more depth than just being a player. He’s a person and a silly one at that.  And I’m talking off-ice stuff here, not just around-the-game shenanigans common in the NHL.

There’s more than that old commercial out there, but hunting down the off-ice stuff is tough when his hockey things take video priority.

This, his character,  comes chiefly in comparison to Sidney Crosby who has always come off as a stolid, cold figure. Crosby’s biggest feat is inspiring antics from rivals. Like Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban taking a fresh breath into a Stanley Cup Finals game.

As for Ovechkin, things are souring for me somewhat. It’s not because of on-ice incidents or the Capitals in general. It’s not Brayden Point-vs.-Ovechkin in the NHL goal-scoring race. It’s not sports at all. It’s politics and awareness of Ovi’s political allegiance to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

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