People have been questioning the Blue Jackets' recent appointment of Rich Nash as captain, seeing as how he is only 23 years old, only a few months older than yours truly.
But to those in doubt I ask you this: Were you opposed to Pittsburgh's decision to trust Sidney Crosby with the responsibility?
He's only 20 and looks like he's 14.
But my lack of respect for Sid the Kid put aside, he represents the face of the Pittsburgh Penguins and I can't think of anyone else on that team who deserves the honor more than him.
Does the same not apply to the CBJ?
Nash was drafted by the organization, is by far the most popular member of the team with the fans (#61 is on many backs of the Nationwide faithful), and will more than likely remain in a Columbus jersey for what I hope will be the rest of a long and amazingly successful NHL career.
Unlike the aging and stoic Adam Foote, the locker room, and on-ice, star Nash can easily relate to the younger players on the team as their leader.
And, in case you don't already know, the Jackets are a pretty young bunch and look to keep getting younger as they make plans to accommodate Teddy Ruth, who they acquired for Sergei Federov at the trade deadline, and who is barely older than my little sister.
Building a franchise takes time, patience, and dedication. And what better way to solidify dedication amongst your players than by naming the most popular (with both fans and teammates) your team's captain?
There's nothing wrong with a little positive locker-room chemistry. I've seen it take teams to championships in all sports, at all levels.
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