Washington Capitals: Surprisingly Human

No one could ever call the Washington Capitals a team of hubris—at least not in the D.C. Metro area anyway. For all of their success after seasons of mediocrity and for all of the attention they’ve received in carrying professional sports in the District over the last several months, the Caps are in a surprising stretch of underachievement.

They’ve lost three straight home games, five of their last seven, and are without their star, Alexander Ovechkin. It doesn’t seem like panic time for the Capitals, but fans have grown a little antsy about what has been described as "a lack of intensity during the stretch."

On the surface, it seems extreme—fans worrying about a team that had a strong-enough playoff showing last season and currently has an 11-point lead in the Southeast Division. However, you can understand why area fans would not blindly embrace success.

They’ve had the rug pulled out from under them before by injury to the Wizards, by the Redskins via the lunacy of Daniel Snyder, and by the Nationals in terrible mascot debuts.

You can’t blame them for booing or being worried. The Caps don’t have the sustained example of success to earn complete trust. At least fans haven’t been totally consumed with their success, because then they’d be like Penguins fans.

I kid, folks.