Whenever I plan on asking an offbeat question at a press conference after the Capitals game, I have to be really careful, especially with the timing and tone.
This time, I asked permission, and was told to wait toward the end of the press conference.
After the Caps’ 5-3 preseason win, the coach had a big smile on his face when I saw him downstairs. The press conference was a breeze, no hard questions, and Bruce was in a good mood.
When there was a break in the questions, I made my move.
“Coach, there’s been a lot of new commercials lately,” I began.
“Oh, shit,” he said, and the journalists started laughing (this isn’t the first time I’ve asked a question that led to an interruption of laughter).
I asked whose commercials were funnier and he sheepishly said Ovechkin is better at everything than him.
“But he hasn’t done bird calls,” Jill Sorenson of CSN said (I think it was her).
I thought it was hilarious, and I did get what I needed for my article. The photo is a screengrab from the video at the exact moment I mentioned ‘commercial.’
Sorry, Bruce, but if you’re going to make bird calls for Mercedes and dance on stage in sweats with Ryan Zimmerman, I’m going to ask you about it.
So long as you’re in a good mood.