*LONG POST*
I was waiting for the Caps' to cross the line before posting this.
To me this run by Ovie (and the Caps) is similar to Jordan's first title. Lost the 1st game and (quite frankly) didn't play well and looked like the situation and nerves got to them. Once the had experienced it, they settled down and cruised the rest of the series. Caps' had a similar Finals' run in that the Game 1 loss they looked nervy and then they settled down and really until game 5, cruised the rest of the way. Like that Bulls' title, the series was over after game 3 (for the Bulls' win you can make an argument it was over after game 2 with 20/20 hindsight).
Situation isn't really the same as Jordan was the unquestioned best player in the NBA when he won his 1st title and it was his 7th year; whereas, it's Ovie's 13th year and he's no longer in the conversation for best player in the league (still a damn good player, but more like in the teens now).
I'm trying to think of a situation where the guy who's carried a franchise as long as Ovie has for the Caps won a title for the 1st time this late in their career. The closest I can come up with off the top of my head is Steve Yzerman, but the gulf b/w where Yzerman was in terms of quality of player and Ovie is huge. i.e. Ovie still a damn good player, whereas Yzerman was still a fine player, I don't think he's at the same level league wide compared to the level Ovie's still at (Rocket Richard winner). Ovie's prime is over, but he can still produce at a high level. eg. I fully expected him to have a huge goals year since he wasn't very good (by his standards) last year. I foolishly thought he'd get 60 -> still 49 is awesome in today's NHL.
Can anyone come up with an example where a guy is still the Franchise and win a title this late in their career for the first time? Let's limit it to player's who are at least 30.
I don't think Elway qualifies since it was Terrell Davis' team when they won.
There are examples where guy's become a 2nd or 3rd guy to win, but not the primary eg. Jason Kidd when he won with Dallas, but Dirk was clearly the guy then. Maybe Dirk qualifies?
Anyways, I'm rambled on long enough.
Congrats to all the Caps' fans on here (surprisingly - at least to me - quite a few).
