Air Jordan, Meet the Capitals
By Jason La Canfora
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, Feb. 24, 2000; Page D1
Washington Capitals winger Peter Bondra stared at the hockey stick he planned to use in last night's game, twirling it in his hands with a big smile on his face. Minutes earlier, Michael Jordan – basketball legend, Capitals minority owner – had fooled around with Bondra's stick. That could only be a positive for the former 50-goal scorer.
"Hey, he touched my stick," Bondra said. "Hopefully now something magical will happen in tonight's game."
Jordan met the members of the Capitals for the first time before their game against the Southeast Division-leading Florida Panthers, the biggest contest of the season. Jordan was a big attraction in the dressing room as players prepared for the game and tended to their sticks. Jordan went around shaking hands, with General Manager George McPhee and minority owner Dick Patrick giving the introductions.
Jordan was all smiles, asking questions about the game and trying to figure out which size stick would work for him. He wanted to talk to the team's top players about their scoring prowess, and the Capitals went through the stick racks trying to find the right fit for him. Sticks belonging to defensemen Joe Reekie and Brendan Witt seemed to work best.
Jordan attended several Blackhawks games throughout his playing career and became close with some of the players, most notably former captain Chris Chelios. The Capitals hope he becomes as active with the team as possible.
"He is a great guy," Bondra said. "You almost feel like a kid meeting somebody like that. And it was a good feeling. You feel almost shy, like a little kid, but any time you meet somebody like him you're not ashamed to feel like that."
Bondra and his teammates decided not to ask for any autographs, but a goodie bag is on the way. "I think we're going to get something, maybe like a signed basketball or something like that," Bondra said. "Definitely, that would be great."
Later this season, Jordan will meet with the team in a more formal manner, speaking to the players about his training regimen, his success in athletics and how to be a winner. This was a time to joke around.
"I know it was a real treat for everybody in here," McPhee said. "The players all had that special look on their face when they talked to Michael and when they walked away. There is a great feeling about something like that when you meet a celebrity like this and the celebrity turns out to be a really good person, and that's what this was. He was great to our guys."
© Copyright 2000 The Washington Post Company
