We’ve recently got a bunch of comments about “bringing back Voldemort.” I want to address them real quick.

For those of you unfamiliar, in December of 2010, RMNB replaced the normal design of our site with a collage of sad images (seen above). It was part of our “panic protocol” during the Caps’ pivotal eight-game losing streak under the harsh lights of HBO’s 24/7. The Caps ended that slump by switching from a successful, offense-focused system (which we at the time called “scoar moar goals”) towards a meeker, less successful, and much less fun “trap” style (which I now call “Beat Dat Beat Up“). As we restored the site back to cheerful red and blue, we didn’t yet know the real dark stuff was yet to come.

No, we won’t be bringing back Voldemort now or any time soon. For all their losses, the Washington Capitals of December 2010 were still much, much better than the Washington Capitals of March 2014. “Going dark” was our way of joking through one of those occasional and inevitable valleys among a whole bunch of peaks and making light of fan freak-outs.

What’s happening now is different. I don’t want to laugh it off.

Back in 2010, we made fun of fan freak-outs because they seemed silly and warped considering how great the team was overall. Now, I totally understand and sympathize with RMNB readers who have chosen to stop watching. The Caps aren’t fun to watch anymore. It’s hard to make a joke out of that. At least not a funny one.

I still believe the Capitals will get better, but I don’t know how and I don’t know when. In the meantime, I’m gonna stick around, thick and proud, with the RMNB crew. And we’ll keep trying to make hockey as fun to read about as it is to watch.

Wish us luck.