When Alex Ovechkin scored his 500th goal on Sunday, a few readers noticed that Ovechkin’s parents, Tatyana and Mikhail, were sitting in totally different areas of Verizon Center. A proud Tatyana, wearing a yellow coat, broke down in tears.
Meanwhile, Mikhail surrounded by friends, recorded the moment on his iPhone.
They were recently asked about this routine in a 2015 interview with Graham Bensinger.
“That’s the way we like it,” Tatyana said when asked. “I always like sitting by myself so that no one bothers me.”
“I like being with the crowd,” Mikhail said.
“And Papa loves being with the crowds, surrounded by fans and all his friends saying ‘Mikhail, hi! Hi, Mikhail!’” Tatyana said in a dismissive tone. “I like sitting alone so that no one bothers me. I stay focused on the game and watch it carefully. And it’s always like that — in basketball and my games as well [Ovechkina is a two-time Olympic gold medalist. She now runs Russia’s national women’s basketball program]. I’m always alone. I do not like it very much if someone I know sits next to me. That’s how it is.”
So next time you see Tatyana at a Caps game, please let her be. She is anxious about her son and his very important hockey game.
And the next time you see Mikhail, give him a high five, a hug, and a light for his cigarette.
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