Caps on Cars - You Love It

So I was kind of hoping the poll I put up last week would be close, and it was... except for the license plate coming in first place. No point in having another round if one contender was doubling the competition.

Here's how the top five finished up:

1. LAICH IT - 43.8%
2. G-OLIE37 - 21.9%
3. ALEXDG8 - 17.8%
4. OVI 4MVP - 16.4%
5. 8VCHKN - 15.8%

Thanks again for all who participated. I continue to receive Caps license plates and if you have one of your own, or stumble upon one, send it my way, I'll run this feature sporadically throughout the season.

And I did not plan it this way where my license plate would win, but if you do see me or my brother driving around Arlington in our silver Saturn sedan, give us a wave or a honk. My brother might think you're crazy, but if I remember in the moment that I openly invited strangers to honk at me, I will happily wave back.

Caps on Cars - Best License Plates Round 1

Here's an update on some of the smaller bumper stickers: 'That's a Baltimore Clippers decal (1960's) to the right of the O's magnet. Also, a Baltimore Bandits decal at bottom left of bumper. There's a Baltimore Blades decal (1975), but it is mostly peeled off, ditto for a Chesapeake Icebreakers at far bottom right'. -T.C.

HONORABLE MENTION

A special thanks goes out to the following people for sending in their pictures: Keith, Raina K, Bob B. (x3), JW, T.C., Anna, Toni, Katie, and Paul.

You can also check out all the individual Capitals license plate posts here.

Happy voting!

Online Surveys & Market Research

Caps on Cars - Take 13

Ed Note: This new segment will put a spotlight on those who devote their car to the Caps. Be it with a vanity plate or extreme bumper sticker usage, Caps on Cars will showcase it weekly. I've got some pictures waiting in the wings, but if you want to help me out, send your Caps on Cars picture(s) my way. Plan on voting in an epic poll at the end of summer to choose the best plate/bumper stickers.


Make/Model -Toyota Tacoma
Color - Brown
Location - Annandale, VA
Description - Self-explanatory

Well this wraps up this feature that was much more popular that I first imagined. Voting will start on Monday with the winner receiving his/her name displayed on the computer screen.

If you have a plate that you would still like to send in, go ahead, I'm sure I can work it in sometime during the season.

Thanks to everyone who sent me a picture, I could not have done this feature without you!

Seriously though, thank you.

Caps on Cars - Take 12

Ed Note: This new segment will put a spotlight on those who devote their car to the Caps. Be it with a vanity plate or extreme bumper sticker usage, Caps on Cars will showcase it weekly. I've got some pictures waiting in the wings, but if you want to help me out, send your Caps on Cars picture(s) my way. Plan on voting in an epic poll at the end of summer to choose the best plate/bumper stickers.





Make/Model -Chrysler Sebring
Color - Silver
Location - Maryland
Description - So do we

Thanks Toni!

Note- Friday will be the last installment of Caps on Cars. Check back then and the polls will open Monday morning!

Caps on Cars - Take 11

Ed Note: This new segment will put a spotlight on those who devote their car to the Caps. Be it with a vanity plate or extreme bumper sticker usage, Caps on Cars will showcase it weekly. I've got some pictures waiting in the wings, but if you want to help me out, send your Caps on Cars picture(s) my way. Plan on voting in an epic poll at the end of summer to choose the best plate/bumper stickers.



Make/Model -Honda Civic
Color - Blue
Location - Annandale, VA
Description - Slogan for the next 10 years


Thanks Bob B!

Hint about Wednesday's plate: It's true, we all do.

Caps on Cars - Take 10

Ed Note: This new segment will put a spotlight on those who devote their car to the Caps. Be it with a vanity plate or extreme bumper sticker usage, Caps on Cars will showcase it weekly. I've got some pictures waiting in the wings, but if you want to help me out, send your Caps on Cars picture(s) my way. Plan on voting in an epic poll at the end of summer to choose the best plate/bumper stickers.


Make/Model -No idea, really
Color - Beige/tan/gray
Location - Fredricksburg, VA
Description - Confused or converted?

From Anna-

A site that made my day, even if they have a Red Wings bumper sticker, too.

Simply stated, this person is confused. No, they are not rivals, but they did meet in the Stanley Cup and they do play against each other, so make a choice.

Further examination shows what looks to be a University of Michigan sticker above the Wings magnet. Definitely a displaced Michigan fan. Make up your mind.

I see one Detroit team that's missing!

Thanks Anna!

Caps on Cars - Take 9

Ed Note: This new segment will put a spotlight on those who devote their car to the Caps. Be it with a vanity plate or extreme bumper sticker usage, Caps on Cars will showcase it weekly. I've got some pictures waiting in the wings, but if you want to help me out, send your Caps on Cars picture(s) my way. Plan on voting in an epic poll at the end of summer to choose the best plate/bumper stickers.


Make/Model -Saturn
Color - Silver
Location - Arlington, VA
Description - Likable

This tag is one of my favorites for a few reasons:

• Non-hockey fans must know it stands for something cool because 'Latch it' just sounds dumb.
• Brooks Laich is the man.
• The phrase is taking over.
• It's only a matter of time until he becomes a household name and dons the 'C' for the Capitals (In my opinion, of course).

Hint about Friday's plate: The Detroit Capitals?

Caps on Cars - Take 8

Ed Note: This new segment will put a spotlight on those who devote their car to the Caps. Be it with a vanity plate or extreme bumper sticker usage, Caps on Cars will showcase it weekly. I've got some pictures waiting in the wings, but if you want to help me out, send your Caps on Cars picture(s) my way. Plan on voting in an epic poll at the end of summer to choose the best plate/bumper stickers.



Make/Model -Nissan Altima
Color - Black
Location - (Probably Baltimore), Maryland
Description - Obsessed much?

And you thought two bumper stickers was pushing it. This gives a new meaning to the word 'dedication'.

With the Skipjacks long gone, this car proudly sports 17 years worth of hockey logos (with an O's sticker thrown in there as well).

The best sticker of the bunch? I'm going with "Don't Blame Me; I Voted for Kolzig". Mostly because the election in which that refers to is ambiguous. '92? '96? '00? Or a local B-more election? Whatevs, it's cool as hell.

And look at the picture again, the Hershey Bears logo is most likely one of many to fill up the back window.

And to explain the actual plate, the owner of the car is a STH who's name has 'Cole' in it. So no plate foul... or extreme plate foul? It's hard to hate with that many bumper stickers.

Thanks JW!

Hint about tomorrow's plate: Latch It?

Caps on Cars - Take 7

Ed Note: This new segment will put a spotlight on those who devote their car to the Caps. Be it with a vanity plate or extreme bumper sticker usage, Caps on Cars will showcase it weekly. I've got some pictures waiting in the wings, but if you want to help me out, send your Caps on Cars picture(s) my way. Plan on voting in an epic poll at the end of summer to choose the best plate/bumper stickers.


Make/Model -Cadillac Deville
Color - White
Location - Annandale, VA
Description - Happy and classy

With September upon us, it's time to vamp up the countdown until hockey season. The opener against Boston is now officially less than a month away on VS (but not on DirecTV!). Season previews are around the corner and bold predictions will dominate the hockey blogging community for the next month.

Meanwhile in our neck of the woods, the new crop of talent is here. The Young Guns have established themselves in the upper echelon of the league's talent pool and the next wave of prospects are not that far behind. The Laichs, Backstroms, Greens, and Ovechkins (okay, there's only one Ovi, but still) of the league are often times caught goofing around (two links) during their downtime.

They are doing what they love and having fun at the same time. Some players could just go through the motions and ignore or even disrespect the media. But these guys don't. They could be jerks, but they aren't. They even embrace the extra media attention .

This license plate epitomizes that... Drivers of hot cars are often times given the connotation of a rich d-bag without a care in the world. This car breaks that negative association and the driver becomes instantly personable because of his happy-go-lucky tag that will put a smile on any Caps' fan.

The new wave of Capitals' players are here. And so is the new wave of Capitals' fans. Happy and classy... the way it should be. To all other Caps fans: take notes.

Thanks again Bob B.!

Caps on Cars - Take 6

Ed Note: This new segment will put a spotlight on those who devote their car to the Caps. Be it with a vanity plate or extreme bumper sticker usage, Caps on Cars will showcase it weekly. I've got some pictures waiting in the wings, but if you want to help me out, send your Caps on Cars picture(s) my way. Plan on voting in an epic poll at the end of summer to choose the best plate/bumper stickers.


Make/Model -Honda Civic
Color - Unknown
Location - Annandale, VA
Description - Nostalgic

Olaf Kolzig's time has come and gone in D.C., but his departure did not stop Bob from enshrining - if you will - Kolzig on his car.

I like this one for a few reasons:

• Does NOT include a member of the Young Guns (still waiting on a pro-Semin plate).
• The expired tags in the upper right (which are a bitch to get pulled over for) subtly symbolize Kolzig's time here has done the same...Actually no, that's a complete coincidence.
• It's slightly punny.

Thanks Bob B.!

Programming Note: The plates are piling up so expect a two to three plate week here at Simply Sensational!. Yup, exciting news!

Caps on Cars - Take 5

Ed Note: This new segment will put a spotlight on those who devote their car to the Caps. Be it with a vanity plate or extreme bumper sticker usage, Caps on Cars will showcase it weekly. I've got some pictures waiting in the wings, but if you want to help me out, send your Caps on Cars picture(s) my way. Plan on voting in an epic poll at the end of summer to choose the best plate/bumper stickers.



Make/Model -Honda Accord
Color - Gray
Location - Aldie, VA (I don't know where that is either)...But this car will most likely be spotted in the Vienna Metro parking garage.
Description - B-e-a-utiful.

Whether it was done intentionally or not, the touches of red on the cardinal, the license plate, and plate holder really give some aesthetic cred to a seemingly straight-forward tag.

It might not be the most original or creative tag, but... so what.

You don't need to go into your room, lock the door, and stay there until you have thought of a seven-letter Capitals license plate masterpiece.

Ovie love is always great and so is this plate.

On a side note, we all have fan favorites who don't score 60 goals a year, but enough to dedicate your license plate?

We've seen Ovechkin (x2), Varlamov, some bumper stickers, and a general fan, so what's in store for the next few tags?

Think: fan favorite from the '90s and a fan favorite currently with the team.

Thanks Raina K!

Caps on Cars - Take 4

Ed Note: This new segment will put a spotlight on those who devote their car to the Caps. Be it with a vanity plate or extreme bumper sticker usage, Caps on Cars will showcase it weekly. I've got some pictures waiting in the wings, but if you want to help me out, send your Caps on Cars picture(s) my way. Plan on voting in an epic poll at the end of summer to choose the best plate/bumper stickers.



Model -Unknown
Color - Unknown
Location - Falls Church, VA
Description - Awesome, but misrepresented?

First and foremost, this plate will give TSAR 40 a run for its money at the end-of-summer poll we have coming up.

Looking at this tag, characters are limited to six because of the Hokie logo, and seeing how OVCHKN is taken, this Tech grad showed some ingenuity in making a clever tag.

I am not a Virginia Tech fanatic, so I'm not too high on having Alex's name being associated with the fake birds of Blacksburg, Virginia.

Not saying people will think Ovechkin went to Virgina Tech (those people can't exist, can they?), but the fact that Alex has nothing to do with VT bugs me here.

All random correlations aside, this is a pretty sick custom plate.

Caps on Cars - Take 3

Ed Note: This new segment will put a spotlight on those who devote their car to the Caps. Be it with a vanity plate or extreme bumper sticker usage, Caps on Cars will showcase it weekly. I've got some pictures waiting in the wings, but if you want to help me out, send your Caps on Cars picture(s) my way. Plan on voting in an epic poll at the end of summer to choose the best plate/bumper stickers.

Model -Hundai Elantra GT
Color - Blue
Location - Springfield, VA
Description - Creative yet esoteric

The Capitals only need a few hundred more applications for their decal to be on Virginia license plates and my guess is that this guy is on the list. This one is my favorite so far based on pure creativity and use of the allotted number of letters and numbers.

Some casual fans might not completely understand what's going on here, but (starting?) goalie Semyon Varlamov is out to prove he really is the ruler of the Capitals. But what if Jose Theodore wins the starting job (and hell freezes over)? In that case, this plate will look really silly. He might have to revert back to his "H8TE SYD" plate he had before the playoffs.

Thanks Keith!

Caps on Cars - Take 2

Ed Note: This new segment will put a spotlight on those who devote their car to the Caps. Be it with a vanity plate or extreme bumper sticker usage, Caps on Cars will showcase it weekly. I've got some pictures waiting in the wings, but if you want to help me out, send your Caps on Cars picture(s) my way. Plan on voting in an epic poll at the end of summer to choose the best plate/bumper stickers.



Model - Subaru Forrester
Color - White
Location - Parked on Wilson Blvd in Clarendon (Arlington)
Description - Basic, yet devoted and authoritative.

As if to reinforce the point that yes, this is a Caps fan, this car has two stickers crowding the back window. Maybe they would have been better suited with the stickers on opposite sides of the car, or even place the bumper sticker on...the bumper. But it's hard to questions one's fanhood when one puts only Capitals stickers on their car, even though there may be less than 30 inches separating the two.

Caps on Cars - Take 1

Ed Note: This new segment will put a spotlight on those who devote their car to the Caps. Be it with a vanity plate or extreme bumper sticker usage, Caps on Cars will showcase it weekly. I've got some pictures waiting in the wings, but if you want to help me out, send your Caps on Cars picture(s) my way. Plan on voting in an epic poll at the end of summer to choose the best plate/bumper stickers.






Model -Toyota Previa
Color - Ugly Maroon
Location - Corner of North Pershing Drive and North Highland Street (Arlington)