Sokolova in DC
Photo by Amy P.
Here's how our reader "O" describes it:
For those who care and want the details...
Valeria was at practice today. I didn't notice her until I saw her go to the Caps store with the man I usually see shepherding Ovie's friends and gfs around when Papa Ovie isn't around.
Anyway, her features aren't as defined as they are in her photos, the lips are the most noticeable feature and in person she has a completely different shaped nose then I thought she had. Her face is softer, with a bit of gentleness, and she looks much, much younger in person. In photos I thought she looked 22-25, but face-to-face she looks 16-20.
She is also extremely thin, thinner than in the photos. I'm size 2 petite and 8 inches shorter, but her ankles looked like my wrists. She doesn't need a cheeseburger, she needs a truckload of them, and yet, her weight didn't look unhealthy.
She was dressed in designer duds, nicely dressed but not overdone - skinny jeans, hightop sneakers, short jacket, Coach bag and Coach diamond earings. Her hair was in a ponytail held by a scrunchie and (refreshingly) she continues to prefer a natural face (make-up free as far as I could tell).
Personality-wise, she seems nice with a soft voice speaking passable English. Not a trace of arrogance unlike the most recent gf. Since she was buying gifts to send/take back to her nephew, I'd also say that she is family oriented.
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Actually re-posting this here because it makes more sense.
Im glad Valeria has made an appearance! For some reason, I really like her for him. I was noticing the other day that Ovi had only one chain on (after having sported 2 for a while), and I thought that meant that she must still have the other one... :-)
ha ha that is funny because I just realized I saw her too; my husband pointed to her and said.. "that girl has been hanging around.. she looks like one of those hockey player girlfriend types.." (aka blond and pretty)..I laughed snarkily and said, "yeah, she does"
now I feel bad; I just said that cause I am a size 10 and will never ever be a size 2 unless I get in a hip shrinking machine ( I am only 125 pounds.. if that sadly tells anyone how large these bones are.. sigh) and I will never have a Coach purse unless I buy it from a street vendor on my teachers salary.. ha hahahhahahah
hopefully she and ovi will have a good year..
She looks very nice but she needs a sandwich, or ten. Ovi needs to introduce her to nachos. :-)
She does look very young as O described, about 18 IMO, like a high school senior or college freshman, and very natural.
BTW, who is Amy P. who posted the photo? Thanks for sharing.
I said before, months ago when the gf news emerged, that I wouldn't be surprised if Ovie used the occasion of his charity gala on October 18 to formally present her as his gf in DC. Now I wouldn't be surprised if he used the event to make an even bigger announcement. We'll see.
I'm happy she's over here, hopefully it will be good for them and his game, to not worry about what the tabloids are saying about her, or how she's dealing with it if they were...
Also, I'm glad to hear these things about her, she seems nice. I'm glad for him.
I'm a little surprised he was winded by the middle though! Hopefully it's just tired from the physicals the day before- or perhaps birthday hangover? I wouldn't blame him- though would hope he'd pick a better outlet for celebration lol- but hopefully he'll look better tomorrow.
@BobbyG: There are a couple places you could go with that statement lol
Hopefully whatever happens will work out for them both.
I don't really think her weight is an issue, it's just her body type. IMO
She looks pretty healthy- though I haven't seen her in person. And that she looks young is further evidence that she is probably healthy- a lot of models who do more than just take their natural body type to be thin (eating problems and such) look older than they are, even if they have a young face.
@Mango: what statement do you mean? And what are the places you think it could go? I'm curious.
As for me, I am impressed how accurately O has described her. I could stare at a person for hours and would't be able to give such a precise description...
My choice is still Katja, but of course it's up to Ovi himself...
I think Valeria being from Penza helps her with Ovi. His grandpa was from somewhere that region of Russia...
Those are actually Chanel earrings...the classic C's. Was sitting a couple rows behind her, kept staring icily around her as if she hated everyone. Also, it's a pity how emaciated she is.
She really was staring at people in a rude way believe me I could read her ...seems like she was not comfortable at all..When Alex saw her come in he picked up the pace a bit to show off for her..Lets hope he shows off for the fans who expected a cup last season and got nothing...
@BobbyG: I...don't even remember what I was referring to. I've had a long day. On top of being sick, I got woken up at 2am by my friggin cat, then shoved off to work with my dad, cleaning windows of these HUGE houses. Then dealing with my sister's ex being a douche and yelling at me and blaming things on me for no reason. (No, he's not 12,he's a 30 year old "man")
Oh shit, I remember. I think I was talking about what a bigger announcement could be. Maybe they adopted Backstrom finally!
Like I said...long day, but the thought of Nicklas being adopted made me smile so I wrote it lol
@Anonymous,
Thank you for the correction on the earrings. I saw a flash of "C" and assumed they matched her bag, but perhaps all her accessories were Chanel. I see leather and "C" and think Coach. (Happily, I'm just not a fashion girl.)
It's too bad she seemed different in the stands. Perhaps she'll improve when she adjusts to being surrounded by Americans and Ovie lovers.
Also, Ovie has a tendency to "over-perform" when a girlfriend is newly arrived to the detriment of his play until he begins to forget that she is watching as the days pass. I remember he went through some uneven and scoreless games when Katja and Victoria first arrived in town. Word to Ovie: just be yourself. Hopefully, he'll get that tendency under control as he continues to mature.
@TJ,
Katja remains my favorite to. She seemed the most down-to-earth, intellegent, fun, sweet, attractive girl-next-door type out of all his gfs to date.
Ordinary can be extraordinary.
@Mango,
Aww. I'd adopt Nicky. He's so darling and slightly awkward in social situations.
Hi all -
Since it seems Miss Lera is back in the picture, I'll share with you an interview I found in which she gives her side of the story.
A few notes first - this interview was after the Russian celebrity press had done its level best to ruin Ovi's reputation with stories of screaming matches, possible violence and friendships betrayed. Plus a bunch of nonsense about how Ovi "stole" her away from Ronaldo the soccer star.
I gave the link to TJ a while ago, and these were my notes to him at the time:
Lera tells her side of the story. Does it sound to you like they broke up with a angry violent quarrel? I'm not even sure they broke up. Just that they are both about to be very busy.
Anyway, here you go:
http://bit.ly/auFoMX
PS The magazine's name, "The Young Leninist", makes me wince just a little.
@Mango: a Backstrom adoption announcement would be awesome! I was thinking more of a AO/VS formal engagement. Or that Ghera the German Shepherd was also in town LOL!
@Emily: my copy and paste of posted links fails me again. When I try yours I get directed to a Twitter post about making money from your love of magic LOL! Do you have a better link or a suggestion to help me see the interview you mention?
@BobbyG,
I hope they wouldn't be engaged by the slightly more than three month mark. That would be hasty and foolish.
This is the link to the original article. You'll have to rinse thru googletranslate yourself.
http://www.pnz.ru/getnews.php?tid=news&&news_id=35594
@O: hasty and foolish it might be. But Ovie being Ovie, I can't be sure what he'll do. However, after reading the translation of the new link Emily posted, maybe reason will prevail after all.
@Emily: thanks for the original link, it worked.
She better face the camera for better photo result.
Thanks for the article Emily.
Maybe it's the translation, but it sounds like she cooperated in Mr Escort Agency's efforts to hook her up with Ronaldo. Sounds shadey. However, I suppose a hazard of being a model is that you're a magnet for sleazy men.
It sounds like she's got a college degree. That's cool.
I have no impressions to add after practice today. She arrived half way through Ovie's group's practice and sat where I couldn't observe her. She seemed to be with Sasha's handsome friend. Someone else said that she had her camera trained on Ovie when he was on the ice, but who doesn't?
Ovie and some of the boys watched the scrimmage (Ovie back in his yellow V. Mary shirt). She watched from the balcony with Sasha's friend and the Russian guy that always seems to be around the Ovechkin family. She and Ovie texted each other for half the scrimmage. Then they and the other Russians left before the 3rd period.
Nicky's dad was wearing crocs. :) And Nicky's brother is really handsome.
I heard Nicky's brother, Kristoffer retired earlier this off season. Does anyone know why? :( All I remember is that I read a thing saying he was retiring, effective immediately or something. I hope he's okay- he's only 25 or something, right?
How did Ovie look today?
I was reading.. reading about Valeria, and what you guys talking about her story in russian paper is big Bul..t, she is what she is, Icy cold NOT very nice personality girl.... she got what she was looking for - MONEY- i feel sorry for Ovi, he is really good guy with big heart, and how fast she is going to be bored, looking and going to the games? she WANTS to be a supermodel, not the hockey wife, hockey wife is like army wife, u need to be behind u man 100 % ALWAYS!
saying from experience. Good luck Ovi, she is not cheap date either.... But hockey player+model... such a cliche...
ew I was honestly hoping she wouldn't show up. I just can't see them together to be honest. Maybe its because i'm deperately in love with ov but she seems so serious while he is always so so nice. I think she is out for money. Hope he realizes it before its too late.
@ the most Recent Anonymous:
Yeah, the thing about "you have to be 100% behind your man" - I found that incredibly sexist. Look, a woman can still be behind her man AND have a career. Besides, 'holding up the household', these days, is considered equal work for both sides of the relationship.
So go Valeria, keep chasing your dreams since I believe you can still support Ovie while doing that.
Whoa, whoa, whoa... we have some catty people in this thread, man. Retract the claws, ladies. I know that usually the first impression means everything but that's when you actually meet them. Determining her feelings, intentions, thoughts and all that from observing her in an environment she's not probably comfortable with is completely wrong. She may not love him and may only be there for money or she may absolutely adore him, either way... you will never know. It is between the two of them and no one else.
I hope for Alex's sake that if she is a gold digger, he finds out quickly and does the right thing. But if she's not and they truly love each other, I am very, very happy to see him happy and his fans should be as well. :) Even if it's not with me. Damn it! :P
I saw Valeria after practice today when I walked out of Kettler. She isn't as tall as I expected, doesn't look like a super model other than being stick thin. She is pretty but I think she should gain some weight.
More exciting was seeing the Caps players after the Redskins game going into the private parking area for the Redskins players. I saw Ovie, John Carlson, Karl Alzner, Eric Fehr, Backstrom (holding hands with a blond chick), Nicky's brother. I noticed the players and was calling out their names, John Carlson turned and looked at me in surprise but waved at me. I thought Ovie was ignoring me but he then walked over and stood right in front of me and acted like he was part of the crowd and called out John and Backstrom. I think he was mocking Carlson for being recognized and waving at me. Ovie stood in front of me for awhile, until the girl next to me asked for a picture and he went back to his group.
AB: That's cool. Except Nicky holding hands with someone! NOOOOOOOOOO! WHYYYYYYYY! Any chance she was helping him cross the street because he's that precious? No? Damn. lol j/k
@Mango I was surprised to see Nicky with a girl. He was holding her hand the entire time, even while standing around. She had very light blond hair back in a ponytail and was wearing a shiny redskins jacket (satiny material). I didn't get a good look at her face, but I think I might of also seen her at Kettler after practice. I saw someone looking like her at Kettler and thought hmm, that looks like a player's girlfriend. I didn't expect to see her with Nicky :(
@AB,
I hope Nicky's girl isn't that over done, over bleached blonde that's been hanging around Kettler. If so, she just REALLY goesn't seem his type, nor did I see any gf types talk to/go near Nicky's family.
So it was mostly a guy outing to the game? Cute. I love the cross team support.
As for what someone said earlier about Valeria's career, if she is serious about becoming a know model, then she shouldn't be here at this time. It is Fashion Week season. NYC was last week, London is ending, Milan and Paris are next. She should be in Europe booking shows. In that industry, out of sight is out of mind, headshots and zed cards aren't enough.
@O I am not nearly the descriptor that you are or notice all that detail in a short amount of time. I was with my aunt at Kettler and didn't think she was into stopping just to look at some overly blond chick that could of been somebody but there was no way to tell because she was standing alone. My aunt was fine with stopping to look at Valeria though because we knew it was Ovie's girl.
Since I didn't get a good look at Nicky's girl at the skins game I couldn't tell if she had real Swedish light blond hair or if it was fake bleached blond hair like the girl at Kettler. I think Kettler chick had her hair in a ponytail too.
I don't know when I'll go back to practice, I can only make it on the weekends, although I'll ask my aunt to look around for blond chick (my aunt doesn't make a very good stalker like me though, she didn't even recognize Ovie at the skins game until I insisted it was him). I'm going to the next home skins game so I'll look for the caps again.
Valeria wasn't with Ovie at the game, it seemed that Nicky was the only one with a girl.
the blonde at kettler is galievs gf i heard....
People, people, this "Nicky holding hands w/a blond chick" thing is very upsetting to me! Wah! We need to find out who this chick is soon. If she was wearing a Satin-y Redskins jacket, could it have been a cheerleader maybe? Can someone who saw her look up the Redskinettes and report back? Ha. This seriously has me upset. I don't want to hear about Nicky holding hands with anybody!!!! Ha.
None of the females in question were at Kettler today and it was a great scrimmage.
(I won't be back at Kettler until Friday, so no updates from me for a few days.)
@AB,
If the blonde you saw with Nicky had her hair up in both locations, then she isn't the one I'm talking about. Hopefully, she isn't Stas's gf either as someone else suggested. Over done is...over done.
@Mily,
Going back to your comment on sexism, I was watching a program on the Russian school system and how it has deteriorated since Soviet days. They also examined alternatives to the system - religious schools, boarding schools, etc. One female director of a girls' school said that their purpose was to teach girls (high school age it looked like) to be good mothers and "objects of adoration." I gagged.
I don't think she was a cheerleader. Cheerleaders come out the same exit and park in the same lot but are always lugging a suitcase with their gear (from their outfits on the field I estimate the suitcase is 5% clothes and 95% makeup, hairspray, curling irons, etc). Neither Nicky's girl or anyone else in the group had a suitcase that I could tell. Also I've never seen a cheerleader wearing a jacket like that when they exit, usually they are wearing outfits like they'd wear to a club. I didn't get a good enough look at her to compare to the cheerleader roster.
@0 that is very sad about the educational system in Russia. Although it would explain why someone like Valeria would put their promising career on hold for a man.
@O:
I definitely know that in Russia, they view sexism and feminism differently. As one site called it, "A Russian woman is a feminist not because she vouches for equal rights but rather flaunts her gender's charms and wits".
I just got really peeved at that anonymous poster. I mean, s/he made it sound like there was NO WAY for Valeria to support Ovie at all since she wants to have a career.
@Mily,
I understand what you are saying. It sounds like parts of the South. I know a Southern woman who could stop a griping person in their tracks by "turning on the charm." It is wonderful when used right, but if your whole worth is wrapped up in your looks and your skills are only geared toward snaring a man, then a great disservice is being done to a generation of girls and young women.
The Soviet system used to have pride in motherhood and accomplished women. I hope Russians can find that balance again.
I'm going to go with the old adage "If he ain't shagging me, then I don't care who he is shagging."
If Ovi is happy, and she is the one that is making him happy, then that is cool with me.
Hi Bobby G, It's Amy P! Just your everyday completely rabid Caps fan! I was at training camp on Saturday and saw her walk out of the stands and just followed her to the snack bar. Someone get that girl some cheese steaks STAT! I just casually hung out against the opposite wall and snapped the best pic I could get without saying SMILE in Russian!
As for being behind your man 100%..... somewhat related-- there is a really interesting blog called Secret Life of a Hockey Wife. It is written by a real hockey wife, although she remains anonymous. You don't know what team her husband plays for, but its very interesting to read what her life is like. There are also other actual hockey wives that comment on the blog, and a lot on non-hockey wives as well. Overall, I find it to be a really interesting insight into a totally different side of hockey. She doesn't always post with great frequency, but its still intriguing.
@Amy P and @O:
Did you gals see your stuff on Puck Daddy?
http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Puck-Headlines-Pens-extend-GM-Shero-Brad-Richa?urn=nhl-271009
@Amy: nice to meet you! Puck Daddy must like us and O to make note of our contributions.
I commented again about your shrine on the Birthday thread. If you do a redo sometime in Oct/Nov, I look forward to more photos.
@TJ,
Oh, yes. I saw it. ;)
I saw Nicky with the blonde chick too walking to the players lot. he was holding her hand the entire time I saw them together. I have no idea about this hair color thing, but she seemed like a natural blonde to me. Nicky and her were flirting, looked very sweet together. I've never seen her before, I would have remembered if I did because (sorry to say this girls...) she's really beautiful/hot. Hopefully we can figure out who she is tho!
Nicklas Backstrom wheels multiple girls(all blondes)..in Sweden it is not unusal to see more than one person at the same time.I know about another girl he just saw and it is not the one at the game..Swedes are very casual in getting into commited relationships, they can take years to develope if ever.They do what they want when they want it.
Well thanks for saying that Anon! That makes me feel much better and honestly that's what I thought to. Backstrom is way too young to be in a committed relationship anyway IMO. He is young, hot and rich. He should have fun with his life while he can and sow all his wild oats now.
I heard Chris Cooley on the radio yesterday. For those that don't know, he plays for the redskins and is friendly with the caps players and goes to caps game. The redskins lost a 17 point lead in the 4th qtr and then lost in overtime. He said he was pretty depressed after the game, sitting in a lawn chair tailgating with his family in the player's parking lot. Then the caps players got there and Ovie, Green and Backstrom made him feel better about the loss. He said he had a beer with Ovie and that helped.
me and my boyfriend went to check out training camp the past few days and to see the scrimmages and we also saw valeria there. to be completely honest, if she is going to stay in dc as ovi's gf she needs to be more fan friendly. she doesnt say hello to anyone, just hides behind ovi's russian mafia that was with her the whole time. to be honest it comes off that she needs ovi's friends to "protect" her from the Capitals fans...and i dont think she should be like that.
we also saw the blonde that was mentioned earlier. we sat next to her at one of the scrimmages and she was extremely friendly, struck up a conversation with us immediately. i definately think she could be with one of the players, but which one i am not sure..the only one i can rule out is ovi lol. but she was very nice, very pretty, and knew ALOT about hockey. my boyfriend has been a hockey fan for longer than he even knows and she knew things about the dynamics of the team and organization that he didnt even know. so, atleast she knows the game, and isnt like those other girls that show up just to try and hook up with a player...
we will keep a lookout for her at future practices, maybe find out who she is with if anyone.
i really hope valeria will try to be more friendly with the fans if she is going to come to practices. the caps fans would love her if she did that.
@missy
What was the hockey-knowledgeable female wearing, if you remember? (Trying to keep all these blondes sorted out.)
As for Valeria's attitude, from what people say, Russians, especially the females, can be very cold to outsiders but warm up over time as they get to know you. Seems to be a cultural thing.
@O
she had on a red jacket, had light curled long blonde hair. i have to say i was very suprised at how nice she was, she even let a fan she didnt know's young daughter play games on her high-tech phone. she told us she plays hockey as well. i guess we cant always make assumptions about over-done blondes lol theyre not all bimbos. but some are lol!
Someone above said the blonde from Kettler and the blonde at the Skins game with Nicky were two different blondes correct? Someone said the one at Kettler was possibly Galiev's GF?
@mkat83:
I'd definitely want to check that out. It's a blog or a book? It also sounds like a tv show name that I've seen a commercial for (way back when).
@O:
It doesn't Seem to be healthy to have your world wrapped too tightly around appearance but it happens everywhere.
I was there. Sat beside her. Very very young looking. Pretty thin. She's cute, but looks like a kid. She was wearing a hair scrunchie that looked like it came straight out of a SAVED By the Bell episode..I know she's russian, but she's also a model..She should know better ;) And i don't really care about them together as long as it doesn't effect his game, but i will say that before she showed up he was checking the ladies in the stand as usual!!!
@Mily,
Here is the blog mkat was talking about:
http://adayinthelifeofahockeywife.blogspot.com
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