Game 69: What just happened?

If we've learned one thing about the Toronto Maple Leafs this season it is this: We've learned nothing. Zilch. Nil. Zero. Absolutely nothing. After 69 games, honestly, I don't know jacksquat about what I'm watching any more.

Is it ice hockey? Sheep herding? Paintball?

I don't know. I'm so dizzy.

Just when you think this team has safely turned a corner, they face-plant into a brick wall. Just when you think they are as doomed as Nicolas Cage in Leaving Las Vegas, they give us reason to stop pounding back lemon drop martinis.

If you had a gambling problem and your obsession was betting on Leaf games, you would be broke by now. You would be alone, jobless, homeless, dazed and confused, begging for spare change on a downtown street corner with a cardboard sign that reads: "WHAT JUST HAPPENED?"

When tonight's comeback victory over Buffalo concluded, I tumbled off the couch as if an unseen force had walloped the back of my head with a beanbag chair. This unpredictable, back-and-forth, emotionally exhausting game left me gasping for breath, clutching my side as I sprawled supine on the hardwood floors, grinning and mumbling that three-word question up into the halogen spotlights.

What just happened?

Inside my head, trying to piece together the disorienting, heart-pounding spectacle, I felt like an eyewitness talking to the cops:

Ah, well officers, I’m pretty sure I saw the Sabres score first, maybe even on their first shot. I remember feeling numb. Then I think the Leafs tied it up. Hang on. I’m pretty sure the Leafs jumped ahead 2-1. Yes, I remember feeling... hopeful.

But then Buffalo scored two goals and had a 3-2 lead going into the third.

And what happened after that second wave of numbness? Oh, you know, more hope.

Officers, as far as I can tell, the magnificent bastards refused to die. They refused to let the Sabres waltz into their barn and bury them next to the chicken feed. They decided to rise up from the ashes of sure death to live another day inside the wild and unpredictable parallel universe known as Leafs Nation.

So despite getting outshot 32-19 after two periods, the Leafs regrouped, refocused and stormed the ice for the third with sawed-off shotguns, killer instincts and James Reimer waiting to drive the getaway car.

Mikhail Grabovski opened fire and tied the game at 4:03, when he one-timed a gorgeous feed from Carl Gunnarsson. Exactly two minutes and 33 seconds later, Phil Kessel controlled a cross-ice outlet pass from Luke Schenn, streaked down the right side, stutter-stepped around Jordan Leopold and beat Ryan Miller with one of his patented laser beams.

That was that: A 4-3 final score. The team's first Saturday night win since New Year's Day. And most important, another scramble forward in the standings, where Toronto now sits in 10th spot, four points behind Buffalo.

You know, whatever happens Monday against Tampa and beyond – only a fool would hazard a guess at this point – I'm just grateful for the meaningful nature of what's unfolding in our midst this late in the season.

We're heading into March break and I haven't already packed up my blue-and-white paraphernalia? What? We're a couple of hours away from daylight savings time and I'm not fighting the urge to set my clocks forward to training camp in September?

Has this season shortened our lives by a few years? Probably. Am I tempted to smoke eucalyptus leaves after every game in a desperate attempt to soothe my jangled nerves? Definitely.

But here's the thing: It's March 13 and we're still asking questions. We are still high-fiving each other and looking around with dazed but overjoyed expressions. We are still hopeful.

The Leafs recovered from a flat start tonight and pumped more life into their tires. So buckle-up and clear your schedule. What just happened? The crazy ride continues, that's what happened.

We are rumbling down an unmarked road with no maps and no sense of where we're going but, somehow, it feels right.

MAIN PHOTO: CHRIS YOUNG/CANADIAN PRESS

Comments

[Rookie]

Amazing game! I threw many a sock (or other laundry within reach) at the tv and could hardly stay in the room for the last 12 minutes. I've only become a true Leaf fan in the last two years (it's been a tough two years) but I can honestly say that these guys seem to want it more desperately than any other team and are keeping it mighty interesting along the way.

Looking forward to the home stretch...sort of.

[Charlee001]

Hey Vinay,

Just want to say that I am proud of the way the Leafs rose to the occasion tonight. As well, it seemed to me that the fans at the ACC were louder than usual. What did you think? I liked the way they were taunting Miller near the end. Nice show of hostility. Speaking of hostility I like how our D is finally showing some of that truculence BB promised.

Way to go Leafs!!!

[Adam]

These Leafs sure are something. Before this game, I think I had mentally checked out of this season. I was fearing a loss that would ensure the team were unpacking their golf clubs in April, yet here they were fighting until the end and it paid off. Did they just beat the SABRES twice in a row? Did that just happen?

You're right VM, I'm glad I'm a student and don't have money to gamble. I would be penniless, playing guitar downtown being heckled by drunk people right now.

[Ken Baumgartner]

Good Morning, the Leafs Live another day. Sweet.

[TimB]

I keep hearing Dougie's voice saying "we're going to do something for you guys yet".

[enJoy hockey]

The Leafs must have heard about my "Leafs Win! Holy Mackinaw! alternate universe and have decided to move in. Very satisfying when the two worlds line up.
By the way, how's Sick Daughter # 2?

[Katherine]

Consistently inconsistent is the only thing we can say about these glorious bastards. And I'm certain my life expectancy is shortened being a Leafs fan, what with holding my breath, throwing my arms in the air, jumping up and down, heart racing a mile a minute. They very well may be the death of me.

Last night was fun, but too bad I had to high-five myself as the closet Leafs fan moaned and writhed in misery. I will break him one of these days.

[leafland'r]

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Within this week's schedule..the Good,Toronto meets up with Carolina after the Hurricanes exhaust themselves with a game against Buffalo. The Bad, Carolina and Buffalo meet to definitely have one or both teams end up with points. The Ugly, New Jersey/Atanta match could create a log jam at the dividing line in the standings.
Take the phone off the hook, I'm stapping myself into the couch for the ride.

Vinay, another great read. I enjoy waking up to you in the morning.

[DWatkins]

Vinay,

That was one of the greatest games I've seen in a long time. The effort from both sides was unbelievable. That being said, I think I have an explanation for the score. When the game started, I was wearing my Phaneuf jersey - Buffalo scores. Took it off to do some dishes - Toronto scores two. So annoyed at the prospect of another loss, I took it off. Leafs score two. Can it be a coincidence? Or are these events connected on some mystical plain of existence? I don't know. All I do know is that I'm not wearing that jersey again this season! Great blog!

[DWatkins]

Oh, left out the part that when I put the jersey back on after doing dishes, Buffalo scored two!

[oakville_girl]

All I kept thinking last night was that the players got a taste of what a playoff crowd feels and sounds like in the ACC (those words IN THE ACC)

Isn't that truly spectacular?

[Peter]

i hope Brent is OK. that was a nasty high-stick. how did they not call it???

[TheGo2Girl]

Great piece again VM. I don't know what to make of this team either. They'll make me overdose on either joy or despair. Oh but they really are a great bunch of magnificent basterds aren't they? Especially that Optimus Reim who shows up at Reim time and the rest play like a team to eh. :)
I have a positive feeling about this.

[Robert]

All is quiet on the eastern front. The smoke and debris cleared away. The open bottle of Merlot - thankfully empty. My dog is looking at me with respect this Sunday morning. Perhaps a first.

It all began last night when Lebda saw Kessel streaking over the blue line and fed him a pass from our own end of the ice which hit Kessel in the ass. Perfect, we got the Sabres laughing, and off their game. Now we strike!

Reimer's first point? That kid has the most infectious grin - always smiling and by far the best thing that has happened to this team in a long while.
A hard fought battle in which our boys came back, regained the lead and fought like Trojans to keep it.
Now down to where the air is warmer, the palm trees are swaying and two more points await.

[Michael C. Nemirsky]

Bang on column, VM, would not expect less from such an inspiring magnificent leaf writing lover. What a ride these boys in blue are taking us on. It has been some time since the crowd was that charged and boisterous. They were singing for crying out loud. Miller, Miller! Priceless. Where has that emotion been for most of the year, from not only the fans, but also the players. I do believe some sort of record was set for retrieving pucks after goals, 4 for 4. That's how you win games, your best players have to be your best players. Grabo, Phil, Dion, and especially James Reimer. Man that smile of his being interviewed was a thing of beauty. Looks good on you James, damn good. Well done, now let's get some lightening in a bottle on Monday. I do believe the fat lady has taken a seat, and hope she can't get up.

[GOLEAFSGO]

I think we should have a parade for the word we dare not speak. Like how you would normally have one for a stanley cup win, but instead capitalize on what we may actually get, and have a parade for the word we do not speak.

[TimB]

I thought,for the most part,the "officials" let them play the game.As leafland'r said,it's gonna be an interesting week.Go Senators Go?

[Phil]

Any team that has Don Cherry in its corner doesn't deserve to make the playoffs. We're ALL aware of what that xenophobic old fool is capable of saying,but last night,he reached new depths. While the Chara-Pacioretty incident drew the attention of just about EVERYBODY in this country including the Prime Minister,DC had to ask Maclean:"What's his name?" Pacioretty came within a few millimetres of being paralyzed,or worse,but because he's not a Canadian good ole boy(American),and because he's a Montreal Canadien who got hit by a Boston Bruin,Cherry wouldn't even make an effort to remember his name. In a diatribe that was unbelievable, Cherry proceeded to blame everyone and anything that had any connection to Montreal..Air Canada,VIA Rail,Geoff Molson,the Bell Centre..anywhere but where the blame should have fallen..the NHL for not sending out a stern message that these type of hits will not be tolerated by suspending Chara.Apparently,Cherry's concern for players' safety,such as advocating no touch icing,has its limits,especially where the Montreal Canadiens are concerned.If Rogers is successful in purchasing the Ontario Teachers Pension portion of MLSE,and secure broadcasting rights of Leaf games away from the CBC, their first order of business should be in retiring that National Embarassment who dresses like a queen,but thinks he's a king.

[Sensi-Bill]

Re. Coaches Corner last night.
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How can anyone take anything said by the clown in the HUGE green hat as anything but an embarrassing joke?
.
That old fool whose main claim to fame is dressing like curtains designed by someone on a giddy acid trip, what's his name, again?

[hoofheartz]

Let me guess Phil, habs fan?

VM Replies: Yes, Phil is a Habs fan.
Good afternoon, all. Finally back at my workstation. Man alive, it's so hard to be out on non-Leafs business the next morning after a game like that.

[moe green]

Cherry is an embarrassing idiot. Rangers screwed us last night. Today it's "Go Sens, Go" on the out-of-town scoreboard from me, Sensi-Bill and for all of Leafland! Predicting what the Leafs will do to Tampa on Monday? Pure folly.

[Michael C. Nemirsky]

Phil, I could not agree less with your comments. Are you a scabs, I mean, habs fan? Don Cherry is an icon of all of Canada, and, is entitled to his opinion just as much as you are. If you are a regular viewer of HNIC and Coach's Corner, that is part of his schtick. He and MacLean practice their routine and is a fixture of legendary controversy. Although sometimes he crosses borders, in my humble opinion, none were crossed last night.

[hoofheartz]

Sensi-Bill, for someone who claims to be the kinder gentler there's no need to insult non-Leaf fans kinda guy, you're awful quick to label Cherry as an old fool. What do old and being foolish have to do with one another? I would expect that kind of comment from a trolling hab fan, from you I expected better. Inspite of all Cherry's bluster, is it possible that him bringing forth a legimate idea, which I believe he attributed to Sheldon Kannegeiser, to fix the stanchion problem bears some looking into?

[pinot grigio]

Cats have nine lives and I wonder how many this Leaf team has. Coming back like this and winning the game following the loss earlier this week deserves its own resurrection myth. Every culture has one so why not Leaf Nation, a mythical nation that transcends political borders.
I thoroughly enjoyed the play of Sunny Jim (glad to see the sun had broken through again during his post game interview), Grabovski who is starting to look more and more like our own Duracell bunny, Mac who scored his 20th and Stan and Ollie (the latter two because it gives me an opportunity to vent my anger, built up over years of miserable experiences with this team, and holler wholeheartedly).
Next game on Monday, better fasten your seat belts and put your seats in the upright position because this isn't over yet..

[TinB]

Well,I have to admit being way off on my prediction of Cherry's reaction.As far as his solution,are not the arena designs different?As to where the penalty box or dressing room entrances are?If the stanchion is angled what do you do with the piece of glass going back towards the seats?And if a cop is there as suggested he or she could get nailed with a puck.Seems to have it's flaws unless I'm misunderstanding his refrigerator art.

[red5]

I was at the game last night, and that was definitely a playoff atmosphere; from the cat-calling of Miller, to the chanting for Reimer before he was announced as first star. The crowd was just electric and buzzing; excited to see a meaningful hockey game.

Of course, that means I didn't catch Cherry's rant. Quite frankly, I can't stand about 95% of the garbage he spews, and his line of videos is one of the main reasons we are seeing bigger hits and staged fights. But every so often, he says something worth listening to. The inclining stanchion idea intrigues me.

@Phil - not to defend Cherry, but he does regularly forget peoples names, especially when he is getting worked up. The hamster just can't keep up in the wheel.

[prize maple]

Someone mentioned acid trip. Yeah, that about sums up what most Leaf fans are experiencing right now. Feels great while you're up but it will be a bummer when the Leafs finally crash (and they will).

VM Replies: I will give you this, prize maple: You have been consistent since the preseason.

[Billy]

Anyone catch Kessel singing the Canadian anthem at the beginning of the game? Hmpf. Since our collective rant about his lack of fire a couple of weeks ago, he's done a complete 180. Does he read this?
DWatkins - Leave the jersey off and I'll stay home. Should be a shut out next.

[hoofheartz]

You're right VM, Maple has been consistent from the start of the pre-season, nothing but negativity and "i told ya so" comments when they lose and nothing but excuses as to why the other team lost whenever the Leafs win. He is quite the prize, our little Maple.

VM Replies: I see. I don't monitor comments on other Star stories, so my reply only referred to the few posts prize maple has left here.

[loyal he remains]

Vinay, I hope your daughter is getting better. We've really been through it with the flu. My younger son has it; I'm getting over it; my older son (11) has just gotten over it and now has a tooth coming in! Only my wife is mostly unscathed (fingers firmly crossed, here). Anyway, there's some sympathy for you in this corner.
-
Is Don Cherry an icon? An icon is a symbol that gives access to a deeper aspect of reality; an icon functions like a window. All that I see when I look at Cherry is someone who will wear anything and say anything to please his audience. He's strictly an entertainer, a cheap comedian who isn't even trying for intelligent commentary.
-

Ain't this Leafs thing a ride?

VM Replies: Good day, sir. The outbreak seems under control around here. I wish you and yours a speedy recovery.
Getting ready to cheer for Sensi-Bill's team in about 90 minutes.

[loyal he remains]

Go, Sens! I have a bit of a soft spot for them, anyway.

[Bleed White & Blue]

The is my first recorded post. As a diehard leaf fan I felt it was my need to mention the following story. I work part time at a restaurant as a bartender. Last night through work I insisted that the leaf game be not only showed, but that audio be included as well. At 5 minutes left in the game, I stopped my serving/bartending duties and simply watched the rest of the game.

A gentlemen came up to me sometime whithin the last five minutes and tapped my on the shoulder. He asked "hey buddy, can i get a menu" I passed him the menu and stated "I will be over to your table in 5 minutes... provided the game does not go into overtime" and then went back to the watching the game.

Always a fan of your blogs VM!!

VM Replies: Welcome to the comments, Drew. You see, now that is dedication. Your customers sound incredibly reasonable, far more reasonable than some of the customers I see inside restaurants/bars these days.
Glad to have you with us for the home stretch.

[Peter]

hey, Phil, cry me a river. you can join Air Canada, VIA Rail and the other Montreal homers. and if you would bother to actually listen to Cherry, you wouldn't write such stupid comments.

[Wandering Penguin]

@pinot grigio: Thank you very much for taking the Stan and Ollie ball and running with it. I hope to make the nicknames stick by season's end and the only way to do that is to have other people calmly toss them into conversation without further explanation, as if everyone should already know exactly who you mean.

Which, of course, they should. Keep up the good fight!

[Pyramid Power]

Outstanding stuff Vinay and most of the comments here. Too bad the Rangers found a way to win last night despite being badly outplayed by the Sharks. Sabres winning 4-2 at last check.

It is Sunday, a time to pray. This Leafs fan is praying for a Sens comeback. Need all the help we can get.

Am totally on board with Stan and Ollie W. Penguin. Abbott and Costello are shelved for me. Will go with Stan and Ollie from here on in.

What a ride this has been. I am only now coming to my senses about what happened last night too. I imagine the Leafs will be leaving us dazed and confused tomorrow night too. And that is a bloody good feeling this late in the year.

GO LEAFS GO! Oh, so proud of our fans last night at the ACC. Need more of that, guys feed off that.

Loved The Don's comments about Montreal. He nailed it. Sadly, Chara will of course now be blamed for Montreal's first round playoff exit, global warming, the late spring in Montreal etc....
And of course likely face death threats next time Boston is in Montreal, will require police protection, will be mercilessly booed by Montreal fans for the rest of his career etc.....

The shots of Philly's stanchions and what Snider and the crew have done there, how Burkie ordered the ACC to put MORE padding on the stanchions at the ACC should shut up whining Montreal fans, but of course it won't.

Montreal fans are myopic, they don't love hockey, they love the Canadiens and would never ever dare call out their own kind for installing the hardest boards and glass in the league AND no padding on their stanchions. That could NOT be their fault could it. Bien sur non monsieur! Despicable.

VM Replies: Good day, PP.
Update: It's now 5-3 Buffalo, late in the second.

[TinB]

Spezza having a whale of a game but......

[Pyramid Power]

And good day to you Big M. I like Bomber's nickname for you as opposed to Vindaloo. lol

Thank you for the update. Off to watch that game shortly.

Canadiens fans foolishly THINK Cherry somehow forgot Pacioretty's name. No, he didn't. He did it intentionally to piss off Canadiens fans. He hates them as he rightfully should given his history with them, their classless ways etc..... His apparent forgetfulness was full on intentional and I LOVED it. Canadiens fans calling the police about Chara, wanting him strung up and hung etc..... is just pitiful.

Memo to rational intelligent Canadiens fans of whom I see there really are a few on this blog: your team is NOT the only team in the National Hockey League. Get on the phone or internet and whine and cry to your own guy, whoever it was, who designed your arena. That person or persons is the one to blame for Pacioretty's demise this year.

Hope Jimmy catches Lightning in a bottle tomorrow night. No early goals, no stress, just beat them good and early and take the two points. We are in control of our own destiny by just winning baby. Just win you magnificent babes, just win. We do that and we get where we deserve to be. And then, well, look out Philly!

Am indulging in a small fantasy now but am thinking of a young Cornell grad in 1971 in Montreal named Dryden and hoping Reimer could be the same. There is always the awesome audacity of hope.

GO LEAFS GO NOW AND FOREVER!

[Pyramid Power]

6-3 Buffalo late. Pominville just scored on the PP. No help from the Hens of course. Anderson goes wild against us, but can't get it done against Lalime for Buffalo. Oh well. No surprise.

We are going to have to do this ourselves, and pray for help. I know that is a contradiction, but that is the way it is. We need help, but perhaps if we somehow win out we get in to The Dance. And this Leafs fan LOVES boogeying and gyrating when the Leafs are juking and jiving when it counts the most.

Gyrate Leafs Gyrate!

[pinot grigio]

@WP Glad to oblige. Those names are particularly well suited to this pair of Ds that cannot do anything right. For a while, following Kaberle's departure, Lebda picked up his game but that is once again a faint memory. Man, I hope they find a way of losing them this summer but I doubt it. If the great and mighty BB has chosen them, he ain't gonna trade them or play them in the minors. That is something you can do with Ferguson's choices, not with his.
I believe Phaneuf has earned the right to being called Buster (Keaton) also known as "The great stone face". But who resembles Charlie Chaplin, the little tramp?

[Pyramid Power]

Am deeply saddened by the tragic passing of Rick Martin, membre extraordinaire of The French Connection.

Just saw him recently when Pegula (not sure if I have the name right) bought the team and the Sabres brought him Perreault and Robert out for a night to remember in Buffalo. RIP Rick. All hockey fans mourn your passing into the Great Hereafter.

[Alecia]

See Vinay, good things happen when I attend games.

When shall I check the mail for my season tickets?

VM Replies: As you know, I've been working on raising funds for your season tickets. Need a bit more time.

[Geoff Read]

I have to admit, Leafs fans, your team surprised me last night. I thought we'd officially be writing their obituary this morning, but the team lives to fight another day.

The Devils, I noticed, kept pace and have a game in hand. Just sayin'.

[leafland'r]

Grapes' drapes
Before the Leaf game last night there was talk about the nature of some hits within the last decade. It was believed something should be done to defeat the senseless tactics.
In battle a general or strategist would fight their war on many fronts. One such front, though minor, in the assault on assaults is to undermine Don Cherry's market machine. Nearly a generation of hockey players have grown up on "Rockem Sockem". Quit with the cumulative effect and possible tranference of Cherry's money making, pension supplementing, profiteering smash 'n crash images.
As a bonus, maybe with a reduced income DC might alter his tailored drapes

[Sensi-Bill]

@hoofheartz
.
"Sensi-Bill, for someone who claims to be the kinder gentler there's no need to insult non-Leaf fans kinda guy, you're awful quick to label Cherry as an old fool. What do old and being foolish have to do with one another? I would expect that kind of comment from a trolling hab fan, from you I expected better. Inspite of all Cherry's bluster, is it possible that him bringing forth a legimate idea, which I believe he attributed to Sheldon Kannegeiser, to fix the stanchion problem bears some looking into?"
.
Sorry if I've let you down hoof. I do attempt to maintain certain standards but I never promised perfection in the kinder, gentler department.
.
We both know that old and foolish don't automatically go together, though many assume so. I was just noting that Cherry is both --- old AND foolish --- which unfortunately adds to the stereotype.
.
Yes, occasionally Cherry does bring forward a good idea or two, often borrowed from other sources. But for the most part, I, in my humble opinion, find his self-serving bluster and bombast undermine any attempt at true content and credibility.

[Sensi-Bill]

@loyal he remains
.
"All that I see when I look at Cherry is someone who will wear anything and say anything to please his audience. He's strictly an entertainer, a cheap comedian who isn't even trying for intelligent commentary."
.
Obviously, I agree with you. I also think it's sad they keep him on as he continues to tarnish his reputation because of the ratings and the support he gets from people who consider him an "icon."
.
And of course his pro-Leaf bias makes him some kind of hero and/or saint to many in Leafs Nation. (And, unfortunately, outside Leafs Nation as well.)
.
Note: As always, the above is merely the opinion of Sensi-Bill, who respects the rights of others to have differing views.

[Ken Baumgartner]

I am a proud papa tonight. My boy just scored the double overtime winner to win the championship in their tournament this weekend. It was kesselesque from the right side at the top of the faceoff circle.
The NHL is exciting but I gotta say watching your kid win is just a step above. The stories on the ride home is just about the best thing in the world. I can't imagine what itwould be like watching your kid do that in the NHL.

[Sensi-Bill]

"No help from the Hens of course. Anderson goes wild against us, but can't get it done against Lalime for Buffalo. Oh well. No surprise."
.
"Of course"?
.
"No surprise"?
.
Just because few people here acknowledged previous help by the Sens doesn't mean it hasn't been there.
.
But, while the current Sens have been winning more games, that's still with a number of kids learning to play together at this level. So we don't expect perfection --- or to win every game.
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Fortunately for us, the occasional loss helps keep us from sliding too far out of prime position in the lottery for a top draft pick.
.
Still, we ARE trying to win --- and help our Ontario brethren --- whenever we can.
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For the record, Jhonas Enroth played goal for Buffalo, not Patrick Lalime.

[Sensi-Bill]

Head bowed in honour of a great player and a fine person, Rick Martin.

[pinot grigio]

Correction: Buster (Keaton) "The Great Stone Face" better be applied to Kulemin whose facial expressions run the scale from null to void.

[Wandering Penguin]

@Pinot - well, if we hadn't already anointed Grabbo "The Big Grabovski" I would say he would be a shoe in as "The Little Tramp". For my money MacArthur bears more than a passing resemblance to Chaplin so I'd vote for him.

@PP what a shocker. I just read about that as well. The account I read mentioned that he may have had a "medical emergency" before his car crashed as witnesses mentioned they saw him slumped over his wheel. I imagine we will hear more tomorrow.

I vividly recall the last game of the 1975-76 season when the Leafs visited the Sabres and Martin had 49 goals entering the game - or may have scored that 49th very early in the contest. The Sabres spent the rest of the game - a 5-2 victory, ultimately - trying to set him up for his 3rd straight 50-goal season and he had so many chances to get it but, in what seemed to be typical Martin fashion at the time, kept firing the puck over the net from in close. Instead, a sophomore from BC with Wendel Clarkian stats - he entered the game, if memory serves, with 47 goals and a quick look on the 'net shows he finished the year with only 23 assists - stole Martin's thunder with a hat-trick to score 50 goals himself. Even as a Leaf fan I felt badly for Martin at the time.

I know that shouldn't be my strongest memory of him, but it truly is.

[pinot grigio]

I was the Gardens the night Buffalo played the Leafs and Tim Horton killed himself driving home to Buffalo. It was in 1974, I believe, and it made an enormous impression. Horton was 44 years old at the time, he was badly nearsighted but he was still a force to be reckoned with on the blue line. That was a good Buffalo team, Rick Martin was on it of course, as was Graig Ramsay, the current coach of Atlanta. and Dave Dryden, Ken's brother.
I really enjoyed watching the sheer artistry of the French connection. Martin will be greatly missed.

[Wandering Penguin]

Upon further review, I have decided that "vividly" may be a bit strong a word to describe how I recall the 1976 contest between the Sabres and the Leafs. I am a major stats nerd, but even that is a bit embarrassing, true though it may be. It was THIRTY-FIVE years ago, for heaven's sake.

Maybe I haven't moved out of my parent's basement after all.

[Pyramid Power]

@Bomber It is awesome being a hockey Dad eh? I have so many wonderful memories of that, and glad the kid is an up and coming Kessel. Get our next Leaf out to power skating lessons and working the orange heavy puck. And don't punish him with anything but pushups. Jesting.

@WP Hilarious! The only thing I 'vividly' remember at age 12 was living in Montreal and hating how successful the Canadiens were. And dropping pencils near the vicinity of our hot math teacher so we could pick up said pencils and surreptitiously (hopefully) gaze up her skirt. Oh, peashooting was fun too as in sticking wads of wet paper in an empty Bic pen and firing it at our enemies in class.

@Sensibill I am not annoyed with you anymore. You had to work in Ottawa for some publication or another for three decades from what you have written. I had to suffer journalism studies at Carleton for five. Pretty traumatic. So all is forgiven. Smiles. :D Or is it this? g I forget. Been too long. Cheers lad.

[Gerhard]

I absolutely love the renewed optimism from Leafs fans even as the gap remains 6 points and teams close in from down the standings. The Leafs probability of making the playoffs hasn't gone up much even with their performance since the break but you can't tell that to Leafs fans. Some Leafs fans are so mathematically illiterate that they believe the Leafs have a chance based upon the number of teams in the race rather than the relevant facts about point differences and the difficulty of chasing teams in the standings. Realistically the Devils have a better chance of making the playoffs than the Leafs if one insists upon immeasurable factors, but most Leafs fans don't bother looking in the rear view mirror.

The Leafs are likely going to need at least 88 points to make the playoffs, meaning they need 18 of the 26 points left in the season. 8-3-2 is what they would have to play to hit that mark but that also means that Buffalo & New York have to play take half the points in their remaining games, and the Leafs aren't likely to win any tie breakers. Can't wait until the 'Canes - Sabres and Devils - Thrashers play Wednesday: don't really care who wins the first game as long as it goes to OT, but the Devils winning in OT would be hilarious. That, combined with a Leafs regulation loss to Tampa would drop the Leafs back to 12th just a little ahead of schedule.

Leafs fans should be thankful though: if the NHL changed their playoff system giving only 3 divisional and one wild card berth per Conference and then took the next best 8 teams regardless of Conference the Leafs chances would be closer to zero than they are right now.

[Pyramid Power]

@pinot Excellent memory. Horton did essentially kill himself didn't he? Awful. 44-years-old indeed. Such a truly strong tough man yet donuts and coffee are his legacy to so many. Bummer. I just remember the hockey player, but not well at all. I tried to avoid Tim Horton's shops as much as possible while in Canada.

To read about Horton and now Martin dying in single car accidents, well, it is beyond tragic. Terry Pegula had big plans for Martin, Robert and Perreault apparently. Martin looked larger than life just two short weeks ago. Condolences out to his family and all Sabres and hockey fans.

[Pyramid Power]

Nice to read that after the Sabres home win over Ottawa yesterday that their players all gathered at centre ice and pointed their sticks at Martin's #7 banner. Good on them. Am assuming Lindy Ruff told them to do that - classy move.

[hoofheartz]

Sensi-Bill,

Generally I either leave the room or change the channel just before Coach's Corner starts but I just had to tune in on Saturday to see if he would blame Pacioretty (I think thats his name)(WG), for the hit he took from Chara. Much to my surprise, he didn't make his usual "blame the victim statement, although as expected he didn't see anything wrong with the hit. Anyway, just wanted to say I agree to a certain extent with your comments about the Don.

[gettingcozywithsarkozy]

Okay, I'm back in game mode for today/tonight. Saturday night took a toll on me and I took a much needed break from hockey yesterday. However, I couldn't resist checking the OTT-BUF score last night. Geeesh, we just can't catch a break.

On the topic of Cherry;:as much as hab fans (and even some Leaf faithful) will hate to admit; Cherry just said what the majority of hockey fans believe already. While time is taking its toll on Don, he still has a wealth of hockey knowledge under his belt and for this he should be respected not brushed off and put on the back-burner like so many seem to like to do to the senior community around us.

[Robert]

I have never been able to understand why the CBC allows this bigoted old fart to continue to rant and rave. Well actually I do, because he draws a huge audience.
Cherry is so out of date when it comes to coaching, his so called tips for the kids do more harm than good.
He will tell you he watches more hockey than anybody, which is, I suspect, to shore up his dwindling memory. (Ah, the days of yesteryear?)
'Rock em Sock em Hockey' is sold on violence. Why else the name?
To suggest anything else is disingenuous, as phoney as the old fart in the Ringling Brothers consumes!

[Pyramid Power]

@Gerhard a.k.a. Buzz Killington: sadly I paid you a compliment recently mistakenly thinking you were a wise and loyal Leafs fan. I take it all back.

Have used this line before and will bust it out again because I dig it: you sir are a nattering nabob of negativity. Please take it elsewhere. Thank you very much.

Have a great day.

[Peter]

Hey, Gerard, your point is what exactly?

[Robert]

Gerard: Thank you for explaining this to us. As if we didn't know, or didn't care.
We are fans idiot. Fans don't give a s..t about these stats. We are behind our team - we harness our collective Leafian energies to push them into the post season. We don't care about what you have to say, it is applicable only to non believers such as yourself.

[Wade]

My 21 month old wore his Leaf sweater for the first time last night....didn't seem to mind it hung to his ankles. He's going to be wearing that sucker every game night down the stretch. (In perhaps some weird respect of Keon's famous grudge, I only don my #14 for playoff games -- doesn't seem worthy to wear it for Nashville in December, etc).

VM Replies: A lot of good jersey karma these days.

[hoofheartz]

Apparently Gerhard is another habitroll or maybe he just likes to hate on the Leafs and their fans to compensate for something he/she/it is lacking. Either way, his/her/its negative vibes are not wanted here.

[gettingcozysarkozy]

You know the only thing more pathetic than us Leaf fans clinging to a thread of hope that our team will make the p---? That's right, being a fan of another team and trolling around on a Leafs blog feeling the need to remind Leaf fans about their slim hopes of making the p----.

[Geoff Read]

@ Robert and others on Cherry,

I don't buy that Cherry speaks for the majority. I think he speaks for the majority of a certain kind of fan and for the NHL establishment, but I coached two hockey games and played in another this week and every single person I talked to had the same reaction - the NHL's failure to punish Chara was an outrage and the league has to do something on violence. Another warning sign: I had several parents say to me that they're thinking about pulling their kids out of hockey next year because the game's become so dangerous.

Besides which, even if you agree with Cherry's view of the hit, his comments that league sponsors should be "ashamed" of themselves for voicing their opinions is just stupid. They're significant stakeholders in the game and the league, and they've got a right to a voice when they have concerns.

[pinot grigio]

This is a link to a good article on Rick Martin

http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/sabres-nhl/article366076.ece

[Wandering Penguin]

@"Bomber" - congratulations! Neither of my offspring have taken to the sport so I can't know exactly what you are feeling, but when my eldest was 12 and it was obvious that I was going to have to look elsewhere to live vicariously through the young folk, I took up coaching and have done so at the Peewee level ever since. A few years ago our charges won a double-overtime game in the semifinals - a huge upset against a rather stacked squad that had only lost one other game that season. I have to say that was the single most exciting game of hockey I have ever attended - and I was at the Gilmour double-OT thriller. That's as close as I have come to what you must have been feeling and I remember it very, very well.

@the room in general: I have been ambivalent toward Cherry for well over a decade now (mostly because I haven't watched a "Coach's Corner" this millennium and, might I add, not solely because of Cherry). Then came the senile, semi-incoherent rantings at Blob Ford's inauguration. Now I must confess to an active dislike.

But I still don't watch Coach's Corner. Truth be told, I haven't seen a single CBC intermission piece (first or second period) in many, many years.

I don't want to get "suckered in" again, being still a neophyte here. Is "gerhard" a usual suspect of the Land of Trolls?

[Robert]

@Geoff: I too coached hockey. Minor for over 30 years. I took what was the CHA and then the CHL levels to advanced level. To try and teach the skills.
You are so right, I would try to teach young players various skills only to have them try the Rock em Sock em method on game day. Often courtesy of their dads who had their undivided attention from home to the rink.
I have said before, Don Cherry, single handedly has done more harm to young hockey players than anyone. His constant diatribe, his promotion of fighting, and his antiquated views are a scourge to the game.
As for the Chara hit, I am less emotionally connected to that than you are. I suspect Chara would not do it again, but, for the life of me, I cannot see how it was intentional to hurt Pacioretty. Skating an opponent off into the boards is done all the time in the present game. It happened at an unfortunate junction in the Bell centre arena. Suspension, whatever, will not change that. Chara plays hard, but, has never been suspended in 13 years, in spite of the fact he towers over most of the opposition. For that, if for no other reason, I give him the benefit of the doubt.

[Rooney]

Beat it Trolls. "The spirit, the will to win, and the will to excel are the things that endure. These qualities are so much more important than the events that occur" (Vince Lombardi). Getting ready for a Tampa thumping - GO LEAFS GO!

[Ken Baumgartner]

Thanks Wandeing penguin. It is the beauty of sports. Cheering for your child puts cheering for a professional athelete in clear perspective.

This is why comments from the likes of GERHARD are ridiculous.
You see GERHARD, it is pretty clear that if your team was in he same position, you would have givin up on your team and found a way to imake stupid jokes about it instead of taking the opportunity to enjoy the moment. This after all is what we Leaf fans are doing. If the unlikely happens we will be at the front of the joy line. If not, the sun will come out tomorrow, we will have are say and move on. If you want stick your head in the pessimist bucket go ahead, but at the same time, go away. Being a realist has more than one side, I choose this side.

VM Replies: A belated congrats to you and Bomber Junior! A double-overtime goal? You won't forget that one.

[Geoff Read]

@ Robert
You and I share the same view of Cherry in every respect. I think, moreover, that our view of him has gained a great deal of traction in the past few years.
On Chara, we're not actually that far apart either. I don't think Chara meant to injure Pacioretty (although I'm not 100% convinced that he didn't) - I just think he was being reckless and broke the rules in doing so. It's not that I think the guy's some kind of super villain - but when you break the rules and someone gets seriously hurt, you should get some kind of suspension to send the message that the league is not "OK' with what happened. I think that's what has most people so angry - the feeling that the league basically gave the thumbs up to another hit of this kind.

[gettingcozywithsarkozy]

Geoff,

I'm with Robert on the Chara hit. We just can't speculate about his intention. Chara "broke the rules" by interfering with Pacioretty, but, not in any other way. As mentioned previously, those kind of hits happen in every game. The fact that it happened at that precise location is the unfortunate part. This is also why the refs couldn't give him anything more than an interference penalty (the fact that it was 5 minutes for interference is kinda laughable). Once, again, the punishment was dished out based on the play. The difficult job for the NHL to do was to look only at the play and not the aftermath of the injury. While I disagree with many of their calls this season, they got this one right. They can't just make an example out of a person to teach others a lesson, the rules should change first.

[Wade]

Someone really needs to do a satirical Don Cherry blog. Spoof comments from his personal diary, or from the point of view of his new dog or something.

[Boo Who?]

Pound sand, Blow-hard.

I'm just popping in to report that I saw a guy wearing a Leafs jersey on the train this morning. A very old looking Leafs jersey. This is truly a momentous occasion, as I think I've mentioned how being a Leafs fan in Vancouver is like belonging to some kind of persecuted cult whose members have all gone underground.
Tall guy on the train drinking from a Timmy's cup: I salute you. For showing Leafy pride and for clearly not being from BC. (I think they hook them up to Starbuck's drips in the delivery room around here.)

Also - I think I know at least one Leafs player that reads this blog. Because not even a day after we were discussing the 'Green Men' Vancouver fans, he tweeted that we should have our own 'Blue Men' fans. Except he wants them to be chicks, not guys.
Darryl Boyce, you are both a pervert and a patriot, and for that, I salute you. (And if it'll get you guys moving on the PP - hand over the spandex bodysuit, my momma don't have to know.)

And now, a silent prayer for Tim 'Timmay!' Brent's eye. I think he'd look mighty fetching with an eye-patch... *silent reverie* ...but anyone that goes near his eyeball today will have to answer to me.

VM Replies: Ms. Boo! I hope you're feeling better. Your commuter tale has lifted my spirits this afternoon.
Brent with an eyepatch? Yes, that's all the power play needs right now: A pirate on the blue line.

[TPiddy]

@Gerhard - considering that the first thing done in tie-breaking is removing SO wins.... an area where the Leafs WOULD win the tie break against teams like Buffalo, Carolina and the Rangers... you're absolutely full of hot air. We obviously know the odds are long. My Leaf playoff clock is at 2 games... they can afford to lose just 2 more games in regulation or the season is done. However, considering the team just went 10-3-4, the odds of them going 9-2-1 the rest of the way aren't too horrible, when you consider we have teams like Ottawa, Colorado and Florida in that schedule as well as Boston, Detroit and Tampa. Any way you slice it, the Leafs remaining games against the Devils, Sabres and Hurricanes... are all must-wins... no doubt about it.

[A True Leafs Fan]

Is anyone as worried about Riemer as i am? Do you guys remeber what happened to Hiller from anahiem? he stepped up to the plate like Riemer to solidify his #1 role. but fell due to Exhaustion. I think if we play riemer every game the rest of the season he is going to have a mental break down or something. dont get me wrong i love the guy but we had him play 2 back-to-back games in 2 weeks. I know hes young but, do we need to give this guy a break?

[pinot grigio]

My wife, who has dealt with people in varying states of health for many years, remarked one time that Cherry struck her as a very lonely and probably depressed person. She asked me if he was married and I told her that as far as I knew he was a widower. She then asked if he had always been dressed this outrageously or if it had started more recently. I told her he has always been very opinionated but the ridiculous outfits were pretty recent. In her opinion, no wife would allow him to go on TV in such a Bozo the Clown outfit.
Just for what it is worth, the opinion of someone with absolutely no axe to grind.

VM Replies: Rose, his first wife, died in 1997. He has since remarried, though the relationship is rarely mentioned publicly for whatever reasons.
I recall hearing from his new wife years ago, after I had interviewed him for a feature. Contrary to his on-air persona, he's actually just a quiet man who spends a considerable amount of time reading, supporting charities and watching historical documentaries.
Leaving aside his soapbox rants and impact on the sport, I will say this without reservation: I am very fond of that quiet man.

[Boo Who?]

@ VM - I think/hope I've turned a corner. I hope your princess has as well.

Between the gyrating Blue Chicks and Captain Tim Sparrow...*silent reverie*...on the PP, my mind's eye is quite wide with interest right now.

[Geoff Read]

@Sarko,

See... I actually think that even if it was just interference, a suspension would still be merited. That said, I don't understand when people say it was just a routine play. The video evidence is pretty conclusive: Chara's forearm/fist clearly comes up to head level and intentionally or not, slams Pacioretty's head into the stanchion. Here's all the evidence you need. Look where his forearm/fist is: http://www.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/images/photos/001/153/036/Zdeno-Chara-Max-Pacioretty_crop_340x234.gif%3F1299869375&imgrefurl=http://www.chatbruins.com/news/&usg=__WJS7oGjA4Nx0Ernre5Te0ISx4I8=&h=234&w=340&sz=64&hl=en&start=20&sig2=Soe9QNKlj5Cx0Sums9b3tA&zoom=1&tbnid=TXoyrhfOdG8ddM:&tbnh=149&tbnw=205&ei=A1N-TarBPJSBrQH6qenhBQ&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dzdeno%2Bchara%2Bhit%2Bmax%2Bpacioretty%2Bfront%2Bview%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26biw%3D1280%26bih%3D802%26tbs%3Disch:10%2C342&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=136&vpy=466&dur=837&hovh=186&hovw=271&tx=119&ty=95&oei=_lJ-TbarD8G7qwGA7am3Bg&page=2&ndsp=20&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:20&biw=1280&bih=802

At any rate, I like this satirical take on it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2K0_1pKzXaI

[hoofheartz]

I'm ascared VM. Which blowhard is Ms Boo telling to pound sand?

VM Replies: I'm not entirely sure. But my guess is: The one who kind of rhymes with "blowhard."

[Wandering Penguin]

@ Pinot: Thanks for that link. That was an excellent article on Martin.

@ True Leafs Fan: I am worried about Reimer for the same reasons. I posted about it a couple of threads ago but I think you and I may been in the minority. Still, I think he is definitely showing signs of wearing down at the very least.

@hoof: I am 99 44/100% sure Ms Boo was talking to Gerhard Gearloose. I sure hope I am right, being a bit of a blowhard my own self.

[gettingcozywithsarkozy]

Geoff,

Sure, and if the live action played out as slow as the slo-mo replay I would believe you, but, at normal pace, it is hard to say he "directed his head" into the stanchion. Now, I haven't played too much hockey in my life, but from what I understand, anyone who is finishing a check extends their forearm once contact with the body is made in order to leverage more force into the check. The same thing happened in the TOR-BOS game a couple weeks back when Grabovski was decked by Zdeno, twice (as a Leaf fan I would have wanted a penalty, but as an objective observer, I couldn't justify it). I attribute it to the fact that Chara is over half a foot taller than pacioretty and almost a whole foot taller than Grabo. At worst, I would believe that Chara intended to plaster max's face on the glass separating the two benches and made a grave miscalculation.

[Wandering Penguin]

Being a transplanted Quebecois myself - but let me quickly assure you: a LIFElong Leafs fan - and knowing what I do about Rick Martin's penchant for being the comedian in the room, I am going to go on record with my firm belief that it was no coincidence that he chose to drive a Buick Lacrosse.

http://www.automobile.com/whats-in-a-name-gm-embarrassed-over-lacrosse.html

I am 100% sure he was aware of this slang, as he was born in Verdun, QC.

From all accounts coing out of Buffalo today, he we will QUITE sorely missed by everyone there.

[Geoff Read]

@Sarko,

I agree with you in saying that I'm not sure he "directed his head' into the stanchion. But how much does that matter? Regardless of intent, he was hitting him in the head with his forearm and even if the stanchion hadn't have been there, he would have slammed his head into the glass.... Like you said, you can't prove intent, and I'm not trying to do that, but you have to be responsible for your actions.

[A True Leafs Fan]

Can we drop the Chara talk? S**T happens... get over it

[Wandering Penguin]

One thing I will say about the whole Chara discussion: I am rather tired of hearing people make excuses for his reckless arms because of his size. Grabovski would never be allowed to leave his feet to make up for the height difference so Chara should not be excused for hitting someone in the head with his forearm simply because there is a foot difference in height. Like I said before, it's not like he became gargantuan overnight. He should by now have learned how to play within his size structure and he clearly has not.

As far as I am concerned it is well past time for the NHL to legislate against forearms to the head in any situation regardles of whether someone is ducking, jumping or lying down on the ice.

[gettingcozywithsarkozy]

I guess its a matter of perspective. You see it as his forearm directly hitting his head, I see it as his forearm being carried upward by momentum and ending somewhere in the shoulder area. To say that it was a definite direct "head shot" is a stretch. But alas, I too grow weary of this topic, so if you would like, you can have this round.

[TG77]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wU1kTuVSUOw - 19th Nervous Breakdown by the Stones (a propos for this Leafs' season)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1D3-tY9PuY - an early music selection, well it's early here. Paul Simon's Obvious Child.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEZockGkEyY - keep the car running (original) by arcade fire

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDxcjukqISs&feature=related - cover of Arcade Fire by Foo Fighters

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BxfpbyV-uc - OK Go "Get over it"

So given Hoof and I decided the music for the blog at times, does that mean I should sew a big "C" onto all my shirts and sweaters?

[TG77]

Vinay - I posted a few songs and it might be in the SPAM filter. Should be an interesting game tonight and good to hear Brent is okay. The Leafs called up Lashoff. Does this mean Lebda is relegated to the press box? Of course Garth Snow likely will make a claim on Lashoff to you know, help improve his team. I am so impressed with the way Aulie has stepped up and played big minutes down the stretch. Sjostrom is back healthy too so I guess a few line-up decisions are in order for tonight's game.

Sorry for this rambly Don Cherry-esque post but I met Don Cherry as a kid, likely about 20 years ago, maybe longer and he was incredibly nice, genuine, humble and friendly to everyone. Nothing like the character he plays on Coach's Corner.

VM Replies: It was in the spam filter! Damn that stupid filter.
I have just put up a new post for today's game.

[TimB]

I just want to give VM credit for an "informed" opinion of Don Cherry.His statement goes against every view expressed on this blog.I'm not one of the biggest Grapes fans but I try not to judge a book by it's cover.I wouldn't mind reading that interview if it was online somewhere.

VM Replies: I can see if there's a link somewhere. The Star created Warholian pop-art of Cherry for the cover art, which was neat.

[Wade]

Alright, alright, I guess we should all see the good in everyone and just let Cherry be....maybe he's just a self-basting turkey anyway and doesn't need satire. I'll just keep ignoring him and while I follow Vinny and maybe Elliotte Friedman now and then. Carry on, Don.

[Geoff Read]

Y'all,

I understand the "get over it sentiment" as in we're tired of talking about this so let's move on. Debating the finer points of the hit is academic at this point to be sure. That said, I hope we don't just "get over it" or "move on" because only sustained public pressure on the NHL will result in any meaningful change - because all signs point to the league itself not giving a sh*t. I was really pissed off over how the league handled the Matt Cooke hit, I was angry over the Sidney Crosby situation, and now the Pacioretty thing. This is a league that has demonstrated it will not and does not want to put its players' safety first. And precisely because I coach hockey and have kids in the game, I find that reprehensible and irresponsible.

[Boo Who?]

Ha ha ha, I am really not that scary, believe me. I should feel bad for making all the men-folk so afeared of me, but it's just too much fun. I'm character building!

VM and WP were both correct in their guesses.

Speaking of blow-hards...wonder how Burkie is faring down in FLA at the GM meetings? (Kidding Burkie! I actually really dig your kind. We could either have some fantastic arguments or terrorize the lesser mortals together. Think about it. Call me?)

[Geoff Read]

TimB, Vinay,

I've actually met Cherry, and he was very nice in person. Having said that, I also think he's as responsible as anyone for the current violent state of the game.

The other thing he's responsible for is the profusion of Cherry clones. Thanks to Cherry, opinionated blowhards who love violence are de rigueur on all Canadian hockey shows. So every time I'm subjected to the rambling inanity of Nick Kypreos, Matthew Barnaby, Mike Milbury (who might be changing his stripes?) or any of the other Cherry wannabes, I blame the Don himself. I project my anger onto him.

VM Replies: But Kypreos and Barnaby were NHL fighters before they were broadcasters. So maybe, in those two cases at least, it's not fair to project and graft their perspective onto Cherry's veneer.

[Geoff Read]

Vinay,

Agreed. I'm not saying that they're just imitating Cherry - I'm sure they mean what they say. What I mean is that the networks are imitating CBC and Coach's Corner's success by putting these types of guys on the air.

[TimB]

@ Wade & Geoff Read. Cherry,in my opinion,has become a caricature of himself.I'm just saying we have to separate the man from his opinions.When someone criticizes him for showing emotions when troops die,no matter what your political views are,I find that a bit sickening.If we wrote each other off on this blog every time we disagreed,there would be no blog.Some of us who do not care for name calling,have resorted to it.