Guest Post: The case against patience
Rebuilding In The Peaks And Valleys Of Leaf Passion
BY MOE GREEN
Sometimes we Leaf fans get a little unhinged. After all, it's a lot to ask of us: To be patient. To wait. Just a bit more. Next fall. Next spring. Soon. Soon, it will be different. Promise. It will be so much better. Maybe. Hopefully.
"The Passion That Unites Us All" is the corporate motto of the Toronto Maple Leafs as conceived by the board of MLSE. I do think it's accurate, though I would drop the "All."
We Leaf fans are a passionate bunch. Sometimes, passionate at the expense of patient. But that's just it, isn't it? Passion and patience do not mix well together. They are like oil and water, positive and negative, matter and anti-matter. They are diametrically opposed concepts. They cannot exist within the same time and space.
You can't have your cake and eat it too. "Hockey is a religion here," we're told, Toronto is the "Vatican of Hockey." The Leafs are "different than other franchises." We are "special and special rules apply."
Translation: An ordinary rebuild is okay for ordinary teams. But we want something – deserve something – more. MLSE and its chief representative here on earth, Brian Burke, sell this exalted ideal to us on a daily basis.
And we buy it.
Are they right? Are we different? We literally weep when our favourite players are traded. For us, a trade is like a death in the family. We feel the pain of every hit and share in the jubilation of every goal. We have supported this team through a success-drought that makes the dust bowl seem like a day at the beach. We post long, impassioned and erudite soliloquies on blogs at 3 in the morning... on school nights.
And all of this for a team now sitting in 22nd place.
So please don't tell us "patience for the rebuild" is somehow a gift bestowed from high above by our betters. That is simply not the stuff real Leaf fans are made of. Real Leaf fans are made of blood and guts and screams and tears and hair ripped out from the roots and, yes, passion.
We overrate our players' performances like doting parents overrate their kids' performances at their first school play. We see our players through the blinded eyes of love struck high-schoolers. We meticulously analyze every fragment of our season with calculators, spreadsheets and Ouija boards.
Then we follow every single move in the off-season. We read every article from every source no matter how obscure. We agonize over every trade rumour, every whisper no matter how small or seemingly insignificant. We record games and do frame-by-frame analysis of facial expressions on the bench to gain insight into moods and confidence levels. We follow the players on our team like John Hinckley Jr. followed Jodie Foster.
We are obsessed. And obsession, by its very nature, is impatient.
When we go to bed after a win, it's the goals we replay over and over in our heads like silent movies. After a loss, it's the forward lines we juggle, the defensive pairings we adjust. While the non-believers, those not burdened with this passion, drift into peaceful sleep, our minds never stop churning in blue-and-white.
So as the Leafs embark upon a road trip this week, as the games remaining dwindle down to single digits, let's make one thing clear: When you ask a Leaf fan to be patient, you are asking a lot. When you ask us to wait until next season or beyond for consistency and success, you really do not understand us.
If you are content to patiently watch this team develop under the thoughtful tutelage of Brian Burke and Ron Wilson, I cautiously and wearily submit that you may be a fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs but you are not a real Leaf fan.
If you are not as deeply saddened at the sight of Tomas Kaberle donning the putrid brown and yellow of our hated division rivals as you would be watching your own son or daughter go off to war – on the side of the enemy – you are not a real Leaf fan.
If you have the patience to happily wait until next season to taste the playoffs, if you can talk about trading Clarke MacArthur or Mikhail Grabovski without having a little sick well up in your throat, if you can enjoy the NHL postseason after the Leafs have been eliminated from contention yet again, then you may be a hockey fan, possibly even a fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs, but you are simply not a real Leaf fan.
After all is said and done, it is the passion that unites us.
The pseudonymous Moe Green is a former-Torontonian and Leaf-lifer grinding it out passionately deep in the heart of Texas.
yappy lappy ... love it!
VM Replies: Simmer!
Posted by: Simmer | 03/22/2011 at 08:55 PM
Ooops. I must be drunk Vinay. Go Habs. Ugh. I feel very dirty.
Posted by: Pyramid Power | 03/22/2011 at 08:57 PM
I know it's a Leaf fan rule to know as little as possible about teams other than the Leafs, but McElhinney is in, again, because Anderson is suffering a minor injury.
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As well, McElhinney has been playing lights out of late.
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But hey, the Sens aren't worth bothering to even think about --- until the Leafs, and their fans, need a favor.
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And then they want to call the shots as to who we should play in nets. Sheesh.
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Sometimes . . .
Posted by: Sensi-Bill | 03/22/2011 at 08:57 PM
Putting on my lucky Habs socks right now....clearly the Habs shirt and undies weren't enough.
Posted by: Princess Mononoke | 03/22/2011 at 08:59 PM
Excellent! Who was responsible for the Leaf goal? Who scored it. Did we deserve to be up more or are we lucky to be up one. What did I miss?
Posted by: moe green | 03/22/2011 at 08:59 PM
Robert We are indeed everywhere. Leaf Nation extends around the world. Fantastic. Great to see people from Belgium, Australia etc...... on here.
Posted by: Pyramid Power | 03/22/2011 at 09:00 PM
I am looking for a feed no luck so far. If anyone finds one let me know. Go Leafs!
VM Replies: PP says this one is working: vodkasports.com
Posted by: moe green | 03/22/2011 at 09:00 PM
Big M I am doing this from my BlackBerry. It is cumbersome.
VM Replies: I'm just giving you a hard time, Bomber. Where's your brother tonight?
Posted by: ken baumgartner | 03/22/2011 at 09:02 PM
Smart penalty Gunner. Let's kill this. A shortie would be nice.
Posted by: Pyramid Power | 03/22/2011 at 09:03 PM
@PP - nice to see you here tonight! Missed you the other night!
@Lainey - No worries! I am here! Fingers crossed! Waiting for the next period to start!
VM - will send our mutual friend an email tomorrow based on the info you gave me today. Will let you know when I get a response.
VM Replies: Okay. And please apologize. I've been failing to reply to so many people these days and it's unacceptable.
Posted by: Sue | 03/22/2011 at 09:03 PM
Thx VM will try it.
Posted by: moe green | 03/22/2011 at 09:04 PM
No flight sim tonight VM, just world of tanking :P
VM Replies: Tanking? That better not be some kind of metaphor.
Posted by: Tom | 03/22/2011 at 09:05 PM
Off to the sin bin with ya Stoner ya Buzzcock. It is Philthy time.
Come on guys. 5 on 3. Let's get one.
Posted by: Pyramid Power | 03/22/2011 at 09:07 PM
He is watching the video of his Karate championships.I took 3 days worth of video. I felt like medea it was fun. I could do that for living.
Posted by: ken baumgartner | 03/22/2011 at 09:09 PM
we're not worthy, we're not worthy... way to go Reimer!! 3 for 3 in break-aways!!
Posted by: LaineyTML12 | 03/22/2011 at 09:09 PM
Wow Breakway-galore.... we should just give Reimer the C.
GO LEAFS GO!!!
VM Replies: Well, look who dropped in to say hello.
Posted by: Alecia | 03/22/2011 at 09:10 PM
@PP
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" Now get it together Ottawa. "
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Demanding much?
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Well, we like to do favours but we DON'T take orders.
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So, losing patience with this arrogance, let me politely suggest that you go twisted-nail yourself, Mr. Pee-ramid Poo-wer.
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It's NOT to our benefit to win. And if we manage to pull it off, and manage a comeback win, we will win for ourselves, and NOT for you and your team.
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Yours truly,
A p*ssed-off "Hens" fan
Posted by: Sensi-Bill | 03/22/2011 at 09:10 PM
ANOTHER breakaway, another save by King James. Outstanding.
Tighten up Toronto. Get the D. going. It's not like Fran is playing or anything.
Posted by: Pyramid Power | 03/22/2011 at 09:10 PM
wow, these Wild announcers are competing for the biggest homer award in the league. First, they didn't see anything wrong with Rosehill being cross-checked in the face and then they upon seeing Kadri's stick get blatantly slashed in two pieces they announce "somebody's stick just shattered on the ice" as if it happened all on it own.
Posted by: gettingcozywithsarkozy | 03/22/2011 at 09:10 PM
It would be interesting to see how many countries of the world are represented here on this blog. Cities?
VM Replies: I'd love to do a map with push-pins in every city.
Posted by: moe green | 03/22/2011 at 09:11 PM
@ moe the leafs looked good in the 1st, couple of pinchers caused 2 wild breakaways but reimer was there. the leafs have fought hard overall for loose pucks and one on one battles looks promising so far
Posted by: Simmer | 03/22/2011 at 09:11 PM
I am watching Boston/Jersey. 2-1 Boston, five mins left. NJ coming hard.
Posted by: moe green | 03/22/2011 at 09:13 PM
actually Pyramid, living in Detroit and being among wing fans I can't bring myself to cheer for Detroit. I will be at the game on Saturday night though.
Posted by: gettingcozywithsarkozy | 03/22/2011 at 09:13 PM
3-1 Bruins! Yay!
Posted by: moe green | 03/22/2011 at 09:14 PM
3 breakaways? Good om Reimer but the breakaways better stop.
Posted by: ken baumgartner | 03/22/2011 at 09:16 PM
I'm always here!
GO LEAFS GO!!!
VM Replies: You see how your "Go Leafs Go" tag has caught on? Well, except with Sensi-Bill. Though I have a terrible feeling he is going to get roughed up by PP at some point tonight.
How's the new love going? When is the wedding? I think you need to invite all of us.
Posted by: Alecia | 03/22/2011 at 09:16 PM
sensi I have come around to like you over the last while but tonight you my have to change your moniker to Sensitive Bill, you seem a little hotter under the collar than usual...no offence just an observation
Posted by: Simmer | 03/22/2011 at 09:16 PM
We may be down by two but McElhinney has also stopped breakaways by Cole and Staal.
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And the boys up front are still going hard to the net.
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No doubt though that a couple of bad bounces early robbed us of our early lead *sigh*
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Smal consolation: With Leclaire or Elliot, would have been at least 8-2 by now.
Posted by: Sensi-Bill | 03/22/2011 at 09:18 PM
Thanks for the update Simmer.
Posted by: moe green | 03/22/2011 at 09:18 PM
Who the hell is coaching Minnesota? Al Bundy????
Posted by: Sue | 03/22/2011 at 09:19 PM
Bill: Take what you can get. Never seen a sens fan so picky about the way in which Leaf fans cheer for them. :P
Posted by: gettingcozywithsarkozy | 03/22/2011 at 09:21 PM
Bermuda's here listening on 640 on line. GO LEAFS GO.
VM Replies: HatterMike! Bermuda!
Posted by: HatterMike | 03/22/2011 at 09:21 PM
1-0 is scary. I was hoping this wouldn't be a nail-biter.
VM Replies: Grabovski makes it 2-0 as this comment lands.
Posted by: moe green | 03/22/2011 at 09:21 PM
Grabo with the GOAL!!!!!!!
Posted by: gettingcozywithsarkozy | 03/22/2011 at 09:21 PM
Simmer
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I am out of patience and hot under the collar ... Oops Karlsson just scoed ... CAR 4 OTT 3 just ivermectin 5 min to go
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Nice setup by Spezza
Posted by: Sensi-Bill | 03/22/2011 at 09:21 PM
Wheeeee! Just waiting for the next goal in less then a minute! Swear to God, I just sat down on the couch again!
Posted by: Sue | 03/22/2011 at 09:22 PM
Grabbooooooh! Sounded like a nice one. Huge goal.
Posted by: moe green | 03/22/2011 at 09:22 PM
Reimer so solid tonight. Let's get him a goal guys.
GO LEAFS GO!
Out of town scoreboard not good.
I am so used to hating the Canadiens I can't wrap my head around the fact that the Sabres are winning 1-0 and this is very bad news for us.
Go Canadiens! Ouch!
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL!
YES YES YES YES YES YES!
Nice drop pass by Mac, and Grabbo buries it. Awesome. 28 goals moves him past Philthy which means of course Phil will score before this one is over.
What a huge goal for us. Beautiful.
GO LEAFS GO!
Posted by: Pyramid Power | 03/22/2011 at 09:23 PM
Wow, and the quotables from the Wild announcers just continue "this is the Leafs second goal of the game where they just come in the Wild zone and shoot it in the net!" Would you believe, they got a goal by shooting the puck in the net!?!?! Fascinating!
Posted by: gettingcozywithsarkozy | 03/22/2011 at 09:23 PM
no problem moe, thanks for the guest post, I guess my update pales in comparison but I did try
Posted by: Simmer | 03/22/2011 at 09:24 PM
So Sens, Habs, Panthers, Go!
Posted by: moe green | 03/22/2011 at 09:24 PM
Sorry, "GO" Sens, Habs, Panthers, Go!
Posted by: moe green | 03/22/2011 at 09:25 PM
Love it Sarko. Heard that too and laughed hard.
At least they made some intelligent remarks about Kessel. "You'd think this kid had been in the league for ten years with all the talk about him" Good stuff.
Let's kill this one guys. Hold tight Jimmy and let's get out of this period up at least 2-0.
Posted by: Pyramid Power | 03/22/2011 at 09:27 PM
@Simmer: Thanks. Succinct, to the point - perfect. 4-1 Boston wins over Jersey.
Posted by: moe green | 03/22/2011 at 09:29 PM
prayers delivered fingers crossed My new fav phrase "Save by Reimer"
Posted by: jp | 03/22/2011 at 09:30 PM
Bill - I generally appreciate your commentary but honestly, I guess I should kinda put my dissertation on hold and make sure I get the Sens roster and recent stats update sent to my blackberry so I can be more educated about a team I honestly don't like or care about. I like the Pens, I try to check out the odd Canucks game live and there are individual players I like on other teams but no, I don't like the Sens, the Habs, the Bruins, or Sabres but if they can positively influence the Leafs standing, then I will begrudgingly cheer for them for one night or two during the season just like Habs fans thanked the Leafs for beating the Bruins on Saturday. I will never feel like I need to do some due dilligence on the current state of their roster before making a comment to make sure I meet the opposing fanbase's approval of my level of knowledge on their team. Good lord, if you are having a crappy day, fine but really if you are truly that annoyed, then perhaps this is the wrong place for you but I think you generally have found people to read your posts and enjoy what you have to say. I really don't think pyramid power is being overly serious suggesting your team needs to get it together. Call it wishful thinking. I don't recall Princess or other people getting up in arms about the request for "help" from her team tonight. I don't normally go off like this so maybe my awesome stats meeting has made me a little less tolerant but why should Leafs fan on a Leafs-based blog have to be aware of all roster developments on all teams? Who has the time to do this outside of the people in the media paid to do this? Also, I asked if you wanted to drinks beers sometime and talk about your stories about the Who a long time ago, we still on?? (wg)
Posted by: TG77 | 03/22/2011 at 09:30 PM
Rangers won 1-0. Canadiens doing us no favours so far. Come on Montreal. What a horrible thing for this Leafs fan to write, but please let's see some late game heroics by Plekanec, Cammalleri (good Toronto lad) or someone.
How could they blow these Wild outta the water 8-1 the other night and be shut out by the Sabres? Oh yeah. Ryan freakin' Miller.
Posted by: Pyramid Power | 03/22/2011 at 09:33 PM
Ouch! Joffrey! Just rifle it right away! Had one right on his stick.
Posted by: Pyramid Power | 03/22/2011 at 09:34 PM
Millen has had Jimmy injured about 5 times.What an idiot! I'm feelin' pretty good.Out of town,not so good.
GO LEAFS GO!
Posted by: TimB | 03/22/2011 at 09:41 PM
Outshot and outchanced by we are outscoring them. Fantastic. So glad we are out of this period up 2-0. Phew!
Now let us see what Montreal can do for us if anything.
Kessel just interviewed by Wild announcers. What a good guy. Anything but comfortable with the media, but he gave a decent little interview there.
Posted by: Pyramid Power | 03/22/2011 at 09:44 PM
Are my fellow Leaf lovers getting a good stream yet? Please advise.
Posted by: Pyramid Power | 03/22/2011 at 09:45 PM
okay so the habs feed crapped out on me... whats going on there?? did subban pull off another hat-trick or someting yet?
Posted by: gettingcozywithsarkozy | 03/22/2011 at 09:47 PM
@Tim - Millen, Jimmy, injury, idiot... yep you nailed it
Posted by: Simmer | 03/22/2011 at 09:48 PM
If no streams are coming in at vodkasports.com then try this Leafs fans.
vipstand.me/watch/25191/1/nhl:-toronto
Posted by: Pyramid Power | 03/22/2011 at 09:49 PM
hurricanes in OT :( Sens can't count on them
Posted by: jp | 03/22/2011 at 09:49 PM
Two minutes to go in Montreal or less now. 1-0 Buffalo. Sigh.
Posted by: Pyramid Power | 03/22/2011 at 09:51 PM
PP outshot I can't argue, outchanced is debatable (I know of the 3 breakaways but other than that I'm not sure) could it be the broadcast that you are watching cause I see a more Leaf dominated game than you are apparently? Just asking?
Posted by: Simmer | 03/22/2011 at 09:52 PM
Gerbe !!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Posted by: jp | 03/22/2011 at 09:53 PM
Princess! You got some splainin' to do!
Posted by: TimB | 03/22/2011 at 09:55 PM
The Vomit Gerbil scores open-net goal, 2-0 Buff.
Sorry guys, I tried...my socks and I were ineffective.
:(
VM Replies: Your undies may have just cost us a spot in the playoffs. I hope you are proud of yourself.
Posted by: Princess Mononoke | 03/22/2011 at 09:55 PM
oh btw Pyramid, did you hear it too or was I imagining things?!? I swear I heard one of the announcers calling McArthur "McCarthy"
...ha and now if the stick "grazed the face of Lupul" it shouldn't be a penalty!??!
VM Replies: Carl Gunnarsson just scored. 3-0. What did they call him? Carl Gundlarman? Carl Gutermein? Joe Gonnorhea?
Posted by: gettingcozywithsarkozy | 03/22/2011 at 09:58 PM
LOL. Tuned into that stream by PP just to see the third goal.
Posted by: Tom | 03/22/2011 at 09:59 PM
Buffalo wins 2-0. More reason to hate the Canadiens.
GUNNER! YES YES YES YES YES YES! 3-0.
Posted by: Pyramid Power | 03/22/2011 at 09:59 PM
Ok. There was the second goal that I was waiting for. Took more then a minute ... but there it is!
Whoooooo!
Posted by: Sue | 03/22/2011 at 10:00 PM
Whoa Gunner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: gettingcozywithsarkozy | 03/22/2011 at 10:00 PM
Hey, how do you know it wasn't Geoff's CH undies?? uh??
VM Replies: Geoff is a historian. Those perverts don't wear underwear.
Posted by: Princess Mononoke | 03/22/2011 at 10:02 PM
Sarko Freakin' hilarious eh? I have rarely heard such homers like this. Dude's stick 'grazed' his freakin' face Minny announcers you clowns? It HIT his face and could easily have been worse if Lupul did not wear a freakin' visor.
#1 We want the two points here of course and will get them.
#2 Let's get Jimmy Reimer a well-deserved shutout. Shut the Wild down now.
Thank the gods the Wild don't have Gaborik or Lemaire anymore. I might actually be worried about this game. lol Just jesting hockey gods, just jesting.
Posted by: Pyramid Power | 03/22/2011 at 10:07 PM
Yes, Sarko. These wise Wild announcers did indeed call Mac McCarthy. LOL And so many more hockey transgressions. How do these guys do their jobs in good conscience? You and I could call this game better than they could.
Maybe for kicks we would Havlat Halak or Hasek just for fun right? LOL
Posted by: Pyramid Power | 03/22/2011 at 10:10 PM
Funny Vinay. I knew an historian.
Posted by: moe green | 03/22/2011 at 10:12 PM
Looks like only Boston helped us tonight. And for years into the future.
Posted by: moe green | 03/22/2011 at 10:13 PM
Carl Son-of-a-Gundarson. You betcha, yeah.
Posted by: moe green | 03/22/2011 at 10:14 PM
We NEED Buffalo and Caroline to start losing. If they don't oblige... I shudder to think.
VM Replies: Buffalo is 6-3-1 in last 10 now. Rangers are 7-3-0. If this continues, it probably doesn't matter what Toronto/Carolina do.
Posted by: moe green | 03/22/2011 at 10:19 PM
I just heard Ollie's name for the first time tonight. Did not even know Lebda was playing. That must be a good thing right?
I guess Ronnie thinks it's safe to send him out now with a three goal lead.
Posted by: Pyramid Power | 03/22/2011 at 10:20 PM
on a side note, I played (and am starting again in a few weeks) hockey in a mens league with a bunch of guys that went to highschool with Nate Gerbe up the road in Oxford. That kid is getting better and better. It's a wonder someone his size hasn't been checked into the nose-bleeds yet. (Incase you were wondering, no, these guys have nowhere near the hockey abilities Gerbe has).
...and yes VM, historians are perverts!
Posted by: gettingcozywithsarkozy | 03/22/2011 at 10:20 PM
Pyramid: I like to refer to that player as Havlasek
Posted by: gettingcozywithsarkozy | 03/22/2011 at 10:24 PM
Questionable call on Muhammed Aulie. Let's kill this and get the shutout for Jimmy.
Posted by: Pyramid Power | 03/22/2011 at 10:27 PM
True enough Vinay but math says we are still alive. Let's just run the table and see what happens. Did I say that? I feel that Carolina will collapse a bit but not so sure about Buffalo. Do we have a game left with each of them?
VM Replies: No more games against Carolina. One with Buffalo, next Tuesday.
Posted by: moe green | 03/22/2011 at 10:30 PM
LOL Sarko Nice.
Gonna win this one. It is beautiful, but the stark harsh reality of our situation now stares us in the face. Not only do we essentially have to run the table in our remaining eight games, but we need a LOT of help. Ouch!
Posted by: Pyramid Power | 03/22/2011 at 10:31 PM
wow, reimer played splendid tonight. haven't seen a Leaf goalie stop 5 breakaways in one game in a while!
Posted by: gettingcozywithsarkozy | 03/22/2011 at 10:32 PM
Decided the Captain wasn't the best company in tight games.
What can I say. I think MacArthur is one of the hardest working and quickest Leafs in a while. Mr. Burke, he's a keeper.
Posted by: Robert | 03/22/2011 at 10:34 PM
good night all!
Posted by: gettingcozywithsarkozy | 03/22/2011 at 10:34 PM
SHUTOUT FOR REIMER AND THE LEAFS! VICTORY! AWESOME!
Yes, let us hope Boston has helped us for years to come Moe. That trade can't be judged for years though as you know. We can only hope Seguin doesn't get a whole lot better - he is only 19. And they have our first rounder this year, and another guy whose name escapes me now. Can't judge that trade now, but I like to think we stole Kessel from Boston. We shall see.
On to Denver. Keep winning you magnificent bastards. Now two games above .500 as in 32-30-10. I remember a lot of posters saying we would be lucky to win 25 games before this season started. Posters NOT on this blog but elsewhere. In their faces.
Posted by: Pyramid Power | 03/22/2011 at 10:35 PM
If the Panthers and Devils help us out,Tuesday could be a huge game.
Posted by: TimB | 03/22/2011 at 10:35 PM
@TG77
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I think my point was more along the lines of don't criticize when you don't even know if there is a valid reason for things to be the way they are. I'm not saying you have to know the roster. Just that if you don't know about the situation --- Anderson has a minor injury and McElhinney has been hot of late --- it's not really fair to criticize or complain about another team's starting lineup.
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And that was only mildly irritating.
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It's when people get arrogant and demand something, rather than ask in a nice way, because they think it's their God given right to treat any non-Leaf fan any way they want, that I run out of patience and finally allow myself to not only be p*ssed off, but to let it show, for a change.
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But of course as a merely tolerated "outsider," it seems I automatically forfeit the right to any consideration or respect, from certain people at least.
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But don't worry, I just wrote a longer, angrier piece explaining why I lost patience with being disrespected but managed to touch this touch screen in some mysterious place that made the whole damn thing disappear.
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And no, I DIDN'T have a bad day and was NOT in a bad mood. In fact I was trying to get caught up to the live spot of the game we recorded on PVR so that I could, as I'd been looking forward to doing, post Sens-Canes updates here for my friends.
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But a couple of posts touched a nerve and brought back memories of other examples of lack of respect and . . . well, you, and everybody, saw the results.
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Oversensitive? I know that seems to be the go-to term to dismiss me when I finally lose patience.
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Or maybe I AM oversensitive. Personally, I don't think so, or at worst, only a LITTLE bit. I think it's more a case of me tolerating a lot, so when I do lose patience, it stands out rather dramatically.
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The irony is that so often I feel I have to walk (talk?) on egg shells around here and be very careful what *I* say about the Leafs.
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Anyway, as a believer in what goes around comes around, I guess I just feel that treating people with respect should earn respect and when it doesn't . . . Well, most of the time I can grin and bear it, but once in a while I reserve the right to express how *I* am feeling.
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But hey, if enough people here believe I AM too oversensitive, and as a Sens fan don't deserve to have feelings that can be hurt, and perhaps even agree with PP that I shouldn't be allowed on here to begin with, I guess perhaps I should leave, though our ever kind and considerate leader has reassured me more than once that I am forever welcome here.
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And I tend to trust HIS judgement rather than those lobbying to have me somehow evicted. (g)
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But if I am to leave, it won't be in a flash fit of anger.
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I rarely get this mad and when I do, I tend to get over it pretty quickly (Yeah, I calmed down long before I even started this post.)
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And no, I am not upset with you about what you posted. Let's just say the content irked me, but NOT the author. *smile*
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And if I do decide to leave anyway, I won't do so without making sure we have a line of communication open since, though I don't get around as much any more, I would still LOVE to sit down with you and share some memories.
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So you'll be one of the first ones to know if and when I decide to leave here.
Posted by: Sensi-Bill | 03/22/2011 at 10:38 PM
good night all! can't wait for the morning read Vindaloo goleafsgo
Posted by: jp | 03/22/2011 at 10:38 PM
okay, I couldn't help myself. I'm watching the Wild post game show and they have it in the concourse outside the rink. As these "special" announcers are reviewing the game, a throng of Leaf fans pass by in the back and start chanting for the Leafs and showing off their Leaf emblems on their hats and jerseys. Within a few seconds a Leaf banner goes up behind the announcers and floats back and forth. The announcers looked flustered! PRICELESS!!!
Posted by: gettingcozywithsarkozy | 03/22/2011 at 10:40 PM
Another great little interview with Jimmy.Could he be any more likable?
G'night everybody.
Posted by: TimB | 03/22/2011 at 10:40 PM
Shut out and they gain no ground. That is tough.
Posted by: ken baumgartner | 03/22/2011 at 10:41 PM
@PP: Regardless of Seguin, the deal made sense. I think Burke just mis-read the talent level of the team or the potential impact of Kessel and Wilson. He really thought he'd have a big-name free-agent by now like the Sedins for example. Can you imagine this team with the Sedins?
Denver is one of those danger games. Those are the kind we have been letting slip ALL SEASON. This is a real test for them mentally. It shouldn't be but it is.
Posted by: moe green | 03/22/2011 at 10:48 PM
"How do these guys [Wild announcers] do their jobs in good conscience."
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Sound like graduates of the Bob Cole School of Announcing, members of the Church of Don Cherry and followers of his "Why Bother Learning Names" doctrine.
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*smile*
Posted by: Sensi-Bill | 03/22/2011 at 10:53 PM
@simmer First, do you take your handle off Charlie Simmer, former member of the Triple Crown Line in L.A.? Cool if you do. Playmate wife. What a dude. What a scorer and I mean that in every sense of the word. LOL
I would say the Wild outchanced us. Did we take advantage of our chances when they presented themselves? Yes, we did and doesn't that feel good? Oh, yes it does. Were we outplayed? I think not but we sure gave Minnesota a lot of chances to get out in front and possibly win this game.
Posted by: Pyramid Power | 03/22/2011 at 10:57 PM
I changed my mind. Here's my new pick for Comment of the Day: "Your undies may have just cost us a spot in the playoffs. I hope you are proud of yourself."
VM Replies: Glad you wandered in here, Mr. Penguin.
Posted by: Wandering Penguin | 03/22/2011 at 10:58 PM
Thoughts of Alice running through my head.
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No more, Mr. Nice Guy . . .
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Hmmm.
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Interesting. Might make an interesting change of pace. Will have to go think upon that. Batteries running low anyway --- on this iPad, not my pacemaker. LOL
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Sorry if I got you excited there for a second Mr. PP. (Decides to withhold the double-ees after all.) (wg)
Posted by: Sensi-Bill | 03/22/2011 at 11:01 PM
I just saw the Lupul goal for the first time. What a brilliant release. He's purposely casual for a split second drawing the puck back with his head down then out of nowhere a super-fast release with power. Great shot.
Posted by: moe green | 03/22/2011 at 11:03 PM
Hey Bill, Bob COle and Don Cherry are miles ahead of what I witnessed tonight. And, whats that saying "those in a glass house shouldn't cast stones"!?!?!? Your brethren on Sportsnet leave much to be desired, they're not fit to tie Cole's and Cherry's shoelaces.
Posted by: gettingcozywithsarkozy | 03/22/2011 at 11:03 PM
good night all
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*smile*
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(Wicked? Maybe.) LOL
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(grin)
Posted by: Sensi-Bill | 03/22/2011 at 11:04 PM
@simmer again. Post game presser going on now with Todd Richards, coach of the Wild. "They took advantage of their chances. We didn't." I suppose that sums up this game.
On that note it feels so good to win a game like this. How many games have we outchanced, outshot and outplayed other teams and come up short this year? FAR too many.
Would love to know how many OT wins we have compared to our ten OT losses? Vinay? Dost thou knowest sir?
VM Replies: Sir PP, I shall check for you in the morning. Gotta write and then turn my attention to a non-Leafs noon deadline, sigh.
Posted by: Pyramid Power | 03/22/2011 at 11:04 PM
Wild announcers now doing their post mortem of the game. Being outshouted by chants of GO LEAFS GO!
I LOVE IT!
Moe I fully agree we won the Kessel deal for now. You have to give that deal a chance to play out though no?
Posted by: Pyramid Power | 03/22/2011 at 11:06 PM
Hensibill LOL Good chuckles. Thanks for that.
Posted by: Pyramid Power | 03/22/2011 at 11:08 PM
Thanks, Vinay. The computer is NOWHERE near the television in our home. I'm going to have to remedy that for the pla....er, you know.
Missed the first period but really enjoyed the second and third. There was something....I don't know, I guess the proper word would be "tidy"....about this win. It wasn't helter-skelter, it wasn't high-octane, I didn't spend long minutes watching it through my fingers. There was something about it that was reminiscent of Leaf games of old when you expected them to win and were surprised when they didn't. They just looked so damned COMPETENT from top to bottom. And I think they haven't really looked that way much, even when winning.
Not to do number 1 in the corn flakes, but there was a bit of a downside for me. I thought Kessel looked positively disinterested in the two periods I watched. He made several TERRIBLE passes, stood very close to more than a few Wild players without even attempting to take the puck off them and spent most of his time in the offensive zone nowhere near the actual play. I don't know what was wrong with him - maybe he's nursing an injury or something - but if he was 100% healthy and I was coaching the Leafs tonight I can tell you he would have had more than a few splinters in his butt during the third period.
To balance that out, I thought Stan and Lashoff had ok games tonight when they got a chance to be out there. And it looks to me like the concussion a lot of us are convinced Grabbo got in Boston has abated. He looks like his old self out there again. 28 goals! What a steal for Fletcher.
Posted by: Wandering Penguin | 03/22/2011 at 11:13 PM