NHL 2006 Playoffs

I want to make something clear -- most Canadians (hell, ALL Canadians) were backing the Flames during the 2004 Stanley Cup Final and posing as Flames fans online. That's one hell of a bandwagon.

True Flames fans and Calgary fans have a sense of humility much like Lightning fans (TRUE Lightning fans). They had been floundering for years before the 2003-04 season and it was there first playoff appearence in something like 8 years.

Now, I wanna say that I apologize to Crazy Canuck because I attacked him with the brunt of my frustrations with Leaf Nation as a whole. The Maple Leafs haven't won a Championship since 1967 and present their franchise as above and beyond teams that have had dynasties of Cup wins and what not. They act like every player in the NHL is just dying to join the Leafs. It gets on my nerves that they expect everything to be easy for them because of who they are.

I slandered Leafs Nation, Crazy, and I stomped on you. I'm sorry for the stomping but not the Slander.

Meanwhile, we don't "Own" the cup per se. We're the reigning Stanley Cup Champions -- the longest tenured reign of any one Stanley Cup Champion at that (*grumble, grumble* stupid lockout) -- but we don't OWN the Cup. It was just our right for the last 2 years.

John F said:

Excuse me, but was *I* not correct summarizing the Leafs playoff aspirations as a "on a wing-and-a-prayer"?

I didn't slander you personally. I slandered Leafs nation.

Click to expand...

It was on a wing and prayer, i'm not disputing that. I'm disputing the point that Newportricheyguy claimed the bolts had qualified for the playoffs even though they had not yet. I need to have a little faith, we haven't won a cup in 39 years. Leaf Nation needs to hold together strong. Just like the Buccaneers fans endured all of those years including the 0-26 streak when they were called the Yuccaneers. That was until things started to turn around in the mid-nineties when Sapp, Brooks, new stadium and new jersey managed to turn around the franchise. I myself have to be one of Canada's biggest Buccaneers fans in Canada, I was crushed when the so-called dropped pass happened in 1999 vs the Rams.But I was overjoyed when they won the SuperBowl and even have the superbowl champs hat, never worn with tags still on it. So you guys must understand, the Leafs are our NFL team just to put it in perspective.

We almost replied at the same time John F, so my response was to your previous statement, not the one at 1:06.

John F, you would love to be up here at this time. Every single sports analyst is tearing the Leafs up. People want to see the team dismantled, myself included. This summer is going to be very interesting in Toronto. It hasn't been this bad since the mid 80's. I do accept your apologies John F, being a sports fan can be frustrating at times.

I must profess though, that I was cheering for Calgary during the 2004 cup. Seeing something like the Red mile in Calgary just ignites some passion in me. Seeing people so passionate about something as to get all of them to buy the red 3rd jersey and create a see of red inside of the saddledome makes me want to cheer for them.

Thats what I want to see happen in Toronto. Imagine the Tampa celebration times 100 and that is what it would be like. One massive celebration, street parties, lots of cheering, no work, hehe. I want to feel the excitement. Tampa has gotten lots of that recently with the Bucs and then the bolts. Tha playoffs in Toronto is something magical, you would have to be here to explain it. Everyone is instantly in a good mood and everyone always has something to talk about. I'm sure it is the same way with the Bucs.

The Bucs are a good Comparison point... And I thought the Leafs were down and out in the early 1990's too? I remember them trying to pull Terry Crisp away from us (and ended up with Pat Quinn)...

One of my friends is from Calgary and I saw a LOT about the Red Mile and heard a lot about Saddledome and the fan reaction when the Flames took the ice for their first round playoff game against the Canucks... Thunderous to say the least.

Me and my friend both attended game 7 of the Stanley Cup final here in Tampa. He flew down for it and that is a tale unto itself.

As for "loving" hearing the Leafs be ripped a new one by the media and fans, I'd much rather see fans in general just get a little more grounded. I don't want to hear in the off season that every player in the league is planning to reduce his desired wage in order to join the Leafs. Some humility is needed.