Monday, April 30, 2007

Leafers Make Better Lovers

I've been doing some research, yeah, imagin that, actual scientific logic in the hands of a Leaf fan (scary isn't it). The end to these means? To answer the age old question, what do ladies really look for in a man?

Do I have the answers? Why yes I do, turns out, they want a Leaf fan. They may say that they want a Sens fan, or a Flames fan or even a Ducks fan, ANYTHING but a Leafs fan. But what has my random and non-biased sampling of female hockey fans discover?

What they really want is a blue and white boy toy.

Out of 14 females polled (all REAL hockey fans) there were 2 Leaf fans, 5 Sens fans, 3 Flames fans, 1 Wings fan, 2 Oilers Fans and 1 Habs fan.
7 were from Ontario, 2 from Quebec, 3 from Alberta and 2 from Saskatchewan.

4 were married, all to Leaf fans
1 was engaged, to a Leafs fan
4 were in various stages of dating, 2 dating Leafs fans.
5 were single.

Of the single ladies, 2 had dated more than one Leafs fan for over 4 months
the other two had dated a Leafs fan at one time or another and the final had never dated a hockey fan before.

That leads me to believe one thing, the title of the post rings true

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Le Sigh

Well I've had a week and a bit to come down from my swearing, sputtering, raging 'stupid Leafs didn't make the playoffs' mind frame and have come to one well thought out, realistic view on the subject.

They have alot of work to do.
Up front, they need to score more goals, plane and simple. Trim some dead weight and throw in a big name player to help out (hello Chris Drury)
Defensivly they need to stay healthy. That is really it, I can't find too much wrong with the defense other than that (Bryan McCabe is dead to me and will not be discussed further)
Goaltending wise, they need to ship in some help, be it a backup that can play big minuites if Raycroft falters (and he will) or be it a new number one for Razor to compete with, winner gets the starter spot, look what it did for Manny Fernandez last year.

That is all

Thursday, April 12, 2007

There's Playoffs?

The title may just be a joke to ease the pain of the Buds missing the post season, or it may be some venting that will prevent the killing spree that may follow if Buffalo wins the cup.

But on a possitive note, Maggie Picked the Penguins over the Senators in the first round. That monkey is awsome. I some times thinks she knows more about hockey than the rest of the crew over at TSN.

Go Maggie Go!

Monday, April 9, 2007

Yes, There Is A Silver Lining

Took a look at the bad, now its time to point out the (few) bright spots that the Leafs had this year.

Kyle Wellwood - Welly was doing great, until his injury. He was, however, able to show what he is capable of with the puck. He finnished off the season a little shaky, confidence probably the issue. He will only get better and I have high hopes for his career.

Carlo Coliaccavo - Showed great promise in comming off one whopper of a concussion. Would have had a bigger impact had he been there the whole season.

Ian White - Made atleast one amazing pass a game, usually up the middle for a break away or odd man rush chance. Has good speed, good vision will be a great top 4 defenseman one day.

Hall Gill - While he wasn't spectacular, he wasn't god freaking awful as everyone expected. Plus he did a great job on the PK.

The Soviet Block - Pony and Antro showed that they do deserve a spot on the Leaf line up. Sadly they were over used and over hyped. Would be better suited to the second line winger pairing, me thinks.

Mats Sundin - Broke all sorts of milestones and passed all sorts of players all year. Took more crap from fans and the media and enemies (fans of other teasm) this year than every other year of his career. Played steady, played hard, racked up a fair ammount of points. If only (broken record) he had an appropriate winger to play with.

Thomas Kaberle - Kabby was great, did everything. One of the best D-men in the leuge. That is all.

It may not be much, but its all I got

Sigh

Where do I begin?

The Leafs are broken and need to be fixed, that sounds about right. But (begin bitching) I am kinda getting sick of fans from other teams telling me that like I don't know it. I am a Leafs fan, not mentally unsound (I am also aware how easy that joke is to make). Also to any Habs fans out there, what are you yipping about? Yes the Buds didn't make the playoffs, but guess what? Neither did the Habs, and I think I remember what team drove home the nail in your coffin. It may not be a playoff birth, but it is a nice little silver lining.

But enough of being bitter, getting assulted from all sides for two days can make one a bit testy.
Lets get down to bidness.

The Leafs have two major problems, one evident and widly agreed upon, the other, not so much.

Number one. Goaltending. I backed Raycroft all season, I defended him and all that jazz. Now I feel somewhat betrayed. The thing is, I know Raycroft is a skilled goaltender, it has just become evident that he isn't a good goaltender. Atleast not yet. I also doubt Raycroft will be going anywhere due to his undesireability and the blatent holes in his game. My solution? Go after a new number one, drop Aubin to the minors(or use him as spare parts in a trade for said new number one) and demote Raycroft to backup. Maybe the competition will up Raycrofts game, or at the very least, I know Raycroft has a good solid game every 10 or so, perfect for a backup.
Is Lethonin still available? Legace? Giger?

Problem number two. Scoring. Yes, we heard all about the Leafs depth on scoring this year, secondary scoreing this, offensivly tallented defense that. Sure, whatever, that is nice and all but guess what the Leafs don't have? A pure goal scorer, a sniper, someone who averaged a goal every two games. Now I can guess that because of the last incident attempt at getting one (IE Alexander Mogilny) may have lest a poor taste in the mouth of the Leafs brass, but guess what, in this new NHL a pure goal scorer Isn't just a nice conveniance anymore. It has become a necessity. With all the other teams having firepower like Brier, Heatly, Ovechkin, Hossa, Kovalchuck etc etc etc, you think someone representing blue and white would go "Hey, why don't we get someone like that?"
The offseason gives us a plethera of options in that regard. My solution, pick one up, pick anyone up. Does it matter if said player fits perfectly into the 'team frame'? No, While a Ryan Smyth would fit the present Leaf architecture perfectly, I am hoping that there is some massive remodling and next year, said architecture is a better, more inviting fit to a Brier or Drury (god it pains me to use Buffaslug and Islander players as examples).

That is all, I don't want this to be a Novel.
Next episode, what ISN'T broken in Leaf land, and the few bright spots.

Sunday, April 8, 2007

End Of The Line

Well the end is here. No post season for the Leafs.
Dissapointment and sighs fill the air in my household.

The year of woulda shoulda coulda is over.

Luckily I am too full of turkey to be a hyperactive pisspot of ranting lunacy (for your daily dose please do visite habsblog).

Come back tomarrow for a break down of the woes of Leaf nation, plus my own recipie for success next season.

Saturday, April 7, 2007

The Beginning Of The End...

Of the season.
Fact. The Islanders won today, putting them in a tie for the 8th and final spot
Fact. Toronto needs to win this one no matter what, in regulation.
Fact. Montreal needs one point to guarentee elimination of the Leafs.
Fact. The Leafs will pull Raycroft it it is tied going down to the wire in the third.
Fact. I hate the Montreal Canadians and would ponder a killing spree if they eliminate the Leafs.
Fact. No matter what happens tonight, it may not matter if Brodeur Isn't playing his A game tomarrow (or at all for that matter).

Rumour Good. Huet is in net after playing only 20 minuites since his hamstring snapped

Hope. Sundin is in a slump, he also scores huge goals, has a penchant for them one might say, and they wouldnt get any bigger than tonight.

See you all tomarrow, unless my heart gives out somewhere around the end of the third.

It really couldn't get any more dramatic than this.

Thursday, April 5, 2007

Down To The Wire

As I write this, the Leafs VS Islanders game isn't over, but it is over.
It will come down to Saturday VS the Habs at the ACC, which must be won in regulation. Then hoping for the Islanders to loose one of their remaining two.

I don't know if my heart can take it.

Tuesday, April 3, 2007

DDD = A Beutiful Thing

Well that was rather scary. The boys in blue seem to be doing what they can to create a small cardiac explosion in my chest. But I digress.

Goals from Mutt and Jeff and Super Salary McCabe and suddenly 7 Mill a year dosn't hurt so bad.

Yet those dastardly Habs also beet the hapless (IE useless) Bruins, building up that ominious Saturday meeting at the ACC even more, like my heart needs that.

Monday, April 2, 2007

Hat Trick

It is amazing how polerizing a peice of cloth worn on the head can be. I just recently purchased a brand spanking new Maple Leaf hat and have been wearing it quite often recently (I do not often wear hats per say) and have had several interesting encounters with it. It seems that with many people the Leaf on the front of the hat is like a magnet to the eyes. I have also noticed people treating me different, one girl at the healthfood store I always go to has been extra friendly since I started wearing the hat, but the guy at the gym who checks your ID card has been extra curt to me when I wear the hat (note, I have seen him wearing a Habs shirt a couple times).

In the week since the purchase of said hat, I have noticed only a 20% possitive response from it, the other 80% is split evenly between assumed fans of other teams and Leaf fans who say such things as "You're gonna jinx em by wearing that" or "after last game, I'd be embarassed to wear that" and I find this troubling, because there is few things that bug me as much as a fair weather fan. Support your team all the time. That dosn't mean blindly stating they will win the cup, or ignoring obvious problems with the players, coaches or organization as a whole. It just means be a fan, be proud of your colours. In other words, don't be a Habs fan.

Sunday, April 1, 2007