A Fan Ranting About Fans

Now don't get me wrong here, I am a Leafs fan through and through, but I am above all else a hockey fan. I like to complain about my team as much as the next guy or girl, but at least I put some thought into what I am going to complain about. I don't generally incessantly rant about something that I shouldn't. I have the knowledge that statistics are what separates the good players from the great players and in turn the great players from the superstars.

Overlooking statistics and the general sportscaster opinion that a player is a superstar, adds nothing to your argument, and in fact makes you sound both illogical and uneducated. It is in a case such as this that certain arguments should be locked away in the back of your minds so you are not boasting to the entire hockey world that you are an idiot and your expertise is limited to the three games you watched this season while you were stoned in your parents’ basement. Yes, Vancouver fans, I am ranting about you.

Everyone knows that B.C. is the "Capital of Marijuana" in Canada, and that is great for you. Feel free to "puff, puff and pass" and try not to mess up the rotation. That being said, try not to blame arguably one of the greatest goaltenders in the league today for messing up your high. Your team was built to fail!

Here in Leafs Nation, where we base opinion on statistics (generally speaking, and ignoring all fans that use hearsay and other people’s arguments as their own point of view) we know with no uncertainty that Roberto Luongo is a great player, a superstar even. His statistics show it, and the general opinion of the panel on TSN as well as those on Sportsnet and The Score is that he is the greatest. That being said, just watch a Canucks game and you can see with your own eyes that he is great. He is one of the few goaltenders in the world with perfect posture and poise in goal. He keeps his shoulders high and stays square to the shooter. His reflexes are incredible, and his rebound control is amazing. Why in the world would you want to trade a goaltender like that? Here's why: because your terrible team hangs him out to dry game in and game out and you want a scapegoat to blame your mediocre season on.

Clue in Vancouver.

There is a reason Mats Sundin has the most points in Maple Leafs history. Is it because we're not a very good team? Partly, but we are an original six team and no other player in any era had as many points as Captain Mats. So why didn't he score goals for you? I'll tell you why; Mats is not a grinder, he is a playmaker and a sniper. As my close friend Brian so intelligently put it, if Mats taps his stick, you pass him the puck. Watching Leafs games throughout the years, it is a general knowledge that if Mats is calling for the pass, he wants to score. When Mats wants to score, the red light is generally on. How about you sit back and watch a few Sundin highlights, then sign him to a contract. Utilize a great player in the right way and maybe you will get some return on your investment.

I would rant about the Sedins, but it's not worth my time and I want to get out of here. Just as a capper: the Sedins will not lead the Canucks to a Stanley Cup, but Luongo may. He is the heart and soul of your second-rate team, and he would be a welcome addition to any other team in the league.