I Love Hockey

My team is in a quote-unquote rebuilding phase this season, so I've gotten to see them loose a lot of games, and they won't be heading to the playoffs this year. However, since the trade deadline, they've brought up some energetic young players, and these young guys have really re-energized the team. They have won 4 of their last 5, to the great dismay of the f**kin' announcers who call the games, who spent half of the first period carrying on about how all these late season wins in a loosing season will hurt their chances at getting a good draft pick. They then went on to criticize the opposing team, who is in the same position. The consensus? Both teams oughta try and loose! They further went so far as to say that fans ought to be disappointed if their team wins the game ("we've been doing so badly this far, might as well just keep on").

Look, I understand about the draft pick. And I also understand the long-standing tradition of "tanking" in hockey. That doesn't mean I (or any fan) likes to see it! AND, I can guarantee that when our forward scored his first goal in ten games, he celebrated on the ice with his teammates. No thought about loosing a draft pick in his mind. And when the opposing team's player was sent to the penalty box, I didn't hear their fans cheering, either.

Our fans (and announcers) should be hopeful, not disappointed, upon seeing these recent victories! It means that the guys we've brought up are showing a lot of promise for the future. Some of the teams we've beaten in this latest run are playoff-bound teams! I don't remember seeing this team win 4 out of 5 any point earlier in the season. I for one am overjoyed to see these young guys bringing fresh energy to the team!

I guess I'll be watching the remaining few games with the sound off.