Tag Archives: Mass hysteria


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Control Yourself

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It’s been days since the beginning of free agency, and yet there’s been no shortage of analysis and second-guessing that is now a summertime tradition. When Marc Bergevin took over from Pierre Gauthier, most Habs fans expected big things. Happy things. Splashy things. He’s the white knight that will not only change the way the Habs operated, he would also just as quickly change the face of the team on the ice. In the brief time since he was hired (known as the honeymoon period) he has already managed to show that his operation will vastly improve internal and external communications. That’s fine for now, but nobody will care about either of those things if the team continues to be a doormat if and when the season starts.

For Canadiens fans, the highlights of this past season were (in no particular order):

  • Jacques Martin being fired
  • Pierre Gauthier being fired
  • Looking forward to the draft
  • Looking forward to July 1st
(Bergevin’s hiring, other hirings, the draft and free agency were all after the season ended, so they don’t count.)

Considering sports are all about what happens on the field of play, these off-ice moves, dates and events strongly indicate the type of season the 2011-12 campaign was for the Habs.

Bergevin’s puzzle is coming together. Yes, there are still holes to be plugged and these holes won’t be easy to fill. That said, Habs fans ought to be cut a certain amount of slack for hoping that Bergevin was going wave his wand and fix everything overnight. From pining for Jagr, to crying about Parenteau, Parise and Semin, fans wanted Bergevin to make a statement. They wanted him to snag brand name players that are easily pictured potting 30 goals. The sad reality is that the previous regime wilfully put the Canadiens in to a very large and muddy ditch with reckless, desperate acquisitions dating back to the 2009 retooling, right through until the Bourque acquisition. The Canadiens restoration project is going to take longer than what one weak free agent class can fix; the fruits from what was reportedly a solid 2012 draft for the Habs are years away from drawing cheers at the Bell Center, but Bergevin has been busy laying the groundwork for the type of identity and character he’d like his team to embody. Travis Moen is back. Added to the fold are Brandon Prust, Colby Armstrong and Francis Bouillon. It doesn’t take a genius to see the common traits. Clearly the Canadiens are going to be a tougher, peskier team to play against, and that in itself should bring a sigh of relief and smile to the faces of Habs fans. How this “truculence”, as Brian Burke would say translates to wins is anyone’s guess as truculence by itself doesn’t score goals. But if it sends the opponents home with some loosened teeth and battered bodies, then the Canadiens are a step ahead of where they were. The Bell Center needs to become more inhospitable, and the on-ice product can use a good dose of asshole. Save the ‘classiness’ for pre-game presentations and the handshake line. It’s time for the Habs to give back what other teams have fed them, and it’s time to bring some smashmouth on the road as well.

Bergevin may be more or less finished shopping in the clammy UFA market, but he still needs to find a top-six winger and top-four defenseman, which will now likely come via trade. Does he have the depth and assets to make such big moves? With a glut of second-round picks in 2013, and a number of prospects ready to turn pro, he has enough to address at least one of those glaring holes. Will he move those assets, or should he move those assets will be questions that we kick around as the off-season drags on. There’s also the non-trivial matter of what should be done with the sad-sack contracts of Gomez, Bourque and Kaberle? Bergevin would have to wave a telephone pole-sized wand to make those 3 disappear, and again, thank the previous regime for saddling the Habs with at least 2 horrid contracts.

As an era with a new look is massing its forces, and drawing up plans, it will be important to remain patient all over again. Building a team that is a perennial contender is not done on July 1st. Everyone wants their team to spend big when the free agency season opens, but from what we’ve seen not just in Montreal, but all over the league is that shopping for big names on July 1st often leaves you in cap hell at some point. Proper building is done through the draft. It’s done through shrewd cap management, clever, timely trades and proper asset management. Bergevin has to find a way to navigate the bad contracts that he inherited, while at the same time getting the team back in to the playoffs immediately, and simultaneously building for the future. That’s a triple-whammy mandate that would challenge any General Manager. Right now, we’re asking Marc Bergevin to win the race aboard the league’s oldest, creakiest vessel with no rudder and tons of dead weight in the cargo hold. All the hot air blown throughout Habs land won’t push his ship over the finish line any faster, so let’s just give him the benefit of the doubt and the time needed to make this team his own.

Opportunity Cost

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When an underachieving team has its back to the wall, and faces a huge uphill climb, it’s only natural to rally around that team when they rattle off some impressive wins. This is the case with the recent performance of the Habs.

Since trading a disgruntled Michael Cammalleri to Calgary, the team is a mediocre 3-2-2. Not nearly good enough to put them back in the playoff hunt, but optimism has been renewed since those 3 wins have come against the Conference-leading Rangers, the hated Leafs (in Toronto), and the mighty Red Wings. When the most recent victory sees the downtrodden Habs hanging a converted touchdown around the league’s best team’s neck, it’s easy – and sometimes fun – to get carried away that the turnaround is in fact upon us and that the Forum Ghosts are ready to lend a hand.

As the Canadiens blew off the preseason, most shrugged with indifference. In most years, I would have agreed – after all, didn’t Carey Price tell us to “chill”?. This year, however, I didn’t see a team building toward an identity, or establishing chemistry – I saw a team running out players that had no business being a part of a training camp for so long. It felt like the Habs were focused on squeezing as many dollars as they could from whatever time was allotted for preseason games. Once the regular season began, nothing changed. How could it given the lackadaisical approach given to the preseason schedule?  The team that sputtered through the exhibition season fell flat in October, so much so that they became ensnared in the dreaded numbers game bear trap.

The “coveted” 8th place slot drifted further and further out of reach as the season reached the quarter pole, all the way to the point where the Habs were a distant and dismal 11 points out of 8th at mid-season. In other words – they’d need a miracle to claw back and grab that 8th playoff position.

The more pragmatic Habs fans were reading the writing on the wall as they were taking the Halloween decorations down and dusting off the Christmas season regalia. Yes, the regular season is 82 games, and 6 1/2 long months, but the reality is that you can scuttle your playoff hopes in the first month of action.

Thus was born the #failfornail campaign, a euphemism for tanking the season and grabbing the top draft pick at the 2012 entry draft. This slogan sticks in the craw of many fans, who want the Habs in the post-season dance, no matter what. After all, you can’t win the Cup if you don’t make the playoffs, n’est pas? Never mind that no 5th-8th seed teams have won the Cup since 1995 when Braveheart was the reigning Best Picture winner and Gangta’s Paradise was dominating the radio waves. The Devils won the Cup that year, and it was during a shortened 48-game season, meaning that without having to endure the full 82-game grind, conditions were ripe for a team to win the Cup without starting on home ice. Even at that, the Devils were on the cusp of becoming a dominant league power, not a bubble team. The ’93 Habs were the last team to win the Cup without home ice to start the playoffs in a full season, but again, it should be noted that the Canadiens were a 102-point team that year and were in a stacked division, and were not a bubble team.

In short, bubble teams don’t win anything. In a town with a history like Montreal’s, an 8th place finish is nothing short of a platitude.

As a believer in history and trends, I’m tired of the Habs going in to the playoffs with the “plucky underdog” label. The dire reality is that if you want to win the Cup in the modern era, you need home ice advantage, at least to start the playoffs. The 2006 Oilers are a nice story, but that’s all they are – a nice story. If they had a healthy Dwayne Roloson for game 7, things may have been different, but he was hurt, and they lost. There are no moral victories to be found in game 7 of the Cup Finals, and the Oilers have been rebuilding ever since.

This season has 3 possible outcomes for the Habs:

1- They buck history to “rise together” to grab the 8th playoff spot, despite overwhelming odds. Pragmatists will weep at the loss of a potential lottery pick, while optimists and die-hard homers will trumpet this as an accomplishment worthy of recognition in the annals of Habs lore.

2- They make a brave charge for 8th, but fall short. Pragmatists will weep at the loss of a potential lottery pick, while optimists and die-hard homers will trumpet this as an accomplishment worthy of recognition in the annals of Habs lore.

3- They trade their available assets before the deadline, restock the draft pick and prospect cupboard by moving guys like Hal Gill, Travis Moen, Chris Campoli, Tomas Kaberle, in an attempt to do the one thing they haven’t done since the fluke of the 2005 draft (and previously the 1984 draft): draft in the top 5 and secure a franchise centerman.

When you weigh the team’s needs vs the daunting mountain of history that lies in in their path, the “smart” thing to do for the team’s future success would be to cut bait, let nature take its course and rebound hard next year.

Options 1 and 2, in my mind (and I know I’m not alone) represent a waste of time that although would be exciting for a couple months, would ultimately be a step back for the team. As Division and Conference rivals continue to improve, this is the year to make a huge leap forward in narrowing that gap, if not closing it altogether. Smart teams in today’s cap era build upon a foundation of young, cheap talent that can only come from good drafting. They do not build with pricey free agents. In terms of personnel in the organization, the Canadiens have one of the best evaluators of amateur talent in Trevor Timmins. Give him one year where, in a deep draft, he can lay claim to several high-end prospects and Habs fans will reap the rewards for many years to come.

I’m not naive enough to believe that a team of professional athletes are going to roll over and die. They just aren’t wired that way. With the amount of skill on this Habs team, their current position in the standings defies logic, and in that vein it’s not inconceivable that they could at least turn things around just enough to make everything look respectable. Like the thrilling run to the Eastern Conference Finals a couple years ago, I still believe snatching 8th place and missing out on the opportunity to solidify the future is nothing but a smokescreen that while exciting for a time, really sets the team back. It sparks false hope and conjures up delusions of grandeur.

Now, if only the shareholders would agree to forgo playoff revenue *just once*, the path would be so much easier for Geoff Molson and Pierre Gauthier.

Habs Don’t Need A Rebuild

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Let’s all take a deep breath, or twenty.

Do the the Habs stink? You bet they do. Tough to admit, especially when they are “only 3 points out of a playoff spot” but you are what your record says you are, so yes – right now, the Habs stink. How did they get to this damp and sullen place so quickly? In this blogger’s view, two solid years of poor strategic coaching, coupled with non-existent tactical coaching, questionable development of youth and inept managerial moves have crippled this team. Ownership has a good amount of stink on it as well for placing blind faith in a team that was hired to keep corrupted and brainwashed masses content.

The team was never retooled properly following the collapse and subsequent mass exodus of 2009. Jacques Martin was brought in to breathe new life in to the team, as well as to bring a level of professionalism behind the bench that had been missing for years. Surely he had a hand in selecting the players that they eventually traded for, and signed during that summer’s free agency period. Why on God’s green earth they opted for small, offensive-minded players, we will never know. Sure, they’re loveable, respectable, classy guys, which makes trying to be objective about them much more difficult, but their contributions – or lack thereof speak for themselves. The style of play that was promised by Jacques Martin was never delivered – not even close. Instead, he enforced the exact opposite style of play that would have maxed out the players’ talents.  What’s the French translation for ‘appeasement’? The ruse worked for a while…or did it? I think we can all agree that goaltending saved not just the team’s bacon, but the entire barn. Whether Carey Price since the start of last year, or Halak two seasons ago, the trip to the Conference Finals was enchanting, but it was a fairy tale. An anomaly. The road taken was unsustainable. When a game plan calls for a goaltender to stop 40-50 shots per night, and asks defensemen to block almost as many, with the desired end result being a 2-1 victory, it’s only a matter of time before the trap door that you voluntarily stood on top of opens wide. Sidney Crosby’s bewilderment at the conclusion of game 7 spoke for nearly everyone, much of Habsland included.

Last year the team had its ups and downs, eventually bowing out in the first round to the Bruins in seven games. Many saw that as some sort of accomplishment, considering the “injuries”. Yawn. News flash! there are no moral victories in the playoffs. None. There never were, and there never will be. Talk of “tomorrow’s another day” is for the regular season. The playoffs, on the other hand are merciless and not for the faint of heart. Any talk otherwise stems from apologists, exonerators and excuse makers. Pass me the barf bag. The cracks in the foundation were deep and visible, but covered up with Carey Price’s excellence. That Carey Price is even in a Habs sweater is a stroke of luck.

Fast forward to this season, and the slow slide to oblivion accelerated to avalanche speed, and not even Price’s continued fine play could stop it. Jacques Martin quickly lost the pulse of his team, which is not surprising given how he stamped out any semblance of energy and passion – what was left to measure when you don’t communicate with your players? He soon ran out of places to hide, kids to throw under the bus and people to blame other than himself by the time the axe fell. Last Saturday ended what was an infernally long tenure that really wasn’t that long at all; it just felt that way, which is a damning testament to the type of stodgy, stale, flaccid hockey that Jacques Martin had installed. It was, and still is boring, which speaks to the damage that he has done, and that Randy Cunneyworth has been tasked with fixing. Nothing is worse than failing, sleep-inducing hockey, especially when you’re one of the priciest tickets in the league. Nothing. Near the end, Jacques Martin said that it was less about entertaining the fans. Way to keep up with the times, Coach.

Now, as Randy Cunneyworth struggles to pump out the water, he seems as powerless as a nine volt battery trying to power a nuclear submarine. It isn’t his fault; he’s been set up for failure by ownership and management, and the jackals in the French media have already begun gnawing at the carcass before it has even flatlined. Dead man walking.

The result is a team in disarray, or at least the semblance of disarray. There are still some good players on this team: Cole, Pacioretty, Gionta, Plekanec, Cammalleri and Kostitsyn are all eminently capable of 25 goals each, but only one or two of those guys will hit that number…three would be stretching it. As the team spirals to 12th place and poised to sink even lower, fans are predictably calling for a tank & rebuild in the same vein as Pittsburgh, Chicago, Washington, and other teams that reaped all-star talent at the draft table by being appallingly bad for many years.

As tempting as it may be to dream of a lottery draft pick, it’s not needed for this iteration of the team. Serious tweaking? Absolutely. Blowing it up? Stop it. While this season is on the verge of being lost, (if it wasn’t lost in October) there is plenty of hope for 2012-13, provided Geoff Molson gets his priorities straight and stares down those that insist that they have a say in running the team.

Re-signing Price, Subban and Gorges are no-brainer decisions. Bringing back Andrei Kostitsyn isn’t quite a no-brainer, but it’s damn close. Unless he can fetch a king’s ransom in return, he should be retained, and quite frankly, I wouldn’t trust Gauthier to fetch that kingly ransom. Thanks to Gauthier’s panic moves designed to save his, and Jacques Martin’s job (bonjour to those who said that a healthy Campoli and Kaberle would fix all that ails the team), he has saddled the team with some contracts that are suffocating the Habs, and will continue to do so until they’re off the books. That being the case, whoever has the title of General Manager in the summer – because it won’t be Pierre Gauthier – should focus on moving Scott Gomez, Mike Cammalleri and Tomas Kaberle at all costs. Freeing up that kind of scratch and replacing it with the right pieces and coupled with the proper Coaching, will set it back on course in a hurry.

There’s no need to flush out everyone over the age of 27. No need to be voluntary doormats for years to come. No need to waste some of Carey Price’s best years. As long as pillars like Price, Subban, Pacioretty, Plekanec, Cole, Eller, Gorges and Gionta are around, there is plenty to play for, and it’s all the more reason to get things right without waving the white flag of failure.The only capitulations that should be made, if the team can’t pull out of this tailspin absolutely and immediately (meaning tonight vs Winnipeg, and no more consolation loser points), is to trade pending UFAs (except Gorges and Kostitsyn) for assets. That’s it.

The recipe, as challenging as it may be to implement, is really quite simple:

1- Get the organizational priorities straight. Winning? Or pandering & political appeasement?
2- Hire the best General Manager money can buy, language be damned.
3- Let him get the best Coach, and ask him to pretty please with a cherry on top become competent in French as quickly as possible.
4- Sign or trade for players that match the new Coach’s style and fill the team’s gaps.
5- Enjoy hockey again.

Now, if only Geoff Molson can summon the courage to stomp out the filthy agenda-driven rats in the Francophone media and political arena who have infested and warped the views of Habs fans all over Quebec, things might get moving in the right direction. These clowns have once again made the Canadiens a laughing stock, not only in hockey circles, but in global news. It’s not because “outsiders don’t understand”. It’s because it’s farcical that a segment of Quebecers carry the sense of entitlement that allows them to believe that they control the team. The legacy of the Canadiens hangs from the rafters of the Bell Center, and it was built by French AND English. The legacy doesn’t exist anywhere else. It’s a sport. You want to make a statement about your culture and language? Do it through other channels and stay out of the hockey rink. People and organizations trying to shape the Canadiens to reflect their narrow-minded, pig-headed views have no place in the business of sport.

The ball is in your court, Mr. Molson.

Riddle Me This

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I told myself that I wasn’t going to blog about the P.K. Subban goal celebration “controvery”, but it seems as though people aren’t letting it go, so now I have to open my mouth.

Can somebody please explain to me why P.K. Subban’s maligned goal celebration is

SO. NOT. OKAY?

While this celebration by Theo Fleury is not only endearing to hockey fans, but is used as part (however briefly) of CBC’s intro to Hockey Night in Canada? (54 second mark)

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In case you’ve been napping for nearly 20 years, here’s the full clip of the now famous Fleury celebration:

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Now picture if Subban celebrated a goal, regardless of its relevance in that manner and imagine the shitstorm that would ensue.

While nobody from Hockey Night in Canada has come out and criticized the young Habs rearguard yet, I’m betting somebody does, and that, my friends would be sheer hypocrisy.

And if you try to tell me that Theo’s celebration is ok because that was during his third NHL season (hence he had “earned” respect and paid his dues), and because it was a playoff game, I’ll chop you in the throat.

With a crowbar.

Give your head a shake. Both celebrations are fine. Nobody ever threw a wet blanket on Theo Fleury, and nobody, especially his wet goose down duvet coach, should try to smother Subban, either.

All Carey Price, All the Time

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Is it too soon to say that Carey Price is one of the most controversial, most written, most blogged about players in Canadiens history, even though he’s only been with the team since 2005?  If Price isn’t in the group of most controversial Habs yet, it won’t be long before he becomes a part of it.
 
Making sure they don’t miss out on the fun, sunday’s headline on Sportsnet.ca was “Can We Panic Yet, Carey?” Really, Sportsnet? The words “Panic” and “Preseason” should never, ever be used in the same sentence, except for when you’re saying never to use them in the same sentence.
 
We all know the backstory, and we all have our own opinions on what happened and our own take on how stupid or deserved the criticism leveled at him is. For the record, I think he’s been cruelly, and vindictively treated since his arrival in Montreal and I’m embarassed by the way fellow Canadiens fans have treated him.
 
Two poles have been established. We know about the first group; the fans who will never support Price no matter what. This consists of a group of people who feel like they’ve been force-fed a kid who doesn’t deserve the pedestal and spotlight. They’ve been robbed of their “hero” by an organization that must be blind. The other side believes Price is the future of the team’s fortunes and are 100% behind him. At the very least, he’s wearing the bleu-blanc-rouge, and therefore is supported.
 
While one group unleashes barrage after barrage, the other side parries and shields.
 
As the groups battle one another, what’s being obscured in all of this is Price’s own responsibility. It’s pretty clear that its going to be solely up to him to change people’s opinions, since it’s obvious that his teammates, coaches and supportive fans can’t sway his detractors. This beast has taken on a life of its own, much of it media driven (more on that here) and has now become a battle of wills.
 
The haters want him to prove that he belongs, or, just get out of town altogether, while supporters insist that they keep their boos to themselves while he develops and matures in to the hardest position in hockey, under the hottest spotlight.
 
The haters seem to get a rise out of jeering him now, so as to provoke a reaction or get him to say something or do something that will only further their hair-brained behaviour. So as Price endures the boobirds after each and every mistake, whether its his fault or not, his defenders will come to his rescue. And with each passing incident, both sides dig in their positions irretrievably deeper. It makes for a nasty situation; Habs fan vs Habs fan, as his attackers will fault him for everything while his supporters exonerate him, regardless of what’s transpired.
 
The truth is that Price, as he has done in the past despite what the haters say, will need to win games on his own. The Canadiens have always needed superb goaltending, and Price will have to deliver it again and do it consistently. Looking back to the first exhibition game vs the Bruins, he was let off the hook for 2-3 of the goals, depending on who you talk to. Nobody should be getting their knickers in a twist over preseason hockey, no matter the results. The same goes for his second rough outing against the Senators. The reality is that he’s going to be hung out to dry from time to time, probably once or twice per game. He’s going to have to make big stops even when faced with stars bearing down on him with the puck after a horrible turnover or blown defensive coverage. Great goalies keep their teams in games, and often win games on their own. They bail out their teammates and cover up for their blunders. The Canadiens have a goalie who can do that, who HAS done that, and is simply recapturing his form in tune-up games (and no, I’m not referring to Alex Auld or Curtis Sanford, or even Robert Mayer.). The tune-up process may even spill over in to the regular season…and guess what? That’s fine, too.
 
Those that hate him really need to back off. Immediately. They’re embarassing themselves with their petulant behaviour, and making a laughing stock of Habs fans everywhere yet again. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised that Canadiens fans find ways in which to raise (or lower?) the bar for themselves every year with boorish, idiotic behavior, but in no way does booing help the team. At all. Never has, never will.
His defenders, on the other hand, need to be vigilant that die-hard support doesn’t morph in to coddling and excuse making, because that’s as detrimental to the team, albeit in a different way. If you ask me, if you call yourself a Habs fan, you ought to support everyone who wears the jersey. Period. If you don’t like a player, or like where the team is going, then don’t watch the games. Don’t read blogs. Don’t go to the games. Don’t participate in call-in shows. Don’t purchase merchandise. Boycott sponsors of the team. Just stay away. Protest with your wallet. If there are enough Price haters who stick to this recipe of protest, then perhaps you’d have a leg to stand on. Acting like spoiled brats will only irritate and inflame an already tense situation.
Every player, and every master plan has an expiry date, and if Price – arguably the biggest part of the Canadiens master plan - can’t (for whatever reason) post a lot more wins than losses, he’ll need to move on for his own sake, as well as the sake of the team. Right now he simply needs the space and time right now to work on his game without knowing he’s going to be riddled with negativity every time he falters.
The question that Habs management will need to answer is how long they’ll allow this trend to continue before acting on it. Do they preach patience and wait until Price is 25 or 26 years old and see where he is in his development? Or make a bold decision as tension continues to tear at the fanbase? Carey Price’s development is not more important than the team’s success; but at this point the two are intertwined. This won’t always be the case, as the distraction will not dissipate unless Price makes it go away through strong play. That said, Price isn’t invincible and can’t endure this senseless onslaught forever. Nobody could. Nobody should. Price is armed with a 2-year contract, but if his actions don’t muzzle the haters, he may not be around to see the end of that deal. That would be a horrible shame, but it would be just what some fans and media are hoping for. Many fans and media believe that they ought to have some influence on the team’s direction, and their public displays of displeasure are evidence of that.
 
May the hockey gods help us.

Drinking From the Firehose

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Preseason game number one is in the books, and despite the loss to the hated Bruins, I should feel excited for the upcoming season. Seven months (and hopefully more) of Habs action should do wonders for the soul. A glimpse in to the crystal ball shows promise with guys like Jarred Tinordi, Aaron Palushaj, Louis Leblanc, Gabriel Dumont, and others. This should get the hockey juices flowing, right? RIGHT?

Sure, but it isn’t. I confessed a couple weeks back that I wasn’t yet ready for the season, and not even the voice of Pierre Houde, an HD picture, and St. Ambroise stout could remedy it. What’s up with me?

***

It’s Too Much

Too much hype, too much hysteria.

Too much, too fast.

I know most, or all of you have been hockey starved since the Cup was awarded to Captain Serious way back in June. Hockey couldn’t come back fast enough. The “#isitoctoberyet” hashtag was probably created 10 minutes after Patrick Kane scored the winning goal. I get it, and I love it. Fans want hockey 365 days a year.

I feel like we’ve gone too far. This week on the Team 990, Mitch Melnick tore a strip off fans and media who were at intra-squad games tweeting the play by play. “Get a life” was the message. “Find something else to do” was the advice. I thought that was harsh, especially coming from someone whose career depends on people being fanatical about sports. But I get where he was coming from. What’s it all for? The intra-squad games and rookie camps is the chum in the water. The feeding frenzy has already begun.

***

Year after year we criticize General Managers who can’t control themselves with their spending habits. We tear them to shreds online and during call-in shows. The more they get their way, the more they abuse the system, even after getting the sweetheart CBA that they wanted and murdered an entire season to get. Now they’ve buggered up their tailor-made system and another lockout looms.

But it seems as though fans and media alike have also gone off the deep end and can no longer control themselves. Coverage and analysis of preseason game number one has been the same as game number 34 or game 3 of the conference finals. Consistency, or overkill?

Fans on Twitter were reacting and analyzing last night’s preseason opener as if it has any relevance at all, and I’m as guilty as anyone. A preseason game is important to the kids trying to make the team or at least make an impression on management. It’s certainly important to the Molsons as they rake in cash on meaningless games.

But the games don’t mean squat in the standings, yet we act as though they do. Life and death.

***

Perspective Has Been Lost

What of all this hype, coverage and hysteria? The fans are hungry, and the media is happy to give them what they want, if it gets eyeballs and listeners. It’s a business, a tough business in 2010 and I get it. Again, I’m as guilty as anyone for listening, watching, commenting and writing this blog.

After the game, the call-in shows were alight, Antichambre was full-steam ahead, post-game pressers were held, and reviews were hammered out.

Moderation has gone out the window and plummeted to it’s splattery, messy demise.

We can’t unring this bell, and that’s a problem. We’ve opened the pandora’s box, and we can’t stuff the genie back in the bottle. We are insatiable when it comes to the Habs, and the beast only continues to grow. All in the name of satisfying demand, they say. Except that by the time Halloween rolls around, Carey Price has been booed a dozen times on home ice, (more on moronic Habs fans booing Price by Rick, here) and it’s been kicked around for weeks until the topic makes people twitchy. The analysis and scrutiny is already in midseason form, even if the players aren’t.

It would be wonderful if a little bit of perspective could be recaptured, is all I’m saying. Do we really need raging post-game shows and in-depth analysis of a game that means positively nothing in the standings? Do we need TSN, and RDS to round up the boys and have a full-on breakdown of what was just witnessed? Does any of it really matter when literally half of the players on the ice will be playing their hockey elsewhere during the season?

These are games to whet the appetite, not to be devoured. They are games intended to be stress-free opportunities to take a look at the future of the team, not rip apart the present. We are not 24 hours in to the new season and already Cammalleri has had to come to Carey Price’s defense, as has Josh Gorges, Tomas Plekanec, Hal Gill and head coach Jacques Martin. Is this the table we’re trying to set for this coming season? Sounds like its going to be a gong show, and I’m not talking about the team.

I’m hoping we can all breathe through our nostrils and chill out a little, but I doubt that’s going to happen. The green flag has been waved and the silly season is officially in high gear. After 1. Pre. Season. Game. What. The. Hell.

What’s next? Preseason fantasy pools? (If one already exists, please don’t point it out to me.)

I’m honestly not sure if I have the stomach for this.

Please October, hurry the hell up!


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