If you read my recap of last night's Leaf game, you already know that I expected more from the pre-game ceremony honouring our 1967 Stanley Cup champions. Why it all seemed so underwhelming has been bothering me ever since, but I think I know why the reaction was merely lukewarm.
The celebration was in honour of the fortieth anniversary of our last Stanley Cup winning team. It's a back handed compliment when you think about it. We're honouring these guys for what they did 40 years ago, but it just emphasizes the fact we haven't won it since. Forty years is a damn long time to go winless.
The people at the ACC last night were Leaf fans who shell out major coin to attend games. I'm sure they were happy to see Keon and the gang, but they'd be happier to see a winning team in this era. While honouring the 1967 champs, we're acknowledging a forty year drought and practically celebrating this ineptness. I'm sure many in the crowd were just pissed we Leaf fans haven't been rewarded with a winning team this decade... or the one before, or the one before, or the one before. We've got to stop being okay with this extended mediocrity.
It's been forty years of shite, and there's little hope this season or in the immediate future. I'm excusing the fans and MSLE for the underwhelming ceremony. In fact, I'm starting to wonder if we should have had it at all.
