We Aren't The Champions
In this post I will talk about some of my favourite people- Toronto Maple Leafs fans.
I live outside of Toronto so I am surrounded by Leaf fans and the media around here has a gigantic bias towards the Leafs. Seeing as I am a Red Wings fan, I am able to view these people that I call Leafheads. Here is the yearly cycle of most Leaf fans:
-In free agency the Leafheads debate with one another about who they need to pick up. Hardly ever does the Leafs GM get the guys that Leafheads feel are needed and instead gets older "B class" veterns or young inexpereinced players so the Leafheads complain about the bonehead decisions of the GM. To Leafheads the team roster is pretty darn good with only a certain key guy missing here or there to complete the puzzle.
-Leafheads look back at the player changes and then figure they will suck in the upcoming season. They complain how every year the same type of stuff happens and the team wont ever win a Stanley Cup with the current management.
-Training camp and pre-season games start and the future looks a little brighter but still, the expectation is failure.
-The season starts with the opinion that the team will not make a run in the playoffs because the team is either too old or too young...it varies. Despite this, even in the FIRST game Leaheads will act like the Leafs should dominate regardless of who they are playing. ..the media (Leafheads who get paid to be Leafheads) write their biased articles in this manner. If the Leafs lose it was ONLY because they just played poorly not that the other team played well or is, heaven forbid, BETTER. If the Leafs win it is because they just are the greatest.
-A few games go by and depending on how well they did the general consensus is either a) the team is horrible and will win 6 games all year or b) they will break records for wins and points in a year.
-Regardless of how well they do Leafheads still believe their team can score goals at will and teams can only score on them if the Leafs let them. You could put an NHL all pro team against the Leafs and all Leafheads watching it would act like the leafs should win.
-the season hits the 2nd half point and all Leafheads are now acting like the Leafs are the favourite to win the Cup.
-all those free agency pickups that Leafheads hated are now players the Leafheads love and the Leafs GM is seen as a genius.
-Playoffs hit and yep, Leafheads confirm the Leafs are the dominate force regardless of reality. They are sure fire Stanley Cup winners despite what history has shown. Leafheads imply that the Leafs are 20 time defending cup winners rather than being shutout for close to 40 years from the Holy Grail.
-The Leafs get past Ottawa in the first round and the expectations heat up. Surely if the Leafs beat the Senns that Leafheads are guaranteed hockey fan bliss.
-Leafs lose in the next round and the excuses start flying. Leafheads blame everything from the coach to the hotdog vendor outside Air Canada Centre charging too much and causing a bad vibe for the good ol boys in blue. They can never just believe that the other team is flatout better than the Leafs.
-The playoffs end and Leafheads are irrate and say the team sucks and they need to rebuild. The Leafs need to get rid of this player, that player, this coach, that GM.
-Off season starts and the cycle repeats itself with the same complaints, the same expectatons and the same outcome yet the Leafheads never figure it out....
This is the life of a Leafhead and I find it amusing. Oh and every Leafhead refers to the team as "we" even though they dont play for the Leafs, coach for the Leafs, own the Leafs, or have ANY financial interest in the Leafs. Heck, most Leafheads dont even go to any games but still, they are part of the Leafs somehow to refer to them as "we"
I realize this behaviour isn't just a strictly Leafhead thing but hey, if you saw these fans in action you'd get a chuckle from it too and realize it is probably worse than in other areas.
Despite all this, I love the Leafheads...they provide me added entertainment for 9 months or so of the year.
I live outside of Toronto so I am surrounded by Leaf fans and the media around here has a gigantic bias towards the Leafs. Seeing as I am a Red Wings fan, I am able to view these people that I call Leafheads. Here is the yearly cycle of most Leaf fans:
-In free agency the Leafheads debate with one another about who they need to pick up. Hardly ever does the Leafs GM get the guys that Leafheads feel are needed and instead gets older "B class" veterns or young inexpereinced players so the Leafheads complain about the bonehead decisions of the GM. To Leafheads the team roster is pretty darn good with only a certain key guy missing here or there to complete the puzzle.
-Leafheads look back at the player changes and then figure they will suck in the upcoming season. They complain how every year the same type of stuff happens and the team wont ever win a Stanley Cup with the current management.
-Training camp and pre-season games start and the future looks a little brighter but still, the expectation is failure.
-The season starts with the opinion that the team will not make a run in the playoffs because the team is either too old or too young...it varies. Despite this, even in the FIRST game Leaheads will act like the Leafs should dominate regardless of who they are playing. ..the media (Leafheads who get paid to be Leafheads) write their biased articles in this manner. If the Leafs lose it was ONLY because they just played poorly not that the other team played well or is, heaven forbid, BETTER. If the Leafs win it is because they just are the greatest.
-A few games go by and depending on how well they did the general consensus is either a) the team is horrible and will win 6 games all year or b) they will break records for wins and points in a year.
-Regardless of how well they do Leafheads still believe their team can score goals at will and teams can only score on them if the Leafs let them. You could put an NHL all pro team against the Leafs and all Leafheads watching it would act like the leafs should win.
-the season hits the 2nd half point and all Leafheads are now acting like the Leafs are the favourite to win the Cup.
-all those free agency pickups that Leafheads hated are now players the Leafheads love and the Leafs GM is seen as a genius.
-Playoffs hit and yep, Leafheads confirm the Leafs are the dominate force regardless of reality. They are sure fire Stanley Cup winners despite what history has shown. Leafheads imply that the Leafs are 20 time defending cup winners rather than being shutout for close to 40 years from the Holy Grail.
-The Leafs get past Ottawa in the first round and the expectations heat up. Surely if the Leafs beat the Senns that Leafheads are guaranteed hockey fan bliss.
-Leafs lose in the next round and the excuses start flying. Leafheads blame everything from the coach to the hotdog vendor outside Air Canada Centre charging too much and causing a bad vibe for the good ol boys in blue. They can never just believe that the other team is flatout better than the Leafs.
-The playoffs end and Leafheads are irrate and say the team sucks and they need to rebuild. The Leafs need to get rid of this player, that player, this coach, that GM.
-Off season starts and the cycle repeats itself with the same complaints, the same expectatons and the same outcome yet the Leafheads never figure it out....
This is the life of a Leafhead and I find it amusing. Oh and every Leafhead refers to the team as "we" even though they dont play for the Leafs, coach for the Leafs, own the Leafs, or have ANY financial interest in the Leafs. Heck, most Leafheads dont even go to any games but still, they are part of the Leafs somehow to refer to them as "we"
I realize this behaviour isn't just a strictly Leafhead thing but hey, if you saw these fans in action you'd get a chuckle from it too and realize it is probably worse than in other areas.
Despite all this, I love the Leafheads...they provide me added entertainment for 9 months or so of the year.
posted by Rob at 4:50 PM
4 Comments:
Yup, you're right. Leafheads come from all over the world in ALL sports. I'm a "Leafhead" to the Dallas Cowboys, because they are "My" team, "We" win or "We" lose. haha. :)
but steve, I know that you secretly are jerry jones so it is ok.;)
btw nice phone commercial you have there son. hehe
I love my football.
Glad to see you are a wings fan ;)
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