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Wednesday, April 22, 2009

CBJ and fans.. hold your heads high!

I wanted to make sure everyone saw this message from a poster named "GoodVybes" over on HF:

I am not sure where this should go, so I will post it here. I have no wish to make excuses for anybody, what I saw last night was on many levels an atrocious display of hockey by the CBJ. I was so angry and frustrated during the game that I simply could not stand it. But it is comments that I have seen after the game that stick with me. CBJ fans who want to call out this or that player. Nobody but R.J. or Rusty gets to hold their head up and be proud of their performance. I too want to call out certain players for being useless, but a laundry list does us no good now. Trolls who know nothing of this team and its composition, you are sad people who would rather feast on the misery of others than share the joy of your own team.

CBJ fans, remember this time right now and hold it your head. Think about last year, were you this mad about how your team played last night? NO! Your team was playing golf or of on fishing trips. Your team had its best season ever, weathered adversity better than anybody in the hockey world thought it would. Your team broke through to the playoffs for the first time ever. Yes, its getting beat up right now, and its flaws are being exposed. Has your GM sat idly the last two years? Is this the same team he took over? No and No. Howson and Hitchcock have turned this team around, they are forming an identity and building for long term success. Look at who is ready to come into the line-up, is there a step backwards there? This team will make the playoffs next year and it will be better.

Now, take that image of this moment and hold it, remember it a year from now, and be ready to enjoy the success that will come. Nobody who was in that arena last night can honestly believe that the support and demand for a winner is not there. When I walked to my seat, the same seat I had been in since opening night in 2000, I looked around and saw the season ticket holders who I have seen for the past eight years, I saw the mustard stain from where my son dribbled while eating his first hot dog at a CBJ game, I looked around and realized that at that moment there was no place I would rather be. Tomorrow night is almost certainly the last CBJ game until October, and likely my last as a PSL holder, I will be there with my son so he too can know the delicious agony of the playoffs. I will cheer this team when they leave the ice one last time and then be ready to do it all again in the fall.

Finally, remember this Jackets fans when times are tough - Being a Blue Jackets fan means never having to stuff a dead octopus down your pants.


Well said my man!

-LTL

9 comments:

Wally said...

People were critical of the BlueJackets? On HFBoards? OMG... there's a newsflash.

If there a new "Trade Nash" thread yet?

Did someone revive the "Fire Howsen/Hitch" thread yet?

Any more photoshops of Claude Noel's powerplay-o-meter?

Someone fill me in... I want to gouge my eyeballs out every time I visit that awful site. So many whiners, finger-pointers and impatient A-holes... it really spoils being a fan sometimes.

BZArcher said...

Very well said.

Remember, even if this is NOT how we wanted our playoff run to go, this has been an amazing year for this team, and they deserve our support tomorrow!

JAL said...

Absolutely -- the way Detroit is playing, not one Western Conference team would be hanging with them right now, guaranteed.

We played our first playoff-caliber hockey game last night, and the score does not do justice to the quality of the effort. Do we still have some invisible folks? Sure. But Detroit has a way of making people disappear.

I am not as resigned to a loss tomorrow night, as I think the team wants to build off of the third period energy, get a home win, and avoid the sweep. They have learned a little more each game.

Regardless, the fans need to show up, be loud, and win or lose, give the boys a helluva send off when the 60 minute mark is reached.

--JAL
A Shot From The Point

Wundurra said...

I don't worry about the bandwagon jumpers. At the first sign of adversity, they'll jump back off.
Come on, folks. Before this season started, did more than a handful of people even pick the Jackets to make the play-offs? No. It's been a hell of a year, regardless of the outcome of this one series.
Next will will only be better, if for no other reason than the roster spot filled with the useless Christian Backman will have an actual player taking it. Add in an actual back-up goalie, a few changes in the team (inevitable in the off-season, no matter how successful a team is), hopefully securing the services of Jason Williams, Antoine Vermette and (of course) Rick Nash for more than just one year, and there will be improvement.
The bandwagon jumpers can kiss my posterior. I want to thank Scott Howson, Ken Hitchcock and, of course, Mr. Mac for this season and what I know will be more memorable seasons to come.

MattTheMask said...

As disappointing as this playoff series has been, I think about how good this Jackets club will be next year. Brassard, Filatov thrown in the lineup. Subtract Backman, maybe even Modin and pick up a few key players and we could be looking at a deep playoff run! GO JACKETS! I believe now even though we are down, and I believe in our future!

Unknown said...

We will win tomorrow night... I am getting into Osgood's head.

Rick said...

I called up my sister and had her put a HEX on Mike Babcock & the boys for tomorrow night. That said, our guys need to bring the secondary scoring with Nasher getting shut down by the Moldy Wing Dings.


Carry The Flag !!!

Mattlund said...

LTL has plenty of reasons to hold his up high today!!

Keep doing what you do, brother.

Anonymous said...

"Being a Blue Jackets fan means never having to stuff a dead octopus down your pants." I'm saving this quote. That was hilarious.

See you all tomorrow. Wish I could say the trip from WV will be worth it, but at least I can say I did my part and got to see a playoff game.

What's the plan LTL?