Hockey Lovers Confuse Hockey Writer
This almost slipped under the trellis... thanks to TMLFans for linking to it. Steve Gorten of the South Florida Sun Sentinel, shocked by the spectacle of people actually giving a crap about their hockey team, took a break from explaining icing and offside to his readers to weigh in on l'affaire McCabe:
McCabe has handled the situation well. He didn't shy away from questions Wednesday. What this illustrates, though, is that Canada isn't hockey crazy -- it's deranged, at least when it comes to Leafs fans.
For as proud as Leafs fans are, Toronto hasn't won a Stanley Cup since 1967. Its image is inflated, and its fans are fickle and irrational. And the media feeds that.
Ah yes, the fickle Leafs fans who have sold out the building to watch a mostly mediocre team for decades. The irrational fans who publish front-page flagellations of underperforming players. How exactly is the Maple Leafs' image inflated again? Because they are heavily reported on in their own market? I don't recall Andrew Raycroft's Exploding Glove making the front page of the New York TImes lately. Is it surprising that they are big news league-wide considering it is their revenues and profile that keep teams like, I don't know... Florida in business?
You would think, coming from a market where hockey's profile probably amounts to Nathan Horton doing an autograph signing at the local Publix, Gorten would appreciate a town where the team was so passionately loved and debated. The Panthers are at home to Nashville this Saturday. Good seats still available!
McCabe has handled the situation well. He didn't shy away from questions Wednesday. What this illustrates, though, is that Canada isn't hockey crazy -- it's deranged, at least when it comes to Leafs fans.
For as proud as Leafs fans are, Toronto hasn't won a Stanley Cup since 1967. Its image is inflated, and its fans are fickle and irrational. And the media feeds that.
Ah yes, the fickle Leafs fans who have sold out the building to watch a mostly mediocre team for decades. The irrational fans who publish front-page flagellations of underperforming players. How exactly is the Maple Leafs' image inflated again? Because they are heavily reported on in their own market? I don't recall Andrew Raycroft's Exploding Glove making the front page of the New York TImes lately. Is it surprising that they are big news league-wide considering it is their revenues and profile that keep teams like, I don't know... Florida in business?
You would think, coming from a market where hockey's profile probably amounts to Nathan Horton doing an autograph signing at the local Publix, Gorten would appreciate a town where the team was so passionately loved and debated. The Panthers are at home to Nashville this Saturday. Good seats still available!
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