IT IS THE DARK SIDE OF THE HUMAN CONDITION…
WE ALL LOVE TO WATCH A TRAIN WRECK…
THE BIGGER THE WRECK…THE BIGGER THE FASINATION…
IT HELPS TO EXPLAIN THE AMOUNT OF TIME WE WASTE ON THE LIKES OF…BRITNEY SPEARS AND MICHAEL JACKSON…
SUCH IS THE CASE WITH THE TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS…
LIKE IT OR NOT…
TORONTO IS THE BIGGEST HOCKEY MARKET IN THE WORLD…
NEVERTHELESS THE LEAFS HAVE THE THIRD WORST RECORD IN ENTIRE NHL…
THEY ARE ABOUT TO MISS THE PLAYOFFS FOR THE THIRD STRAIGHT SEASON…
SOMETHING THAT NO LEAF TEAM HAS EVER DONE…
THE TEAM HAS 40 MILLION DOLLARS COMMITTED FOR NEXT SEASON…
AND NONE OF THAT MONEY IS GOING TO…MATTS SUNDIN…ALEX STEEN…KYLE WELLWOOD OR MATT STAJAN…
THE ORGANIZATION HAS NO REAL FARM SYSTEM…AND VIRTUALLY NO PROSPECTS…
THE PROBLEM IS…THE LEAFS HAVE THE MOST DYSFUNCTIONAL OWNERSHIP SINCE BILL WIRTZ IN CHICAGO…
WINNING IS CLEARLY NOT A PRIORITY FOR EITHER LARRY TANNENBAUM OR RICHARD PEDDIE…
THE PLAN NOW IS TO FIRE GENERAL MANAGER JOHN FERGUSON AND REPLACE HIM WITH 72 YEAR OLD CLIFF FLETCHER…BUT ONLY ON AN INTERIM BASIS…
THIS IS THE SAME CLIFF FLETCHER THE LEAFS FIRED 10 YEARS AGO…
THE LEAFS COULD HAVE AVOIDED ALL OF THIS IS THEY HAD HIRED SCOTTY BOWMAN LAST SUMMER…BUT AT THE LAST MINUTE DECIDED THEY DID NOT WANT TO GIVE UP THE CONTROL…THAT BOWMAN DEMANDED…
EVEN HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA HAS BAILED OUT…
THIS SATURDAY THE NATIONAL GAME WILL NOT BE TORONTO AND BUFFALO…
INSTEAD WE WILL SEE MONTREAL AND PITTSBURGH…
WILLIAM HOUSTON OF THE GLOBE AND MAIL HAS GONE SO FAR AS TO SUGGEST…
HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA SHOULD KEEP THE LEAFS OFF THE NATIONAL TELECAST FOR THE REST OF THE SEASON…
GET THIS…THE HEAD OF CBC SPORTS SCOTT MOORE IS THINKING ABOUT IT…MOORE CALLS IT “A GOOD IDEA”…
IF HOCKEY FANS IN TORONTO REALLY CARED ABOUT THEIR TEAM…ONE OF THEM WOULD PLACE THIS SIGN ON THE FRONT DOOR OF THE AIR CANADA CENTER…”WOULD THE LAST PERSON LEAVING…PLEASE TURN OUT THE LIGHTS”…
LETS FACE IT…THIS PARTY IS OVER…