An Open Letter to Leafs' Fans

Dear fellow Leafs fan:

Look, I understand how tough it is. Every single season ends with me lamenting my geographical location, desperately holding on to any shred of hope that I can find, or possibly even fabricate so that I can sleep at night. I actually heard myself say at the end of last season: "Well, it's better to be young and bad than old and bad!!" I get it.

But what honestly made me sicker than the uninspiring performance of the Leafs in tonight's pre-season game against the Senators was the completely contemptible behaviour of the "fans" that were packed into the ACC. Booing your own players is poor form. I don't care if that's how you choose to voice your malcontent, or if jeering makes you feel better about losing. The only message you're sending is that you're not a fan base worth playing hard for.

And can we please just revisit the fact that this was a pre-season game?! Everyone knows that pre-season games don't mean anything unless you're winning! The Leafs are a brand new team this year, and haven't had the chance to coalesce. Chemistry is not an immediate phenomenon, as evidenced by any alleged "dream team" of star players who crash and burn when they try to play together. 


Give. Them. Time.


Fine I admit: Both Gustavsson and Rynnas were weak and out of position, Kadri will never even earn a roster spot with play like tonight, the passes were sloppy, the special teams were decidedly unspecial, and I can only pray that Phaneuf is better in the locker room than he was on the ice -  But tonight, it was the fans that make me ashamed to admit my allegiance. Lock it up. 


Yours, 


Lia

EDIT: Carey Price and I are clearly soulmates.