Thanks, Damien

I have to admit, I've been having a blast this week. A lot of good things have been happening, including the Leafs winning 4 out of 5, but I just wanted to do a quick post about Damien Cox 'cause he actually made me very happy today. It began with this statement from his blog, the Spin:

Now, with Martin Gerber having acted like a complete idiot over a goal that, in my opinion, was correctly counted as legal, Pogge gets another shot.

My emphasis in bold. It seemed like a ridiculous thing to say, so I sent him this response, which they actually posted:

Sorry Damien, but only an idiot would think pithforking a goalie in the junk and pushing him into the net while the puck is underneath him is "correctly counted as legal". You're a fraud that actually knows nothing about hockey and when you make statements like that you give yourself away.

Too bad I spelt "pithforking" like an idiot. Three comments later, Damien himself is jumping into his own comments just to pad the total like I do:

First, puck was loose, not covered. Player bangs it over line. Good goal.

Argument is irrelevant, not logical. Journalist going out lunch. Comment strange. But wait, don't let that choppy, disillusionment stop you from reading the best part:

Rest is just usual whining from Leaf fans who still want to talk about Kerry Fraser's non-call on Gretzky high stick in '93 playoffs.

Wow. How awesome is that? Truly, I'm blown away that he used that reference. So, in good humour, I responded to his suggestion that Gerber was an idiot with this:

It isn't November anymore. These games don't matter. What does matter is having players who show a little passion and spirit. Too often last year the Leafs would just accept it when they were getting screwed. Gerber's reaction was entirely appropriate.

Damien responds immediately in the very next comment:

Damien here. . .too funny. . .guys who define shooting a puck at a referee as showing "passion and spirit". Well, why not go hit the ref with a nice two-hander? That would be really spirited!

That's so great. He puts quotes around my words but he calls me "guys" because I have a ridiculous blogger name. The bit about two-handing a ref being really spirited is hysterical. That won't ever stop being funny to me. Sure, Damien. Take his head off! Go Leafs Go!

Also included in the comments is this gem from Bitter Leaf Fan:

Three separate issues here Damien.

First, if video evidence exists of a loose puck, I'd love to see it. It certainly wasn't available or broadcast during the game. Can you let me know where you saw the so-called loose puck? Second, "idiot" is a pretty loaded word. Players do a lot of stupid things in the heat of the moment and I'll take Gerber's passion any day. Third, what's with the constant attacks on Leaf fans? Folks disagree with your assessment of a goal and you drop 1993, Gretzky and Fraser on them? I'm surprised you didn't shoehorn a "1967" or "42 years" into your response. Such a simple minded response from you is really unbecoming, but as you said, "some things never change".

I wish I'd written that.

I guess I should say that I don't actually think that Damien Cox is terrible. That's why there's a link to his blog down in the Web of Distraction list. He's better then Berger, Simmons, Strachan, Feschuk, and DiManno, but so are you probably, it really isn't saying much. Still, I used to read him a lot, once, long ago, and if it weren't for Damien I never would have found CoxBloc, and then Pension Plan Puppets and Down Goes Brown, He Score He Shoot!, Die Hard Blue And White, Loser Domi, Bitter Leaf Fan, Sports And The City, and all of the other wonderful writers that I now get my daily, even hourly, Leafs' news and opinion from.

So thanks, Damien, for all your work, and for taking the time to speak with Leaf fans today. It was a lot of fun for me and I'm glad I was able to make you laugh when I said that thing about "passion and spirit". It wasn't meant to be a definition, just an example, but whatever.