tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3028428008218063470.post3843088699828287630..comments2024-02-17T05:20:42.108-05:00Comments on just your usual general borschevsky: The November Reviewgeneral borschevskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04094251050850687883noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3028428008218063470.post-36370242776020893122008-12-01T23:51:00.000-05:002008-12-01T23:51:00.000-05:00Thanks General. We are nothing if not passionate.Thanks General. We are nothing if not passionate.Navin Vaswani (@eyebleaf)https://www.blogger.com/profile/08445618400360263938noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3028428008218063470.post-1780232068140218162008-12-01T21:41:00.000-05:002008-12-01T21:41:00.000-05:00Cheers, eyebleaf. I've been reading a lot of your ...Cheers, eyebleaf. I've been reading a lot of your comments over at PPP as well. I've been super busy today and wasn't able to support you, but you did well enough on your own (as usual). Love the passion. Disagree about Vancouver, but whatever, you're good people, through and through.<BR/><BR/>I just want to say that hockey shouldn't always be about just wins and losses and playoff positions and draft positions and salary caps and NTCs. Sometimes it's just about <B>drama</B> and celebration. I can think of nothing more dramatic and worth celebrating then the return of the Captain to the Maple Leafs. It'd be fucking awesome! Okay, maybe winning the Cup, but after that, what could possibly happen that would be as dramatic and worth celebrating as Sundin's return? <BR/><BR/>If we have to finish last in order to build a championship, then fine, but I can wait one more year for that plan. Let's make this year about celebrating the Maple Leafs for the things they do well, first and foremost being, they entertain us. Spirit is everything this year. Sundin should come home.general borschevskyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04094251050850687883noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3028428008218063470.post-74952741083427570192008-12-01T19:23:00.000-05:002008-12-01T19:23:00.000-05:00Great post, General. A Jason Blake FIST PUMP, inde...Great post, General. A Jason Blake FIST PUMP, indeed. You really captured the essence of an up and down month, and the linking was absolutely fantastic.<BR/><BR/>The discussion you and Graeme have had has been great as well. It's really a polarizing issue, all this Sundin stuff.<BR/><BR/>One thing that really bothers me about the whole thing is that we never got to properly say goodbye. It's a reason why I would love for Mats to come back. But I'm pretty resigned to the fact that he won't. And that's fine.<BR/><BR/>And I'm with you, there's no guarantee that losing will eventually lead to winning. There's no guarantees that first round draft picks turn into anything special. I mean, hell, we just traded two of them away.<BR/><BR/>One last bit on Sundin. I just read DGB's latest post, where he called him a "back-stabber." Here's what I left in the comments over there. I think you would appreciate the last couple of lines:<BR/><BR/><I>I wanted the Canucks to sign Sundin before perusing this, your latest post. After reading your cheap shot to end this post, I want nothing more than for Sundin, the "back-stabber," to end up in a Canucks uniform.<BR/><BR/>I really think it's sad the way you're talking about one of the greatest players to ever play for the Toronto Maple Leafs. I hope one day you'll get over your broken heart from Sundin not waiving his no-trade clause and realize that while Sundin could have given us Chris Higgins and a draft pick or two, what he gave us in the end was a whole lot more, and a whole lot more special.</I>Navin Vaswani (@eyebleaf)https://www.blogger.com/profile/08445618400360263938noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3028428008218063470.post-86309090286139696502008-12-01T17:02:00.000-05:002008-12-01T17:02:00.000-05:00Thanks Graeme, for keeping things positive. This S...Thanks Graeme, for keeping things positive. This Sundin thing is a touchy issue. Check out the comments over at <A HREF="http://nvsportsandthecity.blogspot.com/2008/12/go-west-mats.html" REL="nofollow">sports and the city</A>!<BR/><BR/>I'm still not convinced that losing leads to winning. I wrote a <A HREF="http://generalborschevsky.blogspot.com/2008/07/blog-post.html" REL="nofollow">post</A><BR/> on the subject a while back. Detroit has not missed the playoffs since 1990! Yet they are still the best team in the league. Meanwhile Columbus has missed the playoffs 8 years in a row. So how come Detroit is in 2nd and Columbus is in 10th? Seems to me like there is more to winning then just sucking for a few years. Seems like having the right attitude might have something to do with it.general borschevskyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04094251050850687883noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3028428008218063470.post-651370020312659132008-12-01T16:33:00.000-05:002008-12-01T16:33:00.000-05:00I'm with you - I want the Leafs to win every game....I'm with you - I <EM>want</EM> the Leafs to win every game. I've been a Leafs fan for almost 40 years and I never <EM>want</EM> them to lose. But I've just seen too many years of squeaking in the playoffs and getting a lousy draft pick, or even worse -- <EM>just missing</EM> the playoffs and getting a lousy draft pick. For too many years, the team hasn't been good enough to compete and also hasn't been bad enough to restock with high draft picks. Unless you're Detroit, it seems that you have to <B>really suck</B> for a few years in order to build up your team to get good and really contend - see Ottawa, Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay, ... I guess I have already resigned myself to the fact that the Leafs are likely to suck for the next couple of years while they rebuild, so my gut reaction to "maybe we'll squeak into the playoffs this year!" is "No! Then the rebuilding will take a year longer!" <BR/><BR/>That's my December opinion though. If I'm watching the last Leaf game of the season and a win means they make the playoffs and a loss means they don't, then you're damn right I'm rooting for a win. Cause it's the playoffs! Anything can happen! I also know that despite what I've written here and on <A HREF="http://www.cutthechatter.com/2008/10/hockey-story-that-just-wont-die.html" REL="nofollow">my own blog</A>, if it were announced tomorrow that Mats had signed with the Leafs, my first reaction would likely be "Oh cool, Mats is back!" <shakes head at my own conflicting opinions><BR/><BR/>You're right, I don't really care about the money. My point was that if your goal is to win the Cup, and spending seven million dollars to get Sundin will not help accomplish that goal, then it's a waste of money. But it ain't my money, and MLSE has enough of it, so they can spend it whatever way they want.Graemehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17631487565943415701noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3028428008218063470.post-64207274100018436332008-12-01T15:34:00.000-05:002008-12-01T15:34:00.000-05:00Hey Graeme, thanks for the comment, but I think yo...Hey Graeme, thanks for the comment, but I think you misunderstand a little. I don't expect Mats to help us win a Cup.<BR/><BR/>But I don't think Mats expects to win a Cup either. He just wants to compete for one. Sundin has not participated in the post-season since before the lock out. Everyone knows the <B>NHL playoffs is the only hockey that really matters</B>. Sundin, I believe, is the type of player who feels that once the post-season begins, anything can happen and that all 16 teams have an equal opportunity.<BR/><BR/>So why would I want Sundin to come back to the Leafs and why would I want the Leafs to make the playoffs even though they have no hope of winning the Cup? Is it because I'm stupid? Well, I think that being in the playoffs is fun - more fun then being out of the playoffs for 4 years in a row. It would be exciting. Seeing Sundin finish his career as a Maple Leaf with one last unexpected hurrah would be way more satisfying then the way he finished last season or then seeing him play for another team.<BR/><BR/>I don't care if the Leafs win the Cup this year or next year or even in 5 years. But I would love for them to win the Cup in my lifetime. Having said that, I don't expect them to keep missing the playoffs year after year after year forever until they're finally ready to go for it! Making the playoffs, from time to time, would be nice, even if they don't reach the final.<BR/><BR/>I want them to win every game this year, and win a Cup, and get better next year. I know that isn't realistic, but I'm not the GM. I'm a fan and I don't have to be realistic. This my <I>escapism</I>, get it? It's not my job. It's just entertainment.<BR/><BR/>Sundin is entertaining. The NHL playoffs is entertaining. I want to be entertained, that is all.<BR/><BR/>Also, Graeme, your last comment is puzzling. <I>paying him the millions he is looking for (and deserves) is a huge waste of money</I><BR/><BR/>Huge waste of what money? It's not my money. Is it yours? Who gives a fuck about the money? The Leafs are so far below the cap ceiling that they could easily afford Sundin. They are one of the only teams that can afford Sundin. MLSE is the wealthiest ownership group in the league. Why do you want them to save money? For what?<BR/>That makes no sense! I would argue that every dollar they are <I>not spending</I> is a waste of money, but you think they should save it for some reason.<BR/><BR/>So I guess tonight you'll be cheering for the Leafs to lose so that they don't make the playoffs, because even if they did they wouldn't win the Cup, and that's fine, that's your right, but I think <B>that</B> is the real reason why people think many Leaf fans are stupid. Me, I disagree. I think that makes you <I>not</I> a Leaf fan.general borschevskyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04094251050850687883noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3028428008218063470.post-77068657260777419572008-12-01T11:35:00.000-05:002008-12-01T11:35:00.000-05:00Despite the obvious need for a top line centre, de...<I>Despite the obvious need for a top line centre, despite the need for veteran leadership, despite the fact that this team is already better then last year's team and that the playoffs are just a short win-streak away...</I><BR/><BR/>Are you kidding me? This is the reason that so many people think Leafs fans are stupid. Can we not just accept the fact that this team is <B>not</B> going to win the Cup this year and move on with the rebuilding - without Sundin? I love Mats as much as anyone else, but his time here is over, and bringing him back would serve no purpose.<BR/><BR/>Squeaking into the playoffs only to get killed in the first round does not mean the season was a success. That kind of thinking has brought you the last forty years. If Sundin wants to come back for minimum salary, then sure, what the hell. But it's not going to bring the Cup here, and paying him the millions he is looking for (and deserves) is a huge waste of money.Graemehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17631487565943415701noreply@blogger.com