I’ll Keep This Quick…

So, it’s finally happened. The Blue Jackets, riding a franchise-high 8 game winning streak finally succumbed to the inevitable and lost a game tonight. It’s amazing how fan expectations can change when a team gets hot. Early in November last year, the Blue Jackets were on a 3 game losing streak: fan resentment was climbing as the team looked like it would call it quits early on in the season…again. I wrote this little number in response to my mounting agitation to the naysayers and overall boohooeyness that I absolutely hate.

—————————–POSTED 11-04-13 ON FULLMENTALJACKETS.COM————————————

The Blue Jackets most recent loss was their third in as many games, but something seemed so much worse about this one then the other 2 before it. Do you know what that was? What made that loss so awful?

Do you really?

Greg took me to the Penguins game on Sunday and it was pretty embarrassing being in that building. Through some strange twist of fate though, I was calm. Collected. Angered to the point of steam coming out of my ears, sure, but calm. (I see you laughing, stop it) In this weird state of confusion, rage and clarity I sought council from a friend.

Wow. Such guidance. Many wisdom.

It’s because we’re playing a team that almost unanimously, we all hate. For different reasons, I’m sure. Some fans hate the Pens from their days as a Flyers, Devils or Red Wings fan. Me, personally, I just hate the flipping heck (sic) out of Pittsburgh. This is an important realization to make because it drastically changes how we as fans react to “our” squad getting beat. Not only that, but along with the hate Pittsburgh is one of the league’s best and because of that pride placed such an inflated value on those 4 points.

Blue Jackets Lose 3-0 to Penguins:

Embarrassing, Awful, Sell the team, Pieces of Junk, No Offense, Losing Season, blah blah effing blah

The Penguins were 9-4 before they played us. They have 3 all-stars on their squad. Is it really embarrassing that we lost to them in a struggle of a series? Is it? We didn’t get blown out 7-0 to some other struggling team like the Capitals, we got outplayed by one of the NHL’s darling teams. That’s not embarrassing. Embarrassing is Ray Emery committing assault. Embarrassing is your goalie being a Russian drunk. Embarrassing is the Buffalo Sabres. [editors note: touch of irony there, eh?]

We’re not even 15 games into the season yet. Important pieces are out like Calvert, Jenner and Horton. We’re playing new teams and sure, playing worse than we thought but not “done” or “tanking”. Please. We obviously have problems but so do 29 other effing teams in this league.

If we finish another season in the gutter, fine, be pessimistic about it but until we’re looking at another sub-.400 season, please.

Calm the heck down. Stop overreacting. Quit this ridiculous circle of pessimism.

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Now the shoe is on the other foot, and I’m writing this to ask people to avoid the typical pessimism that I saw during the game. Thankfully the CBJ have a quick turnaround, going back into the killzone against the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh. Vent, spew; whatever. I’m just asking you all to remember where we have been as recent as this season.

And relax.

Carry the Flag

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I’ll Keep This Quick…

Alan Draper

Alan Draper

Alan Draper