[Hairbird]

From the Toronto Sun:

Hip Hats a Big Hit
By Lance Hornby

THE COUNTDOWN for the Maple Leafs' new BB 16 project has begun. Toronto players started sporting the baseball hats with that configuration this week, the BB standing for Toronto playoff legend Bill Barilko, the 16 for the number of post-season wins it takes to earn the Stanley Cup.

The hat is linked to the Tragically Hip song Fifty Mission Cap, which details Barilko's disappearance on a fishing trip after scoring the Cup-winning overtime goal in the 1951 playoffs. The plane he and a companion used was not discovered until 10 years later, the next time Toronto won the Cup and the lyrics to the song are framed in the Leafs dressing room. Ray Bourque and the Colorado Avalanche used the same theme with Mission 16W hats worn during their Cup run in 2001.

[Stephen Dame]

Having grown up in Toronto, and now living in Ottawa, I've been getting non-stop "You guys are going down..." e-mails. Here's the standard reply I've been sending out: Leafs Suck! Go Sens! (This will be familiar to those of you from the alt.music.tragically-hip newsgroup.)

Actually, you'd be surprised to see the real hatred and venom directed
towards anything Leaf here right now. "Leafs Suck" T-shirts are the hottest
sellers, and they're even flying a Senators flag over the Ontario flag down
at City Hall.

In fact, I'll let ya in on a little secret: The real disdain for the Leaves
(Somebody oughta spell it properly...) is very unique. In most countries,
sports rivalries are based on jealously. Nobody in the US likes the New York Yankees because they're spoiled with a huge market and they always win, football fans in the UK dislike Manchester United for the same reason. Yet here in Canada, the Leaves seem to be the most hated team for a different reason. Their fans are cocky and their media arrogant, yet unlike the Yankees or Man U, they never win! They're like the kid at school who brags and brags about his basketball ability, and after he's beaten badly at recess (...for 37 straight years) he just keeps on braggin about how great he is. Eventually, you just learn to ignore him.

But seriously, this series could be a franchise determinant for the
Senators. A small market team with a potential work stoppage on the horizon cannot afford to lose to Toronto. The Leafs have made a lucrative business out of false promises, the people of Toronto sell-out the ACC no matter if the team wins or loses, so why pay for a winner if "next-year-is-our-year" is a consistent draw? The Leafs will be around in 10 years, win or lose. The Senators might not. For the Toronto Maple Leafs, it's about profit. For the Ottawa Senators, it's about pride and survival.

The better team will win this series, but as long as there is justice in the
world, the Leaves will NEVER win Lord Stanley's Mug. Where's my rake?

[mrlayance]

Very Cool

[Rye]

God do I hate the Leafs.

[CanuckCourage]

God do I hate the Leafs.

I second that. :lol:

[ShannonW]

God do I hate the Leafs.

I second that. :lol:

everyone in my house can 3rd to 9th that sentiment.

[LoftyPines]

I can't stand them...

[beanmedic]

i hate the dallas stars.

[K-Town Lassie]

As a resident of the Nation's Capital, my opinion on this matter is biased, I admit. However, it seems to me that the Toronto residents and team have lost their sense of humour.

When Toronto is on top, nothing that is said or done by that city is considered "below the belt". It is fine for Toronto to slag and poke fun at any team they are playing, but let an opposing team take a shot at them, and it's "Boo-Hoo, you hurt our feelings." I give you the example of the airplane with the pro-Sens banner that cruised by the CN Tower the other day. The newspaper said that people were "outraged". (At least one T.O. resident was obviously lacking both humour and common sense when he suggested they "shoot the plane down".) If a radio station from T.O. hung a pro-Leafs banner on a plane and set it down on Parliament Hill, the people of that city would think it's hilarious. What's wrong, Toronto? Angry you didn't think of it first?

I think that it may not be Ottawa that's taking this too seriously. Lighten up Leaf fans! It's all in good fun.

That said, I do want to say that I am appalled and disgusted by a local radio personality who verbally attacked Domi and his wife. Jokes are jokes and fun is fun, but that was not only unfunny but in very bad taste as well.

Anyway, that's my two cents. I will get off my soapbox now.



GO SENS GO!!!

[RockRocker]

i hate the dallas stars.

I 2nd that

[BuffaloHipFan]

Sabres will be back, we loving kicking leaf-ass!

[thipfan73]

I'm not as die hard as I once was, but I'm a habs fan and I HATE the bruins. Regardless of thier Hip connection:-p

[mrlayance]

You know what I hate.......





















Everyone but the Oilers

[sherpahigh]

Booo Oilers!!!!!

[thipfan73]

Booo Oilers!!!!!

Ya know sherpa, I hated the Flames for a while there. The late 80's were not kind to my habs.