So...The Toronto Maple Leafs...

I know, I know...everyone's still traumatized.  Yes, the Toronto Maple Leafs were up 4-1 in game 7 against Boston and yes they blew it in the last 10 minutes.  They thought they had the game and relaxed just a little and Boston came back strong and won.  It was a crazy, dramatic hockey moment and if you were cheering for the Maple Leafs, it was truly heartbreaking.  (For Boston fans, it had to have been one of the highlights of the year)!

Unfortunately, this moment also gave us Torontonians yet another outlet for all the cynical, negative crap that people in Toronto just LOVE to spew all over everything they can, whenever they get a chance.  Man, I hate that.  

Take this picture that's been circling around the 'net for a few days.

Ok yeah it's darkly hilarious...and don't even get me started on Mayor Rob Ford...just remember that he won the election with a RECORD BREAKING majority...I didn't vote for him, but who would admit it now even if they did?  Someone must have wanted him as mayor!  A LOT of someones!

But this is about hockey, not municipal politics...and more than that, it's about attitude.  I look at the above picture and I see a city that's too proud to admit that they just feel bad so they have to crap all over the convenient targets and play "tough".  You know, Toronto, we can just admit that it hurts...we don't have to cop this world-weary, cynical bullshit attitude...it's not fooling anyone, anyway.  It's okay to be hurt without being ashamed.  It doesn't make you weak.

The secret is simply in the way we view things...we just need the right attitude!  So here's my take - the Toronto Maple Leafs had an amazing season!  The best they've had in years!  They finally have a real identity, they finally have a really great goaltender in James Reimer...a lot of the missing pieces from the last decade are finally starting to come into place to make them a team to beat!  A team that other hockey teams dread having to play!  It's great!  I watched every game this season and after only two weeks off I already miss them.  I can't wait to see my team play again come Fall! 

 So yeah, everyone wants to blame the Leafs for losing in the last 10 minutes of their season...how come it feels like I'm the only one who wants to give them credit for GETTING to GAME 7 against the BOSTON BRUINS...a team that they hadn't won a single game against in nearly 2 years before this season!?!  People literally try to make me feel stupid or foolish for being happy about this.  Why?

A young, inexperienced hockey team goes farther than anyone expects them to and more than accomplishes all of the goals they set out to meet for the year, and yet gets put down as if they failed miserably.  I don't understand that at all.  I had a great time watching the Leafs all season and give them FULL CREDIT for a job well done!  I'm proud to call them my team and I don't care what all the cynics in this city or anywhere else think.  I won't let other people's negativity ruin my good feelings!  I'm taking a stand!

That last bit may go for a lot of things in life, aside from Hockey...