It is something that has happened for so long here in Toronto, it has started to piss people off.
I can’t take it anymore. Leaf fans have to be more consistent in the way they cheer their team.
After Thrusday's upset over Detriot, fans were riding high. We thought we had a solid team—but I think I'm the only sane person in the GTA. Just because we got the season off to a good start, beating the defending Cup champs, that doesn't mean anything.
Now we have suffered our first big loss, of what may be many—a 6-1 defeat on the first Hockey Night in Canada.
This was a major blow to the confidence of of LeafsNation. This can't stop us, though—we will move forward and rise to the challange.
When I say “we,” I mean the Leafs' players and other sane fans.
- B/R Ticket Guide
What I have expreianced as a fan of the Blue and White is that there is no “bandwagon” in T.O. Most of us simply follow what the Lafs are doing. If they lose, we hate them—and complain about how much we suck, blaming innocent people for being responsible.
I once went to a game and the guy sitting to me said I was the reason the Oliers had just scored. Why did he do this? He seemed to think that, because I had just stood up to go to the washroom, I broke the flow and set off the entire tempo of the game.
I should have referred this man to a doctor. If I ever see him again I will—but at the time I was only 11 years old. I have never been the same since.
When we win a game, we believe we have the best players to ever put on skates. We say, “Oh, what a great coach we must have—look what he’s done since our last loss.”
I have witnessed this myself through family members. Yes, even my family is crazy like this—I don’t know how I got away from it—especially my dad, who is the typical Leaf fan. When they win, he loves them—when they lose, “they f***ing suck!”
However, I know that they won’t win every game, therefore I can accept it when they lose. My team loses all the time, so I have gotten used to it. I know the feeling they have in the dressing room after a loss. The media is way too hard on them. Even thought I hated Bryan McCabe, there was no reason for them to be so hard on him and drive him out of Toronto.
The Leafs are going have ups and downs all year—just like the rest of the league. It will be much easier if you don’t make a big deal about every loss.
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about 1 month ago
The Leafs absolutely have a bandwagon, but it's very different than most. Leafs fans are very impatient (that's not an insult), they want to win now. Many are most likely coping with the fact that it will indeed be a while until they can compete again.
from about 1 month ago
We are impatient, but this year evryone knows their in rebuilding, You think they would be able to accept it.
Thanks for the comment
about 1 month ago
If Toronto has anything ... it's a bandwagon!
No other NHL team has such a rabid base of vocal fans who follow the team on road games, fill the seats at home games and truly believe in their team every year.
Herein lies the problem ...
I was in TO about 3 years ago, and was passed on the street by a few honking cars full of rowdy Maple Leaf fans. There were flags waving to the chant of "Go Leafs GO!" The only problem was the Leafs were on a 10 game losing streak at the time. It was then that I realized the leafs never have to win anything.
They'll still fill the seats, travel around and proclaim that their team's the best ( even if the facts are otherwise)
Montreal is a different story. We don't scream "We're #1!", unless we are. Sure, we have the same kind of fans BUT we rip the team apart if they don't produce and we're particularly tough on our own. They can take it. They're professionals and as such are very well paid and expect to "hear it" from the fans at times.
Where is the motivation for the Leafs owner's if the bottom line is the same, win or lose?
Try not showing up for a few games ... or consistently boo a lackluster performance and you'll see management tripping over themselves to put out a better product ... it's not cause you can't afford it!
from about 1 month ago
You said it well Steve, but thats exactly the problem, even we are pissed as hell at the team....we go watch and they make money. So why would they care if they win or lose they still make money off of it?
about 1 month ago
yes
from about 1 month ago
Uhmm....OOOOkaaay. Simple enough. I find it hard to believe you read this article and responed with a simple "yes"
about 1 month ago
better then no
from about 1 month ago
Shut up, comment again when you accutaly read the article.
about 1 month ago
We totally have a bandwagon, but also understand where you're coming from. That's why I've decided to write two completely different series of articles. One that gets over excited for when the leafs do better than expected, and another that is extremely harsh when they lose badly. I find Leafs Nation very humorous at times.
from about 1 month ago
Hahaha, I lilke those series ideas, I'll be looking for them. But thats what pisses me off, the multiple personalities of LeafsNation
about 1 month ago
Tyler your writing doesn't make sense a bandwagon means people join or reject the team based on w heather they win or lose. If the leafs have a huge bandwagon not none at all. All our fans jump on and off depending on if we lose or win.
from about 1 month ago
A bandwagon is a group of people that suport a common intrest, in most cases a sports team. If they "jump off" the wagon its pretty hard to catch up with it agian. btw, this entire article is about how people that claim the are Leaf fans are two faced and only like the team when they win.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/68090-takin-a-to-with-bt-the-two-faces-of-the-toronto-maple-leafs
On another(more important) note, just who the fu*k are you to critizise my writting? I have no problem when it comes from some who has earned respect on this site, such as Bryan Thiel, Derek Harmsworth, Alan Bass, Greg Cagganio, Ken Armer and so on.
Just what eactly have you done to tell me my writting doesn't make sense?
from about 1 month ago
Tyler...
You need to learn to take criticism a bit better. If you're going to put your writing on a forum open to comments, you're occassionally going to get people who don't agree with you - particularily when your fundamental definition of what you are writing about is flawed. Last I checked, you're not Bob McCown, so no matter how many articles you've written on BR, I don't think you're at a point where insulting your audience will increase your popularity...just my thoughts, but I'm pretty sure your list of top writers would agree. I've yet to see any of them respon that way to a reader.
The essence of a Bandwagon is that people jump on and off as they please - hence, all the bandwagon Oiler fans in 2006, all the Crosby Jersey's that sell outside of Pittsburgh, and all the Caps fans that mysteriously turned up at the end of last year.
The situation with the Leafs is a bit different. There is certainly a large mass of individuals who only turn up when the Leafs win. They can be found cruising Yonge Street and trying to be part of the party, and are usually there before the game is over to make sure they get a good spot. All the while the real fans are still actually watching the end of the game. On the other hand you have what I think you are refering to, in those who take the highs and lows far too seriously, or simply do not have enough knowledge of the game or the rest of the league to understand where their team should fit in and how they should perform in the long run. Anyone who thought that the Leafs beating Detroit was an accurate look at the upcoming season is either dilusional or stupid. And yet, there were many posting on a number of forums about how good this Leaf team really is. One guy even suggested that Fletcher and Wilson were intnetionally misleading fans when they said the Leafs won't compete this year...as if it was a big ploy to throw off the opposition.
I share your frustration, but the fact is as Leaf fans, there are far too many of us. As is the case with any large group of people, a significant percentage of them are going to be stupid. This is our reality. Funny thing is, if you think it's bad now, wait till the Leafs actually have a decent team again, and watch how the wagon fills up!
7 days ago
I have been to school, and can also formulate a coherent argument. Which is more then your article does.
from 7 days ago
Thanks for ur kind words Mark
7 days ago
Nice spelling.
from 7 days ago
dude, how old r u that u don't realize i did that on purpose? What like 50?
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