Not a Nice Post

Disclaimer: First of all this is nothing personal. It's just a broad-scoped rant for all fans and it could even be pushed to encompass fans of any sport or any team. It may piss you off while reading it, and maybe that's my intention. I know I'm pissed off while writing it. If you take this as a personal attack against you, I'm sorry you're taking it that way because it's not directed at any particular person, but I will completely understand and respect your decision if you choose to remove me from your friends list. I get it.

I'm getting so sick and tired of the crap that I'm reading everywhere about how the Red Wings couldn't even beat the Maple Leafs. Just because the Maple Leafs have only won 2 games so far this season before last night, does not mean they are a crappy team. Toronto has never really had a problem finding people to score goals - the only reason they tied and lost a lot of their games was because their goaltenders allowed the other teams to score more.

THE RED WINGS ARE HAVING A HARD TIME SCORING THIS YEAR. It's not difficult to see why since they lost some of their best goal scorers to free agency and now to injuries. They don't seem to have much puck luck either. Shots that went in last year are just not going in this year. The team that went to the Stanley Cup Finals last year is not the team that is on the ice now. We lost some major players and we now have younger guys stepping in to try and fill the roles that were vacated.

The comments, articles, and blogs I've been reading lately all seem to question the desire that the team has to win. Ask yourself, do you really think they aren't out there wanting and expecting to win every night? To suggest they don't feel that way is ridiculous. And to rake them across the coals because of it is downright rude and disloyal, in my opinion.

IT IS NOT A PERFECT WORLD. The Red Wings will not win every game, and they won't win every game fans think they should against teams that everyone views as pushovers. As a fan, I don't think it should be expected that they go out and win every night. There are always positives in the negatives so why don't most people focus on the positives? I don't know, I can't answer that.

I can only say for myself that win or lose, they are my team and I will back them 100%. I know it's way too early to say this, but if they miss the playoffs this year that doesn't mean I hate them. They are still my team no matter what happens. I'm not about to desert them just because they aren't as great this year as people thought they would be.

Everyone has a right to bitch about their team losing, yes. But the shit I've been reading lately attacking people's character is way too much. It's made me reconsider everything I've said bad about Sidney Crosby. I'll never care for the guy personally, but I'll be thinking twice before making fun of him again.

All the players in the NHL are REAL people with REAL feelings and REAL emotions. They deserve our respect, not our condemnation.

I know people who are Detroit fans expect to see a winning team every year, but statistically, it's not going to happen every year. No matter what happens, I'm going to sit back and enjoy this season and be thankful that with the crappy economy and all the talks of NHL teams having to leave their areas that we still HAVE a team in Detroit.

The Red Wings will always be #1 to me, no matter what the standings say.