one more year
Dear Mats,
First off, let me say that, as a lifetime fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs, I think it was truly despicable what went down in the month or so leading up to the Trade Deadline last year. The media was relentless (as they usually are) in pointing out every reason under the sun why you should have waived your no-trade clause so that we could ‘start the re-building process’ early by getting a couple of prospects for you. They said we didn’t need you around anymore cause we were going to ‘start over’ and there didn’t seem to be a point in keeping a 37 year old superstar who’s been our Captain for the past 10 years and who’s been the face of the franchise since number 93 left…the classy, poised, well spoken leader…the guy who leads our team in scoring ever year…the guy who put up with some old coot coming back as the ‘interim’ GM and attempting to embarrass him into accepting a trade to some other team that you said you didn’t want to play for.
Well...as you probably know, hockey writers don’t know JACK about anything…they just make shit up to stir the pot…and when one guy starts yapping off at the mouth on the radio, all those hack writers’ ears perk up and they just start running with it…even if it has nothing to do with anything.
You told everyone who would listen that you couldn’t see yourself in another uniform…even if it meant saying so long to your dream of winning the Stanley Cup. You didn't want to go anywhere. That should have been the end of it. I mean…you were being loyal...but that was a bad thing? Unwavering loyalty to ones team...no matter what...is bad? I still don't understand the logic behind that.
In an era where its all about money…where players demand to be traded 1 year into a 6 year contract because they feel like their team isn’t a ‘contender’….where guys end up playing for 4…5…6 teams in their career…where guys signed to $100 million contracts blow it on drugs, hookers and starting up illegal dog fighting rings…I've been proud of the way you've led our team...and was proud of the way you stood up and said you were a Toronto Maple Leaf till the end.
So when July 1 hit, and there was all this talk about Vancouver and Montreal and New York…I figured that, as much as I wanted to see you come back, you had ever reason to feel like Toronto didn’t want you…or didn’t need you. I really thought it was the end of Mats Sundin in Toronto.
But then you didn’t sign anywhere. And there was talk that the Leafs, despite all the bullshit that came out of the MLSE ivory tower, had tendered you a fair offer (about $7 million) to come back and lead the new look Maple Leafs into the 2008-2009 season.
So I’m here today to tell you that we need you Mats. You know as well as I do that we should have been a better team last year…but for whatever reason a few guys just didn’t play with the kind of fire needed…cough Darcy Tucker cough Kyle Welwood cough…until it was way too late…and we missed the playoffs again. And while I haven’t been all that impressed with the additions we’ve made…I’m glad they got rid of the parts that just weren’t working anymore…which is why it boggles my mind that they’d want to get rid of you.
How could it possible hurt a rebuilding club to have someone the caliber of yourself playing alongside this group? Taking some of the pressure off youngsters like Alex Steen and Matt Stajan to go out at replace your numbers (which they can’t…) or trying to get Jason Blake back to the 30-40 goal man he was 2 years ago…or just having your presence in the locker room…or seeing your smile after a goal or a win? To all the so-called experts who say that a rebuilding team doesn’t need Mats Sundin…I say ‘shut your yap!’. We need you Mats…we’re not as bad as everyone says we are. Every year, the experts make predictions that ultimately come nowhere close to being right…so to all those who say the Leafs have ZERO chance of making the playoffs…I say, you haven’t been paying attention to professional sports. Anything can (and often does) happen. Bad teams pull together, play with gusto and heart, and end up becoming good teams. Teams with bloated payrolls and superstar players can tank and end up at the bottom of the standings. If the Leafs play with the kind of fire and intensity Cliff Fletcher ‘says’ we'll be playing with this season, we’ll be ok. Will we win our division? Probably not…but then, who thought Montreal would be the #1 team in the East last year? NOBODY!!!! We’ve got enough talent (barely) and a very good goaltender to make a run at a playoff birth…and really, that’s what we should be playing for…not a lottery pick in the ’09 draft.
And if that’s the case…we’re going to need you Mats…
So take the $7 million…pull on that #13 jersey for one more year…and go out in style…like you deserve…as opposed to the shameful way the team and media (and far too many sheep…er…fans) treated you at the end of last year. Toronto is lucky to have a hockey player and human being like you as our Captain…and if you’re going to play…it has to be in blue and white.
A big fan,
Neil
First off, let me say that, as a lifetime fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs, I think it was truly despicable what went down in the month or so leading up to the Trade Deadline last year. The media was relentless (as they usually are) in pointing out every reason under the sun why you should have waived your no-trade clause so that we could ‘start the re-building process’ early by getting a couple of prospects for you. They said we didn’t need you around anymore cause we were going to ‘start over’ and there didn’t seem to be a point in keeping a 37 year old superstar who’s been our Captain for the past 10 years and who’s been the face of the franchise since number 93 left…the classy, poised, well spoken leader…the guy who leads our team in scoring ever year…the guy who put up with some old coot coming back as the ‘interim’ GM and attempting to embarrass him into accepting a trade to some other team that you said you didn’t want to play for.
Well...as you probably know, hockey writers don’t know JACK about anything…they just make shit up to stir the pot…and when one guy starts yapping off at the mouth on the radio, all those hack writers’ ears perk up and they just start running with it…even if it has nothing to do with anything.
You told everyone who would listen that you couldn’t see yourself in another uniform…even if it meant saying so long to your dream of winning the Stanley Cup. You didn't want to go anywhere. That should have been the end of it. I mean…you were being loyal...but that was a bad thing? Unwavering loyalty to ones team...no matter what...is bad? I still don't understand the logic behind that.
In an era where its all about money…where players demand to be traded 1 year into a 6 year contract because they feel like their team isn’t a ‘contender’….where guys end up playing for 4…5…6 teams in their career…where guys signed to $100 million contracts blow it on drugs, hookers and starting up illegal dog fighting rings…I've been proud of the way you've led our team...and was proud of the way you stood up and said you were a Toronto Maple Leaf till the end.
So when July 1 hit, and there was all this talk about Vancouver and Montreal and New York…I figured that, as much as I wanted to see you come back, you had ever reason to feel like Toronto didn’t want you…or didn’t need you. I really thought it was the end of Mats Sundin in Toronto.
But then you didn’t sign anywhere. And there was talk that the Leafs, despite all the bullshit that came out of the MLSE ivory tower, had tendered you a fair offer (about $7 million) to come back and lead the new look Maple Leafs into the 2008-2009 season.
So I’m here today to tell you that we need you Mats. You know as well as I do that we should have been a better team last year…but for whatever reason a few guys just didn’t play with the kind of fire needed…cough Darcy Tucker cough Kyle Welwood cough…until it was way too late…and we missed the playoffs again. And while I haven’t been all that impressed with the additions we’ve made…I’m glad they got rid of the parts that just weren’t working anymore…which is why it boggles my mind that they’d want to get rid of you.
How could it possible hurt a rebuilding club to have someone the caliber of yourself playing alongside this group? Taking some of the pressure off youngsters like Alex Steen and Matt Stajan to go out at replace your numbers (which they can’t…) or trying to get Jason Blake back to the 30-40 goal man he was 2 years ago…or just having your presence in the locker room…or seeing your smile after a goal or a win? To all the so-called experts who say that a rebuilding team doesn’t need Mats Sundin…I say ‘shut your yap!’. We need you Mats…we’re not as bad as everyone says we are. Every year, the experts make predictions that ultimately come nowhere close to being right…so to all those who say the Leafs have ZERO chance of making the playoffs…I say, you haven’t been paying attention to professional sports. Anything can (and often does) happen. Bad teams pull together, play with gusto and heart, and end up becoming good teams. Teams with bloated payrolls and superstar players can tank and end up at the bottom of the standings. If the Leafs play with the kind of fire and intensity Cliff Fletcher ‘says’ we'll be playing with this season, we’ll be ok. Will we win our division? Probably not…but then, who thought Montreal would be the #1 team in the East last year? NOBODY!!!! We’ve got enough talent (barely) and a very good goaltender to make a run at a playoff birth…and really, that’s what we should be playing for…not a lottery pick in the ’09 draft.
And if that’s the case…we’re going to need you Mats…
So take the $7 million…pull on that #13 jersey for one more year…and go out in style…like you deserve…as opposed to the shameful way the team and media (and far too many sheep…er…fans) treated you at the end of last year. Toronto is lucky to have a hockey player and human being like you as our Captain…and if you’re going to play…it has to be in blue and white.
A big fan,
Neil
posted by neil at 10:26 PM
2 Comments:
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I'm still not going to get my hopes up.
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