There's been a lot of talk lately around here about this team. Yeah, it's a Habs blog so there should be I guess, though it's more fun talking about rolling up the rim to win. Lots of the hockey talk is about how we, as FHF bloggers and commentors, treat the team, coaches, and management. I thought it would go all away when Squidly77 went away and we could get back to the Timmy's vs. Starbucks debate, but it returned late last night in the form of a new commenter, one "ilikemontrealcanadiens" (hereinafter "ilike") who wrote:
"How about we look for the positives people. We're supposed to be fans not haters of this team."
Hmm, that got me thinking. Do I dive into HIO delusional love, or do I embrace what HF10 wrote last week after the Leaf loss:
"I refuse to be caught in 6th to 10th, middle-round drafting, out in the second round purgatory with that fucking stupid fool jotting shit down behind the bench as his players get fucked by the refs and trampled trying to play his useless system."
Valid point 10, and your use of expletives as nouns, verbs, and adjectives in one sentence lends true credibility your argument. But at the risk of throwing my fellow blogger under the bus, I am going to have to side with ilike here. We're fans goddammit, and we should embrace all the positives of this team. The Goat said there were no deals to be made on deadline day but he was satisfied with the team that was COMPETENT. You can't fucking beat that people, this team is COMPETENT. And I, for one, will embrace the COMPETENCE. For years (probably since Saint Patrick left) we've all said this team has needed an identity. We'll we've got it now, people, and it's COMPETENCE. And last night the COMPETENCE was on full display, and it resulted in a win! Praise Jebus!
Allowing 40 shots while only giving up one goal? COMPETENCE. Killing 7 penalties including your league-leading 11th and 12th Too Many Men penalties? COMPETENCE. Giving up your own PP's by taking penalties of your own? COMPETENCE. The slowest defense in the league keeping the shots from the outside and clearing rebounds? COMPETENCE. Mex giving up a shot on an empty goal at the side of the net to pass it back to the point? COMPETENCE. Hey, he's a passer, people, don't blame him. For the Habs to be COMPETENT, everyone has to play their role. Mex knows that.
We even had some players rise above COMPETENT last night. PatCHes, Price, and CHeez Whiz all rose above the high standard The Goat has set for this team. They should be praised, but no doubt CHokula will give them all a stern talking to. For The System to work, everyone has to play with COMPETENCE. Anything beyond that is just wasted energy. It's why CHokula seems to refuse to put PFK on the PP now. He just knows PFK will be creative with the puck and create chances no other D on this team would. JM can't have that. He demands only COMPETENCE and he will get it at any price. Or Price.
Enjoy these long-form video highlights bitCHes. They're competent.
