1. Scouting potential Wings opponents watching for injuries and weaknesses, trying to choose who I'd rather play; and
2. Congratulating/consoling my various hockey blogger friends on their teams victories and losses.
A few tears may even have fallen in Brentwood as my Wings swept the 'Yotes in what is sure to be their last home stand, and I felt quite a bit of sadness as the Sabres fell last night after a heroic and unexpected first round rally. It got me thinking: Which fans deserve a Cup the most?
or to be more specific:
Of the Teams Who Have Never Won a Stanley Cup, Whose Fans deserve One the Most?
Here are Juice's Contenders:
- San Jose Shark Fans. I have never seen sports fans like this. My personal experience sitting @HP watching a game with these people, in a year when most Shark Fans felt their team had the best shot was unforgettable. They are the classiest, most well informed fans. They appreciate and respect your team, but boy do they love their team. I don't know a collective group who loves their team more. I have never once heard from my friends who are shark fans even the remotest inkling that they would give up on them- EVEN in light of the last few years. Especially since 2008, (when SJ seemed so brilliant and poised, even after losing to Dallas and yet many in the hockey world felt it was inevitable that San Jose would soon get its chance at the Cup after that playoff run) these fans have been mindboggling loyal and true
blueteal to their Sharkies. Through 4 years heartbreaking years, having to deal with the damn Dirty Ducks in one year and utterly flopping the next, with the likelihood of SJ reaching a Final seems less promising than in years past, the fans never give up, or turn ugly. - Buffalo Sabre Fans. I
never realizedfaulking forgot about it, it but the Sabres have NEVER won a CUP. Its tough enough that they had the Dominator and still lost, but now they have Hobie... Although I have never gone to see a Sabres game, I know quite a few sabres fans and they are as loyal as they come. These people will sit outside over night in the snow and sub-zero temps for tickets to a playoff game and dammit, that counts for something! - St. Louis Blues. I don't know if its just all the residual guilt over my Wings crushing this franchise throughout the 1990s, but it makes me sad that this team hasn't won a cup. And I loved it in 2009 when the rumors of relocation started to swirl, the Blues fan base took up arms and came out with a near record on consecutive sellouts. All for a team that has only made the playoffs once since the lockout.
- Minnesota Wild: While we are on the subject of teams that don't make the playoffs and the fans that love them: Wild fans get my utmost respect. Did you know that up until last year the Wild held the record for most consecutive sellouts @381? That is more than the Wings old streak and more than Vancouver. Speaking of which...
- Vancouver is it just me or do Vancouver fans seem to be operating under a dangerous sense of entitlement this year? As if winning the President's Trophy means anything (just ask Shark fans, they knows. And so do Wings fans, btw.) I want to want this for the 'Nucks fans, but I am finding them to be a bit annoying. Anyone know why? Anyone agree with me?
Teams/Fans on the Cusp of probably maybe sort of deserving a Cup
Washington Caps.
Winnipeg Jets. Oh yea. I went there. I'm not afraid.Teams who have never won a Stanley Cup, whose fans have not proven themselves
Los Angeles Kings. That is not to say I haven't met some great, loyal, long suffering Kings fans- its just there aren't enough of you. And your bandwagonner brethren suck.
That is my story and I am sticking to it. go 'head, tell me why I am wrong.
