Franchise at a Crossroads
May 11th, 2011, 8:57 am
Game Seven is tomorrow night at the Tank. I don’t think it’s overly dramatic to say that this is the biggest game in franchise history. Fitting it should happen when the Sharks are celebrating their 20th year of existence as an NHL franchise.
There are two obvious outcomes here:
- The Sharks deliver a dramatic victory at the Tank and move forward to face Vancouver in the Conference Finals and all is forgotten, like a bad dream. It becomes a landmark series for the franchise and Stanley Cup hopes are still alive. Just another bump in the long road to winning it all. Gumdrops and lollipops and whiskey.
- Sharks complete operation meltdown and lose on Thursday night and the franchise officially hits a new all-time low. Worse than losing to the 8th seeded Ducks. Worse than being swept by the Blackhawks. Worse than losing to the Oilers after leading 2-0 in the series. This is rock bottom.
I feel like this has not been a heart healthy sports year, but I’m absolutely refusing to throw in the towel and I hope you will join me in bringing the fighting spirit to the Tank tomorrow. Do we want to boys to go into to tomorrow expecting to lose? I remember the atmosphere in Vancouver in Round One when the Canucks played Game Seven two weeks ago. The crowd was rabid and the victory was sweet. Vancouver fans were probably feeling as bad as we are, perhaps worse.
If the Sharks win or lose, I am going down a raving madman in the stands. Join me in taking the following pledge.
- I will wave whatever towel or frilly pom pom like plastic material they give me.
- I will hug strangers and especially the guy who looks like Keyser Soze that’s always on the big screen.
- I will shake my junk with the Dancing Bear.
- I will scream Teriyaki Rice Bowl at the top of my lungs in the concourse.
- I will consume an overpriced jack and coke.
- I will try and fight Bertuzzi myself, if need be, and I will beat his ass.
- I will not sit down during the final period if we are winning.
- I will not utter the word “Vancouver” until the game is over. No matter what the score. No lead is safe.
- I am going to will them to victory…. or go down in flames trying.
Tomorrow night will either be the best memory in franchise history or the worst.
Choose your road, Sharks.
I’ve chosen mine. I am not giving up.
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Since I live in southern CA, I won’t be able to do any of that stuff in the stands, but I will shake my junk with the Dancing Bear from the comfort of my living room.
I will be missing my season finale double header softball game, because win or lose I am going to be with my favorite team of all time at their biggest moment in franchise history. It’s going to hurt like a mofo if they lose, but I don’t deserve to share in the sweetness of victory unless I’m willing to risk sharing in the ultimate bitterness of defeat.
Baing in the central valley, I too cannot be in the stands. But I will leave work early, put on my jersey like I did yesterday, and will my team to victory through the TV.
Go Sharks
Well said… I too shall follow you into battle – “once more into the breech dear friends”??
Pssssssst…… 2-0……
And a little levity before the battle:
http://deadspin.com/5800796/
Frickin’ hilarious Tom.
I’m in Dudes! I’m thinking face paint…I’m only five feet but I’ll kick Bertuzzi’s ass!!!
She can too – she’s a toughie….!
Alamo.
I know I said I wasn’t going to discuss this team or series, but really who am I kidding…
Each team in this series has gone 2-1 at home… Each team (for the most part) played better and won their home games and then were forced to steal a win on the road..
Sharks won home games 1 and 2 and were the better team – and then stole game 3 on the road, a game they came back on Detroit in, and probably didn’t deserve to win.
Wings won home games 4 and 6 and were the better team – and stole game 5 on the road, a game they came back on San Jose in, and probably didn’t deserve to win.
Throughout this series the home team has been the better team in each game – the only home losses has been when the other team pulled one out of their a.s.s.
I’m fully expecting SJ to be the better team Thursday night and close this out… Game 7 – the great equalizer – usually goes to the home team…
Well said Doug. Had an idea of posting a similar article on Fear the Fin today, but you said it better than I did.
The key would be for the Sharks to score the first goal. Once they do, that building will be shaking the rest of the night like it did in the last Game 7 we played against Calgary. Nothing will stop the Sharks. If Detroit scores 2 unanswered goals, I think our fans will start booing and it’ll turn out differently.
Either way, I think Sharks’ chances are still great.
And the game is at home.
i’ll be making a costco run tonite. hit me up if you’re runnin’ low on Kleenex.
Was it over when the blackhawks bombed Vancouver? HELL NO! AND IT AINT OVER NOW!
Though I want to go, my attendance mojo is bad. For the LA series I was at game 2 and game 5. For the Detroit series I was at game 5. I think that it will be better if I watch from home. If things don’t go as I expect (and I expect the Sharks will win), I don’t have to embarrass myself publicly when I loudly sob. Plus I can get rip roaring drunk without having to worry about driving home. GO SHARKS!!!
Ladies and gentlemen… our battle song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WG2b_yqv2q8&sns=em
Logan Couture tweeted that video Jamal Mayers and Jamie McGinn.
it’s time.
Well said Doug,
I will go to work tomorrow and kick the crap out of all the wing fans… once fired I will return home to see the game in it entirety.
Or I’ll remember my daughter needs food and keep my assault to verbal jabs and catch the end of the 1st period.
Either way I will shake my junk with the bouncing bear!
I think the Sharks win tomorrow. It’s better to be lucky than good, especially when both teams are very close in the “good” department, the luck is the one thing that can create a bigger gap. This is exactly the problem with the NHL Playoffs. You need like, 7 games to decide a series, so luck doesn’t end up deciding who goes on and who doesn’t. 1 game series like these, it’s really too much on the line for just one game, where luck can play far too large a part.
I have to work 12 hours tomorrow super early in the morning and cannot, for the life of me, sleep right now because this game. A Bold prediction:
If the Sharks lose: Marleau is GONE. Not that I think it is right or smart but he is f**king gone if they lose, even if he puts up a decent showing.
If the Sharks win: they destroy Vancouver en route to winning the Stanley Cup against Boston and the media will not stfu about the Thornton trade during the entire series.
honestly when I look at the rosters left in the playoffs I still like ours the best. That’s why this series is taking years off my life
Won’t be able to do any of that stuff in the stands either, on account of it being a 10,4219 mile round trip, but lets see… 2am local time:
Me to the wife tonight: “with all the disturbed sleep from the baby teething, I’m sleeping on the sofa bed tonight”.
Set alarm for 2am to watch…
Me to the wife tomorrow: “I’m still really tired for some reason: must be that I didn’t sleep well on the sofa bed & the last few nights have caught up with me”.
Go Sharks!
OMG YES YES YES!!!!
This.
Dear Sharks,
Thank You.
Dear Patrick Marleau,
I’m sorry.
Signed,
Me
Just got back from game…. My whole body hurts… Holy fuck.
On to Vancouver!
I’m naming my new grey hairs Patty and Todd.
I personally have Never had more sustained screaming in my life. What. A. Series.