LATEST STORIES FROM BITTER LEAF FAN
You're older now and you're a clever swine
January 30, 2009 by
Bitter Leaf Fan
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As I get older, I find it more and more difficult to take pleasure from the suffering of others. For some unknown reason, I find it's not so much about hoping for the bad guys to
Of course, there's something to be said about having your hunches
Darcy Tucker TOI: 15:27 0G 0A ...
My middle names are wrong and right
January 28, 2009 by
Bitter Leaf Fan
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A recent Harris Decima Poll has certainly added some much needed clarity to the issue of fighting in hockey, specifically which groups are in favour and which groups would like to see it removed from the
The Harris Decima poll in question offered up these interesting
Overall, 54% of ...
It's just an illusion caused by the world spinning round
January 27, 2009 by
Bitter Leaf Fan
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I don't mean to pick on Jeff Blair, but I was lured into reading his article about the Minnesota Wild this morning and am left rather puzzled as to why it was filed or what Blair's point might be. Of course, I could just be having reading comprehension issues this
I'm...
And he never gives an answer
January 22, 2009 by
Bitter Leaf Fan
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Jeff Blair at the Globe has filed the annual "cities that suck at sports"
You'd think journalists might wait until that awkward time after the Super Bowl and prior to Spring Training to start dragging out these old (and largely useless) set
But looking at the story...
Suburban Kids with Biblical Names
January 12, 2009 by
Bitter Leaf Fan
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My father's health isn't the greatest. He would kill me for sharing this
Ten years after retiring and moving to Kingston, my parents can no longer cope with the many stairs and massive yards of suburbia. They've sold their split-level and are moving into a
I spent this weekend ...
What Difference Does it Make?
January 08, 2009 by
Bitter Leaf Fan
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I wanted to use a lyric from Iron Maiden's Number of the Beast (6th round and all that) in the title of this post, but I just couldn't put my finger on the right one so The Smiths will have to do (amazingly, only two years separate those
And now a here's a heckuva lot of text for a ...
Fifteen steps, then a sheer drop
January 07, 2009 by
Bitter Leaf Fan
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The NHL trade deadline is exactly eight weeks away and the Leafs have finally made their first move under
Gak. It's a 6th rounder for Brad
I do belive I called this one back on November 12 although I was only aiming for a cheap and easy punchline. The odds of a sixth rounder ...
Pop open a bottle of bubbly, here's to another goddamn new year
January 03, 2009 by
Bitter Leaf Fan
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My final tiny contribution to the New York Times Hockey Blog is now
Sadly, the Times is bringing in 30 new bloggers for 2009. It was fun representing the Barilkosphere and responding to the Times' questions. I'd like to thank Jeff Klein for asking me to take part and I'...
Strange Victory, Strange Defeat
December 28, 2008 by
Bitter Leaf Fan
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Leafs centre Matt Stajan is out indefinitely with an eye injury suffered while playing a warm-up game of soccer with his fellow Leafs. I certainly hope Stajan's injury isn't serious, but a soccer ball in a warm-up game? That's a new one for the pantheon of all-time dumb...
I'm so sick of Goodbyes
December 19, 2008 by
Bitter Leaf Fan
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The man with the bad hair on the left is Darryl Sittler. He was a first round pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1970 and was named captain in 1975 (after the Leafs asked Dave Keon to give up the C. You stay classy Toronto.) Sittler was the captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs for five years. ...
The Ice of Boston is Muddy
December 18, 2008 by
Bitter Leaf Fan
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Mats Sundin played his last game for the Toronto Maple Leafs on April 5th, 2008 but he effectively ended his career with the Leafs on February 26 when the NHL trade deadline passed and he was still in the Blue and White. Today he signed a one year deal (reportedly worth $5M) to play with the ...
A look inside the NHL war room
December 18, 2008 by
Bitter Leaf Fan
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Michael DiLorenzo from the NHL Communications department has posted two photos of the fabled NHL War Room. Is it just me, or does this look like something out of SCTV's 3CP1? I was expecting something more like War Games...
For every shot that hit his cheek he drew on a stitch mark (and I think he played with Brad Park)
December 15, 2008 by
Bitter Leaf Fan
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Earlier this season when the Leafs were in a string of shoot-out games (losing most of them) I e-mailed Chemmy over at uber Leaf blog Pension Plan Puppets to see if we (ok, he) could find anything interesting from looking at three years of shoot-out data. Was save percentage the key...
She was damn good dancer, but she wasn't all that great of a girlfriend
December 04, 2008 by
Bitter Leaf Fan
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I've mentioned Michael MacCambridge's book on the NFL, America's Game, a few times on this blog as it really is a fantastic read. Here's one of many great maxims I took from that book: NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle, a former PR executive, said the best way for the NFL...
15 Sports Books for the Holiday Season
December 02, 2008 by
Bitter Leaf Fan
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With Christmas (and Hanukkah) about three weeks away, here are 15 great books for the sports fan in your life...
Welcome to the Jungle
November 29, 2008 by
Bitter Leaf Fan
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Thanks to mapleleafs.com the Burke newser is up and available for your viewing pleasure. What a nice way to get your Leafs news: unfiltered and without the imaginsitcal stylings of Berger and his limo driver, Simmons and his team of crack orthopedic consultants, and Cox and his inner...
The Obligatory Brian Burke Post
November 28, 2008 by
Bitter Leaf Fan
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Unofficially, Brian Burke is the 13th General Manager of my beloved Toronto Maple Leafs. Hopefully, he'll be the man that brings the 14th Cup to Toronto. Relative merits, weaknesses, and alternatives have been discussed pretty much ad infinitum. I was one of the Burke detractors, but I will ...
Ridin' High in April, Shot Down in May
November 19, 2008 by
Bitter Leaf Fan
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I may be behind the curve on this one, but a huge repository of Time Magazine's photo archives are on-line and searchable. You too can now find classic shots of Leafs-Rangers match-ups from 1948 (the above photo is even more impressive when viewed at full resolution) or the shot...
Old Shoes and Picture Postcards
November 13, 2008 by
Bitter Leaf Fan
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A few links for you today... PPP asked me to do a point counterpoint on Leafs' GM heir-apparent Brian Burke with one of the best Leafs bloggers out there Down Goes Brown. I'm hoping I'm the Kevin Bacon of this equation (and if that's the case, that DGB's coffee...
Our patience will achieve more than our force
November 12, 2008 by
Bitter Leaf Fan
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A Brian Burke update of sorts: TSN reports he's no longer the GM of the Anaheim Ducks.James Mirtle is tracking various news developments and reactions.PPP has a big comment thread going on... And thanks to the ol' cut and paste function, here's my take on Mr. Burke: Burke...
From Spineless to Incompent: A History of Leafs' GMs, Part II
November 09, 2008 by
Bitter Leaf Fan
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Floyd Smith (AKA Sleepy Floyd, Count Floyd, Trader Smith) gets his own entry, not so much for what he did as a GM (make a million trades and see his team hit rock bottom) but because of all the turmoil that surrounded the Leafs during his two-year tenure.
Robinson, Tiger, Gregory and Me
November 07, 2008 by
Bitter Leaf Fan
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In response to the recent post looking at Leaf GMs, habsfan10 posted an interesting comment about the Leafs-Habs series in 1979. The Leafs were swept by the Habs in that series, but I think game 3 went to double OT and game four was won in OT on a "controversial" call against...
From Spineless to Incompent: A History of Leafs GMs
November 06, 2008 by
Bitter Leaf Fan
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Following a spirited debate at PPP attempting to quantify the incompetence of JFJ, the question came up as to who is the worst Leafs GM in the past 35 years. In an homage to Down Goes Brown, I thought I'd take a quick look at all of the GMs that have managed my beloved Toronto...
Headlines Give Me Headaches When I Read Them
November 05, 2008 by
Bitter Leaf Fan
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The most historical election in a life time and the Sun goes with a headline that's more apporpirate for an Emeril Lagasse appearance. It's nice to know terrible editorial choices aren't limited to the sports department. The Newseum in Washington (A museum of news - amazingly...
Leafs Media: Often Wrong, Never in Doubt
May 10, 2008 by
Bitter Leaf Fan
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With the firings of JFJ, Paul Maurice and several other front office and coaching staff, has accountability finally returned to MLSE? The media doesn't think so, but this fan takes hope...
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A life-long Toronto Maple Leafs fan comments on the team, the media and the exasperation...
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