Getting Back to Basics

November 24, 2008

I flew into Toronto from a business trip on Saturday and as the plane circled the city to land at Pearson the Ricoh Coliseum and Air Canada Centre came into view and I knew I was home.

During my trip, I visited Texas Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys and the Dallas Museum of Art where a special King Tut exhibit was on. Walking in both venues made me reflect on the history I was seeing before me with awe and the impact both have had on their “worlds” so to speak. Arriving in Toronto and seeing the Marlies Ring of Honour, the kids playing Timbits hockey and seeing Wendel Clark’s banner finally raised to the rafters at the ACC made me realize that for Toronto to remain a hockey city unlike any other, we need to get back to the basics. From the players to the fans, to the front-office, we need to remember why we even put on the blue and white in the first place!

For fans, we need to get back to the days where we cared about who was on the ice wearing the uniform because the name on the backs of the jerseys mattered. We need to be patient, expecting a few not-so-good years in our long-term pursuit for greatness. We need to buy seats to the game and take our place in the bowl and let our presence be felt on the Marlies bench and the ice itself. In short, we need to cheer on our team even if we lose and it was a stinker just as loud as when they score and it’s a total blowout in our favour. Our heroes of the past in Armstrong, Baun, Ellis, Palmateer, and Pulford will need to share the stage with today’s heroes in Ondrus, Pogge, Sifers, Tlusty, and Newbury.

For the team and the bigger organization, they need to continue the path laid down by Cliff Fletcher, with the understanding that for the Leafs to win the Stanley Cup, the Marlies need to win the Calder. There needs to be a culture of winning and that winning matters because when you put on the blue and white, you are part of a winning tradition, whether you be part of the Marlies whose predecessor won a record 7 Memorial Cups, or the Leafs. We need to invest in our players, setting the bar high, and fighting for each win so that we hoist not only the banners of heroes past, but Championship ones as well.

On a few occasions last year I had the good fortune to be the only one in the bowl at the Ricoh and standing there, you can’t help but look at the Ring of Honour and see the history of the Marlboros, the Marlies, and the Leafs. We’re all a big part of hockey history in this city and we need to accept the challenges placed before us to cheer on the boys at every chance we get, and they in return must learn that to wear the blue and white means they are much bigger than an I….they’re a TEAM destined for greatness.

We’re 16 games in and have 64 left. We’ve won our last 3 and we’re finally gelling as a team…..let’s go out and fight for another 64 checks in the “W” column! Look for updates on games 17, 18, and 19 next week!


You can email Chris with comments and questions about the blog, Duke’s Dog Pound Supporters Club, or the Marlies anytime to dukesdogpound@yahoo.ca.