The Maple Leafs Annual

Today, September 8th, is an auspicious day. Not only is it my brother's 30th birthday (dirty thirty!!1), it's also the release date of the 2009/2010 Maple Leafs Annual - a magazine chronicling your favourite team, written by some of the finest Maple Leafs bloggers out there.

For some reason Alec Brownscombe, editor of the annual and one of the writers at the heavily trafficked Maple Leafs Hot Stove, asked me to be involved in the project. I readily agreed, and typed an essay entitled: Infinite Hope.

Looking back upon the last 20 years of my life as a Leafs fan, I wrote about those players and those teams that best personified hope; and why the well of hope, even after many trying years of heartbreaking losing, never runs day.

It was an honour and a pleasure to be involved in a writing collaboration with some of the heavyweights of the Maple Leafs' blogosphere Barilkosphere. You can find the magazine on newsstands today; at your local Walmart, your local grocery store, your local drug store, and at all Chapters Indigo stores throughout Canada.

Pick up a copy. It's 128-pages of Toronto Maple Leafs content, penned by those who write only to feed their passion. You won't be disappointed.

Getting The Girl...

We won. And I'm not talking about last night's Leafs game, although strong goaltending and solid penalty killing sure are a beautiful thing, aren't they? Swoon.

Nope, I'm talking about my good friend Wrap Around Curl.

You see, back in July, Wrap put her fandom up on the block. She lost her beloved Vancouver Canucks in a break up and was looking for something new, something exciting. She was ready to turn the page.

That's where the Toronto Maple Leafs came into the equation. I mean, who in their right mind wouldn't want to be a Leafs fan? We've got it all, including an eventual Stanley Cup (read: Brian Burke).

But let me tell you, the wooing process was a lengthy one. I'm talking roses, candy, alcohol, ponies, muffins, unicorns, teddy bears, puppies; you name it. Many a sweet nothings were whispered into Wrap's ear.

In the end, she was worth it. All of it.

Wrap was supposed to deliver a "grand declaration." In fact, I'm still waiting for it. So I'm going to go ahead and do my girl a solid, and declare this one for her.

You see, there's a certain studly defenceman that Wrap is watching with her beloved NHL Center Ice Package. One who makes her panties drop with only the snap of his fingers. One who sealed the deal.

Thank you, Luke Schenn. You were our secret weapon.

The search is over my friends. The Toronto Maple Leafs are Wrap's new team. We, the Toronto Maple Leafs blogosphere Barilkosphere, are victorious. Winner, by unanimous decision.

Wrap, make it official in the comments section. You know it's all you have left to do.

And welcome to Leafs Nation, honey. It'll be a bumpy ride, but those are the best kind, if you know what I'm saying.

Intifada

Dear "Most Valuable Losers,"

Yesterday, continuing a long-standing trend, another Toronto reporter took his shot at Leaf fans. This time it was Howard Berger calling us "losers," but we've seen the same cookie-cutter article before from virtually everyone who covers the team.

Quite frankly, we've had enough.

As fans, we believe that those most deserving of our praise and our scorn are directly involved in the game, whether it's on the ice, in the press box or in the executive corridors. Fans don't pencil in the starting five, make bad trades, or write headlines of the day and shouldn't be blamed (or praised) for the totals in the wins and loss column.

Hockey may be just a game, but it's also a passion. If you're looking for passionate hockey coverage that offers insight and humour, and you're sick of being blamed for supporting a team you're passionate about, you have a better option.

It's time to leave the media superstars behind. There's compelling, timely, wide ranging content waiting just for you online in the Barilkosphere.

Many have found this better way of following the Leafs, but not every Leafs fan has been so lucky. Please send this message to your fellow Leafers via email or postings on message boards, and let them know that they do have a choice.

We hope you'll join us here in the Barilkosphere and become regular readers.

Pension Plan Puppets

Battle of Ontario

Big Smoke Sports

Bitter Leaf Fan

Cox Bloc

Die Hard Blue and White

Down Goes Brown

He Score, He Shoot!

Just Your Usual General Borschevsky

Leafs At Hockey Analysis

Old Guys in Blue and White

Repressed Optimism

Sports And The City

The Passion That Frustrates Us All

Torontosportsmedia's Weblog

Wonderful World of Loser Domi

The Barilkosphere: criticism where and when it's warranted, often with a side of funny.