Thanks Howie!

I just came across a real good Berger article which brings up insightful analysis about our home woes.  Who am I kidding, its complete garbage.

"I’m starting to seriously wonder about the Leafs’ practice, this season, of having a lengthy ceremony before almost every home game. The merit of each celebration or observance is beyond reproach; they are moving and immaculate, and the club does a terrific job putting them together. But, they seem to be having an adverse effect on the players. In the best of circumstances, the Leafs do not perform well on home ice. This season, the fans at the ACC are quick to grow restless and vent their wrath. The players normally won’t admit it, but jeering from the home audience gets to them, and it’s something they probably anticipate with concern before the opening face-off. To have to stand at the blue-line and watch a ceremony for 15 minutes is likely distracting and unnerving for the local lads. The opposition team also watches, but performing at the ACC is not nearly as taxing for visitors as it is appears to be for the home team. Perhaps choosing not to interrupt the momentum of the Leafs charging from the dressing room onto the ice – amid the hoopla and din of Andy Frost’s pre-game introductions – would help the players stay focused, and react more naturally once the puck is dropped."

Thanks Howie!  Yah, do away with pregame ceremonies, There's no place in this organization to honour Teeder Kennedy who passed away earlier this year, nor to honour the HHoF, and heaven forbid the fallen soldiers for Remembrance Day, the one honouring team Canada hockey was a bit weird, i'll give him that.  Those are the only 3 I can think of off hand, WTF are you thinking Howard?

'Fans are quick to grow restless and vent their wrath'  Are you shitting me?  Nothing says 'I'm pissed' like a standing ovation to HoF inductees, or heartfelt tributes to Teeder Kennedy or Veterans. 

'Standing on the blueline...for 15 minutes is likely distracting and unnerving for the local lads.  The opposition team also watches, but performing at the ACC is not nearly as taxing for the visitors as it appears to be for the home team'  ---Translation-> Ignore that bit about the ceremonies being the problem because both teams are in the same position, the real problem is poor play on home ice.  Howie, in undermining your entire argument, and despite your best effort to do so, you made a good point! 

Now bring us home: "But, while I stand by the blog’s content, I quickly regretted using the word “manure” in the headline. It was childish and disrespectful on my part, and Burke did not deserve such a reference. I apologized to him in an e-mail on Tuesday."