Today, it’s all about the ashes.
I don’t think CBJ faithful will follow my suggestion and line up around Nationwide Arena getting JHM smudged on their foreheads from the cannon gun powder residue. As we muddle thru our Fat Tuesday hangover (well, “Flat Tuesday” depression if you’re a Jacket fan…) playoffs or no playoffs, we still have a season to finish. We’re back home, the boys had a morning skate in their house yesterday and today and here on out, it’s all about the ashes…
Rising Up From The Ashes, or A Slow-Burn Smolder?
Sure. There’s always a chance. Stuff happens, things fall apart, plenty of teams fall off the rails (well, uh..ahem) and this is the NHL. You just never know. One minute you have a snotty little rising star on your team and then the next minute, he decides to take on one of the toughest dudes in the NHL…and he falls, gets hurt and he’s out for the rest of the season. True story…go ask Edmonton. Like every CBJ fan, I hope that the boys can rise up and play like we all know they can and I’ll buy several copies of Sports Illustrated with them on the cover for such a great comeback…
Ashes Kicked or Ashes Served?
Tonight will answer plenty. Who will start serving up the ashes? Who will find strength, power and redemption and who will just have soot on their faces? Time is running out and we’ll have all the answers at Nationwide. A big clue is how many times that cannon blasts…more cannon blasts means more gun powder residue which means more laying on of ashes. To the faithful and for the opponent…we’ll see.
Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust…
This sort of sums it all up. Painful to even say it…but there is that possibility. If you’ve been in love with a team, you know this can happen. You’ve seen it happen. Seasonal Death Disorder. Sometimes, this happens over time, a slow painful decline that you hate to see and pray it just ends, no matter how much you love your team. For some, it happens abruptly. You have no idea where the slide started or even why. It’s a fast, certain end to a brilliant start. For some teams and fans, your heart just gets broken over and over when you think health and energy has been restored only to fall again. You consider calling NHL hospice. You have guilt…some of us are idiots and can’t give up hope…and get into a fights with the spouse over turning the channel to watch Star Trek when the boys are still gasping for playoff air…
Today is Ash Wednesday. I’ll get mine tonight right before the puck drops at Nationwide. I hope the Blues get theirs soon after that…
Union Blue at home, playing the Blues, 7pm. CBJ Ash Wednesday services during the game depending on if the cannon fires…