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Columbus Blue Jackets Fans: Stop Acting Like Ohio State Fans

By Lansing Murphy

COLUMBUS, OH - DECEMBER 01: Columbus Blue Jackets fans react after Columbus Blue Jackets center Brandon Dubinsky (17) scored a goal with no goalie defending during the third period in a game between the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Anaheim Ducks on December 01, 2017, at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, OH.(Photo by Adam Lacy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
COLUMBUS, OH - DECEMBER 01: Columbus Blue Jackets fans react after Columbus Blue Jackets center Brandon Dubinsky (17) scored a goal with no goalie defending during the third period in a game between the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Anaheim Ducks on December 01, 2017, at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, OH.(Photo by Adam Lacy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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The Columbus Blue Jackets drop two games in a row and everyone is losing their minds. Thanks, Ohio State.

It’s no doubt that this an Ohio State town first. It will always be. And as a fan of the Columbus Blue Jackets and alumni of The Ohio State University, I am fine with that. Most fans of the CBJ are fans of the Buckeyes and that fandom came first and will always be first.

Thats fine! It’s great for our fanbase to be built on the backs of one of the best fanbases in sport. But CBJ fans need to adjust expectations as they switch from watching the Buckeyes to watching the Jackets.

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I love my Buckeyes and winning every game is an expectation. Expectations that come from a century of tradition and excellence. Also from only playing 12-15 games a season. So when the Buckeyes lose, everyone goes crazy. When the Buckeyes lost two games in a row in 2013, you felt as if the town was going to burn and everyone was going to get fired.

That mentality has naturally leaked over into Columbus Blue Jackets fans’ mindsets. As the team is succeeding and becoming a winning franchise expectations are shifting, as they should.

But in an 82 game season, TEAMS ARE GOING TO LOSE MULTIPLE GAMES IN A ROW! It’s not the end of the world when the Jackets lose two. Especially since they are 7-3 in their last ten. That’s an incredible ten game stretch. Expectations have shifted way too far for this team.

Fans need to kick the Buckeye mentality out of their heads when they look at this Jacket team. Are there reasons to be frustrated? Absolutely. Look no further than the power play struggles.

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – DECEMBER 02: Ohio State Buckeyes fans chant during the Big 10 Championship game between the Wisconsin Badgers and Ohio State Buckeyes on December 2, 2017, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN. (Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – DECEMBER 02: Ohio State Buckeyes fans chant during the Big 10 Championship game between the Wisconsin Badgers and Ohio State Buckeyes on December 2, 2017, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN. (Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

But expecting this team to go through an entire season and not lose two games in a row is beyond absurd. I would wager to guess that no team has ever gone through an entire 82 game season and not lost two games in a row.

This is not college football. There are no Rutgers or Illinois playing in the NHL. Every team can win on any night. All it takes is a goalie standing on his head and that’s the game.

And they play 82 games in a season so there will be stretches where the team just doesn’t have it. Traveling across the continent, going through customs and trying to play a game in a day is really tough.

So stop with the “Trade X player” and “Fire Y coach” ramblings on Twitter and relax. Save that stuff for when the Buckeyes go 10-3 in a season. Not when the Jackets are 17-10-1 and second in their division. Again, you can get frustrated but there is no reason to act like the sky is falling. Which is exactly what many CBJ fans are doing after the loss to New Jersey. 

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Enjoy rooting for a Stanley Cup contender and remind yourselves that this a long season and the Jackets are going to be just fine if they lose another game tomorrow. Go Bucks and Go Jackets.

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