2008/2009 FANTASY HOCKEY

Maple Leafs: Tanking? What is "tanking"?

The common suggestion is that "tankers" want the Leafs to lose and obtain a 1st overall pick or the best possible pick, in the upcoming draft. On the other side is supposedly the real fan, the loyal fan, that bleeds blue and white and wants the Leafs to win always and make the playoffs.  Many believe the difference in opinion regarding "tanking" is generational such as old timers or diehards versus the younger generation.  I would have to disagree.  I think the pattern more involves a combination of difference in knowledge of the game.... the business side of hockey, the understanding of a locker room, the character of a professional team period, followed by optimism and then patience.

"Tanking" is all about perspective, interpretation and realistic expectations.

Lets look at it from three different angles. Management, coaching/players, and the fans.

---Management---
Toronto Maple Leafs management are the only folks with real control over "tanking" the season but the terminology might not be the best. From managements perspective, it would simply just mean repositioning the team for future success rather than immediate.  For example, trading away veterans in return for prospects and picks could be considered giving up, rebuilding, retooling or "tanking" the season...  such as in cases where the season is a 'write off', not going to make the playoffs, this isn't our year, the team isn't tooled properly now or for the future, so lets try to do something productive now for the coming years. (Of course with the Leafs, it gets a little deeper than just a bad season.. it is a bad team missing the playoffs for 3 years in a row with a locker room of players that we labeled as complacent.) I think management has all the justification it needs to rebuild (or "tank"). Fletcher and most recently, Burke, have started to take moves in this direction.

---Coaches/Players---
Players and coaching staffs do not "Tank", period.  Anyone suggesting they do or should doesn't understand competitive professional sports.

---Fans---
The fans can probably be divided into several main groups that most fit into or somewhere between.

1.) Fans that preach "Tank tank tank!", "we must draft first overall", and that actually cheer for the Leafs to lose. (or perhaps even desire them to purposely lose). Many of these fans are just regurgitating some bullshiat analysis that they read in a Toronto Newspaper or something they heard at school or from a coworker but that don't actually understand the process of ripping a team a part and seeing it struggle and grow as it is pieced back together.  I don't know how to explain it, I just think there are different breeds of fans,, some that understand hockey and some that don't.

2.) Fans /diehards that want the Leafs to win and make it to the playoffs without regard to the fact that making the run for the playoffs means keeping quality UFA's and potentially losing them at seasons end instead of getting assets in return via trade, without regard to the fact that making a legitimate run for the playoffs means  team needs have to be filled with grinders/veterans and that they have to be acquired, and without regard for the fact that if falling short they will lose good positioning in upcoming draft.

3.a) Fans that want the Leafs to win every night or make a good effort to do so and want them to make the playoffs. They will tolerate a middle of the pack draft pick if falling short of the playoffs but understand that it is not in the teams best interest to hang onto the UFA or go out and acquire veterans.
 
3.b) Fans that are excited about the process of rebuilding/retooling/"tanking" and planning for the future. They enjoy the changes and enjoy the direction the team is taking. They cheer for the Leafs when the clock starts, would enjoy a hard battled win and certainly would love to be watching a playoff bound team,,, but they accept a loss and accept the fact that the Leafs are not a playoff team.

I put myself in the last categories. 3.a. & b.

Fans shouldn't cheer for their favorite team to lose. On the flip side, when the game is over and the Leafs were handed a loss, they shouldn't necessarily be upset either.  Fans should not have false hopes or short vision when it comes to the greater good of the team in the long run.

Look at it like this:

Do you think the Leafs should be buyers at trade deadline and try to patch wholes and improve the team by acquiring grinders and veterans?  Should they really improve the team, play hard, make a good run for the playoffs only in all likelihood to fall short missing the playoffs, end up picking 17th overall in the draft and then wonder why they didn't just stay the course instead where they could make deals that helped them in years to come and finish bottom 10 in the draft.

I don't think anyone enjoys watching a losing team. Even though I desire the Leafs obtain the best draft pick possible, I still cheer for the Leafs when watching. However, the key twist here is that I also enjoy watching the Leafs struggle... I enjoy watching Kulemin, Tlusty etc be sent down, come up again, work hard (or not)...  I enjoy seeing White/Blake etc be benched and come back strong (or not),  I enjoy pondering if Williams can continue to pick corners, I enjoy watching Frogen stare down the opposition and wonder if he is ever going to snap, I enjoy watching Antro/Poni/Stajan battle/cycle/crash and prove the fact that they can somewhat play hockey without Sundin around, I enjoy watching Toskala and his boring (lackadaisical like Raycroft, just a little more pleasant) interviews and waiting to see when he's gonna get pissed off,,,, the list goes on!  The point is, I enjoy watching this team more then last year by far!! Last year was a joke. I'm a firm believer in seeing the good in the bad and the passion in suffering.  Think about how boring our music would be if majority of musicians were not stoned, depressed, drunken miserable suicidal guys and gals that have major problems in their lives? They make good music!!!    Just like,,, think how crappy the Leafs would be if the entire organization top to bottom was filled with complacent happy go lucky whatever losers? Oh wait! That was the leafs for the last 3 years! (10 years?)  Time to mix things up, time to hurt some feelings, time to move some players, change the culture, yell and scream a bit, tank?, sure, {insert profane curse here}, why not?!!  At least this year, the goal is that losing isn't going to be all for nothing and I'm content with that.

I really love what the Leafs are (hopefully) doing and the fact that they are seemingly going in the right direction. Of course Burke and Wilson are likely to make some mistakes (to some degree at least and maybe in 10 years we can look back and say for sure) but they seem to have a good plan. The plan may not be fool proof but it is exciting times for the Leafs and we should all embrace every day of it... the on ice struggles, the rebuilding of the management, all the bizarre and confusing mixed messages in the media,  the coach tearing players down (to hopefully build them up again), the trade deadline rumours (cleaning house?), upcoming draft speculation (where will Toronto be positioned?), prospects developing and trying prove themselves worthy...  all this stuff is exciting and if this is what we call "tanking" then yes, I am cheering for the Leafs to tank.