It took me a while to clear my head, and be able to really evaluate this season. The loss last night stung, it was made 100 times worse that it was Walker that scored the goal. In the end though there was something humbling about the entire experience.
I was a huge Bruins fan in the 90's. After Bourque left, and the team refused to spend money to bring anyone in my faith wavered and I got wrapped up in other sports. Still, I played hockey all my childhood, and I knew someday I would be back. Last year when the Bruins brought the Canadiens to game 7 I was drawn to the team. They had young talent, a good goalie, hard hitters. So when this season came around I was more excited then I had been in about 10 years. Bruins did great, and of course I was called a bandwagon fan. I am fine with that and I understand...
The season went on and the Bruins kept winning. They stumbled near the end, and some people started to jump ship. Yet there was something different about this team. To me I think it was the players, it was some kind of blue collar attitude that this city loves (think Millar, Pedroia, Youk, PJ Stock, ect). The Bruins made some deals, and brought in Recchi. I have to say I loved that deal. One it was a player from back in the "90's" days.
The playoffs started and the Bruins destroyed Montreal like DP can destroy a party (he once stripped down and launched himself on to a ruit table, which collapsed....true story). There was this feeling of hope that I hadn't felt for hockey since 1992. It is funny because back then I always expected the worst. I had come to expect that Pedro would let up a run, the Celtics would choke, Wesley would hit the crossbar, Bledsoe would throw a pick. But after all this championships that feeling is gone. Replaced only by hope and a feeling that any team could win it (think the first Patriots SB team). So, when Walker charged in and slapped that puck out of the air I felt something I hadn't felt in a long time...The feeling that the world is against me. The feeling that this somehow was "supposed to happen". It is almost like some kind of weird LOST twist at the end of an episode. Just this feeling like you should have known it was going to happen.
Yet when I woke up this morning I have to admit my first thought was not anger, or disappointment, but rather this feeling of excitement and wonder for what next year will bring. The Bruins are the only Boston team I have not seen win it all. Are they ever going to? Is this my cross that I will have to carry like so many long time Red Sox fans who died without seeing a Sox championship? I don't know, but I will tell you they have gained a life time fan, that will be here waiting for that first championship of my life time....
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