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Here we go
again
Will new season bring same-old,
same-old?
9/28/08 - By Paul Krill
Once again, it's time for us to start planning for Sharks games and
hope for the best, despite our hopes being dashed too early in what seems like
every season of the Sharks' existence.
In recent campaigns, the Sharks
have been the subject of lofty expectations and predictions of Stanley Cup
championships. Unfortunately, these predictions have turned out to be as
accurate as predictions that World War I would be the war to end all wars.
As we know, the Sharks have bowed out in the sixth game of the second
round the past three seasons. Just like Halley's Comet appearing every 75 years
without fail, the Sharks have folded the same time each season.
In
fact, the Sharks have lost to lower seeds in three of the past four seasons,
with the Sharks' playoff opponents mocking the NHL's seeding system that was
supposed to give the higher ranked team an advantage. It hasn't worked out that
way for the Sharks.
Want more depressing stats? Good. I thought so.
Here's a good one. Of all the early-1990s expansion teams (Sharks, Senators,
Lightning, Ducks, Panthers), only the Sharks, who joined the league first, have
failed to ever get to the Big Dance (aka the Stanley Cup Finals). Two of those
teams, the Lightning and the hated Ducks, have carted the fancy silver trophy
home to fans not as deserving as the ones here in San Jose.
So here we
go again. Are any of you like me? With excitement tempered by a feeling of
resignation that this season will be no better than previous ones, no matter
what the Sharks try? Bring in this guy, ship out this guy? It will only be
another second-round exit?
Attending the Sharks annual Teal-and-White practice
this week did get my spirits up. I discovered that Rob Blake and I share a
couple of traits: We both write left and shoot right. And I got Jeff Friesen to
autograph the same copy of "Feeding Frenzy" that he autographed about 14 years
ago when he was a teenager.
Of course, we don't know what is going to
happen this season. I have had a hard time getting excited about the very, very
long regular season. I wish the playoffs began right now.
But that's
not how it works. The Sharks must start all over again and repeat the same old
script that this Sharks' team is ready for big-time glory.
Maybe
they'll actually be right this time around.
Contact Paul at
at pjkrillsharks@yahoo.com
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