It’s not unreasonable for Habs’ fans to turn away when the team is this bad
I must preface this column with a disclaimer, in the hopes of at least slightly mitigating the backlash I fully anticipate: I am not a hockey writer, pundit or expert, and the following is in no way an attempt to analyze the on- ice performance of the Montreal Canadiens this season.
Now that that’s out the way: I am reliably informed by my colleagues in the Gazette sports department that the Habs are not very good at hockey these days, particularly over the past couple of months, during which it can be argued the team has been the worst in the National Hockey League.
The Canadiens’ sustained slump, as this kind of wretched stretch so often does, has done a number on the psyches of many Montrealers who pin such high hopes on the club’s fortunes, which have waned more than they’ve waxed in the nearly 23 years since it last won a Stanley Cup.
As my colleague John Meagher reported earlier this week, the Habs’ historical swoon over the past couple of months has had more tangible side- effects, too, with seats being left empty at the normally packed Bell Centre, player jerseys not exactly flying off store shelves, and, possibly most telling of all, scalpers having to resort to discounting what are usually the hottest tickets in town.
All of these are indicators that a substantial number of Montrealers are turning the page on this edition of the Canadiens, or “jumping off the bandwagon,” in the sports parlance used to describe this kind of mass fan exodus.
A Montreal Gazette editorial this week took such “fair- weather fans” to task for abandoning the Habs during this lousy season, calling such fickle folks “the real losers,” which I thought was a little harsh.
While I understand the good intentions of those sticking with the Habs through thick and thin, in practice, I’ve never quite understood the rationale which holds that those who take the opposite tack are somehow morally or ethically inferior.
Outside of relationships with our families and close friends, I can think of few, if any, examples of endeavours in which this kind of unwavering allegiance or blind faith is required, or expected. I was going to include actual faith,
in the religious sense, but being a lapsed Habs fan, even intermittently, seems to carry with it far more stigma than being, say, a lapsed Catholic, at least in this town.
Here’s an imperfect analogy, but bear with me: few people would argue that it’s wise to continue to vote for a political party you once backed faithfully, but whose policies, members and strategies have changed so substantially that they alienate you and lose your confidence ( and your vote).
This is, fundamentally, what continuing to actively support or follow the Habs when they are this dire is like. Sure, you may think the coach should be fired, or that a player or two should be
traded, or that they aren’t giving it their all during a given match, or maybe you just genuinely do not enjoy watching the way they are playing — but don’t you dare be exasperated and call it a season, or you risk being branded disloyal, at best, or, the ultimate sports insult, not a “real” fan at all.
I understand that the decades of unparalleled success the Canadiens had for so much of the 20th century, and the litany of iconic players and coaches who contributed to it, has elevated the club to a sacred spot in Montreal. There is an emotional connection between this franchise and its fans that is stronger and runs deeper than most teams and their towns, and the intensity of that relationship is why so many fans remain so protective of the club no matter how dark times get.
But I still don’t see what’s so unreasonable about expecting the Canadiens to perform at a high level — to be an entertaining team to watch, to inspire confidence it’s operating at a full effort and potential, to be coached and managed effectively — and to turn your attention away, temporarily or for good, if it’s not living up to your expectations, whatever those may be.
And if that’s what being a “fair weather” Habs fan really means, then I’m perfectly comfortable being counted as one.