Justification or Overreaction?
Courtesy of The Star
It’s a question that applies to both Leafs fans and MLSE with reports now out that the latest “waffle-thrower” has been charged with mischief and banned from all MLSE sporting events “indefinitely” – is the reaction from MLSE to start throwing legal proceedings at fans justified, and are the fans right to be throwing the breakfast treats on the ice surface in the first place?
Obviously the main point that comes into place on the most recent events is due to the object being tossed to the ice during game play. It can be argued, as the announcer did during the game, that “someone could have slipped on that!”, but how often have we watched fans in Detroit throw an octopus on the ice? Quite often it’s been done during game play, but is there a big difference between a waffle and an octopus? Why are there no mischief charges by their organizations, or the oppositions organizations?
It’s why this entire story is proving exactly why the Toronto Maple Leafs are in the situation they currently occupy – everyone is too damn serious.
It’s a waffle. Fans have been enduring a terrible product for years and years and now there’s finally a bit of a negative response and the media and the Maple Leafs themselves are throwing it even further out of proportion than it really is.
We’ve all been upset at some point over the lack of effort on the ice (and I’m talking since we last won the Stanley Cup). Fans react in all sorts of different ways, but once a waffle is involved it all hits the fan (well, not the waffle anyways).
I think it’s about time the Leafs take a step back, stop paying attention to the fans (which should be easy because up to the waffle incident they’ve never even taken notice that the fans are actually a part of the organization – financially) and focus on what is at hand – a losing product with nowhere to go but up.
I just want to see my favorite team play some good hockey, and if MLSE is clearly as embarrassed by it as it seems based on this reaction, I’m all for it.
Other Articles:
A Time for Choosing – Waffle Guy Speaks Out
Waffle Throwing Animated GIFs
Micheal A. Aldred
