News Article: Toronto's Maple Laughs

[whatsbruin]

Enjoy

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nhl/photos/1301/nhl-toronto-maple-leafs-maple-laughs/?sct=uk_t2_a10


JJ is an angel compared to Ballard.
Some of the crap Ballard pulled was infantile.

Click to read more...

 

[smithformeragent]

I can't see this ending well...

FWIW though, I'm a fan of those 80's style leafs jerseys

 

[Scotto74]

I changed the thread title to reflect it is an actual article and not just an insult being tossed out there.

I agree smith this probably wont end well.

 

[finchster]

I think Toronto Maple Weaks sounds better than Maple Laughs

 

[The Special K]

That is a combination of disturbing and hilarious.

 

[smithformeragent]

Also, prior to two seasons ago, the Bruins were pretty laughable themselves. I feel that Boston fans are getting extremely entitled and arrogant when it was not all that long ago that all of the teams were laughing stocks. The Red Sox were poster children for futility. The Bruins won a single playoff series in the Fleet Center era prior to the Julien years. The Pats were a joke before Parcells/Bledsoe's arrival and the Celtics had about 15 very lean years before the big 3.

All franchises go through tough spells. Some are longer and harder than others.

 

[BruinsBtn]

Also, prior to two seasons ago, the Bruins were pretty laughable themselves. I feel that Boston fans are getting extremely entitled and arrogant when it was not all that long ago that all of the teams were laughing stocks. The Red Sox were poster children for futility. The Bruins won a single playoff series in the Fleet Center era prior to the Julien years. The Pats were a joke before Parcells/Bledsoe's arrival and the Celtics had about 15 very lean years before the big 3.

All franchises go through tough spells. Some are longer and harder than others.

It's not even close.

The Leafs have finished first in their division once since 1967. ONCE!

 

[Lost Horizons]

Also, prior to two seasons ago, the Bruins were pretty laughable themselves. I feel that Boston fans are getting extremely entitled and arrogant when it was not all that long ago that all of the teams were laughing stocks. The Red Sox were poster children for futility. The Bruins won a single playoff series in the Fleet Center era prior to the Julien years. The Pats were a joke before Parcells/Bledsoe's arrival and the Celtics had about 15 very lean years before the big 3.

All franchises go through tough spells. Some are longer and harder than others.

The B's have only missed the playoffs seven times since Jacobs bought the team. The Leafs haven't made the playoffs in the last 7 years. They haven't made it 15 times in that time frame either. If you want to talk about other teams then Tor history isn't so good either.

 

[Pie O My]

It's not even close.

The Leafs have finished first in their division once since 1967. ONCE!

said it before and i'll say it again - they just never recovered from the Rick Kehoe trade.

 

[howaryuh]

I can still remember Ballard watching games from his bunker, peering out from a small opening in the concrete.

 

[BergyWho37]

Toronto Make Me Laughs.. really haven't recovered sinse 93 when Gretzky got away with an easy highstick and went on to score the winning goal .. IMO

 

[Shaun]

This Brian Burke press conference is great.

 

[Bizarro Bandwagoner]

"During the 1978-79 season, Ballard fires popular coach Roger Neilson, sparking a near revolt by his players. Ballard reconsiders, but asks Neilson to return while wearing a paper bag to conceal his identity. Neilson comes back without the bag."

That's stupid, he had to have been joking.

 

[Pi]

"During the 1978-79 season, Ballard fires popular coach Roger Neilson, sparking a near revolt by his players. Ballard reconsiders, but asks Neilson to return while wearing a paper bag to conceal his identity. Neilson comes back without the bag."

That's stupid, he had to have been joking.

Oh if it's Ballard it's probably true.

I don't know if any NHL team has been through such a terrible owner...

He's got to be up there with the worst owner in all of pro sports.

 

[ripley]

Oh if it's Ballard it's probably true.

I don't know if any NHL team has been through such a terrible owner...

He's got to be up there with the worst owner in all of pro sports.

He banned Russians from playing at Maple Leafs Garden.

 

[774EVER]

Could have also added that jammed fax machine where Hoglund was supposed to be traded to the Bruins for Wanvig

 

[DaveFromNB]

"During the 1978-79 season, Ballard fires popular coach Roger Neilson, sparking a near revolt by his players. Ballard reconsiders, but asks Neilson to return while wearing a paper bag to conceal his identity. Neilson comes back without the bag."

That's stupid, he had to have been joking.

There were a fair number of Leafs fans wearing paper bags during his ownership, it would have been a pretty good disguise.

They just scratched the surface on Ballard, surprised they didn't mention that he took all the Cup banners down from the Garden and sold them. Some of the quotes attributed to him wouldn't be permitted on this site. I don't think he was joking in the slightest about Neilson and the bag...

 

[themightyquinn]

That's the downside to having a captive market - all their owners have done (since Ballard) is treat the team like an unlimited ATM.