Wednesday, March 31, 2004

He May Be *Just* One Player

But dammit, I am absolutely sick of all the bullsh*t that has been generated by the very nice gesture on behalf of the Canes Booster Club. Y'know, I never thought I'd see the day when I would be royally p*ssed at both FanHome and LetsGoCanes.com. But buddy, I am. Before I go any further, let me elaborate that I am not planning to leave the said forums. Just feel like it is better to do my venting here, because I know I am beat...at LGC.com anyway, where certain people are using the "argument" that Danny Markov and Bob Boughner, two players who were BARELY Canes AND have ziltch records, should have gotten a farewell message. It's not just those two mentioned, but they're the examples that made me laugh and cry the most...

People, Ron Francis is not just ANY WhalerCane, he is practically the symbol of the franchise with SIXTEEN YEARS OF SERVICE and OVER thirteen, count'em, THIRTEEN FREAKIN' FRANCHISE RECORDS. *gasp* Hence his nickname Ronnie Franchise!! Not to mention all those NHL records, awards, and his getting ready to be in the Hall of Fame. Just because Ronnie is a Maple Leaf for JUST, oh, maybe TWO OR THREE MONTHS AT THE MOST means we have to throw away SIXTEEN YEARS, THIRTEEN RECORDS, AND EVERYTHING ELSE he did for the WhalerCanes, their communities, AND hockey?! Folks, if we dismiss everything Francis has done, the Canes would not have much of a legacy upon which to stand. With that said...

THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG WITH WISHING THE FRANCHISE'S BEST ALL-TIME PLAYER AND COMMUNITY SERVICEMAN WELL IN WHAT MAY BE HIS FINAL RUN FOR THE CUP!

What the Canes Booster Club did was *just* an ad. Those of you who don't like T.O. and/or Ronnie's going there need to seriously get over it, leave the dude alone, and/or just, well, not care about what Ronnie does as a Leaf and anything related to that. I thought I read quite a few saying they were planning to do the third thing...funny that those same folks are the ones that say the Booster Club had no business doing the ad. (rolls her eyes)

Speaking of leaving R. Diddy alone...I've noticed quite a few are beseeching for a "Thank You" from the guy. Well, last I checked, when Glen Wesley did his "Thank You" to the Caniac Nation, it was unexpected AND NOT REDUNDANTLY BEGGED. Not to mention how nobody seemed to mind Wesley following a childhood dream and going for a Cup with a team he grew up cheering for in the Maple Leafs...sounds awful familiar, eh? Also, Wesley was out with an injury AND was fueled by his not sure he was returning as a Cane, giving him time AND reason to concoct that "Thank You" to Caniacs. Admittingly, I did say in a thread at LGC.com that I was surprised by Ronnie and/or the Francis family having yet to thank the Caniac Nation. But now that I've given it more thought, Ronnie will thank the Caniac Nation when the time is most appropriate...WHEN HE RETIRES, hopefully as a WhalerCane. Right now, he's trying to remain focused for his game...

BTW, if I were Ronnie. I'm not sure I would want to thank "fans" saying jive like "If you ask me, the C on his jersey stood for 'crap'.". If you speak insults, you're going to get them back. So, those of you who are insulted by Ronnie's lack of response thus far...well, you asked for it.

Hell, I don't even know why I am ranting like this when I know good and well that the people who burn my biscuits aren't the majority. If the numerous Francis jerseys I've seen at the three Canes games I have attended since the trade (3/10 vs. Tampa Bay, 3/25 vs. Florida, and 3/30 vs. Boston...and I have seen more Francis jerseys at those games than most, if not ALL the games I've been to when Ronnie was a Cane) are any indication, Ronnie has just as much, if not more respect now than he did before the trade. It's just that the people wearing those jerseys are not posting online...automatically making them among the most intelligent of Caniacs.

Nothing sums it all up better than what a friend said to me when me, him, and another friend were on our way to the game against Boston, and were discussing everyone treating Ronnie like he had shot their dog...

"How can anyone not like Ron Francis? That is so, well, un-American..."
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