It's easy to pick favourite players such as Ryan Kesler and The Sedins, based on the basic fact they are amazing players. Stats show that. I can't lie, last year when I was looking into retiring my Trevor Linden jerseys and getting a new player jersey, I ended up going with Alex Burrows. I did this the day after he had scored his 7th goal in 3 games. I kind of regret it now in a way,hes a great player, just not my favourite by far. It's not like I can't wear it with pride though, unlike some other jerseys I own that I want to burn, *cough* Matt Cooke *cough*. Sorry, what was that? I was actually pricing a new jersey and looked up Keith Ballard jerseys on ebay to see what there was, there wasn't 1 single jersey. The company I got my Burrows jersey doesn't even have them in stock, you have to order and they will make one, every other player is in stock. There is however his game worn jersey from the skills competition still available, its a measly $300 if anybody wants to buy me a present for my birthday next week.
So anyway, enter Keith Ballard, as usual. I've joked about it being wrong kind of reasons, or as someone referred to me the other day a "Ball bunny". I couldn't help but laugh at THAT one, but for real, I'm better then that. Statistically, looking at points, it makes no sense, if you're looking from the way I mentioned above. Some of my reasons I stated in "Oh Ballard, My Ballard" are crazy, I know. I was looking for a blog name and was trying to figure out something that would work with a players name and one thing lead to another, I got Ballard. My "Dear Ballard" posts, are just stupid nonsense that comes from being cooped up in a house with 2 kids all day, every day. That nonsense comes out at the expense of poor Keith Ballard. Now I'm really sounding even more like a girl who really doesn't know what she's talking about.
He doesn't score many goals, he has 2 on the season in 47 games played. He has never had a season in the past 5 where he has under 20 points, right now he has 5. You have to factor in the fact he isn't the top defenceman he was on other teams, isn't getting the same amount of playing time because of it, and also games played. He has missed games due to a concussion, being a healthy scratch(which has since been admitted he still wasn't feeling well from the concussion, and lack of physical activity while out), the flu and a knee sprain. He also came into training camp after having off season hip surgery, all this factors into the year he's having. I'm not trying to make excuses, the fact is he probably should be playing better, and on a team like the Canucks, he has stuff to work on. I'm a sucker for the underdog, for the one with the good playing attitude and for the one that has the best off ice(ie interviews) personality. He's no Trevor Linden, but he has the attitude and personality that I like. I am not afraid to admit when he has a bad game, I'd probably be the first to jump on him about it. I'd have no problem admitting when he made a bad play, should be benched or should even be scratched. Which brings me to my next eye roll.
When a fan can't admit their favourite player isn't doing well.
It's almost like, being blinded by love, but different..... maybe. It drives me up the friggen wall when a player is doing bad, every single real fan you talk to can admit it but this one person will sit and make excuses for him for everything. Or talk nonsense about playing him on lines that don't even make sense position wise, let alone playing ability wise. If the player has been a healthy scratch and sees limited amounts of ice time, how the hell can you say he is playing his best hockey?....ok.... Maybe he just doesn't fit in the line up, the team is stacked and has players that are better then him. Don't sit there and try to convince people why he should be playing, obviously the team is doing alright without him. Why can't people just admit that? hope he gets traded, or signs somewhere else and gets the play time he deserves if he is so great? You can be a fan of him on another team, even if the Canucks are "your team", but please feel free to move on. The more I think about it the more it just seems like the wrong reasons, because it makes no god damn sense.
I really don't know where I was going with this, I'm pretty sure I got off track and made no sense. Bottom line is, I'm sick of seeing grown people act 12 years old and trying to defend their favourite player. You're taking it too far, admit when hes not playing well, when he may fit better on another team or your just going to make yourself look like your liking him for the wrong reasons. It makes me feel the need to have to justify myself every 10 minutes to make sure people don't think I'm like that.
Funny story. Was at Toys R Us the other day and, as I've mentioned before, was in my usual jeans and a Canucks player t-shirt. I'm not one to dress up, specially not on a quick trip to Toys R Us. I happened to have on my Ballard shirt (I also own Kesler, Hamhuis, 3 Lindens, Bertuzzi and Cammalleri ones). I'm walking along and I hear someone walk up behind me and then I hear " Hey sweety, you can hip check me any day"... hah WHAT?!. It took me a minute to clue in, and it took everything I had not to just burst out laughing while slapping him silly. I turned around told him he gets a "B for effort" and continued on.
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