St. Louis Blues: Never Give Up, Never Give In
By Todd Panula
The St. Louis Blues have gutted us time and time again. Many are done with it, but I cannot, nay, will not give in. As a fan base, we must persevere.
Judging from social media, there are many who have given up hope. There are many who have given in to the seemingly inevitable.
Not only are the St. Louis Blues up against the Chicago Blackhawks. Not only are they up against the defending champions. They are up against themselves and a history littered with broken promises and shattered dreams.
There are fans older than I, who have a longer history with this club. Some of those fans have seen heartache the likes that can only be surpassed by Chicago Cubs fans. Some of those may have given in.
While it is not for everyone to agree, it could at least be explained. The Blues have failed to get out of the first round for four years. If they lose tonight, it would be five. They’ve raised expectations time after time only to see them explode in a napalm storm that would make Robert Duvall’s character in “Apocalypse Now” get excited.
In this playoff run alone, they’ve given fans just about every negative emotion possible.
They’ve nauseated us.
They’ve irritated us.
They’ve taken away our joy.
They’ve given us anxiety.
They’ve infuriated us.
So yes, it could be explained why some have given up hope. But, try as I might, I can’t do it.
Part of me wants to. Part of me wants to just acknowledge that it’s unlikely the team will win and I should just move on with life and not bother with them for the night. I cannot though. I will not.
This team has put us through the wringer this season. Injuries galore, goaltending roller-coasters, going from possibly being a wild-card team to almost being the top seed in the Western Conference, you name it. It’s been a heck of a ride and I’m not ready for it to be done no matter how much it might seem like it is.
There’s always a chance. We’ve heard stories from other teams or other sports about how, when everything seemed the bleakest, something magical happened or someone stepped out from the shadows and everything just clicked. Maybe this is our night for that to happen.
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Chances are it’s not. Chicago is the defending champion. They’ve won three Cups in six years. They have a phenomenal record in elimination games. They’re practically walking on water.
But to steal a line from Herb Brooks and make it my own – I’m sick and tired of hearing about what a great hockey team the Blackhawks have.
I’m tired of hearing how many games they’ve won and how many times they’ve come back.
Whether it’s TV or radio or even print, all we see is how the Blues can’t do it because they’ve lost too much, given in too much and just don’t have enough. There’s one more game to prove everyone wrong.
There are two teams on the ice and it’s time for the Blues to show the world they belong. It’s time they show themselves that they can win.
Maybe Ken Hitchcock will skip the pregame talk himself and just play this fantastic one from the movie “Miracle”
It would fit. It has everything to do with the Blues’ situation as well. They’re down and only have one game. Everyone is picking against them, but they have one opportunity to show everyone they can and will.
The Blues aren’t going to win based on pure talent. For once in this current team’s career, they have to show that they want it more and are willing to do more to get it or else they’ll fade into history like all who have preceded them.
Those that have given up hope have taken the easy way out. Sometimes I wish I could. Maybe it would be easier. It would almost surely be less stressful.
It would also be less fun. Sure, I get nauseated when my teams are eliminated in the postseason. I probably take something as silly as sports way to seriously and let it affect me too much. It also brings a passion and joy into life that few other things can.
Life is hard enough. Life gives us enough to give up on and want to just forget about. Sports shouldn’t be that way.
Loving our hockey team shouldn’t be a bad thing. It’s easy to pick winners and be a bandwagon, but there’s far less reward in it. Sometimes sticking with things when they’re beyond hope provides the biggest rewards.
Stick with it. Tune in to game 7. Cheer for the Blues.
Give them an energy so positive that it almost defies logic for them to lose.
Give them an energy that wills them to get up even if they’re down.
There is always hope. If the Blues had forced the game 7 instead of losing two, people would feel differently. Chicago is also only 2-2 in game 7’s under coach Quenneville.
The Blackhawks also lost two of the last three game 7’s they’ve been in, including the one they had on the road (an overtime loss to Vancouver after erasing a 3-0 series deficit).
Also, the Blues have players with this kind of experience even if it’s not with St. Louis. Kyle Brodziak had three points in a game 7 win over Colorado in 2014. Troy Brouwer might have a 2-4 record in game 7’s, but he’s experienced them and knows what it takes and what the entire team needs to do.
The Blues have defeated Chicago in the past too. There was the wonderful win in 1993 when Ed Belfour went crazy and then the Blues won in ’02 as well. Interesting coincidence is both those games came on April 25. Game 7 will be on April 25.
People will say I’m foolish. They’ll say I’m naive. Maybe they’re right. What fun is “being honest” though? What joy do we get out of giving up simply because?
I still believe. I still believe this team can overcome and we’ll be celebrating tonight.
Despite everything that has transpired, I still believe and I will until the final horn sounds.
They may rip my heart out again. They might stomp on it and we may have to suffer the taunts of the victors, but I still believe this day can be different.