My Apology Letter to Bryan McCabe

Scrambled thoughts on a Wednesday from an Unemployed Leafs Fan

Reading over some of the articles on the Bryan McCabe deal, I was struck by one article on SLAM! Sports today that was in reference to the classy way in which McCabe conducted himself in the post trade hours, and it got me to thinking...do I owe Bryan an apology?

Allow me to preface this article by saying I like many of you have been frustrated in the decline over McCabe's play. He, like Tucker lost that edge, lost that will to throw their body in front of anyone, sacrifice every piece of themselves for the team, and worst of all...began to lose his eyesight (clip of him scoring on his own net). However, I was most frustrated over his desire to not waive his no trade clause at the trade deadline last year. I know that he has the right to not waive it because it was given to him, but to be fair, his agent went into that negotiation against a functioning retard (in terms of hockey). It was the straw that broke the camels back, McCabe had managed to transform himself from a hapless hard luck loser to a super villain. I booed, you booed, we all booed at one point or another, but was it for the wrong reasons? Were you, like me booing not only because of his poor play on the ice, but because of his selfishness in not accepting a trade, when the Leafs could have acquired something to drastically help in the rebuilding process? (Aren't I a selfish die-hard?)

Now, I CAN'T honestly say after years of drinking and various other abuses to my body, that my memory serves me better than most people, HOWEVER, if I can recall correctly back to last February I remember countless members of the media and Leafs organization insinuating that the reason McCabe was not moved at the deadline was because of his own free will. He chose not to waive his no-movement clause, and was the reason that a deal could not be done.

Was he? OR was Bryan McCabe made out to be a bad guy on purpose? Did Cliff know that if he made McCabe out to be a villain that he would gain the support of the fans in forcing him out of his contract in the summer? Or worse...gain support for a trade that loses yet another draft pick and gains another questionable defenceman.

Quotes such as "McCabe is not considered one of the veterans Fletcher will try to move by the Feb. 26 trade deadline. He has a no-movement clause in his contract, but even if he did waive it, McCabe will cost a team $5.75-million (all currency U.S.) against the salary cap for the next three seasons. Not that he wants to go anywhere, anyway." from the Globe and Mail, and numerous "McCabe Doesn't Want to Move!" articles spread throughout the mainstream media. One was lead to believe it had to be true, especially with no denials from Cliff or Peddie.

Apparently it wasn't. Today in the SLAM! article referenced earlier, it states, "I had a meeting with (Leafs general manager Cliff Fletcher) right before the trade deadline and told him I was open to anything if it was presented to me," McCabe said. "He never got back to me."

McCabe gave Cliff an empty slate, and he could not deliver. The complete opposite of what we were all lead to believe. He did the right thing and understood it was his time to move on, and was left hung out to dry, without so much as a word of recognition to the public that he gave MLSE the opportunity. To say McCabe was terrible as a player here does not do his play from 2002-2006 justice. To say he was terrible from 2006-2008 does not do him justice as well, though I can understand some of you feeling it. He was a very solid offensive defenceman, with a few too many defensive lapses. This angered me. However, you were a stand up guy, and you gave the Leafs the chance to move on.

So, to you Bryan McCabe, I say this; I am sorry. I'm sorry for unjustly villifying you for your off-ice decisions. I'm sorry John Ferguson Jr. is as useful as Damien Cox. You were a class act in your time here, and always accountable for your inconsistent play over the last few years. It's unfortunate that our time together didn't work out, but sometimes things don't. Good luck, and we'll see you on the 6th of January.

Final Thoughts:


'Asked if he had a message for Leafs fans, many of whom booed him in his latter years in Toronto, McCabe said he had a great time. "Thanks for the memories," he said. "They were all good. I cherished playing in the best hockey market in the world."'





More nonsensical rambling to come next week.
BF6