I think that I’d like to see the Leafs win the Stanley Cup, but not over any other Canadian team — or the Avs. I imagine I’m feeling charitable because the Leafs didn’t eliminate the Sens last night. I may feel different Wednesday morning.

While watching last night’s game, which was a good game, I decided that it’s not the Leafs I don’t like. I have no specific ill will towards the players. I think it might be Leafs fans I don’t like — and of course, I have friends and family, like everyone else, who are Leafs fans, so they don’t count.

Maybe that’s just it. So many people are Leafs fans. I can’t get away from them.

I’m not suggesting that any of these boorish loud mouths are bandwagon jumpers — there’s no bandwagon to jump on really. They’re just jerks. I used to be a jerk too, of the small-time sporting event kind. At university basketball I would sit in the stands behind the opposing team and heckle them all game. I’m not proud of it, and don’t advocate it, but at least I didn’t go to the opposing team’s home court to be a jerk.

Perhaps I’m trying to say that it’s okay to be root-root-rooting for the home team with rabid fanaticism when you’re at home. But when your Leafs are away, don’t infiltrate the home team’s territory and be a jerk. Don’t paint your car up like a Toronto Leaf, bungee cord an inflatable Stanley Cup to the hood and drive around my neighbourhood honking your horn. Don’t put on your brand new Leafs jersey and strut around the grocery store the morning after your team won because you want to provoke a negative reaction. Just don’t be a jerk.

Generally speaking, I don’t like Toronto the city, so that may have something to do with my dislike for Leafs fans too. Anyway, this has been too much of a rant. For the record, I’m a Nordiques fan, and I’ll pull for them while they’re in Colorado too.