Steve Dangle is one of the greatest personalities in all of sports and Wednesday night he reminded us all why.
His beloved Leafs, who have not won a Stanley Cup since he was born and many, many years before that (1967), lost the biggest game of their season. After taking a 2-0 second-round series lead against the Florida Panthers and looking like shoo-ins to advance to the Eastern Conference Final, they dropped their next two games to the defending Stanley Cup champions. Toronto needed to have a huge pushback in Game 5 to reclaim control of the series.
Instead, Mitch Marner did what an apoplectic Dangle referred to as a “spinny backhand pass” and the Leafs lost 6-1. Six goals to one. Leafs players booed off the ice by their home fans — well, in the second period (most of the fans had already left before the end of the third). And this is what their listless performance did to Steve.
Dangle, the author of the popular hockey book “This Team Is Ruining My Life (But I Still Love Them),” was still fuming after his “watch-along” live stream last night.
His video recap of the game for the Steve Dangle Podcast Network (follow here) was also full of loud noises.
Dangle started by screaming and uttering profanities for 33 seconds (0:23 to 0:56). Then he cut a hilarious, sarcastic promo for the app “Fantasy Stars,” where he ended up dumping more on Mitch Marner.
“The best thing you can say about that game is that its over,” Dangle said, beginning his analysis of Game 5.
By the end, though, Dangle found some semblance of optimism, looking toward Game 6 at Amerant Bank Arena.
“The Leafs are at their core the ideal dog shelter because they have absolutely no dogs left,” he said. “I cannot believe we’re still here. I can’t believe the Leafs have the same problems pre-COVID. I cannot believe the Leafs have the same problems they had… you know what… this is not the funeral. This is not the eulogy. They got one more chance. They have to go into the Panthers’ den, go into Florida, and extend your season by beating the Stanley Cup champions in their barn. If you can do it: great. If you can’t… no one is going to miss having you on your team.”
I feel like Steve is at the same place I was in 2017 when the Capitals lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round of the playoffs for the second consecutive year. I was in my early 30s then, and I felt like I’d never see the Capitals win the Stanley Cup or beat the Penguins in the playoffs — ever. Like all of my hope was gone. The Caps had been Presidents’ Trophy winners two years in a row and both seasons they were eliminated by the Pens, a team I thought they were better than. Then I had to hear on TV about how much better a leader and playoff performer Sidney Crosby was than Alex Ovechkin. Watching a hated rival go on to win back-to-back championships after beating your favorite team is hard to stomach.
Inside my head, I went, “Why do I do this to myself? It’s never going to happen. Why do I dedicate my life to this team?” I might as well exercise and look handsome again and spend time with my friends and sleep before 3 am every night and just enjoy life instead of feeling this constant fatigue. What is the point of this?
Thankfully, I kept going. The next year, the Capitals won the Stanley Cup and I cried like a baby. All the pain I experienced since I was a wee lad made that night they lifted the Cup about as special as seeing my son being born. I had no control of my emotions. It was the most wonderful summer of my life, especially being able to share it with Ethan.
I believe the Leafs will someday get over this hump. That for many of these players who are experiencing this heartbreak and frustration, these are the lessons they must learn. This is the pressure they must understand and overcome before they can become champions. And when that day happens, I’ll be the happiest guy in the world for Steve. Not only because he’s my friend, but because he so courageously put his emotions out there for all of us to enjoy over the years.
We laugh at his frustration now, but in time, we’ll be crying in happiness with him when it does finally happen. And who knows — it still could end up being this year.
