So the Avalanches come to town tonight. As this is posted, they're probably in the air, somewhere over Kansas. Talk about your flyover country.
And on that plane is Erik Johnson, the only No. 1 overall pick in Blues history. He didn't ask to be traded last year. He didn't ask to blow out his knee on a team golf outing that may or may not involved drunken golf cart demolition derby. Allegedly. Sure, he might not have been the most coachable guy on the team and looked like the inexperienced player compared to Alex Pietrangelo's decision making. But that's not something to hate a guy for, right?
It reminds me of a similar situation. Remember that Chris Pronger dude who got traded to Edmonton because the past owner thought his big contract might make the franchise more difficult to sell? When he came back a few years later, fans booed his big gap-toothed ass whenever he touched the puck. Personally, I blame wine swilling fans in San Jose for starting that phenomenon. But Pronger didn't ask to be traded. Just like Johnson.
So when Colorado's Big Johnson is on the ice, do you notice? Do you heckle? Do you boo? What do you do?