Blues At Kings Game 4, Blues On The Brink, GDT

I had my guard up. I wasn't going to let it happen to me again. These St. Louis Blues were not going to contend for a title this year.

We knew that last summer, we knew it in October when they got off to a slow start, we knew it when Davis Payne was fired. And then the fat man showed up. The Blues fell under the spell of a fat shaman named Ken Hitchcock and sudenly...they sure seemed a lot like contenders. They spent much of the season near the top of the standings. They competed for the President's Trophy up until the last weekend. Still, I kept my guard up.

Sure, my wife and I got a playoff ticket package. Because we like playoff games, not that we thought there would be a ton of games to attend and we wanted seats for the third and fourth round.

And then the Blues took down the Sharks in five games. And the Canucks were eliminated. And the Red Wings were sent packing. And the Blackhawks lost. Suddenly, the Blues were seemingly the best team left in the power conference.

And I fell for it. Dammit. Why not the St. Louis Blues? Because, apparently. Just because.

What has happened feels like a lonely dude wattching late night cable TV alone. And then a 1-900 number commercial pops up with a bunch of hot chicks saying they want to talk to him. And you can see those commercials 10 times. And something happens each time. Maybe they do want to talk to him. Maybe they are waiting for his call. And he calls. And it sucks. And it's disappointing. And it's expensive. If the Blues fold up shop today with a four-game sweep at the hands of the Kings, the Blues are a 1-900 number. A tease. A mirage on television.

No, I haven't given up. No, I don't think it's quite over. But we're damn close.

There are a few changes today. Ryan Reaves is rumored to be in for B.J. Crombeen. And the Carlo Colaiacovo era may be at an end with his benching in favor of Ian Cole. I'm not ready for the season to end. I hope the Blues aren't either. This is your game day thread. Comment like there might not be another Blues game until Cotober.