Be Thankful for the St. Louis Blues

Be thankful for the St. Louis Blues. Instead of taking a selfie with you and a slice of pumpkin pie, sit back and be thankful for your hockey team, St. Louis. The worst thing that can enter my eardrums throughout the winter is, "The Blues aren't worth watching because they will only lose in the playoffs." To those people I happily suggest that you go eat a hot bag of warm shit and wash it down with seven day old milk and cold coffee. Screw you and your pessimistic view on a fresh hockey season. Me, I am glad I stand behind the Blues. They are reckless, have a questionable buy in rate, frustrate the shit out of me at times but they are mine.

This morning, they wake up to the second best record in the Western Conference despite significant injuries to Kevin Shattenkirk, Jaden Schwartz, Paul Stastny, Patrik Berglund, Jori Lehtera and Brian Elliott's ego. Despite the fact that Magnus Paajarvi and Steve Ott have seen the ice in 3 on 3 overtime. Despite the loss of T.J. Oshie's Enterprise commercial time slots. Despite the loss of Bernie Federko's stiff posture on home improvement commercials. Despite the fact that Carl Gunnarsson remains employed and Ryan Reaves hasn't fought yet. Despite all of this, the Blues are 14-6-3. Raise a fucking glass to that and it better not be Stag beer or Red Stripe.

Every year, 30 teams in this league take a run at the Stanley Cup and 29 of them fail(that math was brought to you by two cups of coffee before 8am). 29 fan bases are left disappointed and full of rage. Sure, you can be the good guy and say, "Well my team scored goals, gave a fight and pushed hard." Fuck you, they lost so who cares. To be honest with you, I don't want the Blues to just win a playoff series or two. I want them to win the whole fucking thing. Dance up and down 14th street and fill St Louis with a favorable shade of blue. Jake Taylor style!

If not, what is the point? You think these guys skate all summer long and train for an 82 game backbreaking schedule just so they can finish 4th. Rethink that while I click on some Black Rebel Motorcycle Club on Itunes.

The Blues aren't the only team without a cup people. They aren't drinking bourbon alone in lonely saloon. Six NHL teams have never even skated in a Stanley Cup final. The Coyotes, Wild, Sharks, Predators, Jets and the Blue Jackets. Ottawa(not Washington Senators), Buffalo, Florida, Washington, Vancouver and the Blues have played in the finals yet never won a Cup. There are more teams waiting for their first cup, Blues fans so stop whining.

Be thankful for these Blues. They aren't shitting the bed like Anaheim. They aren't playing dead like Edmonton. They aren't embarrassing a great hockey city like Philly with 19 points. The Blues are among the top best teams in the NHL and they aren't healthy. They got a taste of Martin Havlat and resurrected(sort of) an Upshall while showing the world a young gun named Parayko. For all the heartbreak this team delivers every spring, be glad that you have a chance to have your heart broken. Some fanbases don't get that privilege. Nothing in sports is guaranteed. Disappointment has to be earned.

Closing thoughts(ABC, always be closing folks)

~Columbus sucks. Bad. Like chewy beef n' broccoli bad. Beat them tomorrow. Start Elliott. He needs the work.

~PLEASE fill up Scottrade Center. If you want a Winter Classic, fucking act like it. You have one job, STL residents.

~How about #14 and #15, Tarasenko? Put the whip on the pie sir. You are legend!

~Don't worry about what happens when Berglund and Schwartz return. That is several weeks away.

~Free Ty Rattie.

~Free Ryan Reaves.

~Punch Louie.

(Shameless self promotion)-Read about the 12 STL players to be thankful for(spoiler, there are four Blues players)

Song of the day-"Spread Your Love" by The BRMC, the rock band you don't yet should know about.

Sorry for the lack of cool stats like Corsi and other "whooaaaa" like material in this article.

Happy scrap hunting today in stores. I'll be hanging with the beast of Vin all day, drinking coffee and whiskey while watching Home for the Holidays(the best Thanksgiving film of all time).