As I write this on Friday morning, the Toronto Maple Leafs are down three games to one in their opening round Eastern Conference playoffs series with the Boston Bruins. Though some in Leaf Nation remain hopeful that their boys may yet do the highly improbable and come back to take the series, most have resigned to the reality that Toronto is not long for these playoffs. Given that a series victory would now require winning three straight, with two of those games in Boston, even true believers recognize the Leafs’ flame will go out, either this evening or Sunday.
And yet, the Leafs have already won. So has the City of Toronto.
How can that be though – winning despite losing? Isn’t that the stuff of ‘moral victories’ and ‘youth soccer participation trophies’? Why is it that this series already feels like a victory lap for Torontoians?
The answer lies in two key dates: April 28, 2008, and May 4, 2004. Continue reading
Low Culture, High Concept 