So this is what it's like to be Federer at the Australian Open

Not that I pretend to know what goes on in the mind of Federer, but I kind of feel like this is what it's got to be like to be him when he lost to Nadal in Melbourne last week. You know that everything is not going the way it's supposed to be but yet you feel optimistic about the match. You're supposed to be the better player, you're bidding for something special and yet somehow, it all goes wrong. Horribly wrong. And suddenly everything you've hoped for just came crashing down around you. What's worse, the reality that maybe you're not as good as you thought or hoped you were is driven home by a rival. Not just any rival. But THE rival.

Yes people, the Habs just lost in the most embarrassing fashion to the Maple Leafs. If you saw the game, you wouldn't be surprised but you would probably be very saddened by the lack of effort put forth by tonight.

My question is: Who is going to pay for all these games in which no effort was shown whatsoever? Don't tell me everything is going to be all happy-go-lucky after this nightmare......Someone is going to be in trouble for this. Someone has to be. I'm still hesitant to jump on the "fire Carbo" bandwagon that has sprung up and yet, maybe the reality is that he's not the best person for this job in particular. But then again, maybe he's doing everything possible and yet the guys can't get it together. I don't know. I don't know what goes on in everyone's minds. I wish I did because I'm struggling greatly to understand what's going on.

I just know that they can't seem to control the bleeding right now. The wound has just been ripped open and blood is now gushing all over the part of every Habs fan who cares about this team in a gory mess. I'm not about to give credit to the Leafs for creating this nightmare. This nightmare began a long time ago and somehow we've been able to push it away and pretend it's not happening.

Later:

I understand completely that most of this nightmare has been born out of the idea of the centennial year. And I'm starting to feel bitter towards the people who came up with this idea. I heard someone say that they enjoyed watching this team a lot more last year when no one expected them to be good. Now that everyone expects them to be good (and they can't deliver on it because it's a totally unrealistic expectation) it's not as much fun to watch them. I wouldn't know if things were anymore fun last year. I wasn't watching them. But it's very difficult to get past "the label" that has been placed on this year no matter how hard anyone tries. And I'm not finding this fun anymore.

I think Kovalev actually got something right when he said that he's been trying too hard and it's completely backfiring on him. We view it as Kovalev looking completely out of it and not trying at all. He sees it as he's trying too hard and trying to get too complicated with things. You know what? I think this is not just Kovalev's problem. I think the same problem is happening to the whole team and everyone involved with this team. They're trying too hard. It's THE YEAR so everyone has to be better than they were last year. Not just better than last year, either. They have to be "the best". I still don't think that these guys aren't trying out there. I think they care. I think they care a lot. The problem is the expectations on this team to be "the best" are too high and it's killing this team.

Blergh.... I'm off to sleep.... I'm not making any sense anymore....not that I ever was making any sense before.....