A Gift of Five Babcocks

Yeah, the Canucks are a great team, but let's not get too excited. They may have the league's best power-play, be among the best in penalty killing, and have rediscovered their even strength game, but that's still no reason to get too worked up. In fact, I apologize to all those fans mashing the panic button for writing this article trying to talk them down. Those fans are still wrong, but at the same time, maybe they're oh so right.

Look at what Mike Babcock said to the Detroit Free Press: "I want to be real careful that we don't sound that excited. I've found over the years coaching in this league, as soon as you think you get excited about your team, then you lose four in a row."

The man is a prophet. Wait, prophets see things before they happen--let's check the date. Okay, that's fair, he's not a prophet, so much as somebody who is able to talk about events after they occur, like a televangelist. Remember when the Canucks had won seven of eight? People were talking Cup, and then BAM! Four-game losing streak. Was he talking about the Canucks specifically? We can't be sure. All we know for sure is he definitely was. Clearly, we got excited about the team. That's where we went wrong.

So what's his method? "I find that being a little scared is a good way to live." Great, but easier said than done. His team has the best win rate in the league, is at the top of the conference and has at least one game in hand on everyone else. What could they possibly be scared about? He's got the answer:

"We've played the fewest games in the league, so that means there's going to be a point where we play the most games in the league. And that means back to back, and that's when you get injured."

Wow. That's what makes him the best -- the ability to rain on any parade. Even a Stanley Cup parade.

Well, it's the least we at Pass it to Bulis can do to help everyone embrace that pessimism. Here's five out-there reasons things could always go wrong, or five "Babcocks" for the Canucks.

• The better your team does, the harder other teams play against them and the more you lose. How can the Canucks win when it just makes losing more inevitable?


• All the Canucks goals so far have come either with the man advantage, playing shorthanded, or at even strength. What if the Canucks don't get into these situations?


• The holidays are approaching, and with them, the spirit of giving. What if Joe Sakic buys snowblowers for the whole team?


• The Canucks dominate at home and on the road, but what if teams find somewhere else to play?


• If the Canucks defy the odds and make it to the Stanley Cup Final, I and many others may get excited. The ensuing four-game losing streak will knock the Canucks out.
  

Hopefully, these Babcocks can help us stay scared and stay competitive, but they won't. There is no hope.