The Show.

I write before you a bitter, distraught, disappointed, confused and morally afflicted sports fan. I, like many sports fans throughout the world, like to believe that somewhere, in a land far, far away, reside mythical creatures that we call the "Sports Gods." These Gods govern the world of competitive athletics, dictating the outcomes of games, the performances of players, and ultimately, the well-being of fans everywhere. Over the course of my career as a fan I have often resorted to praying to these Gods, cursing these Gods, and many times (being a Philadelphia sports fan) questioning the ways of these Gods. Through times of joy and triumph the Sports Gods earn due praise and appreciation for their significant role in a team's success. Of course, more times than not, there are times of despair for the loyal sports fan. However, through these times it is always comforting to think that even though times are difficult, the Sports God will eventually - maybe not the next year, maybe not in the next ten years, but eventually - make things alright, and will give loyal cities and fans that which they deserve. However, after the events that unfolded in this year's Stanley Cup Finals I am thoroughly convinced that the Sports Gods do not exist.

I have often found comfort in the idea that sports dominance is somewhat cyclical, and that cities and fans will someday experience "their time." There is no better feeling as a fan than to be able to confidently say, "this is our time." These instances are supposed to be few and far between, which is what makes a team and city's "time" that much sweeter. However, an unusual and disturbing trend has been taking place in Boston that makes me question this theory. Boston's "time" has gone on for way too long, and for that simple reason I figured the Vancouver Canucks had to win the Cup this year. Boston is host to a spoiled fan base that has gotten way more than they deserve. Is it their fault that their teams have dominated for the past decade? Of course not. Do I hate them for it anyway? Absolutely. I'm not going to sit here and say that I'm not bitter because I am, and I have been for years. Those who know me know that I'm passionate about Philadelphia sports teams and nearly just as passionate about cheering against any and all teams from Boston. However, to my dismay, custody of some of the most coveted prizes in sports has been monopolized by Bostonians in the midst of a reign of terror that has undoubtedly bestowed the title of 'America's Premier Sports Town' upon their shoulders.

I know it must hurt to read this - imagine how painful it was for me to write it. I hate Boston as much as anyone but I can't let my hate for them skew my perception. In other words, I can't sit here and bash Boston and talk about how much their teams suck, because they don't. I'd like to but then I'd sound like an idiot. All I can do is be bitter about the onslaught of victories that continually pour into the undeserving laps of Boston residents, as well as question the powers-that-be for letting this happen. Just to clarify I'm not calling Boston fans undeserving because they're apathetic or not passionate. Sure, they have plenty of bandwagon fans who didn't even know they had a hockey team 3 months ago, but this happens in any city. I call them undeserving because in a 10-year span they've gotten enough championships to last them 100 years. There are cities throughout North America that are far more deprived and deserving than Boston.

This brings us back to the Sports Gods. If they were real, Cleveland would've won a championship at some point in the last 46 years. If they were real, the Stanley Cup would be in Canada where it belongs. If they were real the Cubs would've won a World Series at some point in the last 100 years. If they were real, NASCAR would not be considered a sport, and perhaps most importantly, if the Sports Gods were real, the city of Boston would not have 7 championships in the last 10 years. It just wouldn't work like that. So, maybe I'll be the only sports-atheist around or maybe some people will agree with what I'm saying. Either way, the only way I'll ever be persuaded from this thinking is if the city of Boston experiences a drought of 60 or more years. So go ahead Sports Gods, if you're out there, prove it.

"Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals" - there may not be a more beautiful combination of words in all of sports ("The Miami Heat lose," "Chase Utley will be in tonight's line-up," "We will not be going Inside The Glass with Pierre McGuire tonight," "Shut up Jeff Van Gundy," and "Jon Gruden will not be on this morning's edition of Sportscenter" are all close though.) Tonight, someone will hoist the Cup, and the honorary passing of the Cup will then ensue. This tradition is perhaps overlooked and under-appreciated in the world of sports, yet its significance and symbolic value cannot be emphasized enough. It is customary that the captain of the winning team is handed the Cup first, and what he does with it from there is extremely telling. In many sports we'll see a team surround a championship trophy and then pass it around in an unorganized, blatantly random fashion. In hockey the ceremony is a little different. The captain selectively chooses who to pass the Cup on to, and this exchange says a lot about whoever is on the receiving end. It's an honorary exchange often provided to seasoned, championship-deprived veterans or heart and soul players, without whom the team would crumble.

There are times when the Cup's first recipient is obvious, for example when Ray Borque, who had gone 22 seasons without hoisting the Cup, won with Colorado in 2001. Other times it isn't so easy to guess, and with that being said, it's time to place some bets:

If Vancouver wins the Cup, I would have a hard time seeing captain Henrik Sedin passing the Cup to anyone but his twin brother and partner-in-crime Daniel Sedin. Might there be more deserving recipients? Perhaps. Guys like Kevin Bieksa, Manny Malholtra, and even Ryan Kesler could all be considered candidates, but we're talking about his bro. They've literally been together their entire lives and although some others on the team may be slightly more deserving, I don't see it happening. Brothers don't shake hands. Brothers gotta hug (name that movie.)

If Boston wins the Cup, the first thing that'll happen will be me bursting into tears and breaking my TV. Then Zdeno Chara will get the Cup, and after he lifts it up and accidently scrapes it on the JumboTron, he'll then, in my opinion, hand it to none other than Tim "Not So Slim" Thomas. I would guess Mark Recchi because he's almost older than all the players on his team combined (he is 43 and has played in the league since 1988) and could very well be in the midst of his last year in the league, however he has won two Cup's already, one with the Penguins in the 1990-91 season and one with the Hurricanes in the 2005-06 season, so with that being said I don't think he'll get it first - he'll probably get it third though. Tim Thomas has carried this team and if they win it will be because of him. He has never won a Cup, so between that and the fact that he is the heart and soul of this team, I can't see it going to anyone else. Also, I hope Brad Marchand gets it last.

Also, for those wondering, I have Vancouver winning 4-2 tonight. The power play is going to come to life tonight, Bobby Lu is going to play ok, giving up 2 goals on 27 shots, and the city of Vancouver is going to burn to the ground. Take it to the bank.