Cinderella was really a bitch

May, June and July are going to be extra long months now that the Penguins are out of the playoffs.

These were my thoughts while watching the Pens' 5-2 loss to the No. 8 seeded Canadiens in Game 7 this year. I am loyal and love the Pittsburgh Pirates, but they are not a good team and watching them does not give the same feeling as watching the Pens.

In Sidney Crosby and company there was always hope this season. Even when they looked like crap, they were still the defending Stanley Cup champs and they would turn it on when they needed. Or so all of us Pittsburgh fans thought.

Turns out, in the biggest games of the season, the Pens did not step up. They blew a lead in one game and were outplayed in every part of the game in another.

There are zero excuses for Game 7 and no one individual to blame. Just about every Penguin played a lackluster game, and the result is an early tee time this weekend. And I no longer know what to do with myself.

Today, I completely avoided talk radio and the local sports section. I avoided the radio because of all the "fans" calling for Fleury to be traded and Pens coach Dan Bylsma should be fired. Neither should happen, as they are both excellent at what they do. I avoided the newspapers because what were they going to tell me that I didn't know? They would just cause me to relive last night, which was not fun.

Some might say I'm taking this loss too hard, but having a cheering interest in the NHL playoffs is the best thing in sports, and it was taken away from me. Taken away from me, while Canadiens fans, who plead for calls any time one of their players falls, continue to enjoy the playoffs.

As annoying as those fans are though, I respect the team and think they deserved to move on. When they had opportunities, they buried them. The Pens did not. End of story. End of season.

I might not touch on sports for a bit, the passion is just not there right now. Hopefully a group of loyal readers will come aboard the blog shortly to keep fresh posts going.

Phantom Planet - Do The Panic