Absolutely. As part of the older crowd, of which I'm firmly a member, I find myself watching fewer and fewer Leafs games each season. Every year, you invest time and hope, thinking this time might be different, only to be let down when it matters most.
I understand it's just sports, and in the grand scheme of life, whether they win or lose doesn't really change anything. But still, it would be nice to cheer for a team that actually rises to the occasion on the biggest stage every once in a while.
After more than 45 years of this, I finally understand why my dad and uncles always seemed so cynical about the Leafs when I was growing up. It’s not bitterness, it's just a kind of exhaustion. A sense that all the hope and energy poured into this team ends up feeling like a grand waste of time.
That said, I’ll still watch, just not with the same level of care or belief I once had.