I've got a boo-boo.

Those of you that know me well, know that I'm a big sports fan. The above pictures show two of my favorite players on two of my favorite teams. Chipper Jones of the Atlanta Braves, and Tomas Vokoun of the Nashville Predators. In the last 24 hours both of them have been lost to me. Don't get me wrong, they didn't die. (Though Vokoun was close). For Jones he may only be out a week or 4, but Vokoun is out for the remainder of the season and the playoffs. Losing Chipper hurts, but the Braves have a capable back-up at 3rd in Wilson Betemit, and baseball is a long season, so losing Chipper for a month or two isn't that big of a deal.

,

But Vokoun. H-O-L-Y H-E-L-L.

Tomas was the best player on the team, in the most important position in hockey. One of the top 5 or so at his position in the world. He was *THE* reason the Predators finished as high as they have. (4th at the moment, possibly 5th by the end of the year.) With Vokoun the Predators were dangerous, a team no one wanted to play as he had the capability of taking over a series shutting them down. Without Vokoun the Predators have to rest their hopes on Chris Mason. Mason's a fine goalie for a back-up, and one you don't mind playing in 10 games or so throughout the year. Definately not a guy you feel comfortable with as your #1 netminder in the playoffs.

I think what has me most upset is the amount of effort I've put into this team over the past season. Though I live in Athens, I actually made it to 5 games this year (We went 3-2, with one shutout in those games), and I've listened to just about everygame through NHL.com's radio broadcasts. And I watched all the Predators games broadcast on OLN (both of them). It was a lot of effort, but it was worth it, even now. Its just sad that it ends here. I thought the Predators had a chance to make some real noise in the playoffs. Perhaps getting to the Conference Finals, and with an outside chance of getting to *The* Finals. Now, I have no faith that that'll happen. I'm beginning to doubt the Predators will win more than a couple of games in the first round. I would have liked to have watched (listened to?) a few playoff games with hope, now that's not gonna happen. The Predator's season is over.

There's always next year I guess.

(Oh, and if Chris Mason somehow goes out there, rises to the next level, and wins the Conn Smythe or something; I'll eat a penny. That doesn't sound like much, but you should know, I'm deathly afraid of copper.)