Turmoil in the Center of the Universe

The Leafs, however, always operate as though they have some manifest destiny, some larger purpose, despite going so long without a championship.

Maybe it's the sellout crowds that appear, regardless of the team's record. Maybe it's the fact that the further the last Cup victory sinks into the rearview mirror, the more popular the team seems to become. Maybe it's the fact that with its own TV channel, the team has the ability to not only manufacture its own propaganda, but does so in a way that seems to convince the players and managers that they are worthy descendants of a proud tribe, regardless of what the win-loss column says.

These days, it doesn't say very nice things, particularly after six consecutive losses and seven defeats in eight games. After riding reasonably high in the conference playoff race most of the season, the Leafs have fallen to ninth and seem stabilized there only because Montreal is showing no signs of revving up its engine anytime soon.

Here's a truth of professional sport, and of many other worlds as well. Once they start laughing at you, once you become a punchline, it's awfully tough to turn that impression around.

Babcock's reputation was so degraded because of the Araujo pick and because of the Carter deal that the television guys laughed out loud when he picked Villanueva last year. It didn't matter who might laugh last: that was the label, that's what stuck and that wasn't going away.

But who's the joke now? What name is going to make anyone who follows basketball immediately break into a smirk? The Toronto Raptors. Richard Peddie. The mantle has finally been passed by the Los Angeles Clippers, just now living down their loser reputation. It's undeniable now.

There's a laughingstock in town.