Smashville...it’s time. The Stanley Cup Playoffs begin today, though our beloved Nashville Predators aren’t playing until tomorrow. We’ve got a date with the Colorado Avalanche beginning tomorrow night at 8:30PM CST. It’s a team the Preds have beaten four times in four games this season. But, that said, they do have a Hart Trophy contender in Nathan MacKinnon. You never know in the playoffs. But, this post isn’t about the x’s and o’s – I’ll leave that to Herbie Brooks and his awesome series preview.
This is a post about redemption and what another deep playoff run would mean for the city of Nashville. I think I can speak for the entire Preds fan base when I say that last year was nice. But, after coming up two wins short of the Stanley Cup, it left us feeling completely dissatisfied and disappointed.
I can distinctly remember watching Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final from the airport in Newark. When that first goal was called back and the Preds never came back from it, it really bit them in the ass. They lost Game 2, and that’s when it started creeping in, “well – hey. It was a nice little run.” But, then – the party came to Nashville, and the scene was incredible. Tens of thousands of people flooded Broadway and the surrounding areas. It was an atmosphere unlike anything I’d felt before. Simply electric – and the Preds have come out and publicly said that they feed off of such a raucous environment. It showed last year – the Preds went on to win Game 3 and Game 4 in dominant fashion, 5-1 and 4-1 respectively.
There’s definitely something to this “Smashville” magic after all, huh?
Game 5 was atrocious – I’m still trying to forget it even happened. And, I can remember the utter defeat and disappointment of watching Game 6 from Riverfront Tavern in Mount Juliet with friends. Suddenly, what started as a fever dream of sweeping the Chicago Blackhawks was over. It stung. And, while the rest of the world was patting us on the back and saying things like, “hey you done good,” or “hey – you still live in Nashville,” we couldn’t help but feel completely deflated.
People have known Nashville is a fun town for a long time. But, I don’t think people realize how passionate the natives are about things they hold dear. Over the course of last year’s run, I remember the feeling of seeing the rest of the hockey world recognize us for the rabid fan base we are. The light bulb going off one Mike Milbury at a time. I remember the paradigm shift of the perception of Nashville from “a drinking town with a music problem” to “well, I’ll be damned – this is a bona fide sports city.” But, if you realize that now, then surely you realize it isn’t enough for a city that has craved a champion for over two decades (no disrespect to Vanderbilt – that College World Series is still all we got. Just saying).
It feels like all of this happened just yesterday, but my how time flies! It’s back, and this year is different.
The Preds have the Presidents’ Trophy – meaning they’ll get home ice advantage should they find themselves in the Stanley Cup Final for a second consecutive year. Seeing how home ice advantage played out in last year’s championship, that’s a crucial ingredient here. Plus, this team just plain looks better than it did a year ago.
But, the Stanley Cup Playoffs are a damn grind, and I can’t even imagine it from a player’s perspective. I’m just a dude sitting from my couch watching. But, if all goes well, we’ll be watching hockey for the next two months. I’m not going to lie – I shudder when I remember some of those late nights and the constant barrage of games last year – staying on top of it all, covering it for the site, and still finding the energy to cover other topics -AND- maintain a day job was exhausting.
But, it was a great feeling to be apart of something bigger than myself. I’ll never forget it. And, now here we sit, a year later, and I’m ready to tackle it all over again. I am “high on life” to quote James Brown (I think…#Journalism).
This city’s hungry – and I expect this year will be even bigger than last year should the Preds make a deep run. It’s something that obviously means a lot to the Music City. To many, this means validation for a town whose locals want to prove we’re much more than just a party town (which we are, don’t get me wrong, just saying). Or…tl;dr: THIS IS SPARTAAAAAA!!!!
Look – point is, we’ve sat for an entire year now, quietly anticipating a shot at redemption. Folks – we’re standing on the precipice of it. So, you’d better damn well get some sleep while you can. Something tells me Smashville will be ready for it.
Damn, now I’m ready for an Ultimate Predator playoff promo.
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Alabama Crimson Tide football, the WWE, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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