‘Toronto Stronger’ sign at Maple Leafs game sparks outrage

By now you have probably heard about the Toronto Maple Leafs fan and his poster board sign declaring "Toronto Stronger."

The sign – a clear and obvious jab at the "Boston Strong" rally cry embraced after the Boston Marathon bombing – has raised the ire of sports fans in Toronto and Boston, as well as Nebraska, Tanzania, the moon, Mars and this weird eye-like planet that may be capable of supporting life.

The guy, as you can see, is clearly very proud of his ingenuity. Printed on heavy poster board and professionally (or at least adeptly) designed, the sign took long enough to make that dude would have had enough time to at least momentarily reconsider his life choices. Yet here he is at the game, outside the Air Canada Centre, grinning damn foolishly while those around him try to ignore what is clearly a meme waiting to happen.

To be fair to the dude, the sign was someone clever, as long as you lack self-awareness, human decency and common sense. It was not received well by pretty much anyone. Reporters, bloggers and sports fans alike panned the decision.

[ Related: Leafs fan brings ‘Toronto Stronger’ sign to Game 3 vs. Bruins ]

Boston's NESN said the sign politely called it "inappropriate at best." Yahoo! Puck Daddy blogger Greg Wyshynski said "the notion that 'Boston Strong' should be fair game is more than a little nauseating."

Here's a quick taste from Twitter:

Some might argue, and some have, that Boston fans have done worse. Like, for example, knocking a Leafs fan unconscious earlier in the series. You are right, that is worse. It is also criminal and quite clearly the act of a stupid, singular human.

[ More Brew: Charges announced against 3 suspects in Boston bombing ]

The Toronto Stronger guy, however, hides himself in a veil of fandom which paints all Leafs fans with the same shameful brush. From a sports perspective, this is dumb. This is "chalkboard material" that the Bruins can use (but won't need) to righteously destroy the distasteful Leafs.

More importantly, however, it ties Toronto as an opponent of the Boston Strong rallying cry. And, yes, Boston sports teams have used the chant as inspiration. But where "Boston Strong" once meant, "We love Boston and hate terrorists," it is now free to mean, "We love Boston and hate terrorists, and the Toronto Maple Leafs."

And that's a weird lot to be thrown in with. So thanks, dude with the Toronto Stronger sign.