[JJsChaos]

I like the forum topic and I like your opinion, however, I find myself feeling very different. I’ve never felt like this as a sports fan. I’d like to think I’m loyal, and cheer for my team through the ups and downs. However, this feels different to me. I actually find myself hoping they lose. I know this contradicts being a supposed “loyal fan”, but the natural evolution process to allow your team to be competitive again is nowhere in sight for this team.

Other sports teams I cheer for have done things very different. When your team is no longer competitive, you move higher paid, under preforming players and try and stock up on draft picks and prospects. This process doesn’t happen in one year, it takes years. Calgary has used free agency to try and build their core. This is a recipe for disaster. Free agency should be used to support the core. Two examples – Hawks have their core of Kane, Toews, Keith and Seabrook – they bring in Hossa to support the core. Kings have Kopitar, Brown, Doughty, Quick – they bring in Richards and Carter to support the core.

I’ve asked myself, why does management continue to use the same strategy year after year? The only answer I can come up with is - the fans continue to cheer on the team they put on the ice, so why would they change?

There is a very loyal fan base here. If management chooses to go in a completely different direction, many fans would support that. Here is what I’d love to see:

Redefine what type of team you want to be. Create an atmosphere and culture and stick to it. Draft, draft, draft - build around this with home-grown players that were interviewed and want to be a part of the Flames culture. For the love of all that is good and holy, build from within, not from outside the organization. If an organization has a strong culture, and believes that building within is how to be successful, then drafted players will have a greater sense of loyalty. Once this is established, the Flames can carefully select players via FA and/or trade to fill the gaps in the roster.

I’ll put my jersey back on when ownership really wants to win and not just get a dollar where and when they can. No more patchwork jobs year after year.

When they start winning again, all us melancholy fans will be cheering hard with big smiles once again.