[SOMBRI2]

I made a point in the GT and I want to paraphrase here.

Peter Maher mentioned a couple road games ago (it was the pre-game segment - is that called "On the Road"?) that people should not hope the Flames to lose. His points are that, pro athletes should try their best, and winning...is in their DNA.

As much as I agreed on the context, I DO NOT agree that it applies to the Flames.

I don't want them to 'tank' like the Oilers, but I believe they will naturally go to that path because simply this team is not 8th seed nor a playoff team. They are not good enough. Tonight's outing has proven once again, this team is complacent and as if they treated this game as a pre-season game.

I assume majority, if not all, of fans want this team to succeed. There is so much fun when the team wins. You feel good. You feel you support the right team. You can mock the opponents etc etc...that's values.

However, you paid to watch this team (even you get free tickets, you have to invest time and emotion). But this team doesn't give you the values you expect.

I hope we can find another product (following pro-sports team) that you can ask for a refund. But no...hell no, the fans just want to receive 'good customer services' i.e. a good effort on the ice. But it seems someone somehow somewhere has been sugar coating problems or the ignorance of the management which is sad.

Some fans have no choice, but to say it out loud in phone-in shows, in CP forums, in the CBC/TSN/SN website comment area...I think fans are down to no choice but to say...'why don't we try that path...i know it sucks but it is better than what we saw in the last 3-4 years'...That's the reason behind it. No one says straight out and ask the team to tank right from the get-go. But hopes are vanished already.

The bad fans perhaps are the fans who choose to be silent.

I still cheer for this team. I hope they succeed. But one must face the reality of the state of this franchise.

My 2 cents.

Edit: I forgot to mention, this team is not good enough (not strength wise) but consistency wise. And they choose to bring 'heart and soul' from time to time. It is an 'OK' team, but OK is not OK at this level. I feel bad when Kipper got run a few times tonight...sigh.