Quote:
Originally Posted by stone hands
"I defy anyone to name me one thing Calgarians have to be more proud of than the flames" is probably the most egregious thing he has ever said to be honest, and he has said a lot of stupid things(every time he opens his mouth)
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Easy, the 1988 Winter Olympics. It beats anything the Flames have done by a fair margin. Hell, I'd almost say that the Stampede has done more for the image of Calgary than the Flames.
I'm not sure if it's just because I'm getting older, but sports are meaning less and less to me all the time. Perhaps it's the overt focus on the business and financial aspect of any franchise that gets discussed ad nauseam around any player or personnel decision. It's too close to a work reality, where tough decisions are made and things generally suck for the individual to maintain the strength of the company. It's palatable to a degree because there's a certain inescapable reality to it that must be at least considered, but I follow sports because I want to
escape that reality and cheer for some athletic heroes for a couple hours in my evening. All of that is overshadowed by "playing up to his contract", or being an "overpaid and declining asset" that is so pervasive in the thought process now.
So all of that has been forced into something that I used to take pure and unadulterated joy in, a hockey game. Simple, yet inspiring.
But now....now I have to sit here and listen to this petty squabbling by high end executive millionaire who represent absentee billionaires, telling me it's a goddam privilege to have my childhood heroes continue to play in the city I was raised in, so we better be okay with ponying up the money,
or else. It's too much. I refuse to let my happy memories be held ransom just so billionaires don't have to invest as much of their own money into something that will continue to make them incredibly wealthy. You know, the way every other ####ing business works.
This is the new norm. At a certain point, having professional sports as an entertainment option isn't worth all this other negative bull#### that comes along with it. We are now at the point where the games themselves are a distraction from the real stories of financing and salary cap management, rather than have the sport be the focal point.
This is just all so ugly, and I don't think I can forgive the Flames executive group for letting it get this far.
Just how bad is it when the Panthers, one of the worst run franchises in the league who have also had issues relating to the locals in regards to value of arena deals, look laudable in comparison to the Flames?