[troutman]

I've followed every Flames season and have over 50,000 posts on CP. I used to have season tickets. I'm 53 and find I have less time and interest to devote to the exploits of 20 year old men. There are too many teams. I'm not interested in the business of hockey and contracts and salary caps. I believe in supporting the home team, and have some good memories of great games and players. I wonder how many thousands of hours I spent watching hockey and sports, and what I else I could have accomplished instead. I don't like the mental energy I waste hoping for the failure of the teams I hate. Sports can cause me anxiety. Other forms of entertainment do not.

1) Are you going to continue to watch the playoffs or are you going to pack in in and wait for the start of the offseason activities?

I will watch Flames games (they don't have to be winning as long as they are playing hard and are entertaining). Not interested in games not involving the Flames.

2) How likely are you next year to dedicate a lot of time to watching Flames hockey?

I will watch if they are playing hard, win or lose.

3) Would you consider yourself a die hard flames fan, a interested flames fan, a casual flames fan?

I'm a fan of the home team - not necessarily the collection of players every year.

4) What would it take for you to switch team allegiances?

I would not - I would just stop watching hockey altogether.

5) Do you think that the on ice product that is provided by the NHL a) Its great hockey don't change a thing b) Its not a great product, I watch it because there's not a lot out there or I feel obligated c) I'm thinking of being done with the NHL.

Somewhere between b) and c).