Quote:
Originally Posted by Strange Brew
I hear you. But I enjoy the game of hockey so it's not just winning. That's why I will watch some sports over others.
That's also why I like the Olympics. I am 100% Canada first but enjoy watching certain sports just to enjoy the competition even if I don't care who wins.
No doubt, this is one of those "no right answer". It's a personal preference.
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And as you watch those, are you really that emotionally invested in them? No, you're not. You get emotionally invested in things that have deep meaning to you. International sports is a great example. I will always cheer for Canada because it is where I was born and what made me who I am. Even though I'm American I will always cheer for Canada first. The thing that is really mind blowing, I don't care who wears the jersey, just that they are wearing the jersey! I may not know any of them in any way, but because they wear the maple leaf, that's good enough for me. That is where the emotional investment is, not in the current athlete who is donning the jersey. It is why I will always been a Flames fan. I am emotionally invested in the Flaming C, not the guys who wear it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Enoch Root
So if the team sucks and is rebuilding, you stop being a fan for a while?
I think there is a lot more to being a fan and enjoying sports than 'winning'
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I don't stop being a fan, but my dedication and interest certainly wanes. Yes, I am still emotionally vested in my team, but if they are going to be losing all the time, and take much of the joy out of watching the game, then why subject myself to misery? Those are times where maybe I don't take in as many games or watch the standings like I used to. Winning is fun. Losing sucks. If you don't think it is still very relevant, watch the game threads when we're winning and when we're losing. Check the number of people logged in and in the thread. Winning brings people to follow the team and to the site.
Although, some of the best times on this board were back in the good old days, before any of you hangers on arrived on the scene (that's an old guy joke), when there was a smaller community of die-hards that suffered along with the team. The good old days of Transplant, Johnny Flame, Displaced Flames Fan, and so on, who moved over to FOI from SLAM.CA. When the Flames sucked and the Young Guns were the team in town. It was a much simpler time, and before I had so much ear hair and didn't have to get up three times to pee during the night. Yes, the team sucked, but our small tight community made it fun to support the suckage. We had the Heckle against those mouth breathing bullet tops from Oilfans.ca and many a get together. It was a different time.
Then came 2004, and the bandwagon filled up and changed the site for good. The tent got bigger because the team was winning. And winning changed everything, including the people on this board. So yes, winning does make a difference and not always in good ways, but winning makes sports more fun.