It is funny to read some people's reactions here, as if they have some personal investment in Bennett.
My biggest eye roll is with posts with the theme of: "Flames vs Bennett - pick a side", or "cheer for the crest, not the player".
No, you cheer how you god damn want, and I will cheer how I god damn want, k?
I like Bennett as a player and as a person. I liked listening to his interview with Leslie on Instagram. I think he does have much more to give than he has shown so far in Calgary, and I also do think that Calgary mismanaged his development. I do not think he is going to blossom into a franchise centre any longer, as I have stated before, either his ceiling was never that high, or his stalled development has lowered his ceiling. I bet he will improve than what we have seen in Calgary, but he may also stay stagnant - or even worsen!
I just don't understand why I can't cheer for Bennett. I didn't realize that there is some rule book that states that I can't cheer for a player that I - as a fan - became emotionally invested in, and want to see become a very good player. Is my 'fandom' of a player somehow lessening my ability to be a Flames' fan? Is my 'fan points' going to be subtracted from my Flames' cheer metre, and moved to Bennett, thereby somehow making the Flames a worse team?
I feel sorry for the fans who will ONLY cheer for the team, not an individual player. You guys see it as being more 'mature' and sensible or something. I see it as limiting yourself. I am perfectly fine with cheering for who I want as I see fit, and you can trust me to be mature enough to not allow emotions stand in the way of my fandom points. I will just continue getting my enjoyment for cheering over a wide variety of things, rather than force myself into a grumpy old man box.
My cheering is not going to affect the Flames. It is not going to affect Bennett. Why must I conform to your own personal (and ass backwards, IMO) form of cheering? Please submit your list of things in this world I can or can not cheer for. Thanks.
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