So here's just my personal thoughts on this thread. Far from official by any means.
I've commented in the mod chat since about v3 of this thread it should probably be shut down, as it hasn't been adding anything to the board for a long time. Mostly because it went from normal rivalry banter to everyone trying to be a hack Mike Richards. It didn't make the Board better.
I don't believe in juju or anything, but I do believe that you should try to always push more positive energy out into the universe than negative, and between this thread and the daily OOT threads hate watching the Oilers, there was a lot of negativity coming from the board towards that team up north that went beyond rivalry IMO. I mean during an early round, someone posted about their fans being pigs and offering surprise they knew the words to O Canada. I mean, c'mon. Y'all are better than that.
Combine that with how things have gone down here the past x years, and yeah, a lot of negativity. Does it affect the Flames, Oilers, or anything? Hell no, but it can kinda feel like that Ghostbusters II thing about the river of negative slime under NYC. These threads are that river of slime under CP.
That's a long way to say that it'd be nice if this thread died naturally and there wasn't a replacement for it. And maybe some of the childish nicknames that don't have root in reality anymore for McDavid probably should also go by the wayside.
Listen, I don't have an NFL team, but I tend to watch players I enjoy. Right now, that's Pat Mahomes. Even though I'm ambivalent towards the Chiefs, I just want to watch him play because seeing him do things few other QBs can do, and run Andy Ried's offense in real-time, is a lot of fun on Sundays.
I'm trying to take the same approach with McDavid, MacKinnon, and a few others - but I've really begun to appreciate McDavid's game. He's become a 200-ft player in these playoffs, and saying that he's only in it for his mcpoints and personal glory is pure bs. No reason for this thread, or the OOTs to essentially be NHL flat-earthers repeating things that aren't fact.
Yeah, it's rough, but it's a lot better for mental health since - as my therapist says - we shouldn't worry about things we can't control, and the fact of the matter is the most talented hockey player any of us may ever see is 3 hrs up hwy 2, and we can't control that.
It doesn't make you less of a fan, but I'd posit that if your entire identity around the Flames is more about hating Edmonton, then maybe you should try finding better ways to bring positivity into the universe.
I'm a gay man in my 40's now, I'm supposed to give out advice, either that or I'll just start reading more, since it's fundamental.
