05-15-2022, 08:55 AM
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#1
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Not Jim Playfair
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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I just landed in Calgary.
After two days of traveling from Philadelphia, I am now in Calgary for Game 7. As Friday’s Game 6 disappointment unfolded, I started to reflect on over three decades supporting this team. Checking the newspaper two days after games for the score because the mountain time starts wouldn’t finish early enough to make print. Listening to Peter Maher call games on 66 CFR through the original nhl.com website. The games against the New York Rangers I could actually watch on television. In late 90’s Fire On Ice (what later became CalgaryPuck) revolutionized my ability to interact with the team. Then DirectTV and streaming and then soon one’s team could be at their fingertips.
Growing up in Ithaca, NY always made me a very random Flames fan. I remember looking at a hockey card in the early 1990’s and just feeling immediately that they were my team. The local team to cheer for was Cornell University and the illustrious college careers of Joe Nieuwnedyk and Kent Manderville saw their first NHL stops in Calgary. And so within the sea of Sabres and Rangers fans, it was the Calgary Flames.
In 1997, I attended my first Flames game, traveling down to the old Meadowlands to see them take on the New Jersey Devils. It was the first time I ever met another Flames fan and I was surprised at how many there were. As I got older, the Flames seemed to be getting worse, to say nothing of the declining state of economics for the NHL in Canada. So it was not much of a surprise when the infamous announcement came following the 98-99 season that ownership declared that 14,000 season tickets needed to be sold by July 1 or the team would be sold. I had never been Calgary or anywhere in Canada, but at 14 years old I took my Bar Mitzvah money and purchased two season tickets to help. People of course thought it was crazy, including the person from the Flames ticket office (Mike Franco) who spoke with me on the phone. I felt normal and necessary to me. Not long after I purchased the season tickets, I received a phone call from George Johnson of the Calgary Herald and I told him I had no intention of using these season tickets to see game, because I lived thousands of miles away and was too young to make it happen. But I did say that the next time they made the playoffs I would make the pilgrimage.
More pain and many years later it was 2004 and that story is intimately familiar with all Calgary Flames fans. But for me, it was another level even beyond. I made the trip out to Calgary for the first time for Game 6 against Vancouver. I was treated well by the organization and treated to a legendary game (sitting in a box with some of Jarome Iginla’s family) where the Flames rallied from 4-0 down only to lose in triple overtime. What happened two days later is well known, though I watched that Game 7 on television at my parents’ house in Ithaca, NY. Just over a week later my dad and I went to Detroit for Game 5, the 1-0 win on Craig Conroy’s tally, and also the game when Steve Yzerman took a puck in the face that helped bring his career to an end. And a month after that I was in Calgary for the whole Stanley Cup Final, attending Games 3, 4, and 6, just 25 feet from Martin St. Louis when he scored in triple overtime. I lived on the Red Mile during that week, just my second trip to the mystical place of Calgary in what was perhaps the most mystical time in the organization’s history. We know the rest.
The next several years I made some games on the road, but not until 2015 did I make the trek back from the northeastern US to Calgary for Game 6 against Vancouver. Low and behold, the day of travel from Philadelphia through Denver put me in Calgary for 18 total hours, which included the very familiar rally from a deep hole (3-0 down) and the jubilation of winning a series on home ice.
Now in 2022, after more years of disappointments and falling short (to say nothing of a year when we all quarantined and were restricted to watching on television) and I am pleased to say I have just landed back in Calgary for my fourth trip ever, to attend Game 7 this evening. I drove 8 hours from Philadelphia to Toronto yesterday and took a 6:30 AM flight to Calgary this morning. Incredibly, since 1989 the Calgary Flames have had precious few opportunities to clinch a series, much less clinch a series at home. Even if it is just my fourth ever trip, tonight will be the fourth series clinching opportunity for me to see in-person – 2004 Game 6 vs Vancouver, 2004 Game 6 vs Tampa Bay, 2015 Game 6 vs Vancouver. And today marks just the tenth day of my entire life in Calgary, Alberta. It feels good to be home for this special opportunity.
__________________
CORNELL
National Champions: 1967, 1970
CALGARY
Stanley Cup Champions: 1989
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05-15-2022, 08:58 AM
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#2
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Powerplay Quarterback
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Calgary, Alberta
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Amazing story. Thanks for sharing. Go Flames go! Here's to hoping the ending is an amazing one with a win tonight.
__________________
Born to lose live to win
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05-15-2022, 08:59 AM
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#3
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Fearmongerer
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Wondering when # became hashtag and not a number sign.
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Awesome stuff man.
Enjoy the hell out of tonight and really hope you see a win.
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05-15-2022, 09:02 AM
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#4
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Crash and Bang Winger
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Canadian Airlines Saddledome
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Unreal story. Thanks for sharing! As someone who grew up with the late 90’s Flames, I sincerely appreciate your gesture to keep things rolling for the better times ahead. These personal stories are one of my favourite things about this site. Hope we can all enjoy a “W” tonight!
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05-15-2022, 09:04 AM
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#5
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Franchise Player
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thanks for sharing that... I think I did read that you grew up in Ithaca, but never got the background of how you became a Flames fan... the Cornell connection makes a ton of sense now though.
I had no idea your fandom ran so deep to have purchased tickets season tickets from Ithaca during the Flames season ticket survival drive however. Pretty amazing story and quite the adventure!
Props to you for making such a long journey - I love the Flames, but the level of fandom it takes to make that trip is very cool
I hope that the Flames are able to provide some more memories for you and all of us. The Dome will be crazy... even more if/when they win it. I hope you have a great visit to Calgary, and hoping that the game lives up to the billing!
Go Flames Go!
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05-15-2022, 09:08 AM
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#6
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Scoring Winger
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Cowtown
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My man! Thank you for sharing. Please keep up us updated on your adventures and do not be afraid to share some pics.
Have a great time and tonight you will witness another epic!! Go Flames Go!!!
__________________
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05-15-2022, 09:08 AM
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#7
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Franchise Player
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: F*** me. We're so f***ing good, you check the f***ing standings? Lets f***ing go! F***ing practice!
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I've been on this board long enough to remember your story, so awesome you made the trip for tonight's game, another reason we need to win this.
Welcome home to the Dome! Really hope the boys can pull this off for you to witness live!
Go Flames Go!
__________________
Backlund for Selke 2017 2018
Oilers suck.
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05-15-2022, 09:09 AM
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#8
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Scoring Winger
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That was a great read, I hope the Flames put on a show for you and come out with a spectacular win!
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05-15-2022, 09:09 AM
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#9
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Franchise Player
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Calgary, Alberta
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They better get you a goddamn W for your fandom and commitment.
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05-15-2022, 09:12 AM
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#10
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Fearmongerer
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Wondering when # became hashtag and not a number sign.
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Every coach and player should be forced to read that post before tonight.
Commitment and sacrifice.
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05-15-2022, 09:23 AM
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#11
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Franchise Player
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Elbows Up!!
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Please bring crazy positive mojo!
Great read!
__________________
Franchise > Team > Player
Future historians will celebrate June 24, 2024 as the date when the timeline corrected itself.
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05-15-2022, 09:30 AM
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#12
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Backup Goalie
Join Date: Jan 2019
Exp: 
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I love this stuff! Amazing story. Sports and fandom creates amazing life long connections like this one.
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05-15-2022, 09:36 AM
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#13
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First Line Centre
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Sask (sorry)
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Do you still have your seasons?
__________________
Thanks AC!
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05-15-2022, 10:07 AM
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#14
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Franchise Player
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Conquering the world one 7-11 at a time
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I absolutely love this. It’s amazing how this team, for better or for worse, gets into your blood. Welcome back home to Calgary, and I hope you have a great time here. We’ll be at the dome tonight as well, and win or lose we’ll be screaming our heads off.
__________________
"There will be a short outage tonight sometime between 11:00PM and 1:00AM as network upgrades are performed. Please do not panic and overthrow society. Thank you."
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05-15-2022, 10:14 AM
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#15
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Powerplay Quarterback
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Alberta, Canada
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Awesome and inspiring story to hear as a Flames fan. I feel your good vibes are just what is needed to disperse the Stars tonight. Thank you for taking the time to share this great story. Go Flames Go!!
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05-15-2022, 10:31 AM
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#16
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#1 Goaltender
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That’s an awesome story!
Thanks for sharing!
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05-15-2022, 10:35 AM
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#18
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Official CP Photographer
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: PL15
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Absolutely love this! Thanks for sharing! Hopefully, we will all be on the Red Mile tonight!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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05-15-2022, 10:44 AM
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#19
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Franchise Player
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Park Hyatt Tokyo
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14 year from NY uses Bar Mitzvah money to buy Calgary Flames season tickets to help save the team in city he’s never been to. That’s legendary stuff.
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05-15-2022, 10:50 AM
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#20
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Franchise Player
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Income Tax Central
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Welcome to Calgary Ari!
Also...you might be a crazy person, but I can appreciate that.
__________________
The Beatings Shall Continue Until Morale Improves!
This Post Has Been Distilled for the Eradication of Seemingly Incurable Sadness.
The World Ends when you're dead. Until then, you've got more punishment in store. - Flames Fans
If you thought this season would have a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention.
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