How's your flames passion level?

[Radically Red]

my passion for the Flames remains the same. but now it more about young guys getting better. younger players developing and how this team will move forward.

I don't care to much how Jones is doing, Raymond, Wiedman.... I care what Mohahan is doing, I care what Bennett Johnny, Brodie and other young players do. I prefer when they score are get points and develop and get better. Dont care so much when the older guys who wont be here when this team is really ready to compete for the cup put up points.

[StrykerSteve]

The goaltending is frustrating to watch, but that's not stopping me from cheering the boys on. I'm a Flames fan through and through, don't see anything changing that fact. Have been to two games live this season and got cable for the first time in a decade, just so I could watch the team in HD from the comfort of my living room.

That said, I just don't enjoy the game threads anymore, these days they're filled with nothing but whining and insults and derogatory remarks about Flames players. It's like the community has forgotten how to sit back and enjoy the game rather than analyze it to the point where's it's impossible to garner any enjoyment out of it.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by StrykerSteve

The goaltending is frustrating to watch, but that's not stopping me from cheering the boys on. I'm a Flames fan through and through, don't see anything changing that fact. Have been to two games live this season and got cable for the first time in a decade, just so I could watch the team in HD from the comfort of my living room.

That said, I just don't enjoy the game threads anymore, these days they're filled with nothing but whining and insults and derogatory remarks about Flames players. It's like the community has forgotten how to sit back and enjoy the game rather than analyze it to the point where's it's impossible to garner any enjoyment out of it.

I agree, but I think the problem is they aren't even in games. Last year, when they lost, they very rarely looked out of games. They looked engaged in all games. This season is seems to be the exact opposite.

I think a lot of people (I am) are confused on why the change. There are no down any significant piece from last season.

It is very confusing and frustrating.

[Chonger]

Originally Posted by polak

Does being a loyal fan mean you have to watch the games?

I feel im a pretty loyal fan and thats why I cant watch these games lately. The effort and mistakes are too hard to take. I take it hard and I dont want to feel angry or depressed after a loss and they way the team played. I dont get that if I dont watch the game. Call me unloyal(not you specifically) all you want, but I can't keep doing this to myself.

[Fighting Banana Slug]

^^ Ass-grabber has it right on this one. Passion is still there, but it is tough logging in to CP sometimes. I doubt if they can turn it around for a playoff spot this year, but the home games recently have been pretty good. Keep that going, show the work ethic and develop the younger talent. Might finish 20th, might finish 30th, but at least build on the identity that made them so much fun last year.

[Erick Estrada]

Been a fan since day one. Seen lots of highs, lows, and in between. I think when the team is bad as it is today it's harder to take than the young guns era as now every game is televised and with the Internet it's daily discussions about the team and its issues as well as a 24/7 Flanes radio station so you can't escape the negative news regarding the team. I will say the NFL will distract me until February and by that time draft talk will pick up and while being bad sucks it's fun to talk about draft possibilities.

As for the product I'm having a very hard time watching games as lately when the gong shows commence I flip the channel or find something else to do as I have a low tolerance for this type of garbage play. It was fun watching the Oilers run around in their own zone like clowns as a Flames fan for a better part of the last decade but I detest this type of incompetence from my own team.

[Pointman]

Originally Posted by Huntingwhale

We have a couple potential #1C's in Monahan and Bennett. We have some strong pieces on the backend in Brodie, Hamilton, Andersson and Kylington. We have a future potential Art Ross contender in Gaudreau. Hopefully our goalie of the future in Gillies. What did we have in the young gun days? Iggy? A poutty Savard? The threat of the team moving? I shake my head when I hear people say this team is worse then the young guns era. Please.

Well, Flames are 29th in the league right now which makes them the worst Flames edition ever. Particulary, worse than Young guns. Young guns never were this bad.

For the heck of it, neck-by-neck comparision (I could be possibly way off since I could barely watch a Flames game back then, but I still feel like doing it):

Iginla > Gaudreau
Regehr > Brodie (Reggie went on to be an Olympian and top defensive defensment for Canada, I adore Brodie, but he is a bit lower to me).
Savard < Bennett (Savard ended up getting an all-star appearance and somewhat won the Cup. Bennett will have tough time matching it, but I would still take Bennett at this point).
St.Louis < Monahan (Monahan will probably never match St.Louis's career, but St.Louis didn't perform in Calgary at all)
Leopold > Hamilton, easily. I would probably take Lydman and maybe even Morris over Hamilton
Giguere > Gilles (we had future Hart winner in minors. Gilles has the potential, but it's tough to match Giguere)

I've never seen a game of Andersson and Kyllington, but Lydman and Morris were far more proven at that point.

[BigFlameDog]

Passion is same as always...love this team and a big fan. Excitement level is down for sure but then again I didn't expect to be excited last year.

I totally expected a fall back this year...some of the drama princes in here should try to come to grips with this is still a rebuild and last year was a fun anomaly. The negativity is almost unbearable in here lately.

[JohnnyB]

Meh. I'm not bothered. Boring hockey sucks and they're a lot less fun than last year, but I'm still optimistic about the future. Also, I would watch games just for Johnny. He is my favourite flame since Iginla and definitely my favourite to watch since Fleury.

I am so glad the Flames have Johnny. Thank you Feaster!

[Igster]

Teams go through good times and bad times. Doesn't make me any less of a fan. I still plan my schedule around every single game and watch.

I couldn't imagine changing the channel or choosing not to watch and watch something else instead. Everyone is different, but that just makes no sense to me as a fan. I'll be a fan until they read my eulogy I guess. Better have some damn Flames references in there too.

[thymebalm]

Two seasons ago, they were losing a lot. But they were all one goal games and the team had a fiery passion of their own you could witness.

Last year, they started winning those one goal games and playing with the same passion as the year before.

This season, we are constantly being blown out. We weren't in the San Jose game for a second. That's tough to enjoy. There is no compete, no sense of 'what if'. It's a train wreck and I have considered not watching for a month or until I see some reasonable effort to change the make-up of the team.

Reality is I'll probably continue to suffer through every game. Bennett, Granlund, Ferland, Gaudreau, Monahan, Brodie... There are lots of nice little baubles of hope, but it's tough right now, for sure.

[codynw]

Originally Posted by Igster

Teams go through good times and bad times. Doesn't make me any less of a fan. I still plan my schedule around every single game and watch.

I couldn't imagine changing the channel or choosing not to watch and watch something else instead. Everyone is different, but that just makes no sense to me as a fan. I'll be a fan until they read my eulogy I guess. Better have some damn Flames references in there too.

When watching the games becomes a chore, that's when I stop watching.

I've pretty much hit that point this season. The team just isn't entertaining.

[PsYcNeT]

Originally Posted by StrykerSteve

That said, I just don't enjoy the game threads anymore, these days they're filled with nothing but whining and insults and derogatory remarks about Flames players. It's like the community has forgotten how to sit back and enjoy the game rather than analyze it to the point where's it's impossible to garner any enjoyment out of it.

Sometime around 2007/2008 I stopped posting in gamethreads (and then FOI entirely for awhile) because of this.

That said, I'm pretty bad at prodding people to do things or be civil without coming across like a dick.

[Igster]

Originally Posted by codynw

When watching the games becomes a chore, that's when I stop watching.

I've pretty much hit that point this season. The team just isn't entertaining.

Again, as a fan, not sure how watching your favourite team play can become a "chore", but each to their own. We're not talking about doing the dishes here. It's NHL hockey.

[tvp2003]

I wonder how the "new generation" of fans (not just kids, but those who jumped into the C of Red last year) are doing. Sure, the wins aren't there, but are the likes of Monahan, Gaudreau, and Bennett enough to keep interest high?

I wouldn't be surprised if the rapid fall to earth -- from second round of the playoffs to worst in the league -- is too much for many of the newer fans to stay on board.

[SuperMatt18]

It's low this season but the biggest issue is the team just isn't fun to watch.

They don't play physical, they don't play with effort, and outside of Bennett/Gaudreau there just isn't that much game breaking talent.

[PsYcNeT]

Originally Posted by tvp2003

I wonder how the "new generation" of fans (not just kids, but those who jumped into the C of Red last year) are doing. Sure, the wins aren't there, but are the likes of Monahan, Gaudreau, and Bennett enough to keep interest high?

I wouldn't be surprised if the rapid fall to earth -- from second round of the playoffs to worst in the league -- is too much for many of the newer fans to stay on board.

If they "recover" and become a middling team again for 4-5 years like after 2004/2006, it will be pretty awful overall.

[codynw]

Originally Posted by Igster

Again, as a fan, not sure how watching your favourite team play can become a "chore", but each to their own. We're not talking about doing the dishes here. It's NHL hockey.

I'd rather wash the dishes than spend 3 hours watching something as boring and frustrating as that Shorks game every other night.

[Hackey]

This season hasn't gone great but personally I have no issue with growing pains. I see the long term success as most important so if this is what it takes to win a Cup I have no issue with it. Those Iginla years where we were trying to squeek into the playoffs were by far WAAAYYYYYY worse than this could ever be. When they hired Jay Feaster I litterally questioned how much longer I would be a fan. If they didn't start to rebuild the year they did I was pretty close to giving up on the team because their decision making was just leaving me speechless. Now with Burke and Treliving in control I feel really confident that were heading in the right direction and it makes these growing pains a lot easier. With some smart moves, some progress from our youngsters, and a bit of luck I think we could be back to winning some playoffs rounds in 2-3 years time which really would be what most of us would have hoped for a couple years ago.

[thymebalm]

Originally Posted by Igster

Again, as a fan, not sure how watching your favourite team play can become a "chore", but each to their own. We're not talking about doing the dishes here. It's NHL hockey.

I'd argue that being tasked with watching the Flames lose games like against San Jose with nothing to cheer for is far more of a chore to a hardcore fan than a casual observer.

We are there, tuning in every night to support our squad and get pelted with one bummer after another.

You have this sense of "I can't give up on them, they are my team!" all the while watching what feels like them giving up on you.

I don't believe that a fan is someone who blindly cheers for a team and is happy regardless of the results. That's what a mother does.