We finally have a Meaningful Battle of Alberta

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by VladtheImpaler

I propose that the Flames, Oilers and Islanders be moved to their own, special conference, and that one of the three be guaranteed a spot in the final 4. After all, affirmative action has been successful everywhere else.

Dibs on the Golden Seal conference!

[vilzeh]

That wouldn't be fun. Tavares would make a fool out of Flames all the time.

[howard_the_duck]

Sorry, but the "no true fan of this team would ever cheer for them to lose" statement is total BS.

What does winning accomplish at this point? 10th/11th in the West? That's likely our best case scenario.

I hate the Oilers as much as anyone else, but at least that fanbase has something to cheer for every night - a young team they believe is trending upward. It may be all hype but that fanbase can go to every game, cheer their young team on, and watch them develop in front of their eyes.

This year's edition of the Flames is arguably the hardest season I've ever experienced cheering for this team. The few youthful bright spots are either getting injured (Backlund) or sent down and not given a crack at a top 6 role (Baertschi), while the veterans we've cheered on for so long are experiencing a decline in productivity and trade value.

It's a terrible feeling when you're not able to enjoy the victories of the team you cheer for but that's how I feel this year. I want a crack at a franchise player, something that can restore my faith in the franchise. And given this team's drafting history that means a really high draft pick.

If that makes me less of a fan in someone else's eyes then so be it - I'm tired of watching this franchise spin its wheels.

[vilzeh]

I don't cheer them for losing, that's pathetic dude. I just don't watch the games when they are playing bad, but I always hope they win.

[Erick Estrada]

The Flames have been straddling the tightrope for a few years now and this season is simply the result of straddling that line of mediocrity for too long. After being not good enough for three straight years now to make the playoffs but not bad enough to really be bad they have taken a step back to being bad. Unless the Flames go on a three year streak being historically bad like the Oilers I believe we still have a foot up on them. However what management does in the next month or so could have a big influence on how long the Flames spend in the basement.

[taxbuster]

I'll still cheer for my Flames --- it's just a bit of a disappointing task. Watching last night was ...... difficult. Lots of effort, no finish.

We do have some guys who work hard, but are simply neither big enough nor talented enough to compete well. And, every once in a while, we get lucky and defeat a good team. It just doesn't happen often enough.

What scares me is that management will say "Well, we might be last in the conference, but we're close still! Only three games out of a playoff spot with a game in hand....that's close, right?"

While not "untrue" it's also not "true".

[howard_the_duck]

Originally Posted by vilzeh

I don't cheer them for losing, that's pathetic dude. I just don't watch the games when they are playing bad, but I always hope they win.

You're right I should blindly cheer for this franchise and cherish a 10th place finish, consequences be damned. We've proven for two decades why this strategy doesn't work but this year will be different!

Ahh life as a Flames fan is so rewarding.

[vilzeh]

Well my point was: " I don't CHEER" for losing, if they end up 30th and get a first pick draft, I won't complain (because I'm done with the Flames this season, and that's mostly just because I live in Europe and every game is on like 4-5am), but sure as hell I won't be cheering for losing, I'm not an Oilers fan.

[Northendzone]

burn both teams with fire

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by VladtheImpaler

I propose that the Flames, Oilers and Islanders be moved to their own, special conference, and that one of the three be guaranteed a spot in the final 4. After all, affirmative action has been successful everywhere else.

Can we call it the Gordie conference and all lineups have to be written on round paper?

[Ark2]

Originally Posted by Locke

To hope to lose to draft 1 guy? Thats insane. Very seldom is any 1 player worth that much.

What are you talking about? Not worth how much? The difference between 9th and 15th? Get over it man. 9th place is the absolute worst finish in hockey.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Can we call it the Gordie conference and all lineups have to be written on round paper?

Gordie conference is fine, but the round paper is out of the question. It will remind us of zeroes.

All lineups are to be written in star-shaped paper. It will reaffirm how 'special' this conference will be.

[Fire in the disco]

I hate hockey right now

[Aeneas]

Watch every game, cheer for them to win every game, hope that the players do well...however at the end of the game, if the Flames have lost; I see a silver lining.

If we win great I am happy.
If we keep losing, maybe we will get a chance at one of those top 3 (or 5) players.

Last game down 2-1 I was certainly hoping for the Flames to tie it up.
Are there really people who while watching the game at that critical moment that are hoping the Flames do not tie it up?

Other than Kings fans, or Oiler and Canuck fans that just dislike Calgary anyway.

[dammage79]

I don't mind if for one season (a shortened lock out season) the Flames jump in and cut in on the oilers' monopoly on first overall picks. I don't cheer for them to tank and suck. But if the one season of pain gets us a Franchise center I am okay with it. Just once though.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Ark2

What are you talking about? Not worth how much? The difference between 9th and 15th? Get over it man. 9th place is the absolute worst finish in hockey.

Only because of the idiocy that comes from rewarding futility, personally have never understood why we reward being the worst team in the league.

I stand by my idea that the draft lottery should be an equal chance for all non-playoff teams or at least some semblance of a fair structure that wouldn't encourage teams to suck.

14 teams miss the playoffs each year and all those teams should have a relatively equal shot at first overall pick.

[wretched34]

Not only is it unfair to the 13 other teams who missed the playoffs, that the worst team be rewarded for sucking harder. How do you think the Kids in the draft feel?
They bust their asses for years becoming the best young players in the world, and you know what the best of the best get? drafted by the worst of the worst. How is that a reward for them?
Sure it's nice to say "I was the first overall in 2012" but every kid dreams of winning the Stanley Cup.
You know who won a Stanley cup last Year? Kyle Clifford, drafted in the 2nd round 35th overall, in 2009, not John Tavares.
How about Smith-Pelly, he's got a shot this year, think taylor Hall does? Smith-Pelly was drafted 42nd that same year.
It's surprising more players don't pull a Lindros.
Congrats Yakupov, you were the best young player in the world, go play for the Oilers....
It's a stupid system.

[3 Justin 3]

Originally Posted by Hockey_Ninja

I'm sorry but none of us are enjoying this brutal hockey. The only reason a lot of people are hoping for loses (I'm not one of those people) is because they want the management to wake up and realize this team is not good enough and for them to start looking toward the future. If anybody on here is actually enjoying that we suck should not call themselves fans.

This is how I feel. Obviously I want us to be a good team, but we simply aren't and management seems to think that we are somehow a playoff team (we're 15th half way through the season, seriously wake up people).

It's a s***y situation when your franchise is run like such a joke that it comes to this, but I don't see the Flames going anywhere until we start trading away some assets for picks and prospects and re-build.

[DT77]

This entire thread reminded me of this...

[Stay Golden]

Funny how the Flames have owned the Oilers in this rivalry for what 7 years and now that the Oilers have a sniff of being better its now considered meaningful. What BS. Its always been meaningful and always will.

Perhaps the OP should meant competitve instead of meaningful.