One decade ago

[Huntingwhale]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Ended up going to their Stanley Cup parade. IIRC, about 30,000 people on the route and another 20k in the arena. Small, but still a decent showing of support. Funny aside to that game 7: When I went to get a pop, they wouldn't give me a lid for my cup. When I asked why, I was told in complete seriousness: "Because a terrorist could use it to slit your throat." This was three years after 9/11, and Americans were still that scared. Went to a Devil Rays game as well, and likewise didn't get a lid. I did get to heckle and boo Barry Bonds though.

Wow, you are a braver man then me. I wouldn't be able to keep composed the entire time if I had to attend the Stanley Cup parade of the team that just beat my own.

Great thread. It's really cool to hear stories about what/where everyone was when the run happened.

[hah]

It was a great time in the City! everyone had a car flag by the time the finals started.

Lets not get too much like Oiler fans reminiscing of the glory days. The reality is we have had 10 years of futility and one cup in 34 years. At least its slightly better than the Nucks.

Cheers.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by puckluck2

I don't know...weren't we making fun of the Canucks for honoring their run? As long as it's only on fan forums I guess that's fine but I never want to see the flames throw a ceremony like the Canucks did. That was sad.

You are one hell of a contrarian.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Originally Posted by Tyler

Yeah. A decade.

Time to get over it. Next thing we know we're going to be looking back at this in 30 years and realize that suddenly we've become our worst fear - living in the past just like Oiler fans.

Does any other NHL fanbase celebrate losing in a Stanley Cup final more than we do? Good lord this is starting to get embarrassing.

OMG, you are just too cool........ way to go.

I'm old enough to remeber 89 and 04 well. 04 means more to me, probably because of the time in my life it occured, but it has nothing to do with winning or losing the cup. Sorry to be lame, but it really was about the journey. It truely was an amazing time to be in this city, and an amazing time to be a fan of this team. The team couldn't have provide this fan base with a better experience, and looking back on that with fondness is nothing to be embarassed about.

When I look back, I don't even get upset they lost as a fan, because that team gave this fan base the only thing it can ask for, as I said before, an amazing ride and a reason to be proud. The only reason I get upset about the loss is for the players, they are the only ones that missed out by not winning, not us fans. Iggy and Kipper and all don't get the rings for what they accomplished, but the fans still got 2 months of the best fan experience imaginable.

[AC]

Game 7 of the finals was on my 18th birthday.

I'm still devastated by it.

[Igster]

Originally Posted by AC

Game 7 of the finals was on my 18th birthday.

I'm still devastated by it.

Game 6 was worse for me. Just one goal...that's it. I knew in the back of my head that when they lost game 6 it was over. They wouldn't win game 7.

And for anyone feeling old reliving 2004...I was 22 during the 89 Cup run.

[FlameZilla]

I was stuck in the States for my last year of university... I remember seeing the footage of the Red Mile on ESPN during and after the games and being ridiculously sad that I couldn't be a part of it all. It was the first time I had seen my hometown come alive like that since the Olympics (and the Cup, of course) and I was stuck in hicks-ville watching American coverage every other night.

I loved how, every series, Barry Melrose (any relation, dying4acup?) and co. would totally write the Flames off, only to be proven wrong. I think they finally started to believe in the Flames during the Finals, but we all know how that turned out. My neighbours complained when I was screaming at the TV in game 6 (eff you Kerry Fraser) and then again when I was on the floor, pounding my fists against the ground after the final buzzer in game 7.

I managed to get a few dozen American friends of mine really into hockey because of that playoff run. They're all diehard Stars fans now, go figure.

Say what you will about re-living a near-victory, but that cup run seems to have reinvigorated Calgary's spirit even to this day. It's easy to forget the dark decade that preceded the 04 cup run... It may never get that bad again.

[The Goon]

March 2004 was also when I joined CP, after a couple of months of lurking. I think my first post was to ask about neighbourhoods to buy a place.

I moved to Calgary in Oct 2003 from Toronto, and my first Flames' experience was listening to my boss in the office next to mine unsuccessfully try to give box seats away to a Flames game, which blew my mind.

My Red Mile story is that I was running east on 17th down the hill towards 14th Street so I could be part of the action and just destroyed my ankle on a bad piece of ground. So bad I needed surgery months later. Totally worth it for the boobs.

[Regular_John]

Ahh yes, I remember the 2004 run well, I moved to Calgary during the Vancouver series.

April 17th - I watched the triple OT game in Brandon, MB while knocking back good bye beers with my college friends.
April 19th - I found myself surrounded by boxes in Calgary when the Flames eliminated the Canucks and the city erupted in cheers.

My first 7 weeks in the 'big city' will forever be closely linked with that fantastic run in 2004. 10 years later and I can't imagine living anywhere else, that playoff run started my love affair with the city & the team.

[flamesfan1297]

Its cool to hear all these stories

[Bourque's Twin]

Too soon

[MissTeeks]

We watched Game 6 of the finals outside on a family friend's back deck. After St. Louis scored, I got so mad I threw my shoes across the yard. Our friend still won't watch hockey with me.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by puckluck2

I don't know...weren't we making fun of the Canucks for honoring their run? As long as it's only on fan forums I guess that's fine but I never want to see the flames throw a ceremony like the Canucks did. That was sad.

It was the Heritage Classic. Nothing wrong with honouring the past there. The only thing I found stupid was their bragging how "it was a team that could win the big game" when the 94 Canucks lost the big game. Vancouver fans being proud of that run is fair game, imnsho.

[DOOM]

I was in grade 7 during the 2004 run, lots of great memories.

During game 7 against the Canucks I got so mad when the Canucks tied it up that my Dad told my brother and I that we had to go to bed, lol, I was listening on the radio when Gelinas scored the overtime winner and ran into my parents room to celebrate, haha.

[habernac]

I was at the International 8 Ball tournament in Vegas during the finals. We took over the bar at the Stardust. Dozens of Calgarians singing the national anthem before the games. Amazing time. The people in the casino thought we were insane.

[BigFlameDog]

I finally had myself at a place where I could afford to jump into a game pack...if you bought a game pack for the next season you were guaranteed playooff tickets for however long they were in it.

I was like a lot of you...though it would be two games and done, a nice memory and wait for the next year lol. A few thousand dollars later and I had awesome memories and my wife was a hockey fan....more importantly a Kelowna girl became a Flames fan.

Yep, that was two kids ago. Oldest moves up to Atom next year.

[ForeverFlameFan]

This cup run was when I really started watching hockey. I think I am the youngest one of all, I was only nine when it occurred. Didn't know much about hockey (yet), but I can't wait to see another one of these. I know it will happen again soon.

Maybe it happens every 15 years? SC finals in 2018-2019th season boys, better be ready!

[Puppet Guy]

I was working at the U of C that year, and the playoff run helped mitigate the misery of the job. Before or since, I've never felt the amount of positive energy in a city the way it was that spring. That was the best part of it all.

[Tron_fdc]

Holy moly did I ever get drunk a lot. 2 beers in the tent before games. 2 per period (sometimes 1 at intermission), and then pints on 17th afterwards. We were all trainwrecks every other night.

I had seats that were first row on the balcony and more than once I almost fell over it. None more so than when we beat Detroit.

I remember passing out at one game from yelling at Mccreary so intensely I forgot to breath. That was bizarre.

[Mango]

Gelinas scoring versus Detroit to win the series in overtime is still one of best sporting moments I've ever experienced. We were all jumping up and down, screaming and the girl beside me elbowed me in the jaw and knocked me out. It was all worth it for that moment though