I'm becoming a fair weather Flames fan. Am I alone? - Page 26 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

CampbellsTransgressions · 12-05-2017, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by streetglide

Yeah I know what you mean. I so regret all those years I spent driving from central Alberta to the dome with my wife and young son. And the time he sat on Iggy's lap so I could take a picture. And then he met all those other losers, Marc Savard and Gelina and stuff. And the game we spent close to a thousand dollars to watch the flames in the 2004 playoffs against Vancouver, sucked so bad. And now my son is a die hard Flames fan that's subjected to this "joke" of a franchise that can't win anything. I've steered him so wrong. How can I ever repay him.

WTF?!?!?!?!?! Are you people for f$%#ing real??! GTFO if you don't want to pull for this team! Why does this thread even exist here? I've lived and died with these guys since I was ten years old when they came to Calgary. My Dad and everybody around me were oiler fans, I will NEVER, on my worst day, speak about my Flames like this. Sure I'll get frustrated with certain players, (and the odd coach) but at least they've won the cup! At least they haven't pissed away five first overall picks! Would it be better to be a Vancouver fan? Or Washington? Maybe the Sharks? Maybe Winnipeg or Quebec, I'll bet they'd happily take those "pathetic" insufferable years quoted above.

I used to come here because it entertained me and it was an excellent place to keep up on Flames and hockey news. At one time it would make you feel better about a Flames loss because most of the people here would soften the blow and back the Flames, come up with good reasons why you should stick with the team and watch the next game. Lately it has become depressing, case in point this thread.

Normally I scroll through all this negative horse%^$# without reading it. But today it's on a whole other level. I say if you're a fair weather fan then go cheer for someone else. Flames don't need you. If that results in re-location, my guess is most of you would take all those years of missing play offs and losing in the first round to have your team back.

GO FLAMES GO!!!!!

What if I told you that some of us weren't around for that cup win, and have instead have only ever seen perpetual mediocrity?

Fans like you are the reason the Flames won't actually do the right thing, spend the money on a proper rebuild, and actually build a team. 30 years and they're going to keep serving more of this up, at least for as long as they remain in the city.

activeStick · 12-05-2017, 09:28 PM

I wonder if age matters? How the Flames performed used to impact me the day after and I'd be down, emotionally. I still remember the 2004 loss and how it actually hurt, emotionally. I was 24 at the time, in university with no other worries in my life other than grades, friends and the Flames.

I'm 37 now and not married, so I don't have family commitments like other guys but I don't get emotionally invested anymore. Could be maturity, could be team performance I guess, but I think it has more to do with age.

Jiri Hrdina · 12-05-2017, 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CampbellsTransgressions

What if I told you that some of us weren't around for that cup win, and have instead have only ever seen perpetual mediocrity?

Fans like you are the reason the Flames won't actually do the right thing, spend the money on a proper rebuild, and actually build a team. 30 years and they're going to keep serving more of this up, at least for as long as they remain in the city.

I understand the frustration but not the notion that they should "spend the money on a proper rebuild".
This has been a team that has regularly spent to the cap - sometimes very poorly.
If anything I think their desire to accelerate re-builds and hang on to veterans with some notion that they can piece together another run - is what has hurt the organization in the long run.

But how on earth have they not "spent the money on a proper re-build"?

Your rant makes no sense.

drewtastic · 12-05-2017, 10:39 PM

Agree with posters who cite age as a factor that decreases investment in (especially) losses.

Hell-sometimes, it’s like I care more about (c)Oiler losses than I do Flames’ wins...

Roof-Daddy · 12-05-2017, 10:53 PM

Its rarely fun anymore. Mostly anger, diappointment and frustration.

If they dont turn this around and the islanders end up drafting top 10 at the draft I will have about had it to be honest. Will definitely need a break.

Mattman · 12-06-2017, 12:30 AM

yes, our team is factualy unsuccessful...

but I'll take hockey any day over any sport, and the fact I get to cheer for a hockey team that comes from my hometown makes it special.

Go Flames Go.

Erick Estrada · 12-06-2017, 06:59 AM

For me what's most disappointing is that we have the pre-game thread and all day to get excited about coming home from work and watching the game only to be met with disappointment as the non-competitive losses start to become the norm. It's one thing to start a season slow where you hope it's a matter of shaking off the rust and the team gelling but when you get into December and things are getting worse not better it just makes you start reassessing why you invest so much in the team that seems to be continually taking one step forward and two steps back. It's one thing to be bad when there are no expectations but being a bad team when expectations are high is just crushing.

Britflamesfan · 12-06-2017, 07:44 AM

The problem to me is they consistently get themselves poor quality GMs and coaches. Yes the current gm is doing okay, just about, but once again what is the point of spending to the cap and then getting a totally unproven coach, totally daft. First decent coach in years was Sutter. Since he left that job it’s again been pretty poor. No point spending 70 odd million on players if you then put a bad coach in place rediculas

Hemi-Cuda · 12-06-2017, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

Last 30 seasons of being a Flames fan:

Spoiler!

Seeing it all typed out like that gives it a bit more impact I think. Saying it isn't enough. That's a long, depressing list of playoff futility.

At this point I would almost welcome Murray backing up his threats and relocating the team, if it meant we would get an expansion franchise in a few years. Would be nice to cut ties to the garbage history of this franchise and start fresh

Poe969 · 12-06-2017, 08:10 AM

It's always been something with the Flames, the team always has one glaring hole. They have amazing goaltending and RW and good D and even a good coach to bring them all together but no center depth. They get good center depth but don't have depth on the wings. The goalie plays amazing, the D craps the bed. The team starts to play well and coaching helps them get nowhere near their potential.

This years team is frustrating as balls. They seem to have a good team, on paper. Smith is the main reason the Flames have had any success this year. Johnny is playing out of his mind and challenging for the scoring title. The depth at center is good (just wish we had a first line C lol) Monahan is amazingly underrated, Backlund is solid and Janko is showing he belongs in the NHL. Ferland is surprising a lot with his play. Tkachuck is amazing. Jagr is teaching while playing well. Bennett seems to have got the monkey off his back.

There are a lot of positives for this team but they just can't put it together, they're like that player who "has all the tools but not the toolbox" and that falls on coaching (GG is a tool though).

It's just frustrating as a fan to watch the team go through these cycles of always needing something then getting it only for another hole to open up. It's even more frustrating when a team is put together fairly well and should be doing a lot better but for some reason just keeps falling short. This year BT "went for it" and I think a lot of fans feel the same way, without some kind of success a lot of fans are going to lose interest in the team (will still be fans but not as dedicated)

DiracSpike · 12-06-2017, 08:26 AM

Following sports is supposed to be fun. If it's making you mad or sad or frustrated to an extreme excessive degree like some people here are then you need to do yourself a favour and quit watching/being a fan.

smiggy77 · 12-06-2017, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CampbellsTransgressions

What if I told you that some of us weren't around for that cup win, and have instead have only ever seen perpetual mediocrity?

Fans like you are the reason the Flames won't actually do the right thing, spend the money on a proper rebuild, and actually build a team. 30 years and they're going to keep serving more of this up, at least for as long as they remain in the city.

huh? The Flames always spend to the cap or maximized as much as they could prior to the cap being in place. They might not have had good cap management (until now), so to say they won't spend money makes no sense.

bubbsy · 12-06-2017, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CampbellsTransgressions

What if I told you that some of us weren't around for that cup win, and have instead have only ever seen perpetual mediocrity?

Fans like you are the reason the Flames won't actually do the right thing, spend the money on a proper rebuild, and actually build a team. 30 years and they're going to keep serving more of this up, at least for as long as they remain in the city.

For the underlined statement you made, did you mean do the right thing on a proper rebuild, even if it means taking a loss (less ticket sales, merchandise, etc) while the team is allowed to bottom out and be terrible for a few years?

CliffFletcher · 12-06-2017, 09:27 AM

The success of an NHL franchise ultimately comes down to drafting, and hiring the right coach. For the last 30 years, the Flames have been below average at both. The results bear that out.

Northendzone · 12-06-2017, 09:55 AM

I will only speak for myself, but I'd have to think there are lots of other guys in my situation.

for me, I am becoming a fair weather fan of pro-sports in general. I am usually pretty busy shuttling my son to/from his own hockey (a game night for him is now a commitment of almost 5 hrs plus practices 4 or more times per week), plus off ice stuff. You then start adding in stuff that I want to do (workout, biking, puttering in garage/basement), and then game times that are not conducive to watching TV (an afternoon game on a nice day - hard to want to sit inside for 3 hours when you could be outside).

For years I was a hardcore Wpg Blue Bombers fan because I had season tix with my dad and despite my best efforts, my son is not into football so I no longer go when the bombers come to town.

it can be hard to find the time and the energy to be a fan, when you are watching your kids do their thing as that slowly becomes your thing and a much bigger part of your life.

Jimmy Stang · 12-06-2017, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by streetglide

snip

While I appreciate the passion, it is important to remember that everyone's definition of "fair weather" is going to vary, usually in relation to how much someone previously invested time, money, or emotion into the club.

My version of fair weather means watching 80% of the minutes the Flames play this year, instead of 95% which I could pull off before (thanks to PVRing!). That's fair weather to me, but unthinkably hardcore to some.

And instead of not going into an electronics store during a game (for risk of seeing the score, as I planned to sit and watch the entire game later at home), I can be realistic and can still go out shopping, maybe see the score in Best Buy, and maybe sit down and watch the third period later. Simply planning less of my life around trying to watch every minute of every game.

I still spend more time and money on this team than a lot of people (but also less than a lot of others), but I'm no longer afraid to miss a little here and there, or disagree with the Flames' shoddy business and PR, or get a little tired with the historical lack of success. Doesn't mean that I'm going to put on an Oilers jersey (ever) or cancel my cable or give away my tickets. But I'm also not going to massage Ken King's scalp or feel guilty about shutting off the TV if the Flames are down 3-0 and skating around aimlessly.

The Familia · 12-06-2017, 11:21 AM

For myself, I also find I'm becoming more and more indifferent to pro sports in general. Most of this has to do with the increasingly greedy nature of the industry in general. The other reason is that as I get older I have found other things to do or care about. Pro sports takes too much time to follow.

I'm becoming sick and tired of overpaid athletes constantly whining and crying. I'm tired of seeing athletes getting paid literally millions upon millions of dollars to skate on ice or throw a ball. I'm tired of watching athletes give a half assed effort every second game. I'm tired of watching a lot of athletes not give a #### and provide lame excuses as to why. I'm tired of watching athletes cheat (I'm looking at you Olympics).

I'm even more sick and tired of owners charging small fortunes to attend games. I'm tired of owners asking for public money to build mini palaces. I'm tired of owners paying millions of dollars to athletes and constantly driving up the wages. I'm tired of overpriced merchandise, overpriced ####ty stadium food, overpriced beer. I'm tired of the corporate nature of sports.

With all this being said, I have come to realize that I only truly follow and care about one professional league now a days...and that is the CFL. For the most part, the CFL is still a small, humble league. It is the only truly Canadian league we have. Most players make less or around the same as I do, and the elite stars are making a very reasonable and realistic salary. The games are still affordable for the most part (although this is slowly starting to creep up) with reasonable ticket prices. As well, with only 18 games and 9 home games, total I don't need to spend half of my life to follow it.

Just my 2 cents.

Russic · 12-06-2017, 11:37 AM

It's not necessarily a matter of disliking the team because they perform a certain way, or a desire to move on to cheer for a winning team... it's a general feeling of (as The Familia says) a general indifference to the game itself. I don't fall into the category of wishing for "the good old days", I just think I've aged out of caring like I used to. I wish that wasn't the case and I could look forward to Hockey Day in Canada like I did when I was 19, but somebody has to clean the garage, go grocery shopping, pick the kids up from <useless activity> or drive them to <useless activity> etc.

Igottago · 12-06-2017, 11:45 AM

A lot of valid points mentioned here, but I also feel like the organization just has a boring/generic presence about it right now. The branding is borderline cringeworthy at times ("It's Go Time as a slogan, cheesy country rock pump up videos, sticking with the ugly jersey scheme). I actually feel like the at game presentation is fairly poor even compared to their rivals. Everything feels stale and out of touch. They could at the very least breathe new life into the Flames as a brand and make it something somewhat more engaging. Switch to the retro or even redesign new jerseys that instill a bit of pride into the brand again. While the on ice product is the main thing, I feel like people overlook how important presentation can be.

Locke · 12-06-2017, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Igottago

A lot of valid points mentioned here, but I also feel like the organization just has a boring/generic presence about it right now. The branding is borderline cringeworthy at times ("It's Go Time as a slogan, cheesy country rock pump up videos, sticking with the ugly jersey scheme). I actually feel like the at game presentation is fairly poor even compared to their rivals. Everything feels stale and out of touch. They could at the very least breathe new life into the Flames as a brand and make it something somewhat more engaging. Switch to the retro or even redesign new jerseys that instill a bit of pride into the brand again. While the on ice product is the main thing, I feel like people overlook how important presentation can be.

After CalgaryNEXT I dont think anyone overlooks how important presentation can be.