I'm becoming a fair weather Flames fan. Am I alone?

[calgarygeologist]

This year has been the least amount of Flames action I have watched ever. I just can't get excited about a game and if I do start watching it seems like most of the time the team is playing a pretty low level, uninspired brand of hockey which makes me turn off the tv. Even prime time premium games like the battle of Alberta on HNIC just doesn't get the team pumped up and doesn't make me want to watch.

[Northendzone]

^ this is a valid point. I turned on Saturday's game only to see the score, and then have the flames give up two great scoring chances tot eh oilers. I changed channels and never went back.

was surprised to see the game ended so closely.....

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

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.

Pretty frustrating that the best coach we've had in the last 25 years had to turf himself after just 2.5 seasons because he couldn't be as effective of a coach due to the fact that he was also the GM.

Funnily (more accurately sadly) enough, in hindsight as the GM he was a terrible drafter of actual high level NHL talent.

[drewtastic]

<Bump.>

I would say that games like tonight are examples of my growing disinterest with the NHL in general. The SJ tying goal is way too common: wrist-shot from the point (!), random tip (intended or not), goal, celebration like the Stanley Cup was won.

Contrasted with:

Amazing 3-on-3 Overtime, where the skilled players actually have room to make creative plays. This is the hockey that I want to see, but has become the exception rather than the rule.

Why not open the playing surface's width just a bit, in order to encourage a bit more East-West game rather than the North-South-NBA-Style-Half-Court game?

[Machiavelli]

There's a lot of creative and entertaining hockey being played around the league; you may have to broaden your horizons beyond the Flames.

[Poe969]

The Flames are just so "blah" that it's hard to get excited about. They lose more than they win yet they have a roster that should be a lot better than this. They've traded away a lot of picks already so they can't do much more to improve right now. They generally play a pretty boring game because of the"system" and the coaching decisions to put certain players out at times is extremely frustrating.

It's hard to get excited about this team when they're so uninspiring and inconsistent.

[Manhattanboy]

Originally Posted by Machiavelli

There's a lot of creative and entertaining hockey being played around the league; you may have to broaden your horizons beyond the Flames.

True. Even VAN is playing exciting hockey. Check out the highlights vs the Hawks last night. Games like that, at home over the Christmas in front of a packed building can do wonders. That Boeser kid is incredible.

Wish the GG System (TM) allowed our talent to shine like that.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Most teams look exciting when you watch the highlights.

[drewtastic]

Originally Posted by Machiavelli

There's a lot of creative and entertaining hockey being played around the league; you may have to broaden your horizons beyond the Flames.

Ahhh, but therein lies the rub.

[DJones]

I don't think it's outrageous to say Flames play boring hockey compared to the rest of the league.

Pretty much the best parts are when the system breaks down

[redforever]

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

Last 30 seasons of being a Flames fan:

Spoiler!

16/17 Lost 4-0 in 1st round
15/16 Missed Playoffs
14/15 Lost 4-1 in 2nd round
13/14 Missed Playoffs
12/13 Missed Playoffs
11/12 Missed Playoffs
10/11 Missed Playoffs
09/10 Missed Playoffs
08/09 Lost 4-2 in 1st round
07/08 Lost 4-3 in 1st round
06/07 Lost 4-2 in 1st round
05/06 Lost 4-3 in 1st round
03/04 Lost 4-3 in SCF
02/03 Missed Playoffs
01/02 Missed Playoffs
00/01 Missed Playoffs
99/00 Missed Playoffs
98/99 Missed Playoffs
97/98 Missed Playoffs
96/97 Missed Playoffs
95/96 Lost 4-0 in 1st round
94/95 Lost 4-3 in 1st round
93/94 Lost 4-3 in 1st round (to Canucks)
92/93 Lost 4-2 in 1st round
91/92 Missed Playoffs
90/91 Lost 4-3 in 1st round (to Oilers)
89/90 Lost 4-2 in 1st round
88/89 Won SC
87/88 Lost 4-0 in 2nd round (to Oilers)
86/87 Lost 4-2 in 1st round (to Jets)

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.

Well it looks slightly better if you include the 85/86 year as that was the first time we went to the SC finals, losing to Montreal 4 to 1.

I would not put most of the blame of the poor teams in the 90's on Flames management. That is when the Canadian dollar tanked and we lost or were basically forced to trade away most of our SC assets. We simply could not compete with such a low Canadian dollar.

[taco.vidal]

I wasnt heavily invested in this season because I was upset with how ownership had handled the negotiations with the city for the new building. I decided I wouldnt attend any games this season and that I wouldnt give any tickets and Flames merchandise as gifts to friends and family and business purposes.

At Christmas I totally checked out after there were no changes to the coaching staff. But when GG wasnt fired and there wasnt even a shakeup with the assistants, that was enough for me to not care anymore. I havent watched many Flames games in 2018. I missed the seven game win streak in January but the bright side of that was that I didnt get my hopes up for making the playoffs.

Theres a lot of good teams and good stories this season (the Flames arent one of either of these). Jump on another teams bandwagon- Vegas, the Jets, are two examples) and enjoy the ride and forget about the pathetic Flames ownership, pathetic coaching staff, and pathetic on ice performance of the team.

[Hot_Flatus]

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.

This must be the trickle down effect of playing in such a dump that Gary and his miscreants continue to talk about.

[CaptainCrunch]

Its almost football season, and the way that this hockey season has started to wind down has really scrapped a nerve like an incompetent dentist.

Sooo

All my Flames jerseys are packed, I'm ready to go, I'm standing here outside the dome

I hate to even bother to say good-bye

But the team is broken, it's seasons done, other sports are waiting They're running their ads

Already the Flames are fading from my mind

So mail me and promote the team, tell me that you'll wait for me
tell me things will be different and to please don't let them go

'Cause I'm leaving on a jet plane, don't know when I'll be back again
Oh, Flames, I don't know if I hate to go

There's so many times you've let me down, so I think its time I look around
I tell you now they other sports could mean a thing

Every Flames ad I see I'll think of that cup, every sports dollar I spend, I'll spend elsewhere
If I come back, I'll expect a better team

So mail me and promote the team, tell me that you'll wait for me
tell me things will be different and to please don't let them go

'Cause I'm leaving on a jet plane, don't know when I'll be back again
Oh, babe, I hate to go

[shermanator]

Apologies if this thread bump angers some, but I wanted to see how those who have expressed that they've lost interest in the Flames and hockey over the years found the season.

For me, I found myself sucked back in as the Flames rose up the standings, only to go to bed last night thinking "that's what I get for getting sucked back in".

[Robbob]

That is sports in general. There are highs and lows.

[burn_baby_burn]

I wish I wasn't so heavily invested. The Calgary Flames and Kansas City Chiefs consume my life. It's pathetic. I really, really, really envy bandwagon fans. I really do. It's one of the reasons I'm starting to watch more NCAA football. I don't really have a team and can jump from bandwagon to bandwagon. Never really feeling the thrill of victory, but never getting crushed over and over and over and over again.

[Hemi-Cuda]

For me the Flames are now lumped into the same category as the Stamps. Don't pay much attention during the regular season because it doesn't matter, if they happen to win a playoff game (or a series) then I might start following more closely. I've definitely spent my last dollar on the Flames, and that's only partly due to the repeated choke jobs. $140 for a ticket last night was absolutly ridiculous, and for my money I got to watch the worst game I've ever seen live. I'm done, there's just no value anymore

[Scornfire]

I'm done, Used to follow our farm team, every prospect internationally from the second they got drafted, flew to away games at least once a year, got to see them clinch the west in San Jose this year but I'm over this, it's too frustrating watching millionaires phone it in while I'm powerless to effect anything. I'll pour my energy into my own hobbies, Hockey's basically just a last resort passtime at this point

[Itse]

I've definitely become a lot more emotionally distanced... but I'm so used to this forum that CP alone will likely keep me somewhat attached.

But the number of games I watched last season was definitely down from what it used to be, and I suspect it'll go down even further next season.

I'll probably become a much more casual fan... and I think it'll be better for me.