No, spoken like someone who has watched the Flames since their inception and appreciates Fleury for what he was. You want to talk about the greatest Flame production wise, it's Jarome Iginla. Numbers don't lie. You want to talk about the most talented player to ever don the Flaming C, it was Kent Nilson. The reviews and comments from some of the greatest players in the game don't lie. You want to talk about the greatest Flame, what he did for the team and the community at large, it was Lanny McDonald. The legacy doesn't lie.
When you want to talk about Theo Fleury we have to go back to the darkest days of the franchise. He was "the man" during a period where no one wanted to play this team and the team couldn't retain any talent. Fleury was the show and he liked it that way. I can't think of a more egotistical arrogant obnoxious personality to every wear a Calgary jersey. He was talented, was driven, but was such a massive ####### to anyone who every interacted with him that it cancels out anything positive he may have done. When you were around Fleury it was always about him. The guy was a loser. From being at the center of the embarrassing Punch Up in Piestany to the career ending disaster in Chicago it was always about Fleury and his excess. So I don't see anything about Fleury that deems him the greatest at anything for the Flames, unless you're talking in negative terms. Then you can say Fleury was the greatest ####### that ever put on a Calgary Flames jersey, and you would be accurate in that assessment. His behavior and reputation don't lie.
Who cares what is his attitude is, he was the greatest forward to ever don the Flames jersey. If the Flames had not been a cap strapped team and Fleury had stayed in Calgary and not gone off the deep end, Iginla would not even got remotely close to his numbers. You can say he is a jerk, that he is full of himself and he might be but that does not change the fact he was the most talented player to ever play for the Flames. When you look at the numbers he put up while here, his fire and passion for the game, and unbelievable skill level it is not even arguable.
Not even arguable that Theo is he best Flame ever?
Not only is it arguable, but your position is flat out wrong. Jarome is a legend of the game. Theo, merely a great player in his time.
Time will tell for Johnny, but I have high hopes. Luckily for Johnny, the team is shaping up to be one of the most complete teams since the 80s.
Not even arguable that Theo is he best Flame ever?
Not only is it arguable, but your position is flat out wrong. Jarome is a legend of the game. Theo, merely a great player in his time.
Time will tell for Johnny, but I have high hopes. Luckily for Johnny, the team is shaping up to be one of the most complete teams since the 80s.
This is my last post on it because we are getting off topic. I am on break so I don't have time but if someone can project what Fleury's point totals would have been had he played the same amount of games as Jarome did for the Flames? Fleury played part of his career in the dead puck era, Fleury had worse linemates than Iginla for a good portion of his time here, Fleury played with fire and passion on the ice and when the team was not doing well he would hold his team mates accountable, Iginla would merely smile and say we need to be better. Fleury had more international success and also helped his team to a SC. Both are legends of the game, calling Fleury nothing less is asinine.
This is my last post on it because we are getting off topic. I am on break so I don't have time but if someone can project what Fleury's point totals would have been had he played the same amount of games as Jarome did for the Flames? Fleury played part of his career in the dead puck era, Fleury had worse linemates than Iginla for a good portion of his time here, Fleury played with fire and passion on the ice and when the team was not doing well he would hold his team mates accountable, Iginla would merely smile and say we need to be better. Fleury had more international success and also helped his team to a SC. Both are legends of the game, calling Fleury nothing less is asinine.
Legends enter the Hall of Fame on the first ballot.
Location: Wondering when # became hashtag and not a number sign.
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Originally Posted by dissentowner
Who cares what is his attitude is, he was the greatest forward to ever don the Flames jersey. If the Flames had not been a cap strapped team and Fleury had stayed in Calgary and not gone off the deep end, Iginla would not even got remotely close to his numbers. You can say he is a jerk, that he is full of himself and he might be but that does not change the fact he was the most talented player to ever play for the Flames. When you look at the numbers he put up while here, his fire and passion for the game, and unbelievable skill level it is not even arguable.
Nope.
Kent Nilson was, and it aint even close.
Theo, though, was a much better all around player and had oodles more heart.
Iginla is the best player to ever play for the Flames though....period.
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Kent was more of a razzle-dazzle type player...fun to watch when he was in the mood but when the tough got going he mostly didn't get the program.
Gaudreau likes to put on a show but even more he loves big games and big pressure.
This is the key I think. Hard to argue for JG right now with the numbers KN put up, but the Magic Man played the game at the top of his ability only when the spirit moved him, which wasn't near often enough.
JG is an intense competitor who leaves it all out there every game.
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I will eat a pubic hair if Giordano ever plays in the NHL again
Flames fans have the weirdest disdain for Theo Fleury. You can certainly make an argument for him being the most skilled or fun to watch Flame of all time. He's an above PPG career player, he has a SC and an Olympic gold, and he may have had more heart than anyone else that ever played the game. The guy was in tears upon hearing the news that he was traded from Calgary, yet Flames fans are always so quick to jump down his throat at any moment somebody tries to give him praise. It's super baffling. It's pretty laughable that one poster thinks the HHoF has such crediblity that being inducted into it is the be all end all of determining whether or not you're a "legend". The HHoF is a joke. Of course Fleury has far better on-ice credentials than so many other members, the only reason he's not in it is because of his off-ice issues, unrelated to the caliber of hockey player that he was. I'm not going to argue that he was overall a better player than Iginla, but I also don't think he was significantly worse. It's just sad to see that one of Calgary's true superstar players is not remembered fondly by most fans.
Flames fans have the weirdest disdain for Theo Fleury. You can certainly make an argument for him being the most skilled or fun to watch Flame of all time. He's an above PPG career player, he has a SC and an Olympic gold, and he may have had more heart than anyone else that ever played the game. The guy was in tears upon hearing the news that he was traded from Calgary, yet Flames fans are always so quick to jump down his throat at any moment somebody tries to give him praise. It's super baffling. It's pretty laughable that one poster thinks the HHoF has such crediblity that being inducted into it is the be all end all of determining whether or not you're a "legend". The HHoF is a joke. Of course Fleury has far better on-ice credentials than so many other members, the only reason he's not in it is because of his off-ice issues, unrelated to the caliber of hockey player that he was. I'm not going to argue that he was overall a better player than Iginla, but I also don't think he was significantly worse. It's just sad to see that one of Calgary's true superstar players is not remembered fondly by most fans.
It's because he is the ani-Iginla personality wise. He's a self absorbed jerk who makes everything about him and he cuts others down to make himself look better. In real life you wouldn't give a guy like that a pass, so why Theo Fleury? Because he used to be really good at hockey?
Flames fans have the weirdest disdain for Theo Fleury. You can certainly make an argument for him being the most skilled or fun to watch Flame of all time. He's an above PPG career player, he has a SC and an Olympic gold, and he may have had more heart than anyone else that ever played the game. The guy was in tears upon hearing the news that he was traded from Calgary, yet Flames fans are always so quick to jump down his throat at any moment somebody tries to give him praise. It's super baffling. It's pretty laughable that one poster thinks the HHoF has such crediblity that being inducted into it is the be all end all of determining whether or not you're a "legend". The HHoF is a joke. Of course Fleury has far better on-ice credentials than so many other members, the only reason he's not in it is because of his off-ice issues, unrelated to the caliber of hockey player that he was. I'm not going to argue that he was overall a better player than Iginla, but I also don't think he was significantly worse. It's just sad to see that one of Calgary's true superstar players is not remembered fondly by most fans.
He doesn't need us to sing his praise, he's already got that covered.
It's because he is the ani-Iginla personality wise. He's a self absorbed jerk who makes everything about him and he cuts others down to make himself look better. In real life you wouldn't give a guy like that a pass, so why Theo Fleury? Because he used to be really good at hockey?
I'm not trying to make excuses for Fleury but the guy had a very traumatic past which lead him to drug and alcohol abuse. He didn't just wake up one day and decide to be an ass. I can't even imagine what he persevered through to make it to the NHL. He had an undeniable passion for hockey and once he stepped on the ice he gave it everything he had for his team and fans. Combine that with the fact that he completely changed his life around and now spends a good portion of his time trying to help others dealing with mental illness, it's pretty silly for fans to focus on his behavior during a particularly dark part of his life isn't it?
Fleury wouldn't have been the player he was without the attitude he had. For me, easily the most entertaining Flame since I've watched the game, with only Mikka and Johnny coming near him.
If he'd had Iginla's personality, he would have spent his career in the AHL. That attitude and fire was essential to his game. We were very lucky to have him, particularly during a time the city might have lost the team entirely, and had no one else worth watching.
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I'm not trying to make excuses for Fleury but the guy had a very traumatic past which lead him to drug and alcohol abuse. He didn't just wake up one day and decide to be an ass. I can't even imagine what he persevered through to make it to the NHL. He had an undeniable passion for hockey and once he stepped on the ice he gave it everything he had for his team and fans. Combine that with the fact that he completely changed his life around and now spends a good portion of his time trying to help others dealing with mental illness, it's pretty silly for fans to focus on his behavior during a particularly dark part of his life isn't it?
I'm actually mostly referring to his sound bytes since he left the team. When he was ripping it up as a Flame, I actually didn't know anything about his personality/off ice stuff really, other than he was a pest on the ice. When he was a Flame, I was ages 6-15 or something, I didn't follow the off ice stuff that close. Whenever the James stuff came out was the first I really knew anything about Theo off the ice.
Agree with Flylock, if not for his fiery personality, he probably never would've made it. Being a mellow statesman like Iginla wasn't going to get it done with what he had to overcome. I do feel sorry for what he went through as a youth, I really do. I know a couple of people who dealt with similar issues, one really close to me, and it's not something you ever get over.
It would just be refreshing if in one interview he would display an ounce of humility or show some respect to the team that gave him a chance, or to the players that currently don the jersey.
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Iginla is a legend. To me he's in the same class as guys like Yzerman and Sakic. Not quite a Gretzky/Messier/Lemieux level guy, but one tier below. An absolute legend. If this was baseball, he'd be one of the guys every team gives gifts to when he retires.
Can Gaudreau be that guy one day? Perhaps, but unlikely.
I'm not trying to make excuses for Fleury but the guy had a very traumatic past which lead him to drug and alcohol abuse. He didn't just wake up one day and decide to be an ass. I can't even imagine what he persevered through to make it to the NHL. He had an undeniable passion for hockey and once he stepped on the ice he gave it everything he had for his team and fans. Combine that with the fact that he completely changed his life around and now spends a good portion of his time trying to help others dealing with mental illness, it's pretty silly for fans to focus on his behavior during a particularly dark part of his life isn't it?
He's a dick, so people don't think of him fondly. It's not overly complex.
Flames fans have the weirdest disdain for Theo Fleury. You can certainly make an argument for him being the most skilled or fun to watch Flame of all time. He's an above PPG career player, he has a SC and an Olympic gold, and he may have had more heart than anyone else that ever played the game. The guy was in tears upon hearing the news that he was traded from Calgary, yet Flames fans are always so quick to jump down his throat at any moment somebody tries to give him praise. It's super baffling. It's pretty laughable that one poster thinks the HHoF has such crediblity that being inducted into it is the be all end all of determining whether or not you're a "legend". The HHoF is a joke. Of course Fleury has far better on-ice credentials than so many other members, the only reason he's not in it is because of his off-ice issues, unrelated to the caliber of hockey player that he was. I'm not going to argue that he was overall a better player than Iginla, but I also don't think he was significantly worse. It's just sad to see that one of Calgary's true superstar players is not remembered fondly by most fans.
I didn't say it was the be all and end all.
But truly undisputed legends get into the Hall on the first ballot. That's what Iginla is.
If Theo was truly a legendary player of his era, he would be in by now. He was a great player and overcame humongous odds. I loved fleury as a player.
Is he legendary? No. Is he the best Flame ever? No. One of the best? Yes.
