We are all watching the Flames this season, but the question is - why?

[Inferno099]

For me it is:

2 - hindsight to 2003/2004 make-up of the team is quite different, but there is always hoping since I've been a fan since they moved to Calgary in 1980.

3 - Overall a hockeyfan, but having Flames in town is great

5 - Really interested in how the young guys develop...

7 - The year has definitely brought more exciting hockey, but I think it will take time & some different players to fit into Hartley's system.

[RT14]

#1, #2 and #5

The Flames, when healthy, have 3 solid lines that can score and a much more dangerous Defense this year. If we can get the goaltending we've had the last couple seasons and clean up our PK, Flames are a playoff team.

[Sakari]

1 and 2. No other reason. Not because we have two of the best players to play the game. Not because we have great prospects (don't deny it, you can't deny it, nobody can deny it, they can try and will fail), because I love the game and quite honestly I find that cheering for a team that you know will be a contender at the start of the season is boring, and cheering for a bottom feeder team is stupid. Not knowing what will happen is the best way to go about being a hockey fan.. and the Flames have pretty much always been that way.

[Street Pharmacist]

For those of us who have been a fan of the team since the young guns era, there is a unique excitement when the flames do well. There's a theory I subscribe to that says the height of your happiness can only match the depth of your despair. If you've struggled with the team, when they do make it it's special. No offence to penguin fans, but if they won again this year it would be nowhere near as sweet as that first one.

I watch the flames because as bad as it an be, it gets wiped away in that one big playoff win, heck, even a dominating single regular season win. I love it all. The ups and downs

[Thor]

For me its sheer curiosity to see what the new guys do and if that will be enough to change their fortunes. I think its pretty much the last season for the core and it will be interesting to see if that changes anything.

1 time past 1st round in what, 23yrs?

A lot has to change I think, and I've finally come to the side of those wanting to deal Iggy for some youth and picks, but only if we get anything worthwhile for him, otherwise treat it like Yzerman and let him drop in salary and be a mentor to the young guys while not treating him as a first line guy, because seeing him down the road as 2nd liner is fine by me.

But ultimately I grew up with this team and will follow them through good and bad.

[CaptainCrunch]

Its either hockey or getting dragged out to book clubs and malls.

[Erick Estrada]

I'm pretty numb now to losing and my teams not being in the playoffs. I still follow the Flames and Raiders as much or more than I ever have but the expectations and perspective are diffrerent. I watch now in hopes of seeing effort and youg players that can provide hope for the future. I know there is no hope for either team for the next year or two but at least in the case of the Raiders I see light at the end of the tunnel as they cut overpriced players, get out of salary cap hell, and rebuild. Flames are still in the Al Davis mold of not accepting their fate and trying win while failing miserably. Like Al Davis the Flames ownership's mantra of 'win now' will die and the inevitable will follow. It's just going to take that much longer for the Flames to be relevant again but again as a fan all you can do is sit on your hands and patiently wait.

The Stampeders are the only team I follow that provides me any sort of competitive chance at winning anything so at least part of the year I feel I'm cheering for a winner.

[bubbsy]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I'm pretty numb now to losing and my teams not being in the playoffs. I still follow the Flames and Raiders as much or more than I ever have but the expectations and perspective are diffrerent. I watch now in hopes of seeing effort and youg players that can provide hope for the future. I know there is no hope for either team for the next year or two but at least in the case of the Raiders I see light at the end of the tunnel as they cut overpriced players, get out of salary cap hell, and rebuild. Flames are still in the Al Davis mold of not accepting their fate and trying win while failing miserably. Like Al Davis the Flames ownership's mantra of 'win now' will die and the inevitable will follow. It's just going to take that much longer for the Flames to be relevant again but again as a fan all you can do is sit on your hands and patiently wait.

The Stampeders are the only team I follow that provides me any sort of competitive chance at winning anything so at least part of the year I feel I'm cheering for a winner.

as a flames & dolphin fan, i regrettably concur

[polak]

I'd like to say #1 but I don't think thats it.

I guess I prefer to watch the Flames then do most other things out there on a weekday. I rarely plan my evening around a Flames game anymore but if it's on and I'm at home, why not?

I'm fully aware that they suck and that they'll probably lose most of the games I watch and I'll just get frustrated. I have zero faith in them doing anything significant for a LONG LONG time and I'm thinking we'll be lucky to be a contender again within the next 5 or 6 years but I'm still going to watch if I have nothing better to do.

And no, this isn't a hockey thing. I find it hard to watch a hockey game without a vested interest. It's just a supporting my team thing.

[Resolute 14]

Because hockey, that's why.

[Enoch Root]

I am a hockey fan.

And when I moved to Calgary I adopted the Flames as my team. I will watch every minute of every game (and live and die with it) regardless of whether they are good, bad or ugly.

But I much prefer good.

Same with any and all Team Canada. Men, women, kids... if they put jerseys on dogs and sent 'em out there, I'd want our dogs to kick Russian/American/Swedish puppydog-ass.

[Spinach]

As a #5, the next 4-6 weeks are going to be tough for me, with Sven, Kipper & Backlund out (although obviously not young, Kiprusoff alone has been worth watching the last couple of years).

The Aimin' for Nathan race should be just about as interesting as praying for 7th-8th place and a miracle run through the playoffs.

[Wronskian]

1 - Can't look away, just an absolute train wreck. Can't wait until this flames era is over, but they're my team so I still follow them.

5 - Really the only thing to take enjoyment from, hoping for a better future.

And I'll propose a #8 - No winnin' for mackinnon

[The Goon]

Flames and Stampeders are all my in-laws talk about so catching the occasional game is the only way I can make conversation with them.

[troutman]

Sports is true reality TV.

[skudr248]

1, 2,for life, every season, every game

[Otto29]

Im a die hard fan and with that comes the thinking they can always win the cup. I also want to see what Hartley can do with this team. So far I see a change for the positive

[KAI]

Originally Posted by Dr. Pepper

We all have our reasons for watching Flames hockey, but I'm interested in WHY for this season. Possibilities include:

1. Die-hard Fan - Can't look away even if I wanted to.
2. I think that anything is possible, including the Flames winning The Cup this year.
3. I just like hockey in general, so I might as well watch The Flames as they are my home town team.
4. I'm a troll/fan of another team - hoping for my fill of Schadenfreude provided by the Flames this year.
5. I'm following the development of the younger players like Irving, Backlund, Horak and Baertschi, etc.
6. I'm actually NOT watching them. I just come here to see if there's any interesting posts.
7. Interested to see if Hartley can teach some of the old dogs on the team new tricks with a new system.

For me - it's #5.

Update:

We all have our reasons for opening this thread, but I'm interested in WHY. Possibilities include:
1. Die-hard CP Fan - Can't look away even if I wanted to.
2. I think that anything is possible, including actually reading something insightful
3. I just like CP in general, so I might as well read the thread as Dr. Pepper is my favorite member
4. I'm a troll/fan of another team - hoping for my fill of Schadenfreude provided by Dr. Pepper this year.
5. I'm following the development of the younger CP members
6. I did not read the thread title. I just come here to see if there's any interesting posts.
7. Interested to see if Dr. Pepper can teach some of the old dogs on the forum new tricks.

[calgaryred]

1. Die-hard Fan - Can't look away even if I wanted to.

Im a fan for life seen the best and worst from this team, I don't live my life around hockey, and sports, but I do enjoy watching the team go through the ups and downs.

[JeanLucPicard]

2 & 7