[GDT] Flames @ Bruins. 5pm MT SNF

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

Something that can't be consistently and reliably observed in conditions free from bias, likely doesn't exist.

You have an opinion/theory and all I'm saying is, you should still admit that's what it is.

It's no theory. Players and coaches talk about it all the time as if its a tangible thing. Those in the game believe in it. It exists.

You realize there is all sorts of psychological factors in sports that can never be measured right? Doesn't mean they don't exist. Doughty's will to succeed. Another player's faltering belief in himself. A culture of losing. A culture of winning. Team toughness. All things that exist that you'll never measure.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

It's no theory. Players and coaches talk about it all the time as if its a tangible thing. Those in the game believe in it. It exists.

You realize there is all sorts of psychological factors in sports that can never be measured right? Doesn't mean they don't exist. Doughty's will to succeed. Another player's faltering belief in himself. A culture of losing. A culture of winning. Team toughness. All things that exist that you'll never measure.

All theories/opinions.

Does Bollig on the bench actively stop Gaudreau from getting cheapshotted? Nope. Johnny gets cheapshotted every game.

Does Doughty's will to succeed help them make the playoffs last year? Nope, they lost to the damn OIlers in their most important game of the year.

Did the Lightning have a losing culture when they finished third-last two seasons before they finished SC runners-up?

Do the Flames have a winning culture this year because they won last year?

I'm not saying psychologically there aren't factors. But those factors are different for every individual not for entire teams. Burrows might cower where Marchand will just laugh. Team toughness, fights etc all influence players differently just as they influence us fans differently. Just like some of us fans roll our eyes at staged fights, some players get pissed off at those things breaking the flow of the game. Etc.

[Mass_nerder]

Slightly off topic, but why does it seem like the Oilers play on Sportsnet west, forcing the flames to play on sportsnet flames, when both are playing on the same night?
Stupid Shaw freerange tv doesn't get sportsnet flames.

[Cycling76er]

Wow. Is this anthem singer just the worst thing ever? Ugh...so terrible.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

All theories/opinions.

Does Bollig on the bench actively stop Gaudreau from getting cheapshotted? Nope. Johnny gets cheapshotted every game.

You'll never stop Johnny from getting cheap shots. The point is that if Engelland goes and has a chat with someone who gets a little physical and threatens them, Johnny FEELS protected. If nobody says anything Johnny FEELS like no one has his back. It's a psychological factor. If you FEEL like a bunch of 6'2 220 lb guys have your back (Ferland, Bollig, Engelland) you aren't going to be scared to go into the hard areas. If you don't feel anyone has your back and you're scared a team is starting to take cheap shots then you may play scared.

So much psychology in sports. So much attempt to reduce it away with stats that don't capture everything going on.

[Bandwagon In Flames]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

All theories/opinions.

If a kid believes in Santa, does he exist? The kid gets presents from Santa if he believes.

If Gaudreau believes that Bollig and Engelland in the line-up allows him to play his game without fear, than it does. All because he believes it does. And Gaudreau himself has said that he believes it does. As have most hockey professionals at every level of the sport in regards to intangibles that you can only measure with team success.

I'll take their word over GranteedEV and CorsiHockeyLeague. These guys spend and earn millions of dollars for these intangibles.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

All of this debate cause Wotherspoon got sent down to the minors? Happy Wotherspoon looked like he might actually have the potential to play in the NHL for the first time in his career, but really? How can anyone get this fired up about not getting themselves some more Wotherspoon action. People are seriously over rating and over concerned about the Wotherspoon if it's creating this much controversy.