Islanders fans "welcome" John Tavares back to the Island

[Johnny Makarov]

Originally Posted by bax

I'm not offended in the slightest by their reaction, I just think it's all very cringe worthy and embarrassing. Their team is doing great, no need to release a video crying like a bunch of babies because Tavares said he wanted to stay and then didn't.

The "We don't need you" chant is pretty epic I have to admit. The A-hole chant was not necessary. You reserve those for the refs.

[Boreal]

Originally Posted by The Yen Man

Fair, but the fans owe Tavares nothing either, and are well within their right to boo the crap out of him and let him know how they feel. I think it's fantastic seeing the fans so passionate. It made the atmosphere electric for last night's game.

Fair enough. I suppose they need to vent, as the regime that wasted his time on Long Island has been punted.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by bax

Did you see that video those fans released? One of the cringier things I have seen in a long time.

If you're so bothered by John Tavares leaving via free agency that you feel the need to bring plastic snakes to the game and toss them on the ice or to throw a jersey at the guy then yeah, that's embarrassing.

I already said yesterday in the OOT thread that the fan video was very cringe worthy. And I completely support Tavares's right to exercise his freedom as a UFA and sign with the team that he chooses. But I also think we as fans are prone to taking ourselves far too seriously. So long as Tavares was not in physical danger; so long as the verbal assaults he endured are not slanderous, then why should anyone else care?

It's fun. That game last night looked amazing—and in large part because the fans on Long Island now LOVE hating John Tavares. Complaints about it rank right up there with Don Cherry losing his mind about the Carolina Hurricanes's "surge" celebration. Lighten up. Have fun. That's what sports is all about in the end.

[Scooter]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Yeah, you're going to have to provide a source for that.

Phil. Eagles fans booed and threw snowballs at Santa.

[bax]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

I already said yesterday in the OOT thread that the fan video was very cringe worthy. And I completely support Tavares's right to exercise his freedom as a UFA and sign with the team that he chooses. But I also think we as fans are prone to taking ourselves far too seriously. So long as Tavares was not in physical danger; so long as the verbal assaults he endured are not slanderous, then why should anyone else care?

It's fun. That game last night looked amazing—and in large part because the fans on Long Island now LOVE hating John Tavares. Complaints about it rank right up there with Don Cherry losing his mind about the Carolina Hurricanes's "surge" celebration. Lighten up. Have fun. That's what sports is all about in the end.

I think we are on the same page and were just misunderstanding each other. I'm not offended or upset about anything regarding this situation. You are right- the chants and the boos were fun and created a really good atmosphere at the game.

It's all the other stuff (the tweets, the jersey burning, the fan made video) that just comes off cringey and embarrassing.

[Boreal]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

I already said yesterday in the OOT thread that the fan video was very cringe worthy. And I completely support Tavares's right to exercise his freedom as a UFA and sign with the team that he chooses. But I also think we as fans are prone to taking ourselves far too seriously. So long as Tavares was not in physical danger; so long as the verbal assaults he endured are not slanderous, then why should anyone else care?

It's fun. That game last night looked amazing—and in large part because the fans on Long Island now LOVE hating John Tavares. Complaints about it rank right up there with Don Cherry losing his mind about the Carolina Hurricanes's "surge" celebration. Lighten up. Have fun. That's what sports is all about in the end.

Absolutely.

This is the kind of stuff that makes the Oiler fanbase and media so cringe-worthy at times.

They identify with the team so strongly that it becomes a part of who they are as a person.

When you insult the team, or even just constructively criticize it they take it personally and lose their minds. Twitter has countless examples.

At the end of the day, it is entertainment. Winning is the objective but integrity is more important.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by bax

I think we are on the same page and were just misunderstanding each other. I'm not offended or upset about anything regarding this situation. You are right- the chants and the boos were fun and created a really good atmosphere at the game.

It's all the other stuff (the tweets, the jersey burning, the fan made video) that just comes off cringey and embarrassing.

Yeah, probably. But I openly wonder how much better the "Dear John" fan video made the atmosphere in Nassau Coliseum last night. National media outlets were losing their collective minds about that video, which I think made a huge impact on the vibe in that building.

[Oil Stain]

Originally Posted by nobles_point

Absolutely.

This is the kind of stuff that makes the Oiler fanbase and media so cringe-worthy at times.

They identify with the team so strongly that it becomes a part of who they are as a person.

When you insult the team, or even just constructively criticize it they take it personally and lose their minds. Twitter has countless examples.

At the end of the day, it is entertainment. Winning is the objective but integrity is more important.

Every fan base is like that.

Look at how many Flames fans here held a grudge forever against Tom Erixon and he never even suited up for the Flames.

Tavares was the one in this situation that showed a lack of integrity. He strung the fans along. Had the guy let it be know like Panarin that he would be exploring his options, fans would still be upset, but most would be more understanding IMO.

Sure, the Islanders weren't well managed while Tavares was there, and leaving was well within his rights. He just could have handled the situation in a much better way.

[hwy19man]

Originally Posted by Firebot

Islanders got exactly zero from Tavares, after his insistance all the way to July 1 that he wants to sign with the Islanders. The problem was in his mind, he know well in advance he would only sign with the Leafs, but did not want to jeopardize what the Leafs would give up in return. It almost feels like it was an act of vengeance on ownership for screwing him over and wasting his years. The way he left was a total slap in the face to Islanders fans, he gave them nothing. He deserves every boo he got.

That is correct, the Islanders did not receive anything from Tavares. I like how the Islanders signed Komarov, it is an indirect trade.

[hwy19man]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

As for last night, you knew it was coming with how hard the media, players and Trotz were working to try and convince fans to be polite to Tavares. Everyone knew it was going to be nasty, but perhaps not quite that bad. And Tavares deserves it for how he jerked them around at the trade deadline.

The Leafs play on Long Island again on Monday, April 1. It will be the same nastiness, if not worse.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Scooter

Phil. Eagles fans booed and threw snowballs at Santa.

That is not a source for what was an obviously fabricated claim.

Originally Posted by hwy19man

The Leafs play on Long Island again on Monday, April 1. It will be the same nastiness, if not worse.

Yup. Especially now that Toronto felt the need to go out and salve his (and their) ego(s) the way they did last night.

[ikaris]

100% love the NY fans’ treatment of Tavares. The guy is trash for stringing along a loyal fan base. He deserved the reaction completely.

[Boreal]

Originally Posted by Oil Stain

Every fan base is like that.

Look at how many Flames fans here held a grudge forever against Tom Erixon and he never even suited up for the Flames.

Tavares was the one in this situation that showed a lack of integrity. He strung the fans along. Had the guy let it be know like Panarin that he would be exploring his options, fans would still be upset, but most would be more understanding IMO.

Sure, the Islanders weren't well managed while Tavares was there, and leaving was well within his rights. He just could have handled the situation in a much better way.

No.

Every fanbase doesn't throw snakes at a player and change "you're and A Hole".

You're seriously comparing Erixon's situation to this? That's false equivalency worthy of Mark Spector.

He handled the situation perfectly. Stamkos did the exact same thing, then decided to stay once he evaluated other situations.

How exactly could Tavares speak with other teams prior to free agency and understand their operations? He liked his time on Long Island and build a legacy there and legitimately wanted to stay.

How would he have told the team that he legitimately wanted to stay, but wanted to explore options, and thus he wasn't ready to re-sign?

OH WAIT!! That is exactly what he did. He didn't string them along. They had the chance to trade him and recover assets... they didn't... they gambled... they lost.

But... after seeing how other franchises operate, he hit the road.

When Stamkos did it, the only difference is that it reaffirmed to him that Tampa was the furthest thing from a clown show like Long Island or Edmonton. The tax situation also helped.

The Islanders bringing in Lamoriello was a day late and a dollar short. They could have done the same thing in 2015 if they wanted to cut bait on Snow.

They didn't and there are no do-overs.

[Hockey Fan #751]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

That is not a source for what was an obviously fabricated claim.

The 9/11 thing sounds made up.

Oh, and Santa deserved it.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/p...2bO/story.html

[Kipper_3434]

Originally Posted by ikaris

100% love the NY fans’ treatment of Tavares. The guy is trash for stringing along a loyal fan base. He deserved the reaction completely.

NY's attendance numbers were pretty bad for suck a loyal fanbase

[1991 Canadian]

In the case of high first round picks, I don’t really buy the narrative that a player owes loyalty to the team that drafted him. Tavares was destined to be a superstar regardless of who drafted him. It is not like the Islanders found him in the 7th round, took a chance on him, gave him support, taught him English, a contract opportunity, etc… that he wouldn’t get anywhere else.

Tavares put in his RFA time + 1 UFA year on a very team friendly contract. During his time in Long Island, the Islanders were 29th, 30th, 29th, 30th, 26th, 25th, 28th, 28th and 31st in attendance. While I got a kick out of the chants and boos from the game last week, where have those fans been over the last 9 years?

Fans are often completely biased and irrational. It is part of the fun of being a fan. I honestly wouldn’t have it any other way.