My thoughts the end . . . maybe

[CaptainCrunch]

I thought I'd jot some things down, I put it in my own thread whether its cool or not.


first I want to preface this with the old . . . I'm not drunk as I'm writing this. But I'm going to get a few things off of my chest or mind or whatever.


The series itself

There's never any shame in losing to a better team, that's just the natural order of things. Clearly the Avs are the far better team right now, from their real chemistry, to their systems to their combination of size and skill to their commitment. Everything went their way in this series because they generated their own luck. I admire that first line, they clearly have the best player in the game right now and he and his linemates found another unholy gear and weren't going to be denied.


There's an old saying when you study military history. The Spartan's had a saying and it was said by wives and mothers to their husbands or sons before they left for battle. With your shield or on it. Basically it meant that honor above all was valued. If a Spartan dropped his shield he was a coward, if he died he was honored by being carried home on it by his fellow warriors.


Now before you jump on me and say I'm calling the Flames cowards, I'm not, I'm going to take it a step further. The Flames never found that gear, that consistent honor in this battle, instead they dropped their shields in panic, accidentally kicked it over the cliff and were left lying on the battlefield.


All credit for that goes to the Avs, who's speed and pressure broke down the Flames.



But if you want some good news from me or a glimmer of light, there's not any. The only thing that I can say is I hope that this team with a really young core spends a lot of time reflecting on this and letting it burn and they learn that the regular season is not the playoffs.



The Good

Mike Smith was awesome in this series even though he was abandoned by his team mates, whether the Flames want to offer him a short term deal for next year is up to the Flames, or whether the Flames look for another solution is up to the team. I loved his game, he fought hard.


Sam Bennett - All fire, we need three or four more of that type of un relenting player. I thought we had one with MT, but he was invisible and not a physical force at all.


Valimaki - He's going to be a absolutely special blueliner, no question,



Anderson - He's going to be a very good blueliner as well.



Eat Bread - Faded a bit as the series went on, but I love his game.


The Bad

The entire top 6 was outright awful,



Johnny Hockey - Just not good, but I think its a couple of aspects, he got absolutely swarmed and there was no help for him at all, and he got beaten up and we saw tonight lost his confidence


Sean Monahan - I expected so much more for a guy with a scoring radar in the 20 foot circle, the tough scoring area. But he didn't fight at all hard enough to get there and was invisible. I don't know, he's still young, but the Flames really need to add another dynamic to their top 6 especially up the middle


Lindholm - He was ok, I guess but he was pretty invisible, like the rest of the top line


MT - Invisible, after game one I saw no intensity in his game and very little buzz of drive. Of all the Flames he's my biggest disappointment to me. This should have been the type of season that he should have revelled in and made an impact. Instead there was nothing.


The ugly



James Neal - Just an ugly season and an ugly playoff for Neal, I think he tried, it just wasn't there this year.


TJ Brodie - I like TJ his speed should be ideal for this type of team, but he handled the puck like a grenade. Sure he scored goals but his play in his own end was frightening.


Jankowski - I get it, he's a penalty killer, but his overall lack of physical game at his size killed me.



So what happens now


I'm not the GM, I'm convinced that some changes are going to need to happen, especially with the top 6, and adding a edgy player or two to this series.


I'm not really happy with the lack of leadership on this team, nobody ultimately stepped up and lead the way, and part of that is on Peters, and part of that is on the players that are supposed to be driving this bus.



This team played scared. Part of that is inexperience, part of that is learning to find character.


For a guy like Gaudrea, maybe its a manner of taking that step up professionally, maybe it comes down to changing his diet and his workout, if you train like a pro and act like a pro you will be a pro. People have complained about him whining to the ref, and that's fine, but focus is sometimes lacking.


The NHL itself


I've really started to lose my interest in the NHL, the reffing is inconsistant.



The NHL talks about speed and skill and they call it to highlight that in the regular season. But the message changed in the playoffs. Suddenly there was interference and clutching and grabbing and tackling and slashes to the hand and the refs wouldn't call it. I doubt it would make a difference in this series because the Avs weren't going to be denied. But the inconsistancy of calls and the sudden shift back to 90's hockey is just stupid.



The fans


I give a lot of credit to the fans in the stands who cheered their hearts out and gave the Flames a nice ovation after the game. I also give a lot of credit to the fans on this board for their passions and knowledge. To me this is the best hockey board out there and I'm honored to be a member of it.


I will say thought that there are too many fans that mourn their team, or can't wait to throw out and I told you so. I have a friend that couldn't wait to call me at the final buzzer to tell me that he was right that the Flames weren't a good team and he claims to be a 30 year fan of the team. He's basically Randy Quaid from Major League 2.

So in the end


I'm not the fan I used to be, I don't have an interest in the draft like I used to, I don't really get fired up for games like I used too. I don't know how much of the playoffs that I'm going to watch because I just don't care enough. don't worry though after 12 years of coaching football, I don't have a lot of passion for that game anymore either. Maybe I'm depressed, maybe I'm old and crabby. But it is what it is.


Anyways, if I had some advice. We have a 7 month break from Flames hockey, if you're angry and want to lash out, just take a couple of days or a week and relax and process it.


Frankly the Flames had a historic season, but nobody is going to remember that, they're going to remember that the Flames lost their shield and were left to bleach in the sun on the battlefield.


Anyways, have a great night, enjoy your drinks.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Anyways, have a great night, enjoy your drinks.

Same to you and for your thoughts on the game and season.

[Buff]

I want to quit being a fan. Of any team. I'm getting too old to go through the up's and downs and disappointment. It comes with being a fan of any team. I hate it. I don't handle it well. I want to be done.

I still love hockey. I enjoy watching playoff hockey more when it isn't my own team playing. I just enjoy watching the competition. That said, I hate unfairness and the officiating is so poor that it always creates an unfair advantage for one team or another. Intentional or not, it does. That ruins some of my enjoyment.

Now here is my problem. The Flames are my first true love. I've been a fan since I was a little boy and they moved to Calgary. How can I quit the Flames after nearly 40 years? It's hard to. It's the only thing I know. It leaves me conflicted.

It's hard.

[Manhattanboy]

I think after some time to digest Buff you will be back. We all will. The Flames are in our DNA.

[Buff]

Originally Posted by Manhattanboy

I think after some time to digest Buff you will be back. We all will. The Flames are in our DNA.

Yeah. Well.. It's more like we're suckers for punishment.

[dino7c]

We will all be back to get smoked in the season opener in October

[Hugh Jahrmes]

Originally Posted by dino7c

We will all be back to get smoked in the season opener in October

had to log in simply to say i needed this haha.. too true; thanks

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Originally Posted by Buff

I want to quit being a fan. Of any team. I'm getting too old to go through the up's and downs and disappointment. It comes with being a fan of any team. I hate it. I don't handle it well. I want to be done.

I still love hockey. I enjoy watching playoff hockey more when it isn't my own team playing. I just enjoy watching the competition. That said, I hate unfairness and the officiating is so poor that it always creates an unfair advantage for one team or another. Intentional or not, it does. That ruins some of my enjoyment.

Now here is my problem. The Flames are my first true love. I've been a fan since I was a little boy and they moved to Calgary. How can I quit the Flames after nearly 40 years? It's hard to. It's the only thing I know. It leaves me conflicted.

It's hard.

The issue isn’t how do you quit the Flames or hockey if that’s how you feel. Clearly you need to get some other passions to be excited about as well if the feeling you are describing lasts at that level or much more than 24hrs of any season being done, maybe a bit longer if we lose in the finals.

I’m not saying you shouldn’t care, or feel anything, but to your point you don’t seem to enjoy it at all but I just wonder if that giving it up isn’t truly the solution you need.

[Azhouse]

Why can't we have nice things?

It's a travesty that such rabid hockey fans have to go through this on yearly basis...sucks.

[Gaskal]

I'm too stubborn to quit.

I rage for a bit then come back for more.

[Jordan!]

Iz only game - wise man from Russia

[Itse]

I was openly talking about quitting on the team last summer. The regular season made me a believer again, but already when I realized we were going to lose the series (about after game three I felt it was clear we maybe win one game if we're lucky) I noticed that I'm not that excited. I'm starting to be really emotionally disconnected.

Once again, Flames hockey sucked. This was easily the lowest quality of entertainment in these playoffs. I've noticed I'd seriously rather watch other teams play.

I seriously considered not watching the last game (yes I was calling it the last game before it started), literally fell asleep after the first period and just quit halfway through the game.

My GF (a Rangers fan) was constantly telling me "it's not over until it's over", but once she actually watched a Flames game with me, that last game, her first comment was "this is so frustrating to watch".

The Flames just sucked. And I'm starting to be done with that.

I'll probably stick around, but I don't think it's going to be the same again.

[bubbsy]

In the end.... The flames gonna flame. 30 years of failure, outside of one Cinderella run.

Hip hip hooray. What waste of a bunch of career years. In complete flames fashion, i bet everyone normalizes to their career averages and the flames end up as wildcard teams or miss altogether.

Our top line should not be allowed to take the asg break.

[Manhattanboy]

I hate that millennial crap jargon Flames gonna Flame.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by Buff

I want to quit being a fan. Of any team. I'm getting too old to go through the up's and downs and disappointment. It comes with being a fan of any team. I hate it. I don't handle it well. I want to be done.

I still love hockey. I enjoy watching playoff hockey more when it isn't my own team playing. I just enjoy watching the competition. That said, I hate unfairness and the officiating is so poor that it always creates an unfair advantage for one team or another. Intentional or not, it does. That ruins some of my enjoyment.

Now here is my problem. The Flames are my first true love. I've been a fan since I was a little boy and they moved to Calgary. How can I quit the Flames after nearly 40 years? It's hard to. It's the only thing I know. It leaves me conflicted.

It's hard.

I hear you. I don't even enjoy watching anymore and took a massive step back this year and followed the team more from boxscores and CP. Which is funny seeing as they won 50 games and had their best season in 30 years. In the end I knew it was too good to be true and they'd fizzle out e eventually.

[Spinach]

It depends where you are in life. If things are going well and you're content, maybe it's easier to shrug it off. If you're already stressed out or not in a good place, watching your team get dominated is probably not going to help. That, of course, applies to us hardcore fans. Naturally, bandwagoners or casual fans aren't going to be affected much by losses.

Games 1 & 2 were very watchable. I felt we sort of got away with one in game 1, but it would be alright. Then it became apparent about halfway through game 2 that the Flames just didn't have the same compete level as the Avs, and it was a bit of a heartbreaker. Game 3 was obviously nauseating no matter how the rest of your life is going! It was hard for me to get excited about game 4, and lo and behold we had another heartbreaker (although less of a surprise than game 2). Didn't even see game 5, as I was out somewhere without tv access, and a friend gave me score updates via her phone. I was glad I didn't watch.

Honestly, I totally agree that watching other teams (the disgusting leafs aside) play in the postseason is easier to enjoy. Watching Flames hockey in the playoffs is only fun for me if they're winning. During the regular season, it's ok just to be entertained and see my favourite team playing well enough to win even if they don't always pull it out. But in the playoffs, it's do or die. Watching the team lose in this fashion is just a touch depressing; a bit like a breakup or seeing a good friend or relative move away.

Again, how you respond probably depends on where you are in life: your age, your own & your loved ones' health, your contentedness, your stress level, your security etc.

[Spinach]

Originally Posted by bubbsy

In the end.... The flames gonna flame. 30 years of failure, outside of one Cinderella run.

Hip hip hooray. What waste of a bunch of career years. In complete flames fashion, i bet everyone normalizes to their career averages and the flames end up as wildcard teams or miss altogether.

Our top line should not be allowed to take the asg break.

You're not wrong, and you're especially right about the goddamn all star break.

True, the Avs series sours the experience. I don't know, I just remind myself that I'd have probably taken it back in September if we'd been told the team would not get a sniff of playoff success but would have a great regular season up till March. If the rebuild started in late '12-'13, then '18-'19 should approximately be the end of it. As much as the postseason stunk and a 2009 Blackhawks-style run to the semi's would have been awesome, at least the slog of building a team from the ground up should be done.

Now the real work of building a playoff contender begins.

[flamesforcup]

Originally Posted by Spinach

You're not wrong, and you're especially right about the goddamn all star break.

True, the Avs series sours the experience. I don't know, I just remind myself that I'd have probably taken it back in September if we'd been told the team would not get a sniff of playoff success but would have a great regular season up till March. If the rebuild started in late '12-'13, then '18-'19 should approximately be the end of it.

Now the real work of building a playoff contender begins.

Idk man. I probably wouldnt have taken a 5 game embarrassing loss to a 90 point team. i would have rather missed.

[Spinach]

Originally Posted by flamesforcup

Idk man. I probably wouldnt have taken a 5 game embarrassing loss to a 90 point team. i would have rather missed.

And fair enough. Starting around January, I'd been really hoping for the semi-finals at least this year. Last September, I'd have laughed at the mere thought of these guys making it that far.

Maybe getting embarrassed is better than losing a double-OT game-7 squeaker and second-guessing what might have been if only for one bounce. Been there, done that. No thanks.

The problems with this team should at least be readily identifiable to management now. That isn't to say losing this series doesn't suck. It's embarrassing, and it blows. And if it happens again, then... to hell with it, I'm not even going there.

[flamesforcup]

Originally Posted by Spinach

And fair enough. Starting around January, I'd been really hoping for the semi-finals at least this year. Last September, I'd have laughed at the mere thought of these guys making it that far.

Maybe getting embarrassed is better than losing a double-OT game-7 squeaker and second-guessing what might have been if only for one bounce. Been there, done that. No thanks.

The problems with this team should at least be readily identifiable to management now. That isn't to say losing this series doesn't suck. It's embarrassing, and it blows. And if it happens again, then... to hell with it, I'm not even going there.

Yea thats the silver lining in that our problems down the middle i think were exposed hard and Treliving should have the free hand to make a big move. If we were close and maybe even won a round i think we would have probably stayed pat and not do anything in the off-season causing us to stay as a mediocre team. Maybe this was for the better and next playoffs we will look back and be thankful for this quick loss because it caused major changes.