Has anyone else just lost complete interest

[FurnaceFace]

Nashville and Dallas are tied at 1 in the 3rd and just had minutes of back and forth end to end craziness of breakaways, chances, and good saves. It’s great hockey to watch.

The Canes win (who, OP, are now off to a game 7, not out of it) was fun to watch.

I understand the “I don’t care about anything but The Flames” however I think one misses out on some really good entertainment.

[GreenLantern2814]

I confess, I've not watched any hockey since Friday's debacle, but as a friend of mine is fond of saying "if you ####ed up and lost a playoff game, that's sad for you, not me".

Every player on this team made more in a week than most of us will make in a year, and they've got abs. Go cry into some 22 year old's perfect breasts on a beach in Fiji.

In the meantime, the Stanley Cup playoffs remain the best spectacle in all of sports, and I see no reason to rob myself of that simply because the Calgary Flames did what the Calgary Flames historically do, which is lose in round one.

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

In the meantime, the Stanley Cup playoffs remain the best spectacle in all of sports, and I see no reason to rob myself of that simply because the Calgary Flames did what the Calgary Flames historically do, which is lose in round one.

The one positive that I take out of this year is that I never have to get my hopes up for the Flames again. The first round losses were easy to digest when they were expected, this is the first time in 13 years that I was actually upset after they lost because they were such huge favorites. Now I know that no matter what their record is in the regular season, they will still choke in the first round. Should make next year and beyond easier to deal with when the Flames lose, and I can go back to watching other teams play playoff hockey

[Tron_fdc]

7yr old me is still an Islanders fan.

Other than that I'm not interested at all. That might change in round 2 though

[chedder]

Nope. These first round series that are still going just show me how ripped off we got as fans. This is some engaged, gutsy, skilled hockey. Three things our Flames were unable to do.

[Gaskal]

Originally Posted by Hockey

Also being in hockey pools help keep the interest level up.

Not if you hedged your bets on TB, Winnipeg, Penguins and Flames... lol

[SebC]

Originally Posted by Gaskal

Not if you hedged your bets on TB, Winnipeg, Penguins and Flames... lol

Yeah, flames are out and so are most of my pool picks. Cup winner this year will be one of the worst teams to do so. Not much left to keep me invested.

[Split98]

Without getting jumped all over... I was not planning on watching much hockey this year after the GG season ended. I love hockey, my career involves hockey, and I buy anything that has a Flames logo on it. But the last few years have been less entertaining to watch than I can remember.

This regular season drew me back in, but I wasn't even close to the level of excited I imagined I would be. That, and a lackluster (to put it mildly) post-season to demonstrate how little 82 games really means hasn't really filled me with more enthusiasm for this entertainment. The Knights losing a series they were up 3-0 hasn't helped either.



But the officiating has been terrible, suspensions are a dice-roll and there's so much parity in the NHL that a strong regular season is largely irrelevant. Outside of the (also terribly officiated) TOR/BOS series, every other series seems like a dice-roll. It's fun that it's anybody's game, but I miss when there was a little predictability - something a fanbase can rely on. I miss bad teams being bad, and I miss good teams being good. I miss moments like when the Blackhawks finally sloughed off their perennial bad seasons and entered the realm of 'good teams'. As it seems now that you can go from last to SC Champion year after year. That all sounds good, but the long-term is... boring.

Who are the Flames going to be next year? I feel like this post-season has made that question entirely irrelevant until the playoffs start again. Signings, trade deadline, draft, the regular season - who cares? All of it seems entirely irrelevant, but the best team in the league can also fall to a team of deadline acquisitions and free agents. At the same time you better enjoy this years team as your favourite player could be gone at any moment.

How good are the Jackets going to be next year? The team that beat #1 could find themselves having a hard time assembling a playoff roster. That sucks. Don't get me wrong, I love a good cinderella story but that's not what these are. These are 32 largely even teams, and deciding who's 'best' in 7 games or less is starting to look like a crapshoot more than 'the hardest trophy to win'. Now, it's hard to win like a lottery - not like a marathon.

As a Flames fan it carries an extra level of 'who cares'. We had a miracle run in '04, but you really cheer for hope more than results as a fan of Alberta hockey teams. After a season where I actually had hope the Flames could win - the most I've had my whole life... it's pretty tough to get excited about hockey.

I watched last nights WAS/CAR game, and amidst the entertaining moments... it was overall crap. On ice the players were going full-tilt - but the refs took over and I couldn't honestly tell you who should have won that game any longer. They interfered too much, and didn't interfere when they should have. Again.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by FurnaceFace

Nashville and Dallas are tied at 1 in the 3rd and just had minutes of back and forth end to end craziness of breakaways, chances, and good saves. It’s great hockey to watch.

The Canes win (who, OP, are now off to a game 7, not out of it) was fun to watch.

I understand the “I don’t care about anything but The Flames” however I think one misses out on some really good entertainment.

OP meant the Lethbridge Hurricanes. It took me a moment to figure that out too.

[Sainters7]

Definitely still watching. After Flames got knocked out, I distanced myself from hockey for a couple days to let the sting out, but game 7s tonight and tomorrow are the perfect recipe to get me fully back into it for the rest of the tournament. If you only watch the Flames, to each their own, but you are missing out on a much more entertaining brand of playoff hockey & atmosphere in a number of these series the Flames just don't have.

[Split98]

Originally Posted by Sainters7

Definitely still watching. After Flames got knocked out, I distanced myself from hockey for a couple days to let the sting out, but game 7s tonight and tomorrow are the perfect recipe to get me fully back into it for the rest of the tournament. If you only watch the Flames, to each their own, but you are missing out on a much more entertaining brand of playoff hockey & atmosphere in a number of these series the Flames just don't have.

Yeah, as disinterested as I can be (relative)... Game 7s will rope you back in.

Tonight will be interesting, but I'm really looking forward to what Ovi has planned for redemption tomorrow. He's entertaining to watch most nights... let alone scorned in a Game 7

[Willi Plett]

I still find the playoffs engaging, despite the Flames being out but I don’t watch the games from end to end.

Sean Monahan really seemed to lose interest sometime after the all star break though.

[manwiches]

Watching hockey is far better than watching baseball or basketball. I'd rather rake my balls through shards of glass then watch either of those two. I'll put CFL and NFL in that as well.

I hate the time between playoff end and beginning of season.

I watch every possible game I can, even if I'm not fully invested in the team. At some point when things start to progress (After the second round), I start to latch on a storyline and root for a certain team. Last year was Ovechkin finally getting his.

This year looks to be crazy open. I am hoping Carolina makes it out of the East, as it would be nuts to see all 4 wildcard teams get through. As for who I'm cheering for at this point, Columbus, Islanders, and even Colorado.

This year has been fun to educate my 4 year old on the concept of Playoffs too. Although he is all in on a Canadian team winning, so the default now is the Leafs. lol...

[jaydub74]

I wasn't watching before, just following scores, highlights and stories. I'm not sure what kind of fan that makes me, I love the Flames, and the NHL but just can't be bothered to watch. I'll continue to listen to the fan 960, and watch highlights, check scores... but I've lost interest in actually watching the game.

[Nyah]

Honestly, I find it really enjoyable and not at all stressful to watch playoff games when the Flames aren't in it anymore. I can watch and just enjoy without considering possible implications. Not that I'm happy the Flames aren't in it, but I really do enjoy watching playoff hockey. Two game 7's going tonight, I'll be watching both games.

[Geeoff]

Yeah. I'll probably tune back in for the Finals

[Yamer]

My general passion and interest level has been on the decline for a long time. I still enjoy the narratives and love the game of hockey, but it's easier to get fatigued with it all. Maybe it's over exposure, between an 82 game schedule, playoffs, the draft, and 24 hour coverage. In fact, I think it's all of that.

I just can't stay interested for 82+ games anymore, especially when my team continually finds a way to flicker out in the end.

[LIP MAN]

I'm usually out mentally a round after the Flames are eliminated, then get back in. My pool team is hinging on Washington and St. Louis players, sprinkled with a TO and SJ player. So that's keeping me intrigued.

[the2bears]

Originally Posted by Maritime Q-Scout

FYI: If you click edit, and then "Go Advanced" you can edit the thread title.

This is kind of funny... OP thanks your post, proceeds to ignore the advice

[troutman]

Sports is suffering.

Music don't let you down.