Are Bruins fans being unrealistic?

[Hali33]

It's all part of the fanbase.

I find both sides of the extremes - the ones who will only stop in when there's an opportunity to criticize the team or a certain player, and the ones who the team/players can do no wrong equally irritating. It ends up being a lot of noise to me and usually easy enough to skip over and when it isn't I just spend less time here.

Underneath the noise there's some good, sometimes great discussion when people can meet in the middle and be along for the entire ride, not just the good or bad times. It's an interesting time to be a Bruins fan where there's a lot of unknowns about where this team is gonna go. Concerns and things to be excited for.

I think you also have to consider how people are reacting immediately after something isn't necessarily how they're going to feel the next day or whenever we check in with real life again. I think you have to put the appropriate amount of stock in that.

For me, this team isn't far off my expectations but it's more enjoyable than last season. I think they're benefiting from a poor Eastern conference this season and are an injury away from being out of a playoff spot but I give them credit for hanging in there so far and holding on to it despite some serious flaws in the roster.
Their play at home and repeated incidents of the Bruins getting physically dominated and players not standing up for each other have been the greatest disappointments for me.

It's been great watching a few individual players have such strong seasons and really show their value to this team. I also did a 180 on how I feel about the Beleskey signing and he's been a player I'm very happy to have on this team going forward.

 

[BigGoalBrad]

So I really like this team. The forwards are collectively pretty good. And I like Z and Seids and despite slowing down they signed below market deals for us at the time and have been good servants and I am happy to root for both for one last hurrah even if 2 more years isn't ideal. Best goalie in the NHL as well. Don't mind all the 3rd pairing D men we have stepping into larger roles either. And there are only 3-4 really good teams in the league who I'd call favorites over us in a 7 game series.




So Im closer to Artemis in terms of ppositivity than most.





THAT SAID IF THEY THINK THEY CAN GET ME TO SIGN UP FOR PLAYOFF TICKETS WHERE MY SEATS COST DOUBLE TO TRIPLE A REGULAR SEASON GAME IN THE 2ND AND THIRD ROUNDS AND NOONE ON THE PLANET CAN AFFORD TO SIT IN THE LOGE WITH ME THEY GOT ANOTHER THING ****ING COMING AND I MIGHT DROP MY SEATS OUT OF PRINCIPAL WHEN I PLAN TO RENEW THEM. I DARE YOU JACOBS TO STRUCTURE PLAYOFF PRICING THE SAME WAY AGAIN THIS YEAR YOU WANNA ****ING PUNISH ME IF WE GO ON A RUN AND WIN A PLAYOFF SERIES AND CHARGE ME 200+ FOR SOMETHING I HAVE TO PAY 95 FOR AND BUY 3 PRESEASON TO YOU CAN KISS ME PUTTING UP THAT KIND OF MONEY GOOD BYE AND I WILL INSTEAD GO TO 5-6 GAMES A YEAR MIDWEEK BUYING TIX OFF STUBHUB @ 6PM. I DARE YOU TO STRUCTURE PLAYOFFS LIKE THAT AND JACK UP THE 2ND AND THIRD ROUNDS DARE YOU....

 

[GordonHowe]

At the end of the day, regardless if one is negative or positive, whatever will be, will be.
I liken ever-positive excuse makers to their ever-negative nancy counterparts, as both tend to be irrational and illogical.
If people get upset/offended at people with counter-views, that's their own problem and how they can handle it.
Lastly, being a fan isn't personal. It really doesn't affect your life. If it does, you have issues to deal with.

I disagree with this last.

In the end, it's just a game, as you say. Yet as pathetic (or bathetic) as it may be, being a Bruins fan is deeply personal. That has to do with my dad, my family, and what hockey represents to me.

When the B's are winning, skies are blue. When they lose (especially in lame, frustrating or otherwise depressing fashion), not so much.

It's silly to get bent out of shape over a game. And, as we know, fan is short for fanatic.

So, enjoy & suffer, just for the hell of it. But keep those priorities in order!

 

[Michel Beauchamp]

A few overdramatic posters shouldn't be generalized as "Bruins fans"... and HFboards as a whole is far from a representation of Bruins or hockey fans in general. If you care enough about hockey to discuss it here, you know more/care a lot more than the average fan.

The Bruins are a frustrating team. Frustrating losses, followed by streaks of great promise. Obviously some things are said in the spur of the moment. Some people have dramatic opinions. And yes, it happens with every fanbase. Go on any team's board after a brutal loss.

And there lies the rub.

It used to be that people thought, then spoke.

Now they write, then think.

I blame shock radio...

 

[GordonHowe]

I actually do one better, I totally avoid this place (or at least some threads) when there are the inevitable losses that drive us all crazy. It's the best way to avoid the systolic stress! I come here because I love the game, I love the level these guys play at and there are a great amount of posters on this board and others that I absolutely respect and look forward to hearing from.

But unfortunately, there's a majority of what I call Felgerites who do nothing but wait for something or anything even remotely bad to happen so they can spew their garbage. And I agree with GloryDaze4877 there are also some Sunshine Sallies who blindly think that all is wonderful and the team can do no wrong.

It's difficult for me to sort through the trade threads, where everyone seems to know more than me about player X or Y.

It's relatively easy to block the reflexively ad hominem types. A dandy HF feature!

 

[Stone Clode]

There's a reason they call us the Lunatic Fringe, isn't there? (Or is that phrase self-entitled? )

Some people will never be happy. Some people will never be happy that everybody else isn't happy. That's the Bruins fanbase...and sports fans, in general. To be honest, sports wouldn't be nearly as fun if I wasn't spouting nonsensical bullcrap every time they lost the second game of a back-to-back in January. I still definitely get enjoyment out of it, even though it doesn't always seem like it. But I invest money in the team, I have the right to be critical, even hypercritical. In the end, what I say doesn't affect the team in any way, so why should anybody else care?

It is what it is, I suppose.

 

[Bmessy]

If you say I can't be frustrated that we went from a perennial juggernaut, and set for the future too, to a non playoff team with a questionable future just one season later then I'm gunna tell you to **** the right off.

Yeah I'm mad we traded away all of Lucic, Hamilton, and Boychuk for futures. Ya I'm still mad we traded away a 20 yr old superstar for one useful player and no draft picks. Ya I'm mad we aren't cup contenders anymore. Ya I'm still gunna watch.

Just cause I know this team isn't good enough to win it all doesn't mean I won't enjoy watching this season. But I'll be watching knowing that we are far, far away from where we need to be

No I'm not gunna be perfectly happy again until we have 2 million people at a duck boat parade again.

 

[Fenway]

ESPN's power ratings today have the Bruins 9th in the NHL and a very interesting comment

Said a rival Eastern Conference hockey exec Sunday, "The Bruins are a sleeper. Quietly having a real good season." Take a bow, Claude Julien, you've earned it.

http://espn.go.com/nhl/powerrankings

 

[Boston Bruno]

My wife is wrong.

If I yell loud enough at my tv, eventually they Will hear me.

Khaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnn!!!!!!!

 

[ReggieMoto]

ESPN's power ratings today have the Bruins 9th in the NHL and a very interesting comment

Good quote. Something else worth highlighting:

Said a rival Eastern Conference hockey exec Sunday, "The Bruins are a sleeper. Quietly having a real good season." Take a bow, Claude Julien, you've earned it.

There are too many posters here who simply do not give the coach his due. They are where they are because of him, not in spite of him. There probably isn't another coach in the league who could squeeze the performance out of this roster that he has. The team is lucky to have him and will rue the day he is gone. Bank on it.

 

[jgatie]

Good quote. Something else worth highlighting:



There are too many posters here who simply do not give the coach his due. They are where they are because of him, not in spite of him. There probably isn't another coach in the league who could squeeze the performance out of this roster that he has. The team is lucky to have him and will rue the day he is gone. Bank on it.

B-b-but he stupid and bald, and he hatez the kidz!!!

 

[ChargersRookie]

At times I think that Sweeney should not trade for reasons other than for not losing players if they can't be signed.

 

[Alan Ryan]

This is obviously not a Cup contending team, but every playoff season sees a Cinderella team emerge and go farther than anyone expects, and I think these Bruins have as good a chance as any to be that team this year.

It would require the stars (Bergeron, Krejci, Marchand, Rask, Eriksson) to play like stars and 2nd-tier players like Beleski, Hayes, Spooner and maybe Pasta to have great playoffs.

Big weakness is the D. A healthy McQuade and maybe an addition at the deadline would help there - how likely is it that they bolster? Who knows. Probably unlikely to be able to add anyone of top 4 calibre - and if they did, it would likely mean losing Loui+.

But if they get their shifts together, I fully expect them to make the playoffs. Beyond that, I'd be very happy to see them win a round - winning two rounds would make me ecstatic.

Exactly how I feel. I think they make the playoffs and that is an accomplishment after last year and all the changes to the team.

Anything they accomplish in the playoffs is gravy.