I find this post pretty confusing. Would you mind clarifying a bit? Not trying to attack you, I just don't understand what you are getting at. You root for the players and not the team, is that what you're saying?
I consider it "time well spent" when I watch the team - whoever is playing for us - with my father, and my grandmother, nitpicking play after play. It's a lifestyle for me. You root for the individual players? If the team is filled with guys you dislike, are you temporarily a non-Sabre fan? Confused. You don't like "the setup"? Setup of what? And you don't like said setup (which I would assume would be the players), so you root for... Individual players? Still confused.
Again... Not being a {MOD EDIT} **** at all - just unclear what you are getting at.
I don't want to sound like a {MOD EDIT} ****, but I don't really like the owner of the Sabres now. I know that's not a popular opinion. I'm a lifelong Sabres fan, and love what you're saying about family. I don't think the ownership situation is the fans or players fault, so I'm not against the Sabres, persay. Hope that helps, but I have a feeling it's just an open can of worms. Sorry.