Sens Vader
Registered User
- Jan 23, 2016
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I didn’t make a point prediction at the start of the year, not sure if I missed a thread on that
Meaningful March
- Thread starter JD1
- Start date
coladin
Registered User
- Sep 18, 2009
- 12,003
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there were 16,017 , and it looked emptier, which I now see someone answered. Anyways, fans have been amazing and a lot younger, more passionate
And that’s fine, I. Simply don’t see the reasoning for arguing and trying to convince other fans of the futility of their enjoyment down the stretch.
I don’t see anyone telling people that they can’t give up, but like maybe just sit back and let other fans not give up for a while without trying to endlessly spoil things?
I know, I know, freedom of speech, my rights, etc… always trump the community spirit of this little place we all frequent.
BonHoonLayneCornell
Registered User
I just don't think I've done that. I think your bone to pick is with others. I'm not trying to convince anyone of anything, but I'm not going to dance around the fact that it's a massive long shot or that I cant take a headline on TSN seriously talking about their playoff chances.
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But if we were down 3-0 in a series, they'd be talking about taking it one game at a time and posting about how other teams have come back from that before. I don't understand the relentless negativity when sports are perpetually about hopeless optimism. This place is just bizarre. Some have a problem with people who confront bad attitudes and endless negativity but they don't have a problem with people posting the same dogshit takes in every thread of the forum.
Serious question: can we have a thread for those of us who just want to continue enjoying the hope that we could, theoretically, make it? And maybe thread ban all the negativity trolls? I know there's only going to be like 10 of us in that thread but it would be awfully nice to discuss the last few games of the year without trawling through endless amounts of biting negativity.
It is, and the scope of my comments, as often seems to be the case starts as response to your post but extends beyond.
Anyways, I’m not expecting you to change what you or anyone does In here, but I don’t mind commenting on it.
I’ve spent enough time on a subject that is not going to change regardless of what I say so, I’ll move in once again.
Thanks for the discussion as usual.
I agree. To me it’s strange to try and rationalize what is inherently irrational: fandom of pro sports.
To me there is a lot of emotional bet hedging to avoid emotional suffering, and a lot of life venting in the form of know-it-all sports posts. Beating on distant forces from a safe space.
In the end it’s sports entertainment, and we have zero control over any of the outcomes, and not near enough information to form concrete opinions on anything.
And yet we do, because we’re all
irrational sports fans.
Tuna99
Registered User
- Sep 26, 2009
- 15,908
- 7,877
If fans didn’t argue this site wouldn’t exist. Nobody cares in your regular life if they should trade Brannstrom - nobody at your work has been following UND the last 3 years. You come here to get your round table opinions out.
Disagreement and wisecracks is the basis of conversation on sites like this. Otherwise there’d be nothing to talk about.
Mingus Dew
Microphone Assassin
- Oct 7, 2013
- 5,632
- 4,194
I think some people just approach sports fandom differently.
I can't say I've ever been watching hockey or football or whatever with buddies and after a loss like we suffered in the Chicago game they've been like "aww shucks fellas well it's only one game chin up it's all good doesn't mean anything".
That shit embarrasses me. It makes me angry. It makes me despondent. Isn't that what it is to be a fan sometimes? It's OK to admit that there are lows just like it's OK to admit that there are highs.
Getting shit kicked all through November was a low. It sucked and it probably did kill our playoff chances. That's how I experienced it. If you can just let that wash over you and still be smiling then I'm jealous because you're a happier person than me. But it doesn't invalidate my perspective.
I can't say I've ever been watching hockey or football or whatever with buddies and after a loss like we suffered in the Chicago game they've been like "aww shucks fellas well it's only one game chin up it's all good doesn't mean anything".
That shit embarrasses me. It makes me angry. It makes me despondent. Isn't that what it is to be a fan sometimes? It's OK to admit that there are lows just like it's OK to admit that there are highs.
Getting shit kicked all through November was a low. It sucked and it probably did kill our playoff chances. That's how I experienced it. If you can just let that wash over you and still be smiling then I'm jealous because you're a happier person than me. But it doesn't invalidate my perspective.
But the whole point of pro sports is to win or at minimum have the chance to win in the near future. If the Senators aren't doing that it's nowhere near as enjoyable and that is why people complain so much.
This isn't the same as watching your kids play where participating is the main goal.
Some posters are fans and only are interested in reading comments that are positive towards the team and the competition to getting into the playoffs.
Others are fans who are interested in analyzing the team, its performance and the probabilities of getting into the playoffs.
Sometimes they get on each other's nerves.
Oh well.
Others are fans who are interested in analyzing the team, its performance and the probabilities of getting into the playoffs.
Sometimes they get on each other's nerves.
Oh well.
Not for some parents; however, fortunately it is a small percentage of them.
swiftwin
★SUMMER.OF.STEVE★
- Jul 26, 2005
- 24,216
- 13,930
It's ok to be frustrated and upset after games like Chicago where the team didn't play well and got their shit kicked at a pivotal point of the season. I know I was really upset and pissed.
The issue I usually have with some posters around here is when we lose despite playing well. People need to recognize that hockey is very luck dependent compared to other sports and is ultimately a probabilistic exercise. It was painfully obvious in November that the team was way better than their record showed. Yet many around here were dooming really hard, literally saying that we were a worse team than we were last year, that the rebuild was a failure, and acting like we need to blow the team up. Y'all memed on me hard when I kept bringing up the deserve-o-meter and the advanced metrics, saying that things would even out, and our record would improve, and I was right (again, as usual).
I like to think this place is a more mature place (than say twitter or reddit) where we can discuss the team's performance with more nuance than just "yay! they won!" or "grrrr! they lost!". If people only care about win/lose, then why bother watching the games? Just scoreboard watch.
swiftwin
★SUMMER.OF.STEVE★
- Jul 26, 2005
- 24,216
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I'd argue it's the opposite.
Some posters are fans that are only interested in using this place as an emotional release valve when they lose, regardless of the team's performance.
Others are fans who are interested in analyzing the team, its performance and the probabilities of getting into the playoffs.
swiftwin
★SUMMER.OF.STEVE★
- Jul 26, 2005
- 24,216
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I think this is pretty bang on.
IMO, the friction around here happens between people who seek to understand and the people who seek to judge.
For example, those who seek to judge always need to find a scapegoat after every loss (even if there isn't one). That gets pretty frustrating and tiring to those who seek to understand. Those who seek to understand just want to explain what happened and why it happened, and try to understand how it could impact the future.
To me, judging in this context is completely pointless, and predicated on the illusion of control. But the fact is, we have no control over what happens in these games or what happens in the organization. Instead, my energy is better spent understanding the situation, and how it may impact things going forward. That's also probably why people perceive me as somehow pro-Dorion, or pro-DJ, when in reality, I don't really care about them. I'm not "pro" anything. I just try to understand their moves, understand their logic, and try to predict how this impacts things going forward. Considering my track record, I'd say this approach works pretty well.
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Right, I agree and felt similar at those times, but I also enjoyed the highs of being one of the best teams since December, with a crazy PP, and players having career years.
I personally enjoyed those more. It’s not about ignoring the lows, they just don’t overshadow the progress we have made this season at all, at least for me.
And then if course comes time weigh the good vs the bad when evaluating the season as a whole, which seems to be another point of disagreement.
BonHoonLayneCornell
Registered User
Good Post. It is a different experience for all of us.
I was depressed for weeks, and still somber months after our game 7 loss to Pittsburgh. The moment we lost, my buddy just looked at me, threw something on the floor and stormed out. We didn't touch base for a while after because we both just knew there was only painful discussion to be had. It's just how it is for some of us and it really limits the desire to get the excitement up when odds are heavily stacked against your team. The finals loss, the Leafs loss, and the 03 Friesen goal crushed me just the same and wouldn't even talk any sports or watch any for a long time after each time. Pretty much every playoff loss really, but there's some you can at least see coming and it softens the blow a bit.
Feel like I've had to keep hopes low for the sake of my mental health and just the reality that after 38 years of living, I've only seen like 2 chips across my 4 sports teams and that is a whole hell of a lot of losing.
Sens of Anarchy
Registered User
- Jul 9, 2013
- 67,209
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Samsquanch
Raging Bull Squatch
"Alive and still technically kicking" games in April coming up next....
This has to be above most of our lower end expectations. Now where would that bar have been if you were told what happens to Norris and the goalies...?
It's all good for me. Next season is THE year for me to raise my expectations to playoffs or bust status as a fan
This has to be above most of our lower end expectations. Now where would that bar have been if you were told what happens to Norris and the goalies...?
It's all good for me. Next season is THE year for me to raise my expectations to playoffs or bust status as a fan
Tnuoc Alucard
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- Sep 23, 2015
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sadly, many fans leave the game midway through the third period, because they place a higher value on exiting the parking lot, than to watch to the end of the game to receive their full monies worth.
poor layout at the CTC since it was built, forcing pedestrians and cars to cross paths with each other, before and after games.
Tnuoc Alucard
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- Sep 23, 2015
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agree that next year the bar will be raised from the ambiguity of “meaningful games” in March/spring, to at the very least “challenging for the playoffs” or my preferred “making the playoffs” rung on the goal for the season ladder.
Tnuoc Alucard
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- Sep 23, 2015
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I’m sure anyone of you can create a thread, as you describe, and then transform it into a ”safe space“ by using the ignore feature to weed out those you’ve decided are the “negativity trolls” so you won’t get triggered by anyone who does not go along to get along. Perhaps someone could be appointed as the Helicopter Mod to protect the rest from any biting negativity.
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Tnuoc Alucard
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- Sep 23, 2015
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Idk, maybe you'd have a different perspective if you attended games.
Yes, the building seats 18,500. The building has also had over 20,000 this year.
The attendance the other night was 16,074 according to the Score app. That doesn't mean that there was 2,426 empty seats. It depends on box seat sales and standing sales. The rink was pretty full the other night. I'm pretty good at looking around inside the building and coming up with a head count based on what I'm seeing. I figured it was around 16. The boxes were pretty full, so were the party decks. What was fairly empty was the upper 300s on the long end of the rink.
The Brady's better chant was pretty funny
