OT: Sharing your thoughts on the team and season.

[crkkh]

Just wanted to share my thoughts.

I used to get really excited for every game. I used to be nervous in the last minutes of the game.
After all these years tho, I just can't anymore.

Now, I fully expect them to blow every lead we have. If we're losing with 2-3 minutes left, it's pretty much game over in my mind because I'm not expecting them to even create one solid scoring opportunity. I don't expect goalies to make game-changing saves, or any of the forwards to be game-breakers.
I'm not even that excited for our games anymore, because all I can expect is disappointment.

Am I the only one feeling this way? Have I just lost the passion?

Sometimes we get caught in the "Are we there yet?" syndrome...Leaf fans seem to have gotten sick of the journey (rebuild) and simply want to be "there"...the trades they want to make and hirings and complaints all seem to echo this...
Burke did some good things, but he didn't get us "there"...
Now we have Nonis and Carlyle (both here because of Burke), and what the fans really need is something from them to offer "hope"...
That has actually been offered by Nonis with the trading of Lombardi and demotion of Connelly...both good steps for the team going forward...
The young players are starting to play...deadline day will hopefully put a smile on our faces...and hopefully more smiles and hope will come with draft day and free agency...
Relationships aren't built on the good times, they are built on the bad...and being a "fan" is a relationship with the "Team"...

 

[p.l.f.]

Just wanted to share my thoughts.

I used to get really excited for every game. I used to be nervous in the last minutes of the game.
After all these years tho, I just can't anymore.

Now, I fully expect them to blow every lead we have. If we're losing with 2-3 minutes left, it's pretty much game over in my mind because I'm not expecting them to even create one solid scoring opportunity. I don't expect goalies to make game-changing saves, or any of the forwards to be game-breakers.
I'm not even that excited for our games anymore, because all I can expect is disappointment.

Am I the only one feeling this way? Have I just lost the passion?

ive been through that a few teams (since the late 70s)

a winning leaf team can do wonders
like the 92-93 leaf season moto: the passion returns

 

[leafspring*]

The losing mentality from the fans; is being expressed back to the players. It's a cycle of losers.

If the fans would actually cheer for the team; maybe they would try a little harder. The ACC is dull and boring; with everyone sitting on their hands. We claim to be "the best fans" the "largest fanbase"; yet none of that has any direct positive influence on the team itself.

Every fanbase tries to kick us around; because half of this fanbase just takes it with a smile. Stand up for your team and back them up. It might make a world of difference. If you can't at least do that; maybe you truly are not a "fan" any more. You're just clinging on from habits.

A team this young should be cheered off the ice every game,and especially after a loss,and maybe even harder after a loss. Thats missing because of the ugly spin by media,and unrealistic contempt for losing.

There is alot to cheer for if you are a no quit fan,and your right it is sensed.

 

[Mess]

Unfortunately a culture and history of losing tends to have this effect on a fan base.

Apathy and indifference often the fallout of such matters.

This is among those most trying times for Leaf Nation as we have never been asked to accept and support this level losing, and so many consecutive non playoff years throughout this teams long history.

 

[member 147413]

Just wanted to share my thoughts.

I used to get really excited for every game. I used to be nervous in the last minutes of the game.
After all these years tho, I just can't anymore.

Now, I fully expect them to blow every lead we have. If we're losing with 2-3 minutes left, it's pretty much game over in my mind because I'm not expecting them to even create one solid scoring opportunity. I don't expect goalies to make game-changing saves, or any of the forwards to be game-breakers.
I'm not even that excited for our games anymore, because all I can expect is disappointment.

Am I the only one feeling this way? Have I just lost the passion?

I still care, but I feel the same way. I watch the games, but I don't get excited, and I have no faith that our players can make a play that keeps us in the game.

 

[GordieHoweHatTrick]

I still get excited over the games but I'm beginning to join the crowd that mocks the home club :laugh

 

[Christ]

I still get excited for the games but I find that games like the Ranger game have lost their appeal for me. No, it is not because I have lost my passion for the Leafs or something silly like that, but rather what I was watching on the ice is what killed my interest. When the team competes, shows hustle and a desire to win, I get right into the game. The team's overall effort level was not there against the Rangers and that killed the game for me.

In the game against the Rangers, the Leafs seemed disinterested for the most part and they were not doing what a team needs to do to win against a team as formidable as the Rangers. I kept hoping that they would start showing some hussle but apart from the odd individual effort, the team never did. With the way they were playing, I knew that barring a stellar night from Reimer the Leafs were going to lose that game when we were up 2-0 in the first and that is just not fun to watch.

 

[Suntouchable13]

It's tough. How many more non-playoff years can fans take? I am getting close to my limit. For the past 2 or 3 seasons, my excitement level for the team has been dropping.

 

[rojac]

If you're no longer enjoying being a Leaf fan, don't be a Leaf fan. Simple as that. If your life is somehow not going to be complete without cheering for a silly pro hockey team, seek professional help. Personally, I suspect that many on here just like complaining and arguing on message boards.

I don't know if you'd call my approach apathy or not. I think of it as acceptance that what the Leafs do is out of my control. Just like I have no control over what the weather will be like tomorrow, I have no contol over how the Leafs team is built or how they perform. I also have a natural reluctance to telling others how to do their jobs, so that makes me unusual amongst sports fans, who seem to thrive on it. I just don't have that sports fan arrogance that causes them to think that because they watch some games, they know how to run a team.

 

[Suntouchable13]

If you're no longer enjoying being a Leaf fan, don't be a Leaf fan. Simple as that. If your life is somehow not going to be complete without cheering for a silly pro hockey team, seek professional help. Personally, I suspect that many on here just like complaining and arguing on message boards.

I don't know if you'd call my approach apathy or not. I think of it as acceptance that what the Leafs do is out of my control. Just like I have no control over what the weather will be like tomorrow, I have no contol over how the Leafs team is built or how they perform. I also have a natural reluctance to telling others how to do their jobs, so that makes me unusual amongst sports fans, who seem to thrive on it. I just don't have that sports fan arrogance that causes them to think that because they watch some games, they know how to run a team.

Who says that it is affecting their lives? It's not affecting my life, it is still enjoyable to sit down and watch a Leafs game, it's just that I don't get as excited as I did maybe 5 years ago. Maybe it has also something to do with me getting older.

 

[egd27]

If you're no longer enjoying being a Leaf fan, don't be a Leaf fan. Simple as that. If your life is somehow not going to be complete without cheering for a silly pro hockey team, seek professional help. Personally, I suspect that many on here just like complaining and arguing on message boards.

I don't know if you'd call my approach apathy or not. I think of it as acceptance that what the Leafs do is out of my control. Just like I have no control over what the weather will be like tomorrow, I have no contol over how the Leafs team is built or how they perform. I also have a natural reluctance to telling others how to do their jobs, so that makes me unusual amongst sports fans, who seem to thrive on it. I just don't have that sports fan arrogance that causes them to think that because they watch some games, they know how to run a team.

I believe you have the right perspective. If they finish 30th or win the Stanley Cup, I realize that it has nothing to do with me, and as such, it doesn't really affect my outlook very much.

Who says that it is affecting their lives? It's not affecting my life, it is still enjoyable to sit down and watch a Leafs game, it's just that I don't get as excited as I did maybe 5 years ago. Maybe it has also something to do with me getting older.

Most likely.

 

[Darylman]

I feel the same way. I love following news and opinions of the team more than the games themselves at this point because they are such a huge let down.

Watching us be defensively responsible and losing to Buffalo was ok, because I knew that was what it would take to win (boring hockey)

But when we started blowing leads and being scored on 4,5,6,7 times, nothing is making any sense to me as a fan.

 

[Commander Clueless]

While I'm a Leafer for life and always enjoy watching them play, I agree that the excitement is severely reduced and its probably because we haven't had much to cheer about in close to a decade. Its tough to get excited for a losing product.

Last year we were all given the hope that the team might be turning a corner with a solid first half of the season including an excellent start only to have the team "fall off a cliff" as Burke put it. That was incredibly deflating. Couple that with an uneventful offseason and a half season lockout with a rocky start and well, lets just say the only emotion running high is anger (and frustration).

I remember Burke talking about the winter classic and how the fans were finally starting to see hope for a team that looked to be turning the corner. It all seems a little sad in hindsight as not too long after that the team bottomed out and Burke was fired.

Its one thing to know you're rebuilding and that the losing is expected (like where we started out in the Fletcher/Burke era) but to have that philosophy changed by the GM saying "it won't take that long" .... it gets much harder when that GM fails to deliver what he said. Now our team is...who knows where? Almost done the rebuild? Just starting? Who knows?

The lack of direction is as detrimental to the fans as it is to the team IMO.

 

[hullsy47]

If you're no longer enjoying being a Leaf fan, don't be a Leaf fan. Simple as that. If your life is somehow not going to be complete without cheering for a silly pro hockey team, seek professional help. Personally, I suspect that many on here just like complaining and arguing on message boards.

I don't know if you'd call my approach apathy or not. I think of it as acceptance that what the Leafs do is out of my control. Just like I have no control over what the weather will be like tomorrow, I have no contol over how the Leafs team is built or how they perform. I also have a natural reluctance to telling others how to do their jobs, so that makes me unusual amongst sports fans, who seem to thrive on it. I just don't have that sports fan arrogance that causes them to think that because they watch some games, they know how to run a team.

im a leafs and always will be ....im also a season ticket holder to the windsor spitfires ,part of junior hockey culture is the ability to interact with scouts ,generally every nite ,to be honest ,i dont even know if nonis will keep his job beyond this year .frankly burke didnt do a great job in toronto ,and most scouts thing there are numerous young gm's that can do a job as good or better than burke without the fanfare
i for one enjoy the tidbits and other hockey banter that a junior hockey riink holds
i don t criticize until i at least talk to people that get paid in the game
the leafs will make big changes and soon . that coming from two western conference scouts doing their crossovers at last weeks plymoth /windsor game

 

[MajorityRules*]

I can understand the let down. I try to focus on bright spots amongst the bad. Example, I'm enjoying watching Kadri's play as of late. It's not much, but it's at least something. That and I remind myself, a losing season is so much better than no season at all (which very well could have happened.)

 

[Syn3rgetic]

Things to keep in mind, amidst all the doom and gloom.

I know I know, "we aren't going to make the playoffs", blah blah blah.

LISTEN UP.

Would like to remind you guys of the following things.

1. The team has ONE forward aged 30 on the roster. His name is Colton Orr.
2. Our CAPTAIN is ONLY 27. He's just entering the prime of his career.
3. Our top forwards are aged 22, 23, 25. Kadri-Kessel-JVR. This is our potential first line going forward!
4. Our defense has lots of upside. Gardiner, Rielly, and Finn.
5. We have HUGE capspace going forward into 2013-2014.

Please guys, our team has been molded and remolded over the past few years. We have our new coach and a GM that's willing to put the team before his own convictions. I just upset over ugly losses just much as you guys but I know in my heart that this ship is righting itself.


It's a deep draft with lots of capspace. I'm excited about the off-season almost as much as the hockey we are finally able to watch again!

GO LEAFS GO.

 

[pooleboy]

As a true Leafs fan, every loss is a win.

this.

 

[Gobias Industries]

Uggh, if you don't count Lupul and Grabo as top forwards, it's kind of depressing to think they count to close to 11 mil on the cap.

I like points 1,4 and 5, though!

 

[Syn3rgetic]

Wouldn't a Kule Grab Lupul second line be attractive to you? I think that's mighty darned good for a second with potential to score 90+ goals a season.

EDIT: I'm really surprised they haven't tried a Kadri+Kessel+____ line yet.

 

[CerebralDevil]

I have the same outlook, we have a lot of great pieces in place just need a centre to help out the 1st line. I'm just as frustrated as the others, and I dont want to see the youth the Leafs have already in the line-up traded. I'm tired of the trade Kessel or get Perry talk. If anything the Leafs just need that big LEGIT centre to provide space for Kessel and snipe away.

 

[Syn3rgetic]

Exactly! We don't need to trade youth for unproven youth! I mean even if we trade Kessel for the #1 pick and get McKinnon, who's to say he won't "Daigle" is NHL career away? (lol Ottawa)

 

[Gobias Industries]

Wouldn't a Kule Grab Lupul second line be attractive to you? I think that's mighty darned good for a second with potential to score 90+ goals a season.

Sure, I'm just saying I think we overpaid for Grab and Lupul, especially when we even an optimistic viewpoint doesn't necessarily consider them top forwards.

I think it would also have the potential to score 50, so kind of a tough one.

 

[Mess]

If you're no longer enjoying being a Leaf fan, don't be a Leaf fan. Simple as that. If your life is somehow not going to be complete without cheering for a silly pro hockey team, seek professional help. Personally, I suspect that many on here just like complaining and arguing on message boards.

I don't know if you'd call my approach apathy or not. I think of it as acceptance that what the Leafs do is out of my control. Just like I have no control over what the weather will be like tomorrow, I have no contol over how the Leafs team is built or how they perform. I also have a natural reluctance to telling others how to do their jobs, so that makes me unusual amongst sports fans, who seem to thrive on it. I just don't have that sports fan arrogance that causes them to think that because they watch some games, they know how to run a team.

I believe you're describing the difference between a diehard/passionate verses casual/indifferent fan approach to supporting their favourite team.

So apathy is based on simply not caring enough to begin with to be effected by the results one way or the other and other things in life that you are more passionate about taking precedence.

 

[The Blue Devil]

I'm excited for the draft as that is the only way we're going to turn this mess around. But then again with our scouting staff you never know.

The games I watch and care a great deal obviously, but I have no hope for playoffs.

You mean the same scouting staff who's 06 draft class are pretty much all playing in the NHL this year?

 

[Auston Marlander]

It's so nice to have a positive post around here. 2 loses in a row and it's time to blow everything up around here!

I agree with all of your points, I hope for more of these threads.

*sits and waits for the usual's to come and **** on your corn flakes.*