I switched teams and I have no regrets

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

@J0e Th0rnton

 

Very interesting story, Joe.

I always knew you switched at some point, but didn't know the details. 

Thank you for this.

 

Now Joe's story is what I call a post, people!   

[OccamsRazor]

18 hours ago, J0e Th0rnton said:

As an adult with a choice, I finally picked my own team when it came down to it and it feels right

 

 

Good for you bud. 

 

Thanks for sharing.

 

Yours and @JR Ewing stories about your teams has opened my eyes and makes me feel a little better about my Flyers and their past 27 years.

[JR Ewing]

1 hour ago, OccamsRazor said:

 

 

Good for you bud. 

 

Thanks for sharing.

 

Yours and @JR Ewing stories about your teams has opened my eyes and makes me feel a little better about my Flyers and their past 27 years.

 

Want to know the really maddening part? I just gave you the stupid stuff from ~2010 thru today. This was by no means complete, and the Oilers have been like this for decades. We're talking about a team who's Chief of Scouting lived in Mexico, never watched hockey, and then publicly wondered why they didn't seem to do that well at the draft.

 

I could go on.

 

..... sigh.

 

[OccamsRazor]

28 minutes ago, JR Ewing said:

 

Want to know the really maddening part? I just gave you the stupid stuff from ~2010 thru today. This was by no means complete, and the Oilers have been like this for decades. We're talking about a team who's Chief of Scouting lived in Mexico, never watched hockey, and then publicly wondered why they didn't seem to do that well at the draft.

 

I could go on.

 

..... sigh.

 

 

Wow.

 

That is so crazy it's hard to believe.

 

Makes me feel better about my team.

 

This thread is like therapy.

[MadDevil]

1 hour ago, JR Ewing said:

 

Want to know the really maddening part? I just gave you the stupid stuff from ~2010 thru today. This was by no means complete, and the Oilers have been like this for decades. We're talking about a team who's Chief of Scouting lived in Mexico, never watched hockey, and then publicly wondered why they didn't seem to do that well at the draft.

 

I could go on.

 

..... sigh.

 

 

So I probably shouldn't thank the Oilers for Taylor Hall here? 

[JR Ewing]

26 minutes ago, MadDevil said:

 

So I probably shouldn't thank the Oilers for Taylor Hall here? 

 

I haven't been beating myself up enough in this thread?    lol

 

[Kings Redeem LA]

@Fanboy 

 

That was both an intriguing and depressing story to read. 

 

Vancouver's just as valid a team to pick and stick with as any other franchise. 

I don't find Leaf fans pathetic because they're dedicated to their team regardless how long it's been since Stanley stopped by. I find Toronto's passion for hockey, for the Leafs, to be inspiring. 

 

I'm unsure about how diehard a fan you can be for any team if you can abandon your original favorite squad after over 30 years. If you're willing to set a fire after three decades, it seems to me that you're willing to sever your allegiance to any team. A diehard fan doesn't bail on his team, and being diehard shows through commitment over time, not through declaration after (understandable) frustration. 

 

There's no guarantee that Vegas's current green pastures will stay that way, no guarantee they'll win a Cup in your lifetime or in anyone else's. Just as there was no guarantee that Gretzky's arrival in Los Angeles ensured team hardware. The games had to be played. And 1993, like every other year with Gretzky as a King, resulted in no Stanley Cup. 

 

In fact we LA King fans had to endure watching Anaheim take home the ultimate playoff hardware before our boys did--despite them appearing long after Los Angeles had a team. But I and others weren't going to change allegiances just because rivals close by arrived late but got to dance with Stanley first. I'm from Orange County but I still wasn't about to bounce onto the bandwagon. Funny side note: I remember one year in high school when this chap showed up after every Finals in each major professional sport, wearing gear from the team that finished second.  No kidding! Second place! Perhaps he did so to comment on people who are suddenly running with the winners about whom they gave no toss until the victory among victories. His unusual and timely fashion choices certainly captured my attention!   

 

Why not just keep Vancouver as your favorite team and 

add a second favorite like others have done? Seems sad to

turn such a big part of one's life into both figurative and actual ashes.  

 

When I watch the Kings there's an energy that imbues me which's only really matched 

by my football team: Liverpool. And I know it's true love in both cases because the former 

had problematic uniforms and the latter still does.  I can't imagine a likely scenario that 

would even tempt me to bail on the feeling, the history between my Kings and me. 

 

@J0e Th0rnton and @JR Ewing 

 

There are standout posts throughout this thread. 

Your respective epics deserve particular props. 

 

I knew Edmonton has had its problems in the front office over the years

but oh my goodness I didn't know it was that bad!  for that long!    

 

@yave1964 

 

was "Dead Things" used regularly, publicly, after the one-and-only Mr. Hockey left Detroit? 

I'm hoping you say no.    

 

 

 

[yave1964]

@thenewestlights

 

Oh God yeah, after Gordie retired (for the first time before resurfacing in the WHA) and Marcel Dionne threw a hissy fit and Prima Donna'd his way out of town there was an entire generation where fans knew nothing but losing, I mean awful, unwatchable hockey, bad trades (Foligno for the ghost of Danny Gare, Oates for one season of Federko come to mind) old tired vets playing out the string (Reggie Leach, Brad Park collecting one final check among others) and a bunch of supposed to be goods who really weren't, bad drafts, awful coaching, we were the Dead Things, the Dead Wings, take your pick, we weren't just awful we were bad of Biblical proportions. When Jimmy Devellano took over the team according to his book he had to give a car away every game just to get enough fans to show up so it was not an embarrassment.

 

  But you stick by your boys and it is that much sweeter when you reach the pinnacle. Stevie Yzerman came through the draft and it took a decade to finally get the team built right around him. Heartbreaking playoff losses against an inferior Sharks team and then a Cup loss to the Devils, Claude Lemeiux and Paddy Roy stealing our cup in 1996, just when it looked as if the shelf life was nearing its end Shanahan came in a trade and brought heart, we won 4 cups in a decade and that is that. I never gave a thought, never will to walking away from the boys, even now when they are awful most nights and boring every night would I ever consider giving up on them. I look for the glimmer, the nail to hang my hat on every single game, it gets frustrating but a real fan stays with his team through thick and thin no matter what. Eventually the Wings will be relevant again and I will still be there wearing my winged wheel jerseys and sweaters and jackets and with my bumper stickers and all the rest until that day so that when the next wave finally gets it together I can say I waited it out. It is how it works. Just hoping we dont quite sink to Dead Things level, lol but if we do, they are still my team.

[Fanboy]

Like Jerry Seinfeld says about professional sports "Fans are only cheering for the laundry"  The players come and go but you are essentially just cheering for that team logo, jersey, team.

 

I decided to burn my old laundry (Vancouver Canucks) and start fresh with new duds (Las Vegas Golden Knights). 

 

Sometimes a new start is refreshing, after all, do you wear the same clothes from 30 years ago??

 

I'm just a fan, I have no control or influence in the decision making of a team, and I just got tired of funding the loser Canucks who are never going anywhere.  That is why I switched, I know the Golden Knights will win a cup and I will be right there on the bandwagon in my new Golden Knights laundry.

[hf101]

On 12/29/2017 at 12:35 PM, Fanboy said:

 

So I decided to fire the Vancouver Canucks and abandon the team, I had a big bonfire one night on my property and I burned 7 Canucks jerseys, 3 hats, a tire cover, 3 mugs, 4 Canucks coasters, 2 Canucks car flags, 5 t-shirts, and 1 blanket.  I said enough, I'm not going to be loyal to a loser team, I don't want to wait 50 years for a championship, while others get to celebrate with their team like Chicago fans, or LA Kings fans, or Detroit fans or Pittsburgh fans.  So that was it, I completely washed my hands of the Vancouver Canucks, I stopped watching their games, stopped following the team and stopped going to games.

 

Maybe I missed it in this thread, but why were you initially a fan of the Canucks?  Are you Canadian, or grew up near Vancouver, etc?  I noticed that you state that you currently live in is Nevada which is really a #1 reason IMO for initiating a fanship for the Golden Knights.

 

I eventually switched the team I cheered for initiated by a move from Minnesota to Philadelphia in 1986.  Granted in 86 I was still only a North Stars fan, but as the true hockey fan that I am I watched whatever hockey game was on TV which meant watching every Flyers televised games.  This eventually turned into going to the bars to watch the Flyers in the playoffs.  While my heart still cheered for the North Stars I found myself becoming a fan of the Flyers.  Then that horrific deal happened and the beloved North Stars moved to Dallas to the City where my only hatred for sports teams existed. [ which stemmed from years of disappointment as a Minnesota Viking fan} (Hating everything Dallas was an easy switch with the move to Philadelphia ).     

 

I found I couldn't root for Dallas even though my favorited players like Neal Broten, Brian Bellows, etc. were in Texas.  Then, of course, they won the Stanley Cup.  The Flyers haven't won a cup since I moved to Philly, and the North Stars never won a cup while I was in Minny, thus there are many yrs of disappointment and hating a number of teams around the league, lol. 

 

Now that the internet and cable TV make it so easy to watch hockey I'm finding it harder and harder to only enjoy watching the Flyers.  Playing fantasy hockey over the last 7-8 years has changed my mindset from 'opposition team hatred' to player favorites throughout the NHL.  To add to that, since running this site I've found myself really enjoying conversations with hockeyfans from all over the globe independent of which team they cheer for.  So while I wear a Flyers jersey and support the team I find myself less and less obsessed with winning a championship and more obsessed with the enjoyment of watching great hockey games.

 

 

 

 

[Fanboy]

I used to live in Vancouver BC, but I moved to Las Vegas in 2010, and I still cheered for Vancouver before there was any mention of the Golden Knights.  But I just got tired of watching the Canucks lose over and over every year.  I'm a competitive player myself and I can't stand losing (I demanded a trade from my ball hockey team when they sucked, and got traded to a winning team 20 years ago)  For me sports is all about winning, I don't play for fun, I do whatever it takes to win.  So I had enough with the useless Canucks and then when Vegas got a new NHL team, I was their first die hard fan.

 

hf101 I'm surprised you are not a Minnesota Wild fan if you cheered for the North Stars before.  I still remember the 1991 Stanley Cup finals with Mario Lemieux walking past the North Stars defense to score that nice goal.  Mario owned the North Stars that final, I think it was a sweep.

 

 

[hf101]

17 minutes ago, Fanboy said:

hf101 I'm surprised you are not a Minnesota Wild fan if you cheered for the North Stars before.  I still remember the 1991 Stanley Cup finals with Mario Lemieux walking past the North Stars defense to score that nice goal.  Mario owned the North Stars that final, I think it was a sweep.

 

Ah yes, the Penguins haven't ever been one of my favorited teams through the years, lol that 91 Stanley Cup final was brutal.    I am a fan of the Wild as you will notice they are my 2nd favorite team to root for.   It's also so much easier to dislike the Devils since Zach Parise signed with the Wild. lol.  I do have to say though signing Boudreau as head coach wasn't a decision by the organization which I'm a fan of so I do think I'll see the Flyers with a Stanley Cup before the Wild win one.

 

I think the most difficult thing for me as a fan of the Flyers isn't that they haven't won a cup (since I moved to Philly),  but for the lack of drafting Minnesota born players to the Flyers organization over the years... especially with Paul Holmgren's influence.  I always like to see the Minny raised players being great on whichever team they play for.   Although I've never had a reason to be a fan of the Canucks I've enjoyed watching some of their games this year with Brock Boeser success on their roster, just as it was fun to watch Jake Guentzel's success last season during the playoffs.  For the record, I wasn't rooting for the Penguins to win.  

 

I think it is great that the Golden Knights have started off their inaugural season with so much success.   Gallant has done a Jack Adams award worth awesome job.  

[JR Ewing]

1 hour ago, Fanboy said:

I used to live in Vancouver BC, but I moved to Las Vegas in 2010, and I still cheered for Vancouver before there was any mention of the Golden Knights.  But I just got tired of watching the Canucks lose over and over every year.  I'm a competitive player myself and I can't stand losing (I demanded a trade from my ball hockey team when they sucked, and got traded to a winning team 20 years ago)  For me sports is all about winning, I don't play for fun, I do whatever it takes to win.  So I had enough with the useless Canucks and then when Vegas got a new NHL team, I was their first die hard fan.

 

hf101 I'm surprised you are not a Minnesota Wild fan if you cheered for the North Stars before.  I still remember the 1991 Stanley Cup finals with Mario Lemieux walking past the North Stars defense to score that nice goal.  Mario owned the North Stars that final, I think it was a sweep.

 

 

 

But...

 

The Canucks have been strong for most of the past quarter-century and outstanding for most of the last 15 years... Alright, they lost in the Finals, but it's not as if you've been watching the '75 Caps all this time.

[Fanboy]

I think the Flyers are a good team, they just always seem to have goaltending issues.  But I like Simmons and Giroux and I love their blue collar hard nose hockey play.  I still remember the Legion of Doom with Lindros, LeClair and Renberg, now that was a lethal line.

 

I remember watching the Flyers in 2010 in the finals against the Blackhawks and when Patrick Kane scored the OT winner and nobody knew the puck was in the net except Kane.  

[Fanboy]

On ‎12‎/‎30‎/‎2017 at 8:00 AM, BluPuk said:

This whole thread is really, really odd to me. To me, fans of a team are fans because they love the team. Win or lose.

In my case, ever since I was a "wee lad". I have ridden with the ups and downs of my Leafs since the days when the neighbour's lawn mower interfered with the signal and caused "snow" on the tiny, black-and-white screen. I watched them win four Stanley cups - three of them in consecutive years. Did I consider changing teams as the Leafs losing streak became longer, and longer? Nope. I will always be a Leafs fan. And it has nothing to do with winning Stanley Cups. I wore the occasional black eyes with pride, from the Habs fans, who took a few black eyes themselves. 

 

To me, hockey is like religion. People don't change religions, do they?? 

 

See at least you got to see your team win the Stanley Cup.  I have never seen my team win a cup even though I watch hockey religiously every year, especially the playoff and every game in every round for every team from 7pm to the quadruple overtime games that west coast teams play until 4am eastern time.  So I have seen teams like the Penguins parade around the ice with the cup, Chicago, on and on, yet my team could never do it for 30 years so I switched.  Maybe if the Canucks won 1 cup I might still be a fan but not winning anything I don't feel bad walking away from the team.

 

Besides I love my new team and I will see them win a Cup soon, simple economics dictate Vegas having a Stanley Cup final, all the revenue generated for the NHL, from all the celebrities being so close to Hollywood, and all the big events always happen in Vegas, big boxing matches, pay per view, etc etc.  If Carolina can win a Cup so can Vegas.

 

Go Golden Knights Go!!

[hf101]

2 minutes ago, Fanboy said:

Besides I love my new team and I will see them win a Cup soon, simple economics dictate Vegas having a Stanley Cup final, all the revenue generated for the NHL, from all the celebrities being so close to Hollywood, and all the big events always happen in Vegas, big boxing matches, pay per view, etc etc.  If Carolina can win a Cup so can Vegas.

 

The State of Hockey hasn't even won a Stanley Cup...

 

[Fanboy]

Golden Knights is now my team for life and I'm not looking back on the Vancouver Canucks, besides the Canucks have sucked for the last 4 years, I'm not missing anything.

 

Golden Knights - Stanley Cup Champs 2017-2018!!!

 

Conn Smyth - Marc-Andre Fleury!!!

[hf101]

15 minutes ago, Fanboy said:

Golden Knights is now my team for life and I'm not looking back on the Vancouver Canucks, besides the Canucks have sucked for the last 4 years, I'm not missing anything.

 

Golden Knights - Stanley Cup Champs 2017-2018!!!

 

Conn Smyth - Marc-Andre Fleury!!!

 

 

I think Nashville will be the team to beat out of the west.

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

2 minutes ago, hf101 said:

 

 

I think Nashville will be the team to beat out of the west.

 

I agree with this.

 

But also, don't count out those sneaky Stars, the Ducks if they can finally ice a healthy roster, and the Kings with their built-from-the-ground-up playoff style team.

[Fanboy]

1 hour ago, hf101 said:

 

 

I think Nashville will be the team to beat out of the west.

 

Pekka Rinnea can't handle the pressure of the playoffs, we saw what happened last year in the playoffs, he will fold like a cheap mattress under the pressure

 

It's going to New Jersey vs Las Vegas in the Stanley Cup finals.

 

Last year I predicted that Pittsburgh would win the cup before the season started, and also that the Houston Astros would win the World Series, so far 2 for 2 

[OccamsRazor]

6 hours ago, hf101 said:

the lack of drafting Minnesota born players to the Flyers organization over the years... especially with Paul Holmgren's influence.  I always like to see the Minny raised players being great on whichever team they play for. 

 

 

Alex Lyon is from Minny...hey wait is that why they won't play him??? 

[Fanboy]

On ‎1‎/‎2‎/‎2018 at 3:06 PM, hf101 said:

 

 

I think Nashville will be the team to beat out of the west.

Yeah we saw that last night, when they got schooled by my Golden Knights!!!

[Kings Redeem LA]

@yave1964 

 

Yikes! That's some kind of depressing, seems almost sacrilegious.   

My brain can't fathom saying such things in or about a hallowed hockey city like 

Hockey Town U.S.A. Detroit's one of two teams I can root for in the playoffs if 

the Kings are gone from them or never made it. And of course I had 

many opportunities to do that while the Wings were on their streak--

what was it: 200-something consecutive seasons in the postseason?  --

until it ended. 

 

I actually have meaningful connections to Detroit's team  in that 

Gordie Howe's my second-favorite player to Mario Lemieux. (The Penguins 

are the other group I can root for after the Kings  condition has been met.

P.S. Don't share that with the myriad Flyer fans on this site.  ) The one-and-only 

Mr. Hockey was the player who got my Great Lakes aunt into hockey. My Midwest / GL 

fam all root for the Red Wings. I also vividly recall my pops rocking a

Stevie Y Tee back in the decades. 

 

My brother was actually in Detroit during the last year for the Joe, sent me a stellar picture 

right before the game kicked off, said he wished he could share the moment with our 

(physically deceased) father and me.    

 

P.S.S. I hope someone said something like Stay here and make Detroit a winner again, ya whiner 

to Dionne.   

 

@Fanboy 

 

If Jerry Seinfeld really believes that then I wonder why he decks himself in Mets gear for their games. 

If it's really only about laundry then why implicate oneself by wearing any merch? Why go to the games and 

pretend they and team are more important beyond just showing up and passing the time. 

 

For some there's a lot more going into choosing and keeping a team than just picking whatever pretty or 

iffy colors are gonna end up in the washer and dryer. There are family connections in rooting for a team. 

There's the kind of amazing alumni people can find in teams such as the Canadiens  and the

aforementioned Wings. There's also the way one's team can work as a guidepost during life's progress from 

youth to adulthood. I could go on, but instead I'll say that it's been rewarding to read why folks have 

stuck by, switched from, or almost switched from an allegiance. I hope more folks post on

this thread you got started.   

 

@hf101 

 

Your Dallas antipathy gets me thinking about my arguably unpleasant thoughts about 

the New York Y----s. On a nearly daily basis!  When I was approximately knee-high to a 

Zdeno Chara

-------- 

 

 

 

[<--artist rendition of (LittleNewestLights)]

  

--------I actually made a list of ten reasons why I thought the 

New York Y----s were bad for baseball. Now that I'm an adult, 

or least adultish, I can't remember most those reasons or 

find that list, but continue with my half principled - half automatic 

loathing for said baseball blight. Other than Lou Gehrig of course!   

 

I totally dig about watching great games. Hockey moves me 

regardless who's playing. I feel bad for those folks who can't 

find a reason to watch at least the playoffs even if their team 

didn't make it. But different strokes for different blokettes and blokes. 

 

@JR Ewing 

 

Vancouver has indeed had some great tradition! They've had some 

great players too. I remember both Sundin and Linden givin me 

and mine some fits.    

 

..... 

 

The Penguins beat the Stars in the Stanley Cup finals in six games after 

going down two games to one. Le Magnifique was exactly that in that campaign.  + 

a Conn Smythe: 

 

 

Pekka can play in the playoffs. But for some reason he usually struggles mightily with

the Penguins whenever he faces them. 

 

imagine IF the Knights, say, make and win the Final against the Devils, going through the Preds to do it, that would be some kind of special for them, for the league, and for James Neal. That's: IF. One good game, one good half season--guarantees squat. 

Plus the playoffs are a whole different party. IF the Knights even make it there. Kudos to them if 

they do. Hockey experts and "hockey experts" in the media better acknowledge the quality analysis 

regarding Vegas success from @TropicalFruitGirl26 should that unthinkable become actual.   

 

Myself with regard to possible Golden playoff triumph:--and keep in mind my successful prediction percentage of 

around 19.3% on anything--  : their youth and their roster's relatively limited playoff experience would be their undoing. 

But the games have to be played! Which's why I almost never watch 

analyst arguments and pregame prognostications.   

 

 

  

 

  

[JR Ewing]

 

Don't worry, there's still some real Canucks fans left.

 

 

 

 

[ruxpin]

On 1/2/2018 at 10:37 AM, hf101 said:

The Flyers haven't won a cup since I moved to Philly, and the North Stars never won a cup while I was in Minny,

Can I get you to move to Pittsburgh?