Join me in Celebrating the Futility of the Calgary Flames

[Kel]

Kel, are you calling me unintelligent? ...
...Before critiquing a comment as unintelligent and uncivil...

If you are not sure whether I called you unintelligent or not (because you asked), then you should not jump to the conclusion.

No, I am not calling what you wrote unintelligent. What I tried to say is that since Brian has worked hard to make this site a good place for intelligent and civilized discussion, when he requests that we don't call fans of other teams losers, it is very reasonable for us to cooperate.

Yes, I don't like the Flames, but as the last season has shown, an early winning record for the Canucks and losing record for the Flames meant little in the end.

[Mantle]

I am in Edmonton now and I couldn't help but roll my eyes after talking hockey with a friend from Calgary. He just kept saying how talented their forwards are and how they'd be there at the top of the division at the end of the year. When I asked who the talented guys were other than Tanguay and Iginla he went on about how Kobasew was a sniper that had 20g last year and how Huselius was super talented. I managed to keep my mouth shut but I think we all remember how our 10 point lead at the beginning of the season meant going down to the wire at the end. It's basically impossible for the Flames to win the division now but he just can't see it.

Oh and he also said how the Wild were going down since they lost Gaborik, evidenced by their going 3-1 since he left the lineup, but "not winning as decisively". I swear the cup run just brought all the bandwagon fans out of the woodwork who don't know anything about the game other than "rah rah score a goal man!"

[yammi]

I don't really condone calling other teams fans here "losers", so I ask you refrain in doing so.

I think that's a good idea. Having surfed around a few of the forums for other teams (including the Flames board), I think Canucks Corner is superior because it has far less of the noise and trash talk about other teams' fans and a better quality of discussion.

There are some really outstanding sports forums around that are far less tolerant than Brian (e.g., Batter's Box is an amazing forum for Canadian baseball fans, but people get gang tackled by other members if they start to stray away from objective discussion of the sport and do not have anything substantive to contribute) ... if I want to hear pot-stirring nonsense intended primarily to elicit a reaction, I can always listen to pinheads like David Pratt spout off on the radio; but this board is a place for intelligent discussion about hockey.

That said ... yes, it's pretty sweet to see that coming out the gate the Flames are sucking the big pike -- and especially after all those preseason media predictions that the addition of Tanguay made them the team to beat.

[the Cunning Linguist]

Some Flames fans on our board are suggesting that the Flames upgraded in talent but the price they paid was losing their work ethic and grinder personality, and that has largely been masked by Kiprusoff's play. Despite all the offensive upgrades, they still can't score on the PP (25th), and they're also having trouble scoring at ES (27th) and their PK hasn't been so good (21st)... But most of all, I agree that it's far too early to count them out - they started last season 4-5-1 and still won the Division... The Flames fans are suggesting that Playfair will be gone by mid-December. That's still plenty of time to make some noise in the NW.

[Lancer]

I was going to say that we shouldn't be throwing gravedirt on the Flames quite yet. All it takes is for Kipper to get on a hot streak and their fortunes can change. Doesn't change the fact I hate the Flamers and their rodeo, bush-league brand of hockey, but you have to admit that as Kipper goes, so go the Flamers - Iggy or no Iggy - and Kipper's been known to go on bad stretches early on before getting hot.

As long as we beat them when we play them, that's all I care about the Flames. We'll see come January whether to give them their last rites for the season.

P.S. - I gotta say though that it was super-sweet to see Ovechkin sit that punk-ass bitch Phaneuf on his ass a couple times last night. Who's the big mean man now, Dion? What are you going to do now, hork another puck at someone's head? The only thing better would have been if Ovechkin or someone else dropped the gloves and then Phaneuf. That kid needs a sore beating in the worst way.

[Canuck-One]

I posted on the Calpuck forum and was branded a troll and banned for life for having the audacity to question whether or not a regehr hit was too wicked. I stated up front that I thought it was legal but that he should have eased up when he realized the other player had his head down. I was personally attacked and when I responded BAM I was given the boot. So I wouldn't want any of that to happen here. This board is fair and the discourse is interesting and informative. Having said all of that I will say I hope Calgary falls flat on it's face and comes in 10th (I don't want a high lottery pick LOL ) As for their fans well..... they leave something to be desired in the objective category.

[mattola]

im not going to celebrate in anyones Futility this season. we are coming off a season where WE MISSED the playoffs because ofour own Futility. I dont care what other teams fans are doing. Do I hope they turn it around? god no. but best case scenario is all Canadian teams to make the playoffs and the final four and the cup final

but when you are coming off a season where you didnt make the playoffs and are just only 3 games above .500 I cant see why we would celebrate anyone sucking. we have a long way to go.

[mattola]

oh and a really important thing is

its only 10 games into the season for the Flames

they will have 3 games in Hand after tonight....

[SRsez]

it's far too early to count them out - they started last season 4-5-1 and still won the Division.

Except that last season, the Canucks sucked every time they played the Flamers, which won't be the case this year.

BTW this year they're 3-6-1, and headed out on a 3 game trip starting in Detroit. They were extremely lucky last season & the year before. Now the smoke has cleared and you're seeing the real Flames, and they suck.

[Jyrki21]

but best case scenario is all Canadian teams to make the playoffs and the final four and the cup final.

Good Lord, I hope this doesn't happen.

Seeing as we are fans of the Canadian team with the least extra-territorial appeal, the entire national media would be against us. CBC would just change all its programming to pictures of Ryan Smyth's mullet.

[WCE]

it's far too early to count them out - they started last season 4-5-1 and still won the Division.

Except that last season, the Canucks sucked every time they played the Flamers, which won't be the case this year.

We had a .500 record against them last year...Looking at our record last year, we weren't far above being a .500 team. The only thing that kept us afloat was our record vs the Eastern Conference, which was something silly like 10-1, or something to that effect.

So I don't know if you could say "we sucked" against them as though it is a qualifying statement that we were a better team in other instances.

We played against them like we played against everyone else in the West.

BTW this year they're 3-6-1, and headed out on a 3 game trip starting in Detroit. They were extremely lucky last season & the year before. Now the smoke has cleared and you're seeing the real Flames, and they suck.

2 years is a long stretch of getting lucky. Certainly they got a lot of bounces and good fortunes in their cup run, but I don't know how you can say it was all smoke and mirrors when they followed it up with another strong showing the following year.

I don't think they are anywhere near the juggernaut some where making them out to be before the puck drop this season, but they do have some good players on their team, and I don't expect them to carry a losing record when christmas time hits.

[SRsez]

2 years is a long stretch of getting lucky. Certainly they got a lot of bounces and good fortunes in their cup run, but I don't know how you can say it was all smoke and mirrors when they followed it up with another strong showing the following year.

Well it wasn't really two entire years, just two years of having luck against the Canucks. We may have got 1/2 the points, but I'm pretty sure Calgary got more than 1/2. I'd prove it, but can't find the Flames records, and the Canuck records I find only show as a W, not OTW or SOW. Got any great stat sites I don't know about?

How else does a talentless team dominate a decent team like that without luck?

[Island Nucklehead]

Hard work, and dedication to team defence maybe?

Attributes the Canucks sorely lacked last season, but have found this year and (Quelle suprise!) they're winning! I don't think anyone would claim to say this years team is MORE talented than the Canucks of last season. The simply work harder and play better defence. That's how the Flames were so good. The problem they're encountering now is that other teams will rise to match the effort, and unlike the Canucks (who have more than 2 bonafide scoring threats), the Flames will rarely outscore an opponent.

[WCE]

2 years is a long stretch of getting lucky. Certainly they got a lot of bounces and good fortunes in their cup run, but I don't know how you can say it was all smoke and mirrors when they followed it up with another strong showing the following year.

Well it wasn't really two entire years, just two years of having luck against the Canucks. We may have got 1/2 the points, but I'm pretty sure Calgary got more than 1/2. I'd prove it, but can't find the Flames records, and the Canuck records I find only show as a W, not OTW or SOW. Got any great stat sites I don't know about?

How else does a talentless team dominate a decent team like that without luck?

Off the top of my head, I believe we went 4-4 against them for 8 points last year, and they had a record 4-3-1 against us for 9 points.

I am not saying that the Canuck team last year didn't fall mightly short of expectations, I am just questioning you qualifying their wins as "lucky".

To me, lucky would mean that we dominated every team in the league, but for whatever reason, Calgary had our number...

BUT, we were a slightly below .500 team against the Western Conference...period. We played the Flames like we played everyone else, and that is lackluster by standard.

Last year the Flames' games weren't decided by luck; they were part of a continuing trend of a talented but directionless team that carried an embarassing record against the West.

[SRsez]

they were part of a continuing trend of a talented but directionless team.

And you don't consider that even slightly fortunate on the Flamers part? The Canucks should've gone 6-1-1 against that crap, and the cowtowners should've missed the playoffs.