For the Love of the Game - Guest Feature

by Bob Wage on Dec 9, 2008 1:25 AM EST

The past week has been a rough one for many Caniacs. They have gone through a coaching change, their favorite team has lost several recent games on home ice, injured players are the norm, and negativity abounds. A few days ago, I received an email from a fan who offered some perspective.

This was contributed by Drew from Apex-

Remember when you were young and you loved your favorite sports team. It didn't matter which team it was; they were your team. I never got to go to a hockey game when I was younger, but I watched a bunch of the games on TV. Most of the games were not on TV, so you had to either listen to the radio or keep up with the box scores. My friend Ron and I would always talk about hockey and the great goals from last night, even though we were supposed to be learning something in class. Who needs Social Studies, right? Back then I knew how to draw all the NHL team uniforms and logos and would tirelessly add the color to my drawings. Ron would do some nice black and white sketches of goalies, which were his favorites.

You played street hockey whenever you could get enough players, and I still can remember how bad those street hockey balls hurt when it was cold. If you were the goalie that day, you had to use a baseball glove, which did the job fine. You got your trusty Mylec stick ready with tape and curved the blade to make it easier to control the ball. A few times we walked to the next borough and played in "The Cage", which was a rectangular fenced in area that would contain those wild slap shots and kept the play going non-stop. This was our version of playing a professional game.

Fans go through some things: moving, lockouts, trades, and they all have an effect on you. But sports, and especially hockey, always has a way to win me over and keep that little kid in me enthused about the game. You get older, move a few times, and save up enough money for season tickets. The first time to a hockey game you marvel at the speed and all the plays you missed on TV. The game is the same, but you really appreciate how well the players skate. You read the newspaper and listen to talk radio and hear all the negative things that we all have heard over and over. Thats a part of it, but there is a "bigger than me" and romantic aspect that keeps me interested.

The thing is, back then thing things were simpler. It wasn't about the business or trades, it was just the hockey. Maybe along the way I forgot some of that and got caught up in all recent changes to hockey over the last decade. Here's to being a hockey fan through thick and thin. The happy times and the sad times. It's my team, just like when I was young; I forgot for a little while, but now I'm back on track.
Drew makes a great point. It doesn't really matter if you have played the game before or just fell in love while watching it. Fans become passionate about a sport for various reasons and we all go through ups and downs throughout the fandom process. Perhaps during a down turn, it's a good time to take a deep breath and remember why we are all fans to begin with.

Thanks for sharing, Drew.

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Comments

I couldn’t agree more. I’ve been a 24/26 game plan holder since 03/04 season (we’ve always sat in the lower bowl north end). I get so tired of other season ticket holders threatening to not renew their plans because (insert excuse here).

I say, if that’s all it takes to give up your seats, go ahead. As bad as it has gotten in the past, it’s never even crossed my mind to stop going to games, and have been toying with the idea of going full season. And just to let you know, I’m in the military, so no, I don’t make a lot of money.

I go because I love the sport and watching the Canes play. That’s doesn’t mean I don’t get frustrated when they don’t give a 60 minute effort, but, I don’t whine and threaten not to go to cames anymore. (Those folks sound a lot like the hollywood elite who threatened to leave the US when President Bush won the 1st election)

Drew, I’m glad there are other folks out there like me who love the sport and the team, regardless of the score or the management.

by Ken on Dec 9, 2008 8:21 AM EST reply actions

http://flyers07-08.blogspot.com/2008/12/southeast-again-really.html

sorry this is out of context but this pissed me off and I wanted to share it

by TylerA on Dec 9, 2008 10:14 AM EST reply actions

I couldn’t agree more. I firmly believe that if you are a true fan, you remain a true fan through good times and bad. I guess being a sports fan is kind of like marriage in that way-even when things aren’t perfect you have to stick around so that you can enjoy the good times. The past few years have been frustrating for Canes’ fans, but that hasn’t made me less of a fan. If anything, I think that I relish the good days even more now since they aren’t a guarantee. Now when we win, or the boys give a great effort, it means more somehow. It sticks with me longer and I really soak it all up.

With all of the negative things in the world, it is nice to know that for 60 minutes every other night or so you can lose yourself in the stories unfolding on the ice. You can check your problems and worries at the door and get caught up in the game. There is nothing in the world like the feeling that you get when the goal light comes on, the horn sounds and the crowd explodes. There is nothing like the feeling that you get from being a fan. No matter what this team does or doesn’t accomplish, I won’t ever let that feeling go and I encourage all fans to do the same. Don’t give up on our boys! LET’S GO CANES!

by caniacgirl on Dec 9, 2008 10:58 AM EST reply actions

I agree as well, what really pisses me off is when you are at a game and you know that the team is going to loose and before the final buzzer there is a on slought of people leaving the arena, too me these are not true hockey fans.

by PSmith on Dec 9, 2008 11:10 AM EST reply actions

Well done Drew. There’s something to be valued in watching an NHL game every night, even if your team is on the wrong of end of the win/loss ledger.

by Cory on Dec 9, 2008 11:10 AM EST reply actions

Everybody is different and some feel they have the right to boo, leave early, or whatever since they paid the money, however, for me I would agree with Drew and others that when a team is going down is not the time to give up on them. It’s easy to cheer when things are going well, but when a team is in trouble it’s really then when they need the support from the people around them. There is a guy that sits behind me and every game he whines, moans, complains constantly the entire game. It is really annoying and takes away from my enjoyment, but he paid the price to get in so I don’t say anything. The other thing I don’t get is why people think not going to the game (sth’s) is going to change anything. I am sure the organization wants the seats to be filled, but the STH has already paid their money so I really don’t get the point. Hopefully the holidays and a little better play will put everybody in a good mood and the rbc will buzzing again with some extended cheering (or at least I am hoping it will put an end to the over zealous whining from my seat mate, please oh please).

by hotchipsnsalsa on Dec 9, 2008 11:26 AM EST reply actions

everyone should go check out the post that tylerA linked on the flyers site.

it has like 8 comments all from hurricanes fans.

thats funny.

by chris j on Dec 9, 2008 11:31 AM EST reply actions

http://flyers07-08.blogspot.com/2008/12/southeast-again-really.html

by chris j on Dec 9, 2008 11:31 AM EST reply actions

Tyler – thanks for that! I like that all of the comments were from Caniacs, and all of them were pissing on his head.
I’m a recent arrival as a hockey fan (I grew up in a pro-sports-hating family, so never watched anything except the occasional baseball game, which I don’t think counts as a sport anyways) and didn’t start watching hockey until the Flames run for the cup the year before the lockout. For some reason that run got me hooked, and even after a season without hockey, I started watching the Canes (every game, but only on TV) when I moved to the area, even though no one around me was interested. I bought a stretch pack and tickets for the first two rounds (I couldn’t afford the third/fourth rounds) and then 10 game plans for two year after that in the hopes that I could get people around me interested. It’s hard to get people interested. I listen to every game on the radio (I no longer have a TV). This year I gave up on going to games – with the increase in ticket price and parking and gas I just couldn’t afford it. BUT then I lucked out! One of the friends I brought to many of the games bought a 12 game pack for me for, well, every gift-giving holiday for the next 5 years… I would never dream of not going to a game (or leaving early) just because I’m sure we’re going to lose. You never know until the final horn sounds (I firmly believe this – when I started watching, they were the comeback-canes, and there’s no reason they can’t do that again). I just don’t like to miss games. I’ve even started going to games by myself. Every game I go to, I lose my voice by the end of the night (back to back games are especially bad…) And when I get frustrated with the effort or unlucky bounces or… I just scream louder (scream, not boo – unless I’m booing bad calls). So Drew, I hear you on this one!
Here’s to a good run this year!

by Andrea on Dec 9, 2008 11:51 AM EST reply actions

Drew -

An important and timely post. Takes me back to the nights with my father at the Hartford Civic Center before I moved to NC.

Thank you, Drew. I truly believe that hockey is a special sport – unique in this day and age – full of class-act players whose dedication and true love for the game is matched only by the fans.

“Here’s to being a hockey fan through thick and thin.”

by SamsonovFan on Dec 9, 2008 12:16 PM EST reply actions

I love this post. I haven’t been a hockey fan my entire life, but definitely an all around sports fan and this totally captures it. They should post this on the jumbo tron at the next game just to give fans a little reminder.

Oh, and glad to see we started some trouble on that Flyers post. T’was fun :-)

by T-Leaf on Dec 9, 2008 12:45 PM EST reply actions

Timely post, for sure. I need to remember this more often. Sometimes a love of seeing you r team win can cloud your loev of the game itself……

by wylde4canesHatesJR on Dec 9, 2008 12:47 PM EST reply actions

I enjoyed this post… I became a hockey fan in the fall of 2000. I didn’t grow up watching or playing hockey because Basketball and baseball were the only sports offered in the town where I grew up…

But since becoming a hockey fan all of the other sports seem to turn pale… I get upset and angry at things that happen with our team from time to time…. but there is no way I could ever stop supporting this team and this sport… no matter what happens.

As for the flyers post… To hell w/ those guys… They’ll get into the playoffs and fizzle as always…

by Mateo on Dec 9, 2008 1:49 PM EST reply actions