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Doc4

Stumpy in cold weather
Staff member
You are absolutely the first realist Leafs fan I have ever encountered! Seriously, all the rest are "we're gunna win it all next year!", or "we'll get 'em next season".

In all of sports, yes all of sports, I don't think there are a set of fans who are more taken advantage of by a sports team. Over the years the ownership of the Leafs have always just raked in the money while laughing at the fans who blindly pay for it all season after season.

I find it incredible that a group of fans can be SO passionate about their team and sport, but they also so readily accept season after season of mediocre or even abysmal results.

As a Habs fan, I can tell you if the owners/management of the Habs don't appear to be putting in 100% effort to win then the fans let them know about it. They protest through media, at games, ever going as far as not showing up to games. Empty seats speak volumes. Luckily, that doesn't happen often in Montreal as the management know they have to show extreme effort.

I would love to see Leafs fans organize and stand up to the team by demanding success.

All my buddies are on the same page, realistically. Leafs fans get a bad rep, but most aren't as crazy as people think. I would say Habs fans have the same stigma. Look at last year... that was the "Habs Year!".... until the one reason they are even close to a playoff spot got injured.




Wait wait wait..... Lets not give Montreal fans too much credit here. Toronto's attendance the last 2 seasons was down almost 400 seats per game. Thats huge! What most people forget is that 15,500 of the 19,400ish seats in the ACC are Season Ticket Holders. Therefore, that 400 person decrease is really only from 4000 fans. A 10% decrease by comparison.

Now, go have a look at Canadiens attendance. From 1999-2003 they made the playoffs 1 out of 4 seasons, and attendance did not drop prior to previous years.

I don't find too much difference in Leafs fans or Habs fans :)

I think this all goes back to the Seventies.

After the Leafs won in 1967, the Habs won in 1968, 1969, 1971, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1978, and 1979. Basically, the Habs were winning the Cup two-thirds of the time, and the Leafs were Harold Ballard's money basket ... and yet those Leafs fans just kept paying to support the team ... and they got accustomed to "hard luck".

I'll give the Leafs credit for making some astute moves in the early 90's ... and having a decent underdog-playoff run in 1993 ... but since then ... not much. The Habs went through some tough years starting in the mid-90's as well.

I think both cities are more demanding on their teams than in decades past ... in part because social media and the internet makes it easier for fans to obsess over it all the time, and in part because each season of poor or mediocre results makes it one more season since '67 or since '93 ... and that adds another layer of frustration.

Currently, I think the difference between Leaf fans and Hab fans is that Leaf fans expect effort by the team, and if the effort fails, and generally accepting of the effort. Habs fans are more expecting of results, and effort that does not lead to results they become disgruntled more quickly. (Not that Leaf fans don't get dissatisfied with a particular player, coach or GM, and could want changes there, but ... so long as The Team is Trying to win, they don't stop supporting the Team.)
 
2-3 years ago fans were screaming for change and that showed in attendance.

Last year everyone was fine losing. We shed dead weight and loaded up on prospects. Finally a real rebuild. Leafs fans are currently OK with losing because, even though it doesn't show in the standings, progress is being made. A total revamp of hockey culture was needed, and they are finally changing
 
I'd say the vast majority of Leafs fans who accepted mediocrity were blinded by the constant pattern of signing old, close to retired guys, or guy who may have upside to big contracts. Thinking it would result in wins.

Yuck. I feel dirty thinking of those days lol
 
I just want the Flyers to win a Cup during my lifetime. Is that too much to ask for? I'm eating healthy and exercising just in case it take a while...
 
Penguins beat Rangers in NY, 6-1, avenging their drubbing in the first of the home and home. Pens look solid, balanced right now. They held NY to 17 shots, and went 23 straight minutes without giving up a shot on goal. Fun game to watch. :thumbup1:
 
All I have to say is this. Oilers are in first place. :spidey:

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9 in a row for the Fly Guys and a well-deserved rest going into Wednesday's game. Great shutout pitched by the rookie goaltender last night in his second career start, much needed after Steve Mason started 13 of the last 14 games.
 
Everything looked great (except the game itself). Getting to one of these games is definitely on my bucket list. Right now I'm just hoping the Flyers do some good selling before the trade deadline.
 
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