SDS Posted December 10, 2011 Report Share Posted December 10, 2011 This was brought up in another thread. My viewpoint on sports as the years have gone by is that it has become rather unimportant in my life and they only occupy the "entertainment only" category in my mind. Given that, I'd rather watch an exciting loss over a boring win any day. If it ain't entertaining, it ain't worth wasting your time on. Granted, I know wins lead to a more "exciting playoff" payoff at the end, but I would find it hard to justify wasting time on an unwatchable product just because it has playoff implications. And you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wjag Posted December 10, 2011 Report Share Posted December 10, 2011 I'd rather watch them win. I'm okay with an exciting loss if it results in a point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted December 10, 2011 Report Share Posted December 10, 2011 Exciting loss. Although watching enough losses would drive me away too. I stopped watching the Sabres for a couple of those Hasek years. Hockey is entertainment and I couldn't bear to watch those snooze-fest games. Outside of the goal crease there was so little talent on several of those teams. Other than Gumby's antics, there was not much that I found entertaining. I can be critical of this team, and was post-playoffs last season, but I have to admit the Philly-Buffalo series was entertaining as hell (mostly anyway) even if we were obviously outgunned. Expectations of success come into play here. If the team is exciting but losing and you didn't really expect a bunch of wins the entertainment is enough. But at some point the team has to win. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cereal Posted December 10, 2011 Report Share Posted December 10, 2011 Cool thread, I could see some good discussion getting going. I voted boring/win. I think I appreciate the so-called boring/defensive/Devils/1-3-1 brand of hockey a bit more than many of the outspoken posters here. I enjoy watching disciplined hockey, trying to analyze the strategy and whatnot (I've never played organized hockey and I'm not really an expert on strategy or defensive schemes). That said, I do recognize that "boring hockey" is not actually synonymous with disciplined defensive hockey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robviously Posted December 10, 2011 Report Share Posted December 10, 2011 Regular Season: 60 boring wins, 22 fun losses. Playoffs: 16 boring wins. That is all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spndnchz Posted December 10, 2011 Report Share Posted December 10, 2011 To compare it to a movie for entertainment purposes might suffice. If I'm watching a really good movie and the ending sucks, it pretty much kills the whole movie for me. Like a grand sundae with no cherry on top. Win. Naturally you want at least 4 goals, a number of highlight reel saves, a few dangles and two fights. But win. I don't care how. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJFIVEOH Posted December 10, 2011 Report Share Posted December 10, 2011 I think it all depends. If the Sabres were built around a boring system I'm not sure I could stomach it every game. I could not have been a fan of the old Devils because they purposely went out to win games 2-1. Now in BFLO's case, right now I'll take the boring wins because that's what it might take to stay competitive until they get healthy and our vets get their acts together. The Sabres can be exciting in a loss or a win. It just might take some boring hockey to get to that point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
... Posted December 10, 2011 Report Share Posted December 10, 2011 I don't see the point of watching any game unless you can appreciate what is behind what you're watching. And if you appreciate the strategies, the roster, the coaching, the standings, what happened in the games prior, what this game may mean to future games, then you have to appreciate the present game for what it is. A "boring" game to watch is still a game full of tension: both teams are waiting for the other team to make a mistake. So, the interest is in how each team tries to not make mistakes, while maybe trying to force the other team to make a mistake, and then what either do when a mistake is made. It's an "intellectual" game - a game of patience, tactics, and maneuvers. Not every game is going to be NHL '11, or like your favorite Harry Potter movie. It shouldn't be, either. In my opinion, if you're a fan, then you want your team to win, at any cost. I want this team to win a Stanely Cup, and I don't care how they do it. Boring or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R_Dudley Posted December 10, 2011 Report Share Posted December 10, 2011 Good topic. Never really thought about it before. Reflecting on and analyzing my use of my Direct TV CI package I can say when the Sabres are doing their bumbling and stumbling that I am regularly checking the score guide and switching to other division or close games. In retrospect I often stay longer on up tempo well played games coming back to see if Bflo is playing better. Therefore my conclusion and vote must be entertaining well played losses. Note the caveat here is what is your definition of entertaining. To be clear just a high number of figure skating trading scoring chances is not mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NowDoYouBelieve Posted December 10, 2011 Report Share Posted December 10, 2011 I'll put it this way...yesterday made me a lot happier than Wednesday, which was significantly more exciting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james duncan Posted December 10, 2011 Report Share Posted December 10, 2011 The Bills lost an exciting Superbowl in 1991...and it still hurts. I'd take a 3-0, lame-ass Superbowl win any day over that heartbreaker. Same with the Sabres. It ain't a fashionshow. Al Davis had it right when he said, "Just win, baby." Give me the two points. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost of Dwight Drane Posted December 10, 2011 Report Share Posted December 10, 2011 I'm SHOCKED at some of the responses here. How do you not want a win? The only thing I can see where some are coming from is that I liked Ted Nolan's team. I felt better about a team that tried hard every shift of every game and it didn't matter if they won or lost. But all things being equal, you take the win. I'm going to need to bookmark this one for the next time someone questions my fandom. Next poll: Hot wife who cheats on you, or average wife who's faithful? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nobody Posted December 10, 2011 Report Share Posted December 10, 2011 I'm going to need to bookmark this one for the next time someone questions my fandom. Next poll: Hot wife who cheats on you, or average wife who's faithful? The answer to that one will have to take into account if the hot wife is fine with you cheating on her as well - and if you actually get the opportunity. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wonderbread Posted December 10, 2011 Report Share Posted December 10, 2011 I'm taking the win everytime. With an exciting loss i feel empty. With a boring win satisfied. That is all. Carry on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deluca67 Posted December 10, 2011 Report Share Posted December 10, 2011 This was brought up in another thread. My viewpoint on sports as the years have gone by is that it has become rather unimportant in my life and they only occupy the "entertainment only" category in my mind. Given that, I'd rather watch an exciting loss over a boring win any day. If it ain't entertaining, it ain't worth wasting your time on. Granted, I know wins lead to a more "exciting playoff" payoff at the end, but I would find it hard to justify wasting time on an unwatchable product just because it has playoff implications. And you? In December I would vote for the exciting loss. In a game like last night the only thing you can really take from it is the 2 points. In an exciting loss you can be assured the team played better and just lost. There would be a lot more positives than can be taken out of the loss. In the playoffs or the stretch run to make the playoffs? Bank the win and move on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo Wings Posted December 10, 2011 Report Share Posted December 10, 2011 Part of me wanted to vote for the exciting option, but I'm tired of losses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carpandean Posted December 11, 2011 Report Share Posted December 11, 2011 Well, tonight was pretty exciting, but I liked last night better because we won. So, I gotta go with boring win. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvelo Posted December 11, 2011 Report Share Posted December 11, 2011 A boring win is the sign of a machine at work, which is what you need to win a Cup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabres Fan in NS Posted December 11, 2011 Report Share Posted December 11, 2011 I'm SHOCKED at some of the responses here. How do you not want a win? The only thing I can see where some are coming from is that I liked Ted Nolan's team. I felt better about a team that tried hard every shift of every game and it didn't matter if they won or lost. But all things being equal, you take the win. I'm going to need to bookmark this one for the next time someone questions my fandom. Next poll: Hot wife who cheats on you, or average wife who's faithful? Hi Ghost, Remember me ... the President of your Fan Club ... :P I can understand the motivation of the exciting loss people ... it gives them hope that the future looks promising and the wins will come one day. I'm with you ... take any win ... especially in the playoffs ... I'm approaching 50 and I really would like the Sabres to win the cup while I'm still living the gift of this life. As to your poll ... I'd have to vote for the third option ... hot wife who is also faithful, which I have been blessed with ... :wub: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SDS Posted December 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2011 I can understand the motivation of the exciting loss people ... it gives them hope that the future looks promising and the wins will come one day. Um, no. Watching hockey is entertainment. If you aren't being entertained, then what is the point? I long ago dropped the misconception that a Super Bowl/Stanley Cup would make my life measurably better in any meaningful way. Entertainment should be entertaining - a novel concept indeed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabres Fan in NS Posted December 11, 2011 Report Share Posted December 11, 2011 Um, no. Watching hockey is entertainment. If you aren't being entertained, then what is the point? I long ago dropped the misconception that a Super Bowl/Stanley Cup would make my life measurably better in any meaningful way. Entertainment should be entertaining - a novel concept indeed. Seems to me that most on this board, on some level, don't view it as only entertainment. Edit: The question asks about exciting loss vs. boring win ... neither option has anything to do with being entertained. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
... Posted December 12, 2011 Report Share Posted December 12, 2011 Um, no. Watching hockey is entertainment. If you aren't being entertained, then what is the point? I long ago dropped the misconception that a Super Bowl/Stanley Cup would make my life measurably better in any meaningful way. Entertainment should be entertaining - a novel concept indeed. Curious, what's so entertaining about golf that people will sit and watch an entire match? Or worse, what is so entertaining about cars traveling around a track for hours on end? Where is the entertainment in tennis? Oh, God, I almost forgot - BASEBALL - how can that possibly be an entertaining sport? Frankly, I throw modern NFL football in with those, too. It's so commercialized, there is no pace - a NFL game has negative pace. Very not entertaining as far as I'm concerned. The problem with the question is that it presupposes all people find entertainment in the same thing, and that all people consider entertainment something to be taken in small doses. What constitutes entertaining entertainment is wholly subjective - that is not novel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabres Fan in NS Posted December 12, 2011 Report Share Posted December 12, 2011 The Bills lost an exciting Superbowl in 1991...and it still hurts. I'd take a 3-0, lame-ass Superbowl win any day over that heartbreaker. Same with the Sabres. It ain't a fashionshow. Al Davis had it right when he said, "Just win, baby." Give me the two points. I wonder if anyone will be quoting Ralph Wilson when he passes on? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drunkard Posted December 12, 2011 Report Share Posted December 12, 2011 I wonder if anyone will be quoting Ralph Wilson when he passes on? Or Golisano. Just break even, baby! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SDS Posted December 12, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2011 The problem with the question is that it presupposes all people find entertainment in the same thing, and that all people consider entertainment something to be taken in small doses. What constitutes entertaining entertainment is wholly subjective - that is not novel. And yet, I didn't define "boring" or "exciting" did I? I left that up to reader to decide what was boring or what was exciting to themselves. They define the situation in their own mind. The question presupposes nothing. Edit: The question asks about exciting loss vs. boring win ... neither option has anything to do with being entertained. Please. I think the spirit of the question is clear and one would have to be quite argumentative to search for the set of conditions where "boring" and "entertaining" can both describe the same event to the same individual. I would think they are mutually exclusive, but I admit I haven't exhausted every conceivable possibility, since that wasn't the objective. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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