Am I Starting to Lose Interest in the NHL?

[CallawaySabres]

I can't remember ever losing interest in the Bills, even during the 17 year drought. I don't even remember losing interest in the Sabres during the tank years because I always knew something really great was right around the corner. 

Coming into this year, i thought that the waiting was over and this was going to be step 1 to plenty of years of consistent playoffs. Here we are, halfway through the season, and I got nothin, I mean...nothin. Even if this team went on to win its last 10 games of the season, being a STH after all these years is beyond dead. I have obviously been extremely down on this team over the years, but the last few weeks are different. I will never watch the beginning of the game, and unless Buffalo is up by 2 goals, the tv does not go on at all.

How does one go from being one of the biggest fans that I know...to really just writing off the sport all-together? Maybe I haven't, but right now, this is new territory. I have 6 center ice tickets for the game on Friday and none of my kids even want to go. The last 3 games we have attended have not only been losses, but games where the team has been booed off the ice.

I fear that coaching is not the only issue with this group. What if all this talent that we thought was on the verge of being stars are just decent hockey players and are way further away than we think. That is a scary thought to me and if it truly is the case, it may be years until I am back. I love this city more than anything and the only two teams I have ever cared about in my life are the Bills and Sabres. 

I really hope that I am wrong, but something just isn't right with this group and I don't think coaching will solve all the issues. A coach should not be responsible for getting these guys heads right every other night. If that drive is not instilled in you as a player already, you will never get it to surface. Add more players around you will similar drive, this is what you get. This group has sucked all the fun out of watching for me and I never thought I would see the day where it just makes sense to shut them out. It's the only way I know I will not get frustrated, and I don't need that emotion if I can simply choose to shut it down.

Hell, I am the person that made Lincoln Station in Chicago a Buffalo bar. If this team can do that to me, what damage has it done to the casual fan.... Go Bills, Go Sabes

[SwampD]

So,... Yes?

[Thorny]

I’ve almost fully lost interest in the NHL. I internally debate this a lot, but I think we should cut ourselves some grace as fans. It’s probably reflective of the fact it’s not an in-bad-faith take, but rather in reality specifically reflective of the ineptitude of the franchise. I mention this a lot: we haven’t been bad, we’ve been an absurd outlier. After 13 years, if you truly love the crest, how could bearing the miserable burden of, not really the defeat, but the extreme nature of it, the embarrassment of it, for all that time *not* take something out of you??

I just tell myself the passion will come back once the team is good again. Do I believe that? I don’t know. Ask me again some time. It’s admittedly a bit scary but I tell myself it’ll come back.

They can’t be bad forever. As Sam says when he sees a solitary star poking through the broil and fume of Mordor, “there’s light up there, that no darkness can touch”. Even this will be a passing thing. Do we get in the playoffs because of some grand scheme, some plan coming to fruition? Honestly? Probably not. But as much as math doesn’t seem like it’s our friend: it is. We will eventually get in purely based on luck.

If you ask me…

it’ll probably all be ok.

[Thorny]

The fact you started a thread in serious contemplation of your own mindset is pretty solid evidence to the idea you do care, though. If that helps 

[LTS]

The casual fan is off doing other things. They'll chime in on how the Sabres suck but then they're off to other topics.

We are all here, all posting. Even if we don't watch the games, we show up here on a routine basis whether to try and spread optimism or to let loose our irritation of the performance of this team.

It's dark right now, real dark. It's hard. At some point it will get better... but JFC don't we all wish it was right now.

[Weave]

23 minutes ago, Thorny said:

I’ve almost fully lost interest in the NHL. I internally debate this a lot, but I think we should cut ourselves some grace as fans. It’s probably reflective of the fact it’s not an in-bad-faith take, but rather in reality specifically reflective of the ineptitude of the franchise. I mention this a lot: we haven’t been bad, we’ve been an absurd outlier. After 13 years, if you truly love the crest, how could bearing the miserable burden of, not really the defeat, but the extreme nature of it, the embarrassment of it, for all that time *not* take something out of you??

I just tell myself the passion will come back once the team is good again. Do I believe that? I don’t know. Ask me again some time. It’s admittedly a bit scary but I tell myself it’ll come back.

They can’t be bad forever. As Sam says when he sees a solitary star poking through the broil and fume of Mordor, “there’s light up there, that no darkness can touch”. Even this will be a passing thing. Do we get in the playoffs because of some grand scheme, some plan coming to fruition? Honestly? Probably not. But as much as math doesn’t seem like it’s our friend: it is. We will eventually get in purely based on luck.

If you ask me…

it’ll probably all be ok.

For most of the last era I told myself that I would become a fervent fan again when the team became relevant again.  I don’t know.

I was a fervent Bills fan until about the 6-7 yr mark of irrelevance.  They have been a top team for what, 4 seasons now?  I don’t make a point of staying up to watch the prime time games.  It’s not important to me anymore. Not even the ones that are truly meaningful.  I check the score first thing in the morning.

So, I don’t know.  I don’t know if it grows back, or if reprioritizing is long term.  I suspect the latter.

[LTS]

Just now, Weave said:

For most of the last era I told myself that I would become a fervent fan again when the team became relevant again.  I don’t know.

I was a fervent Bills fan until about the 6-7 yr mark of irrelevance.  They have been a top team for what, 4 seasons now?  I don’t make a point of staying up to watch the prime time games.  It’s not important to me anymore. Not even the ones that are truly meaningful.  I check the score first thing in the morning.

So, I don’t know.  I don’t know if it grows back, or if reprioritizing is long term.  I suspect the latter.

This is what my son and I had an animated discussion over prior to the Bills/Miami game.  I was his age when 4 straight SuperBowls led to an incredible disappointment. That changed me.  I do care how the team does.. but I just laughed while they were futile and I simply smiled when they fail to make it back to the SuperBowl now.  I just don't care enough.. I've experienced the biggest game loss and now after that much time has passed i am positive I just have a very different priority on it.  Back then I thought it was incredibly important and now, it's just a cool thing if they win a championship.  Of course, I say this having not experienced what winning a championship feels like so I reserve my right to change my mind once its happened. 🙂

[Thorny]

6 minutes ago, Weave said:

For most of the last era I told myself that I would become a fervent fan again when the team became relevant again.  I don’t know.

I was a fervent Bills fan until about the 6-7 yr mark of irrelevance.  They have been a top team for what, 4 seasons now?  I don’t make a point of staying up to watch the prime time games.  It’s not important to me anymore. Not even the ones that are truly meaningful.  I check the score first thing in the morning.

So, I don’t know.  I don’t know if it grows back, or if reprioritizing is long term.  I suspect the latter.

Do you post on any bills message boards? 

[Weave]

3 minutes ago, Thorny said:

Do you post on any bills message boards? 

No.  Their irrelevance started before I started posting on message boards. You guys are a habit.  
 

As I’ve mentioned a couple of times already, my son has commented that I am more interested in the off ice than the on ice.  12 years is a long time to cement that behavior.  We’ll see.

[SwampD]

I love the NHL.

I really hate what has been done to my Buffalo Sabres.

[Thorny]

Just now, Weave said:

No.  Their irrelevance started before I started posting on message boards. You guys are a habit.  
 

As I’ve mentioned a couple of times already, my son has commented that I am more interested in the off ice than the on ice.  12 years is a long time to cement that behavior.  We’ll see.

And therein lies the rub 

perhaps the real fandom is the friends we’ve made along the way 

[French Collection]

I have nothing intelligent to offer, just that my expectations were higher than they have been in a long time and this team has crushed my hopes.

I don’t think any of us will be labeled as bandwagon fans when they eventually get to the playoffs. We’ve suffered so much by having been invested in this franchise, I don’t blame anyone for not watching or caring.

[Thorny]

1 minute ago, French Collection said:

I have nothing intelligent to offer, just that my expectations were higher than they have been in a long time and this team has crushed my hopes.

I don’t think any of us will be labeled as bandwagon fans when they eventually get to the playoffs. We’ve suffered so much by having been invested in this franchise, I don’t blame anyone for not watching or caring.

ANY sort of use of the word “bandwagon” should be taboo imo

[Taro T]

Still get CI, but for a few years haven't bothered watching it more than 1 or 2 games per year during the regular season.  That changed last January and actually started to watch some other teams play when it seemed the Sabres were back in the NHL after so many years of not being a part of it.  (Well, not being a part of it in any meaningful way.)

Haven't watched more than a few minutes of any other team's games since mid-October.  But, unlike in the past when the NHL in general took a back seat, haven't been replacing that time with youth hockey, college hockey, and the Amerks.  Just slowly getting to the point of not caring.  

Still haven't missed any of the Sabres games in what seems like forever.  But don't know how much longer that'll be the case.  And am on pace for making 30 or so games in person this year.  That drive is getting LONG lately.  Still love being at the game but adding all that extra time to actually get there is wearing.

 

The Bills being in the desert so long changed the view of them.  Used to go to 1 - 2 games every year (the Fishies and sometimes one other) but just had no desire to lose an entire day at the game back in the Ryan era.  Got a free ticket to a game last year and went, but the experience in the stadium is so much worse than watching form the living room, doubt my shadow will ever be seen in the new stadium.  (Maybe will get tix to 1 game just to say we were there.  We'll see.)  And the league doing so much to make the games inaccessible and unenjoyable lately, not sure how much longer will even care about the Bills.  Am not renewing ST next year.  (YouTube's set up sucks.)

 

So, @CallawaySabres, completely feel your angst.  Expect you're just a bit further into it than the few stragglers that are still trying to fight the good fight are.

Stinks so much that they missed the dance by 2 measly points last year; because this down year wouldn't be nearly as painful nor hope draining.  Still expect it won't take much in terms of adjustments to make next year a great year.  And do believe they will get made.  (Not fully sure why, guess that's why they call it belief.)  But, how many are going to be turned off by only those handful of adjustments being all that gets done?  So much damage has been done to this fan base.

[Shoot da Puck]

Look on the bright side

 You will have more money for bowling 🎳 

[Weave]

2 minutes ago, Shoot da Puck said:

Look on the bright side

 You will have more money for bowling 🎳 

I have to thank the Pegulas for making my evenings far more productive than they used to be.

[Thorny]

9 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Still get CI, but for a few years haven't bothered watching it more than 1 or 2 games per year during the regular season.  That changed last January and actually started to watch some other teams play when it seemed the Sabres were back in the NHL after so many years of not being a part of it.  (Well, not being a part of it in any meaningful way.)

Haven't watched more than a few minutes of any other team's games since mid-October.  But, unlike in the past when the NHL in general took a back seat, haven't been replacing that time with youth hockey, college hockey, and the Amerks.  Just slowly getting to the point of not caring.  

Still haven't missed any of the Sabres games in what seems like forever.  But don't know how much longer that'll be the case.  And am on pace for making 30 or so games in person this year.  That drive is getting LONG lately.  Still love being at the game but adding all that extra time to actually get there is wearing.

 

The Bills being in the desert so long changed the view of them.  Used to go to 1 - 2 games every year (the Fishies and sometimes one other) but just had no desire to lose an entire day at the game back in the Ryan era.  Got a free ticket to a game last year and went, but the experience in the stadium is so much worse than watching form the living room, doubt my shadow will ever be seen in the new stadium.  (Maybe will get tix to 1 game just to say we were there.  We'll see.)  And the league doing so much to make the games inaccessible and unenjoyable lately, not sure how much longer will even care about the Bills.  Am not renewing ST next year.  (YouTube's set up sucks.)

 

So, @CallawaySabres, completely feel your angst.  Expect you're just a bit further into it than the few stragglers that are still trying to fight the good fight are.

Stinks so much that they missed the dance by 2 measly points last year; because this down year wouldn't be nearly as painful nor hope draining.  Still expect it won't take much in terms of adjustments to make next year a great year.  And do believe they will get made.  (Not fully sure why, guess that's why they call it belief.)  But, how many are going to be turned off by only those handful of adjustments being all that gets done?  So much damage has been done to this fan base.

Even a handful of adjustments (if they are of a seriously legitimate nature) might look like a smorgasbord, relative to what we’ve seen from KA, should you be correct the moves get made.

…Wait, you are going to be at *thirty* games live in person, just this season?

 

…superfan, more like. 

Edited January 10 by Thorny

[Dreams Burn Down]

I have lost significant interest in hockey, and by proxy, the Sabres during this playoff drought. 

I remember being a rabid hockey fan watching high school hockey games on channel 10 in the International Cable days.  Then, there was rabbit-eared Canadian college hockey on CHCH and CBLT.  Then US College hockey became available and then more NHL games with ESPN, etc.  I simply could not watch enough of the sport I loved.  That's unfortunately no longer the case.

The Sabres are responsible for this.  However, they have always been and continue to be my sporting love.

I credit SabreSpace with helping to rekindle my interest in hockey.  I notice that, when I have taken extended breaks from this board, my interest in hockey is almost nonexistent.  So, at least there is that.

Will my love for the game and the Sabres be similar to years ago if they turn things around?  I do not know, but I would love to find out.

[PerreaultForever]

Well I would just say if you are losing interest in the NHL because of the Sabres you're not really a fan of hockey, you're just a fan of the local team. I'd suggest you go watch some other local sport. Bandits still a thing? Bills of course. Probably something else you could find.

If you love hockey though, there's lots of good hockey and I've seen many great games this year. Unfortunately only a handful of those were Sabres games. But the hockey? Most nights there's good if not great hockey easily found. 

[#freejame]

It’s at the point where if the Sabres didn’t exist I wouldn’t watch any professional hockey. That wasn’t the case before. The rest of the league used to be relevant to the Sabres, but that’s no longer the case. Most the players I know from other teams were once prospects that we talked about drafting, but once they’re moved I’m none the wiser. I still love hockey and it’s still my favorite sport, but the Sabres are a struggle for me. I just want them to be good so bad. I want to share that with my son like my dad did for me. I’ve wondered a lot over the last ten months if there’s even a point in it. Without this board I’m not sure that I’d have the desire to watch games at all. 

Edited January 10 by #freejame

[SwampD]

40 minutes ago, Thorny said:

And therein lies the rub 

perhaps the real fandom is the friends we’ve made along the way 

It's the only reason I have watched the Bills for as long as I have. Now that all the locals have kinda gone their separate ways, I barely watch.

[PromoTheRobot]

So what you are saying is if Terry sold the Sabres to an Atlanta group and they moved to that new Forsyth Arena, and they started winning, you would be totally cool with that?

[#freejame]

1 minute ago, PromoTheRobot said:

So what you are saying is if Terry sold the Sabres to an Atlanta group and they moved to that new Forsyth Arena, and they started winning, you would be totally cool with that?

It is what it is. I already don’t like Terry so that fact wouldn’t change. I wouldn’t be following the league at that point anyway. 

[Thorny]

16 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

Well I would just say if you are losing interest in the NHL because of the Sabres you're not really a fan of hockey, you're just a fan of the local team. I'd suggest you go watch some other local sport. Bandits still a thing? Bills of course. Probably something else you could find.

If you love hockey though, there's lots of good hockey and I've seen many great games this year. Unfortunately only a handful of those were Sabres games. But the hockey? Most nights there's good if not great hockey easily found. 

I love hockey primarily because I love the Sabres. It’s fun to watch the occasional game but the true passion for the product, the best memories, the reason when it comes down to it that I watch at all.. it all comes back to my rooting interest in the Buffalo Sabres, rather than specifically being enamoured by the game itself.

And I’m not from Buffalo. Have never even been, so not a local team thing 

[OverPowerYou]

I will always be a Buffalo Sabres fan. When I try and watch other games I just get a bad taste in my mouth because I can’t help but think how lousy our team is/has been.
 

I want to find a team out west like Edmonton or Colorado to watch because I like the entertainment aspect of the sport. Nashville seems fun too but they’re not great. I also want to watch Pittsburgh and Washington for nostalgia’s sake. As I get older I appreciate the older players (even though they were annoying when they were new). 

That being said, I just can’t bother to tune in to these games because I feel nothing. Help me. What is the answer? 

Edited January 10 by OverPowerYou