HisNoodliness
The Karate Kid and ASP Kai
As someone who has lurked around here for awhile and would like to post more but am nervous, everyone should keep in mind that some fans (like me) just have different priorities as a fan. All this talk about if you're okay with the last few years, you like mediocrity or losing or you're a Holland worshiper or you're not a smart fan is sometimes off-putting. I love hockey and I love the Red Wings and I want my sports fandom to be fun so I make it fun. I find things to enjoy and be excited about always, whether it's watching young players develop, seeing Zetterberg still going strong this year, admiring specific goals or saves. I don't think that makes me a bad or foolish fan, and I still enjoy discussions about trades & signings and the team's direction. Maybe I would feel differently if they hadn't won 4 cups in my lifetime but I don't think so. I'm a Lions fan too after all.
As to the current season and the tank subject of this thread, I have an honest question for people. I'm on board with the notion that this season is a loss and I'd be fine with them finishing as low in the standings as possible to get a good draft pick. But I can't root for individual players or the team as a whole to play poorly, that just feels wrong. How do you guys reconcile that in your mind? Just curious because it's something I've been struggling with the past few weeks.
As a member of the tank brigade, I am sorry that the rhetoric can be too harsh sometimes. We don't mean to discourage you from posting, it's just when you're so passionate about a team sometimes we can be a little over the top. I sincerely hope that you stick around because everyone's opinion is valuable. Peronally, I mostly try to limit being disrespectful but sometimes I feel like people are just trolling and when that happens I can come on a bit strong.
I struggle with hoping for them to lose as well sometimes. It's impossible for me not to cheer when Z scores even though it's bad for the team. As far as other players...what makes it easier is I honestly dislike a lot of this team. I like Mantha, AA, Larkin, Z, Nyquist, Tatar, and Mrazek. I loved Helm when he skated hard and was always so involved (before he became a "skill" player) so I'm still happy when he succeeds. I still like Kronwall, but I think he should have LTIRetired a couple of years ago.
But then a lot of guys I straight up dislike. Abdelkder is probably the best example. He's not a gritty power forward type who works hard and earns his inches, but instead one of those annoying agitator guys that hurts you with little dirt plays. I hate that type of player, no honor, no skill, nothing valuable, straight trash...so watching Abdelkader fail is easy. He earns some brownie points because he always wanted to be Wing, but it's not nearly enough. Some of the others I dislike just because they never do anything entertaining (Sheahan), they mostly seem like good people though so that makes it tougher sometimes.
But I'd say that I actively dislike about a third of the team, am fairly neutral on a third and actively like a third so when that's my opinion of the players and the team its much easier to hope for them to lose. I can abide the boring and dirty players when the rest of the team is enough to distract me because you need those guys to win...but when it comes time for losing I turn my attention to the guys that boil my blood.
I also try to catch other teams games occasionally just for some good old fashion entertainment. Watching Tampa, Washington or Edmonton specifically has made this season much easier. Hopefully the Wings can get back to that kind of hockey. Skill and speed, for now we're that bad team with some fun kids, a couple of vets you gave your heart to years ago and could never take it back, some guys that are easy to hate and then a whole lot of boring filler. It's hard to root against the Winged Wheel and hard to root against some of these players, but it's easy to root against a lot of the team.
