Do all fanbases attack their own star players during tough times?

Xamar*

Guest
On the Sens board, for years Spezza was the scapegoat of our bad play. Even if he wasn't on the ice for a goal, some people would make the argument that his very presence on the team was hindering the teams progress. Before 2007, Alfredsson was the scapegoat of some poor playoff performances by the Sens. Now it seems like a small portion of the fanbase, (including me after last nights game), is slowly starting to criticize Karlsson's play more and more when before he was never blamed for anything. Does this happen with most other fanbases as well?
 

Machinehead

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Jan 21, 2011
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It definitely happens with the Rangers. When we're losing every thread might as well be renamed "The Henrik Lundqvist thread"

Sometimes he deserves it, sometimes he doesn't, but it's always his fault.
 

Pierce Hawthorne

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Sometimes, if they aren't playing at a level they should be or are capable of then yes, they'll usually be on the bad side of some angry posts by a teams fan base.


As an example, Matt Duchene is not well liked by many Avs fans at the moment. For whatever reason he has struggled a tonne the past couple of weeks with a lot of really bad turnovers, and struggling to do much offensively(Admittedly he's had some piss poor luck as well). As a result, he's been the one we've looked at the most as the catalyst for the teams offensive struggles.



At the same time, despite the teams poor results I dont think we as Avs fans have ever been more impressed/happy with EJ. The guy has taken his game to a ridiculously high level on the ice this year, despite the slow offense and the overall struggle to win games. He's basically been the only consistently dominant skater we've had all year. And without him our record would probably be twice as bad.



It all comes down to how the player is playing. If they're struggling and the team is losing, then yes they'll more then likely not be on good terms with the fans.
 

Arthuros

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Feb 24, 2014
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Getzlaf got a lot of flak during his cold streak from us.

I think it's pretty good - holding our stars accountable for their crap play and all.
 

DFC

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Sep 26, 2013
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See Tampa Bay fans's current frustration level with Stamkos.
 

RedHawkDown

still trying to trust the yzerplan
Aug 26, 2011
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Zetterberg and Datsyuk are usually impervious, though we will comment in it if they're slumping. But it's usually more of a "they'll come around, they'll be fine" instead of scape goating and attacking.
 

Getzlaf The Great5*

Guest
It definitely happens with the Rangers. When we're losing every thread might as well be renamed "The Henrik Lundqvist thread"

Sometimes he deserves it, sometimes he doesn't, but it's always his fault.

I thought it was always Rick Nash's fault?
 

Devil Dancer

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Jan 21, 2006
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Caps fans are pretty consistently supportive of Ovie and Backstrom. Backy took some flack last year and early this year, but not many suggested moving him or anything else drastic.

Green, OTOH, is the most hated man in Capland, but he's been much less consistent (and certainly less healthy) than the other two.
 

overg

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Dec 15, 2003
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Detroit has been blessed with extremely popular star players for over two decades now. While not immune from criticism, the blame tends to fall to the second tier players when things aren't going well. Probably the last first-tier star who took a decent amount of heat when things didn't go well was Fedorov.

These days you're far more likely to hear the coaching or management come under fire than than Zetterberg or Datsyuk.
 

octopi

Registered User
Dec 29, 2004
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Red Wings fans tend to be really supportive, but it's hard to complain when your team spent the better part of two decades dominating the league and acheiving what most other fans can only hope their team can get even close too.

Caps fans were very critcal of Semin, occasionally we can get really frustrated with 8, not as much though.He gets a long leash because of all the amazing things he's done. We grumble about Green, and occasionally the goalending.

The real surprise is seeing Pens fans rip Crosby (read their gameday threads if the Pens lose)if hes having some off games and because the team has fallen flatter than they expected in the playoffs.
 

Garbage Goal

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Apr 1, 2009
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Happens for every team in the NHL. Probably other sports too.

You see the inverse with winning too. When teams are winning their best players tend to get overrated or over hyped and climb up player rankings and win more awards (hello Intangibles Toews, Kopitar, Bergeron, etc.) because they're in the spotlight and the general public gets to see how good those players are while the teams fans get more appreciative of it because they're winning.

When teams are losing the opposite happens and people start saying ridiculous and stupid things. Using my own team, some people actually start to talk about how Couturier has no offensive skill and won't develop anymore, how Giroux is a bad captain, etc. Other teams have the same thing happen. Off the top of my head Spezza and Lundqvist are good examples. When you're losing the guys in the biggest spotlight get heat for losing instead of credit for winning.

Fans don't do a good job of accepting that this is a team sport and it takes a whole team to be competitive. That's why a team's success or failure tends to get transferred on to individual players. Why key guys from top teams are always getting overrated or over hyped while top guys from bottom teams tend to get bashed. I guess it qualifies as sports psychology, as it relates to fans.
 

landy92mack29

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May 5, 2014
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yes. the golden boy Duchene has sucked so bad that even he is getting flak(deserves it though).

stastny was the resident scapegoat even if he didn't play bad but since he left that spot has been filled by o'reilly/landeskog/barrie.(all playing fairly well)
 

greatwhitemark1117*

Guest
Crosby is God in Pittsburgh. To say that he is getting ripped in game day threads is ludicrous. Questioned, possibly injured yes but not being ripped. Let the Crosby hate continue.
 

Dallas Eakins*

Guest
Most fan bases do as they should biggest offenders for turning a blind eye: Pens fans who rather then question sub par play by Sid speculate on what injury he could possible have but they aren't nearly as bad as Edmonton and Saint Hall.
 

octopi

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Dec 29, 2004
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octopi

Registered User
Dec 29, 2004
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Most fan bases do as they should biggest offenders for turning a blind eye: Pens fans who rather then question sub par play by Sid speculate on what injury he could possible have but they aren't nearly as bad as Edmonton and Saint Hall.

In all fairness nooone would fault Edmonton fans for being whine central 24-7.

Their manageent is just lucky it's too cold for mass fan protests.
 

CodeE

step on snek
Dec 20, 2007
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Even when Tavares is in a slump (like this entire year), I don't really see the fanbase going after him. We're just happy to have him as our #1 and not Alexei Yashin or Mike Comrie.
 

Dellstrom

Pastrnasty
May 1, 2011
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Bergeron gets a free pass for everything. Usually because he's never the goat, but he can disappear like he did for the last 3 games in the Montreal series and no one notices.

Rask on the other hand... ohhhh man.
 

Islanderfan17

Registered User
Aug 24, 2010
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While a select few posters were criticizing JT during this recent slump, most of us understood that it was just a post injury slump and that he'd be back to normal in no time because it's JT, guy has an amazing attitude and work ethic and simply will not let himself fail for so long.

Most of our blame is usually on D or goaltending, because that has been our main issues for a very very long time.
 

Delicious Dangles*

Guest
Hah! Star players?

Come to Toronto, where you can pretend to be a fan, and attack ALL your players for illogical reasons!
 

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