Fans who root for players, rather than for teams

[Blue Shakehead]

Can someone tell me what the OP is trying to say?

There are people who are bigger fans of individual players on a team than the team itself.

This manifests itself by "cheering against the team" - even if the team is winning - if their favorite player isn't getting used the way they want them to.

 

[Toene]

Born and raised a "Habs fan" but wasnt paying that much attention to hockey in the second half of the 90s and start of the 2000s. Dont remember their last cup win.

At some point I recall being obsessed with Sakic and the Avalanches during their last cup run. My father told me their goalie was the best goalie of all-time and he was Quebecois so I found it pretty cool, I was proud for him.

Beginning high school I wasnt watching hockey ery much until I met my first love. A cute little brunette who was CRAZY about the Pens. Her celebrities crushes were the Staal brothers. Especially Jordan and Marc (I look nothing like them lol).

We used to watch Penguins and Habs game together all the time. It lasted a few years, until they won the cup in 09 :

One person made me like the Pens, and one person made me drop em forever.

Me and my girlfriend of the time went to the Stanley Cup parade in St-Bruno, Qc, hometown of Max Talbot (and coincidentally my girlfriends town too). We both had our #87 jerseys on, there was a couple thousands people maybe. Fleury, Talbot and Letang were all there.

At some point, I notice Kris Letang standing by himself. My favorite Penguin, from my hometown. Great, nobodys talking to him, so I tell myself its my opportunity to meet him. I came beside him to congratulate him. I was a bit starstruck and I talked very fast (in french) : "Hey man, congratz! your goal on the X period of OT in game X against Xteam was so unbelievable blah blah blah!!!11"

I stop, look at him. He looks down on me, quickly shakes my hand, says "Mkay", and looks away, ignoring me.

...

My teenager self stared at him for a few seconds, heartbroken. Wtf I thought he was a cool dude! Turns out he didnt want to talk with fans that day. When I told this anecdote to friends of mine from the same hometown who played hockey there, they told me the guy was known as very smug and snobbish.

Stopped following the Pens right there. Went back to the Habs and never looked back. This was a mistake.

The girl and I splitted up around that time for unrelated reasons.

Tl;dr : a girl made me a hockey fan, Letang is a ******, Habs are my true love.

 

[NarcoPolo]

There are people who are bigger fans of individual players on a team than the team itself.

This manifests itself by "cheering against the team" - even if the team is winning - if their favorite player isn't getting used the way they want them to.

So he is saying that there are fans who merely fans of players and fans who are fans of the team itself?

Ok, I guess? What exactly is the discussion here? lol

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

Can someone tell me what the OP is trying to say?

They are complaining about the type of people who constantly complain about the lines even when a team is doing well because their favorite player doesn't have the best possible setup to succeed even if what they want actually makes the team weaker.

An example for the Leafs is people insisting on a Mathews, Nylander, Marner line for example instead of trying to balance scoring.

 

[TheDoldrums]

An example for the Leafs is people insisting on a Mathews, Nylander, Marner line for example instead of trying to balance scoring.

I've never seen that.

 

[RussianRifle27]

Kovalev is my favorite player. When he left for Montreal I started watching the Habs all the time and became a fan of the team. Once he left however, I stopped following them like I did before.

 

[Habby Gilmore]

You mean like all the PK(Habs) fans that are now Preds fans? Lol

 

[Macbanan]

I'd say I fall into that category. I think it's funny some of you think you get to decide the "right" way to enjoy is to cheer for specific teams. I follow players first and foremost. Lost of swedes and then a bunch of players from other nationalities. Leads to me watching a lot of games.

Lets say there was a three year lockout (unrealistic, I know)in the NHL. Would you be loyal to specific russian or swedish teams or follow your favourite players around?

 

[kingsholygrail]

Lesser cousins of the Fantasy Hockey fans?

 

[NarcoPolo]

They are complaining about the type of people who constantly complain about the lines even when a team is doing well because their favorite player doesn't have the best possible setup to succeed even if what they want actually makes the team weaker.

An example for the Leafs is people insisting on a Mathews, Nylander, Marner line for example instead of trying to balance scoring.

Lol. Theres people that want to put our 3 most dominant forward on one line? Yeah I dont think so. Matthews and Marner? sure, but Id still rather have the two seperated.

 

[LiveeviL]

I do follow Vancouver, but I follow Swedish players in general too. I guess that is what you get when you don't have a home town to cheer for - not to mention being on another continent.

 

[pezcore]

Born and raised a "Habs fan" but wasnt paying that much attention to hockey in the second half of the 90s and start of the 2000s. Dont remember their last cup win.

At some point I recall being obsessed with Sakic and the Avalanches during their last cup run. My father told me their goalie was the best goalie of all-time and he was Quebecois so I found it pretty cool, I was proud for him.

Beginning high school I wasnt watching hockey ery much until I met my first love. A cute little brunette who was CRAZY about the Pens. Her celebrities crushes were the Staal brothers. Especially Jordan and Marc (I look nothing like them lol).

We used to watch Penguins and Habs game together all the time. It lasted a few years, until they won the cup in 09 :

One person made me like the Pens, and one person made me drop em forever.

Me and my girlfriend of the time went to the Stanley Cup parade in St-Bruno, Qc, hometown of Max Talbot (and coincidentally my girlfriends town too). We both had our #87 jerseys on, there was a couple thousands people maybe. Fleury, Talbot and Letang were all there.

At some point, I notice Kris Letang standing by himself. My favorite Penguin, from my hometown. Great, nobodys talking to him, so I tell myself its my opportunity to meet him. I came beside him to congratulate him. I was a bit starstruck and I talked very fast (in french) : "Hey man, congratz! your goal on the X period of OT in game X against Xteam was so unbelievable blah blah blah!!!11"

I stop, look at him. He looks down on me, quickly shakes my hand, says "Mkay", and looks away, ignoring me.

...

My teenager self stared at him for a few seconds, heartbroken. Wtf I thought he was a cool dude! Turns out he didnt want to talk with fans that day. When I told this anecdote to friends of mine from the same hometown who played hockey there, they told me the guy was known as very smug and snobbish.

Stopped following the Pens right there. Went back to the Habs and never looked back. This was a mistake.

The girl and I splitted up around that time for unrelated reasons.

Tl;dr : a girl made me a hockey fan, Letang is a ******, Habs are my true love.

I was there that day as I was born and raised in St-Bruno, and I had heard rumors the next day on how Letang was possibly wasted and acted like a dick. Didnt think it was true but now you've confirmed the rumor.

Ive met and served Talbot a few times at the Bruno mall and he`s a class act, and he seemed really cool with the kids at the parade but anyways, glad you're a Habs fan.

 

[Cellee]

Reading the thread title and OP gave me a headache.

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

I've never seen that.

Lol. Theres people that want to put our 3 most dominant forward on one line? Yeah I dont think so. Matthews and Marner? sure, but Id still rather have the two seperated.

It wasn't the best example it was just an example, I was trying to avoid the obvious one as its been debated ad nauseum.

 

[sjsharks92]

As for people flocking to McDavid/Crosby/Matthews, etc. - I've never understood that. I guess people want to feel like winners, so they come to idolize guys with all the hype. Whatever floats their boat. Though I always wonder what they were doing team-wise before that player showed up on their radar, assuming they're older than, say, 10.

Yes people who are Penguins fans because of Crosby, or Capitals fans because of Ovechkin or now Oiler fans because of McDavid are pathetic in my view. There are a lot of compelling reasons to be a fan of a specific team, but that's just being a bandwagon fan in my opinion.

"Oh well when I first got into hockey Crosby was super good and I liked how he scored and the Penguins won the Stanley cup so I thought what the heck"

It happens in most sports too, but particularly basketball and hockey.

Edit: I'm not implying most Penguins fans are this way, I know they have a great fanbase. But you Crosby fan-boys know who you are. Likewise for Ovie and McDavid.

 

[WiLBoY]

I think most people aren't really answering what the OP is trying to say...

He is basically asking if you are one of those fans who rather see your favourite player put in a position to succeed and obtain more points than to see your team win.

Certain fans are disappointed at Babcock because Matthews isn't being played enough or being put on lines to obtain more points despite a win. Basically they want to see Matthews individually succeed over team success.

 

[Seanaconda]

I'll follow players I like after they leave the oilers . And other players I like across the league. I think most people are both.

When yakupov played the oilers I hoped he would score against us but the oilers would beat the blues. It seemed like most oilers fans wanted the same thing idk.

 

[Nithoniniel]

Fandom of individual players is quite common in football (soccer), where they'll follow a certain player around cheer for the team he is on currently. Don't see it as much in hockey, but it's quite clear on these forums that there's a lot of people who are more concerned about their agenda than what's going on with the team.

The situation OP mentions was in our GDT after the game against the Panthers. A solid, easy 6-1 win and most of the team looked very good, and we had people asking for Babs to be fired because he teased with playing Soshnikov with Matthews for 10 seconds in the end.

As a Leafs fan, the best example of putting agenda before team must have been the #TeamReimer vs #TeamBernier year, where quite a few posters actually hoped the other goaltender would fail spectacularly so they'd be shown right.

 

[Seanaconda]

Fandom of individual players is quite common in football (soccer), where they'll follow a certain player around cheer for the team he is on currently. Don't see it as much in hockey, but it's quite clear on these forums that there's a lot of people who are more concerned about their agenda than what's going on with the team.

The situation OP mentions was in our GDT after the game against the Panthers. A solid, easy 6-1 win and most of the team looked very good, and we had people asking for Babs to be fired because he teased with playing Soshnikov with Matthews for 10 seconds in the end.

As a Leafs fan, the best example of putting agenda before team must have been the #TeamReimer vs #TeamBernier year, where quite a few posters actually hoped the other goaltender would fail spectacularly so they'd be shown right.

Well I guess you don't have to agree with the head coach they get fired the most anyways kind of the same as not loving every player on the team.

But it's weird to cheer for a goalie to lose. Always thought Reimer was treated pretty poorly for what he did with the leafs.

But I avoid watching the leaves as much as I can so maybe it was deserved but with all the leafs coverage forced on us he didn't look bad.

 

[Toene]

I was there that day as I was born and raised in St-Bruno, and I had heard rumors the next day on how Letang was possibly wasted and acted like a dick. Didnt think it was true but now you've confirmed the rumor.

Ive met and served Talbot a few times at the Bruno mall and he`s a class act, and he seemed really cool with the kids at the parade but anyways, glad you're a Habs fan.

Yeah Talbot seems like an awesome guy, gave a speech at his elementary school and seems like a great role model. The fact he scored the 2 game 7 goals made the day special too.

Are you Pens fan or a Habs fan?

 

[CloutierForVezina]

Fans are fans. You're not a "true" fan because you've watched your team for 2 decades and seen nothing but failure. You're no better than fans of players or bandwagon fans or fantasy hockey fans or anyone else. Get over yourself.

The stupid elitism "true" fans have where people are only allowed to enjoy hockey if they follow a random list of unwritten rules about being a fan is dumb.

 

[3074326]

Caring how other people cheer is dumb. It doesn't matter. Let them live!

I root for the Pens and Jackets and IDGAF what anyone thinks of it. I also root for other players on other teams. I assume that is more common than not.

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

Caring how other people cheer is dumb. It doesn't matter. Let them live!

I root for the Pens and Jackets and IDGAF what anyone thinks of it. I also root for other players on other teams. I assume that is more common than not.

It's not so much cheering for players it's just really annoying when your teams winning and all some people want to do is whine about a player not playing with the right people and actively wanting another player to fail so they can be right.

 

[BatVader]

Countless ''fans'' said they we're done with the Habs when they traded PK.
I'm glad they're gone
I love PK but it was a good hockey trade and if you can't aknowledge that, you're not a real fan

Most could care less about PK. They were just finally done with the stupidity of the Habs GM. For some reason, a lot of fans like you can't seem to grasp this concept. You just assume one thing by the coincidental timing of the other, and instead of asking you just jump to conclusions or listen to the spewed garbage from the other blind followers.
I, personally, am rooting for the Habs to lose so the idiot and outdated coach gets fired, but I don't want the moron GM to trade away players trying to "fix" the team first.
Habs have a really good team, with lots of potential, that would be amazing under an actual NHL level head coach who had proper coaching skills.
The thought of Michel Therrien's name on the Stanley Cup makes me sick.


As for the, "topic", I am a huge Duchene fan, but not a fan of the Avs. It's not that I want the Avs to lose or anything, Just not my team.
I couldn't care less about the Caps, but would be nice to see Ovi get a Cup.

 

[ES]

These came to my mind: