Fans who root for players, rather than for teams

[Spazkat]

Rooting for a player you don't know who happens to be from the same country from you is just as stupid.

Where's the logic in thinking there's only certain ways to be a proper "fan"? It's a game, who are you to define how someone else enjoys it?

 

[Dr Quincy]

I mean, love fans, who demand Babcock get fired, because he doesn't use Mathews and Nylander properly, with proper partners, after 6-1 win...

Are you one of these fans?

I'm a fan of players rather than teams so yeah...

I could care less what Babcock does and see no reason why he should be fire.

I have no idea what your point is.

 

[General Zodd]

I love Carey Price but hate the Habs
I like Drew Doughty but not a Kings fan
I like Phil Kessel but not a Pens fan
I love Erik Karlsson but not really a Sens fan
Love Big Joe but not a Sharks fan

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Do you mean, fans know better, than Babcock, what positions are the best to win?

a) Sometimes fans know better than a coach, it's not shocking.

b) That's besides the point, you said they're rooting for players, they're rooting for putting the players in the best position to win in their minds. Even if they're wrong that's not rooting for the players.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Bolts have some fans that followed Callahan from the Rangers, but they have integrated nicely into the fanbase.

Of all the players to switch teams over Ryan F'ing Callahan shouldn't be one of them.

 

[Zalos]

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.

Interesting read. Sorry Letang was a loser with you.

 

[Internet Explorer]

I mean, love fans, who demand Babcock get fired, because he doesn't use Mathews and Nylander properly, with proper partners, after 6-1 win...

Are you one of these fans?

Yupppp.

I'm a huge Lebron fan. I couldnt care less which team he plays for.

 

[Loffer]

All the Finns...

 

[pezcore]

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?

Thought the avatar was pretty blunt

Habs of course but regardless of the team, when the Cup visits your hometown you gotta go.

My kids was also 7 at the time and was a Pens/Caps fan at the time because of Crosby and Ovy but he's on the righteous path now.

Although he's a prime example of cheering for a player more than the team. He's a big Tarasenko fan now, he collects his cards and asked me for his jersey for x-mas but he cheers for the Habs.

 

[Toene]

Thought the avatar was pretty blunt

Habs of course but regardless of the team, when the Cup visits your hometown you gotta go.

My kids was also 7 at the time and was a Pens/Caps fan at the time because of Crosby and Ovy but he's on the righteous path now.

Although he's a prime example of cheering for a player more than the team. He's a big Tarasenko fan now, he collects his cards and asked me for his jersey for x-mas but he cheers for the Habs.

Im on my phone I didnt see it lol

Yes, like you I believe it isnt mutually exclusive to cheer for individual players AND your favorite team.

 

[Sonofamitch]

Huge leaf fand but also love watching the local kids succed. Big fan of Stamkos,Tavares, Simmonds, Toffoli and Doughty.

 

[Soundwave]

Don't do this for hockey but I'll admit I did it for the Michael Jordan-era Chicago Bulls. Don't really follow the Bulls at all anymore.

 

[La Bamba]

I am a fan of the Oilers, and not the individual players (although I love McDavid to death). I know a lot of people who are fans of the players first and foremost which is weird to me.

 

[NoQuitInNewMexico]

I know the US national soccer team has a calvalcade of nutsos who tune in to the grainy streams of Sheffield United or FC Utrecht games that feature a fringe national team player. I'm sure it's the same for smaller hockey countries, like if I was from Slovenia and I was into hockey I'd have LA Kings **** all over the place

 

[TomasHertlsRooster]

The original post is a mess, but after reading the topic of the thread, the first thing that came to mind was Finnish fans. They love all Finnish players but usually do not have a specific favorite team, or if they do, they really only like that team because a Finn plays an important role on it.

 

[Festinator]

I rooted for the leafs when they had sundin and the devils when they had brodeur. Once they both left their respective teams my interest in both teams dropped off almost completely lol

 

[habsrule4eva3089]

I root for young players to do well, I enjoy watching the new talent every year.

I have no allegiance towards any of the businesses in this league, time comes when you realize the game is played for money only and nothing else.

I don't understand when either Canadians or Americans criticize Europeans for not supporting teams and only players.

Why would people in different countries care about teams in cities in Canada or America, everyone has their own league, own teams that they grow up with.

 

[Bone Breaker]

I have some empathy for several teams because of some certain players I really like. Capitals because of Backstrom, Ovie and Orlov; Jets because of Big Buff; Canucks because of (back in the days) Odjick; and so on.

and the reverse thing applies too. I hate the Wild because of Suter, Nino and Parise; hate the Pens because of Sid and Letang; Islanders because of Clutterbuck...

oh and now after reading Toene`s post, I hate Letang even more.

 

[These Are The Days]

We've got a guy like that. To his credit he sticks with Callahan through thick and thin.

 

[Shareefruck]

Do you mean, fans know better, than Babcock, what positions are the best to win?

Babcock isn't perfect. An appeal to authority isn't a valid reason to dismiss opinions about specific decisions.

This is a dumb argument.

 

[Stasis]

There was a NYR fan who switched to Tampa because of Callahan once, apparently. Definitely not because Tampa was doing better.

Always claimed it was because he loved Callahan sooooo much. I wonder where is now. Must be having great times. Prolly found a new team for whatever reason.

 

[Keeptdos]

All the Finns...

Our gig is up? Run you fools!

 

[Nithoniniel]

Generating shots on goal is easy. As a Leafs fan you should know this after years of watching Jason Blake rifling it from everywhere on the ice.
Scoring chances and shots on goal are not the same thing.

... Which might be the reason I added "... and scoring chances".

 

[Marre]

The original post is a mess, but after reading the topic of the thread, the first thing that came to mind was Finnish fans. They love all Finnish players but usually do not have a specific favorite team, or if they do, they really only like that team because a Finn plays an important role on it.

Most likely do have, their favourite just isn't a NHL team. For many Finnish hockey fans, and probably also other Europeans, NHL is something you watch for high quality hockey and your favourite players. Your favourite team however may well play on Finnish third level league.

Hockey can be great fun without being a fan of the some specific team in every league you follow.

 

[AzHawk]

In my limited experience, I see this a lot more with basketball fans, almost exclusively limited to the NBA--a subset of fans that don't have a vested rooting interest in any one team, and instead enjoy matchups in terms of players. Hockey fans I know do the latter plenty, but I almost never see the former.

Of course there's no blueprint for being a fan, nor should there be.