What makes you a Flames fan?

[ashtonia]

I just love hockey in general, and living here makes me a fan of this team for the most part. But with the exception of a few players who do not impress me, I love the team...I love our guys! I love our captain, I think he is a heck of a guy with a ton of class.

I own a couple of jerseys, my family has season tickets, and I have more t-shirts than anyone I know.

I never miss a game...and I talk about hockey more than a lot of my guy friends.

So yea, I don't know. I just love the Flames!

Although I have to admit, Lombardi being traded cut me deep. He was my favorite.

[mattiej1]

For myself I can say that I first heard of the Calgary Flames during the Olympics in 1988. Before that i had some interest in the Norwgian league(not anymore as my team went bankrupt twice and now don't have a seniorteam anymore, besides the team that made my team close down is named Oilers) and at that time i didn't really have an interest in NHL. From i first heard of Flames i decided that were gonna be my team and stuck with them through thick and thin and thinner. Before the internet it was way difficult to follow the nhl, as all we got as results in the newpapers 2 days after the games. With the introduction of the internet my interest in nhl grew even further, and the last 2 seasons i've watched 65+ games every season on webtv. Something that meant i've had to change job and hours to be able to sit up from 4am-7am and watch the games or if it's been away to east coast teams i got 3 hours more of sleep.

My defintion of a fan is someone that emotionally involved with the club. A person that as long as (s)he's in the buildling give the players belife(sp?)and that keep his or hers anger and dissapoint to the forums, where the players themselves have to make an active choice in whether they wanna read it or not.

True fans also like to do the GM's or coaches, they have an opinion about everything and when they critisize they do it contructive.

Codes said in one of the earlier posts that he hates how fans turn on the organisation and players. In my eyes that is passion, that means you want the players and organtiation to succeed so much that it becomes frustrating when your own ambition aren't met, and that the sort of fans I'd love to have abundance of if i were in the ownergroup. Those same people are usually those that renew their season tickets no matter how poor the team preform.

MJ

[freakofnature]

Seeing as how a bunch of other people are trying to one-up each other with how much Flames stuff they have, I'm going to attempt a list myself. Here's what I have:

custom SK license plate (FLMES1)

Flames logo on the front plate of my car

fuzzy dice

seat covers

4 or 5 (I think) Flames hats

2 red metallic wigs

red Fleury jersey from 1995

blank white jersey from 2004

red Regehr jersey from 2006

4 Flames t-shirts

small Flames flag

large Flames flag

a binder full of Flames hockey cards

a book detailing the 03/04 season including the Cup run

a Flames fridge (currently in the possession of Yeller11, as previously posted)

Flames socks

Flames boxers

Flames night light

two Flames mini bears

three Flames keychains

Phaneuf McFarlane figure

Flames Ford Mustang model

Flames pillow

pennant signed by Fleury

puck signed by Gauthier

Flames quilt (self made =) )

a Breyer model horse that I had customized in Flames colors

two Flames notepads

an Italian charm bracelet with Flames charms

various 8x10 photos (Warrener, Gauthier, Regehr, 1989 Cup team)

Calgary Flames Ave. street sign

beer mug

beverage glass

Ummm...that's all I can think of right now. It is my goal to get a steering wheel cover and floor mats for my car as well as a Flames clock and a garbage can sometime in the future. (stuff is expensive )

[ketche]

First story I have about the flames is seeing off the 86 team to Montreal. My Dad brought me out to see them off, and as the story goes I got ran over by Lanny MacDonald. I still have the outfit under glass, and I even got to laugh with him about it when I got some memrobilia signed after the cup win in 89. I don't think there is any one thing that makes you a fan, and I don't think it matters what anybody else says. Some people just track everything, minors up. Some people, just like the team, and others just like the fun night out. Who cares. My families had season tickets most my life, doesn't make me anymore or less of a fan then the guy who only goes to two games. All I can tell you is I love this team, and am passionate all the time, and misguided some of the time. So cheer the team in your own way and who gives a rip about what anyone else says.

Ive been going to games since I was old enough to walk.

Ive never cheered against Calgary or for Edmonton.

I'll never turn down betting on Calgary, no matter how bad the odds are against them.

I dont expect a Cup every year, I just expect my team to do the best they can.

I still can't get over how we got robbed from the cup in 04.

I wear my jersey EVERY game day, despite living deep in hostile territory (Vancouver, BC).

Everytime Calgary scores a goal, I cant help but jump up and cheer, its as automatic a reaction as breathing to me. Sadly this can create some highly embarassing moments(same when Chelsea FC too!).

Anytime I see anyone take liberties with our goalie/players, I get very angry and almost want to hunt the person down and settle it myself.

Ive seriously considered hiring a PI to find out where certain refs live/stay when they are in town.

I have (a few times) valued lower bowl tickets more than the relationship I was currently in.

Anytime anything bad happens to the Flames, I will find about 50 mocking notes on my desk the next morning.

Anytime anything good happens to the Flames, very few people make eye contact with me at the office the next day.

Ive considered coming up with "cheer songs" like they have in Euro Football for the Flames, until I realise my attempts are better for laughs than cheering a team on/pumping them up.

Ive lose my voice atleast 10 times a year, always during hockey season/postseason.

I almost want to damage my kidney really bad, so I can say I bleed AND pee red.

I cheer just as hard when we are 30th in the league as I did when we won the cup, the thing that changes is how much I drink.

I am a Flames fan and will always be!

Cheers buddy, I love it! Just have to worry about the neighbours sometimes too eh?

[duckfan8]

I would be lying if I claimed to a die-hard fan or even a "true" fan of the Flames. However, I do like the Flames. That is because they have Bertuzzi, Iginla, and Cammalleri and I don't mind watching this team as well. Basically, Todd Bertuzzi is my favorite player in the NHL who is not a Duck and, as long as he is not on a team I dislike, I will want his team to do well for his sake.

[mattiej1]

It is my goal to get floor mats for my car

Honestly, you should reall het an oilers or cannucks floor mats as you simply can't step onto a flames logo

MJ

[freakofnature]

Honestly, you should reall het an oilers or cannucks floor mats as you simply can't step onto a flames logo

MJ

I see where you're coming from but I refuse to spend money on any team other than the Flames and you would have to shoot me before you could get anything Canucks NEAR my car. Even then, I would haunt you until the end of your days.

[SKscout]

what really defines a Flames fan is resillience.

The ability to cheer hard and have hig hope for a team that seems to embody mediocrity. That is what makes a Flames fan.

FLAMES for the cup in 2010. The start of a new decade of domination.

Yeah baby.

[terrainman1]

You know one thing I have discovered over the years of being a Flames Fan is that some people measure their Fanizm via Status. Like how much stuff they have bought and or how much they spend on seasons tickets and or things of that nature. Some Fans are crazy and rate their Fanizm on Volume of either their outrageous apparel or just general Volume in voice. And I thought of something today after reading over this thread a bit. You know the term Die-Hard Flames fan or True Flames Fan? I think what distinguishes us as Flames Fans is one thing in specific and that is We are Never Say Die Flames Fans. Year after year we cheer loud, we hurt when they loose, it effects us in different ways both negative and positive in how the Flames Standings, Game Results or Performance in general is. But most of all we Support our Flames no matter who they Ice each year. That is what makes me proud to be a Flames Fan cause the group of my Peers and true friends with my likeness are a wonderful bunch to converse with, and just generally be around. We aren't ignorant, we aren't known for ever being negative fans. There isn't instances of opposing team members having to come up in our crowd and beat people with shoes LOL!!!!! Very little Water Bottle incidents happen in the Saddledome. We sing along and honor both National Anthems prior to hockey games and best of all our teams Color Red represents the very country we live in. There is nothing better than being a Flames Fan.

[Nuje]

I think being a true fan of a team means different things to different people. For me, it is simply my love and passion for this team... not the number of flags on my car, not the number of jerseys I own, not even the fact I haven't been a fan from the beginning. I became a fan in 04. To some people that is hopping on the bandwagon. But I came to Canada in 04, started watching hockey and just fell in love with this team. Another person's opinion of me is not going to change my love for this team. Nothing will.

I haven't read the whole thread, but I love this post. It's not a bandwagon unless you're jumping off it. It's easier to love a team that's winning, and that 04 playoff run was a truly magical thing (since I didn't move to Calgary until 98, it's the furthest the Flames have gotten since I came here). Despite that, I still abandoned the Coyotes (Winnipeger) and gave my full allegiance to the Flames the second I moved here. It felt good to be in an NHL hockey city once again, and it was a team I could call mine.

Look at baseball. The teams with the most supporters? The Jays have a big Canadian contingent, but the majority of baseball fans who don't cheer for their home team, or don't have one, are probably Yankees and Red Sox fans. If not, then they typically latched onto a team that they liked, and was good at one time. Same thing in England for soccer. Most English soccer fans worldwide are either Manchester United, or Liverpool fans. Chelsea and Arsenal have a big contingent too, although not quite as big as the other 2. All 4 of these teams have something in common. Success. They're top 4 almost every single year. Chelsea is especially funny, because they weren't in that pack until their current (ridiculously rich) owner bought them (the same guy that allegedly wanted to buy the canucks a while back, and make the entire team Russian).

I'm a Liverpool fan myself (having never been to England, and coming from a Polish family, so I did simply choose a good team). Our supporters club here in Calgary is quite good, and the age range is huge. Different people in the group show their support differently. A few of us insist on standing the entire time while we watch at the pub, like the fans at the Kop in the olden days when they had one full side of the stadium that was standing room only. Some sit in the corner by themselves at a table, and watch. Some praise everything the team does, some are critical of everything they do, and others attempt to analyze and be objective. We all have something in common however. Paying our yearly fee (our local chapter is officially recognized by Liverpool FC) showing up to the pub, be it a weekday at noon, or a Saturday at 5am, and we all want them to win.

Succesful teams of course have more fans. If the Flames miss the playoffs for 3 years in a row, there'll be some dropoff, but not as severe as most think. In 1989, the population of Calgary was as far as I could find, under the 700 000 mark. In 04, it was probably right around the million mark. That's 300 000 people who haven't seen a succesful team here (that is of course, assuming that 700 000 of the 04 population were also here in 89, which is definitely quite inaccurate I'm sure). There's probably a good half a million people in this city that were not in Calgary at any point last millenium that the Flames won a single playoff series.

The definition of a bandwagoner is someone who jumps off the bandwagon, or changes allegiances. The definition of a fan, is anybody who considers themselves one. I'll be a little judgemental sometimes. I don't like when people boo the Flames, I don't like when people criticize everything the Flames go, while praising similar decisions by other teams. I'm vocal in my support, but that's not a requirement. I like to be informed and always know what's going on with the team's personnel; players, coaches, prospects, but that's not a requirement either.

To be a fan, you have to say you are a fan, and mean it. That's all it takes. Me? I like to buy merchandise. I like to show everyone my allegiance. I like to be LOUD. I have, what I believe, was the 2nd largest Flames flag in the stands these playoffs (second only to the MASSIVE one going around the 200s before puck drop). I go up to Edmonton at least once a season to paint their town red when the Flames are at Rexall. I also have (and will resurrect this motion) attempted to get a small fan-club going, that are interested in helping me attempt to get some more creative (ie. soccer-like) songs going in the saddledome. I know people who simply watch them on TV, go to 1-2 games a year at the dome, and are content. They're real fans too.

[flamesfan1991]

Watching the Flames 04 cup run was truly inspirational since I'm not that old(19 yrs). However, if big changes don't come soon and the Flames keep on failing, than I don't know what I'll do.

[LewisD91]

Watching the Flames 04 cup run was truly inspirational since I'm not that old(19 yrs). However, if big changes don't come soon and the Flames keep on failing, than I don't know what I'll do.

That sets up my answer to this thread.

I know what I'll do, I'll be behind this team 100% no matter what happens. Given I'll be more of an angry fan if they fell back to their late 90's status but I'd still support them 100%.

[Nuje]

Watching the Flames 04 cup run was truly inspirational since I'm not that old(19 yrs). However, if big changes don't come soon and the Flames keep on failing, than I don't know what I'll do.

Gotta keep supporting them. It's tough, but great. 04 was amazing for everyone involved, but the people who were around for the 7 years, were the most enthusiastic, because they went through the lows too.

Wicked sig by the way.

[theofleury143]

Used to be for solid goaltending but that's out the window. They better look to draft a new goalie.

[Yeller11]

Honestly, you should reall het an oilers or cannucks floor mats as you simply can't step onto a flames logo

MJ

I see where you're coming from but I refuse to spend money on any team other than the Flames and you would have to shoot me before you could get anything Canucks NEAR my car. Even then, I would haunt you until the end of your days.

This deserves it's own thread for some serious indepth discussion...

[lesley1]

What makes someone a fan of the Flames? Enjoying the team and supporting them.

* I don't own a jersey. I do have Flames socks - I collect socks and got a friend from Calgary to send those to me. I'm from a small town Ontario (a few hours from any malls that have any sports merch stores).

* I hadn't ever watched an NHL game, period, until I moved away to college in fall 2005. I missed seeing parts of games that I was used to (from living with my dad and brother) and turned on HNIC one Saturday. I saw the Flames on TV and became hooked to the team.

* I haven't ever seen a game live and don't expect traveling three provinces away to do so is really in my budget anytime soon.

* I cheer when the team's doing well in a game (or period of time); I cheer when the team's having a difficult game (or time).

* I am a Flames fan!

[torij]

I first became a flames fan as a young child, i remember my dad telling me we were going to a hockey game and i said "but daddy! how are we gonna see them if they are only a few inches tall??..a young child

but i didnt really get into hockey until 04, i was in 5th grade and i will admit i cried when we lost haha. Ever since then i have gone to at least one game a year (being in texas makes this difficult) and i will always love them no matter where we are in the standings.

[agulati]

I moved to Canada in 2006. I had never really heard about hockey much before. I knew there was a sport called ice hockey but had no idea as to how it was played. I watched a couple of games and started enjoying hockey. I became a die-hard fan during the playoffs against Detroit. I might have only been a flames fan three seasons, but I love the Flames and I will stand by them no matter how they do in the standings.

I also finally got the money for a jersey and bought one during this season's playoff series. I haven't seen a flames game live as yet though, even though I live in Calgary. Planning to put in a few games next season.

[Pete123]

The definition of a fan (in my opinion) is the team you cheer for from game 1 of the pre-season till the last second of their elimination.

Now that the team I am a fan of has been eliminated, I cheer for the 2'nd best thing. The team that is playing them,that eliminated them.

If that does'nt happen. then my interest in the season is over,because NOTHING BUT NOTHING bothers me more than an American team winning the cup.

[swtrooper]

The definition of a fan (in my opinion) is the team you cheer for from game 1 of the pre-season till the last second of their elimination.

Now that the team I am a fan of has been eliminated, I cheer for the 2'nd best thing. The team that is playing them,that eliminated them.

If that does'nt happen. then my interest in the season is over,because NOTHING BUT NOTHING bothers me more than an American team winning the cup.

??? So are you gonna cheer for Chicago if they go to the cup??? Really dont understand all the hatin on American teams? Nona of them are really dominated with American players.

If your gonna hate how bout the Russians? They ve been kickin the crap out of everybody since the 70's.

[swtrooper]

My love for this team started in 86 when we played Montreal in the finals and my buddy was cheering for them so I went aginst him. Been following this team ever since, through all the great times (89) and through the crappy late 90s to now.

I have many jerseys from the time Ive followed them, got to meet players when they came to town, and now that Im older I can travel to other cities to see them play when they dont come to Buffalo.

This year I decided to put the Flaming C tattoo on my neck so I carry this team with me everywhere I go. I will ALWAYS follow, support, and love this team no matter what the outcome of the season is.

Someday the CUP WILL BE OURS AGAIN!!!

[BlackNRed1237]

Ive never cheered against Calgary or for Edmonton (or Vancouver for that matter).

I made a shirt dissing the Vancouver Canucks.

I'll never turn down betting on Calgary, no matter how bad the odds are against them, or how much ppl will come after me for the money.

I dont expect a Cup every year, I just expect my team to do the best they can. (But a cup every year would be awesome)

I became a Flames fan in 04 after hearing about Iginla leading the Flames

to the finals (I was 11)

I wear my hoody EVERY game day, despite living deep in Caps and Canes country (Southeast VA).

Everytime Calgary scores a goal, I cant help but jump up and cheer, and the goal horn at home gives me a tingly sensation up and down my body...

Anytime I see anyone mess with our team, I get pissed and want to hunt the person down and fight them myself.

After Avery said what he said, I hoped that the Rangers would meet the Flames in the Stanley Cup playoffs. So Phaneuf can make him his...

I have skipped hanging out with my friends to stay up late to watch Flames games.

Anytime anything bad happens to the Flames, I will never stop hearing "Flamers suck!" in school.

Anytime anything good happens to the Flames, very few people want to talk to me with me at the school the next day.

I make raps about the Flames and try to get people to listen.

Ive lose my voice atleast 10 times a year, always during hockey season/postseason.

I almost want to damage my kidney really bad, so I can say I bleed AND pee red.

I don't care where we are in the league, my heart will always burn Flaming C's

My password disses both the Canucks and Oilers at the same time.

I am a Flames fan and will always be!

I can name and spell them.

[swisscosmo]

well for me I started being a Flames fan because my dad liked them and my dad liked the flames because when they were in Atlanta they had a swiss player that my dad liked and now he and I follow the team. I sadly tho have never being to a game but next season I will when they are in vancouver because my uncle and I are going to go and get cheap tickets as my cousin can get them. And yes i can name almost every Player on the team by memory. I can't spell them all tho.

[Guest jsheajr]

I rescued my Flames Slippers from the Esso trash. Of course they're designed for a Caucasian Man's foot, instead of my tiny cat paws! (in reality my Asian Foot there's at least like 3 1/2 of space gap long ways sides ways, I can't properly go up stairs without them falling). I just threw them into the machine, threw in alot of soap (the Lye, the the chemical that Tyler Durden/narrator burns himself with, on Fight club), kills all germs from the trash.

I also write helter skelterly with Ivory soap all over my mirror, (like REALLY insane Son of Sam like font), my love for the Flames. I'd go through the whole soap superstition but I'm bored of it now). Let's just say the wild Helter Skelter font, would easily comit me into nut house, as well my posts here.

I also have fantasies that the Flames can experience a similar dynasty as did the Oilers had years ago. But such dreams are flirting with angering the Puck God/ess.

I wrote Calgary Flames on an Apples to Apples card, my FIRST card (I wrote other silly stuff, but Calgary Flames would be my first Apples to Apples post, a very addictive game. Somehow I get all the bad "A" cards: Like Micheal Jackson, Samuel L Jackson, George Bush, Jack Kavorkian, and other crazy ones).

-I once confused (actually confused), poster Kristian Husliess (sp), for the REAL Kristian Husellius....

-If My Red Hyundai didn't explode and die. I would have grabbed some white out, and painted the Flames logo (It's already red car),

-I scream incomprehensible gibberish during visiting team power plays, 3 on 1s, break aways, to ease my pains.

-I like most of the posters wish Bad Karma on the Panago guy!

-I plan to climb Everest one day, to plant the Calgary Flames Flag on the Summit..... right before I plunge to my death for being off balance or something...

- I was planning to pay for Mr Mick McGoo's lasik surgeries, but he retired! now I can zap my own eyes!

-I formed a parody RELIGION, based on the Calgary Flames. With the great Puckallah, and his Holy Grail of Immortality (the Stanley Cup).

-The Calgary Flames athleticism, actually motivates me to do stuff for Calgary. I'm usually quite lazy. Like Dennis from Run Fatboy Run.

-Owner Ken King is a Rotarian. So I am a Rotarian, or was, before I was kicked out of the club over a tiny dispute. Actually I joined the club not knowing King was a Rotarian... so, essensially the Flames Fans, as we buy the Flames Flags, go to games, we're actually setting that abomination juvinile Polio germs ablaze! as Rotary's chief project currently is the Eridication of Polio! (there are only sporratic cases here and there, less than 500 new Cases was once tens of thousands.... so Go Flames Go! The longer the Flames play in the playoffs, if they go all the way, simply means more money King has at his disposal to donate to Rotary, which buys the 3 cent doses for many people to become immune (I think, or was that Leperosy, all they're all alike to me, these diseases, they're small jerks that hurt children), either way, because King has such a strong following, the only thing Polio spores will hear on their way to Germ Hell (erridication), is "The Flames went higher and higher, and it burns burns burns. The Ring of Fire"..... Good ridance!

[hkstylez]

Born and raised in Calgary, i didnt really know much about the sport until i started watching Vancouver games during the Pavel Bure/Bertuzzi era, hence why im a huge fan of the nucks, through in my heart ive also been cheering for the Flames after their 04 run. I do have my own Flames Jersey with my name and number on it, signed by some of the 04 roster and ive also worked at the Dome during their run, But i also have quite a few other Hockey team Jerseys as well... So im basically just a huge hockey fan, but mostly cheers for the nucks...

Only Teams that im not really fond of are the Montreal Canadiens, the Senators, the Maple Leafs, Tampa and the Ducks. Ive grown to love the oilers the last time they made the finals and when they got Dustin Penner.. haha...