News Flash: Flyers get screwed in Montreal.

[Ex Lion Tamer]

Booing is fine, to an extent when it's because they want the team to be better, it shows they care - it's when they stop caring altogether and disappear. Lion Tamer, I've got coworkers wearing Habs ties, and the likes razzing me about the Habs this year that I had no idea were even hockey fans. In the past they've cowered away, like they were embarrassed to admit they were Montreal fans. These are the bandwagon types. Quick to criticize (excessively) and then jump off the wagon so to speak when the team struggles. They stop supporting, deny their affection for the team (or hide it, whatever), then they win one playoff series and profess their love to any who will listen. Not all Habs fans are like this. I just experience this phenomenon more with Habs fans than any other team by a huge margin. Maybe the Habs just appeal to casual fans. I don't know.

Ha ha ha ha. No, I am NOT a Leafs fan. Never will be. I'm a Senators fan (loud and proud, no matter how much they suck) and you hit the nail on the head, I went to 7 games at Scotiabank Place this year, each visit the mood was more gloomy than the previous. But the building still sold out because the market is strong enough to endure...still, not as many flags, jerseys, etc. Sens fans fell off the bandwagon this year. Big time. But the reality is, the Sens have been a struggle their entire existence in most aspects, and the fans they have are used to disappointment. So when the going is bad, well, it's not like we've lost most of our fan base, just like thousands didn't come crawling out of the woods for the cup run last year.
It seems to come and go in bigger numbers for the Canadiens. And these part-time fans are usually the mouthiest and most annoying to talk to.

Hope that clears things up. I have nothing against the Habs in general, and respect any team's hard core supporters (even the Leafs).

The fact that you live in Ottawa, you do linve in Ottawa right? makes thinghs clear for me. I lived in Ottawa (Aylmer, actually) since '89 - moved back to Montreal (my home town) last summer. I heard this a lot from Ottawa fans - "Oh you Habs fans are all bandwaggoners". I think the dynamic in Ottawa is different because every Sens fans is a converted something fan, simply because of the age of the franchise. So I would think it's easy for a converted Sens fan to temporarily un-convert back to their first love when the going gets good. Ignore these people! To me you are born a fan of a certain team and nothing would make you change back and forth.

[kexodusc]

The fact that you live in Ottawa, you do linve in Ottawa right? makes thinghs clear for me. I lived in Ottawa (Aylmer, actually) since '89 - moved back to Montreal (my home town) last summer. I heard this a lot from Ottawa fans - "Oh you Habs fans are all bandwaggoners". I think the dynamic in Ottawa is different because every Sens fans is a converted something fan, simply because of the age of the franchise. So I would think it's easy for a converted Sens fan to temporarily un-convert back to their first love when the going gets good. Ignore these people! To me you are born a fan of a certain team and nothing would make you change back and forth.

Don't live in Ottawa, I live in NB now, though I have family in Nepean (Ottawa) I visit and a few times a year I make it to Ottawa for work. Actually, there's finally a whole generation of Senators fans who aren't converted just old enough to buy beer! We're multiplying.
Work has tickets at the Bell Centre and Scotiabank Place (but not the Air Canada Centre because they're too much $$$). I generally like the atmosphere at the Bell Centre better, but it's not a huge difference anymore, Montreal has the Ole Ole Ole thing when they're winning...otherwise they're fairly similar.

The folk I'm talking about aren't fans of any other team, in fact you might not know they were a fan of any team during the season, except when they become outrageously patriotic when the Habs are winning. Every team has its bandwagoners, but for some reason Montreal has more.

[bobsticks]

I appreciate the fact that I can take a day off and the rest of you will step to the plate and smack Swish around.

[Swish]

I appreciate the fact that I can take a day off and the rest of you will step to the plate and smack Swish around.

They did a good job though, didn't they?

Swishdaddy

[kexodusc]

They did a good job though, didn't they?

Swishdaddy

I'm just glad I can use this forum as proof to my Canadian friends that contrary to popular belief, there are knowledgeable hockey fans south of Michigan.

[Swish]

I'm just glad I can use this forum as proof to my Canadian friends that contrary to popular belief, there are knowledgeable hockey fans south of Michigan.

I'm not exactly a student of the game, but I certainly know more than the average sports fan, at least I think I do. I don't have time to follow all the players and stats, but I know the rules and love to watch. I recall a study that indicated hockey requires more skill than any other sport, and I suppose it does since you're on skates and wielding a stick with people trying to take your head off.

I never had the chance to play organized hockey because it just wasn't very popular when I was a kid, coupled with a lack of facilities nearby, and I mean hockey facilities Bobsticks, before you jump on that comment.

That was fun though, wasn't it?

Swishdaddy