2021-22 NHL Regular Season

[SFGiants58]

54 minutes ago, Sport said:

 

Penguins fans are the Worst People Alive^TM Hockey Edition so keeping them out of road games is a matter of public health. That should be the policy at every NHL arena. 

It wasn’t just Penguins fans - it was fans of every other team!

 

I’d say that Worst People Alive^TM Hockey Edition are Panthers fans, because Broward County snobs are so awful. That’s just my take. I’d say Coyotes “fans” are too, because they’re just trying to prop up a flaming money pit.

[Sport]

6 minutes ago, SFGiants58 said:

It wasn’t just Penguins fans - it was fans of every other team!

 

I don't know why that doesn't bother me, but it doesn't. I've been to Nashville for two road games as a visiting fan and they were very friendly and the Blue Jackets won both games. I was on my best behavior, though, because I didn't want to come across like a Penguins fan.

 

6 minutes ago, SFGiants58 said:

 

I’d say that Worst People Alive^TM Hockey Edition are Panthers fans, because Broward County snobs are so awful. That’s just my take. I’d say Coyotes “fans” are too, because they’re just trying to prop up a flaming money pit.

 

Panthers fans and Coyotes fans have to exist before they could be in the conversation.

 

The only people who ever puked on my shoe at R Bar or waved a terrible towel in my face in Nationwide Arena or passed out in their seat next to me before the game started were all wearing Penguins jerseys. I've seen every NHL team plus the Thrashers in that arena. I worked in that arena for a season and a half. I've been to games in Columbus when the Blackhawks and Red Wings were at the peaks of their power, when the Flyers and Sabres were competitive and brought a lot of fans, playoff games with the Capitals and Bruins - None of them ever came close to behaving as boorishly as Penguins fans. There's no debate. They're still holding the Worst People Alive^TM Hockey Edition title and it'll take some monstrous behavior from another fanbase to top them.

[SFGiants58]

19 minutes ago, Sport said:

 

I don't know why that doesn't bother me, but it doesn't. I've been to Nashville for two road games as a visiting fan and they were very friendly and the Blue Jackets won both games. I was on my best behavior, though, because I didn't want to come across like a Penguins fan.

I mind. It’s butthurt behavior to not let all the opposing fans into the stadium. It’s fitting for a whiny, little-brother syndrome franchise (one that would honor low-effort achievements with banners). @the admiral would have more to say about it.

[Sport]

29 minutes ago, SFGiants58 said:

I mind. It’s butthurt behavior to not let all the opposing fans into the stadium.

 

Wasn't that only for playoff games? Is it "butthurt" behavior or was it trying to help the home team as much as possible for a playoff series? 

 

29 minutes ago, SFGiants58 said:

It’s fitting for a whiny, little-brother syndrome franchise (one that would honor low-effort achievements with banners). @the admiral would have more to say about it.

 

The banners thing - This is the Nashville Predators we're talking about. They started in 1998. They're supposed to be whiny little brothers. They've made the Finals once, let them celebrate little accomplishments, who cares? So they have a banner for the year when they were Conference Regular Season Champions, judging from this photo the Red Wings have at least two

 

 

It's really stupid that the Red Wings have one when their rafters are littered with better achievements, but if they can do it I give the Predators a pass.

 

You rooted for the vile, evil-on-ice, NHL Office Darling Penguins because the Predators do a bunch of little superficial things that most other teams also do? Just saying, that's weird.

[SFGiants58]

30 minutes ago, Sport said:

 

Wasn't that only for playoff games? Is it "butthurt" behavior or was it trying to help the home team as much as possible for a playoff series? 

 

Do non-Sun Belt teams do that? Not really. If you can't play with the pressure of opposing fans, why bother?

 

30 minutes ago, Sport said:

You rooted for the vile, evil-on-ice, NHL Office Darling Penguins because the Predators do a bunch of little superficial things that most other teams also do? Just saying, that's weird.

 

I just find the Perds (note the use of that nickname) to be annoying little doofs. They're not as bad as the Hurricanes, but they're nearly as irritating. I like it when more traditional clubs like the Penguins can put teams like the Perds in their place. Hang a banner when you've won something of real importance (a cup, a conference title, or a division). 

[Sport]

1 hour ago, SFGiants58 said:

 

Do non-Sun Belt teams do that? Not really. If you can't play with the pressure of opposing fans, why bother?

 

 

It's not about playing without the pressure of opposing fans. It's about a business giving their preferred customers the best shot at seeing their biggest games. You're trying to sell future tickets to people in your local market, not people that live 3, 4, 5 hours away. The Blue Jackets limited fans with Pennsylvania cards from playoff games and it was really nice to not have to deal with as many of the Worst People Alive^TM Hockey Edition as usual. 

 

And just in general I am in favor of any policy that ensures fewer Penguins fans can go to hockey games. 

 

 

1 hour ago, SFGiants58 said:

I just find the Perds (note the use of that nickname) to be annoying little doofs. They're not as bad as the Hurricanes, but they're nearly as irritating. I like it when more traditional clubs like the Penguins can put teams like the Perds in their place.

 

I understand not everyone sees the Penguins correctly the way I do, but being on the side of literally The Establishment franchise because the team on the other side does a few superficial things you'd 100% expect from a team that's not 25 years old? It's just an odd choice, man. They're not annoying enough to justify rooting for the Penguins. 

 

1 hour ago, SFGiants58 said:

Hang a banner when you've won something of real importance (a cup, a conference title, or a division). 

 

Which they did. They have their banners for the President's Trophy, the division championships, and the 2017 conference championship. Their "Regular Season Western Conference Champions" banner is admittedly silly, but I don't know why the internet memed that so hard when other more established teams did it multiple times well before them. 

 

 

 

 

[SFGiants58]

I guess I don’t share your undying hatred for the Penguins. I’ve had good experiences with the few I’ve met. It’s not as big a sample size as yours, but it’s not too bad. 
 

I’d root for the Penguins over a bunch of other teams. I love the logos, colors, and history. If you want an “evil” team in the NHL right now, it’s the Lightning or the Hurricanes (IMHO).

 

Then again, the most prominent Penguins fan online is UrinatingTree, so what do I know?

 

[Ridleylash]

7 minutes ago, SFGiants58 said:

I’d root for the Penguins over a bunch of other teams. I love the logos, colors, and history. If you want an “evil” team in the NHL right now, it’s the Lightning or the Hurricanes (IMHO).

I'd say the Blackhawks are consensus Team We Should All Hate at the moment due to the off-ice :censored:storm they've gotten themselves into. Most you can whine about with the Bolts is them just using the rules to their advantage, and the Canes are really only an issue for their social media being kinda cringy.

[SFGiants58]

4 minutes ago, Ridleylash said:

I'd say the Blackhawks are consensus Team We Should All Hate at the moment due to the off-ice :censored:storm they've gotten themselves into. Most you can whine about with the Bolts is them just using the rules to their advantage, and the Canes are really only an issue for their social media being kinda cringy.

True. They suck this year, so it’s less awful than seeing the Bolts be so rewarded or the Canes fawned over on social media. The Blackhawks are very much punished. The others aren’t as much. 

[Glover]

I think what @Sport is trying to say is that Pittsburgh fans in general, specifically Penguins and Steeler fans, are the worst. And he would be 100% correct. It is scientifically proven when you look at the correlation between sub-par french-fry sandwich intake and obnoxious sports fans. 

[SFGiants58]

4 minutes ago, Glover said:

I think what @Sport is trying to say is that Pittsburgh fans in general, specifically Penguins and Steeler fans, are the worst. And he would be 100% correct. It is scientifically proven when you look at the correlation between obnoxious sports fans and sub-par french-fry sandwich intake. 

I’d agree about the Steelers, not as much about the Penguins. The Pirates are just pitiable at this point.

 

I still dislike Boston fans more. Despite meeting plenty of good ones, I like them less than Pittsburgh fans.

[Glover]

2 hours ago, SFGiants58 said:

Do non-Sun Belt teams do that? Not really. If you can't play with the pressure of opposing fans, why bother?

Not exactly the same because we are discussing pro sports, but I've worked in marketing at a handful of mid-major schools. If we are hosting a popular big-name opponent we would make it as difficult as possible for visiting fans to get tickets for that game. 

 

[SFGiants58]

The Perds just rubbed me the wrong way and I wanted the Penguins to put them in their place. That’s all. Is it against the rules of good taste to be ok with the Penguins?

[Glover]

8 minutes ago, SFGiants58 said:

The Perds just rubbed me the wrong way and I wanted the Penguins to put them in their place. That’s all. Is it against the rules of good taste to be ok with the Penguins?

Yes 

[sky1324]

Yeah, the "regular season" conference title thing is goofy, but it's not like they're the only ones that do it, just as @Sport said. And of course they act like "the younger brother", they are a younger team, and stuck-up snobs from the North won't give the Southeast the time of day. Every team that gets memed on, from the Preds to the Canes to the Bolts, have something to prove because it seems like half of hockey's fans want them dead and moved to Saskatoon or wherever. They have an "us vs. the world" attitude because it can feel like the (hockey) world is against them. 

 

Not to belabor the point, but "growing the game" is a real thing! I thought hockey was a joke before I watched a game live. I wouldn't have been able to unless I had a hockey team near me to watch! I do think Quebec should have a team, but I also think the league made the right choice expanding in the Sun Belt. I think the teams that had issues, like the Thrashers, Yotes, and Panthers, are due to failed ownership or terrible stadiums (or both, if you're Arizona). 

 

And yeah, anything from Pittsburgh is in bad taste to support.

[tp49]

6 hours ago, Sport said:

 

Penguins fans are the Worst People Alive^TM Hockey Edition so keeping them out of road games is a matter of public health. That should be the policy at every NHL arena. 

At least you're not married to one, though when my team swept them in the playoffs a couple years back it was a fun week in my house.   After Ranger fans, the Pens fans are the worst. 

 

4 hours ago, SFGiants58 said:

I mind. It’s butthurt behavior to not let all the opposing fans into the stadium. It’s fitting for a whiny, little-brother syndrome franchise (one that would honor low-effort achievements with banners). @the admiral would have more to say about it.

Tampa Bay enters the conversation.  They were doing shady things to Islander fans during the playoffs last season.  Many reports of them telling fans they couldn't wear Isles gear in the lower bowl and other reports of fans in Isles gear being moved from their seats.  Don't know if it was just for the Conference Finals or whether its extended to the regular season too.

[SFGiants58]

32 minutes ago, QCS said:

Yeah, the "regular season" conference title thing is goofy, but it's not like they're the only ones that do it, just as @Sport said. And of course they act like "the younger brother", they are a younger team, and stuck-up snobs from the North won't give the Southeast the time of day. Every team that gets memed on, from the Preds to the Canes to the Bolts, have something to prove because it seems like half of hockey's fans want them dead and moved to Saskatoon or wherever. They have an "us vs. the world" attitude because it can feel like the (hockey) world is against them. 

 

Not to belabor the point, but "growing the game" is a real thing! I thought hockey was a joke before I watched a game live. I wouldn't have been able to unless I had a hockey team near me to watch! I do think Quebec should have a team, but I also think the league made the right choice expanding in the Sun Belt. I think the teams that had issues, like the Thrashers, Yotes, and Panthers, are due to failed ownership or terrible stadiums (or both, if you're Arizona). 

 

And yeah, anything from Pittsburgh is in bad taste to support.

Yeah, I was being too harsh towards the Sun Belt teams. I guess that comes from being a Sharks fan who did want to see my terrible team get lapped by newer clubs in the Sun Belt. If that meant rooting for the Penguins, so be it. It’s not that I’m some Pens stan, I just didn’t like Nashville. Ah well, the Sharks’ former coaching staff is helping to kneecap the Golden Knights, so I can’t be too mad. It’s an unfortunate bias I have.

 

I do have a significant distaste for the Coyotes, but that’s more for wasting public money and for the tasteless displays they used to get a new lease at the Glendale place back in the day, That and the way the NHL keeps propping them up despite what failures they’ve been. If the NHL had shown that kind of mercy to the original Jets or the Whalers, the league would be better for it. Grow the game, but not at the expense of the heartland of hockey.
 

Additionally, helping to lower the financial barrier of entry for youth hockey is the ideal method to “grow the game.” That’s more effective than an unwanted team hoovering up public money.

[Kramerica Industries]

37 minutes ago, tp49 said:

Tampa Bay enters the conversation.  They were doing shady things to Islander fans during the playoffs last season.  Many reports of them telling fans they couldn't wear Isles gear in the lower bowl and other reports of fans in Isles gear being moved from their seats.  Don't know if it was just for the Conference Finals or whether its extended to the regular season too.

 

Regrettably, going back to at least 2015 the Lightning had a draconian policy like that not just about who could buy tickets (purchasing location-wise) but also about wearing opposing team gear in those more TV-visible parts of the arena. Probably because they were facing the Red Wings in the first round that year and feared a bunch of red being seen (I have no idea if similar policies were considered or in place facing the Penguins/Bruins in 2011 or Habs in 2014 or if the policy might've been inspired from those). I think after some Islanders fan made a big stink of it on social media, video and everything, the Lightning softened that policy, but that doesn't erase five postseasons of having it in place before that (including 2021). 

 

This was a playoff-exclusive policy. It didn't apply to regular season games.

[SFGiants58]

So, I wound up in a big set of rants defending Pittsburgh fans. It’s a lovely city and I know some fantastic people from there. I guess I’m not face-to-face with the worst their fans have to offer (often, anyway - online interactions have been mixed, but that goes for many fanbases).

 

I don’t like dehumanizing and writing off all Pittsburgh fans. It’s cruel to those who aren’t dirt bags. I did attack Panthers and Coyotes fans, but not enough of them exist. Still, don’t treat all Pittsburgh fans like they’re monsters or evil or worthy of death.

[Glover]

16 minutes ago, SFGiants58 said:

I don’t like dehumanizing and writing off all Pittsburgh fans. It’s cruel to those who aren’t dirt bags. I did attack Panthers and Coyotes fans, but not enough of them exist. Still, don’t treat all Pittsburgh fans like they’re monsters or evil or worthy of death.

Literally no one is saying anything about them being worthy of death. We are saying they have a lot of obnoxious fans.