The Relationship Between Fans And Goalies Put Into Perspective

[AMCanuck]

While I have only been a member of CDC for about a week, I have been following the message board and countless amount of threads for over 3 years. I began taking interest in the CDC boards during the 08/09 season, and substantially more interest after the 09 playoffs, after we got eliminated by the Blackhawks following Luongo's first "meltdown". Since then up until now, I have read a number of threads and messages from the CDC community where people often say that pressure and intolerant behaviour from the fans has been hard on the team, particularly on Luongo and consequently effecting his play. And now that Cory Schneider's playing as great as a goalie can play, and odds rising in his favour to take the starting goaltending position on our team next year, the relationship between fans and goaltenders is being brought up again, and many fans are blaming themselves and other fans of the Canucks for "shattering" Luongo's confidence, and suggesting that the same will happen to Schneider if he fails to meet expectations. But my question, and inquiry, is, do the fans really have that much to do in changing the way a proffesional athlete plays the game?

Since the peak of Naslund's career in 02/03, there has not been a player in the Canucks organization who has had a bigger fanbase than Luongo. But starting from the 09 playoffs, it is undeniable that Luongo has been inconsistent in the playoffs; some games he plays lights out, other games it looks like he's a emergency call up from the ECHL. His inconsistent play subsequently lead a lot of fans to develop a negative attitude towards him, however, many more fans had a favourable opinion towards him than negative. Even following last years loss to Boston, while most hockey 'experts' and fans from other markets pin pointed Luongo's weak play in the Chicago and Boston series, majority of people still supported Lou in Vancouver. So where does this question of his shattered confidence because of fans come into play?

There is no doubt that Vancouver is a hockey crazed city. With the Canucks being the only major league franchise in the city, it's a given that fans are very passionate about the team. So obviously, after Luongo put up questionable performces for three straight playoffs, it's a given that people will begin to dislike him and make negative remarks. But being a professional athlete making upwards of 5 million dollars a year, should the remarks of minority of fans be bugging him? It's ignorant to say Luongo is the only goalie in the NHL who faces pressure. Tim Thomas has got it from the fans on numerous occasions, so has Carey Price, so has Marc Andre Fleury and the list goes on. It's a part of hockey, fans get angry, it happens. So why are we Canucks fans so ready to blame ourselves for "shattering" Luongo's confidence (when we don't even know if his confidence is shattered)? Isn't it our right to question a goalie's play? Is it wrong to boo him after a bad performance? If these things can get to an athlete, then I question the ability of the athlete more than anything else.

So what do you guys think, are we as fans really that bad? Do we really shatter the confidence of players to the point where they can't play well anymore? Is this going to happen to Schneider, if he becomes a starter, too? Or is this all just an overreaction or a overplayed excuse? I want to know your guys' opinions because this really baffles me.

[Buddhas Hand]

if you win you will be loved if you lose you will be crucified .

[cool story bro]

I've always agreed with everything OP said. If they can't take the pressure they shouldn't be here.

[Monteeun]

Sigh

Another thread on this. This is being discussed to death.

[grumpworsley]

I believe some players let this effect them and some don't. If the Sedin's in their earlier years with the team gave up every time they heard reference to sisters, where would they be now! If the players can't stand the heat they will leave, this goes for the atmosphere or fan base pretty much anywhere. Lu's Family is still in Fla Don't be surprised if he ends up back there somewhere if he is going to move or be moved.

[smurf47]

I think Lou should be addressing the media rather than ducking the issue. He certainly has reason to be upset but hes always said....whats best for the team. The longer he stays quiet, the worse it will be. He ha s proven to be a team guy and he needs to be vocal in his support of Cory and the team ! He can defuse the controversy.IMO

[velocity]

Part of it is also the $ signs,

Fans expect someone who is paid $10, 000, 000 not to make mistakes or at least make very few and be able to handle the pressure put onto him by the fans who indirectly pay his contracr

, but you cant blame Luongo for the contract, did you expect him to decline it?

[Geoff Peterson]

It's a mess out there...'CBS CARES'

[dirk diggler]

Have to go with the positive energy which is with Schneider.

[Edler's Broken Stickz]

if you win you will be loved if you lose you will be crucified .

[clutchburr]

Well written post buddy. Luongo was our playoff MVP in 2006-2007, but was undoubtedly our playoff goat each of the team's last three playoff defeats, from letting in 7 goals in the most crucial game of the year and crying about it, then posting .895% next playoffs at the feet of Byfuglien, and then s***ing the bed for half of the Finals. No wonder our first impulse is to blame Luongo. He demonstrates the division between elite and clutch. And I'm sorry, but in the two biggest games he's won (Canada and Game 7-Hawks), he's let in the tying goal in the last two minutes; each of those games could have easily swung the other way.

Cloutier was eerily similar (not as good of a goalie as Luongo) in clutch situations. Maybe we're insecure and a tad over-critical of Lu. But c'mon: considering his epic chokes and that he hasn't posted a playoff save % of above .915 since 2007, I don't blame us for our skepticism. I trust Schneider more mentally, and if he doesn't let us down the way Lu did, I doubt we'll treat him the same way.

[foskco87]

The reality is it really doesnt matter who our goalie is. This teams problem was never goaltending, it is scoring and defensive collapses. With the proper offense and defense and coaching any worthy team should be able to win a cup with either of these goalies. So to think that switching luongo with schneider will make our team better to me is absolutely wrong. Look at pittsburgh vs philly. They are scoring 5-10 goals each per game. Could you imagine if Vancouver could score 4 or 5 goals a game? We would literally win every game we played. We arent really allowing that many goals in these games we are losing, we simply ARENT SCORING. It doesnt matter how good your goaltending or D is playing if you dont score goals you cant win. Why dont people understand this? We went from having THEE best PP in the league to having one of the worst and all people can talk about is Luongo vs. Schneider? Learn the friggen game already its such an ignorant thing to do to blame a goalie. Both our goalies have been amazing this year so why even worry about who our goalie is?

[RGC]

While I have only been a member of CDC for about a week, I have been following the message board and countless amount of threads for over 3 years. I began taking interest in the CDC boards during the 08/09 season, and substantially more interest after the 09 playoffs, after we got eliminated by the Blackhawks following Luongo's first "meltdown". Since then up until now, I have read a number of threads and messages from the CDC community where people often say that pressure and intolerant behaviour from the fans has been hard on the team, particularly on Luongo and consequently effecting his play. And now that Cory Schneider's playing as great as a goalie can play, and odds rising in his favour to take the starting goaltending position on our team next year, the relationship between fans and goaltenders is being brought up again, and many fans are blaming themselves and other fans of the Canucks for "shattering" Luongo's confidence, and suggesting that the same will happen to Schneider if he fails to meet expectations. But my question, and inquiry, is, do the fans really have that much to do in changing the way a proffesional athlete plays the game?

Since the peak of Naslund's career in 02/03, there has not been a player in the Canucks organization who has had a bigger fanbase than Luongo. But starting from the 09 playoffs, it is undeniable that Luongo has been inconsistent in the playoffs; some games he plays lights out, other games it looks like he's a emergency call up from the ECHL. His inconsistent play subsequently lead a lot of fans to develop a negative attitude towards him, however, many more fans had a favourable opinion towards him than negative. Even following last years loss to Boston, while most hockey 'experts' and fans from other markets pin pointed Luongo's weak play in the Chicago and Boston series, majority of people still supported Lou in Vancouver. So where does this question of his shattered confidence because of fans come into play?

There is no doubt that Vancouver is a hockey crazed city. With the Canucks being the only major league franchise in the city, it's a given that fans are very passionate about the team. So obviously, after Luongo put up questionable performces for three straight playoffs, it's a given that people will begin to dislike him and make negative remarks. But being a professional athlete making upwards of 5 million dollars a year, should the remarks of minority of fans be bugging him? It's ignorant to say Luongo is the only goalie in the NHL who faces pressure. Tim Thomas has got it from the fans on numerous occasions, so has Carey Price, so has Marc Andre Fleury and the list goes on. It's a part of hockey, fans get angry, it happens. So why are we Canucks fans so ready to blame ourselves for "shattering" Luongo's confidence (when we don't even know if his confidence is shattered)? Isn't it our right to question a goalie's play? Is it wrong to boo him after a bad performance? If these things can get to an athlete, then I question the ability of the athlete more than anything else.

So what do you guys think, are we as fans really that bad? Do we really shatter the confidence of players to the point where they can't play well anymore? Is this going to happen to Schneider, if he becomes a starter, too? Or is this all just an overreaction or a overplayed excuse? I want to know your guys' opinions because this really baffles me.

[Mad_Duck]

if you win you will be loved if you lose you will be crucified .

[RGC]

Well written post buddy. Luongo was our playoff MVP in 2006-2007, but was undoubtedly our playoff goat each of the team's last three playoff defeats, from letting in 7 goals in the most crucial game of the year and crying about it, then posting .895% next playoffs at the feet of Byfuglien, and then s***ing the bed for half of the Finals. No wonder our first impulse is to blame Luongo. He demonstrates the division between elite and clutch. And I'm sorry, but in the two biggest games he's won (Canada and Game 7-Hawks), he's let in the tying goal in the last two minutes; each of those games could have easily swung the other way.

Cloutier was eerily similar (not as good of a goalie as Luongo) in clutch situations. Maybe we're insecure and a tad over-critical of Lu. But c'mon: considering his epic chokes and that he hasn't posted a playoff save % of above .915 since 2007, I don't blame us for our skepticism. I trust Schneider more mentally, and if he doesn't let us down the way Lu did, I doubt we'll treat him the same way.

[AMCanuck]

The reality is it really doesnt matter who our goalie is. This teams problem was never goaltending, it is scoring and defensive collapses. With the proper offense and defense and coaching any worthy team should be able to win a cup with either of these goalies. So to think that switching luongo with schneider will make our team better to me is absolutely wrong. Look at pittsburgh vs philly. They are scoring 5-10 goals each per game. Could you imagine if Vancouver could score 4 or 5 goals a game? We would literally win every game we played. We arent really allowing that many goals in these games we are losing, we simply ARENT SCORING. It doesnt matter how good your goaltending or D is playing if you dont score goals you cant win. Why dont people understand this? We went from having THEE best PP in the league to having one of the worst and all people can talk about is Luongo vs. Schneider? Learn the friggen game already its such an ignorant thing to do to blame a goalie. Both our goalies have been amazing this year so why even worry about who our goalie is?

[Edler's Broken Stickz]

Irony: intentional or accidental?

[beer&meat]

The reality is it really doesnt matter who our goalie is. This teams problem was never goaltending, it is scoring and defensive collapses. With the proper offense and defense and coaching any worthy team should be able to win a cup with either of these goalies. So to think that switching luongo with schneider will make our team better to me is absolutely wrong. Look at pittsburgh vs philly. They are scoring 5-10 goals each per game. Could you imagine if Vancouver could score 4 or 5 goals a game? We would literally win every game we played. We arent really allowing that many goals in these games we are losing, we simply ARENT SCORING. It doesnt matter how good your goaltending or D is playing if you dont score goals you cant win. Why dont people understand this? We went from having THEE best PP in the league to having one of the worst and all people can talk about is Luongo vs. Schneider? Learn the friggen game already its such an ignorant thing to do to blame a goalie. Both our goalies have been amazing this year so why even worry about who our goalie is?

[Smashian Kassian]

He can't take the pressure?

This season he has taken the pressure and negativity like a champ.

But now it seems like everytime some thing happens it starts to get more and more personal everytime.

That joke about him committing suicide that starting going around after the finals was too much, I'm fine with critizing him on his play but it's becoming more and more relentless and personal everytime.

[RGC]

This^^

8 goals in 7 games will not win you a championship, Luongo would of had to make 3 shutouts and one, 1 goal game, expectations a little high? I think so.

People around here like to single people out, unfortunatly there is no "one" person to blame, the entire league and the Canucks sytem is broken right now.