On Twitter, and Oilers fans

The season is lost.

I know that the mighty Oil were essentially eliminated from playoff contention back in November, and mathematically eliminated a couple weeks ago, but after last night’s performance in Los Angeles, I feel pretty confident in saying that season is done. This doesn’t mean I’m going to stop watching, but it’s a little hard to get myself ready to see my team get curb stomped (like last night) instead of simply defeated.

Because of this, I really struggled with something to write about this week. I had NO idea what to say that hasn’t already been said in many other forums by people far more skilled than I. So rather than dissect the game, which we can all agree was horrendous, I decided to go back through my tweets from the last few games and see if I could piece together what’s been wrong with the team of late. Full disclosure: I live-tweet most games I watch, and even though it feels like I’m shouting into an echo chamber, I can definitely tell what my mood is as a fan based on what I’ve said (and who I interact with).

I went back and read through my tweets from the last 6 games I watched, and instead of gaining insight into the games, I found that most of my Twitter activity during games is talking with other Oiler fans. We share the same highs and lows, and even though we don’t all like the same players (WHO DOESN’T LIKE HALL?????), we have an affinity for this collection of hockey players who, for better or worse, represent us as a fan base and our city. We’re frustrated, we get angry, we like to remember the good old days, some of us like to remember the late 90s completely separately from the early 90s, some people reminisce about being in the stands for a specific playoff victory or defeat, and still others (myself included) question their own sanity for choosing to remain on the bandwagon.

Despite all of the terrible games we’ve had to endure the last few years, it’s been fun having people to commiserate with. I can’t really explain how it works, but I like that it does. It’s nice to feel part of something, and have other people to share in the misery of being an Oilers fan. I know it’s not ALWAYS terrible, but it’s definitely getting harder to stay positive about the team and the future. Because of that, it’s good to have a place to vent with like-minded individuals; we’d love to see what you have to say, so be sure to use #RigRant next time you question Justin Schultz’s ability to play defence.

The power of social media is strong, and it’s only getting stronger. The last time the Oilers were in the playoffs, Twitter didn’t exist (imagine, though, if it had!). Most of what I learn about the team comes from Twitter, and most of the reactions I see are there as well. One incident really sticks out in my mind as having developed legs via Twitter: I thought back to the first time an Oilers jersey was thrown on the ice, and Scrivens picked it up and threw it back. I was appalled that someone would waste their money like that, but the reactions that “The Toss” got online were surprising. We were all at a breaking point, and the things that really struck me was how angry Scrivens got at seeing the jersey on the ice, how quickly the picture of said jersey was spread around, and how many people on Twitter were quick to condemn the jersey thrower, despite their own displeasure with the team.

The people in the Oilers Twitter community wouldn’t throw their jerseys; most of them don’t even go to games anymore, choosing instead to vote with their wallets. They’re very vocal about what’s wrong with the team, and aren’t afraid to criticise any on- or off-ice decisions. They even take it upon themselves to openly criticise other Oilers fans (especially those who would trade Taylor Hall for magic beans or a bag of pucks). It would be really easy to slide into negativity about everything; even though we all share in this sports fan misery, we still manage to stay (generally) upbeat and have a little fun while watching this tire fire of a team.

It’s been said many times that the only reason the games are bearable IS Twitter. Let’s keep it that way.