Stuff and Things – The Fans Edition

Stuff

Well the season will officially come to a gracious end this Saturday, and it can’t come soon enough for me. In a short while we’ll be able to watch the draft lottery with all the hope and anticipation of Bill Daly announcing the Edmonton Oilers as the winners of this years first pick. The thoughts of grandeur of what this team will look like next season with phenom Connor MacDavid skating in blue and orange silks next season.

But like most of the last 9 years for Oilers fans we should be preparing for dissapointment, the team currently sits with an 11.5% chance at winning the coveted 1st overall selection, not very good odds if I were a betting man and I am (read about that in a minute).

There has been much talk about this teams struggles, who to blame, what to change, how us fans can cope . We won’t get those answers anytime soon, and a fanbase used to watching this team struggle with the hopes that the organization will pull a “Garth Snow” type move will stay forever hopeful.

Constantly betting on a loser. Hey it’s what we do now right?

Well I’ve tried to put my disappointment aside recently, the playoff races in both the east and the west have been great, I’ve adopted a few teams as my playoff bandwagon gangs. The Ottawa Senators have been fun to watch, hanging on to hope in the chance of squeezing in to the final wild card spot in the east. Remember what that was like folks, watching every second of a game hoping your team would be able to get the results needed to push into the second season…I’m so jealous of the true Sens fans. It’s fun to watch. Not to mention that if the Pesky Sens can somehow manage to squeak in and the Penguins fall out then the Oilers will increase their chances of winning the lottery by another percentage point thanks to the David Perron trade.

In the west I have to say I’m hoping for the Jets and the Kings to take that final two spots. Not because I like the teams from Hollywood and Winterpeg, but because I so very much hate our rivals to the south, you know, the Calgary Flames. Alex commented to me the other day that maybe if the Flames make it then it will finally be the wake up call that Oilers management need. I hope it’s all the losing for the last eight years that does it, but I fear that this team has been in a hockey induced coma so long that the only thing that will help is pulling the plug on their life supports systems and bringing in some new warm and not comatosed blood.

I’m a fan of the Oilers first and foremost, but when it comes down to it, I am a hockey fan and this is a great time of year for that.

Things

While out having a beer with one of my best friends, Cam Brown (@9fingrs on twitter), last week he said to me “Maybe I should write something for your site, would you post it?” To which I replied “I’ll read it, that’s all I can promise”

He laughed, I laughed and thought that would be the end of it. Until I woke up and checked my email to find an article from him in my inbox….. “Oh Sh*T”

Before I post his essay, let me tell you a little bit about Cam. We met many moons ago and for some stupid reason have been hanging out ever since. You see, Cam is the loudest most obnoxious person out there, when you get into an argument with him, you better be prepared for the long haul because he’s never wrong. Perhaps the worst part, he’s a Vancouver Canucks fan, ugh with all those awesome character traits above add the team he cheers for and I often find myself wondering what the hell made us become friends.

But before I throw Browner to far under the bus, I can list on just a few fingers the amount of good friends that I have, and he’s definetly on of them. Cam will give me, or you, the shirt off his back with out thinking twice. He’s always a good time, and when needed he’s an ear that will listen without judging. He’s the godfather to my beautiful daughters and anyone that knows him is lucky to have him around.

BUT HE’S A FREAKING CANUCKS FAN, JERK!

Here is what he had to say about being a hockey fan;

Hybrid Oilers Fan

 

Am I a fan of the Oilers? Yes. Why you ask? I think it’s because I have made a lot of money (more than I would like to say in this letter) on the Oilers not making the playoffs. Most of which has not been paid to me, nor am I asking for out of pity from my best friend. Does this make me a Non Fan or say a tier 3 fan for said hockey club. No.

How is this possible…. Well my hockey loving friends… that is exactly what I am, a hockey loving person. I love hockey so much that after 8 season’s of the Oilers losing, I actually feel bad for the fans. I do not feel bad for management, ownership or the players. I feel bad for the FAN. You know, the guy or gal that spends 40 to 42 hours a week (with no overtime) to spend roughly 8-10% of their hard earned paycheque, for 2 season tickets a year on this sorry team. (based on $4000 AFTER TAX / MONTH. If I am off by a little bit…. I’m a Canucks fan, blame that)

Now… as a Canucks fan, I have heard it all. TRUST ME!!! Being in this city with a Canucks jersey on is worse than a Calgary fan being on Whyte after a win by the god forsaken Flames. I don’t get it. Was it the riots, or the “Sisters”, who in the last 8 or so years have more points as a duo than any other combo in the league. Yes that includes Crosby-Malkin, Perry-Getzlaf, Zetterberg-Datsyuk, Horcoff-??????.

Henrik just became the 52nd highest assist total all time the other night at .642 assist’s per game as well he just moved into 98th all time for points. He is getting ready to pass Scott Stevens, Jean Beliveau, Daniel Alfredsson for assists. When he is done his career I bet he’ll be in the top 20 all time for points.

I hear it all the time, “we can’t cheer for the Canucks, no Canadians on that team.” There’s 12 this year. The oilers only have 15. It’s a shame really.

I was recently down in the sunny state of Florida. Guess what game I attended when I was there? Florida Panthers vs. Buffalo Sabre’s. Wait a second, did I get that right? Yes, I did. I watched 2 teams play a hockey game that, before 2008 ish I wouldn’t have given my money too. But as we were outside between periods chatting away with some of the locals they asked the common question of “where are you from”? So we both (my dad and I) did the whole, Canada, then Alberta, then Edmonton. Once they figured out we were from Edmonton, you know what the response was. HOLY, your team sure sucks hey? WOW, this coming from a Panthers fan. I damn near spit out my $12.50US beer. So you see, when fans in Florida are saying that this team sucks. Take it and GO.

My problem with this team is that it’s ruining hockey for CANADIANS!!! Your old school mentality is such a nuisance, and irritating. I am going to take a wild stab in the dark and guess that your beloved Oilers have won…. 5 Stanley Cups? Just a guess, because it’s never been mentioned to me before. I especially love it when it’s a kid around the age of 18-20. I can see if it’s a guy like… say Dave Gordon the owner of this awesome website. He saw, experienced and lived the glory days.

Be careful, because it could be soon that you are among the teams like the Hartford Whaler’s, Atlanta Thrasher’s or Minnesota North Stars. But you say those are useless Merican cities that never supported our beloved game…. Oooohhh that’s right, we are a Canadian club we can’t be let go. Said the Quebec Nordique’s & Winnipeg Jets. Yes, Winnipeg got their team back, but not without fighting. I hear so many people as an outsider looking in (or hearing for that matter), that they aren’t going to renew season tickets.

Why am I blabbering on about a team that I love to hate? Because I….. as a HOCKEY FAN do not want to see these useless COILERS leave this wonderful province that I… somehow over the last 17 years…. have called HOME. I want to make fun of this team. I want to bug my friends. I want to help my buddy with his hilariously usefull Facebook page selling tickets for below face value. I want to help my other good buddy sell his tickets to me and or a friend below face value too. But most of all, I JUST LOVE HOCKEY!!!!! I don’t want to see this team move to Vegas or Kansas City. I want it to stay here. I would love to see another team in Quebec. Hell, even see the GTA get another one so that the Leafs finally have some local competition.

PLEASE for the love of all of hockey, help this team get back to what we would call normal….. a playoff team. Not a contender, just a 8th place team that get’s knocked out by Dallas in the first round in 5-6 games year after year. I am sure that the fans would be happy with that. I know Ryan Smyth would be.

 

 

The man has a pretty good point, and the likely hood of this team going anywhere is slim to none. But remember when we almost did and the EIG Stepped in. That was a terrible time, and until management builds a winner then this possibity, no matter how slight, is always in the corner waiting to show its ugly face.

Thanks for reading

Other Things

One thing we’ve prided ourselves on doing here at the Oilers Rig is fundraising for great causes. These efforts are continuing, as I’m riding in the MS Johnson bike tour this year with the Battered Piles team. It’s going to be quite the challenge as I’ll be riding my bike 180km over two days, something I’ve not even come close to doing in my training so far. Anyhow I’ve set a goal to be one of the top 10 individual fundraisers for this years event and right now I’m sitting in 6th spot. I originally set a goal of $3000 but because of all of you awesome people who have donated I was able to surpass that, so I raised my goal to $5000. Which I believe is something we can achieve. I can’t reach these goals without your help, if you would like to donate please do so by clicking the banner image below.