City of Champions?
Posted 5:36 PM ET | Comments 4
In recent years this so called "City of Champions" has been riddled with, I am sorry to say "losers". The city has seen it's storied NHL franchise celebrating the 1st overall pick like they have won Lord Stanley's Cup...
Every time I drive into Edmonton I want to hop out of my truck and change the sign from "City of Champions" to "City of RETIRED Champions"...sure Oiler fans may have been a bit spoiled in the beginning with the Oilers winning 4 cups in 6 years and losing out in the finals of one just before they started that run and maybe there was an expectation for the Oilers to hoist more cups but in the end they are having enough trouble being competitive and making the playoffs not just one or two years in a row but what feels like decades.
Sure there was the run in 2006 that ended when the hockey gods finally woke up from what I can only guess was their version of the movie The Hangover and they realized who was in the finals before ending all of our suffering.
I know we all give Canucks fans a hard time that they have never won a cup and but guess what the Canucks have missed the playoffs only twice since the 2000 season, there is a lot to be said of consistency.
Oilers fans I think is time to change thinking. Don't cheer, celebrate or host parties to have a beer with other fans because the Oilers got the first overall draft choice, again! Do not start every season off with the hopes of playoffs..."PLAYOFFS!" I recently read an blog by and Edmonton Oilers Radio Analyst explaining to Oilers fans how they should be optimistic...well guess what, optimism is a word Oilers fans have used too much, year after year Oilers fans are told that "we will be better next year", "another year will give us the experience we need", "the injuries were too much for us to over come"...well I would like to say this is new or do some fancy news broadcast stating "this just in" but it would be useless because it is not new or a surprise for Oilers fans who are perpetually shrugging their shoulders saying "better luck next year" or who with 14 games into the season start following Junior hockey (not that there is anything wrong with that) to see who the top three draft picks are in the upcoming draft that is 10 months away...
I think in the end the Oilers fans, city have not been let down by the players but by Oilers management, who in my mind has taken this team to a level that it was never suppose to fall to. President of Hockey Operations Kevin Lowe said earlier this year that he has 5 Stanley Cup rings so "I knows a thing or two about winning"...well Kevin you were GM for 8 years and you really showed Oilers fans what you know about winning. The team that you have built is currently on the ice...and the players waiting in the wings are currently in the minors and to be honest Oilers fans don't have a whole lot to be excited about, besides Nurse.
Mr Lowe you may know about winning when you are on the ice playing with players like Wayne Gretzky, Paul Coffey, Grant Fuhr, Jari Kurri, Mark Messier and Glen Anderson but you are not showing that you know how to Manage a winner.
Like i said in the beginning the sign into Edmonton should say "City of RETIRED champions"...maybe Kevin Lowe its time that you become one of them...
Laters,
Every time I drive into Edmonton I want to hop out of my truck and change the sign from "City of Champions" to "City of RETIRED Champions"...sure Oiler fans may have been a bit spoiled in the beginning with the Oilers winning 4 cups in 6 years and losing out in the finals of one just before they started that run and maybe there was an expectation for the Oilers to hoist more cups but in the end they are having enough trouble being competitive and making the playoffs not just one or two years in a row but what feels like decades.
Sure there was the run in 2006 that ended when the hockey gods finally woke up from what I can only guess was their version of the movie The Hangover and they realized who was in the finals before ending all of our suffering.
I know we all give Canucks fans a hard time that they have never won a cup and but guess what the Canucks have missed the playoffs only twice since the 2000 season, there is a lot to be said of consistency.
Oilers fans I think is time to change thinking. Don't cheer, celebrate or host parties to have a beer with other fans because the Oilers got the first overall draft choice, again! Do not start every season off with the hopes of playoffs..."PLAYOFFS!" I recently read an blog by and Edmonton Oilers Radio Analyst explaining to Oilers fans how they should be optimistic...well guess what, optimism is a word Oilers fans have used too much, year after year Oilers fans are told that "we will be better next year", "another year will give us the experience we need", "the injuries were too much for us to over come"...well I would like to say this is new or do some fancy news broadcast stating "this just in" but it would be useless because it is not new or a surprise for Oilers fans who are perpetually shrugging their shoulders saying "better luck next year" or who with 14 games into the season start following Junior hockey (not that there is anything wrong with that) to see who the top three draft picks are in the upcoming draft that is 10 months away...
I think in the end the Oilers fans, city have not been let down by the players but by Oilers management, who in my mind has taken this team to a level that it was never suppose to fall to. President of Hockey Operations Kevin Lowe said earlier this year that he has 5 Stanley Cup rings so "I knows a thing or two about winning"...well Kevin you were GM for 8 years and you really showed Oilers fans what you know about winning. The team that you have built is currently on the ice...and the players waiting in the wings are currently in the minors and to be honest Oilers fans don't have a whole lot to be excited about, besides Nurse.
Mr Lowe you may know about winning when you are on the ice playing with players like Wayne Gretzky, Paul Coffey, Grant Fuhr, Jari Kurri, Mark Messier and Glen Anderson but you are not showing that you know how to Manage a winner.
Like i said in the beginning the sign into Edmonton should say "City of RETIRED champions"...maybe Kevin Lowe its time that you become one of them...
Laters,
doesnt look like my message posted - maybe you should look into HOW a city got their slogan - it had nothing to do with the sports franchises - but hey if you want to make fun of people saving each others lives and livelihoods so you can poke fun at a sports franchise - go hard.
the irony of it all.........
Yeah man, you should really give your head a shake. Do a little research before you blog.
FYI...i do realize what Edmonton was called the City of Champions...not meant to offend just making a point about the NHL team