I used to love the Oilers. That of course was when I was a mere youth, and the team were awesome.
Then they started handing their players to rival teams(Paul Coffey to Pittsburgh started the trend), and at first it still was okay. Even Gretzky to the Kings was palatable, since the 1990 SC winning team had the potential to continue winning. But it wasn't to be. More players were sold, Messier decided enough was enough and when he left so did my interest in the NHL - I would spend the next decade ignoring the NHL almost entirely.
Then for some reason after college I started getting into hockey again, while living in another city. Oilers seemed far away, and their pathetic annual chase for 8th place amused me, for all the wrong reasons. Instead of a fan, I was now a fiend.
Today I see the Oilers as a team that is going down in history as one of the great sad sack franchises of all time. Ever the optimist, I predicted 6th place in the West, based on my fanciful imagination and the fact that the team had a few incredibly young gifted players. Now, halfway through the third season of absolute total suckage, I look like a moron(again). I never worry about looking dumb, but don't like being dumb.
Looking at the intelligence of the Oilers fanbase, watching their analytical skills is kind of weird. For one thing, collectively they seem to understand more about the team than the team does itself. It's just fucked up. Once upon a time I had Slats to depend on to routinely keep the team competative; but today, it's left to an impotent fanbase to wax endlessly on regarding what needs to be done, but never is.
It's insane. Beam me up, Scotty.
No comments:
Post a Comment