Its very clear and I've already defined it. Regular season results, for Seasons ticket holders and what they pay for. Seems to make sense. It seems a little silly to hold on with all might to the few years in 20 that they squeaked into the playoffs and ignore the rest and brunt of the results sample. If it satisfies I could run numbers on Regular season/Playoffs combined and we still have the second worst record of teams that have been in the league the whole 20 yrs.
Theres a big difference between there being expectations of contenders vs just expecting a team to show some ability to compete.
But if you buy season tickets to the Edmonton Oilers and expect results, clearly the joke's on you. Regardless of how much you think you have the right to expect it because you forked out a lot of money. Fans of every team in every league do this and they can't all follow winning teams.
We obviously have a right to be disappointed and upset if the Oilers, now that the playing field has been evened out, can't convert all this talent into results down the road. But the jury is still out on that one and will be for some time.
And on that note, speaking of holding on with all might to stuff, isn't it a bit silly to criticize the team for a lack of results over a time period when clearly the biggest victory for Oiler fans was to even get to keep their team in Edmonton? Did you expect the Oilers to be Detroit/Colorado/Dallas?
But if you buy season tickets to the Edmonton Oilers and expect results, clearly the joke's on you. Regardless of how much you think you have the right to expect it because you forked out a lot of money. Fans of every team in every league do this and they can't all follow winning teams.
We obviously have a right to be disappointed and upset if the Oilers, now that the playing field has been evened out, can't convert all this talent into results down the road. But the jury is still out on that one and will be for some time.
And on that note, speaking of holding on with all might to stuff, isn't it a bit silly to criticize the team for a lack of results over a time period when clearly the biggest victory for Oiler fans was to even get to keep their team in Edmonton? Did you expect the Oilers to be Detroit/Colorado/Dallas?
Just be glad they weren't the New York Rangers.
I don't buy season tickets. I was talking about seasons ticket holders.
I can't speak for their expectations but many have voted by walking away in recent years.
I don't entirely agree either that its all that much of an accomplishment staying alive in a rabid hockey market where the paying public doesn't really expect all that much.
Playing against other markets and cities that have been in economic freefall and chaos where fans have lost their homes and livelihood.
We have it good here, to be sure, but lets not kid ourselves. In a capped league this club has every advantage available to it.
I've got Centre Ice, and I haven't been able to watch live Oiler games through the end of November the last couple of years. I was at the season opener, should have quit right there.
Nicole stayed with OJ...that didn't end well. Enjoy another 5 years of Tamblowe and a jock sniffing blackmailing owner.
edit: May have a point with Atlanta.
See ya! Don't let the door hit you on the way out.
But answer me this, if you would: when you say nobody has done a poorer job at providing entertaining NHL hockey in a market in the last 20 years, are you including the Minnesota Wild? The St. Louis Blues? The Atlanta Thrashers? The Calgary Flames? The Ottawa Senators?
Because over the past 20 years, I'd say the Oilers have provided more entertainment than any of those teams. And that's just plucking names off the top of my head...
As I said earlier, Oilers fans have had it tough recently. So have fans of alot of teams. We don't own the patent on being long-suffering fans.
Dont quote me on this but I swear on a recent lowetide blog he offhand mentioned the St Louis Blues, didnt they make the playoffs every year from 1984-2004. For those of us who missed the dynasty and have never seen a good oilers team (longer then 2 months in 05-06) it seems Blue's fans have had it better then Oiler fans (unless they got to see 5 cups that is)
Ottawa was dominant for a stretch of years and had a cup run, at least they were competitive the year before and after their cup run.
Im not saying the Oilers have had it the worst but if you still in your early 20s or younger then the best memory you have is Marchant beating Dallas or two months of cup run to go with 20 years of suck as other have said
I was actually. It might not have been the same player every night, but there was always SOMEONE that stepped it up and made it interesting to watch
Interested is different then entertained. Im always interested in the Oilers but to say you got 82 entertaining games this year is just lying. What about that week where they got blown out like 5 games in a row all by like 4 or more goals. You were jacked for that while the rest of Canada made fun of us
Interested is different then entertained. Im always interested in the Oilers but to say you got 82 entertaining games this year is just lying. What about that week where they got blown out like 5 games in a row all by like 4 or more goals. You were jacked for that while the rest of Canada made fun of us
There was an ample supply of games that were garbage to watch last season. I made the mistake of driving up for the St Louis 5-0 loss and I felt like I should have been refunded my money. Lack of effort and lack of execution is not something I care to pay to watch.
My 11 year old son wondered aloud why the team looked like it didn't care. I had no answer for him.
No one in their right mind expects this team to win most of their games but there is no excuse for not putting in an effort.
I am a former season ticket holder as well. I will gladly take my chances by not paying for season tickets to watch this brutal team until management gets a clue by signing some decent veterans to groom these kids. Could be a long wait.
I've been an Oilers fan since '97 and weirdly enough, i've been more at ease as an Oiler fan over the last couple of years than at any other team outside of the '06 run and even that year had a lot of uneasiness involved.
Pre-lockout from '97 on, yes the team was a borderline playoff team pretty much every year but it was complete hopelessness for me because there was always the "financial struggle" black cloud hanging over the franchise with all of the talk about the franchise moving and with the team being forced to move their top young players whenever those players were due for raises so it seemed inevitable that the team would move or just end up as a cellar dwellar with no hope of climbing out.
Post-lockout at least brought hope that the team could compete financially so at least something special could be built and it started off well with the '06 run so it seemed that the franchise was on the right track then the Pronger trade demand happened and the reputation of Edmonton became a PR nightmare and KLowe lost his mind with all of his idiocracy by trying to outsmart everybody in the league but instead alienated the fanbase because he had no plan and was trying to patch holes in a sinking ship with band aids.
For the first time since i've been an Oiler fan, there is finally a plan in place and that to me, has made the losing much more tolerable because i can see a light at the end of the tunnel and i have comfort in knowing that there is a plan in place.
There is finally a purpose towards building something special and that has put me at ease as a fan, i'm just going to enjoy the ride and i hope that you guys and gals do too.
Also, if you want to talk about torture as a fan, try being a Detroit Lions fan over the past couple of decades. The franchise as a whole has won one (count them) ONE playoff game in the last 50 years or so and it's sad that i remember the exact score 38-6 over a young Aikman led Dallas team in 1991 so it could be worse, A LOT worse.
I've been an Oilers fan since '97 and weirdly enough, i've been more at ease as an Oiler fan over the last couple of years than at any other team outside of the '06 run and even that year had a lot of uneasiness involved.
Pre-lockout from '97 on, yes the team was a borderline playoff team pretty much every year but it was complete hopelessness for me because there was always the "financial struggle" black cloud hanging over the franchise with all of the talk about the franchise moving and with the team being forced to move their top young players whenever those players were due for raises so it seemed inevitable that the team would move or just end up as a cellar dwellar with no hope of climbing out.
Post-lockout at least brought hope that the team could compete financially so at least something special could be built and it started off well with the '06 run so it seemed that the franchise was on the right track then the Pronger trade demand happened and the reputation of Edmonton became a PR nightmare and KLowe lost his mind with all of his idiocracy by trying to outsmart everybody in the league but instead alienated the fanbase because he had no plan and was trying to patch holes in a sinking ship with band aids.
For the first time since i've been an Oiler fan, there is finally a plan in place and that to me, has made the losing much more tolerable because i can see a light at the end of the tunnel and i have comfort in knowing that there is a plan in place.
There is finally a purpose towards building something special and that has put me at ease as a fan, i'm just going to enjoy the ride and i hope that you guys and gals do too.
Also, if you want to talk about torture as a fan, try being a Detroit Lions fan over the past couple of decades. The franchise as a whole has won one (count them) ONE playoff game in the last 50 years or so and it's sad that i remember the exact score 38-6 over a young Aikman led Dallas team in 1991 so it could be worse, A LOT worse.
Confucious says the light at the end of a tunnel is often a train.
In the last 20 years, we have been to one final. The Leafs have been to the Conference finals multiple times in that span--we did only one better in only one year. They have far more playoff series wins over that time span.
Since 91, the Leafs have made the conference finals 3 times, winning 11 rounds in the playoffs, missing the playoffs 10 times.
The Oilers have also made the conference finals 3 times (91, 92, 06), the Cup finals once, winning 9 rounds and missing the playoffs 11 times.
So - I would say in the last 20 years, pretty much a draw.
What? I'm almost 30 years old and we've been rebuilding since... well... grade 5 or 6 primary school for me. We almost had things patched up then everyone left town.
I've got Centre Ice, and I haven't been able to watch live Oiler games through the end of November the last couple of years. I was at the season opener, should have quit right there.
Nicole stayed with OJ...that didn't end well. Enjoy another 5 years of Tamblowe and a jock sniffing blackmailing owner.
edit: May have a point with Atlanta.
Are you sure you like hockey? Maybe its best that you jump on the bandwagon of whatever teams are looking good next year. Don't worry, we'll welcome you back in three years with only a small "told you they would get better".
If we are going to compare the Oilers to the Jackets, Panthers, Thrashers etc... then I think that it pretty much answers our question right there. Do you compare Megan Fox with Rosie O'Donnell? The Oilers have been among the worst performers in markets where there is an actual market. I am not complaining, just stating it like it is. I am looking forward to the future but these last few years have been the most brutal for me and I have been a fan for almost 30 years. It has probably been good for my health overall as I have been numbed to the results but as a fan this has been garbage hockey. Not entertaining and very uninteresting. Again, not complaining, just stating my view as an Oilers fan.
I think us oilers fans are gonna be alot better for wear as mature fans. These 2 years have really taught us alot about being fans of the oilers. One of the biggest things that we've grown to do is appreciate all the little positives of our team. The small wins during a game (faceoffs, nice passes, good plays) that we got excited for, the loses where we feel we played great. We weren't so quick to get angry and blame everything on anyone. As fans, we've grown to be patient and appreciate the small things rather than wins and points. And deep down inside, we know we are gonna see all of that in the coming years, and when we do, we will be grateful we went through this process, because it is going to make us not take anything for granted!
So heres to looking forward to the great times! cus the good times have already started!
I agree with this post. And I'm going to say something that isn't too popular, but I feel that some of the most intelligent, witty and self deprecating since they've endured the test of time with the worst teams after signing the biggest names are Leaf's fans. Yes they have hobo kids that run onto the board screaming how "AWESOME AND WIKID REIMER" is, but the majority are quite classy to engage.
