I really wish that the Saturday after the free agent flood gates opened that I was able to talk about something positive, exciting, and refreshing for the Edmonton Oilers hockey club. Instead the team is once again stuck in the middle of another drama episode that, as always, just highlights how far behind the 8 ball this hockey market is in attracting high end players. Pronger, Nylander, the play for Penner through the offer sheet, and now Dany Heatley, are all scars on this club that will never go away in the clubs ongoing battle to get a top 3 hockey player into the line up. The odd part however is that the people who suffer the most through this in the fans, are also a major part of the problem in this whole picture in my opinion.
Canadian hockey fans are assholes.
There I said it.
Hockey players know they can't find a normal life in Edmonton and it drives them away if they have the choice. When players first come into the league, or the player isn't really that good if we talk about the ones old enough to be free agents, maybe they don't mind being the center of attention 24/7. That gets old quick. Imagine, EVERY TIME you go out, with your girlfriend, wife, children, or just by yourself, you had complete strangers looking, pointing, talking, and in most cases, right up in your face. No quiet dinners out, forget shopping for groceries in peace, no taking your kids to the park for quality family time. Don't even think about going to a club, it's only a matter of time until some drunk punk thinks he should fight the hockey player. How about this one? He makes millions, he should have to sign that autograph while he is in the middle of a private supper! What's my point? I know for a fact I would be looking for a place that offered peace and quiet after awhile as well, I think most of us would be if we are honest with ourselves.
I think, two things need to change in Edmonton if we want these players stories to change. The team needs to prove it's a winner, that's maybe the most important point, and will have to be done through the draft it would seem. Secondly the fans of this city have to realize they aren't "passionate" they are borderline stockers. Give players space, if they aren't at a hockey rink leave them alone, and know there are correct channels to talk with them and about them.
Then again, this is just a damned opinion.
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2 comments:
That's a big reason players like playing in Nashville because they get left alone in public. If they do have an encounter, it's usually a "Hi, how are you?" and that's it. Nashvillians are used to seeing "stars" from the local music scene every time they go to Walmart so it's no a big production to see a player about town.
I have suggested a dome over the town of Edmonton to warm it up in the winter but that probably only works in The Simpson Movie.
The Oil really could do nothing more than they did....it just all comes down to Heatley who let's face it is not the nicest person on the face of the Earth and I will leave it at that.
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