A Message To Oiler Fans from Kevin Lowe

[NAF]

I never thought he had anything to apologize for, except maybe being belligerent and inarticulate. No fan who is not entirely deluded and entitled thinks the club should value paying and non-paying fans equally*. It was dumb and impolitic of him to say it, but it's an obvious truth.

*Although, come to think of it, anyone who pays property taxes in Edmonton should probably be considered a paying fan now, thanks to City Council's half-billion-dollar gift to Katz.

 

[nhlisajoke]

I wonder how Tier 1 ppl feel about this...the ones that buy merchanidise and go to every game...did this video piss you off knowing your just like the rest of us??

 

[ManByng]

I'm not convinced that's the case at all. In Lowe's own words he is nothing more than a "liaison" between the people who are really making the decisions and the owner. I don't believe that's true but it is what he claims. What I do believe is that if Lowe weren't friends with Katz he would have been fired already. Why wouldn't their friendship be enough for Lowe to survive another management shuffle?

i feel that 2 GM's is plenty of slack even for a friend...Tambo lasted 5 years and we have to think that maybe? MacT will be given similar time. if by year 2 or 3 it doesn't look like MacT is working out, i would think that even Katz could see where the problem is and sometimes even friends get fired.

 

[syz]

Don't need his apologies. Bake me a cake... or find a good hockey team.

 

[Section337]

I wonder how Tier 1 ppl feel about this...the ones that buy merchanidise and go to every game...did this video piss you off knowing your just like the rest of us??

Well season ticket holders know that they will yearly get an email or two from Patrick LaForge, how can they not feel special.

 

[McShogun99]

If this team makes the playoffs next year and wins a cup in the next few seasons then he can say whatever he wants about the tier 2 fans.

 

[Tarus]

i don't know why fans and the media think the Oilers, specifically Kevin Lowe, think that a job interview of the best candidates is a must. since when? Lowe can hire anyone he wants any way he wants and i think he's stuck his neck out on the line here because if it doesn't work with MacT and Howson, Lowe must realize that he'd be the next to go.

Don't kid yourself. Tambo was hired with no interview process because Lowe knew him from team Canada, and he'll survive Mact if he wants to just like he survived the Tambo hire. Accountability and professionalism aren't things that the Oiler's organization pride themselves on anymore, if they ever did.

And yes, it is bad that there is no interview process. When the Oilers draft 1st overall, they spend months doing due diligence for the best available asset. The GM position which is far more important than a single draft pick, should at the very least be given similar scrutiny in an effort to get the best available person for the job.

 

[Dorian2]

John McKinnon @ Journal. The question about how to justify cleaning up the "mess" with someone who'd contributed to it in the first place.

Thanks for that Dookers.

If someone asked me that question while I was announcing a new GM for my team.....I might have gone all Charlie Manson on him and grabbed a pencil, jumped over the table, and stick the pencil in his throat.

Nah, I wouldn't do that, but I see why Lowe was so PO'd at the time.

 

[Hasman]

Lowe is a hothead, I don't care. Don't really give a **** about what was said during the presser, nor do I care what he has to say today. At the end of the day, he just wants this team to win, I don't think anyone can doubt that.

Like Mac T said, it doesn't matter what they say during this week - whether they impress us or not with words. More so, we'll see what they do during the offseason to address team weaknesses before September.

Anything less than a top 8 team next season is unacceptable.

 

[flashy]

Lol. Katz has an open apology then Lowe has an open apology. I think I see a trend here.

I haven't seen one tucking apology for how bad this team has been, it's always been excuses. I have not seen Horcoff come out and say I'm sorry I can't perform up to my contract. I haven't seen Krueger once take an ounce of responsibility for the lack of this team readiness.

The fact that Kevin thinks that a rookie GM, a guy that was almost worse the. Tambellini and himself make a world class manament team is downright delusional.

 

[Everest]

What a tool.

 

[SometimesY]

He apologized and I accept it.

 

[Draiskull]

Then we have Tier 3 fans...

Wont pay to go to a game... watch the games on not so leagal live stream... thrash Lowe to the level of poop for his comments and now pick faults when the guy actually oppologizes.

Now that Lowe has man'd up... should the fans who have been whining for the past couple days try to do the same? If you cant be sorry for what rubbish you have posted re Lowe, atleast dont shoot down his opology . /rant

 

[sepHF]

Thanks for that Dookers.

If someone asked me that question while I was announcing a new GM for my team.....I might have gone all Charlie Manson on him and grabbed a pencil, jumped over the table, and stick the pencil in his throat.

Nah, I wouldn't do that, but I see why Lowe was so PO'd at the time.

Because someone had the balls to ask a real question? A question that Lowe had no answer for what so ever. I applaud MacKinnon for that.

 

[Six in O6]

Pretty simple message but he should have handled himself better the day of. Clearly lots of pressure on Lowe. I think MacT can get it done, but they keep tossing the word playoffs around... it's just crazy talk.

 

[gqmixmaster]

It might sound dumb, but what he showed in the interview and is apologizing for was exactly what the team on the ice doesn't consistently represent.

Passion.

The apology is just PR for those fans who think they are owed one, its just fluff and is meaningless really. He doesn't apologize for what he felt which is precisely why I will always like Kevin Lowe.

I am excited to be an Oiler fan because management recognizes, acknowledges and appears ready to act upon the issues that are glaring with this team. Let's hope that the players and the right deals are available this summer so that things can move quickly.

I believe Scott Howson and Mactavish will be fantastic together. Howson brought in key players for the blue jackets last summer and made some bold trades and that team went from horrific like the oilers to making a serious playoff push. Mactavish says he wants the same.

 

[Mr Forever]

Things like this mean nothing to me. This is just somebody who shows their true colors in the heat of the moment and tries to back pedal when people call him on it. I would respect him more if he just tired to let it die.

 

[McDoused]

I give him credit for this. At least it's something.

 

[Beerfish]

Lowe is a hothead, I don't care. Don't really give a **** about what was said during the presser, nor do I care what he has to say today. At the end of the day, he just wants this team to win, I don't think anyone can doubt that.

Like Mac T said, it doesn't matter what they say during this week - whether they impress us or not with words. More so, we'll see what they do during the offseason to address team weaknesses before September.

Anything less than a top 8 team next season is unacceptable.

The last type of person I want running my team is a hot head. You can very well have a great disdain for a player or opposing gm or the fans or media person. However the good managers keep it very internal and do nothing to jeopardize the team in general and this is where Lowe has and his regime have really hurt the team. Blasting GM's, blasting players that won't sign here. Black balling players that have fallen out of favor. All very poor management practice which is very selfish in nature. Worse yet he appears totally unaware of the harm he does.

 

[dustrock]

Thanks for that Dookers.

If someone asked me that question while I was announcing a new GM for my team.....I might have gone all Charlie Manson on him and grabbed a pencil, jumped over the table, and stick the pencil in his throat.

Nah, I wouldn't do that, but I see why Lowe was so PO'd at the time.

Just seemed to me that Lowe was used to the media in our city giving them a smooth ride and was surprised someone would actually challenge them on anything.

I give credit to MacKinnon for asking the question.

 

[Tarus]

Just seemed to me that Lowe was used to the media in our city giving them a smooth ride and was surprised someone would actually challenge them on anything.

I give credit to MacKinnon for asking the question.

Yeah, you could definitely see it.

Mact was already awkwardly defending his hire to that question when Lowe interjected his angry response.

Pretty obvious they figured the media would be all jovial as they usually are whenever the Oilers announce anything, and were as a group quite taken aback with the chilly response.

 

[Tad Mikowsky]

How dare he apologize.

What a gutless move.

Am I doing this right?

 

[402]

He said alot of stupid things and he obviously regrets it

I really didn't expect this apology
Nice gesture

 

[Alex87]

I never thought he had anything to apologize for, except maybe being belligerent and inarticulate. No fan who is not entirely deluded and entitled thinks the club should value paying and non-paying fans equally*. It was dumb and impolitic of him to say it, but it's an obvious truth.

*Although, come to think of it, anyone who pays property taxes in Edmonton should probably be considered a paying fan now, thanks to City Council's half-billion-dollar gift to Katz.

This x100. If people continue to pile on him for what he said at the press conference, then I think it's proof of pettiness and an obvious grudge.

 

[thinlizzy]

My 2 pesos

I think all Oilers fans are tear fans period. Lowetide has a gag order on the press that if they stray too far across the line in articles , quotes etc. they will be banned from Rexall. Up until this 5 game falling into the toilet the press has pretty much being the king with no clothes writing stories about the team needs to go on a cup run blathering aka Terry Jones. I find it interesting that Mr. Jones has now done a 180 and is finally telling the truth about how it really is NOT in" Leave it to Beaver land " Kevin even has his own monogrammed dress shirts with his initials in them. Don't fall off the ego horse buddy.

I don't think the team got the memo about Mac T being the new GM as they fell 5- 3 against the Wild, who were playing back to back games. How does a team NOT take advantage of that is far beyond me.