Kevin Lowes sorry record for the Oilers...

[oilexport]

Don't know why everybody picking on Lowe. He is the one and only reason we got Hall, Nudge, and Yak. Lowe will even tell ya there is no way Burke could do that.

 

[Slicknitty]

Pretty much every Oiler fan was excited about those offer sheets and had Lowe's back due to him taking us to the finals the year before. If he was a "Tier 1 dbag" for defending his actions (which were within the rules) against the public slandering of his reputation then most of us are dbags. You don't like Lowe or his personality? That's cool, but you picked a poor example.

Hey, I'll admit it, I let myself get carried away with the brilliant Pronger trade and the flukey SCF. I was happier back then and I believed in Lowe mostly because of the flood of the emotions. Looking back and listening to Burke talk ever so rationally and realistically about Lowe and then listening to Lowe's arrogant crybaby retort, I have to say that I was so very wrong about the man and that my filthy homer goggles blinded me from admitting it. Lowe is the same guy, same attitude, same everything. The one that Burke so perfectly and prophetically described.

I wasn't a fan of the offer sheets but whatever, I'm not signing Lowe's paycheques. I thought they were extremely risky but totally within the rules. Lowe was/still is a desperate man and he had to resort to that. When it comes down to doing that to get good players it shows someone is running out of ideas and is desperate.

At this point I don't care any more and I just watch this team in the hopes that one day someone will take the management job more seriously and get rid of the old boys club. I really like the potential of the team in spite of all the self inflicted setbacks but as others have said, it wears on you and you start watching other teams to see real hockey. It's a circus here. It's true, the place has gone nuts.

 

[Mr Forever]

What's wrong with offer sheets?

 

[shoop]

If season ticket holders honestly think they are forced to buy tickets to save the team, then they have ego issues and a huge sense of entitlement.

Ahhh, time for a look back at not-so-recent history.

1995-96 was a brutal season for the Oilers, and Edmonton overall, in many respects. The price of oil was under $20 a barrel. A far different job market than we know today. The complete opposite of a boom. Houses that are selling for half a million today could be had for $100k. The Canadian dollar was worth about 70 cents US.

After a lockout the previous season fans weren't eager to pay to see a terrible Oilers team - they would finish with 68 points. Kelly Buchberger was the captain?! The season ticket base had fallen to 6,200. They would average under 12,500 fans a night.

The Nordiques had already relocated. The Jets were in the midst of moving and Hartford was a season away from relocating. It looked like the Oilers would go the way of the other WHA teams.

The Oilers were placed into receivership. Cal Nichols (future head of the Edmonton Investors Group) lead a season ticket drive to keep the team in town. He appealed to fans to help save the team because it was a very real possibility the team would move if the dismal attendance continued. No one would invest in keeping the team in Edmonton (or loan money for a purchase of the team) with such dismal attendance figures.

The ticket drive was hugely successful. Yet, the team still almost moved. A sale had been arranged to relocate the team to Houston.

ATB had taken the team over from Peter Pocklington as part of bankruptcy proceedings. They received a $120 Million offer to move the team to Houston from the owner of the Rockets. ATB agreed to sell the team to the EIG for $100 Million. Nichols had arranged for loans of $40 Million so needed $60 Million in cash to keep the team in town. At the time of the Houston offer the EIG had $50 Million in cash.

Getting that last $50 Million in a weak economy was tough. Probably wouldn't have happened if a lot of fans who bought tickets as a means of helping save the team simply stayed at home and watched on tv.

It wasn't a matter of ego or entitlement. It was the reality of the situation.

 

[oilexport]

Ahhh, time for a look back at not-so-recent history.

1995-96 was a brutal season for the Oilers, and Edmonton overall, in many respects. The price of oil was under $20 a barrel. A far different job market than we know today. The complete opposite of a boom. Houses that are selling for half a million today could be had for $100k. The Canadian dollar was worth about 70 cents US.

After a lockout the previous season fans weren't eager to pay to see a terrible Oilers team - they would finish with 68 points. Kelly Buchberger was the captain?! The season ticket base had fallen to 6,200. They would average under 12,500 fans a night.

The Nordiques had already relocated. The Jets were in the midst of moving and Hartford was a season away from relocating. It looked like the Oilers would go the way of the other WHA teams.

The Oilers were placed into receivership. Cal Nichols (future head of the Edmonton Investors Group) lead a season ticket drive to keep the team in town. He appealed to fans to help save the team because it was a very real possibility the team would move if the dismal attendance continued. No one would invest in keeping the team in Edmonton (or loan money for a purchase of the team) with such dismal attendance figures.

The ticket drive was hugely successful. Yet, the team still almost moved. A sale had been arranged to relocate the team to Houston.

ATB had taken the team over from Peter Pocklington as part of bankruptcy proceedings. They received a $120 Million offer to move the team to Houston from the owner of the Rockets. ATB agreed to sell the team to the EIG for $100 Million. Nichols had arranged for loans of $40 Million so needed $60 Million in cash to keep the team in town. At the time of the Houston offer the EIG had $50 Million in cash.

Getting that last $50 Million in a weak economy was tough. Probably wouldn't have happened if a lot of fans who bought tickets as a means of helping save the team simply stayed at home and watched on tv.

It wasn't a matter of ego or entitlement. It was the reality of the situation.

wow, that is very accurate from what I recall. I have been a big critic of Lowe (and still am) but that was a tough time to be a manager of the Oilers (glen or Lowe). Sather left after a couple more years with EIG, then Lowe took over and this mess grew (aside from 06).

I think this is where the old boy club really started and was encouraged. When all the stars left over the years, the one guy that stayed was Lowe and he was needed for this reason. An identity from the Gretzky era, Lowe was the only guy who came back and stayed. That loyalty was huge and I think that is why he still has a job.

Lowe was the right choice in some ways for G.M. but he was setup for failure with all the money problems and players not wanting to come here. So, Lowe decides to rebuild from the draft, suck, then get talent to build a winner, I believe this was the way to do it too. Lowe excceded all of our wildest expectations with the tanking and drafting high end players.

Lowe's an @sshole and this did not help the relations with players and G.M.'s around the league. So no players wanted to come here and no G.M. wanted to make trades with us (my opinion of course).

The future will write the next chapter but so far, were the NY Islanders of Canada.

 

[Isaak16]

Hey, I'll admit it, I let myself get carried away with the brilliant Pronger trade and the flukey SCF. I was happier back then and I believed in Lowe mostly because of the flood of the emotions. Looking back and listening to Burke talk ever so rationally and realistically about Lowe and then listening to Lowe's arrogant crybaby retort, I have to say that I was so very wrong about the man and that my filthy homer goggles blinded me from admitting it. Lowe is the same guy, same attitude, same everything. The one that Burke so perfectly and prophetically described.

I wasn't a fan of the offer sheets but whatever, I'm not signing Lowe's paycheques. I thought they were extremely risky but totally within the rules. Lowe was/still is a desperate man and he had to resort to that. When it comes down to doing that to get good players it shows someone is running out of ideas and is desperate.

At this point I don't care any more and I just watch this team in the hopes that one day someone will take the management job more seriously and get rid of the old boys club. I really like the potential of the team in spite of all the self inflicted setbacks but as others have said, it wears on you and you start watching other teams to see real hockey. It's a circus here. It's true, the place has gone nuts.

I hear you. I must admit I always liked Lowe's ambition to make impact trades but his arrogance and track record are very off putting as a fan. Lowe is basically Paul Holmgren lite IMO. The difference is that Holmgren had the market to match his ambitions.

But... I did think he handled the whole Burke thing very well. Burke was slandering him in the media for a long time before Lowe actually responded. A response was totally warranted in the form of the clip you referenced.

 

[Lay Z Boy GM]

I hear you. I must admit I always liked Lowe's ambition to make impact trades but his arrogance and track record are very off putting as a fan. Lowe is basically Paul Holmgren lite IMO. The difference is that Holmgren had the market to match his ambitions.

But... I did think he handled the whole Burke thing very well. Burke was slandering him in the media for a long time before Lowe actually responded. A response was totally warranted in the form of the clip you referenced.

Except Lowe embarrassed himself in his rebuttal. It sounds like someone was lucky enough to get Lowe on the phone during one of his tantrums. Lowe stupidly and angrily ranted, and his words are even more stupid looking back on it today. Vancouver left in shambles? They almost won a Cup, something that Lowe brags about doing to this day. Burke had JUST won a Cup. Lowe goes on to leave the Oilers in shambles, obliterating several guys reputations in the process (Tambellini, Krueger, etc).

You look at him a few months ago angrily defending his decision to hire MacT as GM and you see he's still the same guy. An absolute idiot who doesn't respect his fans, is still living in the glory days and is sitting pretty while guys like Quinn, Renney, Tambellini, Krueger and now Eakins try to fix this mess of an organization. Yet somehow Lowe gets to stay...

I don't quite understand why you like Lowe's ambition. Lowe's ambition reminds me of a little kid who's just trying to help out, but unwittingly making everything much worse in the process.

I just want some actual professionals who can perform their job well. When will the embarrassment wear off?

Feels good posting this.

 

[Narnia]

Except Lowe embarrassed himself in his rebuttal. It sounds like someone was lucky enough to get Lowe on the phone during one of his tantrums. Lowe stupidly and angrily ranted, and his words are even more stupid looking back on it today. Vancouver left in shambles? They almost won a Cup, something that Lowe brags about doing to this day. Burke had JUST won a Cup. Lowe goes on to leave the Oilers in shambles, obliterating several guys reputations in the process (Tambellini, Krueger, etc).

You look at him a few months ago angrily defending his decision to hire MacT as GM and you see he's still the same guy. An absolute idiot who doesn't respect his fans, is still living in the glory days and is sitting pretty while guys like Quinn, Renney, Tambellini, Krueger and now Eakins try to fix this mess of an organization. Yet somehow Lowe gets to stay...

I don't quite understand why you like Lowe's ambition. Lowe's ambition reminds me of a little kid who's just trying to help out, but unwittingly making everything much worse in the process.

I just want some actual professionals who can perform their job well. When will the embarrassment wear off?

Feels good posting this.

Burke had no right to constantly slander Lowe. Lowe had every right to attack Burke. Did Burke tell you to say that? Getting fed up of the Lowe bashing Since June 2000.

It wouldn't matter who the GM was as every GM will be bashed because it's not Slats. The worst thing that happened to the Oilers is that that idiot Slats was every the GM. Slats could do no wrong and every GM since has been bashed for every move.

 

[Isaak16]

Except Lowe embarrassed himself in his rebuttal. It sounds like someone was lucky enough to get Lowe on the phone during one of his tantrums. Lowe stupidly and angrily ranted, and his words are even more stupid looking back on it today. Vancouver left in shambles? They almost won a Cup, something that Lowe brags about doing to this day. Burke had JUST won a Cup. Lowe goes on to leave the Oilers in shambles, obliterating several guys reputations in the process (Tambellini, Krueger, etc).

You look at him a few months ago angrily defending his decision to hire MacT as GM and you see he's still the same guy. An absolute idiot who doesn't respect his fans, is still living in the glory days and is sitting pretty while guys like Quinn, Renney, Tambellini, Krueger and now Eakins try to fix this mess of an organization. Yet somehow Lowe gets to stay...

I don't quite understand why you like Lowe's ambition. Lowe's ambition reminds me of a little kid who's just trying to help out, but unwittingly making everything much worse in the process.

I just want some actual professionals who can perform their job well. When will the embarrassment wear off?

Feels good posting this.

I'm not advocating for Kevin Lowe, I just liked having more roster movement as a fan. Also for a while there he obviously nailed a few trades for us. Later on not so much......

Yes he is a hothead who speaks before thinking and the inteview was not well thought out. My point is "dirt with dirt" was warranted there and he waited a long time before responding to Burke's trademark bully behaviour. I have always disliked bullies and have a much shorter response time than Lowe, in that instance, so I think it was admiral that he tried to let time take care of the problem. Problem was Burke wouldn't let up and the rest is history.

 

[Slicknitty]

Yeah Burke and Lowe had some messed up personal rivalry. Didn't they agree to settle it in a fist fight in a barn somewhere? Lol, I'm cracking up typing this.

 

[I am the Liquor]

Except Lowe embarrassed himself in his rebuttal. It sounds like someone was lucky enough to get Lowe on the phone during one of his tantrums. Lowe stupidly and angrily ranted, and his words are even more stupid looking back on it today. Vancouver left in shambles? They almost won a Cup, something that Lowe brags about doing to this day. Burke had JUST won a Cup. Lowe goes on to leave the Oilers in shambles, obliterating several guys reputations in the process (Tambellini, Krueger, etc).

You look at him a few months ago angrily defending his decision to hire MacT as GM and you see he's still the same guy. An absolute idiot who doesn't respect his fans, is still living in the glory days and is sitting pretty while guys like Quinn, Renney, Tambellini, Krueger and now Eakins try to fix this mess of an organization. Yet somehow Lowe gets to stay...

I don't quite understand why you like Lowe's ambition. Lowe's ambition reminds me of a little kid who's just trying to help out, but unwittingly making everything much worse in the process.

I just want some actual professionals who can perform their job well. When will the embarrassment wear off?

Feels good posting this.

I dont understand the bolded.. He gave those guys an opportunity that nobody else was willing to. How is that obliterating their reputations?

Did he force them to sign contracts at gunpoint?

 

[ZenOil]

6 cups

 

[Gone]

Funny looking back on the whole Burke-Lowe thing..

His two comments at the end of that video are just hilarious.

1. "Here's a fact, he left Dave Nonis nothing in Vancouver. Nothing! He destroyed that team." Hmm, fast forward 2 years after the interview and Lowe does the same to Tambellini.

2. Calls out Burke for the Ryan draft pick.. yea, good call there Lowe.



The guy is embarrassing to our organization and the fans. I can't believe he is still here. He's got to be one of the most arrogant people in the league.

Wow, the irony!

 

[Lay Z Boy GM]

I dont understand the bolded.. He gave those guys an opportunity that nobody else was willing to. How is that obliterating their reputations?

Did he force them to sign contracts at gunpoint?

No he didn't force anyone to sign contracts, but how many of those guys were terminated earlier than they expected? We know Quinn intended to coach for a couple years before Renney took over. Nobody has really got a chance to succeed, they're here for one season and then they're fired. Tambellini was the only guy that really had a chance to stick around, but he was just there as a placeholder anyway.

Renney, Quinn, Krueger were all saying the same thing, it's a long process to build the team up. Lowe is reactionary, he's not a man that thinks things out very far. Just hiring and firing left and right when he should really just step down and allow someone more capable to take his role.

 

[harpoon]

Yes he is a hothead who speaks before thinking and the inteview was not well thought out. My point is "dirt with dirt" was warranted there and he waited a long time before responding to Burke's trademark bully behaviour. I have always disliked bullies and have a much shorter response time than Lowe, in that instance, so I think it was admiral that he tried to let time take care of the problem. Problem was Burke wouldn't let up and the rest is history.

This is a breath of fresh air from the revisionist history of the first four pages.

The fact is, Lowe was only really in charge of this team between when Sather left and when Katz bought the team. The results over that time may not have been the prettiest, but as you say, at least he tried to make moves to keep the team competitive. And he did very nearly deliver a SC in 2006 based almost entirely on his shrewd moves (ie. no tanking to win).

His worst moves came post 2006. Overpaying Pisani and Horcoff. Putting too much faith in guys like Moreau. Trading away all the centers.

This thread is ill-conceived because it blames the wrong person. Nothing in Lowe's on or office resume can convince me that it was his idea to tank for picks. That was Katz's baby ... a plan hatched in tandem with his scheme to roll out a new arena just about the time all his draft picks are hitting their stride. I gotta give him credit too ... looks like he's right on schedule.

Tamby is the fall guy and Lowe is the face of history. Katz is/was just using them both to further his end of a bigger bottom line.

People blaming Lowe now ... in 2013 with Tamby fired, MacT at the helm and Katz still calling the shots ... well, that's just sad. And it reeks of a personal agenda against a guy who has done a lot for this city.

 

[JMecc]

This is a breath of fresh air from the revisionist history of the first four pages.

The fact is, Lowe was only really in charge of this team between when Sather left and when Katz bought the team. The results over that time may not have been the prettiest, but as you say, at least he tried to make moves to keep the team competitive. And he did very nearly deliver a SC in 2006 based almost entirely on his shrewd moves (ie. no tanking to win).

His worst moves came post 2006. Overpaying Pisani and Horcoff. Putting too much faith in guys like Moreau. Trading away all the centers.

This thread is ill-conceived because it blames the wrong person. Nothing in Lowe's on or office resume can convince me that it was his idea to tank for picks. That was Katz's baby ... a plan hatched in tandem with his scheme to roll out a new arena just about the time all his draft picks are hitting their stride. I gotta give him credit too ... looks like he's right on schedule.

Tamby is the fall guy and Lowe is the face of history. Katz is/was just using them both to further his end of a bigger bottom line.

People blaming Lowe now ... in 2013 with Tamby fired, MacT at the helm and Katz still calling the shots ... well, that's just sad. And it reeks of a personal agenda against a guy who has done a lot for this city.

So why do you think so many people have an agenda against him? We're not talking one guy who has some vendetta against Lowe from something between them years ago. We don't know him personally at all; we only know him from his public profile on the Oilers and hate him according to what we see there.

 

[Gone]

No he didn't force anyone to sign contracts, but how many of those guys were terminated earlier than they expected? We know Quinn intended to coach for a couple years before Renney took over. Nobody has really got a chance to succeed, they're here for one season and then they're fired. Tambellini was the only guy that really had a chance to stick around, but he was just there as a placeholder anyway.

Renney, Quinn, Krueger were all saying the same thing, it's a long process to build the team up. Lowe is reactionary, he's not a man that thinks things out very far. Just hiring and firing left and right when he should really just step down and allow someone more capable to take his role.

This is a very good point. Basically if you are not part of the ole boys club, you are given very little rope to work with (except Tambo cause he was his masters puppet), while the good ole boys can stick around as long as they want (Bucki, Smith, etc).

 

[harpoon]

So why do you think so many people have an agenda against him? We're not talking one guy who has some vendetta against Lowe from something between them years ago. We don't know him personally at all; we only know him from his public profile on the Oilers and hate him according to what we see there.

My question is why hate him so much? Its not warranted. Not even close.

I think people forget that Lowe was only a GM for eight years. His tenure finished in 2008. New ownership took over and installed their stooge who could be counted on to follow the playbook. How anything that happened after 2008 could be mostly blamed on Lowe is just some logic that I don't follow - particularly when anyone can see that the team went from one that scrabbled hard for every point and hung around in the standings most seasons under Lowe and the EIG .... to a team that nearly set NHL records for sucking under Katz and Tamby. Yet Lowe is the bad guy here? Sounds to me like he's a convenient scapegoat for a lot of pent up fanbase rage created by stuff that mostly happened after 2008. And that would be stuff that mostly falls on Tamby and Katz.

As for his list of failings that is pointed to so often, its actually not that long.

- Comrie. Fair enough he ****ed that up. But I think people need to remember that this was a GM who was only two years removed from his playing career. He was inexperienced and he botched the deal. It happens. Fences were mended.

- Burke. I think Issak16 said it well. Lowe shot off his mouth, but it was something that had to be done at the time. Didn't need to badmouth the player though.

-Smyth. Lowe stood on his convictions with Smyth (probably having learned something from how Horc's deal came back to bite him) and ended up not being able to attend the ceremony for Messier for fear of being booed out of the building. Anyone here think he made the wrong call?

- Horcoff. This is the one I hold against Lowe the most. Unforgivably bad deal. He panicked and totally misread the player and the market.

So yeah, the guy has made mistakes. And yeah he shoots off his mouth sometimes when he should be more professional. But to have fans come on this Oiler site and call him a disease? To actually be a fan of the Oilers and go out of your way to mock the man for having won five SC in Edmonton (must not have been watching when he played the entire 88 playoffs with a broken wrist and broken ribs)?

I dunno ... just seems like a lot of misplaced anger to me.

 

[Tad Mikowsky]

Ahhh, time for a look back at not-so-recent history.

1995-96 was a brutal season for the Oilers, and Edmonton overall, in many respects. The price of oil was under $20 a barrel. A far different job market than we know today. The complete opposite of a boom. Houses that are selling for half a million today could be had for $100k. The Canadian dollar was worth about 70 cents US.

After a lockout the previous season fans weren't eager to pay to see a terrible Oilers team - they would finish with 68 points. Kelly Buchberger was the captain?! The season ticket base had fallen to 6,200. They would average under 12,500 fans a night.

The Nordiques had already relocated. The Jets were in the midst of moving and Hartford was a season away from relocating. It looked like the Oilers would go the way of the other WHA teams.

The Oilers were placed into receivership. Cal Nichols (future head of the Edmonton Investors Group) lead a season ticket drive to keep the team in town. He appealed to fans to help save the team because it was a very real possibility the team would move if the dismal attendance continued. No one would invest in keeping the team in Edmonton (or loan money for a purchase of the team) with such dismal attendance figures.

The ticket drive was hugely successful. Yet, the team still almost moved. A sale had been arranged to relocate the team to Houston.

ATB had taken the team over from Peter Pocklington as part of bankruptcy proceedings. They received a $120 Million offer to move the team to Houston from the owner of the Rockets. ATB agreed to sell the team to the EIG for $100 Million. Nichols had arranged for loans of $40 Million so needed $60 Million in cash to keep the team in town. At the time of the Houston offer the EIG had $50 Million in cash.


Getting that last $50 Million in a weak economy was tough. Probably wouldn't have happened if a lot of fans who bought tickets as a means of helping save the team simply stayed at home and watched on tv.

It wasn't a matter of ego or entitlement. It was the reality of the situation.

I understand that. I'm aware of that.

But I'm talking about currently. 2013 is very different from 1998.

If someone is a season ticket holder right now, and still thinks the team will move away if he/she doesn't buy season tickets, yeah, I'm going with the sense of entitlement and sense of false duty.

 

[Playa Hejda]

So Lowe gets a free pass? No accountability for past and present failings? President-For-Life designation stands?

 

[rboomercat90]

Do you honestly think that's why season ticket holders continue to renew each year? Fear that if they don't, the team will move? Like they're doing some grand duty to keep the team here?

No they're doing it because they either enjoy going to the games, they sell the tickets and make money, or they use the tickets for corporate purposes.

Have you gone to any games in the past few years? Did you go to solely to ensure the team stays in Edmonton?

I have no idea why each person renews their season tickets every year and neither do you. What I did state though was fact. There was a revolt against Pocklington's ownership in the early nineties and attendance dropped down to 6500 people. That led to him threatening to move the team for financial reasons. It was around that time the league brought in the sustainability fund to help support small market teams. The catch was you needed a minimum of 12,000 season tickets sold as well as all rink board advertising and luxury boxes to qualify for it. Support for the Oilers was so poor at that time that it took a private citizen to step up (Cal Nichols) and put together a group called the Copper Jackets who went on a massive season ticket drive to fill the arena. Edmontonions were asked to separate the owner from the team because the only way to keep this team here was to support it. If you punish the owner you lose the team. Cut off your nose to spite your face.

Whether you agree with this or not it has been an accepted reality in this city that if you want to keep the team in the city the tickets must be sold. Katz knows this better than anybody and I suspect that's why he bought the team in the first place and why he has felt safe to run it with the apathy he has. Sure the fans could get angry with him and revolt like they did against Pocklington's ownership. There just isn't much of an appetite for going back to the days of "is this team going to stay or move?" again.

 

[rboomercat90]

Ahhh, time for a look back at not-so-recent history.

1995-96 was a brutal season for the Oilers, and Edmonton overall, in many respects. The price of oil was under $20 a barrel. A far different job market than we know today. The complete opposite of a boom. Houses that are selling for half a million today could be had for $100k. The Canadian dollar was worth about 70 cents US.

After a lockout the previous season fans weren't eager to pay to see a terrible Oilers team - they would finish with 68 points. Kelly Buchberger was the captain?! The season ticket base had fallen to 6,200. They would average under 12,500 fans a night.

The Nordiques had already relocated. The Jets were in the midst of moving and Hartford was a season away from relocating. It looked like the Oilers would go the way of the other WHA teams.

The Oilers were placed into receivership. Cal Nichols (future head of the Edmonton Investors Group) lead a season ticket drive to keep the team in town. He appealed to fans to help save the team because it was a very real possibility the team would move if the dismal attendance continued. No one would invest in keeping the team in Edmonton (or loan money for a purchase of the team) with such dismal attendance figures.

The ticket drive was hugely successful. Yet, the team still almost moved. A sale had been arranged to relocate the team to Houston.

ATB had taken the team over from Peter Pocklington as part of bankruptcy proceedings. They received a $120 Million offer to move the team to Houston from the owner of the Rockets. ATB agreed to sell the team to the EIG for $100 Million. Nichols had arranged for loans of $40 Million so needed $60 Million in cash to keep the team in town. At the time of the Houston offer the EIG had $50 Million in cash.

Getting that last $50 Million in a weak economy was tough. Probably wouldn't have happened if a lot of fans who bought tickets as a means of helping save the team simply stayed at home and watched on tv.

It wasn't a matter of ego or entitlement. It was the reality of the situation.

Great post. I didn't see this before I posted mine. It infuriates me how people who don't understand RECENT history of this team can criticize Oiler fans for still supporting the team.

 

[Isaak16]

So Lowe gets a free pass? No accountability for past and present failings? President-For-Life designation stands?

That's not what is being said. Point is to be fair in criticism.

 

[Playa Hejda]

That's not what is being said. Point is to be fair in criticism.

That's understandable. I'm not suggesting we should get to tar and feather Kevin Lowe, however I think the people who are ultimately in charge of an organization have to be accountable for the performance of that organization. The on ice performance of the Oilers is hard to argue and aside from Lowe there are very few people who could possibly had as much influence on what has been a failure of a decade. Personally*, I think the problems start with Katz and Lowe. I don't think Lowe is going to part of the solution and I have to hope Katz can be.

*I know nothing, I just comment on what I see because I care and, well, internet.

 

[Beerfish]

My question is why hate him so much? Its not warranted. Not even close.

I think people forget that Lowe was only a GM for eight years. His tenure finished in 2008. New ownership took over and installed their stooge who could be counted on to follow the playbook. How anything that happened after 2008 could be mostly blamed on Lowe is just some logic that I don't follow - particularly when anyone can see that the team went from one that scrabbled hard for every point and hung around in the standings most seasons under Lowe and the EIG .... to a team that nearly set NHL records for sucking under Katz and Tamby. Yet Lowe is the bad guy here? Sounds to me like he's a convenient scapegoat for a lot of pent up fanbase rage created by stuff that mostly happened after 2008. And that would be stuff that mostly falls on Tamby and Katz.

As for his list of failings that is pointed to so often, its actually not that long.

- Comrie. Fair enough he ****ed that up. But I think people need to remember that this was a GM who was only two years removed from his playing career. He was inexperienced and he botched the deal. It happens. Fences were mended.

- Burke. I think Issak16 said it well. Lowe shot off his mouth, but it was something that had to be done at the time. Didn't need to badmouth the player though.

-Smyth. Lowe stood on his convictions with Smyth (probably having learned something from how Horc's deal came back to bite him) and ended up not being able to attend the ceremony for Messier for fear of being booed out of the building. Anyone here think he made the wrong call?

- Horcoff. This is the one I hold against Lowe the most. Unforgivably bad deal. He panicked and totally misread the player and the market.

So yeah, the guy has made mistakes. And yeah he shoots off his mouth sometimes when he should be more professional. But to have fans come on this Oiler site and call him a disease? To actually be a fan of the Oilers and go out of your way to mock the man for having won five SC in Edmonton (must not have been watching when he played the entire 88 playoffs with a broken wrist and broken ribs)?

I dunno ... just seems like a lot of misplaced anger to me.

He is a huge part of being such a dick that FA don't want to be here.

He is totally unaccountable and yet acts like a real ass if even slightly questioned.

As shown in the very 1st post of this thread he's done an AWFUL job as the head hockey honcho for the team. If 4 years of playoffs (one with him as coach) out of 13 years and only winning a playoff series in one of those 13 years is fine by you then we have a very different view of what is acceptable.

The team has been awful
He's failed at many things he's tried.
He acts like a pouting child if questioned.

Three pretty good reasons. (And hate is such a strong word, I don't hate anyone. I just thing the team, the fans and the city deserve much better.)