Patrick LaForge Appreciation Thread

[Replacement*]

I don't know LaForge and have never met the guy. What I have read and been told about him sounds typical of men in similar positions all over the continent. They are power brokers and have all of the arrogance that comes with that. It is seemingly crucial they be that way in order to do what they do. The Oilers are better for having him be that way than they would have been without him. It makes sense that he was not going to stay with the regime change that happened. The difference between LaForge and somebody like Lowe is most obvious in that aspect.

Sure, but there were attributes in this individual, I hinted at one earlier with Laforges creepy comments about the octane team, Millions hit upon another (and it reads like Millions had interactions sufficient to call this a "very sad man" and with sad denoting something other than melancholy in context. it reads like Millions is shooting for pathetic in that tweet)
We're also hearing no love lost between Laforge and Lowe and Laforge, for somebody in a PR type capacity was rarely seen in pressers or giving interviews.

Lastly, comport, presentation, energy, vitality are key ingredients of "Power Brokers" in Laforges position. He held himself up as no such thing. His presentation suggested low energy, he quite often looked dishevelled, and his media spins were often easy fodder for criticism. In incumbent position his input should be well delivered, thought out, delivered. With Laforge it was usually lol moments with people challenging that Laforge must think the fan base are idiots. Not that he talked down, just that his monologues were so poor they weren't typically going to pass any level of evaluation.

 

[Tekneek]

I thought he pulled some favor with the money guys, hence the position he had with EIG and how he was very involved with Katz purchasing the team. The ultimate ******** to everyone but the fat cats.

 

[Replacement*]

I thought he pulled some favor with the money guys, hence the position he had with EIG and how he was very involved with Katz purchasing the team. The ultimate ******** to everyone but the fat cats.

Well, whatever it is Laforge would be the classic candidate to come out as flagged after an extensive org audit. I didn't see this guy passing the standard with a new evaluator. Plus there being so much at stake now with the New Arena and Entertainment district. They want better personnel now that will be more adept at building partners and revenue. I couldn't see Laforge in that high stakes point guard position.

 

[Crabapple]

I guess he was somewhat competent at his job. More so than the rest of the OBC. Sounds like he's a pretty slimy dude though.

 

[Replacement*]

I guess he was somewhat competent at his job. More so than the rest of the OBC. Sounds like he's a pretty slimy dude though.

I question though if its really competence or if Laforge just happened to be in the one can't fail position in relation to this org.

Really the guy has had two notable jobs. Selling beer to Western Canadians and selling Oilers to hockey crazed Edmontonians with deep pockets.

I mean what really could go wrong in those positions. Eakins could probably pull this off..


Heres an odd thing too which doesn't get much mention. Suites sales were falling off and several were available this season. They used these for some charities and fund raising because they didn't sell them. That can't sit well with an org moving into a new arena with much more premium seats, loge, suites to sell. Laforge wasn't really getting it done. Even in a can't miss market.

 

[Tekneek]

Laforge wasn't really getting it done. Even in a can't miss market.

Combine that with being unpleasant to be around and it is no wonder he has moved along.

From all accounts, Kevin Lowe is nice to be around and work with. He may have bungled it as POHO, but even Chiarelli had nice things to say about the conversations he had with Kevin over the past few days.

 

[oobga]

The guy was good. I wonder if the Oilers could have tricked fans into buying all those tickets the last 9 years without him. The idea to release all extra tickets for the 14/15 season last summer instead of releasing throughout the year was genius. So many people tricked into buying and so many full price purchased tickets left unused in peoples desks and trash cans after another season that was over in November.

 

[Domino1]

Heres an odd thing too which doesn't get much mention. Suites sales were falling off and several were available this season. They used these for some charities and fund raising because they didn't sell them. That can't sit well with an org moving into a new arena with much more premium seats, loge, suites to sell. Laforge wasn't really getting it done. Even in a can't miss market.

When the team is crap it is really hard to give away tickets let alone have someone justify $100,000+ on a box. I know from personal experience it has been hard to give away tickets the past few years.

 

[Stoneman89]

Far too much credit given. With a new arena on the way, it's not a huge surprise that people would keep their tickets in anticipation of that. Glad he's gone, along with the others. Now he can back to selling used cars. A slimeball if I've ever seen one. Now, they need to get rid of Hack Michaels and the week will be complete!

 

[Ogopogo*]

Laforge's off-colour jokes at public speaking engagements were out of line. The man just couldn't contain his vulgarity.

 

[Replacement*]

Laforge's off-colour jokes at public speaking engagements were out of line. The man just couldn't contain his vulgarity.

PM if possible. I'm quite interested. I found him to be vulgar as well. But I don't want to mention further in thread.

 

[BlowbyBlow]

PM if possible. I'm quite interested. I found him to be vulgar as well. But I don't want to mention further in thread.

I know years back he was really bad for throwing names out. i remember him vividly years ago at an Oiler function talking about oiler plays buying in and he went on and on about Anson Carter honestly it was embarrassing.

 

[redgrant]

I know years back he was really bad for throwing names out. i remember him vividly years ago at an Oiler function talking about oiler plays buying in and he went on and on about Anson Carter honestly it was embarrassing.

Yup same thing made comments about Tommy Salo at a function I attended. The guy is such an uncouth buffoon. Not befitting of a CEO title.

Really proud we got a Harvard guy in Chiraelli and got rid of a doofus like Laforge.

 

[Del Preston]

PM if possible. I'm quite interested. I found him to be vulgar as well. But I don't want to mention further in thread.

This was during the 2006 SCF, talking about Doug Weight:

Because their noise on Monday night was a lot more understandable than something Oilers president Patrick LaForge said at a pep rally earlier in the day.

He chose to tell a story that likened Weight to a wimp, except LaForge used a far more vulgar, derogatory term to get his message across, in front of women and children, no less.

http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/sports/story.html?id=c77cdc39-c2a0-4abc-900c-dba6514e9a1f

 

[guymez]

Always thought he was the most dishonest ******* of them all. Go tell lies elsewhere.

Yup...nothing personal towards him but I always thought he came across like a greasy used car salesman.

That said its never easy to be fired but I am sure he will land on his feet. I have no doubt he has a lot of contacts.

Good luck to him.

 

[mangdas]

Good riddance. One of the old boy club weasels finally gone. Nicholson obviously saw that this position needed change

 

[Husker Du]

I'm really surprised to see so many people share my view of Laforge, I assumed that he was widely liked. He has always rubbed me the wrong way and struck me as an arrogant jerk. Never liked the way he interacts in interviews and speeches as I find his tone to be incredibly condescending.

Hopefully with the changes of the last week the entire Oilers organization will interact with the public in a more friendly and less arrogant way.

 

[RattsSSV]

Thanks for sharing that Del.

It's terrible that people booing Weight, he was the best Oiler we had since the dynasty.

As for LaForge, well we can enjoy knowing that he did nothing of consequence during his time here. So glad he is gone.

 

[Replacement*]

I'm really surprised to see so many people share my view of Laforge, I assumed that he was widely liked. He has always rubbed me the wrong way and struck me as an arrogant jerk. Never liked the way he interacts in interviews and speeches as I find his tone to be incredibly condescending.

Hopefully with the changes of the last week the entire Oilers organization will interact with the public in a more friendly and less arrogant way.

One of the dynamics that occurs here, and in this Oilers fanbase is that departing individuals are often roasted on their way out the door. By the org, media, and the fanbase. This may be karma, or it may be a parallel process to the manner in which this org itself discredits the departed and with Laforge often being somebody that commits that transgression and models it in his *PR*.

So unkind words about Laforge, while they have a certain symmetry, are reflecting the same timing of derision that the org, and Laforge, have modeled.

Theres a lot of making its bed that goes on with this org but I also think it has often modeled devisive interaction, approach, derision, even for its fanbase. Myself I don't subscribe to a lot of what this org models although I do mostly unconsciously succumb to it occasionally. Even as in the thread. I could be a better person and not comment on Laforge at all. But the will compels.

 

[Husker Du]

I agree with your comments, Replacement, and admit that I don't take pleasure in piling on as people lose their jobs. But I can't help but feel a little smug seeing Laforge leave the Oilers. I feel that the Oilers have abused their fans not only with the on ice product, but also with how the management interact with fans and media. This has been burning me up for many years but I am finding this week to be cathartic.

 

[Replacement*]

Thanks for sharing that Del.

It's terrible that people booing Weight, he was the best Oiler we had since the dynasty.

As for LaForge, well we can enjoy knowing that he did nothing of consequence during his time here. So glad he is gone.

I found it shocking too and did not know that Laforge had made those disparaging comments about Weight. I find it sad, and I think closer to what Millions is suggesting in his tweets than an individual would commonly do that and especially in view of Weight being deserving of respect and doing everything this org asked of him for years and rising above even that. Weight was a joy, as a person, as a player, and a person with a good disposition, kindness, that people can learn from.

One of the things I picked up in the article is the suggestion that fans booed Weight a lot at Rexall in subsequent games. I think given circumstance that is very poor form as well if it happened.

But again the org models this nature of critical behavior directed at past employees and I fear the fanbase follows in step and partly due to that.

From Pocklington questioning Gretzky's tears onward this has been some kind of irregular, caustic, and negative org.

I could write 100 comments on how this org has done this with the departing.

 

[Replacement*]

I agree with your comments, Replacement, and admit that I don't take pleasure in piling on as people lose their jobs. But I can't help but feel a little smug seeing Laforge leave the Oilers. I feel that the Oilers have abused their fans not only with the on ice product, but also with how the management interact with fans and media. This has been burning me up for many years but I am finding this week to be cathartic.

Yeah, don't think for a moment that I'm directing this at you. Its just a dynamic in which we're all impacted. By the nature of that which we follow. Hopefully sometime this org could be better. They found a guy with a better vision, Krueger, but his message was strange and foreign to this band of discontents and they got rid of him. Probably the best as I often thought he was too nice for this org.

 

[Husker Du]

Yeah, don't think for a moment that I'm directing this at you. Its just a dynamic in which we're all impacted. By the nature of that which we follow. Hopefully sometime this org could be better. They found a guy with a better vision, Krueger, but his message was strange and foreign to this band of discontents and they got rid of him. Probably the best as I often thought he was too nice for this org.

I think we see the organization the same way. Kruger struck me as someone with a progressive vision that would have been effective given the chance. To me, he was the antithesis of Oilers management and ultimately this was his downfall. Eakins was the personification of management and their attitude. Thankfully this has been purged and now we can build our team and hopefully end the apathy that has crept into the fan base (myself included).

 

[Replacement*]

I think we see the organization the same way. Kruger struck me as someone with a progressive vision that would have been effective given the chance. To me, he was the antithesis of Oilers management and ultimately this was his downfall. Eakins was the personification of management and their attitude. Thankfully this has been purged and now we can build our team and hopefully end the apathy that has crept into the fan base (myself included).

Remember the Eakins water bottle incident and his wrath directed at Hall for something as innocuous as a player directing his anger onto an inanimate object in a harmless way.

Eakins whole reaction to that complete with barred fangs, recoil, look of disgust, revulsion, and reactivity and attending to his suit told me much more about Eakins in that exchange. Unfortunately it, and a series of other events spoke volumes and I had to squirm with that as a fan here for along 18mths detecing what nature of individual this Eakins is.

In short Eakins had contempt for players. Very different than what he tried to portray. His quote about becoming a coach and "I wasn't just up in the pressbox eating popcorn"(when ironically healthy scratched) also conveyed immediately a person that considers his own approach, own focus, own enlightenment greater than others. Except Eakins own focus is random and this being an individual that would try to find hockey meaning in such things as scouting an NFL team, going to the mountains, pedaling extreme endurance runs and so on.

Ference and Eakins are peas in a pod. Elite athletes that consider any lesser endurance conditioned athlete in contempt. With them lording over it at any opportunity. To players whom are of much greater skill, and value.

One of the great Oiler ironies.

Nelson is a much better individual. The org doesn't understand him or his methodology. They'll probably try to demote him and lose him.

 

[Evil Ernie]

we have old boys club misogyny objectifying females.

I'd rather the org be a little more enlightened and get with the times.

What is wrong with having pretty girls dancing? I don't recall them doing anything overtly sexual and they obviously like to dance.

EVERYBODY is an object if people interpret them as such.