Smid already doing Oilers Alumni work
- Thread starter Mowzie
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THall4
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Captain Catatomic
SuprstitionCondition
joestevens29
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- Apr 30, 2009
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I doubt it. If the Oilers thought he could barely play bottom pairing now, I doubt in 3 years they'll want him back. Especially considering the advanced stats seem to still be going against him in Calgary.
TheRebuild
Bold as Boognish
The one thing I really liked about Smid, that hasn't been replaced since he left, is his shot-blocking skill. He really excelled there.
Lunatik
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- Oct 12, 2012
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This is why you can't judge hockey based on stats alone. Smid has been fantastic for the Flames.
joestevens29
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I don't know, all the Flames guys I hear on Lowetide's show think he's horrible. Gets beat all the time, caught out of position etc...
Lunatik
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I can't say I have heard of the show, but almost every Flames fan I know is more than happy with him. Even the guys on HF Flames and CP seem pleased with him. The only people I know of that have an issue with him are ones that study the advanced stats more than they actually watch the games.
Supermassive
HISS, HISS
Watched plenty of Flames games. He was a train wreck in about half of them, a non-factor on the bottom-pairing in the other half. Glad you love him, he's yours for quite a while.
Can't help but wonder where all this love for Smid was when he'd returned as a Flame. A whole wack of jackasses booed him. We're a great fan base in so many ways, but our pathetic bitter streak that comes up when previous Oilers return is ridiculous.
As sad as it was to see with Weight's return, there was a degree of understanding it since he'd bolted for bigger bucks. Evidently, we weren't able to cope with that, bein' all "small city" 'n all. But players that get booed for no reason at all beyond once having been Oilers... it's stupid.
I was set to get Smid's jersey just before he was dealt. He's a champion and quality guy.
As sad as it was to see with Weight's return, there was a degree of understanding it since he'd bolted for bigger bucks. Evidently, we weren't able to cope with that, bein' all "small city" 'n all. But players that get booed for no reason at all beyond once having been Oilers... it's stupid.
I was set to get Smid's jersey just before he was dealt. He's a champion and quality guy.
Joseppi
Registered User
I wasn't looking for a standing 'o'. For fans to be chanting his name as he comes down the tunnel.
I'm simply saying we have a bad habit of being actively against previous Oilers that return. I don't care if he's a Flame, Bruin, or Bolt. Why boo him? A couple knobs that did likely had the unfortunate excuse of already having been hammered by 2:03 of the 1st, a couple others were rocking IQs of 17. Other than that, what's the point?
Smid is a guy that deserved more. Not the Comrie treatment.
I'm simply saying we have a bad habit of being actively against previous Oilers that return. I don't care if he's a Flame, Bruin, or Bolt. Why boo him? A couple knobs that did likely had the unfortunate excuse of already having been hammered by 2:03 of the 1st, a couple others were rocking IQs of 17. Other than that, what's the point?
Smid is a guy that deserved more. Not the Comrie treatment.
Supermassive
HISS, HISS
So who gives a **** what they think, then? Don't project their **** on the whole fan base.
Easy there, Tex. I don't think I'm running down a whole fan base on the basis of Smid's reception. To be clear, the fans that booed were 2 parts the idiots I referred to above, and 1 part rational individuals whose booing I simply don't understand. By no means did everyone boo; it was just way more than I believe Smid deserved given his demonstrated character and commitment to the city and franchise.
But in addition, I'm making a comment on and positing a theory for, a tendency that I've observed over the years, that has - imo - seen an increase in booing of players that return to Rexall ice wearing a different uniform. You better believe it happens in other centres; I can imagine that Philly would be one in light of fans there having apparently infamously booed an appearance by Santa. But it doesn't mean that it looks good on us when it happens here.
And I'm suggesting that it's the remnant of our fan base having been screwed for many years with players leaving town for various reasons (financial, weather-related, wives... etc). I don't recall Glenn Anderson, for instance, having been booed when he returned as a Blue or a Leaf. Nor Kurri as a King. Because the great exodus was only beginning then, and we had yet to be slighted.
But gradually, as the franchise came to start spinning its wheels relative to other American teams that were beginning to accrue our talent, it seems to me that a large portion of Oilers fans (NB: not all Oilers fans) developed a resentment and a sense that these departing players were money-hungry and shooting for "greener pastures" than what we had to offer.
Ultimately, the expressions of this resentment seem to have been carried forward over the years and is common nowadays. It'll be interesting to see, for instance, how portions of the fan base respond to Gagner's return. Are these fans entitled to boo? Of course. I'm simply not the biggest fan of it happening around me when I don't see any reason for it.
Just an opinion, is all.
