News Article: Were the fans justified in Booing the Oilers?

[Replacement*]

but no one said they were expecting the oilers to win, its the fact they continually look like they arent even trying to win. thats the frustrating part.

But they did try, and put forth a better than usual effort thats the only real point of disagreement. Of course fans have the right to boo and all in response to other posters.

nobody is suggesting different. But its a rare event at Rexall. Pick the spots better is all. Really I suspect half the booing was from people expecting to have something better to do on a Saturday night.

 

[CornKicker]

But they did try, and put forth a better than usual effort thats the only real point of disagreement. Of course fans have the right to boo and all in response to other posters.

nobody is suggesting different. But its a rare event at Rexall. Pick the spots better is all. Really I suspect half the booing was from people expecting to have something better to do on a Saturday night.

drunk people tend to follow the leaders as well, as well as be louder

 

[Gone]

Or Seattle.

I love this one.

"Let's go Seattle Let's Go!"
"Let's go Seattle Let's Go!"
"Let's go Seattle Let's Go!"
"Let's go Seattle Let's Go!"
"Let's go Seattle Let's Go!"

 

[Up the Irons]

yes, they were(are) justified in booing. we have stood by this club in the toughest of times, but the managerial complacency in this organization is out of control. the boos should be directed at management. the word failure is not strong enough.

 

[McArthur]

I guess I was the 2% that said no. Free agents don't move to Edmonton. And these kids have the biggest bullseyes on their backs in profession sports. I hate to say it, but the back end isn't mobile enough. The front end isn't hard enough. And the coach had 48 games for systems.

Last year they were better than the year before. This year is better than last year. And I hate to say it but... Next year will be better yet. 20-25th in the league should be a moral victory for these boys.

 

[guymez]

tbh anybody that selectively attended the STL game(and lets face it so many tickets these days are resold or giveaways or resells) should be at least slightly aware that the odds of a W against that opponent is slim to none. Its like going to a Robert Plant concert and complaining that Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones aren't there.. Then booing to express your displeasure at that fact.

Selectively attended? You are talking about an almost negligible percentage here. That aside some people dont get very many opportunities to go to an NHL game so who could blame them for going....expecting an effort for 60 minutes isn't too much to ask IMO.

By all means boo the club in a game they should win, or in a game where they should at least be competitive in. But to boo the team against their most difficult opponent in the league (and no matchup has been harder for this club) is kinda silly.

The 90's teams due to their lack of talent weren't expected to win many games but that team busted their ***** game in and game out. There is no excuse for not being competitive because that is based primarily on desire and will. Whats silly is excusing a poor effort from paid professionals.

If yesterdays game happened at home I would have booed, if I ever went to games anymore.. and I wouldv'e actully booed the W here against the Preds last week as the Oilers played like complete **** in that game as well but Preds are so futile sometimes you can't help but win.

Again expecting a certain level of compete has nothing to do with the opposition. Its about the amount of heart (lack of) in the Oilers room.

 

[McGreat One]

Selectively attended? You are talking about an almost negligible percentage here. That aside some people dont get very many opportunities to go to an NHL game so who could blame them for going....expecting an effort for 60 minutes isn't too much to ask IMO.



The 90's teams due to their lack of talent weren't expected to win many games but that team busted their ***** game in and game out. There is no excuse for not being competitive because that is based primarily on desire and will. Whats silly is excusing a poor effort from paid professionals.



Again expecting a certain level of compete has nothing to do with the opposition. Its about the amount of heart (lack of) in the Oilers room.

We don't even have to look back as far as the 90's. Back in '06 this team made it to the Stanley Cup Finals based on hard work and a hot goaltender. And what bothers me is that we still have a few guys on this team from that run and they're still not getting the hint. Granted Hemsky, Horcoff and Smyth are not the players they were back then and to be honest these guys have been working harder than most of our young players combined lately with the exception of Hall, but this is where these vets got to beat it into the kid's heads that hard work and sacrifice can go a long way in this sport.

We were in a similar situation that season in the fact that we needed a very good run at the end of the year to even make the playoffs. We got a lot more talent this year than we had back then but if we had even half the heart they did then I'd still have some hope of this team making it. After watching San Jose game that hope started to diminish. After the St. Louis game, that the team was boo'd in, that hope went right out the door.

 

[Replacement*]

Selectively attended? You are talking about an almost negligible percentage here. That aside some people dont get very many opportunities to go to an NHL game so who could blame them for going....expecting an effort for 60 minutes isn't too much to ask IMO.

Well I live in this market. Tickets are turning hands constantly for games like this. Where seasons ticket holders go to premium games or resell or gift less desirable games. You see it here all the time. One of the most startling things in watching Oilers home games is that you see different faces sitting in the same seats nearly all the time. This always being evident anywhere near the Oilers, or visitors bench. Contrast with other markets, even Calgary, and you've seen some of the same fan faces around the benches for years.

Not blaming anybody either. This is a team that nobody could love 41 or more times/year and care enough to go to all the games. That has become a very rare quantity here. I know a lot of people with seasons seats, I don't know anybody that goes to all the games anymore. Even this shortened season.

Frankly I refuse offers of tickets countless times. I really don't want to go. I'm not at that level of investment anymore. I'd hate to know that I'd finally become that fan that would just walk out in the middle of a game but I more than suspect its the case.

In anycase who really expected anything more than we've seen from this club this year. I was frankly amazed that people continued to want seasons seats. I can only think they are placeholding them for some conceived better times. Certainly wasn't likely to be this season.

The 90's teams due to their lack of talent weren't expected to win many games but that team busted their ***** game in and game out. There is no excuse for not being competitive because that is based primarily on desire and will. Whats silly is excusing a poor effort from paid professionals.

I understand what you are saying and have certainly made that comparison before with a team that tried harder. That was Ronnie Low hockey in a nutshell.

Again expecting a certain level of compete has nothing to do with the opposition. Its about the amount of heart (lack of) in the Oilers room.

I thought the compete was there. I didn't think we had the bench or players on the ice that were able to overcome on that particular night.

The really strange thing is that the Oilers played better in losing the game 3-0 at home, than they did in winning it 3-0 on the road. But thats hockey and thems the bounces and breaks. Khabi was on fire, that was the big story and STL started the wrong goalie. Thats about it.

 

[Replacement*]

We don't even have to look back as far as the 90's. Back in '06 this team made it to the Stanley Cup Finals based on hard work and a hot goaltender. And what bothers me is that we still have a few guys on this team from that run and they're still not getting the hint. Granted Hemsky, Horcoff and Smyth are not the players they were back then and to be honest these guys have been working harder than most of our young players combined lately with the exception of Hall, but this is where these vets got to beat it into the kid's heads that hard work and sacrifice can go a long way in this sport.

We were in a similar situation that season in the fact that we needed a very good run at the end of the year to even make the playoffs. We got a lot more talent this year than we had back then but if we had even half the heart they did then I'd still have some hope of this team making it. After watching San Jose game that hope started to diminish. After the St. Louis game, that the team was boo'd in, that hope went right out the door.

The hope likely should have went out the window when we were demolished 6-0 early in season, at home, against San Jose. That a club could get so high, and so low, and just abandon its gameplan after one successful outing told me everything I needed to know.

Several times this year the coaching staff have made this statement:

This is a coachable group of players when we lose.

This btw defines a team that doesn't yet get it, isn't yet committed, and are only willing to go so far at present.


Krueger also, several times this year has noted that Gagner has made the commitment to get better, to live better, eat better, train better, and dedicate offseason to being better. That every commitment has been there in that player. I'm hoping it rubs off because other players on this club, several, need to look in the mirror and go to that well.

Excellence requires a lot of ingredients and longterm perseverance. You don't just dial up magic performance on command.

 

[flashy]

Were the players entitled to play like **** for paying customers?

That's the problem, barring a power outage or the team(s) don't come out there is no recourse for your team putting terrible entertainment on the ice. That's why people gets so pissed with 80% of these efforts.