Why do you cheer for the team?

[GOilers88]

So a lot of you have been around here far longer than myself. You all seem to follow the team pretty religiously like myself. So I simply have to ask, why do you support the team?

I've been a dieharder since about 98 for reasons of which I have none as I'm born and raised in metro vancouver. For 20 years, this franchise has given me nothing to cheer about, save for a fluke run in 06' that ended in the third period of game 1. They've pissed away every good asset they've ever had. They've gone through so many coaches and GM's one could lose count. They've been the absolute laughing stock and biggest joke of the league during my entire tenure as a fan, and to this very day are just as bad as they were when I first started cheering for them, and the owner very obviously doesn't care one iota to make necessary changes, but here I am, and here you all are.

What the f*** is wrong with you guys?

Click to read more...

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

I grew up in a family of Oiler fans.

Unfortunately 2017 instilled a lot of hope that things were finally changing and it's hard to let go.

That being said I tune out of a lot of games. I find other things to occupy the time and just check the score.

 

[Keggatron]

My old man was a big oiler fan when I was growing up. When I was quite a bit younger I used to cheer for other teams, mostly because they had former glory year Oilers (Kings, Rangers etc..) but then in the 97 playoffs against Dallas, the game they came back 3-0 from in the last ten minutes I realized I had always been a fan of theirs.

These days it sucks, but you can't really choose who you love, even if they treat you like shit and refuse to change. I don't watch many games on TV anymore as like the previous poster said I find other things to occupy my time. I usually watch the playoffs though and cheer for teams I enjoy watching.

 

[Wretched Oil]

I was raised to.

I was also raised to cheer for the underdog, and to not give up when you're losing.

 

[iCanada]

Same reason as every other brain washed cultist. I was introduced young, and wanted to be a part of something bigger.

They decieved me. They isolated me. They created dependence in me.

And now I'm stuck dreading the whole shebang.

 

[MikeYEG]

I'm new here, but have been following the Oilers since the mid-90s. Living far from Edmonton now and but still watch the games with my NHL subscription, but the enjoyment is long gone. Don't know if I'll renew next year though, and that's with McDavid in the team, how sad is that...

 

[elmeroil]

My cousin Daryl Reaugh played in the Oilers organization from 84-89. He was a goalie so obviously he didn't play many games with the big Club. 7 to be exact. I was 8 years old when he started playing for them so I have been a fan of the Oilers for most of my life.

I did cheer for the Whalers when he played with them but the Oilers were always in my blood. I enjoyed all of the Stanley Cups but not like I would now. I definitely took those for granted and felt like we were just going to keep winning cups.

I lost interest a little bit in the mid-90s but the 97 playoffs had me cheering hard for them again. I loved those teams in the late 90s, those first round upsets against Dallas and Colorado we're so much fun. Even with the dark decade and more that we've recently had I will never be able to not cheer for them.

I've tried not cheering for them in these dark days, I guess I am an Oiler fan for life. They can't suck forever right? Right?

 

[WayneGreatzky]

Born and raised Edmontonian just cheering for the home team.

Was born in '83, so I was too young to see and appreciate the Dynasty

Earliest game I remember watching with my parents was the Conference Finals of 1991 were they were knocked out by the North Stars.

My high points as a fan have been the string of playoff appearances from 1997-2003 and the miracle run of 2006.

Outside of 2016-17 (which was best Oilers regular season since the 80's) the entire rest of the 2010's decade has been miserable as an Oilers fan.

The current team and organization absolutely DO NOT deserve the passionate and loyal fanbase they have in Edmonton and abroad.

 

[McBigYak]

Was a Coyotes fan when I first started playing/watching hockey, although I was much too young to really care back then and it only lasted probably a year. My cousin was from Fort Saskatchewan and took me to my first NHL game at 7 years old in Edmonton. He bought me a Doug Weight jersey, never looked back since. He became my favorite player, and probably still is all time. My cousin passed away in late 2000, and they subsequently traded away Weight probably 6 months later. Was not a good time in my life as a young kid.

From there, they've done nothing but continue to be one of the most mediocre sports franchises, and possibly the worst in the last 12 years. I'm honestly surprised I even enjoy hockey anymore. Usually watch them from October until December, then fade them out of my life.

 

[ThreeOfAPerfectPair]

Following the team is more of a hobby at this point.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

simply out of habit...like smoking, it's bad for your health

 

[Ritchie Valens]

I was 5 when I got turned onto hockey and Wayne Gretzky was the big thing (like Sid and Connor are now). I was so mad when Gretzky was traded, I cheered for Calgary for one season (hey, I was 9 or 10...cut me some slack) figuring that would show them.

I've always been a fan and loved them through the good and bad, mostly bad. I've been invested in them for 35 years, I can't quit them.

 

[McRpro]

I have no idea. I grew up around the Thunder Bay area with no Oiler connections in my life. When I was very young I never paid attention to hockey. My earliest memory was cheering on the Flames in the finals VS the Habs. My classmates and I all bought the Panini hockey sticker book the following season. I started liking the Oilers(and hating the Kings and Gretzky) that season. From then on my fandom just grew and grew.

I'd probably be a much happier person if I had just started cheering for the Wings back then lol.

 

[Dohilers]

I grew up a fan of the Oilers, Jets, and Nordiques. Jets and Nordiques left, so I clung onto the Oilers for dear life. I've yet to let go because I remember just how close I was to have no team to cheer for when there were loud rumblings that the Oilers could relocate in the 90s/early 00s. Yeah, it sucks the team is losing now, but it beats having no team to cheer for.

 

[Dohilers]

I grew up a fan of the Oilers, Jets, and Nordiques. Jets and Nordiques left, so I clung onto the Oilers for dear life. I've yet to let go because I remember just how close I was to have no team to cheer for when there were loud rumblings that the Oilers could relocate in the 90s/early 00s. Yeah, it sucks the team is losing now, but it beats having no team to cheer for.

 

[8LX7psQ]

Born in the late 70's in Edmonton... It was real good being a fan in the old days.

 

[Bring Back Bucky]

Turned on the tv when I was ten and saw Moog sweep the Habs. Jumped on the bandwagon and never got off.

 

[ohheyhemsky]

Born in Edmonton, to an Oiler family. Runs in the blood and don't have a choice.

 

[Captain Fantastic]

Living in Montreal,the Habs were my team a kid (Dryden, Lafleur) Moved to Edmonton in 79. Hated them for a few years then started liking them. Rest is history. I still like Montreal teams in general but only after Edmonton. They piss me off like nothing else but I'll still support them. Unless McDavid requests a trade, that might do it for me.

 

[Supermassive]

Born in the late 70's in Edmonton... It was real good being a fan in the old days.

This. My sports-watching childhood was glorious. Nowadays it’s more of a morbid amusement to see Katz’s management team flush every draft gift down the toilet.

 

[Senor Catface]

Stockholm syndrome

 

[CycloneSweep]

Cause I'm an idiot.

 

[The Hound]

Born in Edmonton. Oilers and Esks dominated the TV for as long as I can remember.

 

[A91]

My dad was a fan of the 80s Oilers and stopped following when Gretzky was sold. But all of my grandparents/aunts/uncles/cousins were die hard Habs fans so it rubbed off on me. I was a Habs fan (never that dedicated) until I moved to the city from in the summer of 2006 ... right after the finals run. In school all kids could talk about was the Oilers and I fell in love with Hemmer and Smytty and co.

Rest is history. I've seen one playoff appearance in nearly 13 years as a fan.

 

[Xelebes]

I don't cheer much if at all anymore. There's been no reason to. So I've checked out. I used to watch the pre-McDavid games because I could sit at the bar, eat my supper and do it alone in peace. It was nice. You could laugh when they failed―as often as they did―and still summon a cheer when things are going for them. Now? Now I simply know the fans are being served a **** sandwich and it's going to keep being served that way for a very long time. There's too much to do out there than sit at the bar or at home and watch the **** sandwich be served. Enough of that. I'll watch the box scores but that's because I'm a numbers nerd and watching the numbers are more rewarding than watching the games.