Oilers Reunion: A Clarification

It seems that my last post regarding the Edmonton Oilers has been met with the sound of crickets.

And I think I know why.

Let's start with the Facebook status that accompanied the post, which was as follows: "Not as good a sportswriter as Derek Van Diest, but I try". I really should have added one of these :) , because the status was meant as a compliment to Derek, not a comment on my talents as a sportswriter, which are absolutely nil. A little fun at my expense is all that was. I am really a movie guy, not a sports guy. I see that Any Given Sunday is coming up on TV soon. Maybe I'll tackle that on one of my movie blogs.

My second Facebook-related sin: I tagged poor Derek in my post. Which means that any current Oiler player or coaching staff that he has on his Facebook has access to it. To be frank, it is most definitely not up to me to wonder how well Oilers coach Dallas Eakins knows his players, or how much he cares. That's his ball of wax, not mine. I sincerely apologize to you, Coach Eakins, and your players and staff, for appearing to cast aspersions on your talents. You all inherited a very complex situation when you took over, and I am sure you are doing your best. I look forward to seeing what you can do with the team.  I was projecting what I knew from 30 years ago onto you, and that was unfair and not professional at all. Unfortunately, my civic pride got in the way of my common sense. Again, my apologies.

Lastly, some full disclosure: I knew Derek Van Diest in high school, as a guy who, along with Dick Van Dyke, was technologically way ahead of his time. Seriously though, Derek was a very nice guy who always had a hello and a kind word for anyone he ran into. I am sure that tradition continues in the arenas and stadiums he covers as the Edmonton Sun's man on the hockey beat. As someone who tried the ink-stained wretch thing on the Grant MacEwan paper in college, I have a basic idea of how hard it can be, and you have excelled, my friend. May you have many more years of success. I am very proud of you.


Mike

Oilers Reunion

This press conference at Rexall Place today for the 30th anniversary of the 1984 Stanley Cup win of the Edmonton Oilers shows the kind of team togetherness and  sage coaching (just relax and go do it...after mastering the fundamentals, of course) that is needed in order to bring the current team up to speed in a couple of years. I say two because I don't think five more years is an option. The new toy downtown needs to start paying for itself quicker than that, I would think.


Also, does new coach Dallas Eakins have the time to get to know his players as people, particularly the younger ones? Does he particularly care about that aspect of things? I seem to recall, in an interview on the seminal Boys On The Bus video, that Glen Sather said he went out of his way to introduce his young team to fine dining and culture, believing that it would make them well-rounded individuals and thus a more unified team.

Mr Wayne Gretzky: I was and remain in awe of all that you accomplished while in Edmonton and elsewhere (come to think of it, that goes for all of you). Let me assure you all that myself and a significant portion of the City of Edmonton are as happy that you're here as you are to be here. Thank you all, and have fun!


Your Partner In Life