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

Keep On Truckin' Dad!

This was the 1976 Ford Explorer pickup that my dad bought (the same model, not that exact truck) when I was 5. I remember the day vividly (cloudy and spring) because I believe he bought it at Healy Ford downtown and drove it directly to my aunt and uncle's place in Sherwood Park to come get me. Where did we go? A & W  for some root beer at one of those classic drive thrus. Everything was shiny and smelled brand new. How did we not spill any root beer? A minor miracle, if you ask me. The ol' Explorer was with us for about 10 years, and as my dad will tell you, I grew rather attached to it. It saw us through a lot, and although I never considered myself a car nut by any stretch, it was a real sad day when Dad reluctantly had to sell it for parts. But life goes on, and I'm happy to continue on a happier note by remembering another cool vehicle he briefly owned...



I remember vividly in 1976 or 1977 taking a trip from St. Paul to Edmonton in the Javelin, with mom and dad. After two hours and change of highway, nothing beat the feeling and view of entering the city of Edmonton (in my memory, anyway) for the first time. All to the strains of my favorite K-Tel 8-track:



Good times baby!



 Couldn't resist...had this one too!
Love you Dad!




Your Partner In Life

Happy Birthday Mom!

All the best Mom! I love you!

Mike

Good Morning Everyone!

Here is my niece Mikaela, with her first-ever smile caught on camera. Don't know about you, but that makes me feel so good, I just have to add a song...



Have a great day everyone!


Your Partner In Life

Crazy Oilers Theory

As those who know me well can attest,  I am the furthest thing from a sports expert that you could ever get.



But as a lifelong Edmontonian, I can't help feeling that there is some kind of energy missing in our city when it comes to the Oilers.


We know we achieved greatness exactly 30 years ago. I remember watching the fateful game at my Grandma Simonne's house with my dad, and will never forget the sound of car horns honking. All night.


We even achieved greatness in 1990, two years after Wayne Gretzky left us. So we know that, while he was a big factor in the Oilers' previous Stanley Cups, he wasn't the exclusive factor. (Boy, would I love to get him drunk and get a definitive answer on the whole was-he-sold-like-a-piece-of-meat-or-did-he-want-to-go conundrum. But I digress).


Or did the culture that deal created, the whole "Well, if Gretzky is worth $20 million, then my client is worth...", kill both the fun and work ethic of professional hockey?  Is today's squad massively stressed out by the spectre of past glories?


I don't know. As Yoda would put it, "A sports expert, not am I. Luke, like Great One you will not be, if train you not. Now put down donair and CONCENTRATE!"


But I know 4 things:


1) For now Eakins and MacTavish have the power.


2) Eight years is a LONG time between Cup runs.


3) I miss interacting with well-behaved partying fans on Whyte Avenue during Cup runs.


4) People will be a LOT more forgiving about paying for swanky new downtown arenas if they have a productive winning team to support.


Just a few random thoughts...


Let's remember...







Here's a bonus...





Have a great night!


Your Partner In Life

Ralph Leibo: Profile Of Courage

I have known Ralph Leibo for almost 25 years. Many disabled people (sometimes including myself) have the habit of falling into the thinking that "things are the way they are" and that "there is nothing we can do to change anything". Ralph is a person who has never fallen into that type of thinking, working tirelessly as an advocate for Alberta's disabled community since his arrival in Edmonton from Montreal in the mid-1970's, Whether it be volunteering on a government commitee or signing up for a study, he is always doing his best to work for change in the disabled community as a whole. To be Ralph's friend is to be Ralph's friend for life, and he is always offering friendship and support to whoever needs it. Now, after moving tentatively into the digital age, he has chosen to share his story with the world. There is not a disabled person anywhere who has not dealt with these homecare and equipment issues in some fashion, and Ralph handles it all with courage and grace. He is an inspiration to all who know him.

Have a great day!

Your Partner In Life