I'm okay with Edmonton winning, here's why........

[Josh]

First, I know I'm going to catch hell for this one, I'm prepared and honestly okay with it.

I'm a bit over 40, I literally grew up with the Calgary Flames, they have been a constant throughout my life. I still remember clear as day when the flames were about to win the cup that my dad brought in the radio by the TV so we could hear Peter Mahr's call as game 6 was about to end. I have old school Flames memorabilia on the walls of my home office and the "Countdown to the Stanley Cup" book by Bob Mummery on my shelf. I still watch every Flames game I can on TV. I plan on making a trip up for a game dome with my son before it gets knocked down, also to show him where I grew up because I love Calgary.

I grew up hearing the Saddledome say "whiner" when Gretzky touched the puck. Steve Smith is my all time favorite Oiler. I was also beyond upset losing to Tampa in 2004 and pissed at seeing how few fans attended their cup parade. It was pathetic to the celebration Calgary had for the "we had a great run" party. I have a deep hatred for the Oilers (as well as Tampa), while I never want the Oilers to fold, I do hope that the Lightning one day cease to exist as a franchise. I should also mention that I was thrilled when Edmonton lost in 2006 and Vancouver lost in 2011.

I moved to the US in the early to mid 90's just before I was a teenager, to this day I've always considered Calgary "Home" and its where my heart is. Didn't really adopt any of the local teams here, everything I cheer for has some sort of tie to Calgary/Canada (Mariners fan from when the Cannons were the AAA club, Jays because Joe rounded them all). I don't even feel a strong allegiance to the college I went to down here or their sports teams.

All that being said, I hate what's happening down here in the US, I have a newfound sense of pride being a Canadian (I'm dual), and am almost ashamed that I have US citizenship. I also despise the state of Florida. I had to go down there a couple months ago for work. I felt it was my patriotic duty as a Canadian to spend as little as possible (even on the company card) including eating on the cheap even if it wasn't as good. I hate and find the 51st state rhetoric and tariffs on Canada extremely offensive. I wear a lot more "Canada" shirts now to show how much pride I have in being a Canadian.

I cheered for McDavid scoring the winning goal in the 4 nations tournament (yeah, it felt weird) but felt a huge sense of pride in that win. I also should note that I liked Gretzky after he got traded to LA, but can't stand the sight of him now.

I know this leans into being political, but an attack on the country I love is also an attack on me. So goes the saying "the enemy of my enemy is my friend".

This year the landscape has changed, there are things that I hate far more than the city of Edmonton, I suppose the idiots down here have ruined sports rivalries for me as well.

So yeah, I'm fine if the Oilers win the cup, there I said it. I'd like to see it in Canada where its going to be appreciated. I'm not going to cheer loudly for them, rather I'll be fine and content if they do, I see it as "Canada's Cup" this year.

Anyways, Flame on (yes I said that on purpose), I'm ready for it, I'm not going to apologize for how I feel...........


Edit: I'm leaving my original post, seems to have (understandably) set people off. I'm sure I'd feel differently had I lived in Calgary the past 3 decades but that's not been my life experience. To say someone isn't a "true fan" is unfair, opinions are formed by our experiences. This is not to tell everyone that "you should feel this way too", rather maybe those who have moved away might feel the same.

For the comment that I'm trolling, yeah I joined almost 22 years ago just to wait until I'm in my 40's to create a post to troll everyone. I'm a true master at the long game.......

[Burning Beard]

What's with all these "dear diary" type threads lately?

[Johnny Makarov]

.... yeah NOOOOOO!

Also it's not all 100% on the Oilers, it's their damn idiotic moron fans that is the problem!

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Burning Beard

What's with all these "dear diary" type threads lately?

It is separating the true die hard Flame fans from the casual ones.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Nope.

[Manhattanboy]

Well all due respect to Josh, I’m “not ok with Edmonton winning” and I think the reasons why are obvious. Thanks.

[Yeah_Baby]

Yeah, sorry, Josh.

No nationalism in club sports.

[IamNotKenKing]

No.

[Zulu29]

Didn’t bother reading the post, saw the title and simply came in here to state two things. One, your thread title is disgusting and you should feel shame. Two, Edmonton is NO GOOD! That is all.

[Nadal Fan]

The only way I'd be happy with Edmonton winning would be if it pissed off Cale Makar so much that he wanted to come back to Calgary and win a Cup with the Flames.

[Tron_fdc]

I'm not ok with them winning it but I've accepted they might. So maybe I'm ok with it.

Whatever.

[albertGQ]

ABE

Forever and always

[Lewis_D]

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

ABE > Every other rival winning
ABE > Nationalism
ABE > Team All-History Dictators
ABE > Alien race for dominion over Earth


ABE.

[Shazam]

[TheIronMaiden]

These thinly veiled trolls are getting their money's worth.

[Monahammer]

BOOOOOOOOOOOO

https://www.reddit.com/r/CalgaryFlam...ng_the_oilers/

[MikePatton]

Everyone has a confluence of variables impacting their fandom and shaping it - I would say being a Canadian abroad weighs in more prominently for you under the spectre and auspices of an American ultra nationalism that vibrates through your every day in ways Calgarians only experience distantly as echoes.

You I would suppose are not surrounded by Oiler fans nor do you face the very real prospect of running into one at any moment out there in the world, leaving a cafe with a most decadent blueberry crumble at your lips, ready to bite into it and fill your heart with music, only to see a two-legged horror in a disgusting orange-blue Oilers jersey, throwing your inner sanctuary into tumult.

I will say I've felt more conflicted than ever before in cheering for a fan base that chants "USA! USA!" by virtue of the heightened antipathy I feel towards the USA, their leaders having challenged my national identity and contributing / falling victim to the illiberalization (is this a word?) of democracy that's germinating and spreading around the globe. Me, though, I am not okay with Edmonton winning - not emotionally - but I am accepting of its possibility. I will refuse to let it ruin my week if it happens, though.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

BOOOOOOOOOOOO

https://www.reddit.com/r/CalgaryFlam...ng_the_oilers/

That's right. Listen to your angels.

[the-rasta-masta]

I just am not okay with Edmonton winning. Call it what you want... too invested in the rivalry, too much fun back and forth with buddies who cheer for the Oilers over the years, jealousy... it's likely all of the above.

But no I'd prefer they don't win mainly so I don't have Oilers' fans hanging a cup win over my head until the next time the Flames can win a Cup.