Quinn Made A Promise To The Oiler Fans

Did you watch the video that I have had on the Jambalaya Home Page today?  Watch it again, it right above this.

When I first seen it at the beginning of the season I got goose bumps.  It was an amazing thing to see - remember last year and the MacT fiasco? So do I.  So when I came across it today, a few things he said stood out for me, other than the goose bumps I got again re-watching it. 

Quinn started off by saying, "Hello, I'm Pat Quinn, the head coach for your Edmonton Oilers." 

Sweet intro line.  He had me at hello.

"This is your team and everything we do, we do it for you, our fans."

I'm even more fired up and intrigued by what he is saying and strangely enough, I started thinking about Bryan Adams. "Look into my eyes.."

"I can't sit here and make any promises about the post season.  But I can promise you this..."

Now this is where is gets exciting.  Why is that you say?  Well, remember the coaching staff saying that the team was going to win the division that one year and didn't?  This is kind of where Quinn is going with this speech.  But it's a different promise.  Maybe an easier one we hope?

"We will play tough."

Ok.  That should be a easy thing to do right?  Oh yeah... the team is filled with smurfs.  Hmmm.  I don't know if he should have said that.

"We will show grit."

Ok.  Grit I can see before toughness.  What else you got Quinn?

"And we will highlight the skill on this team."

That was probably the most believable thing he said so far.  Skill we have, but toughness and grit?

"And on every night, even when we're tired, and it's cold, I promise you this."

More promises... the suspense is killing me.

"This team will compete"

That is one hell of a statement to make.  Especially when I have watched this team for as long as I have.  I wasn't sure if he knew this team's history to not show up for games in the past 3 years (or more).  But nonetheless... I believe him.

"And when we do this... everything else will fall into place."

 By this time, I'm ready to vote him into the PM's office.  Quinn for PM!  Finally a coach that gets it.  And he's our coach.  The Oilers have found their saviour.

"We will be taking on the world... starting October 3rd."

Bring it on world... bring it on.

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Fast forward to today.  How do I feel about it today? 

I feel let down.  The players seemed to buy into what Quinn was selling at the start.  The first 7 games I was in heaven.  We all were.  I was floating on clouds.  Then the hockey gods laughed and said no more.  Now all that stuff Quinn said looks like horse plop.  We lose two pluggers like Jacques and Stone and that's it.  No more toughness?  Where did the team grit go that we had going on?  Where is the highlighted smurf skill?  Where is this teams willingness to compete?  Yeah... where is it?

 Where is all the "talk" gone to?  Are the players way to comfortable now that all these injuries have happened?  Really, it's not like they are going to lose their spot on the team, unless your name is Steve MacIntyre *starts to cry again*. 

So I have to ask myself, why would the Oilers organisation do a promo like this?  Why would you go out on a limb and say what this team can and can not do?  I just makes no sense to say anything at all.  Because look, it's game 18 and this team is in some real trouble now.  They lost to many valuable points in the last 10 games and it's going to be hard to get some back.  And really, it's all because there is no team toughness or grit.

 He said it himself,  "And when we do this... everything else will fall into place."

It maybe a bold statement... but it's true.  No grit, no win.  And right now, nothing is falling into place.

I think maybe the team should re-watch this video.  Or this season could turn into a wash in a hurry.  I don't think the fans could handle that, again.