I basically wrote this post last season, which ended the same way, but it bears repeating: I know the Oilers fans in my life and in Fug Nation understand that while I do not rejoice in their suffering today, I was NOT UNHAPPY when Edmonton lost the Stanley Cup. Sports rooting is a petty business; Edmonton is the in-province rival to my Calgary Flames and the PLAYOFF BLOOD RIVAL to the L.A. Kings, whom they’ve eliminated FOUR years in a row now (this year, we even had them in an 0-2 hole, dammit!!!!). Truly, this team that drives me bonkers had an air of inevitability about them during this post-season, with comeback-win heroics and overtime clinchers — sincerely, some of the most gripping hockey games strung together than I can remember — and an absurdly talented roster. They had grit and guts and some insane grace when they needed it. And they would have returned the Cup to Canada, which I want so badly. But I cannot even remember how many times I growled,” I F’ING HATE THESE F’ERS,” nor mumbled that Connor McDavid has hockey’s most punchable face, nor yelled, “I NEVER WANT TO HEAR THE WORD DREISAITL AGAIN.”
So. Oftentimes sports is when you simply pull for the team you’re the least mad at, and so it is that I pumped my fist last night when the Oilers lost Game 6 by a score of 5-1. Edmonton pulled the goalie with about 7 minutes left and gave up two empty netters. They fell apart, McDavid goes home sad again, and now I just have to wait for them to ruin one of my teams’ seasons again next year. Possibly both. I’m sure they’ll do it. Respect. I GUESS. (But not to you, Evander Kane. You skipped the handshake line. That is some bull. He was ejected for a pointless hit and declined to come back out of the locker room for one of the greatest traditions, and that’s a BOO in my book.)
Having said that, I love doing these posts, and I promise I would have published it even if the Oilers had won. Fortunately, I didn’t have to cross that bridge. I’m sorry Edmonton fans! Sort of, maybe!!!! If you finally do it next year, I will be here and you can dance all over my sports rage!!! God, I love the Cup. Winning it once is a gauntlet. Twice in a row, after losing in the finals the year before that? Props to you, Florida, that is — to put it mildly — some insanely hard shit.
