Saturday, January 3, 2009

Daryl Katz Fails to Capitalize on Fans Excitement


Many Oilers fans were looking forward to a bright future when Edmonton billionaire and Oilers fan Daryl Katz pursued the purchase of the team so heavily. A one owner team, a guy that is worth more than NY Yankees owner George Steinbrenner. The same Steinbrenner that has been one of the biggest spenders in pro sports history.

The feeling of going from a small fry to the biggest fish in the pond was dancing in a number of fans heads (myself included). Surely, a guy that would drop $200 million to purchase his hometown team wouldn't allow it to be run into the ground, right!?!?

When he came aboard it seemed as if there would be a new standard of excellence. Making a legitimate pitch at Marian Hossa, saying that this is a new era, the city was abuzz with the way that things seemed to be changing for the better. A guy that is ready, willing, and very able to spend to the cap limit every season, it seemed like a dream come true for a small market team that was always at the mercy of people like Katz for far too many years.

Lowe came out and said that with Katz in tow, this team wants to win now as Katz says that life is short. Then MacT says that he feels that we have a division winning team assembled.

Fast forward to the present. No Hossa, this team is far from leading the division, and they sure as hell aren't "winning now". The shiny new paint job has been dirtied and tarnished, the proverbial white horse that Katz rode in on to "save us" from mediocre and underfunded Oilers hockey has fallen into the city sewer and died a shitty death from hepatitis and dysentery.

But above all else, Daryl Katz is an Oilers fan right? I mean the guy is loaded beyond most people's wildest dreams, hardly the blue or white collar worker than springs for season tickets at a cost in the thousands of $'s per year.

Judging by a number of season ticket holders as well as your Joe blow fan, many are unhappy with the Coach, the President, the Players, or all of the above. Unless Katz bought this team primarily as a money making entity and checked his fan card at the door, how can he be pleased to have dropped $200 million, paid these guys a near cap level salary, as well as paid some damn good $ to the management of this team?

I'd like to see the fan version of Daryl Katz, the guy that if he were your average citizen would be contemplating if he wanted to renew his tickets to see this never ending cycle of mediocrity on ice, a guy that can take issue with Liam Reddox sliding into Ales Hemsky's spot, a guy that can see that this team is NOT playing to its potential.

If this truly is a new era of Oilers hockey, then it's time to prove it. A new coaching staff, a trade for a big time player, a legitimate rebuild, something, anything other than the status quo with this organization.

In Katz I Trust


For now, but time is running out fast.

2 comments:

LMHF#1 said...

I don't think he can claim more than Steinbrenner anymore. The team + building + network more than trumps Katz.

Also, you have to remember that George built his wealth on the team...which is freaking amazing.

Bryanbryoil said...

That was the last that I heard LMHF, however things are always changing in terms of wealth.

The fact that he's even in that ballpark says something though.