I’m a life-long Edmonton Oilers fan, but I’m going to have to wear a Calgary Flames jersey pretty soon.
No, I’m not changing allegiances. I’m conceding defeat in a bet with Okotoks mayor Bill Robertson.
He and I made a wager at the beginning of the NHL season over the season series between the Oilers and Flames. Well, the Flames have won four of the five meetings between the two teams this year and there’s still one more game left to play. I lost the bet, I figure I might as well get this over with.
So, the Flames beat the Oilers. I’m writing this column to say the Flames beat the Oilers. Now, I will have to sit through a town council meeting wearing the mayor’s Flames jersey. I’m certain I’ll also have to sit through a few Oilers jokes as well.
If I had won, or that is to say if the Oilers had been able to defeat the Flames three times this season, Mr. Mayor, an ardent Flames fan, would have had to chair a town council meeting wearing my Oilers jersey. I would’ve liked to have seen that, and I would likely have had a few jokes of my own.
I’m sure you’re all reading this wondering how I could’ve thought it a wise bet to wager on the Oilers.
Well, that was before the season began. I thought it would be a relatively safe bet. I was a more optimistic about the Oilers’ chances this season and a little more pessimistic about the Flames. At the very least, I expected the two teams to be a lot closer this year.
After the Oilers went into the third period of the Jan. 31 game against the Flames up two goals, I was considering offering some sort of a double or nothing bet with the mayor on the final game between the Oilers and Flames on April 4 – maybe make him wear my Oilers jersey the next time he chaired a Calgary Regional Partnership meeting.
I should’ve known not to get cocky. Watching another classic Oilers collapse as the Flames netted four goals in the third period on Jan. 31, I decided to cut my losses and concede defeat.
Born and raised in Edmonton, I am an avid Oilers fan. It’s been a rough time since that glorious Stanley Cup run in 2006, but I’m still keeping the faith.
I know this can’t last forever, and I’m ever hopeful, but I think I’m done making any bets for now.
