Totally proud of the Esks.

[Kaptain]

Despite the horrible season and the most frustrating season I've witnessed in 42 years, I want to say how proud I am of this organization. I know it will take a few days (maybe weeks or months) for many of us to cool down and debate if DM is staying or who's fault everything is but lets remember a few things here. There isn't one fan of any team who can point at us and laugh where his team hasn't missed the playoffs probably 10 times in the past 34 years. I am proud of how this team has won. I personally witnessed the 5 in a row era where we would blow teams off the field quite regularily by score's of 55-10. This team has very seldom if ever been brassy, boastful or assinine in antics (ala Lewis and Copeland). I mean, have you ever seen Moon to Kelly touchdowns ending with dumb ass dances or Tracy Ham to Michael Soles resulting in a 4 man bobsled routine? Our players and coaches have mostly taken the high road when loud mouths from other teams shot off their yaps in over confidence. We usually followed up our silence by butt whooping the other team on the field. But most of all I am proud of our Grey Cup last year. To go into Calgary and win on the road in hostile territory, then to follow it up in BC in similiar fashion, well that was just great. The way Maas and Ray stood shoulder to shoulder without complaint was only to be topped by the most spectacular Grey cup victory ever witnessed. This team has given me so much to be proud of over the decades of my life. They have indeed brought much joy to many of us. The last thing we should do as fans of this great team is to disgrace ourselves by bashing this team. Evidently it is time for some players to go and it is time for rookies to step up and be better next year. I got a sneaky suspicion that there will be a familiar face coming to town as our offensive co-ordinator next year. He knows a little something about Eskimo tradition, marching a team to the endzone, and having some fire in his belly. One thing is for sure, none of us want to be in this position next year. And this year will still be fresh in our minds. So thanks again Eskimo's for 34 years of success. None of us will be alive to see Calgary ever do that.

[Eskiediehard]

Re: Totally proud of the Esks.

Despite the horrible season and the most frustrating season I've witnessed in 42 years, I want to say how proud I am of this organization. I know it will take a few days (maybe weeks or months) for many of us to cool down and debate if DM is staying or who's fault everything is but lets remember a few things here. There isn't one fan of any team who can point at us and laugh where his team hasn't missed the playoffs probably 10 times in the past 34 years. I am proud of how this team has won. I personally witnessed the 5 in a row era where we would blow teams off the field quite regularily by score's of 55-10. This team has very seldom if ever been brassy, boastful or assinine in antics (ala Lewis and Copeland). I mean, have you ever seen Moon to Kelly touchdowns ending with dumb ass dances or Tracy Ham to Michael Soles resulting in a 4 man bobsled routine? Our players and coaches have mostly taken the high road when loud mouths from other teams shot off their yaps in over confidence. We usually followed up our silence by butt whooping the other team on the field. But most of all I am proud of our Grey Cup last year. To go into Calgary and win on the road in hostile territory, then to follow it up in BC in similiar fashion, well that was just great. The way Maas and Ray stood shoulder to shoulder without complaint was only to be topped by the most spectacular Grey cup victory ever witnessed. This team has given me so much to be proud of over the decades of my life. They have indeed brought much joy to many of us. The last thing we should do as fans of this great team is to disgrace ourselves by bashing this team. Evidently it is time for some players to go and it is time for rookies to step up and be better next year. I got a sneaky suspicion that there will be a familiar face coming to town as our offensive co-ordinator next year. He knows a little something about Eskimo tradition, marching a team to the endzone, and having some fire in his belly. One thing is for sure, none of us want to be in this position next year. And this year will still be fresh in our minds. So thanks again Eskimo's for 34 years of success. None of us will be alive to see Calgary ever do that.

The most intelligent post I've read in a very long time. Props to you! None of us like to lose - it definitely sucks that the streak is over, but we still have more to be proud of when it comes to our football team than any other fans in the country. In fact, we have more to be proud of than most sports fans in North America.

You make me feel like going to watch the I feel like re-watching the '05 GC!

[Deathsdoorstep]

Re: Totally proud of the Esks.

I'm proud to be an Eskimo supporter, but I'm hardly proud of this team or it's organization.

[earl2]

Re: Totally proud of the Esks.

I'm proud to be an Eskimo supporter, but I'm hardly proud of this team or it's organization.

I'm proud of this organization.

Yes we just missed the playoffs for the first time in 35 years, but in reality, this streak wasn't going to last forever.

Am I happy the streak is over? Of course not.
Am I happy with the play/coaching of the Esks this season? Of course not.

But I'm incredibly proud of this organization. I'm proud of how they conduct themselves on and off the field. And I'm proud of what this organization stand for.

[stamphater]

Re: Totally proud of the Esks.

I'm proud of:
-The streak
-Players who have played their heart out this year and year's past to keep the streak alive.
-Fans continously packing 30+ thousand into CW.
-The history this team has.

Not proud of:
-The fact the organization seems to have slipped in a number of areas.
-Players not respecting this teams tradition and putting in piss-poor efforts in vital games.
-The coaching staff putting in a sub-par efforts. (I mean Play calling/formations etc., not work ethic.)

[Deathsdoorstep]

Re: Totally proud of the Esks.

I'm proud of this organization.

Yes we just missed the playoffs for the first time in 35 years, but in reality, this streak wasn't going to last forever.

Am I happy the streak is over? Of course not.
Am I happy with the play/coaching of the Esks this season? Of course not.

But I'm incredibly proud of this organization. I'm proud of how they conduct themselves on and off the field. And I'm proud of what this organization stand for.

I'm not proud that nobody takes responsibility.
I'm not proud that our head honcho is never around
I'm not proud that our head US scout is listed as our GM
I'm not proud of our vanilla offense
I'm not proud of the horrible playcalling
I'm not proud of the total lack of motivation
I'm not proud of the gameday announcer telling me when to cheer...when our offense wants it quiet
I'm not proud of the terrible promotion and public relations
I'm not proud of the endorsement of the conduct of the rights holders

I am proud to spend my buck and support the EEFC. But I don't put the blinders on in the name of homerism and team patriotism.

[Kaptain]

Re: Totally proud of the Esks.

I'm not proud that nobody takes responsibility.
I'm not proud that our head honcho is never around
I'm not proud that our head US scout is listed as our GM
I'm not proud of our vanilla offense
I'm not proud of the horrible playcalling
I'm not proud of the total lack of motivation
I'm not proud of the gameday announcer telling me when to cheer...when our offense wants it quiet
I'm not proud of the terrible promotion and public relations
I'm not proud of the endorsement of the conduct of the rights holders

I am proud to spend my buck and support the EEFC. But I don't put the blinders on in the name of homerism and team patriotism.

Wow! Thats 8 "I'm not proud of's" and 1 "I am proud". Did anyone ever tell you your kind of negative Obviously this is a season of frustration but its over. What I'm simply trying to get across is this. Can you name me any other team in the league you'd rather look back on and be proud of? Its a 35 ounce glass and your saying its one ounce empty instead of 34 ounces full.

[Force Kin]

Re: Totally proud of the Esks.

Good post Kaptain. I have to admit - I'm a Rider fan that has shown up here from time to time lately to see what the mood was like when you guys were struggling. And I have to admit that the main reason is that part of me feels good to see you guys miss the playoffs. But you know what? Deep inside we all know that the reason for that, is that we are envious of what your team has been able to accomplish over the past 35 years. Pure envy, plain and simple. I loved your lines about how you used to witness pure class and not ridiculous endzone theatrics. I have my own memories of Lancaster to Campbell, Austin to Elgaard, or George Reed carrying 3 guys over the goal line, always without the bobsled routine.

I have attended 2 grey cups in my life. One here in Regina in 2003, and last year in Vancouver. I will never be an EE fan, but during those 2 games, I stood to my feet and cheered the Green and Gold on to victory both times.

So, I'm not here to troll (even though I was tempted to when I first signed up ), but I'm here to tip my hat to your team and to 'the streak'. Well done! We're sitting at a whopping 5 years in a row, and I'd give anything to see our streak snapped in the year 2037!

Now, I hope we can do to those pretty boys in Cowtown the same thing you guys did last year...

Sincerely,
The Force.

[Kaptain]

Re: Totally proud of the Esks.

Good post Kaptain. I have to admit - I'm a Rider fan that has shown up here from time to time lately to see what the mood was like when you guys were struggling. And I have to admit that the main reason is that part of me feels good to see you guys miss the playoffs. But you know what? Deep inside we all know that the reason for that, is that we are envious of what your team has been able to accomplish over the past 35 years. Pure envy, plain and simple. I loved your lines about how you used to witness pure class and not ridiculous endzone theatrics. I have my own memories of Lancaster to Campbell, Austin to Elgaard, or George Reed carrying 3 guys over the goal line, always without the bobsled routine.

I have attended 2 grey cups in my life. One here in Regina in 2003, and last year in Vancouver. I will never be an EE fan, but during those 2 games, I stood to my feet and cheered the Green and Gold on to victory both times.

So, I'm not here to troll (even though I was tempted to when I first signed up ), but I'm here to tip my hat to your team and to 'the streak'. Well done! We're sitting at a whopping 5 years in a row, and I'd give anything to see our streak snapped in the year 2037!

Now, I hope we can do to those pretty boys in Cowtown the same thing you guys did last year...

Sincerely,
The Force.

Thanks for the kind words Force kin. I have the 05 Grey Cup on DVD and it warmed my soul to see so many fans in the stands wearing other jerseys cheering for the Esks against the Als. I for one will be cheering for the Riders from here on (this year). Many of us Esks fans, myself included, never gave up on this team's streak until we were mathimatically eliminated. I still thought they'd do it somehow. But the streak is over. Not just because of our own folly but it seemed that the very stars lined up against us this year. We not only messed up our own games but every other game on the schedule that could help or harm us ended up harming us (Buono's brilliant punting in overtime for example). So with that I look forward to next season and hope that this years playoffs are half as intriguing as last years. Go into Cow Town and spoil their party like we did last year

[pope04]

Re: Totally proud of the Esks.

I'm here to tip my hat to your team and to 'the streak'.

I'm a Calgary fan, but I do admit envy on the 34 years of excellence. Congratulations, Eskimos and their fans.

[Superfan]

Re: Totally proud of the Esks.

A frustrating season? Yer darn right it has been a frustrating season! I'm as old as the Esks playoff streak is long ... season ticket holder since Commonwealth was built, so I have no idea of how to deal with what has happened this season. That said, as a fan of a franchise well-deserving of great respect for both what it has done and how it has gone about doing it ... I'm still on board! It is weird because "rebuilding" isn't a word we can really use as an excuse comin' off the GC win last year ... but rebuilding and re-evaluating and revamping are definitely words that we will have to use to move forward ... but move forward we will!

As a collective, I do hope that we can carry forward our pride for this team and this community. In this day and age when fan loyalty seems to be as fleeting as a fart in the wind, my biggest fear is that the end of the playoff streak will turn out to be that moment when fairweather fans decided to get off the bandwagon. I think we also have to remember that this season is not over yet ... no, the playoffs aren't going to happen ... but the "spirit of Edmonton" needs to stay alive. On a final note, demanding the best from our team (players, coaches, admin., and fans) is not an un-Eskimo thing to do! Saying that we're not happy with certain things isn't not being a great fan ... it's a testament to our passions for this team and this game ... so let's keep those proud traditions alive and well too!

Go ESKS Go!

Superfan Forever!

[Oiler]

Re: Totally proud of the Esks.

Good post Kaptain. I have to admit - I'm a Rider fan that has shown up here from time to time lately to see what the mood was like when you guys were struggling. And I have to admit that the main reason is that part of me feels good to see you guys miss the playoffs. But you know what? Deep inside we all know that the reason for that, is that we are envious of what your team has been able to accomplish over the past 35 years. Pure envy, plain and simple. I loved your lines about how you used to witness pure class and not ridiculous endzone theatrics. I have my own memories of Lancaster to Campbell, Austin to Elgaard, or George Reed carrying 3 guys over the goal line, always without the bobsled routine.

I have attended 2 grey cups in my life. One here in Regina in 2003, and last year in Vancouver. I will never be an EE fan, but during those 2 games, I stood to my feet and cheered the Green and Gold on to victory both times.

So, I'm not here to troll (even though I was tempted to when I first signed up ), but I'm here to tip my hat to your team and to 'the streak'. Well done! We're sitting at a whopping 5 years in a row, and I'd give anything to see our streak snapped in the year 2037!

Now, I hope we can do to those pretty boys in Cowtown the same thing you guys did last year...

Sincerely,
The Force.

I remember the Riders beat Calgary to help Edmonton get into the playoffs once by the back door. The Stamps were classless and thought it would be an easy victory. That day it was good that the two teams helped each other.

I also remember the ovation the Esks fans gave Lancaster in his last game here.

[ESKKIIMOOSSSS!!]

Re: Totally proud of the Esks.

Kaptain, where can I find a copy of the 05 Grey Cup game? Any info would be appreciated.

[cmbuk]

Re: Totally proud of the Esks.

i was an esks fan before sat`s loss, woke up this mornin still an esks fan and i still love my team..
don`t need to add any more to that really!

[Force Kin]

Re: Totally proud of the Esks.

Thanks for the kind words Force kin. I have the 05 Grey Cup on DVD and it warmed my soul to see so many fans in the stands wearing other jerseys cheering for the Esks against the Als. I for one will be cheering for the Riders from here on (this year). Many of us Esks fans, myself included, never gave up on this team's streak until we were mathimatically eliminated. I still thought they'd do it somehow. But the streak is over. Not just because of our own folly but it seemed that the very stars lined up against us this year. We not only messed up our own games but every other game on the schedule that could help or harm us ended up harming us (Buono's brilliant punting in overtime for example). So with that I look forward to next season and hope that this years playoffs are half as intriguing as last years. Go into Cow Town and spoil their party like we did last year

Wow, that's great to hear Kaptain. I especially look forward to having you cheer for us on Oct 27th.

JK.