An urban legend or urban myth is similar to a modern folklore consisting of stories thought to be factual by those circulating them. The term is often used to mean something akin to an “apocryphal story”. Urban legends are not necessarily untrue, but they are often distorted, exaggerated, or sensationalized over time. Enter Anaheim Ducks defensemen Chris Pronger into the eerie and often misinterpreted frightful tale of the ravenous story that is the fans of the Edmonton Oilers.
The story takes place in the summer of 2006 in the city of Edmonton where it seems the often rabid Oiler fans were found to have broken into Christopher Pronger’s home and set fire to his cherished rental furniture.
Weeks after losing there bid for a sixth Stanley Cup Oiler fans were stabbed once more in the mid section upon hearing news that Pronger wanted out of Edmonton. At first wild speculation spread through the internet as blowhard Al Strachan broke the story that Prongers time in Edmonton was all but done and the former Hart trophy winner wanted a clean start in a new city. “Ridiculous” many said, but as we found out Strachan was bang on and days later it was all over the media and quite apparent that our supposed franchise player was a soon to be memory.
It definitely was a shock to most Oil fans but really who cares, this crap happens all the time. I’ll repeat one of the most frequently used phrases regarding this situation, “forget about it and move on”. I, like most, would say the majority of us have but yet here it seems the media outside of Edmonton continue to make a story out of this situation.
We get it, Chris Pronger didn’t want to be an Oiler anymore but give it a rest already, that was over a year ago and people are still talking about it because it seems every other week some baboon in the media brings it up again. How come we aren’t talking about how Oli Jokinen wants out of Florida? It is a similar situation with absolutely no press. Funny how people in the media tell Oiler fans to “let it go” and they’re the ones ALWAYS bringing it up reporting on it.
Cue Chris Pronger on Jim Rome the other day. Over a year after the turmoil Rome’s brilliant investigating brought up the whole urban legend that people broke into Prongers house and burnt his rental furniture, even going as far to say that his baby crib was torched. Did Pronger set the record straight? Of course not, instead he went on believing the rumours he heard which begs the question, where exactly did this ridiculous rumour get started?
Cue St. Louis Blues commentator Andy Strickland who broke the story that a radio station in Edmonton bought Prongers rental furniture and had a bonfire raising money for charity. “A radio station in Edmonton recently purchased the furniture Chris Pronger had rented from the company that rented Pronger the furniture,” Strickland wrote. “The radio station then set the furniture on fire while Oilers fans looked on and cheered. I guess that’s the respect you get when you take the team to the seventh game of the Stanley Cup Finals.”
Funny how no local media or radio stations confirmed the story. Turns out that it was nothing more then a moment on air where a disc jockey was making a joke. I guess when you’re a sports writer investigating isn’t part of your job description, heaven forbid you go to the source of the story…either Pronger himself or the actual Rental Company. Ken King, the former VP of that rental company has been on record as saying “It never happened, we got it back in immaculate condition.”
Thus the Urband Legend is born. Will Strickland,Jim Rome, TSN, Sportsnet, or any who have reported on this story set the record straight? Probably not, after all the truth never seems to make a good story these days. Sadly it’s this irresponsible journalism that continues to cloud Edmonton in such a negative light and every other day there seems to be some shot at the city or its hockey team. How come no one talks about players signing here because they love it or when they do get here they want to stay? Oh right, I already said…it doesn’t make a good story.
The reality of it all is that players ask for trades all the god damn time but it seems North American media wants to hop on the bandwagon of “bash Edmonton” with no factual proof. Yes it is cold, yes there is a lot of travel, and yes some players cant handle the fishbowl lifestyle but this continuous dogging of the city from people who base there reports on rumours and not facts need to go back to school.
Despite there hatred for the Oilers and all the negative press on the city all one has to do is look at guys like Garon, Reasoner, Moreau, and even the late Ryan Smyth for proof on how much players actually appreciate not only the team but the city of Edmonton as well.
Oh right, it doesn’t make a good story.
Walks
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