When a jersey is thrown from the stands to the ice, it doesn't flutter like Forrest Gump's feather, wafting in the gentle breeze before coming to a peaceful landing at the foot of a developmentally disabled man. When a jersey is thrown from the stands to the ice, it hits the playing surface with a thud that resonates throughout the entire league. It signifies that a team has not only lost too many games, but the faith of its fanbase as well.
The Edmonton Oilers experienced their second jersey tossing incident of the season on Saturday night during an 8-1 loss to the TDS (team down south). Edmonton goaltender Ben Scrivens -- who's been an Oiler for almost 10 weeks -- promptly sent the jersey back into the stands, and remarked after the game about how the logo is sacred, and he was disheartened seeing someone treat it that way. He didn't comment on the way the other six on-ice logos were being treated at the time they were joined by a disembodied one.
While it's a relatively new occurrence, jersey tossing has become the NHL's equivalent of flag burning, and in many ways the two actions are the result of similar circumstances. I would argue that nobody buys a jersey with the intention of leaving it in a crumpled heap at Rexall Place, and before dismissing it as the simple act of one disgruntled fan, let's examine the parallels between flag and jersey desecration. Wikipedia states that flag burning might be undertaken for six different reasons.
1) As a protest against a country's foreign policy
You might be tempted to dismiss this one immediately, but what exactly is foreign policy? Merriam-Webster defines foreign policy as "the policy of a sovereign state in its interaction with other sovereign states." Apparently, on Saturday night, the Oilers' foreign policy involved allowing a sovereign state (the TDS) to infiltrate their home rink and embarrass them, to the tune of an 8-1 drubbing. The Oilers didn't take any meaningful steps to prevent this from happening, so jersey tossing could be seen as an appropriate form of protest.
2) To distance oneself from the foreign or domestic policies of one's home country
Here's where things get a little tricky. What exactly are the Oilers' foreign or domestic policies? Well, on Saturday night the foreign policy seemed to involve allowing TDS forward Curtis Glencross to score a hat trick. Glencross came into the game with seven goals on the season. What is Edmonton's domestic policy? Apparently on Saturday night it involved charging Oiler fans $10 for a beer, and then subjecting them to 19 minutes and 25 seconds of Mark Fraser. If the jersey was thrown to distance oneself from these policies then I see nothing wrong with it.
3) As a protest at the very laws prohibiting the actions in question
To the best of my knowledge, nobody throws their jersey to the ice to protest the rule prohibiting them from throwing their jersey to the ice. However, in an age when Oiler fans aren't allowed to wear paper bags over their heads or bring "Fire Kevin Lowe" signs into Rexall Place, you never know. Still, this seems like a foolish reason to either toss a jersey or burn a flag. Driving without my seatbelt fastened might make me feel like a rebel outlaw, but common sense dictates that I should probably wear it to protect myself in the event of a collision.
4) As a protest against nationalism
For those who are unaware, Merrian-Webster defines nationalism as "a feeling that people have of being loyal to and proud of their country, often with the belief that it is better and more important than other countries." It's laughable to think that an Oiler fan would look around at all his fellow fans, gloating and boasting of their success, and feel the need to toss his jersey in disgust. By that definition, outside of the 2006 Stanley Cup run, it's hard to imagine that any Oiler fan has felt even a tinge of nationalism in more than 20 years.
5) As a protest against the government in power in the country, or against the country's form of government
Now we're starting to get somewhere. Pick any member of ownership, management, or the coaching staff, and there's a good chance that the jersey fell to the ice in protest of his role in the Oilers' current debacle. Throw Steve Tambellini into the mix as well, because his fingerprints are still all over the crime scene we witnessed on Saturday night. Losing by seven goals to a team that had been eliminated from playoff contention by Christmas should make everyone take (another) long look in the mirror, then punch that mirror, like Martin Sheen in Apocalypse Now.
6) A symbolic insult to the people of that country
We can safely rule this one out, as the jersey was not thrown to the ice as a symbolic insult to Oiler fans. Unfortunately, the six other jerseys on the ice at the time had done more than enough to insult the people in attendance, causing them to wonder why they'd spent their hard-earned money on another night of frustration and embarrassment.
People can focus on the disembodied jersey all they want, but until the Oilers start putting more thought into the ones that skate, pass and shoot, and they begin to produce a consistent effort that translates into goals, wins and playoff appearances, I'm afraid the jerseys will continue to hit the ice. And I don't see any reason for them not to.
ryan.garner@hockeybuzz.com