I'm Robert Masters, writer of Etched In Cold, and apparently tin foil hat whacko nutjob #1.
You might have linked to this site from the article in the Free Press, or the link on Snapshots, and expecting to come across some delusion-driven bring Gary down rebel blog.
You'll be disappointed.
Instead, what you'll find is a blog written by a fun, silly, no-name blogger who's suddenly coming under fire from Bettman's personal Brainwash Army from all corners of the NHL world. (It's a fucking joke. Calm down.)
The Tin Foil Flash Mob was playing on the unrealistic idea that had been floating around from the fans of other NHL teams that we were all whiny conspiracy theorists who sat in basement bunkers wearing tin foil hats to avoid the NHL brainwashing, television reception be damned.
We embraced it. As a joke.
Kind of like how someone who mispronounces a word continues to use the same butchered pronounciation to poke fun at themselves, we all started referencing the need for tin foil hats whenever something suspicious happened in a Red Wings game. And it grew. The same way that internet memes and Justin Beiber have. There's no real rhyme or reason for it to become popular, but it has.
About Tuesday:
The Flash Mob was never intended to be a Mecca for Bettman haters and conspiracy theorists. It was thought up by Sara as a fun, tongue-in-cheek way to create a little buzz for the people going to the game. Hang out a little, make some new friends, and poke a little bit of fun at our selves. Maybe make a few people laugh and get a little more energy heading into the game, and maybe it would translate onto the ice.
We went there with the intent to recruit some people into the dance to Stompin' Tom Connors. Not to drink our Kool-Aid. We did it to get together and have a good time, as the Red Wings Commune often does. We did it to be a part of the pre-game atmosphere and the excitement surrounding a home playoff game.
If it was meant to be a real protest or psuedo-political movement, don't you think we would have made signs and come up with a few better chants other than the "Let's Go Red Wings" chant we started, like, "Brainwashing's scary! Down with Gary!" or something like that?
And maybe made tin foil hats that didn't blow off in the wind.
It was a joke. Simply put. To anyone who's lambasting us for what we did, you're the ones who are taking it too far. And maybe even adding a little fuel to the fire. If there weren't some underground movement to knock the Wings and their fans down a peg, why would you be so adamant to call us out for being off the mark and being nuts? Trying to throw the bloodhounds off the scent, are you? (Again, I'm kidding!)
All we've really said -as a group- is that there have been some questionable calls made in the series and over the course of the season. Yes, we'd like some consistancy, and is that too much to ask for from professionals? I can understand little league refs screwing up a call or two because they have other jobs in their life. When you're being paid to just call hockey games, maybe a little personal pride should come into play when you're working a game.
As far as being spaced out, delusional, crazy, tin foil hat donning, NHL hating Ewoks, we're FAR from that.
We're just silly people who had a silly idea and did some silly things.
The rest of you made it serious.
Check back in tomorrow for more regarding FoilGate
Well said, Rob! I loved that you and the rest of your blog community got together, and made a joke out of the whole thing! But, maybe I am a bit biased. 1) Your family. 2) I am also a Wings fan, even here in FL. Although, I must say, that even non hockey fans, who are learning the game through me, have even noticed that the calls are inconsistant. It makes it even harder for new fans to understand the wonderful sport that is hockey.
ReplyDeleteWhich I believe was one of the points made in wanting equality and consistancy in calls.
I think it was great what you all did. And if I had been in MI, I would have wanted to be right there with you.