Outrage from hockey fans after ‘cringey’ encounter with Connor McDavid

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This in, a viral fan video of their recent encounter with Connor McDavid and his fiance Lauren Kyle,  where the fans film themselves smothering McDavid with attention, thus earning the scorn of Oilers and the hockey world for bothering the Edmonton Oilers superstar.

Reaction on social media was widespread, with almost all Oilers fans and others in the hockey world criticizing the over-attention of these fans.

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Oiles fan Denny Sawchuk🇺🇦 @Denny_Sawchuk
These “fans” should be absolutely ashamed of themselves. Cripes leave them alone for Pete’s sake

Oilers fan Maltsy @KMalts11
Leave him alone 🤦🏼‍♂️

Oilers fan RG3 @rascalgas
We need a Sports Fan Code of Conduct:
• Don’t bother players out in public
• Don’t troll other fan bases
• Don’t gate-keep fandom (new fans are welcome)
• Let people celebrate the way they want (doing the wave, etc)
• Remember, sports is just entertainment. It’s for fun.

Lyle Richardson of Spector’s Hockey @SpectorsHockey
I get that these guys are excited to see McDavid at the beer store, but give the guy some space, wouldja? I’m impressed that the Oilers captain went about his business without telling them to piss off.

Spittin’ Chiclets commentator Mike Grinnell @MikeGrinnell_
Can we get McDavid some private security? Jesus leave the guy alone

Oilers fan Steven Walton @StevenGWalton
I’m just a drop in the ocean on a viral tweet but I live close to a lot of these guys. They are able to walk their dogs with their families, go for runs, etc on a daily basis with no more then a little kid saying hi or a polite nod from the adults. This is far from the norm

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Leafs fan Dwayne Bennett @DwayneNHL
What would make someone think it’s ok to encroach a man and sit on the back of his vehicle like that. Wouldn’t matter if it was a random person let alone Mcdavid and his wife… I get it people are excited to see Mcdavid.. But these people have zero clue.. Couldn’t recognize his energy of wanting to just get the f*ck out of there ASAP.. Clearly made him uncomfortable.

Oilers fan Karman Gill @Kgill39
Can’t even let the poor guy get the drinks for the boys. Shame on you

Oilers fan David Shortt @AdMan0828
Disrespect and invasive. This really pisses me off. I get that some people have no concept of personal space and privacy because they had none growing up, nor any parental guidance about behaviour in public. But why the hell is Connor putting himself in this situation?

Oilers fan Davymorro23 @davemorrow23
I don’t think he (McDavid) could have handled that anymore perfectly than he did.

Oilers fan Frank Becker @Sidhalley1965
It’s not about Connor. This is all about their own lousy egos.

Oilers fan Chad Jenkins 🇨🇦 @Jenks116
Disgusting, please don’t be like these people

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Oilers fan Cam Penner @camrpenner
This is not Edmonton. This is embarrassing.

Oilers fan Justin @WildcatOil
This ain’t it folks. Like a hollar of ‘Let’s Go Oilers’ or something fine. But man let them live their life, run their errands, etc without getting in their personal space

Oilers fan Adrian “Ferns” Fernando @Browndalorian
I get being stoked that he’s there but this is:
1) Totally unacceptable and pretty socially stupid on these guys for going on and following him
2) Exactly why he won’t play in his home province

Canucks fan Abu Am’mar @taizzzz5
A simple congrats would have been enough . Filming while doing all this cringe BS. Biggest losers.

Oilers fan Gabby @Gabby964
It is one thing to say congrats and be excited but it is another thing to just stick a camera in his face and harass them both.

Los Angeles Kings podcast The Bannermen @TheBannermenPod
This is why Gretzky came to LA. These same guys probably ran up on him in 1988.

Inside Oilers @InsideOilers
Absolutely embarrassing. Why would you think it’s ok to touch and grab and try and hug a complete stranger, when clearly they just want to get on their way. At the end of the video the one guy asks “you’re McDavid right”? Can’t be that big of a fan. Just want their 5 mins of fame.

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Avalanche Forever @citchmook
Don’t be this type of fan. Unacceptable, boundary breaking behaviour. I don’t care how much you like an athlete, never act this way. Respect people’s personal space, read body language and back off.

Oilers fan Char 💙🧡 @pineapplechar87
Ugh I hate this so much. Leave the poor guy alone

Oilers fan Dyl @dhockey13
This is so incredibly weird man, let the guy be. I get being a fan but give the guy some personal space. Touching him and shit is so weird dude.

World Hockey Report @worldhockeyrpt
This is embarrassing

Oilers fan Rajni Sumaru @oiler_girl
Everyone is excited, but please leave the players alone when they’re out in public. Connor handled this with class, as usual #LetsGoOilers

Oilers fan tylerDT @qauckenbush17
This is beyond cringey from some Edmonton fans after the win. Hovering over this guy like he’s their next meal vibes.

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My take

1. Maybe a learning moment can come out of this. When you see an Oilers player in public, maybe just leave them be? Do not smother them. Let them breathe.

2. The upsetting part of this isn’t just McDavid being smothered with evidently unwanted attention, it’s that the fans are filming it. The point does not seem to be a human interaction, but treating McDavid as an object for their own self-glorification.

But let’s be real — no one cares if you met Connor McDavid. No one gives a hoot if you got his autograph or appear in a video with him. It’s meaningless. What fans care about is that McDavid is treated well in this city, and these fans — perhaps in their enthusiasm, but also in their self-aggrandizing behaviour — stepped over a line.

Don’t be that fan.

3. I’m glad to hear from fan Steve Walton that this behaviour towards McDavid and Kyle is “far from the norm.” I hope Walton is right. Because if it’s not, we get an idea here about what it’s like for a star player in a claustrophobic Canadian hockey city.

4. Finally, these fans made a mistake but let’s not repeat the mistake by identifying them any more than they already have done so themselves by putting this out in public.

These fans wanted attention and are now getting it but not the kind of attention they wanted, I’m sure.

Let them be as well. They made a mistake, they’re no doubt getting some blowback, but they committed no crime, just a social faux pas so let it rest at that. Make sense?

At the Cult of Hockey

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