CHANGING OF THE GUARD
Wanye
April 18 2011 05:48PM
It is with a heavy heart that we announce that our partner in crime and friend since grade two – the legendary bingofuel – will be leaving his post as the Manager of the Nation Network to continue on his quest to dominate digital strategy and the social media universe with Calder Bateman.
WHY HE IS THE DOPEST
If there wasn’t a bingofuel, there would be no OilersNation. It’s really that simple. Your ol’ pal Wanye lacks the presence of mind and the discipline for 99% of the back end work that it takes to keep the Nation in tip top shape.
Bingofuel however is a rock and has been there since day one, operating in the shadows ensuring that articles are posted efficiently, comments comparing players to despots (alive or dead) are removed and working with Citzen Alpha and our friends at Ignition Media to ensure that the technology backbone of the sites continues to evolve.
The guy has busted his ass over the past 3 ½ years, from the time we were thrilled to have seven visitors in a single day until today.
One of bingofuel’s key insights in the early days of the Nation Network was to leverage social media as a platform to grow our site. This sounds like old news now, but it was quite revolutionary at the time. We weren’t even on Facebook at the time, much less a part of the cutting edge Twitterati. Nor did we understand how to manage an unruly herd of commenters, bent on crucifying one another with their hockey rage.
But bingofuel always knew just what to do.
Not surprisingly his work at OilersNation – and later launching the very popular podcast The Unknown Studio – caught the attention of the big wigs over at Calder Bateman, one of Western Canada’s top advertising agencies.
He has been with the firm just over a year as a digital strategist, helping companies large and small leverage things digital, just as he did for the OilersNation. This has led to a lot of juggling on his part amidst frantic calls from yours truly with emergencies like “I CAN’T GET THIS JUSTIN BIEBER VIDEO TO LOAD ON MY ARTICLE! DROP EVERYTHING!”
And drop everything he always has.
IT'S NOT YOU...
We asked him to give a brief explanation of the reasoning behind his departure.
“When Wanye and I started discussing this concept, we put together a dream list of things that we wanted to do. With the launch of the other 3 sites and NationRadio, coupled with the landmark deal with the Edmonton Journal there was less and less I felt I could add going forward. And just like in gangster movies an offer was made to me for my shares that I couldn’t refuse. So I didn’t.”
Obviously, we didn’t take to this news very well. First we stamped our feet in denial. Then we stamped our feet in rage. Then finally, we stamped our feet with the dull force of resignation and acceptance.
Bingofuel is the first person named to the newly created Nation Network Board of Advisors and will continue to provide strategy as we continue to do our part to obliterate work place productivity amongst hockey fans. He will just do so with a barrel of cash and a kick ass fancy pants job where he gets to wear a blazer over ironic t-shirts and talk to big wigs who haven’t the foggiest idea how to work the e-internetz.
His side of the story can be viewed here. You can stay in constant contact with him at his beloved twitterport @bingofuel or wish him well in the comments below.
Cheerio old friend. You shall sincerely be missed.
Good luck bingo all the best sir
Bingofuel....never heard of you, but you sound important!
Now I am scared!
Will I still get to see videos of awesome dudes ghost ridin their whips?
How about that pic of that black haired chick in the red plastic dress?
These things I need! I'll need some guarantees! Stat!
And oiler hockey stuff too I guess, I'll need some of that.
What will happen to my nation?
Shit man! I'm still here and I'm keeping it g-a-n-g-s-t-e-r. And I have already figured out how to approve my own swear words in comments and I have only been in charge for about 45 minutes.
*immediately becomes drunk with power, passes out*
Seriously, Wanye? Citizen Alpha just called me and said you tries to stab him with a paper airplane. Do you need me to come back already!?
IT'S TIME FOR A REGIME CHANGE!
*starts smashing office stuff*
I'm going to Def Con 1 and pumping ON HQ full of nerve gas to settle you the hell down
*wanye hears a faint hissing sound*
Good luck in your new endevour bingofuel.
And thank you for creating this excellent site!!
My dearest bingofuel,
I wish you all the best. Thank you for all your guidance in my posting days on the nation.
Also, thank you for introducing me to this twitter thing. I think you were my first follow.
I'm fairly certain that you will be President Of The Internet someday.
Best of luck to you!
*pours one out for bingofuel*
Sometimes the men behind the scenes don't get the credit they deserve. I've lurked for a good while now and during the last few months, perhaps the last year, I've witnessed immense growth in this fine blog. I was delighted to see the deal struck with EJ not too long ago. And I kept thinking, who is the brain behind all this... could it be my beloved Wanye?! *SWOON*
Now, I finally know that this success can be attributed in part to bingofuel. I've been in the web development arena since I was in grade 5, so I recognize the hard work needed to set a site apart from thousands upon thousands of clones on the interwebs. *Starts shouting* You HAVE LEFT A LEGACY ON TO THIS SITE AND WE WILL NEVER FORGET.
I'm glad this article was written to recognize your role in this site, because honestly I--and probably many others--thought you were just some really inactive writer here. Boy, was I wrong.
*Stands up and applauds*
You will be missed.
Nice work Bingo! I was wondering where your articles were at! Good job man. Solid gold. Solid F*cking GOLD! Good work man!
thank you Bingofuel for your part in making this fine website where I can rant and roar. Farewell.
OK Wanye, the pressure is on you now! Don't let anyone stop the signal, captain.
Oh hey BingoFuel. Now that you're free to consider new business ventures, it might interest you to know that I have a substantial amount of shares in the High Level bridge. We could work out a deal whereby you could acquire said shares at a rock-bottom price, enabling you to paint "BingoFuel Rulz!" (or pretty much anything you want) on those massive, and desperately underused I might add, concrete columns.
Good for you. Good for me. Soooo...wanna get some lunch sometime soon so we could hammer out a deal on this once in a lifetime opportunity?
Call me baby.
I see you corrected it.
I have been chopping wood and hoarding basic food stuffs for weeks in preparation for this event.
I shan't leave my post EVER.
Bingo, We'll miss you you magnificent bastard.
Hopefully having no responsibility on ON means you can post the odd comment now and then.*
Hopefully we can perform a repeat of that magnificent night last March when I think I woke up in a ditch.
Cheers my friend.
*now with the intent of trying to get away with things your mother wouldn't approve of instead of moderating that s&*t.
@Wanye
Then I shall continue my daily perusal of your fine website, sir!
By Basic foodstuff I assume you are referring to cases of Kraft Dinner and cases of Beers in a 1:6 ratio (Six beers per Kraft Dinner will keep your creative juices flowing)!
Keep up the good fight.
I cannot imagine Oilersnation without a founding father and man of vision like the brilliant Bingofuel . . . unless it increases my cut of the stack.
All the best, @bingofuel. It's been a pleasure.
Aww, you guys are making me blush. Everywhere. And since I'm, you know a blogger-enabler, I'm not wearing any pants.
Wait, what was I talking about?
So there's an opening at Oilersnation? Where do I send my resume? I can fuel bingo's too.
Thanks for this gift called OilersNation - I don't know how I would waste so much time without it.
Very nice Job Bingo..if it wasnt for you I wouldnt waste 30 minutes in the morning, plus another 45 minutes or so at work..another 30 minutes after work before supper, then again another 15-30 minutes before a go to bed everyday...way to go time waster giver..
So,I guess Wanye now be the one sending out our regular monthly coupons for free beer and food? This arrangement has been a big part of why so many of us come here to make it look busy.
Wanye - don't think about it too much. If you can't find the coupons, just go to the Pint or Original Joes or wherever and buy dozens of $20 gift cards and start sending them out. If you can't find the address list to send them to, I can pick them up and send them out for you. Just let me know.
sail on bingofuel... don't grow up too fast over there...
...it's like when 'ol yeller died...
...so we have to stay here with wanye now?
mr bingofuel...y'done good...thankyou forever
i cant wait to see the midget filled debacle that will be used to find the next manager at the 'nation.
@Wanye your probation is up from last time right?
***puts on 80s spandex and starts training rocky style***
Thanks for a great website Bingofuel! I'm sure you are leaving it in good hands, but I'm very glad you are staying on from a distance! haha! Good luck with your new career!
Best of luck at your real job! I swear I'm never getting one of those!
Thank-you (I would say more but that might sound patronizing.)
Uh...there's a picture of a black haired chick in a red plastic dress somewhere?
Bingofuel, I too thought you were just a really inactive writer, props to you and all you did to allow me to waste this much time.
For the longest time, i would go to "voices of the nation" and see bingofuel and ambermccormick and think "where the hell are their articles, did they quit and wanye forget to/not know how to edit that section"
Knowing now that bingofuel was like Tony Soprano and Wanye was Carmella, it all makes sense now! *
Thanks Tony.....and best of luck runnin "the family" now *Carm
*does not mean i think Wanye is a girl, just a fair breasted dude with strong emotions.... ;)
Good Luck Bingo! As the Grate-fuel Dead sang (ever so briefly, the fans hated the song):
Keep your Day Job, 'til your night job pays!
Can someone illuminate me as to the deal with devil, I mean Journal?
Seriously, I mean this from the bottom of my heart:
You are like a brown haired Raffi Torres on the 'net. Go knock 'em out
oh yeah...and Bateman?
http://www.sacredwaste.com/c/patrick_bateman_business_cards-p240965897504955813t5s4_400.jpg
Damn. As most Citizens have probably gleaned from the comments above, Bingofuel was the smart one. Despite the uneasy sense of impending doom (back away from the keyboard, Wanye), I find myself genuinely happy that Bingofuel is finding something that he loves as much as or more than the Nation.
I remember the first time I met Bingo at a Nation party. From my comments the next day:
If you ever wondered who actually got things done around here, it was Bingo. No one to post the game-day blog because everyone was drunk off their asses and past caring? Time to call Bingofuel (and that dude was funny; those were some good GDB's). Need the website completely overhauled overnight? Time to call Bingofuel. Need to send a Nation writer to the Draft because all the pansy-ass MSM in town decided not to go? No problem - Bingofuel's got your back, Jack. Need someone who doesn't look like a free-love hobo to represent you on television with Lynda Steele? Bingofuel's your man.
Ah, Bingo; seems like just yesterday we were discussing the evils of World of Warcraft addiction and how there were infinitely-better ways to fritter your life idley away . . . like following the Oilers right here 24-7. Where will we look to for guidance now when Wanye can't open MS Paint and starts smashing keys in a drunken rage?
You're really leaving? I was just thinking last week how we don't see enough of you as it is anymore. Like all good things, you never really appreciate what you have 'til it's gone. Please make sure to show Wanye how to turn the stove on and off on your way out. Poor guy - he means well, but . . . well, you know. We'll miss you, Old Timer.
From all the Cylons here on the Nation, a fond adieu.
Bingofuel...aka Mr. R.
Thanks for all your patience over the years trying to show me how to upload my own content. Thankfully it only took me about 50 tries to figure it out.
I remember you driving home on the highway, texting me through it. You were always dedicated to the site, and I hope all those who read this recognize that.
Good luck at Calder Bateman. I hear that by selling your shares you were able to purchase a brand new beard trimmer, two new dress shirts and one shiny zipper tie. AWESOME.
Best of luck and I'm sure we will bump into one another soon enough.
Thanks for creating a place for some very talented writers to express their opinions.
Good luck with The Unknown Studio and of course your day job.
Wanye, hopefully now that your responsibilities have increased, your posts don't disappear or become too infrequent.
Kudos Bingofuel.
Does this mark the beginning of the end? I hope not. But Wanye is in charge now.
Thankyou for making a great site!goodluck in your future endevours.
Beginning of the end.
CLASSIC