Over the past week I’ve been collecting entries for the August Meme Contest. As always, Nation citizens are hilarious and always step up to the plate in terms of creativity and general awesomeness. The meme contest was no different. 

When I put out the concept (why this year would be different) I left it as a wide open idea that you guys could run with and do as you please. I didn’t want any other guidelines apart from that so that. Simple and easy. The result? I got over 100 memes that had to be sorted and whittled down. Picking only six finalists from over 100 entries was tough and probably not fair, but it had to be done. That’s why I get paid the big bucks (read: Oodle Noodle GCs). Listed below are your six finalists, and the time has come to pick a winner.

As always, I’ll be loading most of the entries onto our Facebook page. Why do I say most? Well… Some of you took your memes into the gutter, and while I may have had a self chuckle you know why I didn’t load them up. Yeah, you know why. That’s why I love meme contests though – more people can enter and the result is always hilarious and sometimes a little bit twisted.

1) WE’RE KEEPING OUR JERSEYS ON

One of the lowest points in the last 10 years has to be the high frequency in which jerseys were getting chucked on the ice. I don’t see that happening anymore. Will the Oilers still have struggles? Of course they will, but at least there seems to be a plan in place with a new management regime that hasn’t been here throughout this whole mess. For the first time in years the Oilers have experience behind the bench and in the press box. This simple facts gives me hope that the flurries of falling jerseys will go the way of the Ulanov in Edmonton. Let Toronto throw their jerseys on the ice – it’s a tradition they can have.

2) WE SLEEP LIKE BABIES

I think almost every Oilers fan can tell you where they were on April 18th, 2015. For me, I didn’t even plan on watching the lottery because I had already assumed there was no chance that the Oilers would win it. Draft 1st overall for the fourth time in six years? No chance. I was ready for Dylan Strome or someone like that… Then it happened. I rewound my PVR 38 times to make sure that I wasn’t having some kind of alcohol induced hallucinations. I think we all went to sleep happy on that fateful Saturday. 

3) FINISH CHECKS, MAKE PASSES

This entry made us laugh based on a few different levels. When Dallas Eakins was hired, he came in guns blazing with sharp quotes and big aspirations. Unfortunately, every single one of those plans fell through, the swarm sucked, and the Oilers were destined for the basement once again. I think that arrogance is the reason that Oilers fans are appreciating the “just get things done” approach by the new regime. There’s no big proclamations of what “will” happen but there actually appears to be a plan in place to make things happen. 

4) THIS ISN’T WHAT WE DISCUSSED

Who would have ever imagined that the Oilers would win this draft lottery? I watched it and I still don’t believe that things turned out as they did. I think my favourite part of the Oilers winning the lottery (aside from Toronto sinking into a suck baby cry hole) was Gary Bettman’s face as he was told who won. The biggest star the league has seen since #87 is coming to Edmonton and it pissed everyone off except us. I love that. I love that so very very much.

5) HE’S GROWING UP SO FAST

As Uncle Ben (Spiderman’s uncle not the rice guy) once said, “with great power comes great responsibility.” I think that responsibility is what this meme is all about. As Nugey grows into the first line centre (McDavid aside) that we all think he will be he will have more ice time, and responsibility, thrown on his plate. Luckily for Lil Nugey the added responsibility will also bring new perks – as seen by the bump in his bed time. I give props to the creator of this meme for sucking up to me and my love of the greatest 11 year old the NHL has ever seen.

6) PETE’S ON IT…

I love Entourage and Ari Gold is probably one of the greatest characters on TV. If you’ve never seen the show, Ari takes over a rival firm (more or less) and walks through the office clearing out terrible employees with a paintball gun. That’s essentially what Peter Chiarelli has done this summer. The coaching staff has changed over, the scouting staff has been replaced, and it’s about damned time. 

IT’S TIME TO VOTE

No contest is complete without prizes and this one is no different. Our finalists will be battling it out over the following prizes so spend your vote carefully. 

The prizes are:

• 1st place: a Nation Hoodie + two Nation Tees + $25 Pint GC + Oodle Noodle GCs + Car Decal
• 2nd place: a Nation Tee + $25 Pint GC + Oodle Noodle GCs + Car Decal
• 3rd place: a $20 Pint GC + a Oodle Noodle GCs + Car Decal
• We’ll pick 5 random entrants to win an Oodle Noodle GC and a sticker package.

Take your vote seriously. The head of our winner will swell to a level not seen since Ken Griffey Jr. was a Simpsons character. Not only will our winner have bragging rights for life, the swelling of their melon may result in the neck hole of all their favourite shirts being completely stretched out.

As always, voting will take place in the pollz on the right hand side of your screen. I’ll keep this poll active until Sunday night at 11:59pm or until I remember to turn it off Monday morning. Either way, we will have our winner. I will be announcing the winner in the mailbag as well as on all social media accounts. Now give yourselves a round of applause – you’ve earned it on this one.