Friday, November 23, 2007

Central Division Craziness

So no shit, there I was. Sitting on my couch with the booze flowing like water. Kicking back and hammering the refs for another bad game. It may or may not have been booze induced, but I'm really pissed. Regardless losing to the Colombus Blue jackets isn't my idea of a good time. 2 Nights later and the same thing is happening in Nashville Tennesse. We're once again losing to the Predators. THE PREDATORS I tell ya.But I think maybe now that the booze is long gone and the hang over is fading maybe, just maybe, stats don't lie. The Central Division is tough. Real fucking tough.
Now I'm not suggesting anyone is going to overtake the Detroit Red Wings and all of their lame majesty, but there is a real decent chance that 5 of the 8 Western Conference Playoff teams will be represented out of this division.I don't think anyone is being mystified by the juggernaut of Detroit's being there, but I didn't think Nashville or Colombus had a shot at being there. At All. But yet here they are. Nashville is bolstered by an amazing backstopper in Mason. Colombus is so big and punishing. They're literally muscling teams out of the slots, and simply stifling offenses with their defensive strategy. Ken Hitchcock must be proud. Bettman is already contemplating a rule change I'm sure.
St. Louis has been off and on this season like last season. Eric Johnson seems to be playing extremely well for a rookie defenseman in the league. Legace seems to have refound the magic as Detroit cries it's goaltender tandem woes. With Paul Kariya coming in filling a scoring hole that was there last year.
Chicago. Sweet Home Chicago. The town that Billy Sunday could NOT shut down. Well, I love the Hawks. They're gonna get the most face time here, but I don't think this is going to be the only place. They're drafting is finally paying off in spades with Toews and Kane. How can you not love these kids? But the culture in Chicago hockey is changing. Winning seems to be in the regular vocabulary. It's a breath of fresh air. So far the Hawks have gone 4-0 against Detroit for the first time in like 15 years. Seriously. I wouldn't joke about that.But beyond that it seems like they've put a winning recipe together with 2 skilled rookies in Toews and Kane. 3 Journeyman players really finding their NHL game in Seabrook, Duncan Kieth, and Patrick Sharp, and veteran leadership with Lang, Perreault, and Brent Sopel. We have a coach that seems to have shaken off the learning rust and shackles of Trent Yawney's game of last year. Fans seem to be looking at the United Center as Mecca instead of as the Black Hole of Calcutta. Seeing more fans showing their pride on off days is even cooler.
Regardless of all that it's hard to be mad at the team when they're putting their all up against Divisional rivals that have every right to think they have a shot at the playoffs. It's getting tight in there. We're not even half done and the difference between the very top and the very bottom is 5 whole points. By now most divisions have alreayd cleaned the chaff from the grain. We don't have a single dud, dog, or rollover team in the Division. Seeing that kind of caliber 32 times in one year can make a guy irritated at the Pacific Division where just not being Phoenix would get you a solid playoff spot.
Yeah right now we're where it's at. And like any dichotomy it's cool but it sucks.Well those lucky bastards that have the Center Ice Package should be jumping all over the Divisional games here.That's my red hot tip. I'm out.

Thursday, November 22, 2007

Central Division Craziness

So no shit, there I was. Sitting on my couch with the booze flowing like water. Kicking back and hammering the refs for another bad game. It may or may not have been booze induced, but I'm really pissed. Regardless losing to the Colombus Blue jackets isn't my idea of a good time. 2 Nights later and the same thing is happening in Nashville Tennesse. We're once again losing to the Predators. THE PREDATORS I tell ya.
But I think maybe now that the booze is long gone and the hang over is fading maybe, just maybe, stats don't lie. The Central Division is tough. Real fucking tough. Now I'm not suggesting anyone is going to overtake the Detroit Red Wings and all of their lame majesty, but there is a real decent chance that 5 of the 8 Western Conference Playoff teams will be represented out of this division.
I don't think anyone is being mystified by the juggernaut of Detroit's being there, but I didn't think Nashville or Colombus had a shot at being there. At All. But yet here they are. Nashville is bolstered by an amazing backstopper in Mason. Colombus is so big and punishing. They're literally muscling teams out of the slots, and simply stifling offenses with their defensive strategy. Ken Hitchcock must be proud. Bettman is already contemplating a rule change I'm sure.
St. Louis has been off and on this season like last season. Eric Johnson seems to be playing extremely well for a rookie defenseman in the league. Legace seems to have refound the magic as Detroit cries it's goaltender tandem woes. With Paul Kariya coming in filling a scoring hole that was there last year.
Chicago. Sweet Home Chicago. The town that Billy Sunday could NOT shut down. Well, I love the Hawks. They're gonna get the most face time here, but I don't think this is going to be the only place. They're drafting is finally paying off in spades with Toews and Kane. How can you not love these kids? But the culture in Chicago hockey is changing. Winning seems to be in the regular vocabulary. It's a breath of fresh air. So far the Hawks have gone 4-0 against Detroit for the first time in like 15 years. Seriously. I wouldn't joke about that.
But beyond that it seems like they've put a winning recipe together with 2 skilled rookies in Toews and Kane. 3 Journeyman players really finding their NHL game in Seabrook, Duncan Kieth, and Patrick Sharp, and veteran leadership with Lang, Perreault, and Brent Sopel. We have a coach that seems to have shaken off the learning rust and shackles of Trent Yawney's game of last year. Fans seem to be looking at the United Center as Mecca instead of as the Black Hole of Calcutta. Seeing more fans showing their pride on off days is even cooler.
Regardless of all that it's hard to be mad at the team when they're putting their all up against Divisional rivals that have every right to think they have a shot at the playoffs. It's getting tight in there. We're not even half done and the difference between the very top and the very bottom is 5 whole points. By now most divisions have alreayd cleaned the chaff from the grain. We don't have a single dud, dog, or rollover team in the Division. Seeing that kind of caliber 32 times in one year can make a guy irritated at the Pacific Division where just not being Phoenix would get you a solid playoff spot.
Yeah right now we're where it's at. And like any dichotomy it's cool but it sucks.
Well those lucky bastards that have the Center Ice Package should be jumping all over the Divisional games here.
That's my red hot tip. I'm out.

Saturday, September 29, 2007

So what now?

I've ranted and raved about what the Blackhawks have done in the past. I think I even threatened to go underground and become a guerilla fighter. But all of those plans get put on hold as we say "So long!" to our owner William "Dollar Bill" Wirtz. I'm sure you know he's now 6 feet under and feeding the worms.
But what's our future look like now? What will next year look like? Will Bill's son Pete sell us out as bad as his old man? Or will he cut lose now that he's free? There's too many questions with too few answers.
This is what I do know: Don't expect any changes this year. It's too early to make any changes. Wait for next year. Yup that's all I know. We get to play Cubs fans for the year and "Wait till Next year!" Awesome.
Here's what I'd do if I was now in charge:
1. Sign players in their primes
2. Let it be known that not only are we putting together a team for 2008-09, we are making a future where players would want to spend a chunk of their carreer.
3. Spend $ up to a reasonable margin from the gap with enough room to add a player at the deadline.
4. Remove the Home game "Blackouts", because that is lame and counter-productive
5. Start negotiating to put Blackhawks games on WGN-TV.
a.) Not only does WGN air here in Illinois, but you can watch it almost nation wide.
b.)Like the Cubs it would help build our fan base outside of the Chicagoland and Illinois region.
c.) It also sets precedence for the Atlanta Thrashers to negotiate with TBS.
d.) Builds leverage to grow the NHL's TV presence
6. Begin the Blackhawks media Blitz. Their current commercials are freaking lame. They need help

Yeah I have alot of free time to think about this kind of thing, and obviously I use alot of that free time to think about this. Well, I need to get back to staring at the wall and imagining Bobby Hull coming out of retirement. I'll get back to you later.

Sunday, September 23, 2007

ALREADY!?!?!?!

Crack the beers, light the funeral torches, and burn the body viking funeral style!
My hope is already dead for the season. After 4 pre-season games the Blackhawks are already back to their "We just ain't that great" ways. With a super stellar (read sarcasm) 1-2-1 record their burning the candle from both ends and people are fleeing the UC like it's the birthplace of the Apocalypse.
It's like Bill Wurtz and Dale Tallon can't stop taking a big fat crap on us fans. If they're not doing it then it's our star players getting hurt or feigning injury with all the toughness of an 8 year old girl. Wahoo. We're doomed!
So crack open the beers and kill the pain. Pains still there? You must be doing it wrong. The key is to be about half-soused at teh beginning of the 3rd period and be set to be drunker than sin by the end of the period when shit turns sour. I don't know how much more I can take of watching my team suck it up like an industrial vaccuum. It's fucking embarrassing. You want to wear your sweater and support your team, but then apply the paper bag over your head so no one knows how sad and pathetic you're really doing. At some point there's going to be a suicide watch for the entirety of Blackhawks nation. All 35 of us.
We gotta get it together for god's sake! We're the 3rd largest city in the US, a member of the Original 6 and you can't find our fans with a compass, a map, and a GPS. If Bill can't make $ from the team he has to be doing something wrong.
And so I suggest we revolt. Complete and total revolution! We'll start by booing our players at home when they lose and then follow them on the road for similar purposes. Or perhaps we go Guerilla and kid nap Bill. We hold him for a ransom of another $10 mil in salary per year.
In short: Start drinking or Viva la Revolucion!

Saturday, September 8, 2007

Sunday, August 12, 2007

Get it together part 1

Every year since the lockout we have gotten a new rule or rules to guide the NHL in an effort to “fix” the problem. I have to say I disagree with that. Instead of changing rules and unveiling new flashy jerseys , perhaps they should begin with enforcing the owners to put competitive teams on the ice. With Chicago, Montreal, and Boston, half of the NHL’s Original 6, in such disrepair; It weakens the league. Period.
If Chicago could get it together you could re-invigorate the league. Don’t believe me? In football and baseball, When the Cubs and Bears do well both leagues do incredibly well. When both teams are down and out the leagues suffer. Chicago is the 3rd largest U.S. city. The Blackhawks sported one of the lowest average attendances in the NHL, while Chicagoans tuned out of hockey in droves. Losing the 3rd largest American city’s ratings because the owner is an assclown is unconscionable . It deprives the entire league of good revenue due to lack of interest when they visit other teams.
As a life long Chicago Sports fan I can tell you this. When a Chicago sports team, any sports team, starts doing well the people come out to support in droves. Chicago LOVES a winner. If the Blackhawks could become even play off contenders playing better than .500 hockey, you would see the fans venture out again. With a fresh new young team emerging, it may be a major key to seeing a rejuvenation of the post lockout NHL. It may be a big key to re-adding the 3rd largest US Market to the NHL’s assets. And the league will feel that in dollars and cents.
Boston has had it’s share of greats playing there. The list is too long to really submit. We all know them anyway. But the Bruins have fallen from a world class team to a 1st round playoff ousted team to a no show in the post season. Having an iconic team such as the Bruins sitting on the edge of being the new Blackhawks is not only sad for fans of the B’s, but also a league tragedy. Bells and alarms should be blaring in Bettman’s office on his Batman phone. Instead we see small non-traditional hockey market teams soaking up the good players . These players should be skating to the cheering of classic NHL teams’ fans not sweating it out for the uninterested.
Montreal is slightly different. While they do have a competitive team, it is nowhere near the major powerhouse it was up to the mid-90’s. With more Stanley Cup wins then any other team in the NHL, not to mention being the oldest franchise in the league; this should be a team to gauge yourself against. The past two years have not really shown that. They are no different from many middle of the road teams. They may stumble into the playoffs, but no one believes they have a chance.
The real point of this blog is this: Tradition and Pride of the Original 6 has fallen. Traditions of these teams seem like legends of a by gone era, because those years are so far behind them. When Gary Bettman and the Board of Directors finally opens their eyes and fixes these problems, will be the day the NHL launches itself forward instead of spinning in small circles gaining ground so slowly you can barely tell. Those are my thoughts.

Sunday, July 22, 2007

Beer league

Right now I’m chilling out and listening to some Joe Cocker, but mentally I‘m already on Sunday Night. Every Sunday night you can find me lacing my skates up good and tight, strapping on the pads, grabbing my stick, and hitting the ice for some beer league hockey. All week I look forward to the next game. It’s my addiction and my moment of Zen.
The experience starts early in the afternoon packing my gear. I start getting that feeling in my bones. It’s like a tingle growing stronger as I get closer to the arena.. But as soon as I hit the locker room door, the sensation changes. All of the excitement becomes like a cold beer drank on a porch in the summer. It’s back to the dirty jokes and bodily function humor that all men share. Nobody’s in charge in here. It’s like the parents left the junior highers in charge. The worst player on the team is just as dominant in the locker room as anybody else. This is our time to be ourselves or our immature alter egos. We get dressed, tell jokes, talk about the game on TV.
You get dressed and meander out to the glass and watch the Zamboni finish doing it’s final cycle around the ice. You talk to the guys on the other team you know. This is the last second of any friendly encounters you will have with them until the final horn blows. Soon the Zamboni doors will close and we can hit the ice.
Very little interaction with others is met out here during warm ups. You find your legs and balance, stretch out, practice your shot, stage your extra stick and water bottles. Mostly you just find that last piece of the puzzle you need to cross the line from Average Joe Shmukatelli into a hockey player. It’s inside you somewhere buried under all of the other things that puts you in your place during your everyday life. This is when you unearth it. It’s the most mental part of the night. It’s when you get really focused.
Right before the horn sounds to mark the beginning of the period we divide ourselves out into lines. Some nights we’re short a few skaters and so the lines get somewhat inventive. Sometimes you have 3 guys rotating over 2 positions. It can make for a rough night. We make our lines out. And chose a 1st and 2nd line. Sometimes you dread this part when you realize that you and your center are gonna be doing ALL the skating and hard work for your line. You pray to Gordie or one of the Bobby’s that you get that special line.
The Special line is the line where maybe 8 sentences are spoken on the bench between shifts. The chemistry is just there. It’s like running on a three man ESP. I’ve played that line twice ever. You dread the BAD line. Somehow you’re supposed to carry the line offensively and defensively. By the end of the night you want to just sleep right there.
But the game starts with a horn blow. The puck drops and you start moving your legs. don’t ever stop moving you’re legs. For as Confucius says “He who stands still is already out of the play“. Out here on the ice it’s all about puck movement. Theirs and yours. When they start moving the puck well, you have to master blanketing your man. When you start moving the puck, you have to turn on the jets and blow your guy away. You have to read and react in split seconds. Find the chemistry, make tape-to-tape passes, and set up for a one timer.
Everyone wants to put the puck in the back of the net. EVERYONE. Sometimes it’s just as good to give a tape to tape pass to your buddy that ends up with the puck in the back of their net. Watching another guy on your team feel that rush is great, but feeling that rush is like nothing else. I can’t help myself when I score. I always have to celebrate out loud., lifting my stick in the air like a conquering hero or a Mike Bossy. Either or. There’s nothing like hearing your team bang their sticks on the boards in front of your bench when you score. Nothing.
We finish the game and regardless of how you came out in the score, you know that this Rite of the Fraternal Order of the Beer League Society was worth it. You’ll do it again next week and the week after for as many years as you can still pump your legs and move your feet. It’s something that puts us apart from other people. We’ve felt the comforting chill of the ice, sacrificed our bodies, laughed, cheered, groaned, yelled, and skated for all we’re worth. On the ice I always feel like I’m living life to the fullest. And THAT is why I lace up the skates every week.

Monday, June 11, 2007

When Baseball went on strike in '95 it took YEARS before it came back fully. And the World Series still gets low ratings. It takes time. So EVERYONE RELAX.Hockey is too bad ass to die! Period.
People are already starting to come around to it. And it's not that Gary Bettman's doing a damn thing for it, you can thank Itech, Jofa, and any of a number of equipment companies that have been putting out low priced quality equipment to get the good folks on the ice for the first time.
Wait 5 years and see if we're all still holding our breaths. 5 years ago I had almost forgotten about hockey. And Now I'm a FREAK. I play every Sunday, I do one on one coaching sessions with tyhe Rink Manager. I watch it whenever it's on. I own a veritable library of hockey knowledge, and DVDs. The lower priced equipment is what got me on the ice for the first time 4 years ago. The game I could never afford to play since I was a little kid so fascinated by this strange little game. I was on the ice at the tender age of 25 for the first time. Oh believe me I was sucking it up big time, but I had a giant smile on my face. And there are thousands of people just like me out there. Jofa and Itech's economic prices have been helping them get out there and loving it for the first time. Some of them are twice the age I was and playing (unbelievably) worse than I did. It's breeding familiarity with a fantastic sport. And putting new players and new fans out there every day.
If you want hockey to live and thrive share it with your friends. Break it down if you have to. My friends did it for me, because I was so rusty on the rules. I get sick and tired of hearing how the sport is dying when I KNOW for a damn fact that the USA hockey Association is admitting three to five thousand NEW members every year!
We're building up to something great. Don't let tv ratings fool you. Who watches the Finals alone, if they don't have to? No one. That's who. The Finals are like Oktoberfest and New Years all wrapped up together.
This next year is gonna be better than last year. And the year after that will be bigger again. There are cities all over this country that are putting something unique out there. But we gotta share it, with those that don't get it right away. Gotta be patient with those that don't realize how great it is. We've been so defensive for so long we forgot to share the pure exhileration of the game with others.

Saturday, June 2, 2007

The game is over......until next time

So I walk into my workout room, where I air out my hockey equipment, and I look at my Chicago Blackhawks sweater (jersey) just laying there on the floor inside out. "How appropriate", I thought.The season for us was over in March as we had been mathematically eliminated again. I looked at my jersey which had fallen much like our season did after Handzus got hurt for the season way back in October. My beautiful road sweater was inside out like the Blackhawks' strategy in the new NHL. We bulked up on slow movers and went with a youth movement. It was sometimes painful to watch.We (Blackhawks fans) have been watching 3rd and 4th line players play our 1st and 2nd lines and AHL roster players play our 3rd and 4th lines for the last 2 years. Which is a real shame. It's not that I think we sign bad players. Don't get me wrong. It just seems like we expect more out of them than they've ever produced before. But when we do get a player that can produce, I think we put too much on their shoulders or we don’t give them talent to play with.It hurt to see my sweater on the floor inside out like that. So I scooped my Hawks sweater up, turned it right side out, and put it on a hanger and hung it in my closet. I took a minute to really appreciate how cool the Blackhawk’s jersey really is. It’s still one of the best overall uniforms of any sport if not the best. It’s very sharp and has a killer logo right there in the middle. We have the yellow C with the crossed tomahawks behind it on the shoulders. It’s very cool. It also reminds me of the great players who have worn a ‘Hawks jersey: Hull, Mikita, both Esposito brothers, Glenn Hall, Chelios, Ted Lindsay, Kieth Magnason. The list goes on. We’ve had good teams before. Hell we’ve had GREAT teams before.It was time to look on the bright side. We have 2 very fine young Defenseman in Brent Seabrook and Duncan Kieth that are really stepping up. We have Dustin Byfuglin and Cam Barker in the wings ready to come around. We have the beginning of a very solid defensive corps.We signed Marty Havlat last year. And when he was healthy he was just amazing. This next year we'll have Jonathan Toews and I'm super stoked (yes I just said stoked) to see what he'll bring to the table. We also have Evan Brophey coming to camp after a stand out year in the OHL, and of course our first ever #1 overall draft pick this year.We also have the chance to sign a few free agents. With Dale Tallon aiming to sign another top 6 forward, next year might be alright. We did better this year than we did last year by 6 points in the standings and it seemed like we were still in the games we lost. I don't remember getting embarrassed too much this year like the year before. I do remember coming in and beating the Canucks in February in Vancouver when they were playing hot and I thought we played fantastic that night.The future might be okay. Next year we might be mourning our loss in the playoffs while secretly feeling somewhat smug with the fact that we made the playoffs.