Blackhawks = Champions!!

The Blackhawks finally did it! They finally completed their turn-around and won sport’s greatest trophy; Lord Stanley’s Cup. The agony I felt in 1992 at the hands of Super Mario and Jagr (and immortalized by Jean-Claude Van Dame in “Sudden Death”) is also finally gone. That game 1 loss in ’92 is probably my first memory of sports heart-break. It has since been over-shadowed by roughly 15 Cubs moments, but it will always be the first.
Anyone who saw the videos of the parade and subsequent parties will realize that this is a long time coming for the fans. After 1992, the Hawks management seemed to do everything in their power to destroy the team and its fan base. Until just recently, home games were blacked out on TV. Any and all quality talent was promptly traded away or left unsigned at the end of contracts. Marketing was nonexistent. This was an Original Six franchise that was being left out to rot away to nothing. Over half of the teams in the NHL (16/30) make the playoffs, yet the Hawks continuously missed them. And worse, they weren’t parlaying those high draft picks into anything they could build on.
But fortunately that all changed in recent years when Rocky Wirtz took ownership of the team 2007. He brought in quality front-office guys that knew had to market the team and bring the fans back in. They put all the games back on TV. And most importantly they started locking up talent so they had a foundation to build on. And look how quickly those moves paid off! Suddenly the fans had a reason to care again and responded by filling the stadium for every game. Anyone who’s played sports knows how much of a difference a packed house can make. You’re a little quicker, a little more focused, a little more determined than you would be otherwise.

I also need to give credit where credit is also due; Tyler. I’m not saying the Hawks wouldn’t have won the cup without our puppy, but doesn’t it seem odd that they win it in his first weeks home with us after going 49 years without winning it? So let’s all give a quick stick-tap to Goal Puppy and his winning mojo.
In sadder hockey news, the Boston Sharpshooters did not fare so well in the championship tourney in Toronto last weekend. After cruising through the regular season to a 15-5 record, we hit a pot hole and went 1-2 in the opening games and failed to make the finals on Sunday. But it was still an incredible season and great weekend. And hopefully we can return with most of our roster intact and make another run at it this winter. If we can learn from our mistakes in Toronto, we stand a good chance of getting some hardware next year.
So now I can return to a long summer with the Cubs. And trying to convince myself that it’s not over as lost as it’s mathematically possible to still make the playoffs. And once it’s technically over being 100% sure that next year is the year. I mean, just look at all the young talent they had playing this year! And check out the prospects they’ll be bringing up next year! This shit is practically in the bag!

PEACE!