$3 Merry Christmas Damn It $3 The Committed Indian The REal Fan’s Program secondcityhockey.com December 22nd, 2009 [email protected] PATTY, JOE, AND CRASH: A LOVE STORY One day, you will say you were there Like An Orange On A Toothpick Dan Boyle is among the leading scorers in the when the Detroit Red Wings decided to trap Ah, yes, another grudge-match for league from the blue line, but past that? Well, the Blackhawks. Nothing could be farther from the Hawks. You know you’re good when you hard to say. They don’t get a lot of scoring their ethos, and God knows they’ve bitched repeatedly have to face teams that have a bone from any other d-man, and they’re giving up about trapping teams before. Sure, it was due to pick with you (namely kicking the shit out of 30 shots per game, so how much defend- to their injury list, but that’s a huge amount of you in your building. People tend to frown on ing are they getting either? While Sharks respect and fear being accorded to the Hawks that). The Sharks come in after pulling a 4-2 fans seemed to hate him, this team looks like that Detroit didn’t even think about trying to win our of their...well, Sharks don’t have asses, it’s missing Christian Ehrhoff, who provided play their normal game. It won’t look like that so whatever they have instead. They were backup to Dan Boyle in scoring from the blue in March when Scum returns to the UC, but outshot 30-18 in the first two periods before line (his 19 points would look pretty tasty right we’ll take it for now. gaining a clue in the 3rd. Evgeni Nabokov kept now). As for the game itself, once Camp- them from getting swept out of the building, That makes it sound like the Sharks bell’s shot hit twine it was effectively over so expect coach Todd McLellan to ride the roll are a middle of the road team. They most -- though we were delighted to finally see here (and further assure that Nabby will be certainly are not. No one can boast the talent Osgood give up a couple of stoppable goals. sufficiently out of gas come April). on their top line that San Jose does (though We keep hearing about him doing that against That was the second win in a row for they’ve broken that unit up, sliding Heatley other teams, but never us. The Wings simply the Sharks, but that follows a five-game balls- down with Pavelski). Marleau is playing some didn’t have enough firepower to break through up. The major thing plaguing San Jose during of the best hockey of his career right now, and the Iron Curtain defense the Hawks are sport- that losing streak? Pretty much what everyone has pulled his team out of that losing streak. ing right now. The Incredible Hulk would thought it would be, and that’s secondary It’ll be interesting to see how the struggle (at least Ed Norton’s version. Eric scoring. While Marleau, Thornton, and #15 Sharks treat this one tonight. They’ve lost Bana’s could fucking fly, for reasons unex- Crash Bandicoot keep piling up the points, no their last four to the Hawks, culminating in plained. Anyway, both those movies sucked). one else is. Ryan Clowe’s goal last night was that prison sex the night before Thanksgiving. So, that’s one-third of the heavy- his first in six. Devin Setoguchi has one goal Maybe it’s just another regular season game, weight-triple header down. If the Hawks are in 13 games (though he is fighting off a knee but you wonder if another humbling loss going to drop one of these, they’d be bet- injury). If you’re seriously counting on goals would shake the Sharks mentally. Would they ter off doing it tonight, so as not to lose any from Manny Malhotra, Scott Nichol, and Jed head into April praying to not run into Chi- ground to Scum. But the way things are going Ortmeyer, you sir are fucked without any of cago? Either way, they have a point to prove for all three of these teams right now, Hawks the customary fun. tonight. Whether they do or not depends on fans should expect a clean sweep. A win It’s not just at forward that the Sharks their top line. As we saw in San Jose, if they’re tonight would give the Hawks a four-point are Brianna-Banks-top-heavy. Defenseman having an off night, the Sharks are chum. -M. advantage over the Sharks, with two games in hand. Sounds good to us. Late In The Evenin’... “...about this time of night, 51 Phantom gets to feelin’ right. We feel it has to be mentioned on the front page now. Brian Campbell has been the best player on the Hawks --and probably on the ice -- for the past two weeks. In fact, why don’t we just let our friend John at The Fifth Feather sum it up for us: “I’m a little too young to fondly recall Paul Coffey’s days in Edmonton, but I have to believe it looked a lot like Brian Campbell’s last two games. Campbell has been a defensive dynamo. Every time he takes control of the puck he’s a threat to create a scoring op- portunity for the Hawks. Not to mention, he puts the opposition immediately on their heels once he gains possession. He’s a lot of fun to watch. Don’t worry though, he’ll get booed again soon enough.” That is the unfortunate part. Camp- bell is only a turnover or two from being a pariah again. But for now, enjoy a player who’s playing the best hockey of his career, “What do I want for Christmas? Uh...um....uh...” and making the Hawks a force because of it. From The Editor think it was that night that the special bond Hawks fans have with this There are lots of dates you can point to for when the Hawks team was born. Both players and fans were entering a new era, and it organization’s rebirth began. Some would say it was the day Bill Wirtz was this moment that signaled we were ready to do it together. I know died (though I doubt any of us were sober enough to remember it). I’ll never forget it. Some would argue it was when Rocky took offi cial control and sent Bob Pulford out to pasture. Others would say it was the day the Hawks -This will be the fourth Christmas in a row I write this little soliloquy drafted Jonathan Toews or Patrick Kane. All are valid choices, as are -- be it here, on the blog, or on various message boards I used to be a many others. For me, the true signal that the Hawks member of. Christmas is always a good time for me were back was two years ago tomorrow. to reiterate why I’m a Hawks fan and why I love being You remember, don’t you? Dec. 23rd, 2007 one of you. In most ways, this publication is my love against the Oilers. The Hawks won 3-2, Brent Sea- letter to you (so gay!). brook had two goals. Patrick Kane had a sweet assist to Despite some recent minor glitches, there is no Patrick Sharp to tie it. The building was full for one of cooler group to be a part of than Hawks fans. While the fi rst times that year (the allure of a new Hawks Era there may be some traces of the following amongst us, hadn’t quite kicked in yet). But it wasn’t the game that they aren’t the massive epidemics you fi nd in the other made this night memorable. fandoms in this city. There’s no blue-collar, gotta-be- After Nikolai Khabibulin stoned the Oilers in tough-like-Ditka bullshit you fi nd rampant amongst a frantic last minute to preserve the win, the place went Bears fans. There’s little frat-boy yelling, drunken up for grabs. The Hawks headed back to the dressing Sam Fels boobery that comes along with being a Cubs fan. room, but didn’t stay there for long. They came back You’ll fi nd scant, if any, inferiority complex that ac- to salute the crowd, at the urging of Martin LaPointe. companies being a Sox fan. There’s no blind ignorance Hawks fans became even louder. The Hawks players applauded us just of the sport you claim to watch that Bulls fans are affected by. as passionately, and for a good few minutes. That’s where the United For the overwhelming majority of us, we are passionate and Center salute was born. we are knowledgeable. We have been kicked to the ground by our team It was then I knew for a fact hockey was back in Chicago. and have survived to cherish what we have now. We are the coolest The entire game had the atmosphere that had been missing for so long. band in town now, and we got in on the ground fl oor. It is my distinct Obviously, the players noticed it as well, and we’re thanking us for it. honor and pleasure to write this for you. I wouldn’t want to be any- For too long these professionals had toiled in front of friends and fam- where else.