Oct 17 2008
Blackhawks Mean Business
Over the summer in Chicago, the Blackhawks were the talk of the town. No not a Bears team that lacks consistent offense and a aging defense and not the Bulls that just got the number one pick and is starting over with a new coach. The talk of the town was the Chicago Blackhawks. Ever since the season ended at the verge of a playoff bid fans management and fans were excited for the start of the new year.
After a one win start the Hawks management decided that the momentum from last year and all of the hype did not carry over to the players. Denis Savard becomes the latest ex Hawk player to get the axe because of the slow start. This move may seem kind of a quick one but can you blame management after all of the money they invested into the team over the summer. Not only with acquiring top free agents but also the cross pro motioning with teams like the White Sox and Cubs. They even had Hawk and DJ the announcers for the White Sox in Blackhawks gear for a late game in the year at US Cellular.
Now the Hawks are bringing in a young but playoff tested coach that should light the fire. Joel Quenneville was in the playoffs last year and I guess that is what the Hawk management is looking for. Hey in this time of financial crisis even the Blackhawks are trying to get a big return from all of the investments in the off season.
In the end Hawks fans should still be excited as this team will be good. Young teams take longer to get going because just like any sport their needs to be chemistry. This team will hopefully bond closer because of the latest management move because in all honesty if you are not contributing this year with the Hawks then you better start packing your bags as well.
The Chicago Blackhawks have a great and honorable history and the current president and GM are doing everything in their power to reignite the passion. The time is now for this team to take off but I just hope the city isn’t putting too much pressure on this young talented group. We saw last year in another sport with the Bulls that early expectations can sometimes make you look better than you are. The Bulls were an early favorite as a Eastern Conference Final team but as we all now in Chicago the Bulls performed well below those expectations and failed to even get into the playoffs when the eighth best team in the Eastern Conference was hardly a powerhouse in the standings.
In the end we all need to stay cool as ice and give the Hawks a break. They will be good it is just a matter of time. Ten years of consistent loosing is not just like a bandade where you rip it off. It takes time to heal and the Blackhawks will be healed. They are at least reaching out to the fan for the first time since they started this loosing skid. Before, Hawk fans were even lucky to catch a home game on television and now they will be played all over the tube including WGN. The Hawks are looking to create a new and fresh look to them and in doing so they will bring more fans in from the cold winterly months of Chicago. However, in this town you do have to win some to at least get some attention. If the Hawks can get some momentum the fans will certainly follow, at this point they are tired of loosing to the Blues and the Red Wings and always seeing those teams ahead of us in the standings. We did perform better against those teams last year but now it is time to complete the deal.
