Blackhawks

[MarquetteFan94]

I know there's an NHL Playoff thread, but the Hawks deserve their own.

This is getting good.....7 straight playoff wins on the road.  This team is clicking at the right time.....can't get too far ahead and need to play better at home....the UC will be unbelievable on Friday night!

[chapman]

As a Red Wings fan, this is like watching UWM make the Sweet 16 all over again.

[damuts222]

If you live in Chicago, and can't get tickets to the games go down to Madison Street at all of the bars just east of the stadium, its intense. I am so happy that we kept "Big Buff" because there was talk of trading him in the middle of the season. He has been a key to our success.

[MarquetteFan94]

If you live in Chicago, and can't get tickets to the games go down to Madison Street at all of the bars just east of the stadium, its intense. I am so happy that we kept "Big Buff" because there was talk of trading him in the middle of the season. He has been a key to our success.

Buff has been a monster.  The West End on Madison is the next best thing to being inside the game.

[Benny B]

Sounds like the Hawks are on their way to a Campbell Conference Championship!  I'm sorry... I meant the Conférence de L'Ouest.

And here I thought Bettman was going to ruin the NHL.

[TallTitan34]

Did anyone else catch Mike Emrick drop Pat Foley's, "and Antti Niemi said NO!" line during the first peroid last night?  Awesome.

[JWags85]

Did anyone else catch Mike Emrick drop Pat Foley's, "and Antti Niemi said NO!" line during the first peroid last night?  Awesome.

That phrase has become an ongoing joke with my roommates and I since the beginning of the playoffs.  It is hilarious and appropriate for really any situation.  Love it.

[MarquetteFan94]

Sweep!  4 more to go....bring on the Flyers!

[SaintPaulWarrior]

The Cup is in the building.

[Brewtown Andy]

Blackhawks doubling up the Flyers on shots.

Twenty minutes remaining.

[WellsstreetWanderer]

Congratulations to the Blackhawks- coolest jersies in all professional sports.

[DJO's Pump Fake]

Congratulations to the Blackhawks- coolest jersies in all professional sports.

What are you smoking and where can I get some?

[MUfan12]

The bandwagon is bursting.

Congrats to the Hawks fans that could name 10 players in October. You guys deserve it.

[TJ]

The bandwagon is bursting.

Congrats to the Hawks fans that could name 10 players in October. You guys deserve it.

Thanks!  It's been an awesome ride.  I can't really believe it yet, especially with the last goal being the way it was.  This was really a great night.

Toews, Kane, Keith, Hossa, Seabrook, Campbell, Huet, Sharp, Byfuglien (ok, so I didn't know how to spell that in October), Hjalmarsson (that one either), Eager, Ladd...

[mu-rara]

Look at Blackhawk attendance compared to their record over the last 4-5 years.  Hilarious. 

While a good team always draws better, the extent of front-running in Chicago is beyond comprehension.

[MerrittsMustache]

Look at Blackhawk attendance compared to their record over the last 4-5 years.  Hilarious. 

While a good team always draws better, the extent of front-running in Chicago is beyond comprehension.

Yes, because Brewers and Bucks fans would never be front-runners or jump on the bandwagon when the team is good. They're always there through thick and thin 

[MU B2002]

I don't get what the big deal is about all the new blackhawk fans?  Who really gives a crap about when someone became a fan and why they became a fan.  Front running, band wagon fans, fairweather fans are everywhere and exist for all teams.

Does this all just boil down to Wisconsin v Chicago?

[TJ]

Look at Blackhawk attendance compared to their record over the last 4-5 years.  Hilarious. 

While a good team always draws better, the extent of front-running in Chicago is beyond comprehension.

Do you know anything about it beyond a statistical comparison between record and attendance?  There just happens to have been a change in ownership within the time frame you mentioned.  They put the games on tv for the first time in years; they brought in a top marketing guy; they started actually paying a few players and trying to put together a good team.  There were a bunch of other things as well, but the point is the team worked hard to welcome the fans back after a period in which many lost interest for a variety of reasons.  Sometimes it's not as simple as "they played better so people became fans."

[damuts222]

 They just hate Chicago, and can't stand the fact that ANY Chicago team one. Wubba Wubba  GO BLACKHAWKS!!

Nobody who is a Blackhawks fan has to justify why and when they became a fan to anyone, who are you to cast judgement

[mu-rara]

Yes, because Brewers and Bucks fans would never be front-runners or jump on the bandwagon when the team is good. They're always there through thick and thin 

I said the extent of front-running is a lot higher.  Hawks were 29th (next to last) in attendance to 1st in 3 years.  High correlation with record.  As I stated, with winning there is always attendancce upside, but 29th to 1st in 3 years.  Come on.   As a percentage of population, Bucks and Brewers probably draw better.

Same thing happened with the Bears too, until they downsized to the smallest stadium in the league, (for the 3rd largest city in USA).

[Brewtown Andy]

I said the extent of front-running is a lot higher.  Hawks were 29th (next to last) in attendance to 1st in 3 years.  High correlation with record.  As I stated, with winning there is always attendancce upside, but 29th to 1st in 3 years.  Come on.   As a percentage of population, Bucks and Brewers probably draw better.

Chicago's a metro area of 9 million people, OF COURSE the percentage will be better.

[DegenerateDish]

I said the extent of front-running is a lot higher.  Hawks were 29th (next to last) in attendance to 1st in 3 years.  High correlation with record.  As I stated, with winning there is always attendancce upside, but 29th to 1st in 3 years.  Come on.   As a percentage of population, Bucks and Brewers probably draw better.

Same thing happened with the Bears too, until they downsized to the smallest stadium in the league, (for the 3rd largest city in USA).

Funny when the Packers couldn't sell out County Stadium in the early 90's, that's not mentioned.

[MUfan12]

I don't get what the big deal is about all the new blackhawk fans?  Who really gives a crap about when someone became a fan and why they became a fan.  Front running, band wagon fans, fairweather fans are everywhere and exist for all teams.

Does this all just boil down to Wisconsin v Chicago?

I just don't buy the long-suffering fan bit from people who couldn't pronounce Toews in April. That's all.

I really am happy for the Hawks fans I know that have been there through thick and thin. I know how I felt when the Brewers finally made the playoffs for the first time in my life, and I can't imagine how it would feel to win a title.

[Hards Alumni]

Chicago's a metro area of 9 million people, OF COURSE the percentage will be better.

Why is that exactly?  Because Bucks and Brewers have better fans?

Percentages should be flat unless one fan base is more rabid (etc etc) than the other.

[Hards Alumni]

I just don't buy the long-suffering fan bit from people who couldn't pronounce Toews in April. That's all.

I really am happy for the Hawks fans I know that have been there through thick and thin. I know how I felt when the Brewers finally made the playoffs for the first time in my life, and I can't imagine how it would feel to win a title.

A better test might be to ask the 'fans' to name 5 players from the '92 Cup team.

This all remids me of my Junior year at MU (2002-2003) when all of the Bears fans came out of hibernation for the season.  Flags and brand new hats and jerseys were everywhere.  Then next year rolled around and for some reason all of the signs and hats and jerseys were stashed back in the closet. 

I realize it happens with every fan base, but for some reason a lot of Chicago fans refuse to admit that it happens in Chicago.  I also realize that no matter the sport there are always the lifers who will proclaim they are lifers... to which I only need reply, "I know you are, but I'm not accusing you of anything."  For some reason they feel the need to come to the defense of all the fairweather fans and pretend they would have been lifers because of reason x, y, and z.  When in reality, the people are fairweathers because they ARE FAIRWEATHERS.