Blackhawks

[MarquetteFan94]

As annoying as "Hawks Mania" is, it doesn't hold a candle to the Boston fans that never heard of the Patriots until 2001...actually, it's kind of the same thing.

/throwing grenade and leaving room

Literally laughed out loud....well played.

[MUBurrow]

MDMU04, it can be and is both. Thats the whole point. The lack of choices and devotion to a single team is exactly what forms the definition of diehard, etc in most cities.  We don't have a bunch of teams to cheer for, and thats why we devote to the small number we do have completely and thoroughly.  As hard as it may be for you to believe, its not that we are jealous of Chicago's (expressed there as Cubs) fans choices. Its that we are irked by the way that those choices are treated and the way they are used breed what we deem to be a less thorough and devoted fanbase.  Residents of cities with fewer teams (myself included) just can't conceive of how a fan could possibly exercise the amount of love required to be a truly diehard fan to a team more than once or twice.  In a city where you eat and sleep one team, the notion that you have the time, stamina, brain cells, or potential heart attacks to do that x4 is simply impossible and unimaginable. 

[JWags85]

MDMU04, it can be and is both. Thats the whole point. The lack of choices and devotion to a single team is exactly what forms the definition of diehard, etc in most cities.  We don't have a bunch of teams to cheer for, and thats why we devote to the small number we do have completely and thoroughly.  As hard as it may be for you to believe, its not that we are jealous of Chicago's (expressed there as Cubs) fans choices. Its that we are irked by the way that those choices are treated and the way they are used breed what we deem to be a less thorough and devoted fanbase.  Residents of cities with fewer teams (myself included) just can't conceive of how a fan could possibly exercise the amount of love required to be a truly diehard fan to a team more than once or twice.  In a city where you eat and sleep one team, the notion that you have the time, stamina, brain cells, or potential heart attacks to do that x4 is simply impossible and unimaginable. 

So can you admit that maybe its a matter of not understanding and then as a result viewing it through the perspective you have as a fan of only a few sports teams, it appears disingenuous and that creates your ire?  Much like how as a kid growing up, I never was a huge college football fan cause I didn't like anything UW related, so I could never understand the fanaticism of say, an OSU fan who didn't attend OSU or something of that nature?  So it just seemed ridiculous to me.

[MDMU04]

MDMU04, it can be and is both. Thats the whole point. The lack of choices and devotion to a single team is exactly what forms the definition of diehard, etc in most cities.  We don't have a bunch of teams to cheer for, and thats why we devote to the small number we do have completely and thoroughly.  As hard as it may be for you to believe, its not that we are jealous of Chicago's (expressed there as Cubs) fans choices. Its that we are irked by the way that those choices are treated and the way they are used breed what we deem to be a less thorough and devoted fanbase.  Residents of cities with fewer teams (myself included) just can't conceive of how a fan could possibly exercise the amount of love required to be a truly diehard fan to a team more than once or twice.  In a city where you eat and sleep one team, the notion that you have the time, stamina, brain cells, or potential heart attacks to do that x4 is simply impossible and unimaginable. 

This is about to turn into a sports-talk radio meatball conversation that sounds like "I love my teams more than you" which is pointless and stupid.  

I don't care what you think about whatever emotional investment or fandom I have in teams that I follow.  I don't care if you think you like your teams more than I do because you're from Milwaukee and I'm from Chicago.  If that works for you, that's fine with me.

What I do know is that my team just won the championship.  And regardless of what anyone says, it's not diminished because someone from up north thinks all us FIBs are a bunch of bandwagoning dopes that don't really care about our teams because we happen to have 6 of them.

If that's your attitude, it's fine by me.  By all means, go ahead and enjoy that.

I know what last Wednesday and the following days meant for me and a lot of other Hawks fans.  And I will go ahead enjoy that.

[MUBurrow]

So can you admit that maybe its a matter of not understanding and then as a result viewing it through the perspective you have as a fan of only a few sports teams, it appears disingenuous and that creates your ire?  Much like how as a kid growing up, I never was a huge college football fan cause I didn't like anything UW related, so I could never understand the fanaticism of say, an OSU fan who didn't attend OSU or something of that nature?  So it just seemed ridiculous to me.

I am 100% on board with the confusion over the love of a college a person never attended, etc, just because it is the state's flagship school. And the chicago debate is all in the eye of the beholder, sure.  I can admit that a lot of my ire is derived from the fact that I don't think a person can be a diehard fan, in the true sense of term, for more than a couple teams no matter how many teams are local.  Would that be different if I were from somewhere else? Maybe, it would be hypocritical for me to say it couldn't be.  However that being said, what I deem to be the necessary commitment and devotion to a certain team to constitute "diehard" etc, just isnt possible for more than a couple teams.  And I don't think I'm alone in that perspective.  Thats why the grandstanding about the history and tradition of ALL the Chicago teams doesn't get very far for me.  It wouldnt matter if it was a town with all old teams like Chicago or a town with significantly newer teams like Miami.  This isnt about the objective value of the team, but the fan's ability to devote what is necessary to truly be a fan.  A diehard Heat fan isnt any less of a fan than a diehard Bulls fan because of the quality or longevity of the franchise.  A guy who said that he was a diehard Heat, Dolphins, Panthers, Marlins fan would be a suspect to me too.  I think some (this was never intended to be a total assault) Chicagoans feel that because each of their teams has a richer history than the ones I just mentioned, Chicagoans are entitled to have a widespread level of fandom Miamians wouldn't be.  I think thats the attitude that rubs a lot of people the wrong way.

(sorry JWags if what started out as a well-intentioned response to you ended up gradually moving toward a response to MDMU)

[WellsstreetWanderer]

STOP!  why does someone have to be  a "Diehard Fan" to enjoy and follow a team? Most people have one or two sports they prefer to watch but that doesn't exclude them from rooting for other team sports. This is especially true in team rich cities like Chicago. Trying to belittle someone's joy at the Blackhawk's victory is wearing your jealousy on your sleeve. Everybody needn't be a "diehard" to follow and enjoy a team
I don't live in Chicago but I watched the Stanley Cup and was hoping for a bLackhawk victory

[MUBurrow]

i dont think this whole thread was started because people enjoyed a team.  "trying to belittle someone's joy" in reference to a casual fan seems pretty melodramatic to me, but i get your point. 

to me, this is more about the identification of the city with all its teams, and how disingenuous that seems - particularly when two are major rivals one had trouble garnering a following until its recent success.

[PaintTouches]

I've only been to 2 Hawks games in my life, both gifts and both before they were any good. I am a passive fan, but dove headfirst into the playoffs. I'm what most people would label a fair-weather fan. All I have to say is it was awesome following the Hawks this postseason. If you have a problem with that, so be it, I had a great time watching them win and the parade was nuts. That is all.  

[shiloh26]

to me, this is more about the identification of the city with all its teams, and how disingenuous that seems - particularly when two are major rivals one had trouble garnering a following until its recent success.

Are you talking about all those new White Sox hats that showed up on MU's campus in 2005?  I'm sure that was just a coincidence. 

[MDMU04]

I think some (this was never intended to be a total assault) Chicagoans feel that because each of their teams has a richer history than the ones I just mentioned, Chicagoans are entitled to have a widespread level of fandom Miamians wouldn't be.  I think thats the attitude that rubs a lot of people the wrong way.

My point is very distinct and simple.

WHY DO YOU CARE SO MUCH?

If it seems disingenuous, why can't you simply cast it aside and disregard it as being such?  It has to mean something to you for you to draw so much ire from it.

Your argument appears disingenuous to me.  Know why?  Because I know why it bothers you so much.  And it's none of this drivel you keep coming up with.

It bothers you so much because it's a Chicago team.  It bothers you because a bunch of people from Chicago got to be happy about something and you didn't.

My argument will be proven tomorrow.  I want to hear similar outrage at the outcome when the NBA finals are concluded tomorrow because it will follow your same logical argument.  Let's take a look, shall we?

- Storied franchises in their respective sports...it doesn't get more storied than the Lakers or Celtics

- Cities with multiple professional sports franchises...Boston and LA have a combined 11 pro sports franchises between them

According to your arguments, either of the celebrations after the game is won will be disingenuous.  The two teams are the most storied franchises in their leagues, so therefore therefore their fans must feel more entitled to have a more widespread level of fandom than you.  Each town has multiple pro sports franchises, so therefore the Lakers and Celtics fans cannot possibly be as devoted as you are to your teams.

I'm willing to bet you that there will be a significant number of people at either town's parade that probably didn't give a damn about what was going on with the Lakers or Celtics at the beginning of the year.

It happens everywhere.  You need to get over it.

[MUBurrow]

okay, and with that bastardization of everything i said, i think this is a good time to wrap this up with:

If you don't already know, you will never know.

[MDMU04]

okay, and with that bastardization of everything i said, i think this is a good time to wrap this up with:

If you don't already know, you will never know.

A fantastic way to end an argument that was not going well for you is to do it with the cryptic I am wiser than thou quote.

Good work.

Go Blackhawks.

[MUBurrow]

fine, we can pm. i just think everyone must be sick of reading this by now.

[damuts222]

fine, we can pm. i just think everyone must be sick of reading this by now.

 Because your argument has no backbone. There is no problem with people who are fairweathers whether in Chicago or elsewhere.

 You can generalize about fair-weathers all you want, but those here that are have stated so. Many of us love sports but what are the requirements to be a die-hard fan? Every sport is different, I don't expect anyone to watch all 9 innings of every game of the baseball team they support.

 I don't claim to be a die-hard of any team except MU basketball and I am a fan of many other teams, but sorry to say I have other things that go on in my life that take precedence. When it comes down to it sports are exactly that, a sport.

[MUBurrow]

... or not ...
i didnt know i was making an argument trying to objectively prove anything. everyone is quick to jump up and point AHA! thats where your argument fails!!  instead I was giving examples of why Chicago sports fans draw the ire of other sports fans, and as has become evident, especially those to the north.  i also pointed out why I think there is a solid basis for that given the local treatment of Chicago's teams.  to all those defenders of all things chicago, you are right. I concede that I will never be able to objectively prove to you that you suck (nor was i even trying to)

In the PM, i made a comparison of the Clippers to the Blackhawks.  if the Clips won the NBA Finals, would the outpouring be the same as for the Hawks? Or if the cross sports analogy is uncomfortable, what about the islanders? Similarly, would the insistence on said celebration be the same?  given the lack of support for the team while it was losing only a few years ago, these comparisons arent as far fetched as most Chicagoans would have you believe at first glance. 

To borrow a phrase from above, you are right - there is no inherent problem with fairweathers anywhere.  Its the perception that many try to assert that they are anything else that rubs people the wrong way, especially in a sport exemplified by a cult following and old timey devotion like hockey.

[mu-rara]

I've only been to 2 Hawks games in my life, both gifts and both before they were any good. I am a passive fan, but dove headfirst into the playoffs. I'm what most people would label a fair-weather fan. All I have to say is it was awesome following the Hawks this postseason. If you have a problem with that, so be it, I had a great time watching them win and the parade was nuts. That is all.  

I'm all for people getting in on a happening in their city.  What I find amusing is acting like you've been a diehard all your life.  Glad you enjoyed the Hawks season.

[TomW1365]

Seeing all my Wisconsin and fellow Marquette fans rip on Chicago and it's sports fans are making my eyes bleed.  It's pretty pitiful.  Go rain on someone else's parade who deserve it more than the fans who have stuck with teams through thick and thin.  
If you had any idea of the history of the Blackhawks, and the loyal fandom, this would be a moot point.    

[Hards Alumni]

Seeing all my Wisconsin and fellow Marquette fans rip on Chicago and it's sports fans are making my eyes bleed.  It's pretty pitiful.  Go rain on someone else's parade who deserve it more than the fans who have stuck with teams through thick and thin.  
If you had any idea of the history of the Blackhawks, and the loyal fandom, this would be a moot point.    

boohoo.

[Brewtown Andy]

Pending league approval, the Blackhawks have traded Byfuglien, Eager, Sopel and a prospect to Atlanta for a 1st rounder, 2nd rounder, Marty Reasoner, and prospect Jeremy Morin.

http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/nhl/news/story?id=5320715

[mwbauer7]

Pending league approval, the Blackhawks have traded Byfuglien, Eager, Sopel and a prospect to Atlanta for a 1st rounder, 2nd rounder, Marty Reasoner, and prospect Jeremy Morin.

http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/nhl/news/story?id=5320715

Cap space...

[DiaperDandy]

Marty Reasoner went to my high school!

[Brewtown Andy]

Cap space...

And if you ask me, selling high on Byfuglien.

[GGGG]

And if you ask me, selling high on Byfuglien.

Yes....completely replaceable.

[JWags85]

Once you strip away the emotional downer cause Buff is a fan favorite, you realize its a solid move.  This organization has done well through draft picks, so getting a few more doesn't hurt, in addition to freeing up the cap space which is even more important.  If it came down to losing someone like Sharp or Byfuglien, I would rather keep Sharp.

[GGGG]

The one I feel bad for is Sopel.  They interviewed him on Wednesday about his participation with his family and the Cup in the Gay Pride Parade and how proud he was of the team and the city.

24 hours later he's traded.