Woke Goes After Chicago Blackhawks

The Blackhawks were one of the teams this summer that was called out for their use of Native American imagery, but they released a statement reaffirming the continued use of their name and logo.

The Hawks committed to raising awareness of Black Hawk, the Sauk and Fox war leader who is their namesake, and banned Native American headdresses and war chants at the United Center.

Technically, the Blackhawks are named after the U.S. Army's 86th Infantry Division (which was named after the chief).army

Well, the Blackhawks are my favorite NHL team and personally I think their jerseys (sweaters) and logo are the best in any professional sport.  I find absolutely nothing negative about their proud Indian logo.   And I have lots of stuff with it on them.

Even if our so-called, self-proclaimed dynasty  starting in 2015 was quite short.

Go Hawks!!  --CootHawk

A Very Interesting Man: Wayne Huizenga (1937-2018)-- Part 1: Blockbuster Video and Sports Teams

From the March 25, 2018, Chicago Tribune "Owned teams, trash haulers and video stores" by Steven Wine and Terry Spencer (AP).

"College dropout Wayne Huizenga started with a trash-hauling company, struck gold during America's brief love affair with the VHS tapes (I still use VHS tapes to record TV shows) and eventually owned three professional sports teams.

"Huizenga owned Blockbuster Entertainment, AutoNation and the world's largest trash hauler, and was founding owner of professional baseball's Florida Marlins and NHL Florida Panthers.  He bought the NFL Miami Dolphins for $138 million in 1994."

Died March 24 at age 80.

The Marlins won the World Series in 1997 and Panthers reached the Stanley Cup final in 1996, but, to his chagrin, the Dolphins never reached the Super Bowl during his ownership.

And, how he became so rich is quite a story as well.  He was what they call a self-made millionaire.

More On That In My Next Post.

Because It's the Cup!! Stanley Cup, That Is

From the Tribune by Philip Pritchard, keeper of the Cup.

Over the last 27 years the Stanley Cup has been filled with popcorn, potatoes, thrown into a swimming pool and used as the ultimate prize for street hockey.  And, of course, quite the drinking cup.

Overall, it has 120 years of nicks and smudges.

"There are 49 Super Bowl trophies out there.  There is only one Stanley Cup.  You don't win it.  You borrow it.  But your name is etched on it for all of history" according to Philip Pritchard.

That is what they're going after now in the Stanley Cup playoffs.  Seems weird not to have our Blackhawks in it.  Buy, the Stanley Cup is the people's cup.  I loved it when the Hawks would win and following day-to-day where it was.

Well, Maybe Next Year.  --CootCup

Just the Facts About the Stanley Cup-- Part 8: Has It Ever Been Stolen?

The Cup has been stolen, nearly stolen and misplaced multiple times, including once in Chicago.  The trophy was on display in the Chicago Stadium lobby during the 1962 playoffs when a Montreal fan tried to steal it from its case while the alarms were turned off.  A police officer spotted and stopped the would-be thief right as the man got to the exit doors.

There have been other notable mishaps.  Members of the Ottawa Senators drop-kicked the trophy into a canal while celebrating their championship win in 1905.  No one bothered to retrieve it until the next day.

The People's Cup.  --DaCoot

Just the Facts About the Stanley Cup-- Part 7: When Does It Make An Appearance?

As the Blackhawks closed in on the 2013 Championship in Boston, Pritchard, the Cup keeper, packed the trophy in its black trunk lined with red cloth and headed to TD Garden about midway through the second period.

Pritchard said that he and the handlers have to be prepared for any eventuality -- like the Blackhawks dramatically sealing victory with two goals in 17 seconds.

Who's Have Figured That?  --Cooter

Just the Facts About the Stanley Cup-- Part 6: Where Does It Go After a Team Wins?

After a team wins, each player and staff member gets to spend 24 hours with the Stanley Cup.  That is one of the neatest things about the Cup.  Too bad each member of winning MLB, NBA and NFL team don't get to do the same thing.  Then many more people will get the chance to see the trophy and it can be used for charity fundraising.

The trophy spent the first couple weeks of its post-championship tour in Chicago after the Hawks 2013 win, then went on the road in the U.S., Canada, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Sweden.

While the Cup was on tour in Slovakia, right winger Marian Hossa ate pierogies out of it.

I wonder how many times it has served as a cereal bowl or baby holder or bathing tub?

Taking the other trophies on tour like the Cup would make them less of a millionaire's cup and more of a people's cup.

Just Right to Hold My Beer.  --DrinkChug-A-LugCoot

Just the Facts About the Stanley Cup-- Part 5: Who Engraves It?

Louise St. Jacques is the trophy's official engraver, only the fourth person to ever have that role.  She takes the trophy to her studio in Montreal every September to engrave the names of the championship team and all its members.

The Cup is disassembled from the top down and the bottom band removed from the base so St. Jacques can imprint the names.  It takes her about 30 minutes to inscribe each name and about ten hours overall.

As room runs out on the trophy, the bands are periodically swapped out and stored.  Retired trophy rings are kept alongside the original trophy in the Lord Stanley vault in the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

Blackhawk players have had their names misspelled on the trophy twice: once in 1938, when left winger Pete Palangio's name appeared as "Palagio," and again in 2010, when left winger Kris Versteeg's name initially was engraved as "Vertseeg" before being corrected.

Henry Richard of the Montreal Canadiens appears most often on the Cup as a player with eleven times.

Wonder How Much Louise gets Paid for the Engraving--  HockeyPuck

Just the Facts About the Stanley Cup-- Part 4: Who Was Lord Stanley?

OK, here's the scoop on the real guy.

English-born Frederick Arthur Stanley became a huge hockey fan after moving to Canada in the late 1880s.  He decided that the teams needed a prize to compete for and bought a silver cup for about $50, intending it to belong only to the team that had won the most recent championship.

Amateur teams competed for it for several years, with the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association the first to be awarded the cup.  Professional teams from the National Hockey Association got involved in 1910.  The NHA gave way to the National Hockey League, and its member teams have been competing for the Stanley Cup since 1926.

How 'Bout Changing the Name to the Cooter Cup?  --CooterPuck

Just the Facts About the Stanley Cup-- Part 3 Who Was Lord Stanley? (What Is Lord Stanley's?)

Well, everyone from DeKalb, Illinois, home of NIU, knows that it is the name of a great bar where the DeKalb Footstompers play every Homecoming to a packed house.  The place is named after the Stanley Cup and called Lord Stanley's.  Of course, it is a HUGE Blackhawks bar, just the place to watch a Hawks game or any hockey game for that matter.

Back when we were at NIU, it was the Shamrock and back then the upper level was open for partying as well.  It was one of out downtown bars which also included the Uprising (now Otto's), Andy's (now open whenever the owner gets around to it), McCabe's (now closed), the Candlelight (torn down but where the downtown McDonald's is now and Sullivan's (referred to as Sully's).

These bars were all part of what we referred to as the Lincoln Crawl, so named because DeKalb's Main Street is none other than the famed 1913 Lincoln Highway.

Crawlin' the Crawl.  --Cooter

Just the Facts About the Stanley Cup-- Part 2: How Big Is It?

The first form it had was a silver bowl just over 7 inches high and 11 inches across.  Now, the bowl is slightly bigger, 7 1/2 inches high, 11 inches across and 35 inches around.  This sits on top of the current trophy made of silver and nickel.

Below the bowl are three tiered bands, a collar and five larger bands making up the largest part of the trophy.  The whole thing stands just over 35 inches tall and weighs a little more than 34 pounds.

Just the right size for hoisting, kissing and bathing babies.

So Good to have It back in Chicago.  --DaCoot

Comparing Chicago Blackhawks and Tampa Bay Lightning Fans-- Part 3

Category, Blackhawks, Lightning:

Share, Local Sports Ticket Sales:  37%, 25%

Next Favorite Sports Ticket:  Cubs 35%, Rays 39%

Cheesy Slogan:  "One Goal:, "Be the Thunder"  OK, let's keep the Wisconsin folks out of the discussion.

Cheesy Celebrity Fan:  Vince Vaughn, Hulk Hogan

Cheesy Song:  "Chelsea Dagger", "Hockey Paradise" by Seven Williams and the Brandt Brothers

Facebook: 2.5 million likes, 457,000 likes

Twitter:  915,000 Followers, 245,000 followers

Favorite Chant:  "Detroit Sucks", "I Believe That We Will Win"

There You Have It.  --DaCoot

Comparing Blackhawk and Lightning Fans-- Part 2

Category, Blackhawk Fans, Lightning Fans

Median Age:  45, 50

Median Income:  $77,000, $62,000

Median Home Value:  $219,000. $176,000

Male/Female:  59%/41%, 68%.32%

College Degree:  35%, 36%

Minority:  34%, 25%

Average Regular-Season Ticket Price on StubbHub:  $200m $60

Sales Rank (I'm Guessing NHL):  2nd, 15th

--Cooter

Comparing Blackhawk and Lightning Fans-- Part 1

From the June 7, 2015, Chicago Tribune "The fans face off" by Phil Thompson.

A look at the upcoming Stanley Cub Championship games back then.

SOME NUMBERS:

449--  Percent growth in the Hawks' fan base since 2007 (including us), the largest increase in any major American sports team during that time.  It has grown another 6% since last season.  Before 2007, the Blackhawks were essentially a forgotten team.

41--  Persent decline in the Lightning's following since their all-time high in 2004 when they won the Stanley Cup.

50--  Percent of adult Chicagoans who are Hawks fans, one of only three U.S. based NHL franchises with 50 percent or higher market penetration.  The other two are Pittsburgh and Buffalo.  Only the Bears, with 60 percent, have a larger following in Chicago.  (Even ahead of the Cubs.)

19--  Percent of Tampa Bay-area residents who are Lightning fans.  Their base ranks behind the rays and Buccaneers, both at 19 percent.

Maybe This Was the Reason the Lightning Front Office tried Si hard to Keep hawk Fans Away.  --Cooter

Faker's Guide to the Chicago Blackhawks-- Part 8: Magnuson, Kane and Dagger

KEITH MAGNUSON--  Former Blackhawks defenseman, captain and coach who shares a retired number with Pierre Pilote.  Never backed down.

PATRICK KANE--  Scored the Cup-winning goal in 2010.  Won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 2013.  Statue Coming.

The Hawks players listed here and in previous posts, all have statues at the United Center.

"CHELSEA DAGGER"--  The song that blasts after the Hawks score (and win) comes from a 2006 album by the Scottish indie rock band The Fratellis.  None of the three band members is actually named Fratelli.  But, they sure had a great video of it.  Check it out.

--Cooter

Faker's Guide to the Chicago Blackhawks-- Part 8: The Anthem and Hall

THE ANTHEM-- The electric tradition of fans cheering during  "The Star-Spangled Banner" began during the 1985 playoffs.  The Hawks came home from Edmonton down two games to none.  As Wayne Messmer waited for the organ to begin, the Chicago Stadium fans simultaneously began cheering.

They cheered all through the anthem.  And have been ever since.  It ought to be on everyone's hockey bucket list.

GLENN HALL--  Retired number.  Hall of Famer.  "Mr. Goalie" backstopped the Hawks to the Stanley Cup in 1961.  Once played 503 consecutive games.  "Mr. Goalie" indeed.

Who's Have Thought Cheering Through the Anthem?  --Cooter

Faker's Guide to the Chicago Blackhawks-- Part 7: Joel and Stan and How Bad Was It?

JOEL QUENNEVILLE--  The besr bench coach in the league gets the most talented roster in the NHL.  Seems unfair to the rest of the league at times, but tough.  Makes up for Da Bears, Da Sox and Da Cubs.

STAN BOWMAN--  Hawks general manager is the son of Hockey Yoda Scotty Bowman.  So yeah, winning Stanley Cups is kind of a family business.

HOW BAD WAS IT?-- Before Rocky Wirtz took over the Hawks in 2007, it was almost as if they had ceased to exist.  very few people cared about them, you never saw anyone wearing Hawks gear and, they just were unknown.  I could care less about them back then, but not any more.

Go hawks.  --DaCoot

Faker's Guide to the Chicago Blackhawks-- Part 6: The Indian Head and Toews

THE INDIAN HEAD--  First owner Frederic McLaughlin's wife designed that great Indian head logo for the team in the 1920s..  Despite tweaks along the way, the crest looks basically the same.  My opinion, it is the best logo in the NHL and anywhere for that matter.  I haven't even heard of Indians being upset about it.

JOHNATHAN TOEWS--  Captained two Cup Winners (2010 & 2013), won two Olympic Gold medals and captured two significant individual NHL trophies by the age of 25. The best young winner in Chicago ever,

Give Me One of Those Hawks Jerseys.  --Cooter

Faker's Guide to the Chicago Blackhawks-- Part 5: The Trade and Tony

THE TRADE--  In 1967, the Hawks made one of the worst trades in the history of sports, not just the NHL.  The Hawks sent Phil Esposito, Ken Hodge and Fred Stanfield to the Bruins for Pit Martin, Jack Norris and Gilles Marotte.

Esposito and Hodge led the Bruins to two Stanley Cups in three seasons.  The hawks, on the other hand, went 49 years before they won it.  Hockey's version of baseballs Cubs-Cards Brock-for-Broglio trade.

TONY ESPOSITO--  Retired number.  Hall of Fame.  "Tony O" threw 15 shutouts in his rookie season.  "To-ny, To-ny, To-ny."

Go You Fratellis.   --Cooter

Faker's Guide to the Chicago Blackhawks-- Part 4: Stadium, Center and Pilote

CHICAGO STADIUM--  Where the Blackhawks played until 1994.

THE UNITED CENTER--  Opened in 1994 across the street from the old Chicago Stadium.  Despite the three searing levels and 169 suites that lost the coziness of the Stadium, the Hawks' magnificence and the maniac fans help you remember the old roar of the Stadium.

The Chicago Bulls also play there and it is neat to see the transformation from ice to hard court.

PIERRE PILOTE--  Retired number.  Member of Hall of Fame.  Member of the 1961 Stanley Cup champions.  One of the greatest offensive defensemen and power-play quarterbacks in history.  Sort of a Duncan Keith with a crew cut.

"Dut, Dut-Dut-Dut."  --DaCoot

Faker's Guide to the Chicago Blackhawks-- Part 3: Rivals and Savard

For you brand new Blackhawks fans.

THE RIVALS:  Everybody hates the Montreal Canadiens because they are the New York Yankees of the NHL.  (And, last night the Hawks defeated them 5-0!!)  And, because of the 1971 and 1973 finals, don't ask.  Still hurts.  (This was before I became a fan.)

The Hawks also have a playoff thing with the biting, hair-pulling Canucks.  Closer to home, the Hawks' most bitter rivals are the Red Wings, Blues and former North Stars.  Punch Dino Ciccarelli if you get the chance.

DENNIS SAVARD:  Retired number.  Hall of Famer.  The most electrifying player in an era that included Wayne Gterzky.

See on-line videos of his spin-o-ramas for details.

Let's All Do That "Chelsea Dagger" Thing  --Cooter