^
A mere three years ago, the Blackhawks were less relevant in Chicago than snowplows in July. During most games at the United Center, entire sections were empty. I didn't know a dozen people who would admit to being Blackhawks fans - and I knew (and continue to know) a lot of hard-core, big-time sports fans.
Now the Hawks are in the Stanley Cup Finals ... and people who used to make fun of hockey are waxing poetic about the penalty-killing unit, growing playoff beards and getting misty-eyed just thinking about a Dustin Byfuglien forecheck .
Ah, winning. Cures apathy every time.
I guess I'm lucky to have not cared about hockey, so the lost season didn't turn me against it. Now, it's actually kind of fun to watch, what with the hometown team being good.
ReplyDeletetmad here. Not much for hockey myself (even though I'm 1/4 Canadian), but beyond the kids' playing and Quenneville's coaching, major props to owner Rocky Wirtz. He has undone the damage that his father did to the franchise (how often does THAT happen?) and stands as the antithesis of typical Chicago sports team ownership.
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