Hawkynite! debut - "Blackhawk House"

Firstly, hello to the Second City Hockey Community and to Blackhawk fans everywhere!  I am an avid fan of The Blackhawks as well as this blog including others that i have found through this site and i'll admit that i always make sure to check the game previews and post game analysis for i think it might be the best hockey coverage in the city (perhaps only rivaled by The Fifth Feather)

Anyway -

I, like many of you, have been riding an emotional roller-coaster throughout this season and i, in my own personal opinion, have never been more entertained, enthralled, and completely blown away by the level of talent and skill that is on this team since being spoiled by the Jordan era bulls when i was just a wee child.  but seriously; day in, day out.  win or lose i have always been impressed with our boys in red, white and black (well, i have been SLIGHTLY more impressed when our boys WIN, but it's not all that far off).

As of late our 'Hawks have been slumping, trudging towards the playoffs, gauging/conserving energy or suffering a snake bite (whatever's gravy for you), but DON'T FORGET - they are the same team produciong the most shots while allowing the fewest IN THE ENTIRE LEAGUE.  the same team who, although their PP is still 'clown shoes', play SO tight and aggressive 4-on-5 OR 4-on-4 that they are (still, i believe) LEADING THE LEAGUE IN SHORT HANDED GOALS.  the same team who is amongst the LEAST PENALIZED in the league and yet have shown they can push back physically when called upon to do so PLUS they are guaranteed a playoff spot AND, as a point of pride, were the FIRST TEAM IN THE WEST TO DO SO.

Ladies and Germs, this is what we call an ELITE TEAM.  These wunderkinds and seasoned vets are some of the best hockey players IN THE WORLD.  Pure and simple.  They play an elite TEAM game, and when they win its as a TEAM.  also, when they lose, its as a TEAM.  now its easy to look at the shortcomings of an individual and place the blame solely on their shoulders if we lose a game here and there, but we can't fall privy to that type of buffoonery.  They loose as a team, and the team has to be able to fix the problems.  we've seen it before.  this team has banded together and compensated for certain captains, number 2 centers and or (at the moment) top 4 D-men not being in the lineup over the course of the season.  Has this team ALWAYS been able to compensate fully? not all the time, but i know and you know that this team is fully capable of doing so.  Winners find a way.  Champions find a way.

I have faith that come playoff time, they will be ready to play.  I also trust that they know that if they are not ready, other teams will smell blood and will not hold back.  Some recent losses have certainly convinced some on this blog that the sky is already half way down the mountain, so to speak, but i HAVE TO BELIEVE that this team can flip the switch and go into Ludicrous Speed smoother and quicker than Kaner weaving the puck through 3 or 4 sucker defensemen.  i was frustrated by these recent losses myself, as I'm sure many of you have been.  but godamnit!  if this team hasn't shown itself to be a clinic on elite, shutdown, pursuit-possession hockey on SO MANY occasions ... how can you NOT believe this team can go all the way??

I know someone on the 'Hawks is going to light a fire under this team's ass.  it might not be said in the locker room, it may not be the prettiest goal.  it could be a big hit, a timely save, but someone has has to be the one on this team who is going to open up the window, shake their fists at the Gods and scream out, "I'm mad as hell, and I'm not gonna take it anymore!".

I have included a humorous skit i shared with my father a couple days ago in response to a recent loss.  My dad texted me a very Kevin Bacon, "remain calm ... all is well", and I thought it only fitting that i respond combining both The Blackhawks and that timeless cinema classic of the film world, "Animal House".  Of all the inspirational, motivational, ramming-speed speeches out there in the world (especially before a BIG game against the St. Louis Douchenozzles), I truly think this scene (with minor artistic license noted in bold) fits the current situation of The Men of Four Feathers.  I give you an excerpt from, "Blackhawk House" -

   Troy Brouwer enters locker room before practice.  All his teammates are seated, hunched over in a state of exhaustion and/or despair

Bluto (BROUWER): Hey!  Whats all this lying around shit??

Stork (SOPEL): Well, what the hell we s'posed to do, you moron?

D-Day (SEABS): War's over, man.  Columbus dropped the big one.

Bluto (BROUWER): Over?  Did you say, "OVER"?? NOTHING is over until WE decide it is!  Was it over when the Germans scored 5 goals on us ion one period?  HELL NO!

Otter (TOEWS): Germans?

Boon (KANE): Forget it, he's rolling.

Bluto (BROUWER): And it ain't over now.  'Cause when the goin' gets tough ... the tough get goin'!  Who's with me?  Let's go!

    Brouwer charges out of locker room door with no one following him, all remain slumped in their lockers.  After a few seconds, Brouwer re-enters, George S. Patton like.

Bluto (BROUWER): What the fuck happened to the Blackhawks I used to know?  Where's the spirit?  Where's the guts, huh??  This could be the greatest season of our lives, but you're gonna let it be the worst!  "Ooh, we're afraid to go with you, 'Horse', we might have to play Detroit in the 1st round".  Well, just KISS MY ASS from now on!  Not me!  I'M NOT GONNA' TAKE THIS!  Ovechkin!  He's a DEAD MAN! Luongo! DEAD! NIEDERMEYER!!! -

Otter (TOEWS): Dead! ... 'Horse' is right.  Psychotic, but absolutely right.  We gotta' take these bastards!  Now we could do it with conventional PP strategies/line combinations, but that could take years and cost millions of lives.  No ... i think we have to go all out.  I think this situation absolutely requires a really aggressive, dominant, DLR-inducing paddling be done on St. Louis, Minnesota, & EVERY-FUCKING-BODY ELSE'S part.

Bluto (BROUWER): And we're just the guys to do it.

D-Day (SEABS): Let's do it.

Bluto (BROUWER): LET'S DO IT!!!