• Keep it simple [Chicago Tribune] [SunTimes]
• Could the Defense really be this bad? [ ESPN]
• A roundtable on this recent debacle [Cheer the Anthem]
• Relax, it can get worse [Fifth Feather]
• Stan deserves some more time [SunTimes]
• Owen Nolan retires [San Jose Mercury News]
• The worst kept secret in sports will become official! [Detroit Free Press]
• This will probably incite more meathead trade talk. [SportsNet]

Don't know if this will be a regular feature or not, but we'll try it for now and see where it goes.

-I hope people have had a chance to calm down a little bit, though there should be a level of seething that won't go away for a while. I know I have it. But there is something I'd like to shoot down, or at least fill with a modicum of buckshot. On the twitters and comments in various places, I've seen a lot of "Stan Bowman is a complete moron who has no eye for talent" sentiment. I just can't agree with this.

His eye for talent is at worst incomplete. He's had two drafts, and none of those players have made a serious impact on the team. But it's not like he's had a top five pick. And his drafts have been generally well regarded. Both Hayes kids, McNeil, Saad, Danault, and maybe a couple others, while they may not be stars one day, all are regarded as having an NHL future. While Nick Leddy has obviously struggled, I still think he has a big NHL future. As for other trades, look at the player Stalberg has become and remember that he was acquired when Bowman had his hands completely tied in a cap purge. Jeremy Morin hasn't taken a step forward this year, partially due to injury, but no one's ready to give up on him yet. Everyone's favorite, most of all Q's, little fire-plugging turnover machine Andrew Shaw is a Bowman pick.

Ok, the offseason pickups have come in for criticism. At the time, we liked them , and I don't know that the disappointments they've been is due to wrongful signings more than coaching mishandling and a disconnect between the coach and GM -- which I'll get to in a bit here.

His midseason trades were Campoli, Frolik, and the corpse of Kim Johnsson. We never got a verdict on Johnsson due to injury (maybe), and Campoli was at least useful (or why would some be calling for him to be re-acquired?). Frolik has been a mess this year, but again, that could just as easily be coaching and use as much as actual talent.

To say that Stan simply has no idea what he's doing? I don't think that's fair, and very well may be factually incorrect.

Continue reading this post »

Blackhawks news and hockey notables.

• Recaps. [Tribune] [CSN] [ESPN] [Hockeenight] [Cheer the Anthem] [Third Man In] [MyFoxChicago]
• 85 Years: Cliff Koroll remembers Keith Magnuson. [blackhawks.nhl.com]
• Color anyone with brain cells unsurprised that Brendan Morrison is getting bounced around the lines. [Tribune]
• The origins of Hawks/Wings hatred, with bonus old-timey pictures. [ESPN]
• Friedman's Latest Thirty Thoughts. [CBC]
• Thirty-two teams who want to go to Sochi. [PD]
• E tackles NHL historiography. [The Score]

I kind of feeling like Porky holding on by a thread to Planet X after Daffy and Marvin blew it up at the moment, that planet being the sanctuary of rationality and logic. My fingers are definitely slipping through the grease of rage and disappointment. But I'll try.

Before I get to the crux of this post, first this thought. I had remained reasonably assured this slide would stop because it hadn't really infected the top of the roster. While Kane hadn't scored, and neither has Hossa, they were still noticeable. Seabrook and Keith were reasonably assured, while the rot was incubating below them. But tonight, Toews had a turnover that led to a goal (though he was given a tough pass by Kane, though if there's one guy you'd trust in traffic...). Duncan Keith tripped the light fantastic on a bouncing puck which he probably should have just gloved forward or something. Brent Seabrook was on birding for Landeskog's winner, though obviously wasn't done any favors by Stalberg's turnover at the blue line. Then again, not every turnover at the blue line should go in the net. If whatever fungal infection has spread to those the Hawks count on and pay most, then it is absolutely panic time and a fight for just a playoff spot very well may be on the cards. However, they'll need to be bad for more than one game before we conclude that.

Ok, on to the main crux. While the frustration and disillusionment with Joel Quenneville has grown in some circles to the point of calling for his head -- at time spearheaded by compatriot and colleague McClure -- I'm not there yet. But I think I see how I people got there.

Continue reading this post »

Made the choice to go away
Drink the fountain of decay
Tear a hole exquisite red
Fuck the rest and stab it dead

Lick around divine debris
Taste the wealth of hate in me
Shedding skin succumb defeat
This machine is obsolete

So impressed with all you do
Tried so hard to be like you
Flew too high and burnt the wing
Lost my faith in everything