BlackhawksFan

The most hardcore and intelligent Blackhawk fans suddenly become completely and utterly irrational when it comes to discussing the Red Wings - but particularly their fans. The fact that the Joe Louis can't sell out provides a great topic of discussion. I am in a decided minority of Blackhawks fans who is more than willing to give the Red Wings and their management team their due. I'm not so much pissed that the Red Wings "suck," quote unquote, but that the Blackhawks management team for so many years has been absolutely unable to build such a stellar organization of their own. Hopefully they can now, with the city at their back. The Detroit sucks chants were out in full force last night, probably in preparation for the 1st. It will be a great game, and I will be happy to be there.

Well, so far in this thread I've learned that "Red Wings fans are the worst" and that "Blackhawks fans are the worst". The bad apple fans are there for every team, and they are the ones most vocal and most obvious. There are certainly knowledgeable fans for both Detroit and Chicago, just as there are some fans that are total morons. The Blackhawks' fans were a sleeping giant for many years, and they are returning out of the woodworks. There certainly are many who are just learning or re-learning the game of hockey, so it wouldn't be a stretch to say there are quite a few fans that are not up to snuff on their hockey knowledge. It will take a couple of years to rebuild a large, solid hardcore fan base again, but Chicago is willing to embrace and follow hockey again, and that's encouraging, no matter which NHL team you root for. Fans do chant "Detroit sucks" occasionally at non-Detroit games, but much rarer than has been hinted in this thread. It will probably never die away, but it certainly will be more fun when the teams are battling each other in the standings. Like in a couple of days. See you all at Wrigley, or planted in front of your TV's. EDIT: Oh, and don't get me started on Campbell. Too long a contract and too expensive a contract.

Hahaha. This might be one of the worse deals ever. At least that's what it looks like right now. Lost in all this is that the feared "Appendage D-pairing" of Foote-Finger will never come to fruition.

I'll get in line. Wow. Just. Wow. I am really, really, really looking forward to Hawks-Wings games next year.

Oh My God. Ken Holland is a genius. 29 other GMs are stuck in their stupid bulls***: RFA contracts, overpaying players. And Ken Holland proves once again that he is far and away in a league of his own when it comes to hockey team management. Detroit fans are so spoiled.

The '38 Blackhawks? I think they were 14-22-something.

Me thinks it was Craig McTavish.

The right player was signed, for too much and much too long. Dale Tallon is clinically insane if he doesn't trade Khabibulin. What's with these crazy contracts? The best example of a team that doesn't follow this is...Detroit.

I suppose I offer a congratulations to Detroit Red Wings Hockey Club on being far and away the best NHL team this season, consistenly beating every opponent they faced (except one). See you next season on Madison Street.

Det over Dal in 6 Pitt over Philly in 5

And why is that? Detroit will then face a Sharks team still dogged by playoff ghosts and done with two exhausting, physical 7-game series.

Mine was when the Hawks beat the Wings 5-3 despite being badly outplayed, with the Sharp hat trick. Hey, you didn't say it had to be a Wings moment.

That was amazing.

Being as unbiased as I possibly can, I'll bet a Hawk won. And I think it's probably Kane.

Well then: Detroit over Avalanche in 6 Sharks over Stars in 7 Canadiens over Flyers in 5 Penguins over Rangers in 6

Who else to force the Game 7 than Alexander Ovechkin?

A Detroit-Chicago outdoor game would be awesome. The cheering during the anthem would be 4x louder. The "Detroit sucks" chants would be 4x louder (and I guess the "Let's Go Red Wings" chants would be 4x louder, too). That would be a great game.

It turns out something else happened... TSN

The Predators are big enough to warrant needing safety in a random Tennessee welcome center? Huh.

Me thinks the Nabokov will win it.

Before anybody gets to it: No, watching the Blackhawks playing is not the pain. It's the god-awful announcers that the fans have to put up with on TV. Our radio guy is awesome, though.

Go Habs.

I find this amusing. There goes that whole Burke-NHL Front Office Conspiracy...

Try listening to that every. single. game. Although the insight he provides is unparalleled.

And Wings fans rejoiced. And if San Jose gets knocked out too, you will all be in 7th Heaven. At my expense, indirectly. *sigh*