This Is So Typical
As I was surfing the web (do people still call it that?) I came across this gem from Yahoo.com. As you can see it's a picture of Blackhawk captain Jonathan Toews and next to him is something that Chicago has not had since 1961, the Stanley Cup! Of course the first thing that sticks out about this picture is that Toews looks like a pig, what I'm not being mean, check out the nose, he literally looks like a hog. But once you get past that beak it sinks in that this is just another example of Chicago fans not only expecting to win the cup but thinking it is in someway their right to have it reside in the windy city.
Blackhawk fans have come out of nowhere, one year they don't have a TV deal, an owner that gives a damn or even close to a full building on game night and now the next thing you know they are God's gift to hockey and are acting like they follow the Red Wings instead of the actual team that they do follow, the Blackhawk's who have won nothing yet. Now don't get me wrong, it is impressive what they have done with that team. A couple of great draft picks in Toews and Patrick Kane, some nice free agent acquisitions and all of a sudden they have one of the better teams in the Western conference. However there is no comparison to them and the Wings. Detroit has proven they can win in any era (cap and non-cap) while Chicago like many other teams suffered through years and years of misery only to finally make good on some very talented young guys that were essentially handed to them. The big question is...how will that team look when they start losing players because of the salary cap.
So things right now are going well for the Black Hawks, or are they? They are the 2nd best team in the Western Conference with 99 points, however they are slumping of late. They have lost their last 3 games, and are 3-5 and 2 in their last 10. They have major goaltending issues and a couple of their top defenseman are out with injuries. You look at the standings and there is a chance that Vancouver, Nashville and even Detroit might catch them. Currently the Wings are 6 points behind Chicago and have won 6 games in a row. In fact the Wings are at the United Center to play the Hawks for the last game of the season which could result to be a battle for tops in the division.
I guess the point I'm trying to make is that all season long, ever since Chicago head coach Joel Quenville cried and whined after getting beat by Detroit in the Western Conference Finals last year, Blackhawk fans have acted like they have already won the cup when in reality they have won and done nothing. So many Detroit fans want to face Chicago in the 1st round for a couple of reasons, the first being they want to shut Chicago fans up and the second reason being they want to shut Chicago fans up. I however want things to play out a little differently! As much as I would love to catch the Hawks and force them to watch the division slip from their fingers, I am realistic in thinking that it will not happen. To make up 6 points in 6 games is unheard of at this point in the season, so this is what I propose... I want the Wings to get the 5th seed and play Phoenix in the 1st round. The Coyotes have been good this year with already 100 points but they have no playoff experience. They have a great goaltender, but very little offense. I think the Wings could beat the Coyotes and let one of 3 teams below them try to pull off an upset of San Jose, Chicago and Vancouver. That way when the second round starts and they re-seed, Detroit can maybe play teams below them instead of teams above them. If Chicago wants to meet Detroit again and try to finally "slay the dragon" let them do what good, experienced, teams that have been there before do...WIN and earn the right to play the Wings.
Again, I know it would be rewarding watching Detroit ending the championship hopes of the Hawks again, but I think it would be much better if Chicago lost early and never got a chance to meet the Wings. Forcing their fans to once again get a harsh, cruel reality check that the mural of pig-faced Toews and the mythical cup is as close as they will get for yet another year.
