As much as I hate bandwagon jumpers when it comes to sports team fandom… I wouldn’t describe myself as a Chicago Blackhawks fan, hockey has never been a staple for me. However I am a huge fan of Chicago baseball, basketball and football (in that order), so I can enjoy the fact that so many of my friends had a great time with the Blackhawks run this year. Hopefully the majority of them are every game, every season fans… for them, the return of the Stanley Cup to Chicago for the first time since 1961 has to feel pretty great indeed.
Stan Makita and Bobby Hull, two famous names in Chicago sports history, were on that ‘61 team that beat the Detroit Red Wings 4 games to 2. From there though, think of all the big names that played long stints in Chicago without ever seeing a title. Denis Savard, Phil & Tony Esposito, Keith Magnuson, Al Secord, Eddie Belfour, Chris Chelios… and then there’s Jeremy Roenick who just finished up his career last year with the San Jose Sharks. Roenick played for the Blackhawks from 1988 through 1996, the Philadelphia Flyers from 2001 through 2005 and was part of the broadcasting crew last night. Following the game, emotion overwhelmed him as he openly cried at the beauty of it all. You wonder what goes through his head at a moment like that thinking back on a 21 year career that never brought him to the hallowed ground of a Stanley Cup Championship. Whatever regret he must certainly feel, there was also a genuine happiness for what the 2010 team was able to accomplish.
Congratulations to Finals MVP Jonathan Toews and the rest of the 2010 Chicago Blackhawks for bringing another Championship to the United Center. They still have a ways to go to match the Bulls for hoisting Championship banners to the ceiling… but last night definitely got them a little bit closer.
