Time for Hawks to get serious
BURBANK, Calif. — The Blackhawks have gone Hollywood this week.
At ESPN’s request, Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane were on Sports Center Monday night. Then on Tuesday, the Hawks as a team attended the taping of the Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
Kane, Toews, Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook were part of a bit with Leno about whose Olympic medals were more shiny – Kane’s silver or the gold ones won by Toews, Keith and Seabrook.
Betty White was going to open the show sitting on the lap of one of the Hawks, but that was scrapped and instead the 88-year-old White began the show in the shower with Hugh Jackman.
The Hawks got plenty of camera time sitting in the audience in their red jerseys and posed for pictures with Leno following the show. During one commercial break, Adam Burish and Dustin Byfuglien sang with the band.
There isn't another NHL team more popular than the Hawks these days, which is great for the organization.
But now with 15 games left in the season it’s time to start winning again and build for the playoffs. It’s time to get serious, with the Coyotes and Canucks breathing down the Hawks neck in the standings.
Leno joked during his monologue the Hawks were in Los Angeles to get their (blanks) kicked by the Ducks and Kings. Everybody laughed, but for the Hawks the time for fun and games is over or it’s going to be a short spring.
Courtesy NBC
The Blackhawks in the the audience of "The Tonight Show" Tuesday.
It was great to see the team on Leno last nite...I had heard either Kane or Toews would be a guest and be interviewed...guess they ran out of time or something....I just hope they don't let this go to their heads after all they've got to think playoffs. Leno's one of my favorite comedians and it was good to see them be recognized... However, this may not have been the best time for something like this with the slump they're going through.
I just don't get all the Cub references lately. Yes , McD and Blunk used to work there but other than both teams having a very loyal and passionate fan base and not having won a championship in most of our lifetimes that's it. I'm not a McD fan but if there ever was a team that needed marketing it was the Hawks. As long as McD stays out of the hockey end of things I don't have a problem with him. Lately some posters have said they are jinxed because of the Cub connection. If the Hawks blow a 3-0 series lead in the Stanley Cup finals then we can talk. The Cubs aren't cursed or jinxed either they are just bad at baseball and that's why they don't win. The major difference is that fans are not going to blindly flock to the UC like they flock to Wrigley so the Hawks need to be competitive and win.
The Cubs haven't won since before McD's father was born. It wasn't until the fans believed an actually good team was in place (think 2005 & 2008) that the hype really started. Sure, the marketing "wizards" like to fuel the fire, but you can't take a terrible team and hype it up. The cubs for years didn't draw fans when they were bad. Sort of like the past decade for the Hawks. If you have superstars and the team is bad, people will come, but there won't be talk of world championships. It needs to end there. As Chicago fans, we are waaaaay too negative and expect the worst to happen at all times. We've had our share of luck and fun times, just not enough. The 85 Bears were one of the greatest teams to follow. They destroyed people. Just didn't last long enough - and we complained, rightly so
We got to watch the greatest basketball player ever dominate the league for 6 championships. The '05 White Sox were a great story...even though they were the Sox :)
As Hawks fans, we haven't had enough success, but this current team counts as one of those you really, really, really have to be thankful for to watch. They are all great guys, young, skilled as hell, and I know we all want them to win the whole thing, but really, regardless of what happens this year, we've been lucky. Fans of other teams should envy our situation and I think they do. Let them play it out before we write them off.
.... this is a harsh and tough crowd. Somehow I see some of you yelling at your little Johnny to work harder, is that the best you got?, etc.... your not here to have fun .... your here to work!
Hadn't watched Leno for quite a while, and wow was he lame. Same reaction I had the last time I watched Conan actually (different sort of lameness, same net level). No wonder those shows are each down to average shares that amount to 3% of U.S. households watching them.
Regarding the Playboy mansion thing I'm gonna take a pass on treating sports radio as an authoritative news source, heh.
Right now the Hawks don't look even vaguely ready for the playoffs, totally agree there. What the best way to wake them up is, I dunno -- we're going to find out whether Q does. Hope so.
"the western conf playoffs look awfully tough this year. A lot of good teams!" True, but on the other hand there are no teams without issues/flaws/worries. Look at what happened last night to the Canucks (Luongo driven from the net as they lost at home to a bad team) and the Sharks (Nabakov blown out as they surrender 8 goals to a bad team). Any Western playoff team this spring including the Hawks could run the conference table or could sink without a trace.
RE: Your old post, Lalonde story.
Not about Lalonde, but regarding your impression of Danis_Pepin and Aliu in Toledo. 1). I feel Danis-Pepin could offer a lot as a third pair at NHL level -- but he has to keep on the developmental curve. His reach, his size, his approach to get the job done and not take retaliatory penalties makes him a good fit on third pair. I noticed how well he reads plays, and he has learned how to use his stick so that wing span is very much an advantage. Maybe he would become a better version of Sopel. The knock was he had to stop speedy forwards from flying around him. He did have a plus rating in Rockford. He really didn't develop much his last two years in college. I suspect part of that is due to the fact that he was not the leader type and not the offensive catalyst type for a largely frosh-soph blueline crew. Like Buf he doesn't really have that "It's in him" aggressive mentality. But if he will push and be physical when it is an effective choice, that is enough. Just don't be a non combatant and someone to be ridiculed and taken advantage of.
The point I like to see about all the young defensemen in the system is this: each has one or more things which is their strength. The other parts of their game have to be good enough to fit into Chicago's puck possession offense. This means, not that deer in the headlight failure, and good reaction/recovery, active stick. Of course a small guy like Connelly cannot be overmatched without being able to compensate some other way. D Keith finds a way to get the job done, although it wold be a huge plus to him if he even occasionally played a tad more aggressive in the physicality department.
You should also know that Lavin has played well (judging by stat's) after transferring to NotreDame at the mid season mark this year. He looked good in rookies camp two years ago. Birch is sort of like Danis-Pepin, good size, good ability. The site, which I always have to search because I screw up the address Hockeyfutures.com, it will give you a good run down of each player. Click on names even those on sidebar.
We are asking ourselves this: Eventually can a Lalonde, Olsen be more than a third pair. Some of the others, maybe they can be more than a third pair at NHL level. But each NHL team has "maybe" prospects -- we have a growing list on defense.
Aliu may be more interested in putting up numbers, but has shown willingness to perform physical at Rockford. The Rockford coaches stressed the team aspect, team contribution. He would sit out huge chunks of games earlier in season, to get the message across. Yes, he is capable of taking the puck and rushing down ice. He has very good puck skill down low, in front of net. He was a man among boys in rookies camp last July. He is ahead of Beech in some areas of development. But Beech can score up here now, even if he needs to work on some things -- notably, his skating. Overall, maybe Aliu is the better overall talent? Both Aliu and Beech have that grit and sandpaper; moreover, I like that they may be a tad nuts or crazy. They will learn to corral that aspect of their personality on ice. But we need that among our NHL roster of too many guys without the required character to immediately nail Ovechkin or, later, a top player like Backstrom.
I just wonder if the less talented, not good skater but lunch pail mentality Klinkhammer or the aggressive Bois cold find some time in the NHL next year -- solely due to salary cap. I would favor signing Johnsson to a smaller, one year guaranteed/2nd option year at team and player control. Need a veteran on 2nd/3rd pair that is a good skater. Boyton can be our new Sopel. Perhaps one of the kids on defense will push his way to Chicago. I realize there may be limited amount of fans that go tis far into detail about prospects. Hoping Richards does well at Rockford next year; he may be a future back up to Niemi.
How about climbing to the top of that mountain/hill in California, the one with the swift current that can knock you over. Has the unusual stacked stone boulder formation by or in the edge of the water. Climbing up to the top, you see a view of the ocean. That is what the Blackhawks season needs to be: a culmination of a process -- which means time to buckle down and get to the top of the mountain (playoff final). It takes a comittment. It takes doing what Q tells (expects) out of you. Players like Versteeg, Bufuglien and Kane have to be willing to do things they don't often do, or don't commit much effort to do. There should be a teammate calmly taking those aside who don't follow Q's script. Calling them out in front of the press and teamattes is totally acceptable if they don't work for the common good of the team success. If you can't take the heat and won't work hard, get the hell out of Chicago, you're a wuss and a self centered looser. Especially Bufuglien
Well, I guess its better than punching cab drivers.
For the first time ever (I think), I watched a bit of Leno's cringe-inducing show.
Caught a couple of camera shots of the Hawks, sitting somewhat uncomfortably in their red jerseys.
After Jackman spun a few meandering yarns notable for their total lack of humor, out came Betty White and I wondered about the thoughts of Toews and Kane and this generation of players. "Who the --ck is this lady?" I mean, is the Mary Tyler Moore show or Password Plus anywhere near their radar screens? They go probably hoping to see Paris Hilton or Megan Fox, and instead they get Betty White and the absolutely dreadful Collective Soul, who thankfully haven't been heard from in, what, 20 years . . . .
Memo to the Hawks PR office: The Leno show's target demographic is roughly the same group that watches Wheel of Fortune at ear-shredding levels. In other words, the elderly.
What next? Primo seats for a taping of the View??
The password is . . . . discomfort.
2 rows off the ice. Last time we played the Ducks we were coming off 9 straight wins: we got shut out 3-0. It's 85 in OC today, perfect weather and perfect time to start a new winning streak.
but the Coyotes are a howlin'.....so they better get serious. They have back to back games against this team after the Ducks and Kings.
The Yotes are playing very well and now have a shot at harpooning the Sharks. They are playing like the Hawks were playing in December. Great defense and stellar net minding.
Yotes close out the season with the Kings and Sharks....hmmmm.
Man the western conf playoffs look awfully tough this year. Alot of good teams!
Anyone know if Boynton will be in the line-up tonight?
Maybe he can help keep Keith out of the emergency room between now and the playoffs.
These kind of events are great for the Hawks in a few ways. Builds the franchise with some good marketing. I think it also helps make the Hawks look like a great place to play, which may help resign or sign players. The Hawks were in the darkness for a number of years, but are starting to become one of the teams that are the face of the NHL.
The team needs to perform better on the ice than they have lately, but these kind of things don't hurt either.
I am all for self-promotion and marketing but this is not a very good time for team the appears to have lost focus and are getting beat by teams that appear to want it more.
When keenan was here, there were NO appearences anywhere after Mar 1.
Herb Brookes kept his players away from the press at the Olympics. It was a smart move considering it was a bunch of college kids without media and PR training.
There was also the anecdote in the Miracle movie and book about an exhibition game against Norway whereby the players were overheard talking about the blondes in the stands. And you saw how Herby handled that.
Interesting.
This is like the scene in Slapshot where the team is modeling at a fashion show except the Hawks are enjoying themselves. They are also exposing themselves, except in a different manner.
This has McDoYa written all over it. I cannot imagine Scotty Bowman endorsing this sort of circus at the most critical time of the regular season.
'Wait 'til next year' may be the Hawks' new mantra.
Sad. Very sad.
YP1..Word on ESPN 1000 was that a long scheduled visit to the Playboy
Mansion, was scrapped by MC-Do-Ya because of the Vanc. Limo charade.
All the players are supposingly P-O'd about this, not sure if they are ticked
at MC-Do or at 88-32-11....
Thanks for the heads up.
This tells me 2 things:
1) The team appears more focused on a bimbofest than the playoff run.
2) McDoYa is all about appearances - which I have no problem with as that is his job. I would rather have heard that it was kaboshed because the team needed to focus on the task at hand. They have all summer to chase bimbos.
Maybe Kane was going to the bench with 6 seconds left be interviewed by blondy.
What's not funny is they may well get their arses kicked by the Kings and Ducks if they continue to play like they have. This team currently lacks passion and killer instinct. Maybe they're just tired from the grind of a long season and the Olympic break, which may have afforded some too much recreation time and others too much ice time. I still say this team hasn't been the same since the Minnesota debacle and it's looking more and more like that game was, in fact, as seaon changer. I'm starting to worry that there's something to the idea that McDonough is more concerned with putting out a poplular product than a winning product and that is scary for a lot of reasons. At least, as it stands currently, I won't be as upset with a roster overhaul as I thought I'd be two months ago when the Hawks looked like world beaters...
The 'Hawks seem to be either tired, or looking for their identity lately. Or both. Maybe some of the determination is gone now that they're fully healthy, maybe it's just a chemistry thing. They've got a coupla weeks to figure it out.