Chicago BlackHawks
November 18, 2008 by TerryShilton
Filed under Chicago Blackhawks, NHL Hockey
First off I have to thank Mark Gage and Kevin Lee for giving me the opportunity to be your STB Chicago Blackhawks blogger.Â
So why the Blackhawks? first off is their Jerseys, even before those amazing winter classic jerseys, as a kid I always thought the Blackhawks jersey to be the best; it turns out so does the The Hockey News who’s staff voted the team’s main logo to be the best in the NHL. Then there is the history, original six team, Stan Mikita, Bobby Hull, Tony Esposito plus that haunting pipe organ, other teams played music but it wasn’t the same, it’s as if the Blackhawks could give you a throwback feeling before anyone had thought of creating “throwback Jerseys”. Â
Then came Murray Bannerman, not the most romantic of favorite players but I played goalie in minor hockey and between the ages of 5-10 picking a favorite player based on their mask seemed as good a reason as any.
I actually had the chance to meet Murray at the height of my childhood appreciation for him, in Maple Leaf Gardens. I was sitting in the golds (I believe that to be the colour) like ten rows from the away team bench, when the security guard blocking the entrance to the bench left for a couple minutes I was able to sneak down at my Dad’s advice and ask Murray for his autograph. He respectfully declined as he was having equipment trouble and was missing preparation time working on his gear. As a young hockey crazed boy, with no mind for equipment problems at the time, I was crushed.
Last reason I fell in love with the Blackhawks NHL94, I schooled so many of my friends with that team, bring the puck off the boards with Jeremy Roenick then shoot automatic goal. Jeremy recently did an interview about it saying “I get more people talking to me about my video game prowess than my regular NHL game prowess. I’ve had people who have come up to me and say, “Thank goodness for you. I got through college because I played Jeremy Roenick in the video games.” I think I’m like the fourth best ever athletes in video game history, so that is definitely a claim to fame that I will use, especially with my son.”
The Nhl 94 Blackhawks also had Steve Larmer, Brent Sutter, Stu Grimson, Chris Chelios and Eddie Belfour definitely one of the top video game teams of all time.
Of course years later just how good Jeremy was in that game was immortalized in the film Swingers by Chicago native Vince Vaughn “who promised we was going to make little Gretzky’s head bleed” and did, then quipped “It’s not so much me as it is Roenick. He’s that good,” after scoring a goal with Roenick.
I’ll be back tonight with my first real Chicago Blackhawks post, with a post game analysis of their road matchup against the Phoenix Coyotes.
Like this post? Share it »
Last post (s) by TerryShilton
- Blackhawks downed by Kings - November 30th, 2008
- Disciplined Ducks Down Blackhawks - November 29th, 2008
- The Blackhawks Take a Point and Some Pointers from San Jose - November 27th, 2008
- Khabby 3rd Star and Someone Steals my Thunder? - November 24th, 2008
- Blackhawks Comeback; Rumours - November 22nd, 2008
Loading ...
November 18th, 2008 at 11:35 am
Hands down the best jersey in hockey. I realize they do the Winter Classic jerseys to sell some jerseys but was sort of upset that Detroit and Chicago wouldn’t simply be wearing their normal jerseys for this game. The Wings and Hawks jerseys are so pure it would have been nice to just leave them and add the Winter Classic patch…and that would of course get me fired if I was a marketing dude for the NHL.
November 18th, 2008 at 12:31 pm
I love both Jerseys as is, they are two that have been relatively unchanged since I was a kid, the patch idea is a good one. The shame of it is your right from a fan’s perspective what is better than watching your favorite team play on an outdoor rink in the jersey you have come to love. It envokes images of the kid on the pond skating with a dream to make it in the NHL, the whole concept was to showcase these players as kids with realized dreams.
But as mentioned Sandy there is a business aspect to the winter classic that goes beyond a fan’s love of the game and ideals for the classic, but at least with this years annual cash grab I feel like they picked the two right teams, and happen to like the Blackhawks ‘classic jersey’.
November 18th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
I agree I don’t mind the classic jersey of the Hawks…the Wings on the other hand.
I am hoping to make the game at Wrigley. As most folks know from the site I am a huge Cubs fan so having a shot to see my favorite sport played at my favorite venue would be amazing…
November 18th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
I had a sure in to see that game and had planned to go until my wife got pregnant, sadly she is due in January and right now is measuirng slightly early so all bets for me are off…
November 18th, 2008 at 12:55 pm
Terry! Winter Classic trumps possible child birth…lol
Just kidding pal. Congrats and I wish you and your family the best.
Don’t tell my wife that story though as I likely would still attend the game but keep my cell phone handy…only a 45 minute flight..I could make it home in a few hours