Here's to Chicago and the Hawks

I will soon get back to my more serious subjects, but those who know me know I am a SERIOUS hockey fan.  I once drove over 600 miles round trip to watch a hockey game on TELEVISION.  (St. Paul to International Falls MN: Game played in the Montreal Forum between Canada and USSR 9.13.81--no USA TV coverage: Significance--the first North American appearance of Igor Larionov who is arguably the best center evah!--won Olympic Gold, World Championships, and the Stanley Cup twice with the Detroit Red Wings: Final Score USSR 8, Hosers 1)


I was already pretty much in love with USSR hockey by then, but this cemented the deal.  NHL hockey had pretty much destroyed itself in the 1970s with the rise of goon hockey as exemplified by the Broad Street Bullies (Philadelphia Flyers).  Those who believe that hockey is a shirt-tail relative of professional rasslin' usually point at the disgusting brand brought to us by the Flyers.

Which leads us to tonight.  The game pits the Black Hawks who last won the Cup in 1961, against the Flyers.  Chicago has been just freaking terrible since '61--an example of how to do everything wrong.  But they are under new management and damn, they look good.  And Chicago is a fun town when there are sporting championships to be won.  And no sentient being could ever cheer for the damn Flyers--those foul polluters of the game.

Except the Flyers aren't the old Flyers either.  The other night, they played the whole game without taking a penalty.  They are fast and well-coached.  A real hockey fan could cheer for this team.

Even so, I have to pull for Chicago.  I love that town.  Tony is from there.

Go Hawks!