Since I have nothing better to do, I decided to come up with a quiz to see how much you might know about the Blackhawks. Most of these answers, I knew beforehand but had to do some fact-checking just to make sure. I came up with this just now: eight Blackhawks questions for you fans and "fans" to answer. Feel free to provide answers in the comments, on the Facebook page or on Twitter.
And no Googling.
1. How many Stanley Cups have the Blackhawks won since becoming an NHL franchise?
a) 2
b) 4
c) 5
d) 8
e) all of them
2. Before 2010, when was the last time the Blackhawks won the Cup?
a) they never did
b) 1992
c) 1961
d) 1932
e) trick question, hockey was invented in 2010
3. Who is the all-time leader in goals in Blackhawks history?
a) Jeremy Roenick
b) Bobby Hull
c) Stan Mikita
d) Patrick Kane
e) seriously, who are a, b, & c; it has to be d, right?
4. Who is the captain on the Blackhawks?
a) Jonathan Toews
b) Patrick Kane
c) Joel Quenneville
d) Dustin Byff.....Buff-something
e) Captain Planet
5. Who was the owner who kept the Blackhawks home games off of television up until his death in 2007?
a) Jerry Reinsdorf
b) Bill Wirtz
c) Rocky Wirtz
d) Frederic McLaughlin
e) Their games have always been on TV, duh
6. What event in American history was taking place when Chicago hockey received national attention for their loud rendition of the National Anthem while hosting an All-Star Game?
a) World War II
b) Vietnam
c) Gulf War
d) 9/11
e) The release of Chelsea Dagger
7. What team was the last team to beat the Blackhawks in a Stanley Cup?
a) Philadelphia Flyers
b) Pittsburgh Penguins
c) Montreal Canadiens
d) Toronto Maple Leafs
e) They've never lost a Cup
8. Which of these teams is not among the Original Six teams?
a) Montreal Canadiens
b) Detroit Red Wings
c) Boston Bruins
d) Minnesota Wild
e) Chicago Blackhawks
Grading scale:
7-8 - Three stars (First-line fan that knows their stuff)
5-6 - Two stars (Second-line fan - good Blackhawks knowledge)
3-4 - One star (Third-line fan - sharpen up those skates)
0-2 - No stars (Full-fledged wagoner)
(Note: if you answered e) for any of these questions, you fail automatically. You get zero points, and may God have mercy on your soul)
6/25/2013
Time of Your Life...Me? Ehhh, Not So Much: The Contrast of Emotions While Watching the Hawks Win the Cup
It's a surreal experience. Everyone around you - all your friends having the time of their life, the best day of their year. Within a couple minute span in real time, Blackhawks fans went from pondering their Game 7 plans to figuring out who they are going to the parade with on Wednesday.
It's awesome to see all these happy faces. And yet, at the same time, you can't fully enjoy the moment. Not when you've had one of the shittiest days of your year.
It didn't start shitty, and by no means did I plan on having it end shitty. But the news I received mid-afternoon, that I swore to keep to myself as long as I could to risk changing the mood around me, could only be buried under so much cheap beer (22 oz cups my ass).
After surviving cuts at work at the end of April, I thought I might be in the clear for a little while. A little while turned out to be a couple months. I received "The Call" about my job being no longer once July 5th reaches its end. At this point, unless I am able to find a job, I will be without work.
I leave with no ill feelings - in fact, I still love the company and love the people that I worked with for my entire 35 months there. At this point in my life, it has been the best company I've worked for in my brief professional career.
Going back to Monday...I debated whether I was going to meet up with Jen's co-workers as planned for the game or if I was going to lay back and likely sulk/drown my sorrows with Summer Shandys. I flipped a few times (nah, the walk there ain't worth it >>> don't let this stuff bring you down, go out >>> you just bought beer, stay home >>> how often do you get to go out with people during the week?)
So yeah, I went out. And I'm glad I did, despite the microburst that hit right before I reached the bar. I had to run the last mile of the planned walk in my flip flops due to the pending storms, with the last couple blocks being completely aided by the unreal winds and storm that I had no idea were coming.
I spent the entire time at the West End (blocks away from the United Center) standing up, taking different shifts at the TVs that surrounded me. I shared my sob story with one other friend before the game (thanks Ruthie), but otherwise kept it to myself as to avoid ruining the mood. I didn't sob, but call it a sob story for the simple fact that it sure as hell ain't a laugh story.
Several people in the group saw my empty stare towards the end of the game, at which point I could no longer really hide the weight of my day. Once the game ended and there was plenty of time to celebrate, I told a few of them what happened. I appreciated their well wishes, as I did with the initial wave of people that I told earlier in the evening before going to the bar.
The striking moods - about as 180 degrees as there could be between a person and a group of people - was present in my mind most of the night, especially as the spurt of goals led to a sudden Stanley Cup win for the Blackhawks. It was fantastic seeing the people who I've known a short while and suspect very little to be bandwagoners to have such joy on their faces. A fan's sports team winning a championship never gets old, even if it's the second time in four years, so to see that joy is fun to see.
On the other side, there's this bum of a guy who just got some bad news, trying to enjoy the moment of his friends while burying the bone of the bad. If anyone has been in a situation like this, where you've tried to keep a happy face on a great situation with a group of people around you while masking something that pains you, I'm sure you know my ordeal.
Life goes on - I'll get on my feet quick. I have the right attitude and will get through this situation just fine.
For that hour or so at the bar, the contrast of my friends' euphoria and my brief realization of my fate (which hit just as the game was winding down) was quite the mental spectacle.
Thanks for reading and thanks to everyone around me for your future help (and current help).
It's awesome to see all these happy faces. And yet, at the same time, you can't fully enjoy the moment. Not when you've had one of the shittiest days of your year.
It didn't start shitty, and by no means did I plan on having it end shitty. But the news I received mid-afternoon, that I swore to keep to myself as long as I could to risk changing the mood around me, could only be buried under so much cheap beer (22 oz cups my ass).
After surviving cuts at work at the end of April, I thought I might be in the clear for a little while. A little while turned out to be a couple months. I received "The Call" about my job being no longer once July 5th reaches its end. At this point, unless I am able to find a job, I will be without work.
I leave with no ill feelings - in fact, I still love the company and love the people that I worked with for my entire 35 months there. At this point in my life, it has been the best company I've worked for in my brief professional career.
Going back to Monday...I debated whether I was going to meet up with Jen's co-workers as planned for the game or if I was going to lay back and likely sulk/drown my sorrows with Summer Shandys. I flipped a few times (nah, the walk there ain't worth it >>> don't let this stuff bring you down, go out >>> you just bought beer, stay home >>> how often do you get to go out with people during the week?)
So yeah, I went out. And I'm glad I did, despite the microburst that hit right before I reached the bar. I had to run the last mile of the planned walk in my flip flops due to the pending storms, with the last couple blocks being completely aided by the unreal winds and storm that I had no idea were coming.
I spent the entire time at the West End (blocks away from the United Center) standing up, taking different shifts at the TVs that surrounded me. I shared my sob story with one other friend before the game (thanks Ruthie), but otherwise kept it to myself as to avoid ruining the mood. I didn't sob, but call it a sob story for the simple fact that it sure as hell ain't a laugh story.
Several people in the group saw my empty stare towards the end of the game, at which point I could no longer really hide the weight of my day. Once the game ended and there was plenty of time to celebrate, I told a few of them what happened. I appreciated their well wishes, as I did with the initial wave of people that I told earlier in the evening before going to the bar.
The striking moods - about as 180 degrees as there could be between a person and a group of people - was present in my mind most of the night, especially as the spurt of goals led to a sudden Stanley Cup win for the Blackhawks. It was fantastic seeing the people who I've known a short while and suspect very little to be bandwagoners to have such joy on their faces. A fan's sports team winning a championship never gets old, even if it's the second time in four years, so to see that joy is fun to see.
On the other side, there's this bum of a guy who just got some bad news, trying to enjoy the moment of his friends while burying the bone of the bad. If anyone has been in a situation like this, where you've tried to keep a happy face on a great situation with a group of people around you while masking something that pains you, I'm sure you know my ordeal.
Life goes on - I'll get on my feet quick. I have the right attitude and will get through this situation just fine.
For that hour or so at the bar, the contrast of my friends' euphoria and my brief realization of my fate (which hit just as the game was winding down) was quite the mental spectacle.
Thanks for reading and thanks to everyone around me for your future help (and current help).
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