The 5 People You Meet on the Blackhawks' Bandwagon
Check out "The 5 People You Meet on Memorial Day in Chicago", by clicking here.
The entire city is behind this Blackhawks team...to various degrees.
Remember in December when the entire city was a-buzz about
our beloved Blackhawks? No, you don't? Really? Oh, that's right, 3/4
th of the
people concerned with the prospects of a Chicago Stanley Cup victory
were nowhere to be seen during the dregs of the regular season.
Any
Blackhawks function now is filled to capacity with rowdy hockey fans. Jerseys are everywhere. Sports talk radio hosts are
being bombarded with calls from fans. Duncan Keith's teeth are now part
of Chicago sports lore.
It's a revolution.
The ride has been nothing less than
exhilarating. Luckily, I have had the time to stop during all this
madness and look around. This is what led to a list detailing "The 5
People You Meet on the Chicago Blackhawks' Bandwagon".
(For the
uninitiated, the "bandwagon" is often used to describe the groundswell
of excitement surrounding a team. To "jump on the bandwagon" is to
become a fan after the good times are already rolling.")
1.) The
Casual Fan Description: This is the biggest chunk of the
fan-o-sphere following the Blackhawks right now. Personally, I probably
fall into this group. These are people who are normal sports fans (some,
like myself, follow other sports like a fanatic), but never truly dove
completely into hockey. Be it reasons of never playing the game before,
growing up in a bad hockey town, being turned off by the work stoppage
or any other reason, these are people who have never put hockey as their
highest priority. This is not to say they had not been keeping an eye
on the local team, not at all, these people would gladly watch a game once in
awhile. Just as long as
Modern Family wasn't on.
Favorite Blackhawks memory from this season: Dustin Byfuglien's overtime goal in game 3 of
the Western Conference Finals against the San Jose Sharks. While these
fans were getting more and more invested in the team, going up 3-0 in
the Conference Finals was the last piece to convince them that this team
had a great shot at winning the entire thing.
Jersey: Jonathan
Toews. No one will look at you strangely with a Toews jersey, he has
been playing very well in the playoffs and his name if fun to say. What
more would a casual fan want?
2.) The First TimerDescription:
Here are the people that most of the crowd get angry with. They are the
one's who didn't know Chicago had a professional hockey team until two
weeks ago? "Blackhawks? Are they the soccer team?" Now they are the
world's biggest fans. They surely would never miss a moment of any game.
Despite not knowing any of the players or the rules of hockey, they
will cheer their lungs out whenever they think they are supposed to. At a
game, these are the fans that react to the Noise-Meter gimmick. "Nice shot Bye-fugg-lee-ing! Oh, what a pass by Toes!"
Favorite
Blackhawks memory from this season: The third period of game 4 of the
Western Conference Finals victory. Possibly the first period that these
fans sat through in its entirety. They made sure to catch this moment so
they could gloat to their friends that they watched as the Blackhawks made
it to the Stanley Cup Finals.
Jersey: Patrick Kane. "He's
popular, right?"
3.) The Girl Fan
Description: (To the
wonderful female fans, please disregard the next section. There are
many, many quality girl fans, but they will fall into a different category.
This description is much more for the tag-along
girlfriends/wives/single women looking for a man.) Say what you will
about equal representation in society, hockey is still very much a man's
world. It is a dirty game featuring speed, aggression and impact. The
ratio at Blackhawks events are generally stuck at 6:1. A good girl fan,
who isn't that interested in the game, will still get excited for
"Chelsea Dagger" and sing along. A bad girl fan will pout and show their
displeasure for three full periods.
Favorite Blackhawks memory
from this season: When that guy in the bar winked at her.
Jersey:
No jersey, instead they will go for one of three option: 1.) a
Blackhawks t-shirt 2.) a form-fitting jersey imitation 3.) an outfit
more suited for a club, which they will hopefully be going to after this
boring hockey game.
4.) The Angry Die-Hard Fan
Description:
For some reason, the recent success of the team has rubbed this fan the
wrong way. They are sick of these "fake" fans that were not around when
the team was bad. More often than not, these fans had to sit through a
long period of losing before they were rewarded with this success. It
seems to them that cheering for the team should only come after some
sort of sacrifice, like throwing hours away watching loss after loss.
Now these fans generally avoid any Blackhawks functions. Instead, they
prefer to watch the games in the confines of their homes in their
comfortable chairs while they preach about the good old days of true Hawks fans.
It almost seems like they preferred a bad team.
Favorite
Blackhawks memory this season: Friday, December 8
th, 2009. A
shootout victory
against the Red Wings. Two original six teams playing in a heated game.
This was bliss for the old timer. Too bad it had to be ruined by this
newfangled shootout thing. "Where were all these newcomer fans then?"
Jersey: Brent
Sopel. An underrated
defenseman who does
the little things. He plays hockey the right way. Most importantly, no
fair-weather fans will have his jersey, let alone know who he is.
5.)
The Happy Die-Hard Fan
Description: Luckily for everyone who is
rooting for the Blackhawks now (even if they didn't before), most
Blackhawks die-hard fans are too happy right now to care who is on board. They are an ecstatic bunch. They tell tales of team that is
young. A team that could be great for years to come. A team that plays
an entertaining style of hockey. A team that has leaders in each unit.
They are having the time of their lives watching every second of these
playoffs. Everyone is invited to cheer along as Chicago tries to take
home the Cup.
Favorite Blackhawk memory from this season: The
highlights of game five of the first round series against the Nashville
Predators. These fans watched the Predators seemingly take control of
the series. The Hawks were going to go down 3-2 in the series heading
back to Nashville. The game was over. The season was over. That is until,
with 13.6 seconds left, Patrick Kane sent the game to overtime. New
life. Marian Hossa did the rest and Chicago never looked back in that
series. It was a test to the team early in the playoffs that could have
gone one of two ways. The pressure could have been too much for the team
to handle or it could have presented an opportunity to prove something.
Chicago took it as a chance to overcome an obstacle. The die-hard fans
had seen the end of the season and survived. "Maybe this team is
different."
Jersey: Patrick Sharp. Most die-hards don't like to
wear the standard, most popular jerseys. While Sharp is certainly
popular, his jersey does not get the attention that Kane or Toews does.
It is an understated jersey, much like the player.
-----
The
Blackhawks begin their final march to the Cup this Saturday at the
raucous United Center. Be you a first time fan, a girlfriend or a
die-hard, you might want to pay attention to this series.
Good or bad,
history will be made.
(If you liked this "5 People" post, check
out others including Chicago Recreational Sports, Chicago Dog Parks and
Chicago Grocery Stores. Thanks and Go Hawks!)
19 Comments
Jackie Tithof Steere said:
Nice. I have to agree it's pretty much a man's world, this hockey stuff. I was turned off pretty early on when as a girl (or young woman) I had to endure being rated with signs numbered 1-10 by the University of Michigan hockey team. Sorry, but that's no way to recruit female fans (well maybe some, but not my type). But, you keep rooting them on!!!!
Glenn McBride said:
I will keep my personal feelings for the University of Michigan out of this comment, but I will just say that this type of behavior isn't rare. Glad you can still cheer for the Blackhawks!
SteveJankowski11 said:
Consider me #5 on that list. And I see plenty of all five kinds of Hawks fans at Gunzo's where I work. It's fun, except for the newcomers who try to make sure you know that they supposedly know what they're talking about. I usually see right through it though, but smile and nod in return.
JulieDiCaro said:
I'm so sick of all the bandwagoner talk. Do you want a city that supports its team or not?
Tab said:
I'm #5
Wore a red Steve Larmer sweater until I got it signed, graduated to a red Brent Seabrook. I do wear a Toews Winter Classic and own authentic Olympic Toews & Kane jerseys (red Canada, throwback white USA), but for the playoffs it's all Seabrook, all the time.
This is an incredible time to be a Blackhawks fan that's had season tickets since before they were a playoff team and who was one of the 8,500 that used to "put up" with the team. The more the merrier! Just don't be like the casual Cubs fans who text the entire game. If you're coming to the United Center - BRING IT LOUD. Pack cough drops if you have to.
Glenn McBride said:
Would you say the UC crowd brought it last night?
Doug Thonus said:
I'm #6: The guy who figures he should hop on the bandwagon because the Hawks are young, exciting, and about to win a championship, but really can't muster the time to do so.
If I watch a game in the finals it will be my first of the year. I want to like the Hawks, but really, it'd just be faking it so why bother? My issue with them is simply that their season runs concurrently with the NBA season, and so I rarely have free time to watch hockey as I don't even get in all the basketball I'd like.
It is interesting how people get upset about bandwagon fans, see bandwagon fans don't give a crap that they're bandwagon fans, nor should they.
They hop on at the good times enjoy them, and then don't waste the rest of their time being miserable about a miserable team. They spend their entertainment time and dollars on something fun instead.
In reality, the bandwagon fan has it right, it's the die hard fan that's screwed up, and I say this as a die hard Bulls fan who's endured plenty of losing and wasted plenty of time and entertainment dollars.
Glenn McBride said:
Interesting point. Should we all rather be bandwagon fans? The suffering is tough and being a fairweather fan has its perks...
klohee said:
Bandwagon fans should be referred to as Chicago Fans, supporting the city and routing for any team that makes it to the playoffs. So take your bandwagon feelings and stick them where the sun doesn't shine.
Glenn McBride said:
O.....k. Not sure I said that there was anything wrong with fans supporting the local teams.
Go Hawks!
Terry said:
This is right on. I too am tired of the Band wagon people. I have always noticed the hot chicks showing up at games. You can tell they have no idea what is going on, who is playing or what hockey is. They are there to be seen and hook up.
Terry said:
Bandwagon fans should buy a Hawk's, Bulls, Sox and Cub's jersey that has velcro so that they can fit in anywhere. These people make me ill.
Glenn McBride said:
This is great! Can you imagine if this existed? Somebody please make this happen.
jtaylor said:
Hey Bud! I think you mean highlights from game five of the first round against the Predators: Kopecky's breakaway out of the box, Kane's lifesaver & Hossa's putting it away-fantastic!
From a happy die-hard fan
Glenn McBride said:
Yup, you are right on. Thanks for catching this! Made the edit. Go Hawks!
schenner said:
Great article Glenn!
I got one more category for your list (which I would be included in)...
6. The Die Hard Hockey Fan - NOT from Chicago BUT rooting for the Hawks
I am a die hard leafs fan (although I will gladly watch any hockey game or team), and I am on the hawks bandwagon because like hawks fans out there I know what it is like to watch my team undergo a epic cup drought and suffer through years of inadequate hockey.
Its hard to ask for anything more from a hockey team..the hawks are skilled, fast, and play an exciting up tempo type of hockey. given this, its quite easy to see why me and many other torontonians/canadians have been rooting for the hawks this postseason (and last) and would love to see chicago clinch the cup and end the drought.
real hockey fans dont get mad at bandwagoners...they just enjoy the ride (I know i am)!!!
LETS GO HAWKS!!
Glenn McBride said:
Love to see the inter-hockey love from (of all places) Toronto. Thanks for the comment. It would be interesting to see if Blackhawks fans would feel the same way about a Maple Leafs Stanley Cup appearance.
DJake said:
#7 the Opportunistic Sport Reporter who has never written an article about Hockey and doesn't know the difference between a jersey and a sweater. Derrick Rose wears a Jersey, Patrick Kane wears a sweater. You can add any local news personality to this list b/c they have never had to comment on hockey and now they just look silly doing it. I'm a #1 btw....
Combest said:
Really, you would turn off a hockey game (or any game for that matter) of your hometown team for Modern Family? Pssh...You don't even deserve to be a casual fan, go chat about the new season of the Bachelor with #3.
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