Loyalty Versus Fair-Weather.

I had a completely different post all set to go for today (it will probably be published Sunday), until I stumbled on this article in the Broward New Times, written by Thomas Francis.  I want to thank my friend Donny Rivette over at Litter Box Cats for uncovering the slop.  I also want to credit Mr. Francis for ruining my day.

As you’ll read the article takes the stance that new general manager Dale Tallon, who held the same position in Chicago, will have a hard time selling tickets to watch a Florida Panthers practice, while the Chicago Blackhawks, who happen to be the defending Stanley Cup Champions are charging $5.00 for theirs.  My rebuttal isn’t about the fact that the Hawks organization is charging fans to come and watch a practice.  My pinched nerve is about the last sentence that Francis wrote:

“Now they’ve got 18,000 (mostly) fair weathered fans flocking to a single practice”.

Man that statement right there really pisses me off.  Sorry kids, I vowed over the summer to watch the profanity, but dang gummit, I can’t!  This statement by Francis is complete and utter bullshit!  I will, and can challenge him on that too!  Why?  I lived in Chicago.  I was born and raised there, and was also a season seat holder for many seasons.  I know what it’s like to make the playoffs every year.  I know what it’s like to have a superstar in your town.  I know what it feels like when you’re finally eliminated from the the playoffs and when you lose the Stanley Cup on your home ice.  I get it.

I also know what it’s like when your favourite players are traded away, or are let go as free agents with nothing in return.  Want a list?  How about these guys who were allowed to leave town?

Bobby Hull, Jeremy Roenick, Chris Chelios, and Ed Belfour to just name a few.  All either in or most likely to be Hall Of Famers.  Shoddy ownership and bad management on more than one occasion dismantled a Blackhawks team and ripped the hearts right out of their fans.  Then to watch your favourite team become a pansy, a pushover, a bottom of the barrel club get slapped around and laughed at by the NHL.  Sound familiar? There is so much history in Chicago, Florida doesn’t even come close to having an ounce of it by comparison.

Then after the death of old man Wirtz changes were made, and while it took that death, Wirtz’s’ son Rocky came in and turned things around with the help of the right people because it was the right thing to do.  Guess what?  They started drafting quality players.  They developed those players and didn’t just toss them to the wolves.  They hired the right coaches.  Coaches with experience, scouts who knew what to look for, and they started winning.

What happened in the middle was that while the team was losing, people did the one thing that they could control.  They stopped going to games.  They stopped buying souvenirs and sweaters. They couldn’t give a rat’s ass about the Hawks.  It’s true.  But now, because they won the Cup, and the first practice of the season is sold out even though they are charging $5.00 per head, Mr. Francis gets to call most of the 18,000 fans fair weathered?  You are obviously barking up the wrong tree Mr.   The fans in Chicago are loyal, and passionate.  Did you ever live there?  Do you know anything at all about their history?  Do you have first hand experience?  For years fans lived and died with the Hawks until finally they had enough.

While the Florida Panthers have to resort to all sorts of ticket marketing crap in an attempt to fill the seats of the Bank Atlantic Center, the Hawks did the one thing that they knew would bring the fans back.  They built a winner.  They did it in a very short time.  Less than four years.  Here in Florida we are going through another rebuild.  How many of these before it gets fixed?  As for the ticket promo, I discovered yesterday that someone was able to get club seats for $19.72!  For the whole season this person is paying $808.00!  What do I pay for my seat in the lower level? Multiply $19.72 by over 3!  And I’ve had seats for a dozen years!  I should stop payment now, but I love this game too damn much.

In Florida fans are crying about Roberto Luongo, and Jay Bouwmeester, Krissy Huselius, Nik Hagman. Get a hold of yourself.  We weren’t winning with those guys, and we aren’t winning without them.  My guess is that none of them make the Hall of Fame.  Any bets?  These players were either too immature to know how to handle the pressures of the NHL, the distractions of playing in South Florida, and didn’t have the heart to stick it out.  Good friggin’ riddance.

The fans in Chicago deserve a winner after 49 years.  The city is back in love with the Hawks and they should be.  I ran into Bobby Hull over the summer and he’s so proud of what they’ve been able to accomplish, there’s no way for me to describe it to you. I’ll never forget the look on his face and that ear to ear grin he had.  And because the team started winning, the United Center began to be filled.  Something like 100 consecutive sellouts.  Merchandise flying off the shelves.  Everyone in the city supporting a young and exciting team that has personality.  Well deserved and not at all fair weather.  Those people who came back also brought their children to support the Hawks, and why not?  They’re a winner!

As for the Florida Panthers, a city known for more fair-weather fans than you fill the Bank Atlantic Center with, there’s no loyalty. The only time the building is filled is when the Canadiens, Leafs, and Rangers come to town.  And it’s all of their fans, not ours! We have marketing programs pissing off loyal season ticket holders like me, attracting fans at less than half the price that I pay for my tickets.  What’s loyal about that?  Where have those fans been all these years?

You want to fill the arena?  You want people spending money on Panther gear? Then do the one thing and the only thing that matters.

PUT TOGETHER A ROSTER OF WINNING TALENT.

Forget the other stuff.  It’s all B.S. anyway.

As former head coach of both the Blackhawks and the Panthers Mike Keenan once said, “there’s no excuses, but there’s reasons.

The reason the Panthers can’t sell tickets is because they don’t win.  Plain, simple, and truthful.

As a former Chicagoan, I am loyal and still love the Blackhawks.  As a Florida resident, I support the Florida Panthers.  There isn’t a damn thing that’s fair-weathered about that.

It’s called loyalty.  I’ve stuck it out.  How about finding some players that are willing to do the same?

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