UMFan83

Meh, whatever....people can think of Hawks fans however they want to. If the Hawks win 2 more games they can think of us as fans of the Stanley Cup champs.

I hate the stereotypical impression that all Hawks fans are bandwagoners that don't know crap about hockey, but there is no denying that a decent sized contingent are that way. I went to the Sox game last night (with my dog for dog day mind you) and I'd say maybe 20% of everyone I saw were wearing something Hawks related. Which is pretty crazy when you think about it. 1 out of 5 people were sporting a jersey shirt or hat. With all that said, that video is awesome and made my afternoon.

I definitely think that will be the vibe at the UC if we lose tonight, unfortunately. That's how the fans were in Game 2 against Nashville after losing game 1. Remember this was after the Hawks played a really bad March and everyone questioned if they were the same team as the one in December that was steamrolling every team they played. So fans were really freaking out after losing the first game at home to Nashville.

The question is, a sweep for whom? Probably the team that would cause us to get mildly interested in them if they did it.

You just feel that way because you like to freak out after anything remotely negative happens to any of your teams. The non-erik's of the world feel overreacting is far more annoying than complaining about overreacting. But I don't really anymore. I mean yes, I was down on the Hawks after game 3 because I was looking to see something, and I didn't see it. Game 3 was an outburst of stuff that I saw in all 3 games that I didn't like. I never said I wasn't enjoying the SCF, I never said I thought we were going to lose the series, I never said the Flyers are better than us or anything. The most overreacty thing I said was that the Flyers were going to win game 4 and tie up the series, which is something I said like 30 seconds after the game as a vent. But it's not just the overreacters that are annoyed, I've read comments from people in the past who don't tend to overreact who are annoyed that people go on and on complaining about the complainers. Like yeah, saying something right after the game when Sulley was lamenting about the cup drought now being 50 years, whatever. But I've seen the complaining mentioned in multiple threads and people just keep complaining about it as if Kyle personally attracked them when saying that Kane's goal will be the highest point of the series. Anyways, I realize the irony of complaining about the complainers of the overreacting is just maknig things worse, so its not a big deal. And Banedon I wasn't saying you don't have a right to your opinion because you've only posted since the playoffs started. I know you are just as into what's going on as any of us are. I'm just saying that this is the same thing that posters have been doing in this thread since September, so to come in in May and then trying to stop it is fruitless. I don't even think people necessarily think I was overreacting but being more or less overly negative, which I was being. I wanted to discuss the game some more, and I wanted to point out observations about the game and at the time most of those points were negatives because we lost and we haven't played great all 3 games this series. No one really refuted any of the observations I made either, they just bitched about how negative we were all being. I pointed out things we did well too, but after 3 mediocre played games and a loss in the last game there wasn't a ton of that to discuss. Being up 2-1 is awesome, it really is, but to expect us to say "Sucks we lost but we are still up 2-1" would make for no interesting discussion. A lot of the people that were upset were upset because we haven't liked what we've seen out of the Hawks this series. We expected to have proven we were the better team by now, and more or less we are now in a dogfight. Of course if we play great tonight and win, then things will change quickly.

i dont understand your posts. why are we nuts? because we're being unbiased in our assessment of the series so far. the flyers have played us evenly for 3 straight games and are giving us all sorts of problems. i'm not sure how that's not a concern to you. Because those problems have lead to us winning 2 out of 3 games. I'll take a repeat of that. Yes do you not comprehend that all 3 games were decided by a coinflip basically? They could play at the exact level for the next 3 games and lose all 3 and the series. Or they could win all 2. The thing that worries most Hawks fans is that we went into this series thinking that the series wouldn't come down to a break here or there and that by now we'd have proven we are better than them. If we had won games 1 and 2 6-0 and dominated every part of the game, and then went into Philly and lost 2-1 in OT, this thread would look completely different. Seriously, complaining about the overreacting is just as annoying as the actual overreacting. Especially when we've been talking Hawks all year on this thread and people who have joined a month ago are bitching. Everyone has a right to post here but we've been going back and forth all year like this, so it shouldnt be a shock to everyone.

A great team playing at less than their best being up 2-1 is hardly justification for being worried about that level of play. Philly mucks it up, and it's gotten them one win in three games. Congrats. But they felt lucky to get out of game 3 with a win, believe me. Their fans were not the least bit confident at the end of regulation or going into overtime. I wouldn't expect Philly to feel all that confident in the heat of the moment going into OT tied at 3 with a Blackhawks goal basically ending their season. But I think once they got the win and the intensity of the game died down, most fans on both sides could clearly see what has happened this series. The Blackhawks and Flyers have played 3 games that could have gone either way, with 2 in Chicago, and the Hawks won 2 of them. Maybe the Flyers are playing at the top of their game and the Hawks are playing so-so, maybe the Flyers are doing a good job of shutting down certain areas of the Hawks game, or maybe its a little of both. But based on what we've seen, the Hawks and Flyers have played 4 games this year, and they've all been decided by a goal, and the home team has won every game. Despite the rather small sample size (although how much bigger can you get when these teams play each other so infrequently), it seems you can conclude that the Hawks and Flyers have matched up very evenly. Like I've said, the Hawks could come out tomorrow, just completely dominate the Flyers, win like 6-1 and prove that they are much better. Or they could come out, play evenly (some periods where they control play, some where the Flyers do) and play another 1 goal game. Neither would surprise me.

If the Hawks lose game 4, it will make our overreactions, while still out there, seem like we were on to something about our play foreshadowing a reversal of fortunes from games 1 and 2. If the Hawks win game 4, the media will play it up that the series is almost over and game 3 was the Flyers best shot but the more talented Hawks are pulling away. Also, we'll all look like idiots for overreacting. But I still don't think anything I said was ridiculous, or what 96% of all posts after that game said. We are right to be worried that the Hawks play in the first 3 games is a bad indicator of the rest of the series regardless of whether we won all 3 of the games or none of the 3 games.

Wasn't that Game 2?

http://nba.fanhouse.com/2010/06/04/source-lebron-james-plans-elaborate-free-agency-tour/?ncid=edlinkusspor00000004 Wow...I don't want him anymore. This is all a publicity stunt that ends with him back in Cleveland. Nike probably asked him to throw the series against the Celtics in order to build the drama. OK, maybe not but wow that is ridiculous. If he is going to play this dramatic game that potentially costs us top FAs because we court him for too long and they lose interest in Chicago and sign elsewhere, I'd rather just not go after him.

The 2-1 lead is great, and a good position to be in. We all know that. It's how we got to the 2-1 lead that worries a lot of us. The Flyers have really matched up well against us and instead of the Hawks looking like they have the obvious advantage in talent, it's looked pretty even. So instead of knowing that our talent will allow us to overwhelm the Flyers and win the series, we have to worry about a real possibility that the Flyers will go out there and tie up the series tomorrow night. In a vacuum thats not the worst thing in the world, but it gives the Flyers all the momentum and has them extremely confident that they can beat us. At that point, the series would be a tossup.

Also, I forgot about this but the Hawks still haven't won at the Wachovia Center. They lost for the 9th straight game last night.

Lol, new here much? If it's not for Sulley I'd be King of the Whiners. True, but I might be in 3rd place and even I'm trying to look at this rationally. Trust me, I am really disapointed with how the Hawks have played this series. It could be 3-0 Flyers in an alternate universe. But the fact is its not. It's 2-1 Hawks, and the Hawks have yet to come close to playing their best hockey for more than a period or two this series. Philly is much better than I give them credit for, but I still think the Hawks A game can outplay the Flyers A game. Maybe I'm just ignorant, I don't know but I believe it. The question is whether we will see that A game this series. Every period we don't play like it lowers the odds. But I'd rather be questioning this with a series lead than down 2-1 or down 3-0.

I see it. Nice front page redesign Tim. :)

I am really upset at how the play has gone in these first 3 games but c'mon Kyle you are better than that. How many times have the Hawks thrown up stinkers this season only to rise up and dominate a game when you least expected it? The Hawks stunk their way through the last third of the season and the first round of the playoffs and then just turned it on and dominated the Canucks and swept the Sharks. This team has roller coaster tendancies, despite being very good. I still think the Hawks win in 6. I think the Flyers tie it up tomorrow, everyone panics, everyone gives up on them, and the Hawks come out and blow out the Flyers in game 5 and then grind out a win in game 6 and take the Cup home. It's not going to be easy, but we'll do it. Kane's goal did end up sucking though because when he scored it just assumed it was over and we would hold them the rest of the game. Instead they pretty much dominated us for the rest of the time on the ice save a couple of minutes at the end of the 3rd and start of OT

Fantastic career. Just sad that we can't see how his career would have turned out without the injuries. Would he hold the HR crown? Who knows.

That's great news. Now hire him! They'd better do it soon. He was offered the NO job and they gave him a deadline of Game 1 of the Finals to decide. People are speculating that he might not be willing to turn down a HC job even if its not the one he wanted the most.

Some of you guys are way too harsh on Joyce IMO. He's a human and humans make mistakes. Umpires blow calls all of the time, how is this any different? Because it came at such an inopportune time? I understand it becomes a forum for introducing replay, and people think its ridiculous that there is such a human element to umping. But there is no replay now. He made the call that he thought was correct and unfortunately it wasn't. It's not like he was trying to ruin the kid's perfect game. It's not like he tried to give him a favorable call to preserve history. He was trying to be an impartial umpire and it backfired badly on him. And he's not acting like Froemming did after he blew Pappas' perfect game. The guy has a ton of remorse and personally apologized to the kid. He realizes he f'ed up and he's probably gonna have trouble sleeping tonight. I'm not saying take pity on him, but it's unnecessary to call for his head for making a mistake that umps make all the time either.

The reporters who were in the Hawks locker room said it took the Hawks a long time in general to gather themselves, and the overall mood was of considerable disappointment. I am not sure that their mood really matters or whatever, but it's interesting to hear how they felt after the game. I actually think that's good for them. They usually respond when they leave a game disappointed.

Yeah that's horrible. I wonder what their justification is. I'm assuming it has something to do with getting fans to the ballpark on less than 24 hours notice (I'm assuming it would be replayed as a day game if it was rescheduled for tomorrow). It's not like the Pirates would draw a ton for the game either way, but it might be an embarrassingly low turnout had they given their fans 12 hours notice for a Thursday day game.

Niemi has been amazing with low shots in the playoffs. Tonight not so much. Especially in the game winning goal. I have to see a replay, but in my recollection of the moment, it looked like it went right through the 5 hole. I'm probably wrong though.

We can keep talking about how we know they are less talented, but they haven't show it yet through 3 games. The reason everyone is freaking out is because they have to now accept that the Hawks aren't going to be able to just overwhelm the Flyers with their excess talent. Chicago sports fans are extremely bipolar, because we've seen disasters and chokes happen in the past. When times are good, they ignore all of those past ghosts and conclude that this team is different, and get cocky. Then when the team loses, they immediately draw comparisons to those past failures. That's just how the majority of us are. I am one of them. I was very cocky before this game, and I didn't care if I talked as if we were winning the Cup. In my mind, I'm not worried about being overconfident and jinxing them. But now I have doubt in my head. I am now not certain that we are taking home the puck. I still think we will but I am getting worried that we won't and this will all be another horrendous Chicago sports disappointment. But overall I realize that we shouldn't be worried about that considering we are still in a great position to win this.

In the playoffs it's been Kane-Toews-Buff, but at one point he was. I definitely think we could use him, but at the same time I don't think he's the difference maker that is going to have us dominating the Flyers for an entire game.

One good thing is penalties have been 7-7 the last two games. Although it doesn't seem like the refs are willing to even out the 4-0 from game 1.

We've gotten outshot by 5+ shots every game this series, we haven't scored a power play goal in the entire series, we've given up 3-4 PPGs this series, we got manhandled in the faceoff zone to pathetic levels. The first 2 goals we scored in the game weren't exactly good looks. In fact, from my view of the game, we didn't get very many good looks all night, with a few notable instances. The Flyers are manhandling us in the crease. Leighton is giving up huge rebounds, and we cannot get our stick on them at all. So now the only faceoff numbers that matter are from tonight's game? And you really don't think the Hawks PP is going to be better? You don't think they're going to convert better around the net? And you think the Flyers are going to keep up their power play numbers? Seriously you guys are overreacting like mad. I didn't say only faceoff numbers matter. I pointed out that we got outshot for the 3rd time out of 3 games this series. In the regular season we allowed the least SOG in the NHL and outshot our opponent like 80% of the time. I realize the playoffs and the SCF are a different animal altogether, but it's hard to see us getting outshot every game, even if we've been winning them. We're winning but not winning the way that got us here. I am not sure the Hawks PP is going to be better. They were middle of the road in the regular season. I mean I'm sure if you give them enough opportunities they'd eventually score something, but our PP is not going to be a difference maker in the series, but I knew that going in. I don't think they will convert better around the net. Pronger and his Defensive mates have been doing a phenomenal job of not letting the Hawks get their sticks on any of those rebounds. The Hawks are in position most of the time, but the Flyers are getting to the puck or lifting the Hawks stick first. That's not necessarily a fluke, that's skill by the Flyers. We might have to win without much help from cleaning up rebounds (except Hossa's goal last game). Now the Flyers PP numbers I'm not AS concerned about for the rest of the series. Just because the Hawks have had such a good PK in the playoffs before this series. But this series, and especially tonight, I saw Hawks out of position, I saw the Flyers being able to sneak passes to open shooters, I saw the Hawks have a lot of difficulty clearing the puck. So if you put a gun to my head I think the Hawks will clean up the PK. And yes I realize I'm overreacting. Actually I wouldn't call it that, more like being a pessimist in terms of only pointing out bad things we did tonight. Overreacting is lamenting on how we blew this opportunity and "50 years without the cup" after losing for the first time in 3 games of the series. I still think we are going to win, but I'm quite a bit less certain after tonight. Basically there was no way the Hawks were going to lose where you wouldn't freak out. Exactly. I know myself well. I go through a half hour of venting after every big sports loss where I'm irrational and overly negative. I'm sorry you guys have to read it if you don't enjoy it, but I'm going to keep doing it until they ban me. And I think I have a right to freak out a little bit. Yes I would take a 2-1 lead and playing evenly with the Flyers a million straight times. But that doesn't mean I wouldn't be concerned at how we played. We should be a much much better team than the Flyers, but we aren't. That's a reality I guess we have to get used too. I guess the Hawks could come out in Game 4 and dominate the entire game and it wouldn't be the most shocking thing ever. It just becomes increasingly more likely that we're not going to have a game where we come out and just manhandle the Flyers. Maybe I'm expecting too much, but I guess more or less its gonna come down to little things, breaks here and there, and home ice advantage. There are still a lot of things to like about the Hawks position of course. For one, we're leading the series. We still have an opportunity to accomplish what we were looking for when coming to Philly, which is come home up 3-1. We still have home ice advantage and the worst Philly can do in Philly is win 3 games. Even though we haven't played our best hockey we still lead the series and could have easily won this game and been up 3-0 in the series. Anyways, I am just rambling. Just trying to mentally switch my mindset from "easy cruise to a stanley cup" to "tough grind it out series with the final outcome possibly in doubt until it's over".