Mark Lazerus calls out "hating" fans

[G0AT]

I mean, he's not wrong. Sadly, our fan-base has become spoiled a bit. A lot of the fans got so used to winning, they don't know what it's like to lose.
Sure it was unprofessional by Laz, but I don't blame him for voicing his opinion.

 

[No Fun Shogun]

I mean, he's right. We can all be ticked at Toews and Seabrook for not being worth their contracts or at Q for line management or for Bowman for more than a few missteps or at Keith for just getting old, but these are all men that have respectively brought us more joy as Chicago sports fans than probably anyone other than the Jordan-era Bulls if you're a fan of the NBA as well and nobody in all likelihood if you're not.

Criticize away, and even be happy if/when trades/firings happen for the future of the franchise, but there can be zero denying that they all had humongous positive impacts on our lives and for our team. If the era of being elite is behind us, 2010-2015 is a period of dominance that most teams will never get to experience and we likely won't see in a Chicago area team again in our lifetimes.

In summation, dislike where almost any player is at, but almost everybody in question of relevance was important to two or three of our Cup wins, so hate is a bridge too far.

 

[Pez68]

Lazerus is a fraud, and a mouthpiece of the organization. He does a disservice to what media is SUPPOSED to be. He's a flag bearer, that never questions the organization, management, or the players.

Nice temper tantrum, though.

Fans have every right to be pissed off. Ticket prices continue to go up while the on-ice product continues to decline. Those ticket prices reflect the salary the Hawks are shelling out to the players. If players aren't earning their salary, season ticket holders have EVERY RIGHT to be pissed off.

And let's be real here. There are only a handful of people that actually HATE the guys mentioned. Everything is blown out of proportion on the internet. People are pissed off that, really, there's no excuse for these guys to have fallen off a cliff as quickly as they have. Everyone figured these guys would gradually decline in their 30s and respectfully retire as Hawks. Kind of like all the other elite franchise players across the NHL? Then take into account that it looks like a lot of them are mailing it in on a nightly basis? f*** off. Sports is a what have you done for me lately business.

I have an idea, Laz. Start doing your f***ing job and asking questions.

 

[Kaners Bald Spot]

The 2009-2017 Blackhawks have accomplished the second most successful run in CHICAGO SPORTS HISTORY. They can be only topped by the 91-98 Bulls. Kane, Toews, Seabrook, and Keith should be Legends in Chicago Sports History, and treated as such. Nothing can take away what they have accomplished.

 

[RememberTheRoar]

The 2009-2017 Blackhawks have accomplished the second most successful run in CHICAGO SPORTS HISTORY. They can be only topped by the 91-98 Bulls. Kane, Toews, Seabrook, and Keith should be Legends in Chicago Sports History, and treated as such. Nothing can take away what they have accomplished.

Again, appreciating what they did and being upset with their current performance/state of the franchise are not mutually exclusive.

 

[RememberTheRoar]

I mean, he's right. We can all be ticked at Toews and Seabrook for not being worth their contracts or at Q for line management or for Bowman for more than a few missteps or at Keith for just getting old, but these are all men that have respectively brought us more joy as Chicago sports fans than probably anyone other than the Jordan-era Bulls if you're a fan of the NBA as well and nobody in all likelihood if you're not.

Criticize away, and even be happy if/when trades/firings happen for the future of the franchise, but there can be zero denying that they all had humongous positive impacts on our lives and for our team. If the era of being elite is behind us, 2010-2015 is a period of dominance that most teams will never get to experience and we likely won't see in a Chicago area team again in our lifetimes.

In summation, dislike where almost any player is at, but almost everybody in question of relevance was important to two or three of our Cup wins, so hate is a bridge too far.

The problem is Lazerus responded to the ignorance of the fringe lunatics with what can be misinterpreted as an indictment of all Hawks fans who are upset with the current state of the team.

Saying "so many of you seem to HATE these guys." is a problem.

 

[No Fun Shogun]

He started his rant by stating he was only singling out the vocal extreme of fans that are expressing hate. And yet you're seeing folks here take that as an affront against them in here.

 

[Pez68]

He started his rant by stating he was only singling out the vocal extreme of fans that are expressing hate. And yet you're seeing folks here take that as an affront against them in here.

What better way to address those fans...than throwing tantrums on Twitter....

I don't see anyone taking this as an affront. I mostly see people questioning what the hell Lazerus is thinking.

It's also pretty funny that he can call out the meatballs, but won't question ANYTHING about the organization.

 

[Salvaged Ship]

I will never ever hate Toews, Kane, Seabrook, Sharp, any friggin Hawk through the cup years and I can’t believe hate is the proper word for any frustrated Hawks fan. They will always be royalty in my eyes.

You can be frustrated with a players contract and their play regarding the contract but unless that player is being an arse, isn’t trying, or is doing something selfish that is taking away from the team its a ridiculous to suggest hate. I am sure every one of these guys is frustrated with their play and the teams play. The contracts suck but what were they supposed to do, not sign them? They didn’t anticipate their games would regress, neither did Bowman.

Fans are spoiled with this team, no doubt.

 

[AmericanDream]

Again, appreciating what they did and being upset with their current performance/state of the franchise are not mutually exclusive.

exactly. I will be forever grateful and thankful for what I was able to witness in my lifetime with this group, but once the big money was handed out, the majority of them have shit the bed - that isn't being extreme it is being real and as the people who go to the games we have to call them out for making this type of money now and seemingly cruising off into the sunset with their on-ice performance.

The major problem was this core wasn't done if Toews and Seabs and Keith were close to their level of play just 2 plus years ago...that is the frustrating thing as we "should" have won another title with this team.

 

[Colonel X]

I don't really take this as something directed at many here if any. This is for the bandwagoners who don't understand the ebb and flow of a franchise over the seasons. No team is going to win the Cup every year, not even the Hawks. No one here hates Seabrook, we just wish he hadn't been signed to that contract. He helped us get 3 Cups and when he's retired we'll revere him and everyone in this core similarly to the way we revere Mikita and Tony O and Savard and Hull. Seriously, these guys are legends, they are just at the wrong end of their careers for the current team.

 

[RememberTheRoar]

He started his rant by stating he was only singling out the vocal extreme of fans that are expressing hate. And yet you're seeing folks here take that as an affront against them in here.

He didn't say that though. He said, "I'm well aware that #BlackhawksTwitter is not representative of the fan base as a whole. This is a place of extremes."

He acknowledged that twitter isn't representative of the entire fanbase, implying it's representative of a part of it, then said "so many of you" and "What the hell kind of fan are you?"

He's using these fringe trolls as justification to get on a soapbox about Hawks fans who are upset, and it's also a really bad look for a journalist. It's simply not his place to do what he did, it's something for a Dan Berstein, Jay Zawaski, or Eddie Olczyk to do.

How many people are really out there wishing ill on these players?

 

[AmericanDream]

I don't really take this as something directed at many here if any. This is for the bandwagoners who don't understand the ebb and flow of a franchise over the seasons. No team is going to win the Cup every year, not even the Hawks. No one here hates Seabrook, we just wish he hadn't been signed to that contract. He helped us get 3 Cups and when he's retired we'll revere him and everyone in this core similarly to the way we revere Mikita and Tony O and Savard and Hull. Seriously, these guys are legends, they are just at the wrong end of their careers for the current team.

they weren't on the wrong side of their contracts and you have to justify getting paid $10mil or $6.75mil respectively...that is the issue, some of these guys aren't even close to earning that money...not even close just a few years after signing the deals.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

A respected journalist shouldn't be slinging feces with the inmates in an insane asylum. It's just not a good look. Ordered Lazerus' book two days ago. Anyone else read it?

Also got through the chapter on Q in Custance's book. Some interesting bits.

 

[TLEH]

Read that whole coach book. What a great book. So much insight. Love THE *quotes about bonuses.

Scott Powers and Zawaski continue to be the only two people I follow regarding Hawks. Powers is essentially all you need

 

[hawksrule]

A respected journalist shouldn't be slinging feces with the inmates in an insane asylum. It's just not a good look. Ordered Lazerus' book two days ago. Anyone else read it?

Also got through the chapter on Q in Custance's book. Some interesting bits.

Like what?

 

[hawksrule]

The whole premise of his rant is stupid. No one hates Toews and Seabrook as individuals. People hate that they’re playing poorly and have many years left on their expensive contracts. At the end of the day, we root for the jersey.

 

[BK]

The whole premise of his rant is stupid. No one hates Toews and Seabrook as individuals. People hate that they’re playing poorly and have many years left on their expensive contracts. At the end of the day, we root for the jersey.

If you look at some of the tweets he gets about players you would be surprised to see that people go after players on a personal level on a regular basis. Similar to posters here calling players or management scum or other words but it is much much worse on twitter. I think his rant was unprofessional but I can see his POV because we even see the lack of class on here from a few moronic/classless posters (not really from Hawks fans though as this area tends to stay civil).

Twitter is a great source for fast news and environment to express how yourself but it is a cesspool filled with trolls as well.

 

[Pez68]

If you look at some of the tweets he gets about players you would be surprised to see that people go after players on a personal level on a regular basis. Similar to posters here calling players or management scum or other words but it is much much worse on twitter. I think his rant was unprofessional but I can see his POV because we even see the lack of class on here but a few moronic/classless posters.

Twitter is a great source for fast news and environment to express how yourself but it is a cesspool filled with trolls as well.

Well, it's the internet... A guy that makes his living using this platform should know this.

Lazarus got trolled.

 

[ray c]

i can see that you don't bite the hand that feeds you,but you don't have to kiss ass for it.the fans have a right to their say.
he sure gives his views,on twitter

 

[hawksrule]

If you look at some of the tweets he gets about players you would be surprised to see that people go after players on a personal level on a regular basis. Similar to posters here calling players or management scum or other words but it is much much worse on twitter. I think his rant was unprofessional but I can see his POV because we even see the lack of class on here from a few moronic/classless posters (not really from Hawks fans though as this area tends to stay civil).

Twitter is a great source for fast news and environment to express how yourself but it is a cesspool filled with trolls as well.

I’m sure people say all sorts of nasty shit, but if I were Toews/Seabrook I wouldn’t care in the slightest - and all the more so I wouldn’t publicly rant on a played’s behalf because of mean tweets. Maybe I’m off base, but personally, I’m incapable of being offended by unknown internet randos.

 

[BK]

I’m sure people say all sorts of nasty ****, but if I were Toews/Seabrook I wouldn’t care in the slightest - and all the more so I wouldn’t publicly rant on a played’s behalf because of mean tweets. Maybe I’m off base, but personally, I’m incapable of being offended by unknown internet randos.

I agree but I am shocked by people's stupidity, lack of class, and overall inability to learn (even though I shouldn't be).

 

[BK]

Well, it's the internet... A guy that makes his living using this platform should know this.

Lazarus got trolled.

Yeah he 100% took the bait.

 

[b1e9a8r5s]

I sort of agree with the general sentiment he was going for, but it's not a good look on him. Better to not say anything to the loud minority of fans who take things way to far.

 

[b1e9a8r5s]

The whole premise of his rant is stupid. No one hates Toews and Seabrook as individuals. People hate that they’re playing poorly and have many years left on their expensive contracts. At the end of the day, we root for the jersey.

I disagree. Go read the Twitter responses or comment sections of articles. The question is, is it worth responding to those people (probably not IMO), but they 100% exist.