Chelios autobiography coming soon; first excerpt focuses on trade fallout

[Sarava]

Chelios was basically the last thing Hawk fans had to hold on to at that time. He was a hometown player and you just don't expect your hometown player to abandon ship and go play for the hated rival. I wish the Hawks would stop trying to honor people like him or Bobby Hull (for his own different reason). Some things are better off left in the past.

 

[Kurtosis]

No, I don't really care about follow ups in anything. You do something like the Hawks did, you shouldn't know what to expect in response. You slap me in the face and I knock all of your teeth out in response to that, all that needs to be talked about is the slap. The retaliation is a small footnote as far as I am concerned. The Hawks opened that door. It's too bad nobody liked what was on the other side but what can you do.

Fair enough. I disagree with you almost 100% and find your statement preposterous, but oh well.

 

[ColdSteel2]

Fair enough. I disagree with you almost 100% and find your statement preposterous, but oh well.

So you're mad at him for being upset about the situation and holding a grudge?

 

[Elvis P]

Everyone has the right to not like Chelios. Fine. The Hawks were one of the worst run teams in the major leagues. Even Hull and Mikita were alienated and didn't come to games. Chris may not be the biggest villain here.

 

[Kurtosis]

So you're mad at him for being upset about the situation and holding a grudge?

No. I am angry (definitely not mad) with him for disgracing a picture with the Red Wings jersey, his escapades on the sidelines, his drunken antics, and overall just being a crappy person. He got his trade, what grudge forced him into all of that?

You're more than welcome to love him though, have at it.

 

[Sarava]

Everyone has the right to not like Chelios. Fine. The Hawks were one of the worst run teams in the major leagues. Even Hull and Mikita were alienated and didn't come to games. Chris may not be the biggest villain here.

With all due respect, who the hell cares what Bobby Hull thinks, wants or says?

 

[IU Hawks fan]

Some here are too focused on him leaving. Guys leave, it's a business. Yeah, he said he would never play there, whatever, not that big of a deal.

**** him for:
- The 75th anniversary photo
- Flaunting his "Detroit-ness" IE: things like bringing the Cup to Cubs/Sox games to show off how he's better off now

 

[Gurth]

The photo is bad.

Can't imagine what he was thinking. Did he think it would be funny or an ironic jab at the organization? Nobody ever accused him of being a rocket scientist.

Either way - time and place Chris, and that was neither.



That said - I won't let it detract from who and what he was when he wore our sweater on the ice - and that was nails.

Love Chelios the Blackhawks player. Don't care about the rest - which is how I feel about almost every athlete that plays for the teams that I root for. Stay out of trouble with the law and don't be a complete d-bag.

I've even almost softened my stance on the ole Mississippi Dong-Slinger - but that clown actually wanted to go to the enemy just so he could stick it to us.

 

[RayP]

Why the hell would anyone even let him take that pic like that? I'd have gotten him anyone else's jersey and had him wear that. I'm sure they could have found one, and size/number really don't matter for the sake of the photo.

 

[Gurth]

Agreed. Someone should have stopped him from taking the ice.


"Sorry Chris, not happening. Put on your Hawks jersey or sit this one out."

 

[Blue Liner]

The jersey thing was stupid but I really couldn't care less anymore about him leaving. As others have said, this is a business, and him leaving very likely prolonged his career greatly and he found great personal success as a result. He did, ultimately, what was best for him and his career. I don't begrudge him that at all, and I don't for a second think he should have passed that up for the sake of being loyal and toiling away with his hometown team just for the sake of staying. Not saying everyone here is saying that, but that's how a lot of people look at it.

 

[Gurth]

I wouldn't have stayed with that Hawks organization at that time.

No chance.


Broke my heart to see all of the players shipped away after coming so close to a Cup. Can't imagine what it was like for someone actually sweating and bleeding while wearing the jersey.

 

[Hawkaholic]

Yup, **** Chelios. Was one of my all time favourite Dman too.

 

[Blue Liner]

I wouldn't have stayed with that Hawks organization at that time.

No chance.


Broke my heart to see all of the players shipped away after coming so close to a Cup. Can't imagine what it was like for someone actually sweating and bleeding while wearing the jersey.

That has to be one of the better teams/eras of a team in all of sports to never win a championship. Not the best (especially considering how many good NBA teams in the 90's went title-less cuz of the Bulls) but definitely in that team picture.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

we should all burn down evergreen park to protest chelios

Please don't.

 

[Gurth]

That has to be one of the better teams/eras of a team in all of sports to never win a championship. Not the best (especially considering how many good NBA teams in the 90's went title-less cuz of the Bulls) but definitely in that team picture.

Yep.

Two recent Cups haven't erased that void where a Cup should have been. I'm still bittersweet (mostly bitter) when I remember those teams (early 90's).

It's also (almost) possible that the mid to late 80's teams could have won one if the Oilers didn't exist or if we had a goalie.

 

[Blue Liner]

Yep.

Two recent Cups haven't erased that void where a Cup should have been. I'm still bittersweet when I remember those teams (early 90's).

It's also (almost) possible that the mid to late 80's teams could have won one if the Oilers didn't exist or if we had a goalie.

I sort of almost mold the mid-late 80's teams with the 90's group, because you're right, especially by late 80's they were good enough to win one. Those are my earliest memories as a Hawks fan, going to games with my dad starting in the mid-80's. He had season tickets in the upper balcony. I'm glad I was still young enough when they lost to Pittsburgh in the Final to not feel the disappointment I'd feel now as an adult if that were to happen. Sucked bad enough back then. I think a lot of casual sports fan forget or don't even realize how good those late 80's to mid 90's Hawks teams were because the Bulls kinda stole the spotlight in the city that decade.

 

[sharkhawk]

With all due respect, who the hell cares what Bobby Hull thinks, wants or says?

I agree about Hull, but Wirtz s**t on Mikita too. In the late 80's, early 90's Stan used to sit near some friends of mine in the lower bowl, Dollar Bill wouldn't even give him anything at that point. I don't blame any of the players reactions from that era. When Rocky took over, he had to reach out to Stash to get him to be an ambassador, when your all time leading scorer and all around nice guy who really did love the Hawks has to be brought back into the fold you have problems

 

[Sarava]

I agree about Hull, but Wirtz s**t on Mikita too. In the late 80's, early 90's Stan used to sit near some friends of mine in the lower bowl, Dollar Bill wouldn't even give him anything at that point. I don't blame any of the players reactions from that era. When Rocky took over, he had to reach out to Stash to get him to be an ambassador, when your all time leading scorer and all around nice guy who really did love the Hawks has to be brought back into the fold you have problems

I agree Wirtz was a piece of crap and Mikita's treatment was shameful. It just blows me away that a grown person would defend Bobby Hull as someone who is owed anything.

 

[Gurth]

I sort of almost mold the mid-late 80's teams with the 90's group, because you're right, especially by late 80's they were good enough to win one. Those are my earliest memories as a Hawks fan, going to games with my dad starting in the mid-80's. He had season tickets in the upper balcony. I'm glad I was still young enough when they lost to Pittsburgh in the Final to not feel the disappointment I'd feel now as an adult if that were to happen. Sucked bad enough back then. I think a lot of casual sports fan forget or don't even realize how good those late 80's to mid 90's Hawks teams were because the Bulls kinda stole the spotlight in the city that decade.

I was finishing college when we were swept by the Pens, so it gutted me. Was WAY more emotionally invested as a sports fan back then than I am these days.

I also started going to games in the 80s, 1983 to be precise. When I mention the 80's teams as different from the 90's, I guess I'm thinking of pre-Chelios/pre-Roenick.

Wilson, Nylund, Murray, O'Callahan... of course, Secord, Savard & Larmer. Troy Murray... eventually Steve Thomas, Vaive for a season, Edzo before he was traded...

There was some talent on those teams, but not quite enough.

 

[Blue Liner]

I was finishing college when we were swept by the Pens, so it gutted me.

I also started going to games in the 80s, 1983 to be precise. When I mention the 80's teams as different from the 90's, I guess I'm thinking of pre-Chelios/pre-Roenick.

Wilson, Nylund, Murray, O'Callahan... of course, Secord, Savard & Larmer. Troy Murray...

There was some talent on those teams, but not quite enough.

I think most people share your distinction and that's completely valid.

Think my first game was in the '85 season. I was four. Just remember being all weirded out by my feet sticking to the floor in the stairwells (from spilled beer) and my dad having to carry me outta there after the game because there were literally three different fights at different times between leaving our seats and outside on the sidewalk near the street. There were all-out fights literally every game in that building, I swear to God.

 

[Elvis P]

I don't disagree with Gurth, because he said almost. I think the teams of Patrick Roy's Montreal Canadiens, Ron Hextall's Philadelphia Flyers, and Al MacInnis's Calgary Flames still would have beat us even without the Oilers unless we had a better goalie as he said.

One thing I've wondered about recently is Lindros. Without all the Bobby Clark, contracts, draft, injuries, trades, controversies etc., how good would he have been? Before the draft he was compared to Howe, Hull, Lemieux, Messier, etc. as a big forward with great skills. It turned out that Jagr was the great one, but what could have been? Could he have been as good as Forsberg or even better? What do you guys think? Also, should he be in the HoF? (he's not)

 

[Sarava]

I was finishing college when we were swept by the Pens, so it gutted me.

I also started going to games in the 80s, 1983 to be precise. When I mention the 80's teams as different from the 90's, I guess I'm thinking of pre-Chelios/pre-Roenick.

Wilson, Nylund, Murray, O'Callahan... of course, Secord, Savard & Larmer. Troy Murray...

There was some talent on those teams, but not quite enough.

I had tickets to game 5 against Edmonton in the Conference Finals. When the Hawks swept them in 4, my tickets rolled over in to Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals. The tickets don't get sold that way these days, but they did then. Man that was a great time. They lost 1-0 in the game I was at....on a fluke goal.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

The contract and off the ice stuff was all secondary to the concussions. He was a great player.

 

[Gurth]

I don't disagree with Gurth, because he said almost. I think the teams of Patrick Roy's Montreal Canadiens, Ron Hextall's Philadelphia Flyers, and Al MacInnis's Calgary Flames still would have beat us even without the Oilers unless we had a better goalie as he said.

Yeah, it would have required getting hot at the right time like the Kings did with their first Cup run.

I don't really recall that happening back in those days for whatever reason.