Chelios named team ambassador

[Ace Card Bedard]

Savard was traded and nobody hates him for it. He's still beloved in Chicago.
Larmer was traded and nobody hates him for it. He's still beloved in Chicago.
Roenick was traded and nobody hates him for it. He's still beloved in Chicago. When he cried in 2010, I cried.
Belfour was traded and nobody hates him for it. He's still loved in Chicago.

Chelios, the homegrown superstar and captain of the team forced a trade to Detroit and then rubbed it in for years. Loved in Chicago?
Nah, f*** that guy.

 

[ColdSteel2]

I don’t know where this forced a trade stuff came from but I’m guessing the Hawks put that out there to get the fans on their side for doing a Marlins-esque fire sale and it worked. And even so, why should Chelios have wanted to waste away on a bad team. Look at Amonte, he did that and nobody even remembers him outside of Chicago but he was one of the great goal scorers and most exciting players of his era. I don’t have any warm feelings about the organization from back then, they were slum lords.

 

[piteus]

I don’t know where this forced a trade stuff came from but I’m guessing the Hawks put that out there to get the fans on their side for doing a Marlins-esque fire sale and it worked. And even so, why should Chelios have wanted to waste away on a bad team. Look at Amonte, he did that and nobody even remembers him outside of Chicago but he was one of the great goal scorers and most exciting players of his era. I don’t have any warm feelings about the organization from back then, they were slum lords.

No one hates Amonte in Chicago. We all understood why he left. The Hawks stunk and he deserved to leave. However, Amonte did nothing to troll Chicago fans afterwards.

In fact, Amonte's sister lives and works in Evanston. She is loved at Northwestern. You can leave Chicago and still be beloved by Chicago fans. For the most part, they are. Just don't troll us.

 

[LordKOTL]

No one hates Amonte in Chicago. We all understood why he left. The Hawks stunk and he deserved to leave. However, Amonte did nothing to troll Chicago fans afterwards.

In fact, Amonte's sister lives and works in Evanston. She is loved at Northwestern. You can leave Chicago and still be beloved by Chicago fans. For the most part, they are. Just don't troll us.

Exactly...plus it helped that Amonte has a flow similar to Jagr's.

 

[b1e9a8r5s]

Savard was traded and nobody hates him for it. He's still beloved in Chicago.
Larmer was traded and nobody hates him for it. He's still beloved in Chicago.
Roenick was traded and nobody hates him for it. He's still beloved in Chicago. When he cried in 2010, I cried.
Belfour was traded and nobody hates him for it. He's still loved in Chicago.

Chelios, the homegrown superstar and captain of the team forced a trade to Detroit and then rubbed it in for years. Loved in Chicago?
Nah, **** that guy.

I'll ask, since I've seen this a lot. What does the bolded mean? Are you talking about the retirement ceremony when he wore the Wings jersey or something else?

 

[AmericanDream]

I will end my part of this discussion with this:

I get why some people have bad feelings with Chili, I do...but if you take a second and look outside your own view maybe you can see things a bit differently.

Local boy, die hard Hawks fan, made his way home and was on some powerful Hawks teams in the early 90's. He was living his dream, I met him more times than I can count at the Stadium-Gate 3 1/2 and his restaurant as we were a hockey family and going to see/meet the players was what we wanted to do. The guy loved it here and wanted to retire here.

He saw top free agents not sign here who STATED publicly they wanted to come here- Brett Hull and Wayne Gretzky, but we refused. He watched as his buddies and our top talented players were traded right before his and our eyes - Roenick, Belfour, Larmer, Murphy, Suter, etc etc all sent packing.

He was then told his days were numbered as Pulford and Dollar Bill Wirtz told him he only had a few years left in the league so they did not extend him a longer term deal. Think about all of that for a second - he saw top guys never get signed here, saw top players traded and then was told he wasn't wanted here because "Management" felt he was past his prime....Chelios wanted to retire here, loved it here, so what happens?? He gets traded to the Wings and plays another 10 years with his middle finger in the air. I would do the same thing to the Hawks organization as that is his fiery personality. Did it rub some fans the wrong way? Yes, should he focused it better towards the organization? Yes, but if you can't understand the man and how he grew up and played the game, this is how he handles things.

It is how the 6'0 Italian Chelios fought so many battles against bigger players and won them...the guy played like a gladiator out there, the amount of shots he took and gave is amazing with how far the game has changed. He was and is a battler, and his heart was broken and his ego hurt, so he went elsewhere and proved that he had so much more to give.

If this happened to me, I honestly would probably do a lot of similar things he did, doesn't make it right or wrong, just his personality and how he dealt with things that he felt were bullshit. He went to an organization that was first class and he never felt that here...

Here is a side note of one story of why I will forever respect Chelios-

1996 World Cup of Hockey. Roenick was set to play with his Blackhawk brothers for team USA (Chelios, Suter, Carney, and Amonte)...Roenick played in pre season games only to stop once his contract talks stalled with good ol' Dollar Bill, so he pulled out of the team.

Massive loss for USA Hockey. USA was stacked and for the first time ever could go pound for pound with Russia and Canada.

Then rumors came swirling that Team USA was going to lose Chelios as well as his sister's wedding was right at the start of the tournament, and he was best man and had so much to do for the wedding - he told the team he likely will have to leave as well.....Paul Holmgren and Lou Lamoreillo didn't know what to do, they told Chelios whatever he needed to get back here for the tournament they would make it happen.

They told him he could miss the first two games if need be as long as he can show up before the medal round....Chelios took a few days to decide and he did....he left his sister's wedding early, the same wedding he was best man at - he left the actual wedding reception early to catch a flight to get to Philly so he could suit up with team USA for game 1 of the start of the tournament against Canada...His sister did not talk to him for a year- that is no f***ing joke...

The man left his family's wedding to represent his country (knowing his family would hate him, and they all did) and not miss a game because he felt you either need to be there for day 1 or don't bother - that is the man he is, you may call him a bad brother or asshole for doing that - I call him dedicated to a sport that gave him so much and a man filled with passion, pride, and wanting to finally take USA Hockey to the top - which they did by the way, they beat Canada that night on day 1 (youtube that game, it is freaking epic with the brawls that happened from the puck drop - Guerin and Tkachuk vs Claude Lemieux and Primeau...legit brawls, blood and all!!) and won the World Cup beating Canada for the Gold in the most memorable best of 3 series I have ever watched.

Sorry for the long memory lane post lol....sometimes people just do things because it is who they are no matter who it offends, you might call Chelios an asshole and that is fine, it doesn't bother him any his own family did as well...but try and understand the man and maybe you walk away with a little more respect for what he went through here in Chicago and what he did for his country.

 

[ClydeLee]

Hes always still Chicago through and through. Despite sticking with the wings organization he still ended his career playing playoff games for the Wolves

 

[crazyhawk]

I will end my part of this discussion with this:

I get why some people have bad feelings with Chili, I do...but if you take a second and look outside your own view maybe you can see things a bit differently.

Local boy, die hard Hawks fan, made his way home and was on some powerful Hawks teams in the early 90's. He was living his dream, I met him more times than I can count at the Stadium-Gate 3 1/2 and his restaurant as we were a hockey family and going to see/meet the players was what we wanted to do. The guy loved it here and wanted to retire here.

He saw top free agents not sign here who STATED publicly they wanted to come here- Brett Hull and Wayne Gretzky, but we refused. He watched as his buddies and our top talented players were traded right before his and our eyes - Roenick, Belfour, Larmer, Murphy, Suter, etc etc all sent packing.

He was then told his days were numbered as Pulford and Dollar Bill Wirtz told him he only had a few years left in the league so they did not extend him a longer term deal. Think about all of that for a second - he saw top guys never get signed here, saw top players traded and then was told he wasn't wanted here because "Management" felt he was past his prime....Chelios wanted to retire here, loved it here, so what happens?? He gets traded to the Wings and plays another 10 years with his middle finger in the air. I would do the same thing to the Hawks organization as that is his fiery personality. Did it rub some fans the wrong way? Yes, should he focused it better towards the organization? Yes, but if you can't understand the man and how he grew up and played the game, this is how he handles things.

It is how the 6'0 Italian Chelios fought so many battles against bigger players and won them...the guy played like a gladiator out there, the amount of shots he took and gave is amazing with how far the game has changed. He was and is a battler, and his heart was broken and his ego hurt, so he went elsewhere and proved that he had so much more to give.

If this happened to me, I honestly would probably do a lot of similar things he did, doesn't make it right or wrong, just his personality and how he dealt with things that he felt were bull****. He went to an organization that was first class and he never felt that here...

Here is a side note of one story of why I will forever respect Chelios-

1996 World Cup of Hockey. Roenick was set to play with his Blackhawk brothers for team USA (Chelios, Suter, Carney, and Amonte)...Roenick played in pre season games only to stop once his contract talks stalled with good ol' Dollar Bill, so he pulled out of the team.

Massive loss for USA Hockey. USA was stacked and for the first time ever could go pound for pound with Russia and Canada.

Then rumors came swirling that Team USA was going to lose Chelios as well as his sister's wedding was right at the start of the tournament, and he was best man and had so much to do for the wedding - he told the team he likely will have to leave as well.....Paul Holmgren and Lou Lamoreillo didn't know what to do, they told Chelios whatever he needed to get back here for the tournament they would make it happen.

They told him he could miss the first two games if need be as long as he can show up before the medal round....Chelios took a few days to decide and he did....he left his sister's wedding early, the same wedding he was best man at - he left the actual wedding reception early to catch a flight to get to Philly so he could suit up with team USA for game 1 of the start of the tournament against Canada...His sister did not talk to him for a year- that is no ****ing joke...

The man left his family's wedding to represent his country (knowing his family would hate him, and they all did) and not miss a game because he felt you either need to be there for day 1 or don't bother - that is the man he is, you may call him a bad brother or ******* for doing that - I call him dedicated to a sport that gave him so much and a man filled with passion, pride, and wanting to finally take USA Hockey to the top - which they did by the way, they beat Canada that night on day 1 (youtube that game, it is freaking epic with the brawls that happened from the puck drop - Guerin and Tkachuk vs Claude Lemieux and Primeau...legit brawls, blood and all!!) and won the World Cup beating Canada for the Gold in the most memorable best of 3 series I have ever watched.

Sorry for the long memory lane post lol....sometimes people just do things because it is who they are no matter who it offends, you might call Chelios an ******* and that is fine, it doesn't bother him any his own family did as well...but try and understand the man and maybe you walk away with a little more respect for what he went through here in Chicago and what he did for his country.

Thanks for this AD. Chelios is and was a true warrior. I would welcome him one day as head or assistant coach of the Hawks.
In my mind Colliton as head coach and Chelios as assistant ( defensive coach ).

 

[Toews2Bickell]

Have Granato and Chelios worked together before with Team USA? Seem like natural assistant coach candidates on a JC staff, if so.

 

[piteus]

It was the little stuff that added up with Chelios. We all know about the 75th Anniversary fiasco and the aggressive hits against the Blackhawks. I chalked those up as Chelios' statement against Wirtz and his style of play. Chelios was always ribbing the Blackhawks when he was Red Wings. It was annoying.

My tipping point was Chelios' Wrigley Field / US Cell Stanley Cup celebrations. He's either DUMB or TROLLING Hawk fans. Somehow Chelios figured out the day to tick both the North and South side of Chicago. He topped it off by taking the Cup all over the bars of Chicago that night (which as a one off would be understandable). I saw the highlights from New York! Even they commented as a rub against the Chicago fans. You won't see New York celebrating a Maple Leafs or Bruins' Stanley Cup.

Did Chelios actually think a Detroit Red Wing's Stanley Cup in Chicago would be celebrated? Contrast that with Buffalo Grove native Brett Lebda. He had the Cup the day before and he celebrated with his family and friends ... and raised money for juvenile diabetes. As a Chicagoan, Chelios should have known better. If he grew up as a Hawks fan, there's no excuse.

Is my anger petty? Sure ... but I always said my perspective regarding Chelios was as a Hawks fan. Fans are allowed to be emotional. I don't hold anything against him personally ... but only with the Hawks' sweater. That is why I want an explanation before even thinking about retiring his number. Coming back as a ambassador is nothing. Retiring a number is permanent.

No one is arguing against Chelios' performance on the ice. I don't know where that comes from. Everyone acknowledges Chelios as the greatest Chicago hockey player ... and possibly the best Hawk DMen ever.

In my eyes, Chris Chelios is more Red Wing than Blackhawk right now. That's the issue.

 

[AmericanDream]

Have Granato and Chelios worked together before with Team USA? Seem like natural assistant coach candidates on a JC staff, if so.

yes they have

Don Granato and Chelios have worked together for team USA in the past...Tony Granato and Chris Chelios just worked together in the Olympics...

 

[AmericanDream]

It was the little stuff that added up with Chelios. We all know about the 75th Anniversary fiasco and the aggressive hits against the Blackhawks. I chalked those up as Chelios' statement against Wirtz and his style of play. Chelios was always ribbing the Blackhawks when he was Red Wings. It was annoying.

My tipping point was Chelios' Wrigley Field / US Cell Stanley Cup celebrations. He's either DUMB or TROLLING Hawk fans. Somehow Chelios figured out the day to tick both the North and South side of Chicago. He topped it off by taking the Cup all over the bars of Chicago that night (which as a one off would be understandable). I saw the highlights from New York! Even they commented as a rub against the Chicago fans. You won't see New York celebrating a Maple Leafs or Bruins' Stanley Cup.

Did Chelios actually think a Detroit Red Wing's Stanley Cup in Chicago would be celebrated? Contrast that with Buffalo Grove native Brett Lebda. He had the Cup the day before and he celebrated with his family and friends ... and raised money for juvenile diabetes. As a Chicagoan, Chelios should have known better. If he grew up as a Hawks fan, there's no excuse.

Is my anger petty? Sure ... but I always said my perspective regarding Chelios was as a Hawks fan. Fans are allowed to be emotional. I don't hold anything against him personally ... but only with the Hawks' sweater. That is why I want an explanation before even thinking about retiring his number. Coming back as a ambassador is nothing. Retiring a number is permanent.

No one is arguing against Chelios' performance on the ice. I don't know where that comes from. Everyone acknowledges Chelios as the greatest Chicago hockey player ... and possibly the best Hawk DMen ever.

In my eyes, Chris Chelios is more Red Wing than Blackhawk right now. That's the issue.

I get some of that, but if a local boy who won the Cup on a different team, a rival team, still brought it out to local bars to celebrate one of our own accomplishing something so awesome, I have no idea how that would be trolling or why anyone would be upset with that. Bring that Cup to 95th street and we will party all night as anyone getting the chance to hang with the Cup and complains because it wasn't their team that won it is a bit nuts if you ask me.

Again, it is fair to have issues with Chelios, but most of what I hear about why some have problems is pretty weak. Just my opinion.

 

[piteus]

I get some of that, but if a local boy who won the Cup on a different team, a rival team, still brought it out to local bars to celebrate one of our own accomplishing something so awesome, I have no idea how that would be trolling or why anyone would be upset with that. Bring that Cup to 95th street and we will party all night as anyone getting the chance to hang with the Cup and complains because it wasn't their team that won it is a bit nuts if you ask me.

Again, it is fair to have issues with Chelios, but most of what I hear about why some have problems is pretty weak. Just my opinion.

Of course, we're fans. We're supposed to be irrational. I have no issues with Chelios being back home in Chicago. Life is much bigger than hockey.

That's why I discount his ornery reputation off the ice. That's none of my business. He was nice enough at the bars a couple of times I met him. That said, who really cares?!?! I wouldn't want to waste my time with a vast majority of strangers either.

My only opinion of Chelios comes from a Hawks' fan perspective. Does he warrant his number being retired? My hockey grudge is PETTY. However, until I get an explanation from Chelios, I will remain petty. HONESTLY, I don't think he cares.

 

[ClydeLee]

Of course, we're fans. We're supposed to be irrational. I have no issues with Chelios being back home in Chicago. Life is much bigger than hockey.

That's why I discount his ornery reputation off the ice. That's none of my business. He was nice enough at the bars a couple of times I met him. That said, who really cares?!?! I wouldn't want to waste my time with a vast majority of strangers either.

My only opinion of Chelios comes from a Hawks' fan perspective. Does he warrant his number being retired? My hockey grudge is PETTY. However, until I get an explanation from Chelios, I will remain petty. HONESTLY, I don't think he cares.

The thing is he may be involved with the team and in a legitimate role by the time you can even actually discuss his sweater retirement.

This is merely step 1 and yeah you can say wait for him to so x, y, and z to maje up for it. Theres gonna be a hole l lot of time for him to do just that.

 

[SlowSkates]

I'm not sure I'd boo him or say **** Chelios, but it's hard for me to understand him as a Hawks Ambassador.



He talks about loyalty and not wanting to move. It makes it hard for me to believe he's loyal to the Hawks. You can't be loyal to both...

Hey Cheli, will you join me in a "Detroit Sucks!" chant?

 

[pvr]

^Like any professional athlete, his loyalty lies with who’s signing his paycheck.