Tribune: Rocky Wirtz is a popular team owner. Will that change after he fired the man who made him?

Fenway

HF Bookie and Bruins Historian
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Paul Sullivan looks at life after McDonough and brings up a sore spot that happened in the final years of Dollar Bill - the firing of Pat Foley.

I can tell you with certainty that the current Bruins radio play by play announcer Judd Sirott has a clause in his contract that he can leave if either the Cubs or Blackhawks play by play job is offered.

Sirott is only the second broadcaster of Bruins games not to have New England roots ( the team has been on radio since their very first game in 1924 ) and Bruins fans have tolerated him but they miss Dave Goucher who took the VGK TV job.

Could Foley be 'retired'? :dunno:

I am rereading this book and in the end it is all about family.

upload_2020-4-28_5-45-50.png



Column: Chicago Blackhawks Chairman Rocky Wirtz is a popular team owner. Will that change after he fired John McDonough, the man who made him?

Blackhawks Chairman Rocky Wirtz is the rare owner of a Chicago sports team whose popularity has remained intact in spite of his team’s bout with mediocrity.

Bulls and White Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf has always had his detractors, even while bringing seven championships to this city over the last three decades. Many Sox fans blamed Reinsdorf for his role as a hawk in the 1994 players strike that canceled the season with his team in first place. And as “The Last Dance” reminds us, he made the worst decision by a Chicago sports executive in history, choosing Bulls general manager Jerry Krause over coach Phil Jackson, which led to Michael Jordan’s departure.

Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts had an easy act to follow when his family bought the team from Tribune Co. in 2009. But Ricketts quickly learned that ending the team’s 108-year championship drought in 2016 didn’t provide him with a lifetime pass from Cubs fans spoiled by the success of the rebuild, and he was booed at the Cubs Convention this year for moving telecasts to a team-owned channel many couldn’t watch.

And as much as everyone respects Bears owner Virginia McCaskey, there has never been any love lost for her two sons who have run the team, Michael and George.

But you seldom hear a discouraging word about Wirtz, and if you do, it’s usually in hushed tones. How can you possibly dislike someone nicknamed “Rocky”?

But after McDonough was abruptly fired as Hawks president without reason Monday, we’ll soon find out whether Rocky’s Teflon image will also bite the dust. After all, McDonough made Wirtz, whether the Hawks chairman cares to admit it or not.

It was McDonough who transformed the Hawks from laughingstock to league power, who brought back iconic players Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita and Tony Esposito as team ambassadors and who rehired beloved broadcaster Pat Foley after the Hawks had let him go for being too honest about the team.

Before agreeing to become Hawks president, McDonough made it a condition that he would be allowed to rehire Foley. Over the last two seasons, Foley was often the only reason to continue watching games once the snow melted and the playoffs were a mirage.
 
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Muffinalt

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Its a fair question to ask just how much Rocky's positive image can be contributed to McDonough's work, but to say he 'made him'?

Laughable. Actually pretty disrespectiful.

Damage control by McDonough probably, pretty poor one at that.
 

Fenway

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Its a fair question to ask just how much Rocky's positive image can be contributed to McDonough's work, but to say he 'made him'?

Laughable. Actually pretty disrespectiful.

Damage control by McDonough probably, pretty poor one at that.

One of McDonough's first moves was upgrading the media dining room at the UC for Hawks games.

I think it is fair to say McDonough put the fear of God into Patrick Kane when he was in danger of imploding unlike the Bruins giving up on Tyler Sequin as a lost cause. But he also fired Talon who really did put the core together.

Burnside: Tallon's dismissal a heartless move

When I was working in Chicago back in 2007 or so I was living in Evanston and one might at Bar Louie I showed Mike Adamle these videos. on how low-key the Bobby Hull retirement was back in 1985,




Adamle was appalled and then told me he sent the videos to McDonough and was then told 'I will fix this'.



Chicago fans are painfully aware of bad family ownership starting with

upload_2020-4-28_7-7-5.jpeg


Reinsdorf can claim 7 titles BUT 6 of them came because MJ fell into their laps when Portland picked Sam Bowie as the #2 pick.

NBA Draft 1984 - Michael Jordan (Pick NO.3)

RoundPickPlayerPos.Nationality[n 1]TeamSchool/club team
11Akeem Olajuwon^
[1]
C
23px-Flag_of_Nigeria.svg.png
Nigeria[2]
Houston RocketsHouston (Jr.)
12Sam BowieC
23px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png
United States
Portland Trail Blazers (from Indiana)[d]Kentucky (Sr.)
13Michael Jordan^G/F
23px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png
United States
Chicago BullsNorth Carolina (Jr.)
14Sam PerkinsF/C
23px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png
United States
Dallas Mavericks (from Cleveland)[e]North Carolina (Sr.)
15Charles Barkley^F
23px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png
United States
Philadelphia 76ers (from L.A. Clippers)[f]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]

McDonough gets the golden parachute but now what happens?
 
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Mrfenn92

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John did some great things that will be remembered in more glowing terms as time goes on. Not a good article by paul Sullivan but the last part about foley is completely garbage. Foley has gone downhill the last two seasons. He's a blabbering idiot now.
 
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JaegerDice

The mark of my dignity shall scar thy DNA
Dec 26, 2014
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It's becoming more and more apparent exactly which members of the Chicago sports media Mcdonough has in his pocket :laugh:

The press release... er, article, gives Mcdonough way too much credit.

I think it is fair to say McDonough put the fear of God into Patrick Kane when he was in danger of imploding unlike the Bruins giving up on Tyler Sequin as a lost cause.

Based on what? All of the accounts regarding the meeting with Kane following the Cinco de Mayo 2012 embarrassment report it was Stan that sat Kane down and gave him the 'last chance' talk. I mean sure, Mcdonough may have been in the room, but I'm not sure what you're crediting him based on?
 

No Fun Shogun

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McD was a huge reason for or our team's business success and turnaround, but let's be honest.... Rocky Wirtz is popular because he's not his dad and the team got really good really quick after taking over. I don't see the firing of a mostly behind the scenes exec eliminating the substantial amount of good will that Rocky's accumulated over the years unless the team makes some exceptionally stupid business decisions
 

x Tame Impala

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Foley is pretty fair down the line on reasons for me watching Hawks games.

McD’s influence on the success of the team, and how fun/entertaining of a product it’s become, deserves some recognition however.
 

ClydeLee

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As pointless his role or potential bad influences look now. To say he only did business things doesn't sit right with me.

I still to back to 2/3 major decisions made above the GM level that lead to the cup runs. Who signed off on replacing Savard at the time with Q, Tallon in interviews always distanced himself from it as being done organizationally. And who decided even though Tallon was GM (for like another week) to go with the Hossa signing instead of Havlat.

Without those moves I'm not sure a Savard/Tallon/Havlat team potential would of won in 09/10 or any after
 

ChiHawks10

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As pointless his role or potential bad influences look now. To say he only did business things doesn't sit right with me.

I still to back to 2/3 major decisions made above the GM level that lead to the cup runs. Who signed off on replacing Savard at the time with Q, Tallon in interviews always distanced himself from it as being done organizationally. And who decided even though Tallon was GM (for like another week) to go with the Hossa signing instead of Havlat.

Without those moves I'm not sure a Savard/Tallon/Havlat team potential would of won in 09/10 or any after

Wait, what?

There are no hockey ops/personnel decisions really made "above the GM level" in this organization(from what we've seen the past 10-12 years). As far as we've ever known, Stan has been given free reign by Rocky to do as he wants when it comes to the on-ice product... as it should be. No President/Marketing executive should have anything to do with the hockey decisions. It was obvious that McDouche did have a hand in things when he shouldn't have, and is likely why he was fired, and Stan wasn't.

Do you really think that Stan had to get McDouche's approval to sign contracts, make trades, or anything else? Yeah... highly doubtful.
 

Rick C137

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I’m really at a loss for words at why the OP felt that last sentence needed to be bolded? Foleys work fell off at the exact time the Blackhawks did and he’s talked about negatively here all the time. Saying Foley was the only reason to watch this team last year is extremely ignorant. I live out of market and almost always watch the opposing team broadcasts lol.
 

Fenway

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I’m really at a loss for words at why the OP felt that last sentence needed to be bolded? Foleys work fell off at the exact time the Blackhawks did and he’s talked about negatively here all the time. Saying Foley was the only reason to watch this team last year is extremely ignorant. I live out of market and almost always watch the opposing team broadcasts lol.

NBC Sports Boston has reported that Judd Sirott has been offered a Blackhawks play by play role for 2020-21.
 

Say Hey Kid

it's better to burn out than to fade awa
Dec 10, 2007
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Saying there are no personnel decisions made above the GM level is wrong. Who sets payrolls? Not the GM. The Lakers HC was forced to hire Jason Kidd as an AC and it came from above the GM, etc.
 

DisgruntledHawkFan

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Jun 19, 2004
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NBC Sports Boston has reported that Judd Sirott has been offered a Blackhawks play by play role for 2020-21.
Wow. I just posted in another thread I’d like Sirott back in Chicago if Foley is on the way out. I’m curious if it’s for radio or TV. I can absolutely see somebody poaching Weideman for a television pbp spot. He’s terrific.
 

Muffinalt

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Would be interesting if one of the disagreements that eventually lead to McD's firing was over replacing Foley.
 

Sarava

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May 9, 2010
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One of McDonough's first moves was upgrading the media dining room at the UC for Hawks games.

I think it is fair to say McDonough put the fear of God into Patrick Kane when he was in danger of imploding unlike the Bruins giving up on Tyler Sequin as a lost cause. But he also fired Talon who really did put the core together.

Burnside: Tallon's dismissal a heartless move

When I was working in Chicago back in 2007 or so I was living in Evanston and one might at Bar Louie I showed Mike Adamle these videos. on how low-key the Bobby Hull retirement was back in 1985,




Adamle was appalled and then told me he sent the videos to McDonough and was then told 'I will fix this'.



Chicago fans are painfully aware of bad family ownership starting with

View attachment 343955

Reinsdorf can claim 7 titles BUT 6 of them came because MJ fell into their laps when Portland picked Sam Bowie as the #2 pick.

NBA Draft 1984 - Michael Jordan (Pick NO.3)

RoundPickPlayerPos.Nationality[n 1]TeamSchool/club team
11Akeem Olajuwon^
[1]
C
23px-Flag_of_Nigeria.svg.png
Nigeria[2]
Houston RocketsHouston (Jr.)
12Sam BowieC
23px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png
United States
Portland Trail Blazers (from Indiana)[d]Kentucky (Sr.)
13Michael Jordan^G/F
23px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png
United States
Chicago BullsNorth Carolina (Jr.)
14Sam PerkinsF/C
23px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png
United States
Dallas Mavericks (from Cleveland)[e]North Carolina (Sr.)
15Charles Barkley^F
23px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png
United States
Philadelphia 76ers (from L.A. Clippers)[f]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]
McDonough gets the golden parachute but now what happens?


I've never been a fan of bringing Bobby Hull back. The stories of his wife beating are disgusting. He is not a person that should be looked up to by anybody.
 
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Brightwing

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Sirott to PBP with Foley.
Olczyk to President.
HF Hawks board riots.
You only need one PBP guy. Olczyk is the colour commentator. I really wonder if they are replacing Foley and Olczyk. They have optiona in Burrish, Mayers and Sharp for the colour and as some mentioned even Schofield.

The last year has been brutal. Off topic rambling and all the shout out to buddies having surgery etc.

There is no way Danny Wirtz is going to get McDonough fired to appoint an old school guy like Olczyk. I'm telling you guys this is about bringing the Blackhawks to the younger, social media savy and diverse generation.
 

Muffinalt

Registered User
Mar 1, 2016
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Hungary
You only need one PBP guy. Olczyk is the colour commentator. I really wonder if they are replacing Foley and Olczyk. They have optiona in Burrish, Mayers and Sharp for the colour and as some mentioned even Schofield.

The last year has been brutal. Off topic rambling and all the shout out to buddies having surgery etc.

There is no way Danny Wirtz is going to get McDonough fired to appoint an old school guy like Olczyk. I'm telling you guys this is about bringing the Blackhawks to the younger, social media savy and diverse generation.

I love listening to Burr. Any day of the week. Especially him and Shaprie together. Would be pretty awesome to have them involved as much as possible in the commentating.
 

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