The "W" flag: "L"osers invading the UC
Fan Commentary, by MrMiller
April 28, 2009
In the simplest of math terms: 21,000 people at the United Center for a Blackhawks game is better than 10,000. Using a modern interpretation of the once taught "new math": these extra fans aren't necessarily better than the diehards.
Case in point: the "W" flag.
The Blackhawks played at Wrigley Field on January 1, 2009. The McDonough media machine hyped it up prior to the game and it's been pushed down our throats ever since. Every game on WGN or Comcast airs promos about "Welcome To The Frozen Confines". Eddie Olczyk is forced to read copy night-in-and-night-out about the DVD currently on sale.
We get it. It was an incredible day. A once-in-a-lifetime event. An affair to remember (and whatever other cliche you can think of). But it was also one that's producing negative feelings and a bit of a rift between diehard fans and the newbies.
Hockey fans respect history (which is not to be confused with living in the past). They cherish the hockey traditions and the Blackhawks.
The "W" flag is a tradition of the Cubs. Just because a hockey game was played in Wrigley does not make the "W" flag a good, nor obviously, original idea for the Blackhawks. Stick to your peanuts and crackerjack, turn the cell phones off, and watch what's happening on the ice.
SAVVY18 on the Blackhawkzone Message Boards summarized it quite nicely. "I hate the cubbification of the Blackhawks," he said.
Added Cids Balls, "The reason the 'W' flag is so important at Wrigley is because no one can be bothered to pay attention to the game. Keep the circus bullshit out of the UC."
Case in point: "Let's Go Blackhawks" chant.
Read slowly as it might be the only way it gets through. The chant is "Let's Go Hawks!". Three syllables. It's not "Let's Go Ha-awks" or "Let's Go Blackhawks". A similar cadence of "Let's Go Cubbies" is used by Detroit fans in their "Let's Go Red Wings" drivel.
Here's a quick lesson. The Red Wings are to the Blackhawks as the Cardinals are to the Cubs. Now do you understand?
Case in point: refusing to wait for the whistle.
True 'Hawk fans know that when the game is being played, leaving your seat or walking back to your seat is not acceptable. Of course there are exceptions to the rule. None come to mind right now, but they do exist. However, leaving early to beat traffic or thinking you're being considerate by taking that call in the concourse are not among them.
The fan experience at a Blackhawks game - despite the larger crowds - has gotten progressively worse. Earlier this season, a true diehard fan and long time ticket plan holder chose to skip a couple of games for which he had tickets. When asked why he responded, "Eh. Going to a game just isn't the same."
Perhaps it comes down to a so-called "old school" Blackhawk fan refusing to come to terms with the new generation of Wrigley fans that Blackhawk President John McDonough covets so much. Maybe a lack of knowledge about the game itself, frequent cell phone calls and a blatent disregard for fellow fans is way of the future.
After all, the recipe has done wonders for the Cubs.
Maybe the best solution is to wait for the day one of these dolts throws a puck back after being shot out of play. That'll thin out the herd.
As heard on the boards...
Is anyone else really pissed off when they see that W Flag at Hawk's games? The Blackhawks are my favorite team in all of sports and I don't want them to be associated with the Cubs. I think it's an especially bad idea to wave that thing around during playoff times. - rdb3
Stop the W at the UC.... It flat out sucks. - chuckhawk22
While I love he W Flag in general. I love it on the North Side, not the West Side. - slapshot254
I'm sure if McDumbass wasn't brought over from the Cubs it wouldn't be so blatant or annoying, but because he did, it is. I think what everyone wants is for the Hawks to have their own identity. -HESCORES
I hate the cubbification of the Blackhawks. - SAVVY18
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