Winter Classic 2009
If good looks was a minute/ You know that you could've been an hour- Smokey Robinson, 'The Way You Do The Things You Do'
Almost makes up for having to put up with Cub fans.
The Winter Classic yesterday was one of those rare ‘made-for-TV’ events which lived up to the hype. Kara and I took the L down to Wrigley and arrived somewhat into the first intermission. What a crowd of people! For years, it seemed like being a Hawks fan was like loving death metal, something you mostly did alone in the comforts of your own home. The streets were thronged, and sure, there were more than a handful of Lakeview tourists wanting to get shit-faced all over again, but most looked like hockey nuts.
Wrigley Field looked great, with huge ‘Winter Classic 2009′ banners all over and the flags of every NHL team flying around the perimeter. After taking a few photos, the wife and I headed to the Ginger Man, one of the few non-yuppie/ douchebag bars in Wrigleyville. The Ginger Man jumped with giddy excitement, as the surprising number of Wings fans played well with us Hawks hacks.
As for the game, well…The Hawks came out as corked as one of Der Sammy Soso’s bats early on and took a 3-1 lead into the second. Then they presto-changoed into the lumbering, puck-flailing unit of ‘06. Who was that team out there in the second and third periods? Surely, that was not the Hawks I know and love this year, right? The Wings piledrived the poor Hawks and then played keepaway with the puck for most of the third.
Snap verdict: Best product at Wrigley Field since Gayle Sayers and the Bears moved to Soldiers Field.
The REALLY loud ‘National Anthem’. Amazing how it almost drowns out the jet fly-over.
And the Seabrook- Cleary wipeout into the bench. Take that, puckface! 
O'Hare Arpt., IL
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