You almost wonder if they treat the sports franchise as a play thing instead of as a business? How many times do we see meddlesome owners, who have no idea about the specific sport, try to micromanage those responsible for running the team?
- paulr

Sorry, late to the discussion.

There is a BIG difference between a sports franchise and a business. The sole purpose of a business is to make money, or increase shareholder value if a publicly traded company.

On the other hand, the goal of a sports franchise may be to win championships. Or it may be to make money. Or they may try to balance the two.

One could argue that $Bill did run the Blackhawks like a business. Wasn't interested in winning. Was interested in making money. Kept payroll low, traded off assets when they got expensive, collected pooled league revenue. Charged what the market would bring.

He may have been a flawed businessman though. Failed to realize that putting your product on TV was like 3 hours of free advertising, not giving the product away for free.

What about Bickell?
- prd797

Sippin' margaritas with Milton Waddams until the playoffs roll around

Doubt it Phil. With those two it puts them at 21 skaters. Unless someone returns to LTIR.
- Elbows15

It will be interesting to see when Morin might resurface with the big club.

Hawks dont seem to do very much of this though. Im not complaining, im just saying id like to see MORE finished checks.
- BlazinMike

I agree. I'm really looking forward to Danault and Hartman: 2 skilled guys that like to finish checks. This team has shown they can succeed without it, but there are plenty of chances each game for them to finish the check and wear down the D men even more

Sippin' margaritas with Milton Waddams until the playoffs roll around


- CBHawks88

As long as he makes good on his contract when it counts, I don't mind that much.

As long as he makes good on his contract when it counts, I don't mind that much.
- prd797

That movie is just awesome...if you've ever worked in an office there's something in that movie that reminds you of your workplace.

Al, just curious. Have you ever, or would you ever, relay some ideas you hear in these threads when you write/talk about hockey elsewhere?
- BlazinMike

Do you have a request for a topic?

From today........

Hawk talk on NHL Radio with Jim "Boomer" Gordon:http://bit.ly/1hwjy9p

I am. In a remote location tonight with my NHL Network on my I Pad is blocked out even though I don't have TSN 2 or NBC Sports

Any streaming sites I can use to watch the game or am I stuck with WGN Radio?

I am. In a remote location tonight with my NHL Network on my I Pad is blocked out even though I don't have TSN 2 or NBC Sports

Any streaming sites I can use to watch the game or am I stuck with WGN Radio?
- PEIHawkFan

Hockeystreams.com and you can by a weekly subscription.

Sorry, late to the discussion.

There is a BIG difference between a sports franchise and a business. The sole purpose of a business is to make money, or increase shareholder value if a publicly traded company.

On the other hand, the goal of a sports franchise may be to win championships. Or it may be to make money. Or they may try to balance the two.

One could argue that $Bill did run the Blackhawks like a business. Wasn't interested in winning. Was interested in making money. Kept payroll low, traded off assets when they got expensive, collected pooled league revenue. Charged what the market would bring.

He may have been a flawed businessman though. Failed to realize that putting your product on TV was like 3 hours of free advertising, not giving the product away for free.
- scottak

One could argue that $Bill did run the Blackhawks like a business. Wasn't interested in winning. Was interested in making money. Kept payroll low, traded off assets when they got expensive, collected pooled league revenue. Charged what the market would bring.

Somewhat true but not entirely so.

Do you have a request for a topic?

From today........

Hawk talk on NHL Radio with Jim "Boomer" Gordon:http://bit.ly/1hwjy9p
- Al

No, just curious if TG or UnnamedSource or Wiz, Eli, Ogi, or anyone has ever made a point in here that made you go, "hmm, interesting" and in turn wrote a piece about it or discussed it on that NHL radio show or something. Just wondering

No, just curious if TG or UnnamedSource or Wiz, Eli, Ogi, or anyone has ever made a point in here that made you go, "hmm, interesting" and in turn wrote a piece about it or discussed it on that NHL radio show or something. Just wondering
- BlazinMike

Yes....I share my thoughts here and I write my thoughts.

I do learn things from others so I'm sure things mentioned here have stuck with me or stirred a topic to discuss at times over the years.

The last few articles Pirri has been a topic and he has been discussed a lot here.

What I have tried to do is give people things to think about that could be considered out of the norm. I have a knack for looking at things differently so I try to express those angles....Same stuff happens here at times.

One could argue that $Bill did run the Blackhawks like a business. Wasn't interested in winning. Was interested in making money. Kept payroll low, traded off assets when they got expensive, collected pooled league revenue. Charged what the market would bring.

Somewhat true but not entirely so.
- Al

If he wanted to run it like a real business he would have been savvy enough to know the free advertising for the product he could have gotten by putting the home games on TV plus the revenue that would have gained from doing so. Considering that their liquor distributorship depends on marketing brands you would think he would have known the importance of marketing your product.

If he wanted to run it like a real business he would have been savvy enough to know the free advertising for the product he could have gotten by putting the home games on TV plus the revenue that would have gained from doing so. Considering that their liquor distributorship depends on marketing brands you would think he would have known the importance of marketing your product.
- rtang415

I think it could be summed up best by saying Bill Wirtz did exactly what he wanted to do. It wasn't always based on money and obviously not based on sound business decisions.

He was loyal to a fault and by the same regard if someone crossed the line they weren't getting a 2nd chance.

End result was a weak infrastructure and a lack of accountability.

From today........

Hawk talk on NHL Radio with Jim "Boomer" Gordon:http://bit.ly/1hwjy9p

Yes....I share my thoughts here and I write my thoughts.

I do learn things from others so I'm sure things mentioned here have stuck with me or stirred a topic to discuss at times over the years.

The last few articles Pirri has been a topic and he has been discussed a lot here.

What I have tried to do is give people things to think about that could be considered out of the norm. I have a knack for looking at things differently so I try to express those angles....Same stuff happens here at times.
- Al

Cool, like i said just curious.

Anybody here big on the advanced stats stuff? I got into it with some guys in one of Travis Yost's blogs yesterday. They got so touchy about it, i was just trying to figure out what the big deal was. I dont hear many of the guys in here talk about Corsi, Fenwick, etc and i trust their insight (Wiz, Eli, JJ, Al) just as much as those stats explain a players ability to be good haha.

Seems like Eli, Wiz, JJ, Al and so on can sum up a players ability perfectly fine without using those stats (or at least without making them the focal point of WHY that guy will be good). Just wondering what the big deal is.

McGratton is a super heavyweight and one of the best fighters in the league. Roussell is a cruiserweight and an irritant who can scrap. Bollig may not be in McGratton's weight and fighting ability class but he showed up. If Bollig isn't there to tune up the Roussell's of the world he won't have a roster spot for long.
- paulr

I saw Pitt's Adams go toe to toe for a draw with McGratton when he was in Chicago. Both guys lefts and rights. McGratton was out of gas when they broke it up. Bollig is a one trick pony with that left and it seems a number of guys have figured it out. McGratton included.

Hawks dont seem to do very much of this though. Im not complaining, im just saying id like to see MORE finished checks.
- BlazinMike

Why? When you finish a check you can't play defense. Toews and Hossa skate by literally every check, Kane doesn't even like to go near anybody. Show me the teams who lead in hits and fights and I'll show you teams that don't win. Look at road stats because home "real time" stats are hilariously biased. Teams in the bottom half of hits include, Chicago, SJ, Boston, Detroit, St. Louis, Minnesota. The only two good teams in the top 10 are Anaheim (bad possession team) and Pittsburgh.

Who would you rather have at 6d ? Kostka or Brookbank ?

And which one would you rather see at forward ?

Even though i haven't minded Brookie at forward, he's prolly better on d....while Kostka's skating ability and puck handling ability prolly make him the better option at forward.
- philco28

Kostka, the second coming of Jordan Hendry.

Anybody here big on the advanced stats stuff? I got into it with some guys in one of Travis Yost's blogs yesterday. They got so touchy about it, i was just trying to figure out what the big deal was. I dont hear many of the guys in here talk about Corsi, Fenwick, etc and i trust their insight (Wiz, Eli, JJ, Al) just as much as those stats explain a players ability to be good haha.

Seems like Eli, Wiz, JJ, Al and so on can sum up a players ability perfectly fine without using those stats (or at least without making them the focal point of WHY that guy will be good). Just wondering what the big deal is.
- BlazinMike

I do. I certainly don't have a problem with anyone who'd rather trust what they see, but I don't see why people condemn those who also use numbers. It's just more information to make an informed decision. Dean Lombardi has been at the forefront of using analytics to construct a team, and it seems to be working out pretty well for the Kings

Sippin' margaritas with Milton Waddams until the playoffs roll around


- CBHawks88

I thought Q said Bickell isn't even skating yet. That would put him a bare minimum of three weeks out, I would think.

I thought Q said Bickell isn't even skating yet. That would put him a bare minimum of three weeks out, I would think.
- NewToHockey

I thought I heard Bickell is getting better but is a couple weeks from skating. Same report said nothing new on Bulin, thank goodness.

Kostka, the second coming of Jordan Hendry.
- NewToHockey

LOL...they wear the same digit...i think Kostka's got a shot to be decent for us. Didn't think that about Hendry.