Reflections From the 2009 Winter Classic

On this fine, 32-degree New Year's Day of 2009, I proudly attended what was one of the more unique sporting events of my life. I'm not even sure where to begin with my reflections from the event, so I apologize if this comes across as a laundry list.

There were some great signs in the crowd today. "Blago is in the penalty box," was a favorite, as were "No Detroit Bailouts Here," and "Holy Cow, It's Cold!" There were a few more that I can't repeat in polite company that ranked highly.

A baseball stadium was a poor choice for a hockey game, but the atmosphere at Wrigley Field made this game special. Last year's Winter Classic, on a football field in Buffalo, seated almost twice as many people and had more natural sight lines than a baseball field is able. The snow falling in Buffalo, coupled with the dramatics of a great game, made the event a winner.

But today saw two big-name franchises playing in one of sport's hallowed stadiums. There are very few things that are ahead of Wrigley Field on the list of landmarks identified as representing Chicago.

On a survivably chilly day on the North Side, a raucous crowd came to show their appreciation for the rebirth of their hockey team.

I have attended three playoff games at Wrigley (including the Mark Prior-Greg Maddux game in 2003), the great Cubs vs. Yankees game on a summer Saturday that saw Kerry Wood defeat his idol, Roger Clemens, and a White Sox-Cubs game in each of the past seven seasons.

The roar during the national anthem today was as loud and electric as I have ever heard Wrigley Field. Even the players, as their being quoted in the national media, saw how special this event was at Wrigley.

For once, Commissioner Bettman got it right.

The Red Wings own the Blackhawks...but they better watch their backs. For more than a decade, the Red Wings have been the class of the Central Division, the Western Conference, and, in many ways, the National Hockey League.

They continue to buy top-notch talent, and write checks to the Commissioner's office for being over the salary cap, but they keep winning as well.

For those of us that are over the age of 20, especially those of us watching these teams play from the Chicago perspective, this is a story that might be more familiar than initially recognizable.

In the late 1980s, another Detroit team was dominating their sport and a young Chicago team was biting at their heels, trying to get over the hump and get to that elusive championship level.

Watching the Winter Classic live today, couple with the previous meetings between the Red Wings and Blackhawks this year, there is no question the Red Wings still run the show just like the Pistons of Isaiah and Joe D.

But these young Blackhawks are good, young and hungry, and the gap is closing. Maybe someday soon we'll be talking about Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane the way we look back at MJ and Pippen.

I ran into Blackhawks President/Marketing Jedi John MacDonough in a bar a little after 9 o'clock this morning.

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