There was no blizzard, temperatures never dropped below zero, and the Blackhawks may have lost the game, but the Winter Classic at Wrigley Field was still quite the spectacle for Blackhawk and hockey fans alike. Sure, the seats weren't very close to the newly constructed rink on the Wrigley infield, but nobody was complaining about not being able to see anything.
After all, there were finally video screens at Wrigley Field, something Cubs fans have been hoping for for quite some time now.
While it would be hard to imagine the experience living up to the incredible amount of hype surrounding the game in recent weeks, the 40,818 hockey fans who were there on Thursday would probably tell you they got everything they hoped for and more. From the pregame ceremonies showcasing both Blackhawks and Chicago Cubs greats, to the entire stadium shaking a la the old Chicago Stadium during the national anthem, those in attendance were on their feet from the time the first puck dropped until that final horn sounded on a 6-4 Red Wings victory.
Then there were the celebrity sightings. Vince Vaughn was hanging in a skybox with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. And John Hughes, the man who put Chicago on the map with his movies, braved the cold in the not-so-cheap seats. Mayor Daley sat with Blackhawks President John McDonough. But no sign of Gov. Rod Blagojevich in the crowd.
Another fun distraction during commercial breaks were the contests held for fans to win things like Bridgestone tires, 50-inch flat screen televisions, and XBoxes. One highlight involved a teenaged Blackhawks fan, whom when asked how he felt after winning a free NHL 09 video game opined, "Detroit sucks." Of course, nobody asked him that if Detroit does in fact suck, what that means for the Blackhawks who have now lost two straight games to them.
Really, the only negative thing that can be said about the Winter Classic was the concessions not being ready to handle the demand for hot chocolate. Many fans stood in line for twenty minutes waiting to wrap their frigid hands around a nice hot cup only to be told that the stand had sold out. Then, when they finally did get their hot chocolates, they found them to be more of a tepid chocolate than hot
Still, overall, it was a great day for the NHL and the sport of hockey in Chicago. The Blackhawks have not been the center of the Chicago sports universe for a very long time, but on New Years Day of 2009, they once again became the main attraction in Chicago. Even if they did lose.
