In this little post-baseball, Bears-on-a-bye, seasonal fall depression we're going through -- yes, we admit it, sports affect our moods -- there hasn't been much to talk about. We like the Bulls as much as everyone else, but there are only so many strange Vinny Del Negro press conferences and weird lineup changes we can swallow before we black out in a puddle of our own indifference.
Fortunately, though, things are looking up. The Bears are back this weekend. The Blackhawks are moving forward, we suppose. And the Bulls return to regular season play tonight. That's three professional sports teams for us to follow, dissect, and take interest in for the next few months, and that doesn't even count college football or basketball. We can deal with that.
So before we put baseball fully behind us and begin our winter sports sojourn, we have but one plea: Don't forget the Blackhawks.
You know what we mean. It's easy for a team like the Blackhawks to generate buzz with novelty. Oh look! They're back! Remember hockey? Vaguely! And then you get all nostalgic about those roller-hockey games you played as a kid, and about watching Mighty Ducks, and you remember that the sport was sort of fun. Hey, you think. I could get back into this.
And then you watch a hockey game, and you have absolutely no clue what's going on.
It's OK to admit it. And it's OK to feel that newfound interest, going on two weeks, start to wane. Now that the Bulls are here, you have something else to distract you in the winter, something that, if you're like the average American sports fan, you'll probably find slightly more palatable than Barry Melrose's mullet.
But we're asking because we care: Keep the faith. Support the ho-ckey. Commit to the Indian. (Actually don't do that. It's borderline offensive.) Embrace the Bulls, but don't forget about the Blackhawks. Because honestly? We're going to need something to write about here, and Vinny Del Negro's hair just isn't that interesting.
