slumber

Flist, I tried. I swear I did. But as with

illuminations' DBSK love, and

bribitribbit's HSM love, and

miss_charmed's David Archuleta love, I cannot hide my love for the Chicago Blackhawks any longer.

I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, a thousand times please forgive me, but I can no longer not say anything on this journal (because it's meant to be mostly for fannish HP content, but I cannot deny this love, oh no, I can't.) so please, indulge me-- humor me?-- and let me pimp the boys out for the next seven days (YES, SEVEN DAYS. you have been warned. any less would be a CRIME.)

chicago BLACKHAWKS

>> Are an "Original Six" ice hockey team based in Chicago, IL
>> Have won three Stanley Cups since 1926 and 12 division titles
>> Are emerging from a years-long drought
>> Last got into the playoffs thirteen years ago. THIRTEEN YEARS AGO.
>> Are currently fourth in the Western Conference, and second to Detroit in their division, which now means they have a DAMN GOOD CHANCE of playing post-season
>> Are the second-youngest team in the league (15 players under 25, only 4 dudes with wives)
>> Are made of absolute awesome

red RISING

>> Last season's tag line
>> In reference to the young blood running in the team
>> led by the "faces" of the franchise, Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews

raising KANE

>> Patrick Kane wears the number 88 on his jersey, because THAT WAS THE YEAR HE WAS BORN.
>> He is young. Very young.
>> But that's okay, because he's also awesome on the ice.

Interview with him and Gagner, who is less awesome but had to be included because they played in the same team before they got into NHL teams.

>> The first game I actually saw the Blackhawks play was on October 6, 2007, my 21st birthday. It was the first game of the season and the Blackhawks were up against the Detroit Red Wings (who ended up winning the Stanley Cup later that year), and Line had been telling me not to expect much, but somehow, the Blackhawks tied the game and it went into Overtime, and then finally a Shootout. Patrick Kane won that game on my birthday. ♥
>> Oh, and he also won the Calder Trophy that season. It's what they give the best rookie, basically.
>> The Blackhawks issued a mini-Kane figure holding the Calder Trophy. The team, they loved it. They loved making fun of it, that is.
>> At the beginning of the season, then-Blackhawks coach Dennis Savard was fired and replaced by Joel Quenneville. Patrick Kane CRIED. It broke my wee little heart for the poor kid, it really did. :((

captain SERIOUS

>> Jonathan Toews (pronounced "Tayvs") wears number 19 on his jersey, BECAUSE THAT'S HOW OLD HE WAS WHEN HE STARTED PLAYING. (LOL, the boys, they are not very original.)
>> Thinks hockey is SRS BIZNESS. (Actually, yeah, it is. :|)
>> As a child, he read about this hockey great who woke up at 3am to skate. And you know what he did? He went out and skated in the middle of the night, because that's what great hockey players do.
>> Also, also, also? He submitted a paper in 2nd or 3rd grade, and it said, "Remember my name because I will be in the NHL one day." CRYING HOW PRECIOUS IS THAT?
>> His teammates call him Mr Serious (but it's CAPTAIN Serious now, bitches) because of his ~intensity~
>> aksdfjak;sdjfalsdf I don't know what else to say before I start dishing out the good stuff, so HERE, have a taste of the Tazer during a game.

odd COUPLE

>>It isn't often that teams get two AWESOME rookies in a year, but last year, that's exactly what happened to the Blackhawks. Just. Just WATCH that video.

>> When asked about Kane and Toews being the "odd couple" (THEY ARE ROOMMATES, BTW, AND THERE IS AWESOME FOOTAGE BUT I'M SAVING THAT FOR LATERRRRR), Toews goes it's a case of "[him] being the high strung one and [Kane] being laid back."

>> "I guess it's something that fate decided" LOLOLOLOL OH BOYS. ♥

>> For the 2008-2009 season the team did a series of ads centering around their tag line "One Goal" (I know, I know, shut up) and this is what Kane and Toews had in answer to what their "one goal" for the season is.

>> And then the boys were also nominated for the All-Star Games, and these were their campaign ads. DYING AT THE LAMENESS BUT.

>> The boys singing at Wrigley for a Cubs game DYING FROM THE AWKWARD.

>> HOW MANY TIMES CAN YOU GET AWKWARD IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA??

Oh bbs, I wish I could show you everything--EVERYTHING--about these boys, but. But. There will be more to come! The hilarity DOES NOT STOP THERE. Because despite all that I've shown you? Kane and Toews are not actually my favorite players. CRYING. HOW CAN ONE TEAM BE FILLED WITH SO MANY FANTASTIC AND AMAZING PEOPLE, I DO NOT KNOW. I DON'T. BUT ILOVEITHARDCORE.