- Joined:
- Aug 21, 2012
- Posts:
- 8,781
- Liked Posts:
- 5,604
I'am finishing my degree in June
KBIB
Would like my account deleted
- Joined:
- Apr 26, 2013
- Posts:
- 2,218
- Liked Posts:
- 1,268
He kind of rebuilt the brand which was DOA. There were alot of angry fans booing when Rocky mentioned Bills name after he died. McD fixed all that anger and animosity and did it the right way by apologizing.
Would it have happened without him? Maybe. McD knew what he had with Toews and Kane and early radio commericals proved that when they were saying "your gonna see alot of Havlat jerseys and pretty soon 19 and 88s everywhere". That's all McD.
The Hawks social media blows the Bears out the water in followers, that's McD.
He made the Hawks America's hockey. That used to be the Red Wings.
Did winning help? Of course, but when the Hawks started their shit dive he still got them on National TV and stadium games.
If Bettman was smart he would hire the guy to market the NHL and maybe it wouldn't be considered such a shit sport to the casual fan
KBIB
Would like my account deleted
- Joined:
- Apr 26, 2013
- Posts:
- 2,218
- Liked Posts:
- 1,268
This is correct.
It was 11 games, then 28 games, then the whole year.
And part of me remembers certain home games were blacked out during the 28 home game year but allowed at certain bars or something like that
- Joined:
- Jun 6, 2010
- Posts:
- 15,741
- Liked Posts:
- 7,308
- Location:
- NW Burbs
As I said, if you put quality players on the ice, field/court people will notice and as the MJ Bulls rose from the ashes at the beginning of their frenzied run they had no McD...The Cubs fans were so pissed about the tanking but when the resulting draft picks/team started showing signs they had no McD prior to the ensuing Cubs frenzy.
The McD stuff at the beginning of the Hawks run was fluff the talented young Hawks players were on their way regardless of anything thing the grinch did. There are other examples of sports franchises turning things around without the fluff.
Granada
Well-known member
- Joined:
- Oct 14, 2019
- Posts:
- 11,439
- Liked Posts:
- 2,667
What certain people seem to be overlooking is the fact that -- even if you think anyone would have implemented these changes (which isn't necessarily a given, but I digress) -- it still was a difficult task and not a slam dunk. I mean, it's well known that on McD's first day, the org didn't even have a receptionist and the team didn't even have equipment bags. No one wanted to play here, not only because the team sucked, but because the org sucked. He pretty much had to rebuild ops from the ground up, in addition to correcting all the ****-ups that the prior regime made. If you think anyone could have stepped into this kind of situation and done that, I'd say you're wrong -- it certainly wasn't as easy as people like to assume.
- Joined:
- Jun 6, 2010
- Posts:
- 15,741
- Liked Posts:
- 7,308
- Location:
- NW Burbs
Rocky was very clear in the various interviews he did after his father's passing that changes were coming and he didn't agree with the way his dad ran things. Had the grinch not shown up and Rocky had made a different hire the team was still going to be a dynasty. The product on the ice is the bottom line.
The Hawks sweater has been said to be the best in the NHL when Dollar Bill was alive and it remains that way afterwards regardless if there's a receptionist.
The Hawks sweater has been said to be the best in the NHL when Dollar Bill was alive and it remains that way afterwards regardless if there's a receptionist.
- Joined:
- Jun 6, 2010
- Posts:
- 15,741
- Liked Posts:
- 7,308
- Location:
- NW Burbs
It was said the grinch fired almost everyone and brought in a huge staff Jay Blunk to name one and a sizable sales staff. There's no question the Grinch grew the product, but fans were back regardless.
Granada
Well-known member
- Joined:
- Oct 14, 2019
- Posts:
- 11,439
- Liked Posts:
- 2,667
Again, none of this means that is was "easy." McDonough had to build everything from the ground up -- this is a fact.
I guess the way a sweater looks is the only reason why a player would want to play for an organization...
- Joined:
- Jun 6, 2010
- Posts:
- 15,741
- Liked Posts:
- 7,308
- Location:
- NW Burbs
So no other GM or president would have made a couple of big FA signings to make a McSplash to show players around the league that the Hawks were no longer a tight fisted org., that's pretty earth shattering .
Jack Lantern
Well-known member
- Joined:
- Oct 27, 2019
- Posts:
- 2,574
- Liked Posts:
- 1,756
sorry i had to diss your boy Theo "I walk on water" Epstein, I realize it's an unpopular topic to criticize the messiah who was responsible of ending the 108 year drought.
schooled!
KBIB
Would like my account deleted
- Joined:
- Apr 26, 2013
- Posts:
- 2,218
- Liked Posts:
- 1,268
See, I agree with what your saying to an extent, but before McD the Hawks were in such shit shape they needed a miracle worker to reimagine their image.
Like I said, winning helped, but the Hawks were in such rough shape they were paying radio to broadcast them.
Rocky said all the right things and McD cultivated it to the point the Hawks actually matter in this city right now and the Hawks suck so bad they're picking in the top ten another year.
Go back to the Roebuck/Chelios days, the only time the Hawks mattered were the year they went to the Cup and got stomped by Jagr and Mario. Every other year nobody cared outside of Stu Grimson losing his shit and being held back by refs.
The Hawks right now are bad, but people care. That's the footprint McD built. And it's not just local, it's world wide. A shitty Hawks team pulls better TV numbers then good teams. McD marketed the players instead of the team. That's brilliant marketing.
The Hawks suck so market Kane hitting 100 points or Dach, or Boqvist. Why did McD want Boqvist up when he would have been better off in the A all year? Marketing.
But I see what your saying. Winning creates interest. It's just that there's alot more interest world wide then the guys filling the stands like back in the day.
Long/short- McD made the Hawks matter in a city nobody cared about hockey
- Joined:
- Jun 6, 2010
- Posts:
- 15,741
- Liked Posts:
- 7,308
- Location:
- NW Burbs
Rocky would have made a good hire if It wasn't the grinch. I'll say this the media sure made the grinch come across to some of you as the high and mighty. I remember back at the beginning of the Hawks run before games I hung out in the Stadium Club and he would be wining and dining various sports writers game after game, lol, some major ass kissing was going on.
And I don't want the president of any team meddling in player personnel decisions, unless it was an occasional Theo Epstein meddle.
And I don't want the president of any team meddling in player personnel decisions, unless it was an occasional Theo Epstein meddle.
Diehardfan
Well-known member
- Joined:
- Jun 10, 2010
- Posts:
- 9,597
- Liked Posts:
- 6,983
- Location:
- Western Burbs
My favorite teams
LOLOLOLOLOL Hey look, the Jack Off is lost again. It's the Hawks Forum, dipshit. Just curious how many different people you're going to use that pathetic "Epstein bit" on? Wrong forum, too stupid to come up with more than one zinger, accusing posters with 10,000 posts of being noob, zero original thoughts and all basic sport knowledge acquired through video games.....it hasn't taken long, but you have become the biggest boob on the CCS. You are a punk and you a make it more obvious with every post.
Go back to school and come back when you grow up.
Granada
Well-known member
- Joined:
- Oct 14, 2019
- Posts:
- 11,439
- Liked Posts:
- 2,667
Eh -- I would not say the only year that they mattered was when they lost to Pitt in the 92 Cup finals. That team/era was relevant for many years; not just one. The year they lost to Minny in the first round, they won the President's Trophy if I recall correctly and they made it to the playoffs and conference finals multiple times in that era.
I do agree with you though that McD deserves credit where it is due.
Granada
Well-known member
- Joined:
- Oct 14, 2019
- Posts:
- 11,439
- Liked Posts:
- 2,667
It wasn't just that though (making big moves), but okay.
- Joined:
- May 14, 2010
- Posts:
- 17,840
- Liked Posts:
- 2,546
You can't even hold Grimson's jock when it comes to trolling, it's best if you just run back to the Bears forum because we've all seen and ignored much worse here for much longer.
Jack Lantern
Well-known member
- Joined:
- Oct 27, 2019
- Posts:
- 2,574
- Liked Posts:
- 1,756
Oh it's dipshit now? Granny here always likes to lay the "grow up" schtick as a comeback while he continues to name call at moi over the past few months on a sports forum of all places. lul
schooled!
- Joined:
- Jun 6, 2010
- Posts:
- 15,741
- Liked Posts:
- 7,308
- Location:
- NW Burbs
Haha, just remembering back to The IHN days and Grimson sorting things out for the Jack lanterns of the internet.
Jack Lantern
Well-known member
- Joined:
- Oct 27, 2019
- Posts:
- 2,574
- Liked Posts:
- 1,756
yah the jack lanterns of the internet who don't call posters dipshits for defending the best front office in Chicago and calling out others? lul
good try bruh. I realize you just kissing up to the moderator who took part in this thread so it's all good man!
- Joined:
- Aug 21, 2012
- Posts:
- 8,781
- Liked Posts:
- 5,604
I wish Spunky would kiss my ass. Than I could feel like a Mod-King