Some of you suggest my Blackhawks love is "convenient" or that I'm willing to ignore they operate similarly to the Bears. Oh contraire, mon frere!

Bill Wirtz was a wonderful man... he simply didn't get it when it came to modern-day marketing. Out of respect to his late father, Arthur Wirtz, he continued to "protect" the season "reservation holders" by not televising games. Not a smart business move, especially in the early '90s when the Bulls deservedly were front-page news because they were amidst a dynasty.

Wirtz was loyal -- often to a fault -- to former Blackhawks players who gave their blood, sweat and tears to the organ-I-zation. He regularly hired former Hawks as head coaches (Dirk Graham, Trent Yawney, Denis Savard) and as assistants. Some of them weren't qualified to ascend to those posts, but he was a loyal man who preferred to "keep it in the family."

The fact that the Blackhawks Alumni Association is so strong is not only a statement about how the players felt about each other, but about the Wirtz family. Even after being fired as head coach, Keith Magnuson helped CREATE the HAA and serve as its administrator. That was a statement about how strongly he felt about William Wirtz as a man.

I've known employees of Judge and Dolph liquor distributorship and Bismarck hotel and catering (Both Wirtz properties) and all of them stayed there along time because of how they were treated by management.

When I met Bill Wirtz (to book him as a guest for Chet Coppock in the late '80s) he was kind and approachable, despite the gruff appearance. I was all business and cut right to the chase as to why I stepped up to speak with him in the Governors' Room at the Stadium. He said he'd be happy to come on the show with Chet, but first "sit down and have a drink so I can get to know you a little bit." That's not only good business, it's human kindness (when sincere, and I have no reason to believe it wasn't).

As for the team employing Bobby Hull... I'll say this: for the horrible things Bobby did (and said) in the past, he has paid for and then some. In the hit to his reputation and to his finances. Mentally and physically abusing a spouse is horrible and my little brother Mikey and I thoroughly enjoyed giving a dude, who repeatedly had beaten our sister, a thrashing of "A Clockwork Orange" proportion in the late '80s. I give people a chance, however, and try to judge somebody on how they treat me and my friends.

Bobby Hull always has been a genuine, kind dude when I've been with him. Very few enormous superstars -- and that's what he was for those too young to remember -- are as generous with their time and as easy to be around as No.9. Ask anybody who's met him at an appearance since he's become a team ambassador. If there's any complaint, it's that the line for an autograph moves too slowly because he never gives anybody the bum's rush when they want to tell him a story or ask him for one.

In summation, the Hawks treat their own like family AND win championships. I'm proud to be a fan and have relationships with many in the organ-I-zation.

Trollin trollin trollin...

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Stuff like this is good for the board.

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don't care either way but I could list stories of Mc Caskey generosity, including helping to keep Notre Dame high school afloat when it was one foot in the grave and another on a banana peel

Hitler's mother loved him

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

But not his art.

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Power is always in the hands of the masses of men. What oppresses the masses is their own ignorance, their own short-sighted selfishness.
- Henry George

Definitely......

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"Stanley Cups are too expensive"

oh shut the fuck up. what the fuck does that contribute compared to what mac posted?

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the world will always the world. your entire existence is defined by your response.

Because it comes across as "Wirtz and Hull were nice to me so I can overlook their shit, but the Bears were mean to my friends so I don't like them".

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I hate Illinois nazis.

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Ike is trolling as well Spmack.

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i agree it does seem that way. thank you for actually saying something.

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the world will always the world. your entire existence is defined by your response.

By the way Ike, I'm still waiting on you to find a post where I cared about a host posting on the board.

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Do I have to research "Judge and Dolph" along with "predatory business practices" and "unfair labor" or can we just agree that you don't become a major alcohol distribution establishment without breaking a few eggs?

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

Which gets me to the question, what's really eating at you Dan?

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

Bears fans seem to be in a state of denial. Acceptance that the transgressions of Bears ownership has sentenced the "beloved" to eternal mediocrity will set you free.

Mac, how do you feel about John McDonough's stewardship of the team? Do you think they've traded a lot -- maybe too much -- of that loyalty and kindness for the success they've had? I ask because there is still a vocal subset of Hawks fans who hate McDonough and his business practices, saying things along the lines of "at least with Bill, you knew what you were getting."

This question might be out of bounds, but do you think that WSCR has kind of ignored what the intelligent people in Blackhawks management have accomplished relative to what the Bears, Cubs, and Bulls front offices could accomplish?

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Meanwhile, in June and July 2008, Plaintiffs were each terminated without “just cause”—for example, for refusing to sign new at-will employment agreements, among other reasons—in alleged violation of the CBA. J & D, however, refused to participate in arbitration concerning these alleged violations because it considered the CBA to have expired. Plaintiffs then asked Local 705 to bring unfair labor practices charges based on these alleged violations before the National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB”) on their behalf, which it did. Around April 2009, however, Local 705 and J & D agreed to a settlement, which would give Plaintiffs about 25% of their claimed damages ($104,000 out of $409,709 total). But Plaintiffs refused to consent to the settlement, and Local 705 did not continue pursuing the NLRB action. And the parties seem to have assumed that Plaintiffs could not litigate their claims before the NLRB on their own without Local 705.

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Ба́бушка гада́ла, да на́двое сказа́ла—то ли до́ждик, то ли снег, то ли бу́дет, то ли нет.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

Did you type that through your green and gold keyboard?

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Do you think Bobby Hull just calls it a t-shirt?

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Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

It aint the six minutes. Its what happens in those six minutes.

Meh, I'm bored. Christmas is tomorrow and don't feel like working much.

We might never reach a Super Bowl while Rodgers is QB but you will never reach a Super Bowl while Harbaugh coaches the 49ers.

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

Like I said Friday, the Lions may be on top the next two years.

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Ба́бушка гада́ла, да на́двое сказа́ла—то ли до́ждик, то ли снег, то ли бу́дет, то ли нет.

Same thing was said when Swartz was hired. Still waiting on that...
(not gonna happen)

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

As long as #99 is in a Bear shirt, #12 fears for his life!

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"That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously." Banky
“Been that way since one monkey looked at the sun and told the other monkey ‘He said for you to give me your fuckin’ share.’”

How can you have that understandable "The Lions will always be the Lions" mentality and still be a Cub fan?

sabermetrics

denial is a wonderful thing.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

other people may have said that. I did not. I am, however saying this: if the Lions hire Ken, they will be the best team in the Black and Blue division.

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Ба́бушка гада́ла, да на́двое сказа́ла—то ли до́ждик, то ли снег, то ли бу́дет, то ли нет.

We shall see. He had talent on offense while in Arizona ...and yeah got fired.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."