Crystal Lake Hoffy wrote:
I watched my first Chicago Blackhawks Stanley Cup celebration, fittingly the result of a goal that no one was sure went in. I got the chance to watch it with my closest friends, most of whom I had been playing hockey with for over 15 years. I took a walk around the block after celebrating, called my Aunt, she mentioned how much my Grandfather wanted me to see this and then I promptly cried my eyes out for a good five or ten minutes. That moment culminated many years of waiting, sitting through so many bad teams and bad players. But I felt I had stuck it through, and being a fan, that's the best you can do. Stick it out and just hope to have that one moment where your team is the best in your league. All of the investment you made in tickets, merchandise and time spent watching at home gets paid back in pure, drunken and unadulterated joy. Thank you again to the 2010 Chicago Blackhawks.
Great post. I remember just crying tears of joy afterwards as well (it's okay to cry over sports). When I was younger it felt like it was never going to happen. I would lead the Hawks to the Cup in video games because there was no shot at ever seeing it in real life. When Toews lifted the Cup all those memories of sitting in a half empty UC with a $8 (with student ID) ticket watching shitty hockey came rushing back and I just lost it.
I have always loved this team even when they were cruel to me and always will. I am so lucky to see the two teams i love most win it all when i truly felt it was never going to happen.