As I was listening to the replay of the Howard Stern show, Jay-Z was being interviewed and discussed the aforementioned song. What an appropriate song for the state of the Hawks. Who'd have thunk that we'd be sitting on the ass edge of the circus trip in 7th place overall, at 9-9-2? Not even Carnac the Magnificent couldn't have predicted THESE growing pains. We're all left asking, "what now?". No one has the magic solution, but there are always common sense, but who believes in THAT?
Very similar to the Hawks Clown Costumes
First of all, this Circus trip is an absolutely CRUCIAL trip. Ironic that the team is on a road trip so that the Circus can use the UC when the Hawks have been a Circus in the UC all season. Anyhow, No more bullshitting around, because they are a quarter of the way through the season, and looking VERY average. They must have a 4-2 road trip, which is not impossible at all. The 6 game left coast swing has them playing the Oilers, Flames, Canucks, Sharks, Ducks, and Kings. Let's say they can shake the Oiler monkey off their back, and beat the embarrassing Flames. San Jose is beatable, especially with Niemi in net, so that would leave the Hawks having to beat the Ducks or Canucks. Both are hot, but can obviously be beat. LA is just looking too strong, especially at the end of a six game, two week road swing. They need to call in sick NOW to that one, because they will need a miracle. It's not going to be easy, but it's not impossible to pull off that 4-2 record. It's about time that "road bonding" resulted in more than just increased playing time on X-Box, and Limo rides with disturbingly average looking Puck Bunnies.
Second, there needs to be a shake up. Call me extreme, among other things, but I suggest sitting Duncan Keith for a game. Throughout the league, coaches have been taking to scratching healthy MONEY players, to set an example. In NJ, John MacLean sat Kovalchuck, and in Buffalo, Coach Lindsey Ruff sat captain Craig Rivet for two games. Elsewhere, names like Wolski, Zherdev, Frolik, Antropov, Hudler, and Jason Blake have all watched games from the press box. Sitting a reigning Norris Trophy winner will make news, but a good 50% of Keith's game has been complete and utter dogshit soup, so sitting him would show the team that no one is untouchable. And make a few people sit up and take notice. Maybe light a flame under a few asses. The problem is that it's not the newer guy that aren't producing, it's the holdovers. Stalberg, Skille, Dowell, Pisani, Turco, and even Crawford have produced. I won't even breach the subject of John Scott, because in his case, it's not physically possible. This is a business and a professional sports team, so it's time the employees start being help responsible. I'd suggest a trade, but they really aren't in a position to do that, because it would either require taking on a high salary, or trading talent for prospects. Neither scenario really benefits the Hawks, and there is NO way they can take on a salary, in fact, they can't even call up some of the higher priced prospects because of their salaries.
Third would be rewarding players for their good play. I've said this at LEAST a hundred times, but players like Jake Dowell, and Jack Skille have done nothing to deserve continued forth line banishment. NOTHING. When you have shitheads out there like Dave Bolland, taking up valuable prime playing time, and even getting time on the powerplay, and yet Jake the Snake, and Jack Skillington sit there patiently watching people do NOTHING, something is wrong. Snake and Jack have done nothing but bust their asses, and there has been zero reward. Well, unless you call playing with John Scott on your other wing a reward. Even with that walking calamity playing with them, they still managed to play very well, and create chances. Can it really hurt to play one of them on the second powerplay unit? Does Troy Brouwer deserve that slot? Fuck no, he doesn't. Please explain to me how Kopecky, Bolland, Brouwer is an NHL powerplay unit. Campbell is the ONLY legit powerplay player in that whole group. Replacing Brouwer, or Bolland can't possibly hurt that group any more than it's hurting itself. Campbell must sit in a dark corner mumbling to himself, because this group is USELESS on the powerplay. Yes, Keith played with the second unit for last game, but that still gives you two PP QB's on the same line, and a bunch of turds deep in the zone. That's Shanghai Fire Drill material. Skille and Dowell can control the puck just as good as Kopecky or Fucking Brouwer, and Bolland, well, he'd misspell his own name, at this point. REWARD YOUR PLAYERS, MOUSTACHIO!
I know for a fact that I'm preaching to the choir, but at least we don't have Versteeg underachieving, or Niemi completely blowing.
