All hail Lord Stanley's Cup!

Okay, I'll admit that I'm one of those people who hasn't liked the bandwagon-jumpers. Not because I think that somehow as a die-hard fan from the olden days I'm better than them. Nope - it's just because they've made it so freaking hard to get tickets. By the same token, I've been annoyed to read about the so-called celebrities and starlets suddenly going to the Stanley Cup games. Hello, taking our tickets?!

With that said, I am glad that the Hawks have an entire city behind them. And I kind of feel sorry for the new fans, in a way. Sure, they get the thrill of seeing the Hawks win - but it's not as meaningful - and they don't realize how truly remarkable and mind-boggling this is - unless you were there in the days of "Dollar" Bill Wirtz, in a United Center with tens of people, where I could wave to my friend Keith, aka Stan, who'd be the lone person sitting in his section on the 200-level. And my hockey friend Doug told me last night that at the games, he'd always be seeing me and whatever friend I was with on the Jumbotron - basically because there were so few people there that they'd show the same people over and over. And often, you'd hesitate to buy tickets because you didn't want to give Wirtz any more of your money.

Those were the days.

And of course, lo those many years ago, there was the classic comment from my friend Laura as we were watching the final game of the Stanley Cup. I don't even remember who won, and Laura's not a big hockey person, so her comment upon seeing the players raising the Stanley Cup was "Oh look, they're hoisting a trash can aloft!" Which still stands as one of the best hockey-related comments of all time, in my book. True hockey fans will understand that she shouldn't get any shit for that comment - considering that each player gets the Cup for 48 hours, and it's been everywhere from at parties filled with jello, to, well, a lot of other strange places. Which doesn't detract from its significance at all. It's just how hockey and hockey fans are.

So, all I can say is this: thank you Blackhawks. You have been truly incredible, and bandwagon or not, all of Chicago loves you. Thank you thank you thank you.....