Faxes from Uncle Dale

Recent Posts

  • The Ombudsman

    At the risk of overstepping bounds both as working partners and as friends, with word rapidly circulating around the community, this needs to be addressed, though I’m sure Sam will do so on his own when he finds the strength and time.

    Last night, Sam’s older brother Adam, better known as “The Ombudsman”, both in jest and in official title for this and the print publication for the way he kept Sam and the rest of us honest, passed away. Adam and Sam were best friends, and I considered Adam a friend of mine and fortunate to have known him. The Fels men are cut from a more unique, wry and witty cloth than most, and Adam was no different. Though that never precluded him from being kind and friendly, even as he and I would butt heads on hockey and music and I’d progressively and predictably get more red-assed within the conversation.

    Anyone who met Adam will miss him greatly, and my heart currently aches for both the friend of mine still here along with he who has departed.

  • Morning Links 7/21/14

    Crow can’t Waite to get to work: PHT

    I was able watch 5 seconds but if this is your thing: PD

    Keeping an eye to the future: ESPN Chicago

    Here and now: NHL

    Outside again: CSN

  • Friday Foofaraw: The Convention

    Friday Foofaraw: The Convention

    Well, at least the temperature is down this weekend, so the sweaty quotient of those piling into The Hilton should be lower than it has been in previous years. John McDonough’s lovechild of self promotion kicks off tonight and runs through the weekend. I used to do this in the Convention Issue of the Indian, but seeing as how I’m not doing summer issues this year I’ll take you through all the sessions all this weekend and get to the truth to what’s really going on.

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  • Morning Links 7/18/14

    Morning Links 7/18/14

    12 minutes and more real questions than the last 4 years: 670 The Score

    Lazy Summer days: HockeeNight

    Pandering in its most simple, ugly and ignorant form: Suntimes

    Ready to be Brooks Orpik? Daily Herald

    Back with the Cats: FS1

     

  • Ein Minuten Bitte… Again

    Ein Minuten Bitte… Again

    I suppose that with it being summer and the Hawks having already made their signings and not yet a trade to clear cap space, we have more time than we should to study the narratives they are pushing. It’s not something I consistently want to do, but they keep putting this stuff out there and some of it is just wide of the mark. And those who are supposed to stand watch and call it out are once again passively accepting and even echoing it themselves.

    During yesterday’s press conference, the Hawks and the sycophants who cover them couldn’t wait to tell us that Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane took less money so that they could keep the team together (even though the team is already over the cap). Their agent told everyone that they could have asked for the maximum $13.8 million per year.

    That’s nice. I’m sure they could have asked. And Stan Bowman could have laughed them out of the room.

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  • Morning Links 7/17/14

    Morning Links 7/17/14

    8 more years: Blackhawks (autoplay)

    Thankfully Stan learned math before Common Core: ESPN Chicago

    Pirri gets his shot: TSN

    Yet Kane has to keep answering maturity questions: PD

    NHL 15 is apparently awesome: SI

  • Better Leave Her Behind With The Kids, They’re Alright

    Better Leave Her Behind With The Kids, They’re Alright

    It’s always a weird mix at Prospects Camp. You have the made men of 1st round picks and this year they’ve added the spice of kids already in the organization. You have the mid-level picks who definitely have something to prove before they had back to whatever campus or Canadian backwater to work on their games. And you have the college free agents who very well may never wear a NHL logo on their chest again and are doing their best to make it count.

    I don’t know how much you learn from any of it, especially with a team like the Hawks who have a pretty much set top roster and one in Rockford that will have a lot of returnees trying to move up the depth chart. But it can’t hurt to look. So I moseyed down there today to catch the scrimmage. Just some random observations:

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  • Better Leave Her Behind With The Kids, They're Alright

    Better Leave Her Behind With The Kids, They're Alright

    It’s always a weird mix at Prospects Camp. You have the made men of 1st round picks and this year they’ve added the spice of kids already in the organization. You have the mid-level picks who definitely have something to prove before they had back to whatever campus or Canadian backwater to work on their games. And you have the college free agents who very well may never wear a NHL logo on their chest again and are doing their best to make it count.

    I don’t know how much you learn from any of it, especially with a team like the Hawks who have a pretty much set top roster and one in Rockford that will have a lot of returnees trying to move up the depth chart. But it can’t hurt to look. So I moseyed down there today to catch the scrimmage. Just some random observations:

    (more…)

  • Mornings Links 7/16/14

    Mornings Links 7/16/14

    Schmaltz ready: CSN AP

    Here come more jokes and memes: CBC

    I bet the team from Sochi got Chevys: PD

    Well it took almost 20 years but I officially find Nashville annoying: TSN

    Hopefully for USA Hockey’s sake he hasn’t learned much since leaving EDMO: SN

  • Morning Links 7/15/14

    Morning Links 7/15/14

    Dineen joins the staff: Blackhawks

    Clendening thinks he’s ready: PHT

    TVR is thankful: ESPN Chicago

    Uh no: PD