Faxes from Uncle Dale

Recent Posts

  • Morning Links 5/16/14

    Smoke my stuff and drink all my wine: HockeeNight

    Fulfillment: LA Times

    Stepping up for others: Suntimes

    I can wait: SCH

    I can hope: TSN

    That because its hard to be effective when there isn’t one: Sportsnet.CA

  • Beard Of The Day – May 16th – Doug Hurst

    DougMashTun
    Chicago Craft Beer Week is now upon us, so who better to celebrate the occasion than one of Chicago’s own brewmasters? Doug Hurst is the owner/brewmaster of Metropolitan Brewery and he, along with his fantastic team, has been making some of Chicago’s best beers in their Ravenswood brewery for the last several years. With a love for German styles,  Metro focuses exclusively on making lagers, incredibly rare for craft breweries since ales are far quicker and easier to produce.

    Their year round beers (Krankshaft, Dynamo and Flywheel), are all incredible examples of what American craft has to offer for traditional German beers. You’ll personally find me drowning myself in Krankshaft just about every time I head to The Whirlaway for any Hawks game. I’ve written about it in our game day program before but it really is a perfect beer for watching a hockey game. Only 5% ABV, it’s light and easy drinking with a taste of light hay, lemon and touch of sweetness, you’re able to put down many of them without really losing your head. Not to say I haven’t tried. Metropolitan’s current seasonal is Arc Welder, a dunkel rye lager, which is especially great for this weather since it refuses to actually get warm.

    While visiting Cologne, I once almost got my ass kicked by several incredibly drunk Germans for insisting that while their city was great, Chicago was better. Now is the time to prove it. There are plenty of amazing events going on for the next week surrounding craft beer in our city. Come out to Sportsman Club on Saturday and I’ll likely buy you a beer. Drink craft, drink local, celebrate one of craft’s many bearded brewers.

  • When All Those About You Are Losing Their Heads

    When All Those About You Are Losing Their Heads

    A couple of months ago, I wrote a post here mentioning all the things I like about Joel Quenneville. It felt necessary, because I spend a good chunk of my time complaining and pointing out perceived flaws, such as lineup management and sometimes getting caught cold by the opposing coach. Or at least trying to illustrate all the ways the roster he’s been given covers up some mistakes.

    Watching the Penguins and Bruins eat it the past two nights, I’m reminded of one of the bigger points of that post: The Hawks’ attitude.

    These things are impossible to measure or quantify, but I can state pretty confidently that Boston’s meltdown and “message sending” (defined in other circles as “dick measuring”) didn’t help their cause in Game 7. It looked a lot like a team that had run out of answers against a team it really should have been beating. It looked like a team that was terrified it was going out, which is what they looked like again when they played a very timid Game 7.

    (more…)

  • Beard Of The Day – May 15th – Sam Rockwell

    sam_rockwell-seven_pyschopaths-5

    There are few actors in Hollywood of whom it can be said their mere presence in a movie elevates the level of acting talent involved, and one of those is the occasionally bearded Sam Rockwell.

    (more…)

  • Morning Links 5/15/14

    Morning Links 5/15/14

    Danger Central: ESPN Chicago

    Root for triple OT: PHT

    The handshake line proves that hockey players are the classiest: PD

    The chase goes on: NHL

    Well okay then: SI

  • Minnesota Post Mortem

    Minnesota Post Mortem

    I’m not too sure there’s been a series in this era of Blackhawks Era that when it was over the overwhelming feeling was relief. But that’s how it goes when you’re outplayed, and at times massively, for at least three and probably four games and yet you still come out of it. Life finds a way.

    All of it leaves Hawks Nation in a strange position of being delighted to be back defending the Western conference championship but pretty urpy about what might come next. Probably a pretty good time to take a state of the union as the Hawks sit halfway to another parade.

    (more…)

  • Beard Of The Day – May 14th – Al Borland

    Al-home-improvement-tv-show-flannel

    I don’t think so, Tim.

  • Morning Links 5/14/14

    Morning Links 5/14/14

    Crawford..Crawford..Crawford: Hockeenight

    88 made it 8: Chicago Tribune

    75% percent chance of an Original Six Cup Winner: NY TIMES

    Christ, I hope not: HuffPo

    Go Habs Go: Gazette

    Game 7’s are tougher: 538

    Hello Seattle: TSN

    Fancystats vs. Eye-Test II: MCHOCKEY

    This is going to be truly awesome: Deadspin

     

  • Never Talking To You Again: Blackhawks 2 – Wild 1 OT (Hawks Win Series 4-2)

    Never Talking To You Again: Blackhawks 2 – Wild 1 OT (Hawks Win Series 4-2)

    Box Score
    Event Summary
    Extra Skater

    Earlier today, I was debating whether or not I should watch this game from home or if I should head to the bar. After a long day at work, I thought it was best if I go to my couch. I didn’t want to drink tonight, I had decided. And when Kris Versteeg put in a goal off a great move off the boards that bounced passed Bryz, I thought I might just be able to get away with a game where the temptation wouldn’t be that much. After all, a game where the Hawks score a goal before the opponents even record a shot is a damn good thing. “They’ll put this away early. I’ll get the recap up and have a good night’s sleep”, I hoped.

    That plan went to shit about 2 and half minutes into the second period.

    (more…)

  • Hawks at Wild Game 6 3rd Period Thread

    It’s staring me down
    Wearing a crown of apathy
    I’m standing around
    Dressed like a clown
    Don’t know my name
    You know where to find me