http://blackhawks.nhl.com/team/app/?servic...rticleid=338366

 

Died of cancer. Just got a call from my brother (2:45 a.m.).

 

I know there will be a lot of "pissing on his grave" type comments (not necessarily here), but R.I.P. Condolences to his family and friends.

Edited September 26, 200718 yr by CWSGuy406

I'm not happy to hear this, but as a hockey fan in Chicago it's hard to muster up too much sympathy for him. His family, yes - because they loved him, I feel bad for their loss.

 

It will be interesting to see what changes, if any, the family makes in their approach to running the Blackhawks. My theory has always been that the kids were playing "good cop" to Bill's "bad cop", but wouldn't do things very differently. I guess we'll see pretty soon.

Keith just woke me up with this news. I agree with Critic, that's as much as I can say.

Wow, now that is a shock. I didn't really hear anything about him being "that" sick, although I'm not really in the loop here.

 

There's not you can say really, as you guys have said previously. Wonder what impact this has on the franchise going forward.

so who runs the team now? what's the outlook?

I admire his longevity and dedication to the Blackhawks. RIP Bill.

This is a hard one - from a personal standpoint, I pass my condolences on.

 

From a business standpoint, good riddance, get the hell out, and let's hope that there's some business sense that comes to Chicago on running a real hockey team.

This is a hard one - from a personal standpoint, I pass my condolences on.

 

From a business standpoint, good riddance, get the hell out, and let's hope that there's some business sense that comes to Chicago on running a real hockey team.

 

We should add special condolences to the Sutter family. I wonder if Pulford got his head out of Bill's ass before he passed away?

(is it too soon?)

I hope his son gains some cahones now that he's in charge and puts home games back on TV.

I hope his son gains some cahones now that he's in charge and puts home games back on TV.

While I have never really followed the Hawks, I was always under the impression that it was Bill that was so stuburn about TV and such, but his son was rather forward thinking and in favor of it.

Shows how much I follow hockey, didn't even know he had cancer. RIP.

WCIU and Comcast might make exceptions. Maybe WGN as well, by 2008-09.

As a person, yes I say RIP and condolances to his family, no doubt about it. However, the man lived a full life of 77 years, had a lot of money, and was just a horrid owner, so his death is great for hockey here and I am thus not going to say I feel bad in that regard at all. Home games on TV in 2008-2009!! (I hope).

Edited September 26, 200718 yr by whitesoxfan101

WCIU and Comcast might make exceptions. Maybe WGN as well, by 2008-09.

I was thinking that too. I think you could get SOME home game son TV for this season, but the time it'll take to get control and organization over from Bill to son, it might not be soon enough.

Hip, hip, hoor... oh wait, that's not nice.

 

Seriously, Dollar Bill was a big part of hte history of the NHL, and I'd be sad to see him go had he let loose the reigns about 10 years ago. It's unfortunate that this is what it takes to get the Hawks home games on television (if it even happens) so we'll see.

 

My condolences to his family, and I pray Peter is a smarter businessman.

My condolences to the family with that said, He was a PATHETIC owner who never got out of the 1960's mentality and as a result his hockey team has been non existent for 15 years. I hope his sons have more sense on issues than Dollar Bill did!

My condolences to his family but he was one of the worst overall owners in sports today. His thinking was so antiquated it wasn't even logical. I hope this brings new found life for this long starved organ I zation.

Way too late to work out a deal now, but I would hope next year every game is on local TV.

I don't think its too late. The Angels a couple years back had no TV deal as Moreno was in the process of renegotiating with FoxSports and it went up to the deadline. The Clippers had something similar happen and they eventually agreed to a TV deal with KTLA 5 to do some of there games (CW).

 

If Wirtz son wanted to, they could get a deal done, especially since Comcast is set up to be able to do games anyway (they do Sox and Cubs at the same time so they could easily do Hawks/Bulls).

f*** him.

 

If he would have wanted a more respectful response from a former fan, he should've been more considerate and caring about what the fans wanted for the last twenty plus years.

His sons?! I'm here wishing they put a for sale sign up. There is no evidence that they would be any better. Sell and enjoy the fruits of dad's labor.

There was a rumor going around at one point that Reinsdorf was interested in buying the Hawks...don't know how true it is but that would be interesting. Either way it will be interesting to see what direction they go in now... I think its safe to say also the protection Pulford had enjoyed all these years is gone now.

Edited September 26, 200718 yr by EvilJester99

There was a rumor going around at one point that Reinsdorf was interested in buying the Hawks...don't know how true it is but that would be interesting. Either way it will be interesting to see what direction they go in now... I think its safe to say also the protection Pulford had enjoyed all these years is gone now.

 

It will be interesting to see what's going to happen now. As Tim Sassone decribed him, Peter has always stood out (or, in this case, hasn't stood out) as a 'man-behind-the-curtain'. Are there going to be changes? Is Peter going to move this organization into a new age? And when I say "into a new age", it goes beyond putting home games on TV. That's obviously a big part of it, but marketing is an area where the 'Hawks are far-and-away the worst in all of Chicago, even behind the Fire and Wolves. The Cubs and Bears can market s*** and people would still up, but the Hawks ought to be copying what the Bulls and White Sox have done. Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Martin Havlat, Brent Seabrook... these guys should be household names even to people who could give a damn about hockey.

 

I'm nervous yet cautiously optimistic about the future of the organization (not talking about the players and prospects here -- just talking management).

would've loved to watch the home games on tv, but alas I moved away, hating hockey forever because I never had a team to get behind. thanks for that dollar bill.

It takes nuts to write an article like this... good for him! I now heart Ray Slover

 

link

 

Wirtz's death is a Blackhawks' blessing

By Ray Slover, Sporting News

Posted September 26, 2007

 

This is going to sound harsh, and I apologize in advance to the Wirtz family for what I'm about to say. But to borrow from Shakespeare, I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.

 

Bill Wirtz's death is a good thing for the Blackhawks.

 

Neil Milbert, writing online today for the Chicago Tribune, gives all the good things Wirtz did for his life. It's an impressive list. He was a successful businessman, philanthropist and sportsman who did great things for hockey. His ownership of the Blackhawks harkened back to a long-gone era in the NHL.

 

But under Wirtz's watch the Blackhawks crumbled into a joke. The team was poorly managed, allowed to underperform and was a perennial absentee come playoff time.

 

The following graphs, from the AP story on Wirtz's death, are telling of the franchise's demise:

 

Since moving to United Center 12 years ago, the Blackhawks have made just four playoff appearances -- only two since 1997. The Blackhawks haven't played in the Stanley Cup finals in 15 years. As a result, the Blackhawks -- one of the six original NHL teams -- average about 12,700 fans per game in an arena that seats 20,500.

 

Wirtz' stewardship of the Blackhawks was long questioned, with the criticism becoming more vociferous in recent years. Many fans blamed him for allowing too many good players to leave over the years, and for his refusal to televise most home games.

 

At the United Center, the retired numbers of Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita, Tony Esposito, Glenn Hall and Denis Savard hang high above the ice. It has been years since players of that caliber have played for the team.

 

And in recent years, Chicago lost such high-caliber players as Jeremy Roenick, Tony Amonte, Ed Belfour and Chris Chelios.

 

There are other banners hanging from the United Center rafters, touting the many successful seasons for the franchise. One stands out: the one representing the Stanley Cup in 1961, the last time the Blackhawks won the championship.

 

"Dollar Bill" did nothing to help the Blackhawks shed their image of losers. Chicago already has its "loveable loser" franchise, the Cubs. Wirtz was despised for how he and his cronies left the Blackhawks to bumble about the NHL. A recent article on ESPN had Wirtz as No. 5 on the list of most hated owners in sports. He certainly was No. 1 on that list in Chicago.

 

The website WirtzSucks.com offers a mixed bag of emotions on his death. There are few glowing tributes to him as owner of the Blackhawks.

 

Fans can only hope the next generation of Wirtz family members do the Blackhawks proud.

 

The franchise is in good hands under GM Dale Tallon, and coach Dennis Savard has a good plan and excellent young players to mold this season. If ownership lets these former Blackhawks heroes run the franchise and team, improvement and honor will come, starting this season.

 

Rest in peace, Bill Wirtz. Here's hoping better days are ahead for the fans you alienated and the team you owned.

Edited September 26, 200718 yr by Steve9347

It takes nuts to write an article like this... good for him! I now heart Ray Slover

 

link

that takes some serious balls, but he's spot on.