A Win for Chicago

If you managed to come even remotely close to downtown Chicago today (which may indeed have been difficult considering the massive inflow of people currently swarming our streets) I’m sure you noticed an oddly high ratio of people sporting red and black clothing, face paint, flags, tattoos, you name it. Now, as a newcomer to the city myself, I wouldn’t have had the slightest inkling of an idea as to why so much red and black, had it not been for the constant energy vibrating through the city for the past two weeks that I’ve been here. Having never been a sports fan before, I found myself actually watching every game of the series, for the enthusiasm radiating from the city’s residents drew me right into the excitement of it all! And so, what’s going on exactly? The Stanley Cup Final of course! The Chicago Blackhawks, our NHL team, succeeded in earning the giant silver award on Wednesday night, resulting in the sprawling, enthusiastic mayhem today.

The Blackhawks played a total of six games against the Philadelphia Flyers, and managed to win the seven game series with a 4-3 game that finally ended after an exhilarating overtime period. The triumphant Chicago team had much to celebrate, this being their first cup win since 1961. And certainly, Chicagoans were going to allow their beloved team to bask in glory by themselves. And, being a new arrival to this great city, I didn’t want to be left out of the celebration myself!

So I joined the wildly excited fans in cheering on the team as they paraded down Michigan Ave and made their way proudly to the stage in front of thousands upon thousands of people. Foghorns blast, airplanes flew, bands played, and confetti poured from the skies as I stood amidst excited fans. And the fans themselves presented quite the spectacle, with some in full costumes and others all too revealed. (Which I must tell you is not a pleasant experience for fellow fans when the temperature rises to 90 degrees!) But hot, sweaty weather aside, the rally was a truly Chicago experience, something I’m glad to have witnessed and partaken in, for I aim at becoming a Chicagoan- proud, passionate, and happy to be here.