We used to stop in at a place right by the United Center called Cheli’s, owned by Chris Chelios, the former Blackhawk and a native of Chicago who graduated from Mount Carmel High School.
It was one of those places that was real popular. Players would stop in all the time. I remember sitting up at the bar with my dad once, and he pointed out a couple of people — one of which was the famous goalie Ed Belfour — pretty cool.
However, after those early years, I sort of drifted away from the sport. I don’t really recall exactly why I lost interest, but it happened to a lot of fans in Chicago. Last year, I really started getting back into the sport. It was hard not to as a result of the excitement that Jonathon Towes and Patrick Kane brought to the Blackhawks. All the sudden, it’s pretty hard to come across Blackhawk tickets, as they usually sell out the place.
However, I was quite impressed with a different kind of hockey match I went to this past weekend — the Dubuque ThunderBirds were playing down at the Five Flags Center on Locust Street. I know it is not the NHL, but for young players aged between 16 and 20, these kids put on a pretty exciting show.
The Five Flags Center is located in a perfect part of downtown, within walking distance of several restaurants and other local attractions. I also was pretty impressed with the prices of the concessions, which made the Duhawk Market look overpriced.
The fans really get into the hockey here, too, starting up various chants, including some aimed at the opposing team. I got a pretty big kick out of it. The ticket prices were not bad either, especially for students. Four-dollar seats in the bleachers and $6.50 for the reserve seats with a back cushion. Just like a minor-league baseball game, the environment is fun and very affordable.
So I recommend everyone take the opportunity to go watch a Thunderbirds game. It may not be the NHL, but it is a great outing for a Friday or Saturday night.
