Re: Pat Foley on the Blackhawks

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: It's much easier to read this after a Blackhawks win. : : Foley appreciating Hawks' playoff run : : Posted by Ed Sherman 5/3/2010 Chicago Business : : : : Pat Foley definitely understands the sense of appreciation of regaining something you've lost. : : He suffered two losses. First, Mr. Foley, who became the play-by-play voice of the Blackhawks in 1980, watched the team go from a compelling Stanley Cup contender full of stars to stifling irrelevance playing to empty seats in the United Center for years. : : Then he lost his job in 2006. It was a crushing blow since it was the only job he ever wanted. : : So, yes, Mr. Foley is feeling extremely fortunate these days. His return to the Hawks TV booth in 2008 coincided with the team's return to prominence on the ice. You can tell by his energy and enthusiasm he is appreciating every moment. : : Mr. Foley and Ed Olczyk will be on the call for Game 2 of the Hawks-Vancouver series Monday on Comcast SportsNet. Here's a Q&A I did with Mr. Foley. Is he pumped up? You bet. : : After what you've gone through, are you appreciating this playoff run even more? : : Mr. Foley: It's the like old song, "You don't know what you've got till it's gone." Maybe the greatest song ever written. I don't even know who wrote it. The answer to your question, do I appreciate it more? Yes. : : It's remarkable what's happened here, and how quickly it has happened and how prevalent the Blackhawks buzz is. I'd like to think I had a small part, but I'm not going to take any credit. It's part of the whole program. : : When you left in 2006, the Hawks were at their lowest depths. Did you ever imagine such a turnaround was possible? : : I've said it 100 times, but I don't think this has happened in the history of sports. This rejuvenation not only on the field of play but off, it's never happened before. I'll make that statement and defy somebody to discredit that. I can't think of another situation like this. Can you? : : Just start with the fact that this team now is relevant. It was irrelevant for an awfully long time. Certainly, what has happened on the ice is the biggest factor. But what happened off the ice is as big a factor. : : It starts at the top. It's Rocky, John, Jay (owner Rocky Wirtz, team President John McDonough and Senior Vice-president of operations Jay Blunk). How about an owner who sits in the stands? He's accessible. : : There's 100 people who deserve a lot of credit. But those people were brought in by these people. I'd love to have somebody tell me where this has happened before. It hasn't. Everything about this franchise has been remarkable. : : How does the vibe now compare to the great Hawks teams you called games for in the '80s and early '90s? : : Those were great hockey teams with great players. Some of those teams in the '80s were good enough to win the Stanley Cup. But you play the Edmonton Oilers with six Hall of Famers, and that took care of that. : : The difference was, they were in the playoffs 28 years in a row. When I started in 1980, the playoffs were part of the season. Then that went away. All of the sudden, playoffs weren't an automatic part of season. That has added to the enthusiasm and enjoyment of what's going on here now. : : Talk about working Ed Olczyk. : : We have a blast together. There is a great chemistry. It was instantaneous from the first time I started working with him. I knew him before from when he played here, but not like this. The chemistry has grown over time as we've gotten more used to each other's patterns. : : This guy is a great — not saying good — he is a great broadcaster. When a replay comes on the air, he hasn't seen it. But he knows where everybody was and where they went. He has a coach's eye for the game. He's good at teaching. He's taught me stuff. : : He's like me. It's a job and a business we're involved in, but hey, let's have some fun. We are in the entertainment business. We're not comedians, trying to do a stand-up act. But between the two of us, we have a similar attitude. It's about making it fun for the viewer. What's the matter with that? : : You're done calling games after this series. The conference finals and Stanley Cup finals will be on NBC and Versus. How does that make you feel? : : I'm going to do every game I have a chance to do. The networks are what they are. That's the deal. I was reminded by (Cubs TV play-by-play man) Lenny Kasper that he's never done a playoff game. Whenever I have a chance to do a game, I'm going to show up and do it. And try to have fun with it. : : Even after all these years, this has to be thrilling for you. : : That's a very appropriate word. Thrilling fits. This is an awfully good team. Having been away for a couple years and then to come back into it when it's on this complete upswing . . . it's just been incredible. : :

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