Hawks' Burish can't wait to play at Wrigley Field
As he addressed the assembled dignitaries from a makeshift stage atop the third-base dugout at Wrigley Field, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman pointed out that Detroit Red Wings goalie Ty Conklin will become the first player to compete in all three of the outdoor games the league has staged when Conklin takes the ice in the NHL Winter Classic 2009 on New Year's Day.
Pretty impressive stuff for sure, but some would argue that Blackhawks forward Adam Burish's daily double of outdoor games is even more impressive - skating for the victorious Wisconsin Badgers against Ohio State at Lambeau Field as a collegiate player and then taking the ice at Wrigley Field as a professional against the defending Stanley Cup champion Red Wings.
"I think this is going to be the best - better than all the rest of them," Burish said while inside a faux ice rink in right-center of the Friendly Confines. "You're at, to me, the most famous stadium in all of sports. You're at Wrigley Field."
Although his newest teammate, defenseman Brian Campbell, played in last year's outdoor game in Buffalo, the Winter Classic 2009 will be a new experience for the rest of the Hawks.
"Take some time to look around, is what I'll tell the guys," Burish said. "Look at the stadium, look at the fans, look at the crazy signs I'm sure they'll have - those are the memories that you'll remember.
"You might not remember your third, fourth or fifth shifts, but you'll remember what that walk was like from the clubhouse to the ice."
And whether it's 20, 20 below, snowing or windy, Burish said the conditions are of no concern.
"At Lambeau they gave us all underwear like football guys wear when it's cold; I tried it all on for warmups and I was too hot," he said. "It was mid-20s on game day, so it wasn't a warm day, but you're so jacked up. I didn't wear any of it; I didn't even wear a shirt under my equipment.
"Even if I was cold, I wanted to do it the right way. I don't think guys will have a problem with (the weather) because they're going to be so excited."
But reminiscing about what it was like at Lambeau or what can be expected at Wrigley on Jan. 1 misses the main point, according to Burish.
"The first question people are going to ask you is did you win?" he said. "I want to be able to say yes."