Hawks can either blame problems, or overcome them

Grasping at straws has become something of a cottage industry in Blackhawks nation of late.

The virtual diagnosis of Hawks ills knows no end, but sometimes the answers aren't quite so high up and so far away.

In this case, it may be as simple as a backcheck, and remembering puck support, puck possession and positioning.

Ultimately, it's about responsibility and suddenly the lack of it.

It's something Hawks forwards were doing well early in the year and something they're not doing at all now, and that's usually a question of effort, heart and a reasonable amount of intellect.

But it's not new since the Olympics.

It's a trend that began well before the Winter Games and has continued since.

Blame can be placed in a lot of areas if you're truly desperate, but the reality is the Hawks were small, soft and young before the Olympics, just as they were last year when it didn't prevent them from winning a couple of playoff rounds.

Health is a factor, but the Hawks were struggling in their own end even before the injuries on defense, and their goaltending has been weak all season.

So, not much of this is new.

What does seem to be new is their lack of attention to detail, not to mention their frustration with being hit.

Welcome to the NHL, where the Hawks aren't a surprise anymore, where they won't sneak up on anyone.

It was perhaps a bit too easy last year when the Hawks went deeper into the postseason than some expected, and now that the expectations are very high the Hawks are showing a lack of character.

So Stan and Scotty Bowman are taking notes and names, and with their first real chance to put a stamp on the team this summer, today's actions are being filed away for tomorrow.

The Hawks are a young team, and young teams must take steps. They also have a tendency to take a step back after a long and premature playoff run, which was the case a year ago.

But there is plenty of time to straighten it out, and their shutout of Phoenix last week is an example of how they can play, and how they must play if they intend to make any noise in the postseason.

This is a team that overcame a bad month last season, got hot the last 10 games, and had a good postseason run.

The Hawks can do it again if they get back to playing the great team defense they played early in the season, when they had the same weak goaltenders and the same small lineup.

Or they can rely on excuses like injuries and the Olympics, the same problems plaguing teams throughout the NHL.

In tough times, some teams fall back on those excuses. Others will show their character and fight through it.

For the Hawks' players, the choice is entirely theirs.

Ivan Boldirev-ingThe more the Hawks' small skill players show their frustration at being hit, the more the opposition is going to come after them.Granted, they're not used to it because NHL teams just don't hit that much anymore, but Columbus took the body constantly in the last two games and showed exactly how to beat the Hawks.So the Hawks can whine about it and take stupid penalties, as they have recently, or they can play smarter and harder and make the opposition pay.This might be a good time for a few of them to grow up.Wickenheiser-ingComedian Bill Cosby to the Victoria Times Colonist:"I do think if the Canadian women win a gold medal and nobody's on the ice and they want to do a satire of men with their victory, they have every right to go out and smoke a cigar."When guys win the championship of the world in baseball or basketball, they are pouring champagne over each other and lighting cigars in the shower. So what do you want women to do, go out and give birth?"Seam stressSince teams should always bat their worst hitter ninth, it makes perfect sense that Pirates manager John Russell announced Monday that this season he intends to bat the pitcher eighth and Ronny Cedeno ninth.Eddy Curry-ingN.Y. Post's Marc Berman: "Six straight lottery finishes for the Knicks and all they have to show for it is Danilo Gallinari. Three of the lottery picks other teams owned and Channing Frye and Jordan Hill were traded. It's mind-boggling."The quoteDodgers GM Ned Colletti, on the criticism of his starting rotation: "Not a lot of teams have five quality starters, and it's not unreasonable to expect improvement from our guys."Best policyWest Virginia coach Bob Huggins, talking to the media: "I've been accused of not liking you people. That's not true. Some of you I don't like. Most of you I do (like). But I don't care. I honestly don't care."Best headlineSportspickle.com: "PGA Tour dragging its feet on addressing concussions."And finally -NBC's Jay Leno: "Osama bin Laden has released a new audiotape. He is really furious. Apparently, he had Kansas going all the way in the tournament."brozner@dailyherald.com