Punk talks hockey (Tribune interview)

[GrammarNazi82]

Q&A with WWE wrestler, Blackhawks fan C.M. Punk

On Sunday night and on his home turf, C.M. Punk returned to the WWE ring for the first time in months. This dramatic resurfacing during a pay-per-view event at Allstate Arena had been planned for some time.

Not as deeply premeditated: The Chicago native’s wardrobe and spontaneous Stanley Cup Final prediction.

Punk wore boots and tights emblazoned with a Blackhawks crossed-tomahawk logo that included a subtle personal touch. Just before his match with Chris Jericho ended, Punk looked at a camera and shouted “Blackhawks in seven!”

So a day after demonstrating his puck love for the world, the WWE star talked with the Tribune about the Hawks, the Cup and his lifelong affection for hockey.

Q: How long had the idea been percolating to get the Blackhawks gear together?

A: Well, I’m not superstitious about anything in my life — except for playoff hockey. I get really kind of sketchy and weird about it. I don't like talking about it, I don't like making predictions. But I knew I wanted to make the gear to support my team; that was the basis of it.
I was at Game 7 against Detroit, when we won in overtime. I was at Game 5, when we won in overtime against the Kings. So it was in the back of my mind the whole time. I didn't want to commission the gear too early to kind of jinx them. It was always in the back of my mind.

Q: Where does one go to get Blackhawks wrestling gear?

A: We have three lovely seamstresses that actually work full time with the company. I go to one in particular. I kick around ideas with her, tell her what I want, we come up with it.

Q: Did you design it or did she have the logos in mind?

A: The logo is actually a little bit of a cross between the Blackhawks logo and my logo. If you look really closely at the top of the two tomahawks, it's a little fist with an 'X' on it. It was actually her idea. She came up with that.

Q: How far back does your Blackhawks allegiance go? To when you were a kid?

A: Yeah, just basically because I grew up in Chicago, and I always just loved hockey. Because it was, to me, more difficult and tougher than any other sport.
I remember being in eighth grade, everybody else in my class was rooting for the Penguins in '92 (in the Stanley Cup Final), and I was the only local kid rooting for the Blackhawks. I thought that was ridiculous.

Q: Why? Because Mario Lemieux was on the Penguins and all that?

A: Yeah, if you remember back then, it was trendy to like the Penguins. So like all the cool kids like the Penguins because of (Jaromir) Jagr and Lemieux.

Q: What's stood out to you about the experience of being at the United Center for these games lately?

A: I love the atmosphere. I've hugged and high-fived more strangers in the past three weeks than I have in my entire life. The camaraderie of the fans, how loud the UC gets, the national anthem is always a great moment, it's a lot of free overtime hockey. Honestly, it sounds corny when you say something is 'magical,' but it's been magical.

Q: And the 'Blackhawks in 7' prediction?

A: That flew right out. That was nothing that was planned. It was something I said at the last minute.

Q: That's just the belief you have in these guys?

A: I didn't think we were going to get swept, and I certainly didn't think we were going to sweep Boston or anything like that. It would have been nice to head to Boston for tonight 2-0, but I even thought that was a little unrealistic, because they're such a tough team. I think if you're a hockey fan, your gut feeling on this one is it's going seven.

Full interview

 

[Senhor Perfect]

He just gained a few more respect points from me :yay:

 

[seabs]

Slow news day I guess.

 

[GrammarNazi82]

Slow news day I guess.

Considering it's "The Chicago Tribune," and the reporter covers Blackhawks' games, as well, and the Blackhawks are in the playoffs, and a native celebrity who is a Blackhawks' fan returned and won at a PPV event the night of a playoff game.... probably not. That's just expected reporting. ity:

Haters gonna' hate. :boss1:

 

[GrammarNazi82]

He just gained a few more respect points from me :yay:

Always good news! :yay:

 

[seabs]

Considering it's "The Chicago Tribune," and the reporter covers Blackhawks' games, as well, and the Blackhawks are in the playoffs, and a native celebrity who is a Blackhawks' fan returned and won at a PPV event the night of a playoff game.... probably not. That's just expected reporting. ity:

Haters gonna' hate. :boss1:

It's so relevant to wrestling though, I mean look at how he mentioned his..,, love of hockey. Seriously this is useless discussion in the wrestling section, learn 2 sports section. `Slow news day even this classes as wrestling discussion.

 

[Senhor Perfect]

It's so relevant to wrestling though, I mean look at how he mentioned his..,, love of hockey. Seriously this is useless discussion in the wrestling section, learn 2 sports section. `Slow news day even this classes as wrestling discussion.

So use the powers bestowed to you by the almighty Crayo to move the thread. Do you already have a yeast infection?

 

[seabs]

So use the powers bestowed to you by the almighty Crayo to move the thread. Do you already have a yeast infection?

Probably.

 

[GrammarNazi82]

So use the powers bestowed to you by the almighty Crayo to move the thread. Do you already have a yeast infection?

Seriously. :haha: I thought if it involved a Raw Superstar it went in the Raw section, etc. My bad, oh mighty powers that be.

 

[seabs]

Seriously. :haha: I thought if it involved a Raw Superstar it went in the Raw section, etc. My bad, oh mighty powers that be.

Best be aswell.

 

[CrayJ Lee]

As a huge Blackhawks fan myself, I love going on Twitter and seeing all of CM Punk's hockey tweets during the game. I think it's awesome that he's such a huge hockey fan!

 

[GrammarNazi82]

As a huge Blackhawks fan myself, I love going on Twitter and seeing all of CM Punk's hockey tweets during the game. I think it's awesome that he's such a huge hockey fan!

His excitement can be contagious. I'll see his ecstatic or tense tweets during the games lately and sometimes feel more excited or more tense/nervous because of them.

 

[CrayJ Lee]

His excitement can be contagious. I'll see his ecstatic or tense tweets during the games lately and sometimes feel more excited or more tense/nervous because of them.

I'm definitely with you there! I like seeing the pictures he posts too when he does go the games. Overall it's just a different side of him that I enjoy seeing outside of the CM Punk we're so accustomed to in the ring.