Well, we've learned a lot about the Blackhawks the last few weeks, haven't we?

First, there was 100% truth to the rumors of a front office rift— leading to Dale Tallon's re-assignment and the elevation of Stan Bowman to GM.

Second, Marian Hossa has a torn rotator cuff, and has since at least the 2007-2008 season.

Finally, John McDonough's title has been officially changed from "Team President and Marketing Genius" to just "Team President."

Because, as a 25 year veteran of brand-building, marketing and advertising, I can tell you that marketing is more than just a clever slogan, good commercials and smart tactical moves. It's also about managing the message, which McDonough et al have failed to do.

When the Hossa story broke, the team should have responded with statements from the team and the doctor much more quickly. Further, there is a rationale for what happened, but it was poorly related and very ill-timed.

The Hawks essentially were following the same course of treatment for Hossa, and message management to their fans, that Detroit did when they signed Hossa in 2008.

The Wings knew about the injury when they signed him for $7.5 million a year, got him into rehab for the shoulder, didn't make a big deal out of it. And Hossa went on to score 40 goals for the Wings that year. The Wings knew surgery might have been necessary at some point. So did the Hawks.

There's no reason to question that logic.

Instead, the Hawks froze in the light of scrutiny, then later came out with statements, then almost immediately announced Hossa would have surgery today.

Again, making an early determination that surgery is necessary is the best thing for the player and the team in this case. It's just the timing and management of the message that are awkward.

Now, all that said, I, for one, am not willing to proclaim the Falling of the Sky over any or all of these events.

Nothing succeeds like success. On the ice.

The Hawks remain (even without Hossa until the end of November) a very good hockey team that plays a majority of the games Hossa will miss on home ice.

Far too much attention has been allowed to linger on the Hawks' front office— by the Hawks' front office.

Now, I doubt Mr. McDonough reads my blog every morning (or any morning). But if he did, I would offer him this advice, based on my experience both with organizational politics and marketing:

1) Stay out of the spotlight for at least a year. Let Stan and Rocky be the face of the organization.

(You have become the human bug zapper of negativity from Hawk fans and the hockey world in general.)

2) Listen to Scotty Bowman

3) That said, do (or don't do) everything in your power to make sure the team wins and continues growing on the ice.

4) Tone down the marketing a bit this year.

(As a former boss of mine used to say, "don't sell past the close." Hawk fans have been marketed to way too much, through good times and bad, going back to Cold Steel On Ice. The team is very good now. That's what they really want. Season ticket orders are way up. For now. The way to keep that juju going is to win on the ice and eliminate drama off the ice.)

5) But if there is an off-ice incident, deal with it swiftly and appropriately.

(Figure out the message; don't embellish; don't vacillate. And let the fans know quickly (within 24 hours) what happened, why it happened and what you intend to do to correct it. If you made a mistake, don't hide it. Admit it, let the fans know you intend to avoid it in the future.:

To quote Dr. Evil from the Austin Powers movies: "Pretty standard, really."

Yeesh, I can't wait for training camp.

JJ

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