In the shadow of the United Center, standing on a sidewalk just east of the doors and across from the sculpture of the Chicago Blackhawks a young man is hawking something. From the parking lot across the street you can hear him: “Committed Indian, $3.”

This is Sam Fels working the crowd on game day. Fels is the publisher, writer and circulator of the Committed Indian, it is in direct competition with the Chicago Blackhawks official game day program, “Chicago Blackhawks Magazine” and was inspired by the Blue Line.

The Blue Line is of near mythical status among hockey fans. Inspired by magazines such as Spy, it took a no-holds barred look at the ownership of the team by Bill Wirtz. Its publisher, Mark Weinberg, authored and self-published a well-known book about Wirtz, “Career Misconduct.” When Blue Line published it's last issue in October 2008, Fels and others quickly revived the idea with the Committed Indian.

“It hit me when the Blue Line went out of business,” Fels said, “I tracked down Mark Weinberg” and we discussed reviving it. However, Weinberg wanted to keep the name, while supporting the concept. “It is loosely connected to the web site SecondCityHockey. People can use the web site to find it and order it. But the publication is a stand-alone product.”

Fels said the web site gets hundreds of hits and from 600 – 700 comments some nights during the hockey season. The web site and the publication, back issues of the publication are available on line, have had no issue with optimizing Search Engine Optimization he noted.

“I took my cue from the old Blue Line,” Fels said. “We must be wildly different from the product they sell inside. It's acerbic, witty and intelligent.” Billed the “Real Fan's Program” it features a fight card, pages and pages of stats (the Hawks record when “UC plays a really stupid goal song: 24-5-8), and a centerfold meant to um... well, the Flames centerfold misplaced a picture of Joseph Stalin for former Blackhawks coach Mike Keenan. Let's say it is off the wall.

Printed on a slick 11” x 17” format with a fold and a staple holding 16 pages, the publication might feel at home in a church pew except for its snarky and colorful language. In comparison, the official game day publication is a glossy perfect bound magazine that fits comfortably on your coffee table with issues of Elle. An 11” x 17” insert is bound into the inside cover. It lists the roster on one side, some lame notes such as “Captain Crunch,” a paragraph noting that Jonathan Toews had a point in each of the last three games in the Calgary series and a back page split between an alternate cover and an ad.

There isn't much statistical coverage of the game in the Blackhawk Magazine, though the official magazine does have pleasing photography and lots of ads. The most interesting detail about Patrick Sharp in the official magazine: “3/22 vs. Los Angeles: returned from injury with three-point game.”

Compare that to two pages of Sabermetrics, two pages detailing the two teams depth, a one page fight card and a two page player summary. There you can see the editors ask “with Sharpie returning, what does that second line look like? A line of Sharp- Bolland- Verstud would seems to be short on size and grit...” You'd also see Sharp listed in a probable lines, know he is listed as being 6' 1” and 197 pounds and is age 27. Plus there is detail on how he was acquired, how the team does when he plays on the power play and so on.

“I want stats for people who need them,” Fels says of his mix of heavy stats and sarcasm, “we want to inform and entertain. Overall, I want to be known as entertaining.” Fels says his snark has crossed the line but says, “I'd rather go long than short.”

Regarding one of the Blue Line's most well-known battles with the team, Fels says “I'm not interested in trying to get media credentials. I'm a fan and want that perspective.” Fels, who sits in Section 320, says the loss to Detroit was a stomach punch. “You have to admire the Red Wings. They've been playing perfect games. But I'm not giving up hope yet.”

First edition of the Committed Indian