Hey guys. It's been a while since I've really been into this thing. To be honest, I am not sure if the Ultimate Boston days will rise again at some point. Lately, I have been pursuing the chance to write articles for Bleacher Report, a well-known sports writing website.
I really want you guys to hang around and hear what I have to say. If the NBA comes back, you may see Ed B back on his Ultimate Boston grind. Unless something goes wrong at Bleacher Report, though, I'll be dedicating most of my time to that. So here's what I'm going to do.
This is the link to my Bleacher Report profile page. I would love for you guys to make an account and become a fan of me. That would be totally awesome.
Below are the links to the 7 articles I've posted on Bleacher Report so far. I'd love for you guys to check those out, too. The more views I get, the more medals I can earn, and the more publicity that comes from it.
(Posted today) Rettig, Kuechly Lead Boston College Past Miami in Season Finale
(Posted today) Tim Tebow: Why Denver Broncos' QB Would Make Perfect Hybrid Halfback
(Posted yesterday) Why Bobby Valentine Is the Right Choice for the Boston Red Sox
(Posted yesterday) What to Expect From NFL Thanksgiving Day Matchups
(Posted Wednesday) How Boston College's Luke Kuechly Will Translate to the NFL
(Posted Wednesday... "hot read") 5 Things the New England Patriots Must Do to Win Their Fourth Super Bowl
(Posted Tuesday) 5 Reasons the Boston Bruins Will Make Another Run at the Stanley Cup
I appreciate any help you guys want to give me. Bleacher Report is a really cool site. I would even encourage any of you sports writers out there to try it yourself.
Check out my articles if you can, and I'm sure we'll be talking to you guys! You can always get in touch with me on the Ultimate Boston facebook page if nothing else.
Friday, November 25, 2011
Monday, October 31, 2011
The Extra Point 10-31
In case you missed it, here is The Extra Point with Derek and John from 10-31-2011. The guys discuss the World Series, NCAA Football, NFL Football, Brady vs Manning, and much more. Every Sunday night at 9 PM ET.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
The Extra Point 10/23 (Audio Only)
Monday, October 17, 2011
10/16: The Extra Point
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Chaos in Red Sox Nation
There have certainly been better days to be a member of Red Sox Nation. Just weeks after suffering through the most historic collapse in the history of Major League Baseball, the old squad who holds down the Fenway fort has continued to spin through a whirlwind of turmoil, drama, and uncertainty. To be honest, I'm not even sure where to begin when I try to dissect what the hell is going on right now. So I'll just throw down random notes and eat some fried chicken. Beckett, Lackey, Lester -- you guys bring the beers!
Video Games, Fried Chicken, and Beers.
Now that the Sox have epically failed and fallen flat on their face, the true reasons have started to leak out to the media. On their off days, starting pitchers were throwing back brews in the club house, eating fried chicken, and playing XBox instead of staying in the dugout and supporting their team in its effort to win a baseball game. Supposedly these guys started doing that on September 1st, and they went 7-20 in the month as a direct result of that. Their 83-52 start to the season happened because the starting pitchers were supporting their squad in the dugout. It was only once they started eating chicken and drinking beer (oh no -- not in America...) that the team fell flat on its face.
If you can't pick up on my sarcasm, I'm trying to say that all of the media outrage about this is a little blown out of proportion. Do I condone the manager allowing this stuff? Hell no. I posted my gripes with Tito last week. Just scroll down the blog to see it. But is this the reason the Red Sox collapsed? Absolutely not. It's the guys drinking the beer and eating the chicken -- not the beer and the chicken itself -- that is the problem. So enough with all this nonsense. If fried chicken was the biggest problem the Sox had, life would be pretty damn good.
Tito's Marital Problems and Pill-Popping.
Okay, fine. So the beers and the chicken isn't the problem. But look! Tito had marital problems. And all those painkillers did him in. I mean, it's totally understandable. Managers spend time on the road with their teams every season. Same goes for the players, the staff, and everyone else. I get that. Trouble with relationships and marriages isn't all that uncommon with those situations. Travelling and separation can be big problems. Tito battled those problems all season. Hell, he's probably battled those issues as they built up over all the years he's been managing. I know that may be jumping to a conclusion, but here's the bottom line. No one was talking about Tito's marital issues after the Sox beat the Yanks on August 31st to move to 83-52 on the season. Trouble in a marriage has no reason to correlate directly to job performance. It hasn't done so in professional sports very frequently. So spare me that sob story. And as far as the pill-popping goes, I'm not quite sure. Maybe a little more radical drug choice would have amped the skipper up enough to get his players a little excited once in a while.
Theo Bolts Out of Town for Greener Pastures. Or Bluer Ones.
Theo Epstein wanted out of here, and he got his wish. Great job by Sox ownership to fight for the GM to stay. Cubs want him? Oh, alright... I guess you can have him. He hasn't done much for us. Only won us two titles. There are plenty of GMs out there who can bring in the players. I guess we'll just have to find one. Hey, hopefully they will. I'd love to see money-baller Billy Bean come to town or something like that. But really Theo? The Cubs? I know what people are thinking. He reversed our curse. He can reverse theirs. Maybe Tito will even follow him there and recreate the curse-breaking battery. Except here's the thing. Unless Theo plans to general manage until he's 92 years old, he won't be reversing the curse in Chicago. No way, no how. The Cubs are the Cubs and there is no changing that. Good luck, Theo.
Youk is Dating Brady's Sister.
I didn't know Tom Brady had a blind sister. But apparently he does, because she is dating Kevin Youkilis of the Boston Red Sox. Not only is Youk, guided by his US Army Tank, -- I mean, his chin -- the ugliest athlete in Boston, (okay, fine, Chara.) but he, according to all reports, is a complete dickhead and a clubhouse cancer. Wouldn't be surprised if he leaves town with the rest of the brigade this offseason. Which leads me to...
Big Papi Essentially Flips Boston the Bird and Sets Sights on Pinstripes.
You've all probably seen or heard about the interview by now, but David Ortiz basically said he doesn't want to be a part of the Sox "drama" again next season. Simultaneously, he praised the way things are always right in New York, how there is no drama, how it's a great place to play, and ultimately how he will "have to think about" playing there next season. Okay Papi. Do your thing. I don't know what world you're living in, but if you think going to the Yankees in the media hell that New York is will be a hall pass from all this "drama" and that things are always good -- well, you've got another thing coming. But yeah, I suppose things are always good there. They've won like nine titles in the last 10 years. Or one title. Something like that. They made it to the first round this year! Screw Boston... New York is where it's at. Fights with ownership (Jeter), washed up has-beens who think they're still hot (Posada), and early playoff departures (See: Every year except their WS run in '09). Have fun, Papi. You did steroids anyway. *(I have the right to take back all bad talk about Ortiz if he stays in Boston. Otherwise, let's go get Pujols with all that money.)
Who Knows What's Next?
I don't. I don't think anyone does. The first step is to get rid of John Lackey and Jason Varitek. By all reports, they are the guys who formed cliques within the Sox clubhouse more than anyone. Yeah, Beckett and Lester made some questionable character choices, too. But their performances somewhat balanced it out. When your production looks like that of Lackey or Varitek, that type of behavior doesn't cut it. The Sox need change. On that note, Wakefield needs to go, too. I love Wake. He's been an awesome Red Sox player for a long, long, long time. But enough is enough. The guy doesn't have it anymore. I'd love if he hung around as a bench coach or a mentor or a BP pitcher or something. I don't know. But he shouldn't be a regular in the rotation or the bullpen. He's run his course.
There will be plenty of excitement this offseason. A new GM and manager will take the reigns to facilitate the other changes. All I know is that I'm pretty thankful I'm a Boston fan and I can pay attention to the Bruins and the Patriots for the next six months. Because if we were only a baseball town, the winter road to April would be long and chaotic. Hey, Seguin's goal was pretty nice last night. Get ready for the Pats on Sunday.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Listen Live at 7 PM
Listen to The Extra Point with Derek and John tonight at 7 PM. Click here to visit the page where you can download the audio stream. It's the first hour of the year for Derek and John and their new show. Callers will be accepted, so listen in for the number. We may post it here once we get there and know the number for sure.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Blame It On Tito?
Cries from Red Sox nation are booming across social media waves today. Some are repulsed at the notion that Terry Francona may have managed his last game for the Boston Red Sox. Others are glad that the time may have finally come and are scouting the potential manager market already. I don't stand radically on either side of the spectrum, but I hinted at my feeling in the game day post before the fateful loss to Baltimore. Sorry, Tito. The blame may not be solely on you, but someone's gotta take the hit.
Look. Terry Francona had some great days behind the bench at Fenway. He broke the curse and added another ring in 2007. But Boston is a "what have you done for me lately" town, and Tito has done nothing for us lately. In the past three years, the Sox have played three playoff games. They lost all three, getting swept by the Angels in 2009. 2010 and 2011 were both campaigns that ended short of the postseason. Injuries in 2010? I'll give you that. Maybe not the most talented roster in '09? Fine. But what's the excuse in 2011? I'm not okay with putting it all on injuries this time around. Josh Beckett is a good starter, once an ace. Jon Lester is an ace. John Lackey has been a solid #3 his whole career -- why hasn't he been here? What's the reason for the obvious lack of chemistry and character in the clubhouse? Why are pitchers allowed to slug beers on their off days in the clubhouse? Most of the defenders of Francona are saying that the players didn't show up. They're pinning in on the character not being there. I'm sorry -- maybe I'm missing something -- but what is an MLB manager's job?
Let's think about that guy Bill Belichick. What do I notice about Bill Belichick teams? Even if they aren't always star-studded, even if they aren't in perfect shape, they are always ready to play. Mentally and physically, they are focused and ready. There is no sense of entitlement in that locker room -- every guy knows he needs to go out and earn it. Every guy is accountable. Every guy knows who the boss is, and they are going to do exactly what that boss tells them to do. The result? A cohesive unit. A unit that bonds together, because the coach won't take their antics. A unit that realizes the importance of their coach and would put their hearts on the line to win for him. That's what I see when I see the Patriots and Bill Belichick. A leader who absolutely inspires his bunch to be the best they can be every single night.
So I ask you -- did that culture develop because we got the right players? Did that happen because the players the Pats built a roster with are all intense, focused, hard-working guys who put the team first and buy into the system? Are we that good at assessing character? Or was that system built by the guy up top, molded each day by the man who is monitoring all clubhouse operations as well as the operations on the football field? Speak for yourself, but I can say with absolute certainty that Bill Belichick built that awesome environment. When the environment and chemistry is good, we praise the coach for setting the bar.
That environment, as we can all agree, was horrendous with the 2011 Boston Red Sox. They didn't put their hearts on the line every night. They didn't act as a cohesive unit, having each other's backs when adversity strikes. They weren't mentally or physically ready for the grinds of the critical moments. The environment isn't there. Pitchers can slug beers in the clubhouse knowing that other guys have to work today -- not me. I'm entitled to my day off here. I already did my job, why isn't someone else stepping up? Accountability is nonexistent on this team. It has been for the last three seasons. Sure, you have guys like Pedroia and Papelbon who will admit when they blow it and stress the fact that they need to step up. But I'm talking about the unit as a whole. No one gets held accountable and they sure as hell aren't ready to play every night. They never wore their heart on their sleeve for the skipper.
Maybe you think it's a bad comparison, but I think it correlates pretty well. Why is the coach praised in the case of good chemistry but not held accountable when things go poorly? Why is it not Terry Francona's fault that this team is never ready to play? Is Theo just horrible at judging character? These guys are all shmucks who will never work out, then. That must be it. Belichick doesn't create an amazing team structure -- they just have the right players. The Sox have the wrong ones. Nothing the manager can do there.
Or is that the manager's job? To get his players ready every game, to have them mentally and physically conditioned for any situation, to form a cohesive unit, and to develop a common goal that every guy in that clubhouse will do anything to achieve? To me, that's the manager's job. Joe Maddon has a hell of a lot less talent in that locker room down in Tampa, but he has those guys playing better than the Sox stars. Imagine what he could do to this team? Players are never held accountable and they just go through the motions with this Sox teams. Hell, if a Patriots player ever did what John Lackey does on a regular basis, he'd be cut before he could untie his cleats. That's just a fact.
Long story short, I believe a change was needed. Francona worked well with the Idiots of 2004 and the squad in 2007. Those teams had each other's backs and had great character. He managed the locker room nicely. But it's clear that he has struggled to do the same with this bunch. Is Theo at fault for bringing in players who don't fit in Francona's framework? Maybe. But the past is the past. Gonzalez and Crawford are owed $140 million. You can't just cut them. No starting from scratch. The only path I see here is chipping away at the problem. You gotta find someone who can get these guys to play. You have the raw materials. These players were all very talented and very successful in their previous locations. Why aren't they playing here? Like I said -- an MLB manager has a few jobs. Getting his players to play hard, play smart, and play to the best of their abilities are three of the most critical requirements of the position.
Lately, you've done nothing for me. That's what gets you run out of this town. The Sox have been notoriously forgiving with that topic. We don't give up on guys easily -- we keep them around for what they did. Why is Wake still here? He's been a great player throughout his Sox career. Ditto for Varitek. But why the hell are they still here? They can hardly play the game. There are a few times I can recall the Red Sox dumping someone for a recent failure. Grady Little. Nomar Garciaparra. You guys, thanks for everything -- but you're gone. Funny how both departures quickly translated into our first World Series title.
You can't be afraid to make changes. If Belichick had consecutive losing seasons, I would expect him to be on the hot seat. What have you done for me lately? We want titles now. Tito, you were a great manager at times. But you're not getting the job done. You're not getting these guys to play. Thanks for everything, but we'll find someone who can do the job.
I know some people will harshly disagree with my view, but I encourage to you ask yourself what an MLB manager's job really is. You don't call a play from the playbook on fourth and two. You don't design an inbounds play with 2 seconds left to win on a buzzer beater. You don't construct forechecking schemes and power plays to execute in the third period. You make a lineup, get it ready, and play the game. Make pitching changes and send in pinch hitters. Sac bunts (Tito? Yeah right.) and small ball (Tito? Yeah right.). But the biggest responsibility is having your baseball team ready to play. If you can honestly tell yourself that Tito successfully had his team ready to play, then so be it. You win, I guess. Let me just schedule you a doctor's appointment before you leave.
The future is uncertain. We'll see what happens, I guess.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
And Then There Was #162
That isn't the only part that is right about this man's cardboard sign, though. Meltdown. Enjoy your meltdown. Boston has suffered through exactly that in the past month. Having blown a 10-game wild card lead to the Rays, the Red Sox would re-write the definition of "limping" into the playoffs if they manage to secure the final American League berth.
So it goes to game #162 to decide it -- and that's not just in the American League. In addition to the Sox and Rays being deadlocked after 161 contests, the Braves and Cardinals of the National League find themselves in the same exact situation. It's pretty remarkable, really. Each and every sports fan has, at some point in their journey, discussed the notion that 162 games may be a bit ridiculous for a sports season. But if nothing else, one would argue, it gives a large enough sample size that there could be no doubting who the best four teams in each league are. 162 is plenty, right?
Maybe not this year, and maybe not in either of the two leagues in Major League Baseball.
One-game playoffs may be needed in both leagues after the final day of the 2011 (all but) regular season. Can the Sox do it? Can they avoid what would rival the Bruins of 2010, the Yankees of 2004, and several other collapses as one of the worst in recent memory? It rides on the arm of Jon Lester tonight, who takes his 14-0 lifetime record against the Baltimore Orioles to the hill at Camden Yards.
I'm not a fortune teller, so I cannot say whether or not Boston will be popping champagne, moping in the corner, or preparing themselves for a one-game showdown by the time tonight is through. I cannot say whether Jon Lester will shut down the Orioles or whether he will lay an egg in their nest. As a sports blogger, I don't bother trying to predict what will happen (well, okay.. maybe just for NFL picks). Rather, why don't we look at why it's happening and what strategies may have or could still avoid it?
The biggest question everyone is asking regards the issue of blame. Whose fault is this horrid collapse that could make this season one of the most disgraceful in Sox history? Is it Theo Epstein for assembling this roster? Is it Terry Francona for failing to put that roster in positions to win ball games? Or is it on the players for failing to win the ballgames with those chances they're being provided? It would be foolish to say that the blame falls solely on one of these entities, but it may be equally foolish to suggest that it's an even three-way split.
The easy answer is to blame the players. They're the ones out there performing every night, winning or losing the games. Sox fans have been angered in the past month by the lack of intensity, emotion, and heart that this entire squad has shown. Did Theo assemble a group of shmucks who don't give a rat's ass about winning? Are they all just personally incapable of stepping up to the big stage? Or has their coach instilled an even-keel mindset into the team that has rendered them unable to get hyped when the bell rings?
Enough hypothesizing and questioning. First, I'm not blaming Theo. The general manager's job, when it comes to building the roster, is to provide the pieces. That's it. Provide the pieces that your coaching staff of choice can work with to win a championship. Has he done that? I believe so. I understand that the pitching rotation has suffered incredible injuries, but I believe this team has the talent to overcome those issues. The Boston Red Sox of September 28th, 2011 have enough talent to win. They are a playoff caliber roster. Theo did his job.
So how can I blame Francona? The guy has delivered our two championships. The only two in a million years, for all intents and purposes. Doesn't that give him a free pass? In my view, no. That's the reality of Boston. Folks, you all accepted the new nickname this year. We're the City of Champions, oh yeah! Well, the reality is, this is a "what have you done for me lately?" kind of town. If we're the City of Champions, we aren't satisfied with 2 titles for the Red Sox, 1 for the Celtics, 1 for the Bruins. We aren't satisfied with 7 years of championship-free football from the Patriots. When things go poorly, change is necessary. I digress from the situation at hand, though -- the bottom line is that Terry Francona's time here has potentially run its course.
He has done a great job managing egos and personalities with the teams he has had since coming here. The titles in 2004 and 2007 were memorable teams that he was able to keep level-headed and in check all season long. But let's be honest -- Francona has never been a coach to win games with brilliant coaching decisions. He has never been one to get fired up, to make bold choices, or to really establish a gritty environment in the clubhouse. Do your job every day, keep your nose to the grindstone, and things will work out. They have worked out twice. But as we approach the sixth failure in his eight-year reign (and the fourth straight, all pretty pathetic efforts) -- when do we cut the ties? I can't help but think about what a guy like Joe Maddon could do with this Sox team. A manager with the fire of Ozzie Guillen or the small-ball genius of Mike Scioscia. Maybe there are greener pastures. Maybe another failure should spell the end of the Francona era. Am I calling for his head? Am I saying he's the sole reason this debacle has surfaced? Of course not. Theo signed John Lackey. Theo signed JD Drew. The players have been injured and those healthy ones have gone through the motions and neglected to wear their heart on their sleeves the way Pedroia does every night. They don't seem to understand what it takes to be a Red Sox hero. Ask Dave Roberts, Kevin Millar, Pedro Martinez, and all of those guys whether they took plays off or lacked a desire to give everything they had and more. Red Sox nation misses those types of players, too. Everyone is accountable for the mess that has become the 2011 season's ending.
Having said all of that, there is still hope. There is still a season to be salvaged tonight and a postseason to be embarked on. 22 teams around the league would die for the opportunity to play a postseason game this year. The Sox can still be one of the eight teams who gets to do it. It isn't all bad -- I'm not claiming the world is ending. This thing can easily be turned around. Hell, we could be on our way to another World Series title.
Like I said, though -- I'm not a fortune teller. We'll have to let the cards fall where they may, and hopefully wake up in the morning with a postseason berth. Take it one day at a time from there.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Week 3 NFL Picks
Late start today, so no fantasy advice for you guys. Feel free to email me if you have pressing issues and you value my input more highly than ESPN or Yahoo.... in that case, I'm honored.
New England 41, Buffalo 21.
Jacksonville 13, Carolina 24.
San Francisco 23, Cincinnati 10.
Miami 20, Cleveland 17.
Detroit 28, Minnesota 17.
Houston 24, New Orleans 27.
NY Giants 23, Philadelphia 31.
Denver 14, Tennessee 22.
NY Jets 17, Oakland 20. [UPSET]
Kansas City 12, San Diego 30.
Baltimore 26, St. Louis 13.
Green Bay 21, Chicago 24.
Arizona 20, Seattle 7.
Atlanta 28, Tampa Bay 21.
Pittsburgh 30, Indianapolis 3. [LOCK]
Washington 17, Dallas 31.
We'll see how it goes.
Current Overall Record entering week: 18-13
Current LOCK Record entering week: 1-0
Current UPSET Record entering week: 0-1
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Week 2 NFL Picks, Fantasy Thoughts
Oakland 24, Buffalo 17.
Green Bay 31, Carolina 10. [LOCK]
Kansas City 16, Detroit 33.
Cleveland 17, Indianapolis 14.
Tampa Bay 27, Minnesota 21.
Chicago 20, New Orleans 28.
Jacksonville 10, NY Jets 27.
Seattle 12, Pittsburgh 19.
Baltimore 24, Tennessee 13.
Arizona 17, Washington 20.
Dallas 23, San Francisco 14.
Cincinnati 7, Denver 17.
Houston 26, Miami 28.
San Diego 24, New England 35.
Philadelphia 30, Atlanta 20.
St. Louis 21, NY Giants 17. [UPSET]
There are your Week 2 winners. What about fantasy football? I haven't talked much about it so far. To be honest, I'm not sure if I'm qualified to after last week. I lost my opening matchup in both of my leagues, and in one of those leagues, I benched nearly a hundred points (see: Matthew Stafford, Steve Smith, Cedric Benson, & more). But I'll just go with the Matthew Berry approach. I'll give you a few guys I like as sleepers and a few guys I dislike as busts in the second week of the season.
Me gusta (Players I like)
1. Cadillac Williams vs NY Giants. If Steven Jackson is hurt, Cadillac is going to be a pretty good play on Monday Night Football. The fact that he is on Monday night is a little alarming, since you'll have to know for certain that Jackson is inactive before he's a safe bet. Still, he performed well with his carries last week and I see him continuing to do the same on a Rams offense that may see a banged up Sam Bradford hand the ball off more than usual.
2. Tim Hightower vs Arizona. Hightower is a guy I have liked from the outset, being in a Mike Shanahan system that has a history of churning out 1,000-yard rushers. Against his former squad, Hightower will look to shred the Cardinals defense -- a defense which gave up 422 passing yards to Cam Newton last week. What do you think Arizona's defensive group has been focusing on all week? Hey guys, don't forget about the rush defense. Shoot. I think they forgot about the rush defense.
3. LeGarrette Blount vs Minnesota. I had him benched all week, but I think I'm putting him back in there. I'm a little biased because I'm hoping to see the production out of him, but I have to agree with Matthew Berry on this one. He got 5 carries last week, was ineffective, and the Bucs lost. Common sense says you'll change things up a bit. It's not a terribly difficult matchup, and this guy was a 1,000-yard rusher last season. Whatever the gaffe was in Week 1, I'm thinking (hoping) that it's a thing of the past for Blount.
No me gusta (Players I dislike)
1. Jamaal Charles vs Detroit. Look, I know you Charles owners had to start him in Week 1 against Buffalo. It didn't work out quite as well as you'd hoped. He'll bounce back, right? Well, I'm not so convinced. I don't think you're going to get normal Charles production out of him this week, and I actually don't know if you'll even get formidable production out of him. Seeing what Ryan Fitzpatrick did to the Chiefs defense leads me to believe Matt Stafford will shred them apart. If he does that, KC will need to pass the ball. On top of that, the Lions defensive front is a ball hawking, very aggressive bunch who may give Charles owners fits this afternoon.
2. Rex Grossman vs Arizona. Matthew Berry loves Sexy Rexy again this week, but I tend to believe otherwise. Look at Cam Newton's performance last week. A lot of it was due to broken coverage, not laser beams that found tight holes in the secondary. They were fundamental mistakes that can be corrected. Corresponding to the fact that I like Hightower this week, I'm guessing the Cards defense allotted their whole practice week to fixing the horrible coverage woes that surfaced in Week 1. They probably fixed a good amount of them. At least enough to keep Grossman in check.
3. Plaxico Burress vs Jacksonville. Owners who took a chance starting Plax last week ended up getting rewarded with some points. I would cash out while you're ahead. (No, I'm not saying to drop him. Just saying to bench him for the week.) Whether Pats fans like it or not, the Jets are probably going to get a pretty big lead and control the game against the Jaguars. Marky Mark won't be throwing to Plax very much if they don't need to air it out. I wouldn't be surprised if I could count his fantasy points on one hand without my thumb today.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Never Forget.
We all remember where we were ten years ago today. At 8:46 in the morning, I was sitting in my fifth grade elementary school class. My teacher explained the situation to us, but our naive minds couldn't fully comprehend its significance at the time. But I can remember the pain and shock that overtook every adult influence in my life. As I began watching the footage and getting a grasp of the enormity of the attacks, the naive component of my mind started to move aside. This was real. This was happening. This was devastating for an entire nation, and I would grow up in the midst of an ongoing recovery effort for America.
Ten years later, we find ourselves in front of our television sets on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. And more importantly than being Patriots fans, being NFL fans, or being sports fans in general, we can all say that we are proud to be Americans. Today, we remember those who gave their lives on that fateful morning. We remember the families and friends those heroes left behind. We remember the brutal turmoil that our country was thrown into, and we rejoice in recognition of the fact that we have fought back. We have brought some of the responsible villains to justice. We have come together as a nation and refused to let adversity be our demise. We made sure that our fallen heroes did not fall in vain.
Those heroes are the ones who have reaffirmed our freedom as a nation. The casual sports fan -- and thus, most of the readers of this blog -- are excited for the start of the NFL season today. But we should all be able to recognize the bigger things. America suffered its greatest loss -- a loss that could have been catastrophic to an incredible degree -- and bounced back from it. Here we are. We are still standing, standing together, together as one. We are stronger and more unified. We were knocked down -- so what? Get back up and keep fighting. That's what Americans do. That's what America is. What's a loss in your fantasy football week or a loss for your hometown team really going to mean in the big picture? I'm a Pats fan. Someone else is a Jets fan. There are Giants fans, Saints fans, Packers fans, Eagles fans, and countless other fans. For at least a day, throw aside the animosity. We are all Americans, and we have made it through our troubles to this point. We all owe the same brave souls who carried us forward in the most difficult time our nation has encountered. Be thankful for America above all else. Enjoy your football, enjoy your beer and chicken wings, enjoy your friends' company. But try to realize that it's all possible because of the amazing heroes that have fallen before us. Remember them. Remember their courage. And remember that America never forgets.
Week 1 NFL Picks
On this immensely significant day for America, we have some football to enjoy as well. Here are my Week 1 picks for all the games. I didn't get my Thursday night pick in time, but the cumulative record starts here. What's my winning percentage going to be this season? I'm saying .700 .... I'm feeling a breakout year.
Falcons 24, Bears 14.
Bengals 10, Browns 28.
Bills 9, Chiefs 27.
Eagles 26, Rams 23.
Lions 24, Bucs 17.
Titans 20, Jaguars 10.
Steelers 19, Ravens 16.
Colts 14, Texans 31.
Panthers 16, Cardinals 14.
Vikings 22, Chargers 21.
Seahawks 20, Niners 34.
Giants 10, Redskins 13.
Cowboys 21, Jets 17.
Patriots 30, Dolphins 16.
Oakland 14, Broncos 24.
Let's play some football.
Falcons 24, Bears 14.
Bengals 10, Browns 28.
Bills 9, Chiefs 27.
Eagles 26, Rams 23.
Lions 24, Bucs 17.
Titans 20, Jaguars 10.
Steelers 19, Ravens 16.
Colts 14, Texans 31.
Panthers 16, Cardinals 14.
Vikings 22, Chargers 21.
Seahawks 20, Niners 34.
Giants 10, Redskins 13.
Cowboys 21, Jets 17.
Patriots 30, Dolphins 16.
Oakland 14, Broncos 24.
Let's play some football.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Welcome Back to the City of Champions
The point is, it has been a long time. It has been two and a half months. You may have thought I retired. You may have thought Ultimate Boston was headed down the drain. Well, to be honest, I can't guarantee that won't happen at some point. But it isn't happening now. Not today. We're back for the time being, and it's time to recap what we've missed in the past two months.
Back to the B's. As you can see, I made a pretty permanent decision when I got this tattoo inked onto my back between my shoulder blades. I said I would get tatted up if the B's won the Cup, and I'm a man of my word. A simple tattoo, though, can't explain how much the Cup finally meant to myself, my family, my friends who are diehard fans, and all of the Bruins faithful who have tuned in for every game since the days of Orr, Neely, Bourque, and all the way up through Zdeno Chara and Tim Thomas. To all of the people mentioned, it truly meant the world. And to see Chara hoist the cup above his shoulders, it sent a feeling of goosebumps through every fan's body. Well, at least the fans who have endured through the ugliest days of the past 20 years.
My memory hardly spans through all of those years, and that was only half the period of agony. Still, this year's Stanley Cup victory helped put to rest so many of the demons that have haunted the Bruins in my own lifetime. Failing to get Ray Bourque the Cup. Tim Taylor's toe in the crease. The days of standout goaltender Byron Dafoe, never amounting to the grand prize. The relatively failed project that was Joe Thornton. The days when tickets were so easy to come by and games weren't selling out. The nights when Dave Shea broadcasted road games on UPN 38 and Dale Arnold did the home games on NESN. The crushing Game 7 losses against Montreal and then against Carolina the following season. All leading up to the moment -- unquestionably the most heart-wrenching moment in our recent memory -- in which the B's blew a 3-0 lead and let the Flyers soar past them to the conference finals in a season that had seemed destined to finally work out for the black and gold.
Fortunately, we're in Boston. Some of you may now refer to it as the City of Champions. Having garnered titles in each of the four major sports within the last 7 years, it is by no means unreasonable to expect more in the near future. Hell, even the Boston Cannons of Major League Lacrosse took home a championship this weekend. Things really are starting to look like we're the best at everything we do.
The Red Sox continue to edge the Yankees in the AL East with a huge series against the arch rivals looming. Despite their share of injuries to the pitching staff, the Sox look poised once again to contend for their third championship in seven years. It has been four years since their last glory days. Oh, the horror!
Meanwhile, the Patriots (despite a 34-10 shellacking from the Detroit Lions this weekend) look sharp and ready to dominate the NFL as usual. With an impressive set of receivers, a newly revamped defensive line, an improving secondary, and -- of course -- Tom Brady, the team with the longest drought in this city may be ready to finally end this heart-wrenching seven-year drought.
We have it made here in Boston. That's all there is to it. I'm not guaranteeing another championship for the Sox or the Pats this season. I'm not saying the Bruins have undoubtedly kicked off a dynasty at the Garden. I'm not saying the Celtics will compete yet again if the NBA even has a season. Truth be told, all of our teams could drop into 100-year slumps starting today. We may be miserable sports fans for the rest of our lives, reliving the heartache of the Red Sox, Bruins, and Patriots days of old. Reliving the Celtics days just before the Big Three. Maybe that is what destiny has prepared for us. Even still, it won't change the golden age of sports we have experienced. If you're reading this right now, you have lived during an amazing era. Whether or not another parade goes rolling through Beantown in the coming months, years, or decades, the name is irrefutable for this moment. Enjoy it. Remember it. Because right now, Boston is unquestionably the City of Champions.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Three New Shirts On Sale
The last time I blogged, I had probably just finished taking my pet dinosaur for a walk. For that, I apologize. Life is a lot busier than it used to be. I'll get around to it. To the faithful viewers who keep checking back, I'm sorry that I haven't even made a post since our Bruins took home the cup. Although, truthfully, I was pretty much speechless anyway. I may not have been able to articulate a well-written post in the first place.
I'll do my best to pick the blogging game up again, but the tee shirt shop is still motoring forward. Three new tees. The first two pictured above of kinda-sorta replicas of a shirt in Barstool's store, but I changed it up a little and offered it in some colors. To be honest, I made them because I wanted them, not because I wanted to sell them. The third picture shows the newest shirt which was requested by fans. It could get taken down, so I would go ahead and buy it if you're interested in getting it. As usual, pictures of players are susceptible to being removed by the site.
I'll hopefully be making some changes around here soon, but we'll see. Until then, browse the Pro Shop and see if you find anything you like.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
For America, For the NHL -- Get It Done.
Being a hardcore Bruins fan, I can say that I have never wanted to beat a team as much as I want our B's to beat the Vancouver Canucks in these Stanley Cup Finals. And if you've watched the series, you know I'm serious when I tell you that the reasons go far beyond the proximity of that big silver mug that is on the line in this matchup.
Who saw it coming? The Canucks are quickly proving the Chicago, Nashville, and San Jose fans and writers to be correct. I hadn't noticed that Vancouver had a roster full of cheating, diving, crying, biting, dirty scumbags until this series got underway. Now I get what the fuss was all about in some of these other cities. I used to respect Vancouver, because I was under the impression that they just went about their business, operated like a machine, and churned out winning efforts. I stand humbly corrected as we prepare for game four of the finals.
This series has stirred up so much emotion in me that I have no idea where to begin. I'll start with the brutal mess that the NHL has left itself with. Prior to game four, the league has made a few statements. First off, they said that both teams needed to cut out the "crap" that has been going on. Additionally, they said that the next player who waves his fingers in another player's face will get a two minute penalty and a ten minute misconduct. They want the biting incident to be a thing of the past.
Wait. Hold on. The same incident you took no action against? You ruled it was clean, that there was no evidence that Burrows intentionally bit Bergeron? The same unpunished action that saw Burrows allowed back into the lineup the following game, where he created all three goals in a 3-2 overtime win for his Canucks? Oh, yeah, of course! Your decision to let the incident go unpunished didn't blow everything out of proportion or anything. You guys clearly know what you're doing. We shall obey.
The biting incident has been behind me since game one ended, to be honest. And I wasn't ready to judge an entire Canuck team based on the foolish and savage action of one scummy forward. But then the rest fell into place. The Sedins mocked the bite, saying that Burrows was a "vegetarian." Max Lapierre went on to mock the incident the following game, sticking his fingers in Patrice Bergeron's face and laughing with that dirty, arrogant smile in an eventual overtime win for Vancouver. And even though the Bruins laid a beating on the Canucks in game three, their dirtiness delivered a crushing blow to Bruins forward Nathan Horton, who was blasted with a late hit to the head that gave him a severe concussion. When the guilty party -- defenseman Aaron Rome -- was suspended for the remainder of the series, the classless bunch of players and coaches from Vancouver displayed their disgrace once again. Not only did they stick up for Rome and publicly disagree with the league's ruling, but they actually placed the blame on Nathan Horton for watching his pass. Let me repeat that last part. They placed the blame on Nathan Horton. For basically getting killed by a dirty hit. Sometimes I wonder if people are serious.
The craziest part, though, is that plenty of impartial analysts keep bringing up the fact that Horton was watching his pass. It's driving me crazy, so I need to speak my mind. Being a hockey player, I keep trying to understand the rationale behind this argument. Ultimately, I realized there is no rationale. If a player doesn't have the puck (Horton did not have the puck) where is he supposed to be looking? Into the stands? At his own skates? Straight ahead? No.... he's supposed to be looking for the damn puck, looking for open space, and a combination thereof. There is nothing wrong with watching your pass. Had he not watched his pass, he wouldn't have known if Lucic received it. He doesn't know where to go if he doesn't know what Lucic is doing with the puck in that situation. If he dumps it, Horton has a different responsibility than if he tries to drive wide. Christ Almighty -- he's supposed to be watching the puck! That's what hockey players do! Read and react! When you don't have the puck, you don't need to worry about defensemen stepping up and blasting you with a shoulder to the head. There are no two ways about it. The hit was dirty, the NHL got it right (for once), and the Canucks are just a bunch of gutless pieces of scum who defend and condone all the cheap and classless "crap" that has gone on throughout the series.
I could keep ranting, but I just want to watch these games. Tyler Seguin will be called upon once again to step in for an injured contributor. Ryder or Peverley will likely step into Horton's slot on Boston's top line. And the Bruins have a chance to even up the series and take another step toward the ultimate goal. Losing tonight puts them in a 3-1 hole heading back above the border. And if that happens, that shameful group of Canucks would be one win away from tarnishing the surface of Lord Stanley's Cup with each and every one of their names. For America and for the NHL -- please get the job done, Bruins. We're counting on you for the grace of the game.
Monday, May 30, 2011
NBA Finals Previews/Predictions
It's been too long UB faithful, but school is out for summer, and I have more free time. Feels good to be back.I realize that the city of Boston and most of the UB faithful (including myself) are immersed in Bruins fever. However, I don't want to write about the Bruins for two reasons: I don't know enough about hockey to churn out a whole article, and DRob has already posted a fantastic article on the Bruins earlier today.
Instead, I have decided to cover the other upcoming finals, the NBA finals. On one hand, we have the Miami Heat, the "villains" of the NBA. The Heat made a huge splash this off-season with the additions of LeBron James and Chris Bosh, making them automatic favorites. On the other hand, the Dallas Mavericks have had a season that exceeded expectations, with veterans Jason Kidd and especially Dirk Nowitzki shining in the playoffs, fighting tooth and nail to win their first championship ring.
Because of Miami's star-studded starting line-up, they have been picked as the favorites. But I am apprehensive for a couple of reasons. The biggest reason is that if ANY of the "Big Three" are off their game, Miami will almost certainly lose to a Dallas team which boasts depth over the Heat. I have gone in depth about depth in past articles (ZING!), and it should be no surprise that I think Dallas has a big advantage with more depth than the Heat.
The second reason I'm weary to pen the Heat as the winners automatically is Dirk Nowitzki. Dirk has always been a star in the NBA, but this playoffs he has put his team on his back and carried them through the proverbial desert. Take a look at the Western COnference Finals, Game 4 for a perfect example. The man was on FIRE in the last five minutes, overcoming a seemingly insurmountable lead that the Thunder had. He made some of the most sloppy looking shots I have ever witnessed en route to victory, proving to me and countless others how much he wants to win the title.
However, the Heat is my pick to win it all. LeBron, as much as I am put off by his antics, is an absolute beast on the court, and Wade has beat Dallas in the finals before with a lesser team. I have been rooting for the Mavs since the Celtics' elimination (I am somewhat of a closet Mavs "fan"), but I cannot let my biases seep into my predictions. The Mavs have had a great year, but it feels like the dark possibility of a Heat dynasty is about to come to fruition.
Heat in six games.
With Cup Finals Looming... Why Not Us?
The Boston Bruins have reached the Cup Finals for the first time in 21 years. It is the first time in my lifetime that I will get to see the black and gold directly compete for the right to bring home Lord Stanley's Mug. The road to this point has been long and arduous, and the odds have been stacked against them from day one. Mixing in a little bit of my nostalgia for the Red Sox glory days, I can't help but ask the same infamous question in regards to this Bruins squad. Why not us?
There are plenty of reasons why the Bruins simply can't win the Cup against these highly talented Vancouver Canucks. Boston fans... just be happy they got you this far, right?
First, you have the Olympic hosting curse. If you don't believe in superstition, it really won't mean much to you. But if you are a little bit wacky, the evidence is quite staggering. In 1976, Montreal hosted the Olympics. When the next cup finals rolled around in 1977, it was the Habs who hoisted the Cup. In 1988, it was Calgary who hosted the Olympic games. The 1989 cup finals saw their Flames reach the promised land. With a third chance for a Canadian team to execute the trend, Vancouver -- the city which hosted the most recent Olympic games -- will look to bring the Cup back home to Canada for the first time since the 1993 Habs.
Then, you have the special teams advantage. The Canucks have an unstoppable power play and a phenomenal penalty kill. The Bruins have an anemic power play and a mediocre penalty kill. How can the B's overcome such a discrepancy? Game, set, match. There's no way it can happen, I guess.
The Canucks won the Presidents Trophy, finishing with the best record, the most goals for, and the least goals against in the NHL. Their top-end talent will destroy the Bruins, and the B's won't be able to match up. Unlike Tampa, the Canucks have top end talent joined with forward depth and a strong defensive core. The B's will have their hands full once again.
And perhaps the most alarming, for those of you who buy into simulations, is the incredible forecast of EA Sports NHL 11 simulation engine. Back in October, the simulator picked the Canucks to win the Presidents Trophy and power their way to the Cup Finals in a big matchup with none other than the Boston Bruins, where they would win in a seven-game thriller. In the next go-around this week, the simulation engine predicted the same outcome as it did seven months ago, picking the Canucks in seven games to bring the Cup back to Canada for the first time in 18 years. The simulation has been correct on 13 out of 14 series in the playoffs thus far. Those are some tough odds to defeat.
I wonder what the credentials are for NHL simulations. I mean, each player is given a rating, right? I'm sure the Sedins are in the 90s. Krejci and Horton may have earned high-80s ratings in the updated roster. Chara and Thomas, as well as Luongo, for that matter, also probably notched into the 90s. By and large, the Canucks are most likely the better team on paper. And by that token, they're more likely to win a simulation.
Fortunately for the Bruins, the games aren't played on paper. Why not us?
Fans groaned sighs of disapproval when the B's failed to trade the old, washed-up Tim Thomas in the offseason. They were written off when Marc Savard went down with another concussion. Fanatics and critics alike called for the heads of Michael Ryder and Chris Kelly in the very early stages of the playoffs. People started calling to make tee times for the B's after they lost games one and two at home against the Habs. A week or so later, when the Habs forced a Game 7, everybody explained that the Bruins simply couldn't win the big game. The heartbreak in the life of a Bruins fan would continue.
After sweeping the Flyers and silencing the critics who believed they would blow another 3-0 lead, some attributed the win to lousy goaltending and asserted that the Lightning would be a much stiffer and nearly impossible challenge. That vaunted 1-3-1 neutral zone structure would suck the life out of the Bruins in much the same way it did to the Caps. And after a brutal 5-2 beatdown in the series opener, the tee times were being scheduled once again.
The comeback kids never surrendered, though, sparked by a huge coming out party for Tyler Seguin in just his second career postseason game. But when the B's failed to put away the Lightning in Game 6, the same critics raised the same concerns as they did back in the Montreal series. They just can't win the big one. They can't win those crucial seventh games. It's been a good run, Bruins fans. Hit the golf course.
Yet here we are. 28 teams have already teed off and shot a few rounds. Personally, I've played two rounds of golf this season. The same figure as the total number of game-winning Game 7 goals that Nathan Horton has tallied in the 2011 playoffs, sending his B's all the way to these very Cup Finals that we find ourselves preparing for right now.To say the Bruins can't do it is pure blasphemy. They have scored goals and shut down offenses beyond all expectations. In fact, I think Vancouver might even be a better matchup in some ways than Tampa was. They aren't as fast and small, and they play a more physical style. That's the kind of game the Bruins play. If they continue to get great goaltending from Tim Thomas, great shut-down defense from their defensive pairs -- Zdeno Chara and Dennis Seidenberg in particular, shutting down Vancouver's top line -- and consistent scoring from their forward lines, they will be in great shape. Is the power play a concern? Obviously. It's a brutal power play. But who are we to keep asking about it? They've made it to the cup finals with an anemic power play. Let's just see how things unfold, shall we?
Either way, this series is poised to be absolutely exceptional. Two franchises who have been cup-deprived for longer than most of their fans can remember. Two cities who are crazy about their teams. Two arenas that will be absolutely rocking each night. It all begins on Wednesday night, and the Bruins have the odds stacked against them once again. They're even a 2-1 underdog in Vegas. They can't do it. People have been saying those words to this team all season and long before it as well. It's time for the Bruins to write their own history. Why not us?
Friday, May 13, 2011
Bruins Set for Conference Finals
Good things don't stay away forever. Have these Bruins finally broken through the red tape and put themselves in a position to win? It's too soon to even think about that, of course -- I won't be thinking about Chara raising the cup above his head until there are about 12 seconds left in the clinching game of the cup finals. But it has to start somewhere, and the Bruins will get their first crack at it Saturday night at TD Garden. As they prepare for another new opponent -- this time the star-studded Tampa Bay Lightning -- the B's will turn to their goaltending, their team defense, and their spectacular roster depth to get them over the hump once again.
In my eyes, Boston needs to win those categories to win the series. Up front, Tampa has the edge. When it comes to top end talent, the Lightning are, quite fittingly, electrifying. With the likes of Stamkos, Lecavalier, St. Louis, Gagne, and Malone, Tampa Bay has five forwards that arguably all have more offensive firepower than any of the Bruins forwards. Even if that may be a stretch, there is no denying that Tampa's big three forwards are dominating, fast, and possess an uncanny ability to bury the puck. You may not shut them down -- the key, though, will be exploiting their lack of depth. The Bolts lack the ability to roll three lines (maybe even four) like the Bruins can. They can't turn to their third and fourth lines with the confidence and comfort that Claude Julien can with his Bruins team. They don't have the firepower on the blue line that Boston does, and even though Roloson has played spectacular hockey for them since his arrival -- they don't have the Vezina trophy winner between the pipes.
Personally, I'm very interested to see how Boston's wild card third line performs to start this series. With Patrice Bergeron still out with a concussion, explosive rookie Tyler Seguin will be slotted into the lineup alongside Rich Peverley and Michael Ryder. With plenty of speed and lots of talent, this third line could be the X-factor early in this series. I'm expecting Seguin to play well, maybe aside from a few early-game jitters on Saturday night. Think about it. After an offseason, you would expect the kid to come back much stronger, much fresher, more mature, and an all-around better player. During this layoff for Seguin, it has been a mini-offseason of sorts. I would expect him to be a better player than we have seen thus far in his time here, and it should be a great growing experience for him as well. Apart from my clear bias and optimism, I truly believe that Seguin will have himself a good playoff debut in this series.
The NHL playoffs are the best, and this series promises to be no different. Of course, you never know what to expect in games like these ones in the months of may and june. By all indications, though, we can expect a hard-fought, energetic, captivating, and potentially long series between the Bruins and the Bolts. It has been a long, long time since the black and gold have been in this position. They appear focused and ready, and their fans can only hope we aren't witnessing another instance of Bruins heartbreak.
Where Does This Leave the C's?
What do I think? That's a question that isn't easily answered. I've had my doubts about the NBA for quite some time, but I won't jump ship and attribute this loss to any type of fixed outcome. In fact, these playoffs haven't gone in accordance with the whole conspiracy theory. Lakers swept in four games? Celtics torched in five? That isn't exactly drawing the biggest revenue from two huge basketball markets. As Memphis and Oklahoma City hang around and Dallas the remaining favorite in the West, who said anything about large markets being fixed into the finals? But I digress. This is about the Boston Celtics, not David Stern and the NBA or any type of conspiracy theory.
First off, let me express my thoughts about the season as a whole. I've encountered plenty of people who simply pull the trigger on Danny Ainge, saying the Kendrick Perkins trade failed miserably and brought the downfall of this squad. I understand those accusations, and I simultaneously disagree with them entirely. I will still contend that the Kendrick Perkins trade was not the reason this team lost. The post was not the issue in this series. Boston's lack of energy at the end of games and their lack of depth on the bench is what put the nail in the coffin. Did the Perkins trade fail in regards to the goal it was trying to accomplish? Possibly. Jeff Green may not have been the bench scorer they thought they were getting. Still, Green scored more points in this series than every player on the Miami Heat excluding their "Big Three." Was production the issue? Debatable. What about the fact that Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, and LeBron James dropped a combined 355 points in these 5 games, completely obliterating the 252 scored by Boston's three studs (Pierce, Garnett, and Allen). 103 points was the advantage. Is it the bench's fault for not making up a 103 point difference (over 20 points per game)? If you believe so, I guess. Would Kendrick Perkins have diminished that number at all? Unlikely. I don't understand why we suddenly flip the switch because of the Perkins trade. Throughout the big three era, have we not been victorious when our big three dominates? Have we not always lost when our big three gets outplayed by the oppositions big stars? It has always been the same formula, and the bottom line is that this team doesn't have the backup unit needed to make up for the big three's growing inadequacy to give forty-minute performances of A+ basketball. The burden was too heavy for this reason, and they weren't able to shoulder the load. The younger and more athletic team pulled out every single game in the fourth quarter.
So yes, maybe the Perkins trade failed to give us the bench unit we truly needed. But I contest that had the trade never happened, our situation would have been no better. Subtract Jeff Green from the mix and add Kendrick Perkins. Does that solve the equation? Just look at the facts. Miami rained on us from the perimeter. Joel Anthony's 5 points per game -- was that the difference? Because Perkins would have been guarding anthony. Was Jermaine O'Neal really that bad in the post, averaging 6 points, 4 boards, and over a block per game in 21 minutes per contest? He was enough of a presence down low. Perk wouldn't have won us this series. You can't convince me otherwise. Management may have failed to give us the depth and athleticism we needed to win, but it sure as hell wasn't that particular trade that blew up our chances of winning.
Plain and simply, the Miami Heat were a better team than the Boston Celtics this year. It took them a while to gel, but they finally have. As much as I hate to see it happening, they're making a title run. They're going to be tough to beat. Their big guns are in the primes of their careers, and they are capable of playing just as effectively in the fourth quarter as they are in the first. The reality is that Boston cannot say the same about their own big guns, and their secondary guns aren't polished enough to pick up the rest of the load. Doc Rivers, though, feels that there is still gas in the tank. He will likely return to the Celtics next season, judging by his post-game comments.
"I'm leaning heavily towards coming back," Rivers told reporters after the loss to Miami. "I haven't made that decision. But I can tell you that I probably will. I've kind of come to that over the last couple of weeks. I'm a Celtic and I love our guys."
If there is a bright spot to take out of last night, it has to be these comments. As I've expressed time and time again, this team is an effective second unit away from being a title contender again. If they were able to rest their starters more throughout the game, you wouldn't see them dropping the ball in the fourth quarter. It happened in just about all of the losses in this series. If Ainge can assemble a second unit capable of shouldering that load throughout the game, this team may have another run left in them. Nobody said it would be easy, but at the same time, it is far from an impossibility. And if you trust Doc Rivers' judgement, there may a least be something to look forward to.
"I don't believe this team is done," Rivers concluded.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
End of an Era for the Green?
Of course, Boston fans more than any others know that a series isn't over until the fourth game has been won on either side. See the Red Sox in '04 against the Yankees or in '07 against the Indians. On the flip side, see the Bruins last spring against the Flyers. Even this season, we saw the B's come back from a 2-0 hole. Sure, a 3-1 hole is much different for the Celtics as they fly back down to South Beach for a critical game 5, but who are we to say die just yet? With a win tomorrow night, the series would come back to Boston for game 6 with a chance to force a game 7. That's a situation that plenty of teams have battled through. When you think about it one game at a time -- which this Celtics team has done an exceptional job of in the Big Three era -- the task becomes a little less daunting.
But for the sake of speculation, I take the approach that an unlikely comeback will not surface. If, in fact, the Heat win this series (get my puke bucket ready), have we seen the end of an era in Boston? With a potential NBA lockout looming large and a team full of veterans and hall-of-famers who aren't getting any younger, has the window finally closed on banner 18? It's tough to say. I see Paul Pierce as a guy with plenty of heart left and certainly some more productive years left. I see Ray Allen as the purest shooter the game has ever seen, a guy who has played just as many minutes in the big games over the past few seasons as he has during the rest of his career. I see Kevin Garnett, a player who can't consistently punch through defenses like the Big Ticket he used to be -- still, he's capable of bringing 28 points and 18 boards in big playoff games. Do the C's need more pieces in order to re-establish their dominance? Of course they do. The traditional "Big Three" cannot carry the ship any further by themselves. In that sense, we have reached the end of an era. But with players like Chris Paul and Dwight Howard hitting the market in the near future, you simply cannot count out the possibility that this team finds lightning in a bottle.
If there is a lockout, things look much worse. A full missed season is another year tacked onto all three major veterans for the C's and an increased likelihood of retirement for any of them. With young players like Rajon Rondo and Jeff Green showing promise in the playoffs, anything is possible. But let's be real. It's a star-driven league, and unless the C's find top-notch players to take over for some of the journeymen they have on their squad, the window may be closing harder than we think. Some LA Lakers will be for sale this offseason by all speculation, but those guys are the same type of veterans that the C's will be losing themselves. Young, athletic, energetic stars are the driving force of today's NBA. It's like finding a needle in a haystack these days. It's why the league is so top-heavy and lacks parity each year. The stars take over the games, the stars get the attention and the preference, and the stars win championships. Aside from maybe the Detroit Pistons, how many recent champions have just been a fully well-rounded unit without any studs? It doesn't happen. And when you lose your studs to injury, old age, retirement, whatever it may be -- you usually start the slide back down to the bottom, and you get back in line to climb to the top.
There are ways around that long journey. The best GMs find ways to shorten that transition, even make the transition during the climb in order to stay at the top through it all. That burden falls on Danny Ainge's shoulders. He has plenty of critics to answer and plenty of rebuilding to do within the next few years or less. The journey commences shortly.
It won't commence, however, until Boston says die. Never say die. See you in Miami.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Heart of a Champion, Guts of a Warrior
Rajon Rondo has dealt with his fair share of critics this season. After a blazing hot start, Rondo struggled for large portions of the season and, quite frankly, played like a D-Leaguer in games one and two of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Miami Heat. But in game three Saturday night, the C's point guard quieted his haters and inspired a team and a city.
The above picture shows it all. After getting pulled to the floor by Dwyane Wade on yet another dirty play by the Heat star, Rondo braced his fall with his left arm and paid the severe consequences. In case you're still trying to decipher that snapshot -- a human arm isn't supposed to bend that way.
Waves of green collectively held their breath. That's a broken arm. Any doubt? He'll clearly miss the rest of the playoffs. Delonte better be ready. But even if he is, can the C's overcome the loss of Rondo to make a whole run through the NBA playoffs to the finals? We're doomed. It's over. So much for 18. Time to rebuild.
And then the morbid sea parted straight down the middle, and a golden ray of light shone through on the horizon. Rondo strolled his way out of the locker room, merely adding a protective sleeve to his left arm, and made his way back onto the court with a dislocated elbow. A point guard playing with a dislocated elbow. He played with one hand. It didn't matter. He made plays. He had a big steal that he finished off with a breakaway lay-in. One handed. You may be sick of the NBA in much the same way that I am. Maybe you have grown tired of the prima donnas like LeBron James who complain at every call and make the television product excruciatingly painful for those who love the gritty, hard-working, gut-wrenching battles. Maybe all of that is true. But no one can deny the glimmer of hope we saw last night. The gutsy players are still out there. Rajon Rondo may have inspired this team just enough to savor the last few drops they have left in the gas tank. The window may be closing on this team's chances, but they won't let it close without a fight. If nothing else, we know that. If these Celts are going to go down, they're going down fighting. And if we continue to see the same heart and dedication that Rondo showed last night, there's a pretty solid chance this series continues to turn around. If we see the same kind of performances from Pierce and Garnett, the same clutch shooting from Ray Allen, the same bench presence from Jeff Green, and the same cohesiveness among this entire squad, we will at least get to see a fun ride. Don't give up on 18 just yet. Let's see where this thing takes us.
PS -- The NBA may not be rigged after all. Why would they sweep the Lakers out in round two? Another glimmer of hope. Maybe we have hope.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Redemption: Bruins Sweep Away Flyers
I was in Section 325. High above ice level, I rejoiced with my fellow Bruins fans. A year after losing Game 4 in overtime and proceeding to choke away a 3-0 lead in the most epically awful manner, the Boston Bruins achieved redemption. They weren't about to let the Flyers even think about another historic comeback. With their second straight 5-1 victory, the B's swept away the Flyers in four games.
Bruins fans everywhere are asking the same question. Is it finally our year? It's the first time in a while that I've considered it a true possibility. Even if the B's hadn't choked up the lead against Philly last year, you knew that the way the team was playing, they wouldn't have had enough to win the Cup. Not the same feeling this season. This squad is clicking, getting exceptional goaltending, limiting their breakdowns and playing solid team defense. The first line is finally contributing, coming off a huge series against these Flyers. Everything looks very promising moving forward. Everything except for one thing.
Patrice Bergeron suffered a mild concussion last night in Game 4. Very bad news for Boston. Bergeron might be the most important forward on this team. His skates are impossible to fill -- from the leadership he brings, to his defensive prowess, to his offensive playmaking -- it simply cannot be done. It will likely be Tyler Seguin who gets a chance to fill that role, whether it be on that line or in a different spot in the lineup. Fans have wanted to see Seguin get a chance, and he finally has it. But I think everyone can agree that this is pretty much the last circumstance under which we would want the kid to see ice time.
The biggest concern for Bergy is that he has had concussions in the past, including a vicious one a few years ago. Concussions are a scary thing. We saw Marc Savard rush into a comeback, and that severely backfired on both his own health and this team's standing. You have to be careful treating a situation like this one, especially with a much younger Bergeron who is one of the primary leaders on this team. As much as you want the Cup this year, the smarter decision would be to treat this with every precaution in consideration -- rely on your depth and ensure that you don't lose this guy in the long term. Peter Chiarelli built a team that is structured to endure adversity like this. There are plenty of teams around the league that wish they had Tyler Seguin at their disposal to plug into the lineup in the case of an injury. Even without Bergy, the B's have a very formidable lineup and they have every capability of taking down Tampa. But they're going to need continued domination from their goaltender, continued power from their defensive core, and continued scoring from their top line. If those things don't happen, and if there is a rusty transition into new combos on lines 2 and 3, the Bruins will have a tough time getting past these skilled and experienced Bolts.
We'll see what happens with Bergeron and the Bruins lineup with Tyler Seguin sliding into the mix. Either way, the other leaders in that locker room will need to step up and make sure that whole squad can still smell the roses. Eight wins separate this city from something it has craved for 39 years.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Why History Won't Repeat for B's
The more things change, the more they stay the same. Here we are, one year after the beginning of last year's second round debacle, and the situations are eerily similar. In the 2010 playoffs, the Bruins beat Buffalo in Round 1 and took a commanding 3-0 series lead over the Flyers in the semi-finals. We all know what happened in the rest of that series so I won't repeat it here. In this year's playoffs, the Bruins won a nail-biting game 7 against Montreal with Nathan Horton's clutch goal.Today, they have that same 3-0 lead over the Flyers and are hoping to wrap up the series tomorrow night at the Garden. Already the nay-sayers have come out, drawing comparisons to last year's series and claiming the Bruins might blow the lead again. A few words come to mind here, but I'll some up those claims with just one word: ridiculous. The 2011 Boston Bruins are NOT the same team they were last year. If you watched the first 3 games of the series then you know that. If you take a look at the roster then you know that. Allow me to ease your minds and give you a few reasons why the Bruins will move on to the Conference Finals.
1. Healthy Roster
The Bruins aren't dealing with the loss of key players due to injury like last year. David Krejci has been excellent in this series, but we all remember what happened last year. He got hurt in game 4 last year, and his injury is one of the biggest reasons the B's lost the series. With 5 goals and 4 assists, he's had a tremendous playoffs so far despite the Flyers trying to knock him off his game. He'll continue to play well and have an impact in all zones as long as he stays healthy. Dennis Seidenberg also got hurt before the playoffs last year and his speed and skills were missed. Many people criticize his defensive end play but he has steadily improved over the cource of the playoffs and at times had been our best d-man. His puck-moving skills were missed last years but he's here now and ready to play.
2. Different Flyers Team
This is also a different team that the Bruins are facing as well. Speedy winger Simon Gagne (who scored four goals on us in last year's series) is on the Lightning now. He was a constant scoring threat last year and now with him gone it's one less thing to worry about. Chris Pronger is also a year older, and although he is still a feared defenseman, he's battling with injuries as well. He missed game 3 and even if he returns to play tomorrow, he won't be 100% and the Bruins will continue to take advantage of that. Jeff Carter, perhaps the most offensively skilled forward on the Flyers, missed games 1 and 2 and he clearly wasn't completely ready to play either. The Flyers are a strong team, but not strong enough to come back from this deficit.
3. New Faces
The Bruins' roster contains a lot of familiar faces, but there a lot of new players that Chiarelli has brought in since last year. Besides the return of Krejci and Seidenberg from injury last year, he's aquired a few new players both via trades, free agency, and our own farm system. Nathan Horton and Greg Campbell were brought in from Florida and have had a tremendous impact in the playoffs. Nathan Horton has 5 goals this playoffs, including two OT game winners. Campbell has been a very reliable defensive player on the PK and centers the energetic fourth line. Chris Kelly from Ottowa and Rich Peverly from have developed great chemistry with Michael Ryder on the third line and bring a constant scoring threat. Tomas Kaberle is a very skilled defenseman, and although he is not producing offensively as much as we expected, has improved out puck-moving abilities as a team and makes our power play better. Finally, Brad Marchand has earned his roster spot from the beginning of the season and has excelled in every facet of the game, being one of the B's best players night after night.
4. Won't Get Fooled Again
If nothing else can be taken out of last year's debacle, it's a learning experience. Claude Julien and his squad took a hard learned lesson and used it to build on this year's team. Just watching the games, you can see that they're playing with an intensity seldom seen before. They're scoring goals, finishing checks, winning one on one battles, and playing pristine defense. If you watched Game 3 then you know what I'm talking about. They just did everything right. They're determined not to let it happen again. They're confident, aggressive, having fun, and most importantly, they're winning.
5. Goaltending
Look, I'm not blaming Tuukka Rask for last year's implosion. In fact, he played great last year, even during the playoffs. But Tim Thomas is stellar. Save after save, he stands on his head and keeps his team in the game. He's a lock for the Vezina (knock on wood) and there isn't a goalie alive that I'd rather have between the pipes right now than Tim Thomas. Look down the other end and you'll see a revolving door in the Flyer's net. They've already used 3 different goalies so far this playoffs, including Michael Leighton, Sergei Bobrovsky, and Brian Boucher. The Bruins have absolutely embarrassed Boucher and Bobrovsky so far, and the Flyers will continue to struggle there. Defense wins championships, and a good defense starts with a great goalie. Bruins got it. Flyer's don't. It's that simple.
Look, I'm not blaming Tuukka Rask for last year's implosion. In fact, he played great last year, even during the playoffs. But Tim Thomas is stellar. Save after save, he stands on his head and keeps his team in the game. He's a lock for the Vezina (knock on wood) and there isn't a goalie alive that I'd rather have between the pipes right now than Tim Thomas. Look down the other end and you'll see a revolving door in the Flyer's net. They've already used 3 different goalies so far this playoffs, including Michael Leighton, Sergei Bobrovsky, and Brian Boucher. The Bruins have absolutely embarrassed Boucher and Bobrovsky so far, and the Flyers will continue to struggle there. Defense wins championships, and a good defense starts with a great goalie. Bruins got it. Flyer's don't. It's that simple.
See ya soon, Lightning.
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