There is further evidence that this is truly a bizarre time in Boston sports. Not only do we have three reigning champions but suddenly the Bruins are on the verge of becoming relevant as well.
Yesterday, the Bruins resigned Mark Stuart who was a key young defenseman for them last year. This comes on the heels of them resigning Aaron Ward early in the off season and making the move to sign free agent rookie Blake Wheeler. Now word comes from the front office that they are talking about moving some albatross contracts (Murray & Fernandez being the most prominent names) in order to go after a key free agent like Marian Hossa.
Somebody wake me up as this must be a dream. The Bruins do not make good decisions like holding on to key pieces of their team (Ward & Stuart & seriously trying to keep Wideman). Free agents with a multitude of choices of where to sign do not go to the Bruins because they "like the direction of the club" (Blake Wheeler). The Bruins do not shed aging contracts of players that may have a special place in the team's heart but just aren't getting the job done anymore (Murray). And they certainly don't make good decisions to clear cap space to go after marquee free agents (Hossa).
Somebody is drinking the Kool-Aid. Bill Simmons wrote a great article when the Celtics won about how the three big teams in Boston (Pats, Sox, & Celts) all seem to be hanging out together and how the management of the teams seem to be taking similar approaches to the teams. It is possible that we are seeing a shift with the Bruins. Maybe the signing two years ago of Chara & Savard really was the start of something special. They seem to be drafting smarter as several of the players on this year's team are Bruins draft picks and keeping their players.
Will there be a payoff this year? Only time will tell but the off-season has been a win so far for the Bruins.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Bask in it
Last night in what was supposed to be a basketball game, there was a massacre at the Garden. After putting effort in for the first quarter, the Lakers rolled over and played dead for the final three and got spanked by the the Celtics 131-92.
Boston now has three reigning champions (if you include the BC hockey team). And it realistically could have been five the Pats and Revolution had been able to pull it off. This is the city that between 1986 and 2001 couldn't get any.
This is the culture that I grew up in. Boston teams usually played well but just never were able to win the title. There were lean years for all the teams. The Pats were terrible before Parcells, the Celts have been awful for years, the Bruins had a few nice years but have been mostly a bad team since the early 90's, BC had some pitiful years in football, hockey, & basketball since 1986, and the Sox...well 1986 has painful memories all its own reserved for them.
But that has changed. Now Boston is winning titles. The Celtics are the latest. A perfect example of how to work the free agency/draft/trade system to build a team that can win. Make no bones about it. The players won this one despite their coach. The passion of Garnett and the leadership of the Boston Three Party pulled that team together to create a great season.
And now they are champions, in a place that is becoming a city of champions. Usually these things go in cycles and at some point each team will be down again but not now. I think I'm going to sit back and enjoy this for as long as it lasts.
Go Celtics!
Boston now has three reigning champions (if you include the BC hockey team). And it realistically could have been five the Pats and Revolution had been able to pull it off. This is the city that between 1986 and 2001 couldn't get any.
This is the culture that I grew up in. Boston teams usually played well but just never were able to win the title. There were lean years for all the teams. The Pats were terrible before Parcells, the Celts have been awful for years, the Bruins had a few nice years but have been mostly a bad team since the early 90's, BC had some pitiful years in football, hockey, & basketball since 1986, and the Sox...well 1986 has painful memories all its own reserved for them.
But that has changed. Now Boston is winning titles. The Celtics are the latest. A perfect example of how to work the free agency/draft/trade system to build a team that can win. Make no bones about it. The players won this one despite their coach. The passion of Garnett and the leadership of the Boston Three Party pulled that team together to create a great season.
And now they are champions, in a place that is becoming a city of champions. Usually these things go in cycles and at some point each team will be down again but not now. I think I'm going to sit back and enjoy this for as long as it lasts.
Go Celtics!
Monday, June 16, 2008
Ugh
Define torture...
Having to sit next to a TV that is showing a golf playoff between Tiger Woods (one of those athletes I just can't stand to see do anything anymore) and some other guy at work during a slow Monday.
Maybe...
Having to sit next to a TV that is showing a golf playoff between Tiger Woods (one of those athletes I just can't stand to see do anything anymore) and some other guy at work during a slow Monday.
Maybe...
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
My June pasttime
I admit it. I'm a convert. I have been converted to a soccer fan. And yes it all started when the World Cup was playing in the US back in 1994. I bring this up because this summer is the Euro Cup and I have found myself rooting for Portugal and watching replays of games at night while following games on my computer during the afternoon.
The interesting thing is that there is something missing when looking at Gamecast on my computer. Many call soccer "The Beautiful Game" and I'm starting to understand why. There is something peaceful and relaxing about watching a soccer match on a lazy summer afternoon. I know that often nobody scores and there are lots of ties but that isn't what the game is about to me.
I reminds me a hockey in some way in that because there are so few scores when a goal comes it is a very exciting event and the entire team erupts. There is an underlying tension in every match that the slightest mistake could put you down 1-0 (or one nil as soccer fans will say) and that is often enough of a goal cushion to attain victory. But at the same time there is a definite flow to the game that makes it fun to watch. Unlike all most other sports, the game is only interrupted by injury and halftime. That clock is constantly moving when the ball goes out of bounds, when a goal is scored, or when a foul is committed. There is no time for flipping channels. When I watch football, I am often able to watch two entire games at once without missing a single big play because of the breaks in action after every play. With soccer. for two 45 minutes periods I can just sit back, relax, and enjoy. In the summertime, often with a cool drink in one hand a book in the other. June is the month of Euro 2008. Here's to the "beautiful game".
The interesting thing is that there is something missing when looking at Gamecast on my computer. Many call soccer "The Beautiful Game" and I'm starting to understand why. There is something peaceful and relaxing about watching a soccer match on a lazy summer afternoon. I know that often nobody scores and there are lots of ties but that isn't what the game is about to me.
I reminds me a hockey in some way in that because there are so few scores when a goal comes it is a very exciting event and the entire team erupts. There is an underlying tension in every match that the slightest mistake could put you down 1-0 (or one nil as soccer fans will say) and that is often enough of a goal cushion to attain victory. But at the same time there is a definite flow to the game that makes it fun to watch. Unlike all most other sports, the game is only interrupted by injury and halftime. That clock is constantly moving when the ball goes out of bounds, when a goal is scored, or when a foul is committed. There is no time for flipping channels. When I watch football, I am often able to watch two entire games at once without missing a single big play because of the breaks in action after every play. With soccer. for two 45 minutes periods I can just sit back, relax, and enjoy. In the summertime, often with a cool drink in one hand a book in the other. June is the month of Euro 2008. Here's to the "beautiful game".
Cheaters all
Normally, I try to believe in the best of sport. Sure I get angry at the TV when there are bad calls and go into depressions when BC loses a big game, but overall I love sport of (almost) all kinds. So I am very disturbed by the obscene amount of cheating I see and hear about across the board. It makes you doubt everything.
Everyone knows about baseball and steroids. Individuals pumping themselves full of drugs to try and get that tiny edge over their competitor (or in the case of Barry Bonds make a very gifted athlete into an unstoppable freak). Then there is the NFL & Spygate (whether or not there was any type of real advantage gained by the Pats from this tactic is a topic beyond the scope of this blog). Teams violating league policies trying to outsmart the other team, looking once again for that competitive edge.
Two of the biggest offenders of the "cheat" mentality are scholarship schools in the NCAA and the world of professional boxing. There are so many stories of schools skirting the rules that I wouldn't even know where to begin. (One little aside, if they could ever prove that USC knew about both Reggie Bush and O.J. Mayo it seems to me this would be the best justification for a new "death penalty" since SMU. And killing both football and basketball not just one or the other.) And of course professional boxing is rife with stories of dirty judges and the mob paying fighters to throw fights. But most recently, it is steroids that have made their way into the boxing spotlight as well from James Toney getting stripped after testing positive after a title fight to Shane Mosley (one of the most exciting boxers of our times) getting accused of doping through the Conte investigation.
This brings me to the NBA. The above examples have all been about people (players, teams, schools, etc.) trying to gain an edge on their competition by having that secret something they don't have (Viagra, Roger?). But the story out of the NBA is much more disturbing. Tim Donaghy is accusing the NBA of encouraging officials to change the outcome of games to prevent star players from being ejected, to calling games to ensure a game 7, to thinking about TV ratings and ticket sales while doing their jobs. Of course David Stern has come out and said that this is preposterous, that the NBA would never do such a thing and you need to consider the source of the information (a convicted gambler and liar). David Stern's points are valid, but it makes you wonder.
I have made no secret of the disgrace that has become the NBA. The one-sided games that I have seen. The poor calls. The routine displays of favoritism to the stars. When announcers say things like, "If he had a few more years in the league then he might have gotten that call" (see Acie Law in the playoffs) and say it without anyone laughing or thinking its a joke - this is a problem. When you are listening to the post game analysis of Game 2 of the Finals and the commentators are saying, "The Lakers are going to get every call in Game 3" and "It would take a miracle for the Celtics to win Game 3 after the calls in this game" (which of course they lost 87-81) and once again being dead serious - something is wrong.
You should not be able to tell what the ref is going to do before the game even starts. Is it really that much of a leap to think that if the refs are going to try to "even it out", as many suggested would happen for the Lakers after the foul shot disparity in Game 2, then they could just as easily make calls to completely decide the outcome of the game. It's not that we believe that it isn't possible to do this (we all know it is), it's that we need to believe that these men and women have enough integrity and respect for the game to not do such a thing. But they change outcomes every night. Ask the Spurs about the non-foul when Barry makes a last second shot and literally has another player jump onto him with no call. Ask Acie Law or any rookie for that matter about what happens if they try to drive to the bucket and their name isn't Lebron James.
With all due respect to David Stern (not sure how much he deserves but we'll give him the benefit of the doubt), it's not a question of IF refs have fixed games it's more likely a question of how many. And if they could ever prove that Stern and his people actually told the refs how to call games or treat certain players then the NBA is in for a scandal beyond anything that Spygate could have brought. Good luck to you David, if more ex-refs start talking Donaghy's language your in a for a long summer.
Everyone knows about baseball and steroids. Individuals pumping themselves full of drugs to try and get that tiny edge over their competitor (or in the case of Barry Bonds make a very gifted athlete into an unstoppable freak). Then there is the NFL & Spygate (whether or not there was any type of real advantage gained by the Pats from this tactic is a topic beyond the scope of this blog). Teams violating league policies trying to outsmart the other team, looking once again for that competitive edge.
Two of the biggest offenders of the "cheat" mentality are scholarship schools in the NCAA and the world of professional boxing. There are so many stories of schools skirting the rules that I wouldn't even know where to begin. (One little aside, if they could ever prove that USC knew about both Reggie Bush and O.J. Mayo it seems to me this would be the best justification for a new "death penalty" since SMU. And killing both football and basketball not just one or the other.) And of course professional boxing is rife with stories of dirty judges and the mob paying fighters to throw fights. But most recently, it is steroids that have made their way into the boxing spotlight as well from James Toney getting stripped after testing positive after a title fight to Shane Mosley (one of the most exciting boxers of our times) getting accused of doping through the Conte investigation.
This brings me to the NBA. The above examples have all been about people (players, teams, schools, etc.) trying to gain an edge on their competition by having that secret something they don't have (Viagra, Roger?). But the story out of the NBA is much more disturbing. Tim Donaghy is accusing the NBA of encouraging officials to change the outcome of games to prevent star players from being ejected, to calling games to ensure a game 7, to thinking about TV ratings and ticket sales while doing their jobs. Of course David Stern has come out and said that this is preposterous, that the NBA would never do such a thing and you need to consider the source of the information (a convicted gambler and liar). David Stern's points are valid, but it makes you wonder.
I have made no secret of the disgrace that has become the NBA. The one-sided games that I have seen. The poor calls. The routine displays of favoritism to the stars. When announcers say things like, "If he had a few more years in the league then he might have gotten that call" (see Acie Law in the playoffs) and say it without anyone laughing or thinking its a joke - this is a problem. When you are listening to the post game analysis of Game 2 of the Finals and the commentators are saying, "The Lakers are going to get every call in Game 3" and "It would take a miracle for the Celtics to win Game 3 after the calls in this game" (which of course they lost 87-81) and once again being dead serious - something is wrong.
You should not be able to tell what the ref is going to do before the game even starts. Is it really that much of a leap to think that if the refs are going to try to "even it out", as many suggested would happen for the Lakers after the foul shot disparity in Game 2, then they could just as easily make calls to completely decide the outcome of the game. It's not that we believe that it isn't possible to do this (we all know it is), it's that we need to believe that these men and women have enough integrity and respect for the game to not do such a thing. But they change outcomes every night. Ask the Spurs about the non-foul when Barry makes a last second shot and literally has another player jump onto him with no call. Ask Acie Law or any rookie for that matter about what happens if they try to drive to the bucket and their name isn't Lebron James.
With all due respect to David Stern (not sure how much he deserves but we'll give him the benefit of the doubt), it's not a question of IF refs have fixed games it's more likely a question of how many. And if they could ever prove that Stern and his people actually told the refs how to call games or treat certain players then the NBA is in for a scandal beyond anything that Spygate could have brought. Good luck to you David, if more ex-refs start talking Donaghy's language your in a for a long summer.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Heart of a Champion
I know I've been away for a while, I guess I truly do regress when there is no hockey. Plus, due to various engagements, I have actually not been able to watch much of the Stanley Cup finals, which was why I was so excited to see Game 6 last night. The only other game I saw was Game 3 where I saw the talent and heart of the Pittsburgh team that I had expected for the whole playoffs.
Last night, every thing that could go wrong did for the Penguins. To win the Stanley Cup, you need three important things (there are others but these are key). You need a solid goaltender, you need to play with high energy no matter what, and you need your best players to play like your best players.
Let's go in reverse order. One of the biggest knocks on Joe Thornton has always been that he fails to come through in the big playoff games and lift his teams to victory. This was one of the reasons Boston traded him away and one of the reasons that many people feel San Jose has failed to attain the success that many thought they would since he joined their team. Over the course of the finals Evgeni Malkin and Sydney Crosby have not been there for their team. The only time I saw Sydney play well was in game 3 when he scored 2 goals, was all over the ice, and Pittsburgh pulled out the victory. This is what you need in the playoffs and especially the finals. Malkin has been reduced as a contributor since the beginning of the Philly series when they got very physical with him and took him right out of the game plan. Losing this year will be a good learning experience for both men and if they are ready to be true superstars they will know what it takes to raise to that next level.
What surprised me the most last night was the attitude and the energy level of the Pittsburgh team. Once Detroit scored their first goal, Pittsburgh seemed to get the life sucked right out of them. Detroit seemed to be the one feeding off of crowd energy and seemed to have that extra jump. Some analysts doubted if the number of veteran players that Detroit had would be able to maintain their energy after the triple overtime marathon of two nights before, but Pittsburgh seemed to be the tired club. They ran full steam only until the goal was scored and then Detroit just took over. Though Pittsburgh scored twice, they were clearly not the better team last night.
Which brings me to my final point, goaltending. Marc-Andre Fleury will be a great goaltender. He made some amazing saves in the triple overtime game and did win some games during the playoffs. But last night he proved he was not ready to be a Stanley Cup winning goaltender just yet. Goals 2 & 3 were both very weak goals and ones that a playoff seasoned veteran would not have allowed. Fleury had poor rebound control and had no knowledge that he did not have control of the 3rd goal before laying back on it and actually knocking it in. Chris Osgood may not have many years left in the league but his ability to be consistent and handle the pressures of the postseason had him making big saves the entire series.
There were two glaring instances of experience making a difference. At one point, the Penguins were swarming and Osgood was in the butterfly trying to cover the puck. Niklas Lidstrom jumped into the play made one shove at the Pittsburgh player and then quickly got down and put his stick behind Osgood just to be sure that the puck didn't squirt through his legs and trickle into the net. This is experience and good hockey sense knowing what to do to help your goaltender out. For Pittsburgh, this experience will come. This year should have taught them that they have the skill to make it to the finals. Playoff experience makes you a better player and I think it will for Crosby & Malkin & Fleury. Those three have immense talent and potential. But this year, experience was too much and won the day. Congrats to the Red Wings on great season.
Last night, every thing that could go wrong did for the Penguins. To win the Stanley Cup, you need three important things (there are others but these are key). You need a solid goaltender, you need to play with high energy no matter what, and you need your best players to play like your best players.
Let's go in reverse order. One of the biggest knocks on Joe Thornton has always been that he fails to come through in the big playoff games and lift his teams to victory. This was one of the reasons Boston traded him away and one of the reasons that many people feel San Jose has failed to attain the success that many thought they would since he joined their team. Over the course of the finals Evgeni Malkin and Sydney Crosby have not been there for their team. The only time I saw Sydney play well was in game 3 when he scored 2 goals, was all over the ice, and Pittsburgh pulled out the victory. This is what you need in the playoffs and especially the finals. Malkin has been reduced as a contributor since the beginning of the Philly series when they got very physical with him and took him right out of the game plan. Losing this year will be a good learning experience for both men and if they are ready to be true superstars they will know what it takes to raise to that next level.
What surprised me the most last night was the attitude and the energy level of the Pittsburgh team. Once Detroit scored their first goal, Pittsburgh seemed to get the life sucked right out of them. Detroit seemed to be the one feeding off of crowd energy and seemed to have that extra jump. Some analysts doubted if the number of veteran players that Detroit had would be able to maintain their energy after the triple overtime marathon of two nights before, but Pittsburgh seemed to be the tired club. They ran full steam only until the goal was scored and then Detroit just took over. Though Pittsburgh scored twice, they were clearly not the better team last night.
Which brings me to my final point, goaltending. Marc-Andre Fleury will be a great goaltender. He made some amazing saves in the triple overtime game and did win some games during the playoffs. But last night he proved he was not ready to be a Stanley Cup winning goaltender just yet. Goals 2 & 3 were both very weak goals and ones that a playoff seasoned veteran would not have allowed. Fleury had poor rebound control and had no knowledge that he did not have control of the 3rd goal before laying back on it and actually knocking it in. Chris Osgood may not have many years left in the league but his ability to be consistent and handle the pressures of the postseason had him making big saves the entire series.
There were two glaring instances of experience making a difference. At one point, the Penguins were swarming and Osgood was in the butterfly trying to cover the puck. Niklas Lidstrom jumped into the play made one shove at the Pittsburgh player and then quickly got down and put his stick behind Osgood just to be sure that the puck didn't squirt through his legs and trickle into the net. This is experience and good hockey sense knowing what to do to help your goaltender out. For Pittsburgh, this experience will come. This year should have taught them that they have the skill to make it to the finals. Playoff experience makes you a better player and I think it will for Crosby & Malkin & Fleury. Those three have immense talent and potential. But this year, experience was too much and won the day. Congrats to the Red Wings on great season.
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