Another for the trophy case

BC went to Denver as the third most likely team to win the title. They faced Miami who spent all season as one of the top two teams in the nation. They face Wisconsin, who was the odds on favorite to win it all with their size, speed and defensive strength. But a funny thing happened on the way to the title, neither team could handle the speed of BC and everyone (including yours truly) underestimated the ability of the Eagles defense. For two games, the Eagles were the best team in the land and they now have their fourth national championship to show for it. In 16 years, Jerry York has taken what was a good program that was down on its luck and constructed a dominating force for a decade plus. 3 national titles, 7 national title games and 9 Frozen Fours since 1998. Congratulations Eagles - for 13 years you have been the most consistently successful team in college hockey.

On a personal note, my celebration is a bit muted this year. I think on some level the reduced enthusiasm by Mrs. Pike probably has something to do with it (she being understandably bothered by the semi-finals result). Not actually being in Detroit as I was in Albany and Denver in years past probably has something to do with it. But also, winning for the third time in such a short span has something to do with it too.

Each title is special. In 2001, that was the first title of a team I followed since the Celtics in 1986 (of which I didn't really care too much back then). In 2008, it was the first time I was able to share a BC title with Mrs. Pike and that made it special. In 2010, I was able to share the celebration experience with Old Man Pike as he was visiting for the day on Saturday. All the past titles by Boston teams (BC, Sox, Pats, Celtics) I was only able to share with him over the phone. But having him there with me when this one went final gives it a little something the last two didn't have.

I will savor this and hope for only limited defections from this Eagle team and hope they don't have the hangover that has plagued them and BU the last two seasons.

Go Eagles!!

Another final

The casual college hockey fan is unhappy with the results of last evening. The olde boys club has once again denied admission to a new member. Saturday's Frozen Four final will pit Wisconsin (they of the 6 national titles) against Boston College (they of the 3 titles and 7 finals appearances since 1998). The collective college hockey world goes, "YAWN!" I try not to get complacent and think that BC should be there every year. I remember the 11-1 blowouts back in 1994-95 and the very lean years before Jerry. But it is definitely not boring for me.

Last night, game 1 was as predicted. Wisconsin took RIT very seriously and put the clamps on them early and destroyed them as they should have (and some might say as Denver should have two weeks ago). Game 2 was a bit more of a surprise but certainly understandable.

Coming into the game I felt that if both teams played to their strengths (BC - speed & creativity; Miami - sound defense & goaltending) then this would be a tight game with both teams working hard and grinding for open space and shots on net. For much of the first period this is what we saw. But the thing that had me concerned for Miami last night was the speed of BC. Miami did not handle Michigan's speed well and allowed numerous breakaways and odd-man rushes. Only the absolutely stellar play of Connor Knapp and a fortuitous whistle in the first overtime saved Miami. Last night they weren't so lucky. As BC started to assert itself in the first period and carried that over to the three quick goals, their team speed became was too much for Miami to handle. The Eagles were beating Miami to every loose puck and forcing turnovers. The Redhawks could find no open space and could not get a solid handle on the BC forwards and despite a solid second period of relief effort from Cody Reichard, neither Miami goaltender could keep the pucks out of the net.

As good as BC looked last night, they will not be able to shut down Wisconsin in that same fashion. The Badgers are bigger, faster and more talented on defense. As has been the case throughout this tournament, the first goal will be a huge key tomorrow night as Wisconsin has the defensive corps to keep the BC forwards in check and hold an early lead.

Win/Win - Maybe

T-minus 4 and a half hours until the final piece of March (now April I guess) Madness gets underway. Thankfully the Wisconsin-RIT game is first. Though I love my DVR (have I mentioned it might be the greatest invention of all time) I much prefer watching the game actually live. Not sure why but some of the excitement gets drained when you don't have to wait through commercials and in between periods. I anticipate being home in time to actually catch up to live action on the Wisconsin game but am I happy it is that game that requires the DVR and not BC/Miami.

As the day wears on I am finding myself getting a little more anxious/excited. I see this as a potential win-win situation for me tonight. Mrs. Pike has decided that heading to the Miami alumni event downtown is better than watching with me from home. It will be the first time since we started dating that we have not watched the Frozen Four together. Strangely it will be the first time we are both still in the state of Massachusetts for the Frozen Four as well (watched in Vegas in 2005 the one year we did not actually attend).

I find myself saddened by this. Mrs. Pike fears me getting upset should BC lose (and history does back her up) as she does not want her celebration diminished by my anger/frustration/sadness. But she fails to see that I will also be happy in some way. Not that the Eagles lost (perish the thought!) but that Miami will get a chance to redeem themselves after victory was so cruelly snatched away last year. Plus, I want my wife to experience that joy of having HER team win the title. She was excited in 2008 but it will be nothing compared to her excitement should the Redhawks be the ones hoisting the trophy on Saturday night. The funny thing is she doesn't even yet realize the difference. She thinks she does but speaking from experience, she doesn't. For me, 2008 was something special but nothing compared to 2001 when a team that I supported heart and soul finally won something. I had not experienced that before as the Pats and Sox had yet to win in my lifetime at that point. I hope Mrs. Pike will experience that at some point. I don't want it to happen this year but I won't be too upset if it does.

So either BC wins and I'm very happy - or BC loses and somehow I think I will still find some happiness in that. Maybe.

Mixed Reviews

Yesterday started with the good news that the search for a BC basketball coach had concluded and they had hired Steve Donahue from Cornell. I like this hire and I applaud Donahue for cashing in while his stock was hot. Having a senior laden team that gels and makes a tourney run always helps the resume (just ask Jim O'Brien). But I have hope that he will be a good fit, even though the biggest question mark will be his ability to recruit in the ACC won't be known for a year or more. Short of luring Bruce Pearl to his alma mater, I think BC got the best of what was available and certainly a very different face to head the program.


But that good tiding would sour as the day wore on. Last night, the Red Sox lost to the Yankees with a combination of an error by Marco Scutaro and some erratic pitching by Okajima. The run prevention Red Sox have now allowed 13 runs in two games and their newly minted multi-millionaire Josh Beckett and supposed Cy Young candidate Jon Lester have both failed to make it beyond the 5th inning and both left the game trailing. Not exactly good omens for the season. It's still early and I'm not sounding the warning bell, just saying it's not good news.

Then came the late night news, confirmed this morning, that Dennis Seidenberg will be effectively sidelined for the rest of the Bruins season because of the laceration he suffered in the Toronto game. Originally thought to have not done any major damage, Dennis had surgery to fix a lacerated tendon and will need 8 weeks to recover. None but the delusional think the Bruins will still be playing in 8 weeks. This means that the Bruins will be without Ference (likely until the playoffs), Stuart (2 weeks), and Seidenberg as they play the last three games of the season and try to lock down that final playoff spot. Luckily for them, Rask has been playing well (the Washington game aside) and the Rangers helped out by losing last night to bring the magic number down to 4 points. A Ranger loss tonight and the Bruins need only pick up 2 points over their final 3 games to lock the spot. Unfortunately, the Rangers would have to lose to Toronto tonight which could potentially push Toronto past Tampa Bay and Florida in the standings and minimizing the chances of the Bruins landing a real game changer in the draft with Toronto's pick. Bad news all around here.

Exhaustion

I have officially reached exhaustion point and the NHL playoffs haven't even started yet. Because of all the college basketball and hockey that had been on the past few weeks I was already quite tired when last Thursday came around and Mrs. Pike called me mid-afternoon to say that she had been given tickets to that night's Bruins game against the Florida Panthers. Given as in free. Sweet loge level seats for free. To illustrate how tired I was that day, I almost said "No". (I'll give you a second to go back and re-read that last sentence so you know your eyes didn't fool you). Yes, I almost said no to free Bruins tickets. But I did finally go and suffered through a grueling 1-0 loss to a terrible Florida team. The only nice part of the game (and I do mean ONLY) was that Scott Clemmensen looked pretty good in net for the Panthers in earning the shut out.

After finally returning home that evening I was greeted with the realization that even though I did not have to work on Friday (one of the benefits of working in the financial services industry is Good Friday being a market holiday) I was not sleeping in. Mr. Geek Squad was coming to fix my dishwasher at 9am the next day (granted he didn't actually fix anything as they diagnose then come back a week later to fix). Spent all day running those pesky errands that I couldn't do with Mrs. Pike (who did have to work) and then was still denied sleeping in Saturday morning as there was yet more appointments and more errands to run early in the morning.

Saturday night was spent up late watching a very stirring Final Four. Well, at least the first game was. It amazes me what Butler was able to accomplish against Michigan State despite two of their better players (Mack & Howard) not playing much in the second half due to fouls and injuries. That game was one that I feel was truly affected by the officiating. By calling many "touch" fouls during the evening players like Howard and the Spartans' Raymar Morgan were unable to really get into the flow of the game. But I give the Bulldogs all the credit for keeping it together and landing themselves into the final game.

Then came Sunday. After a relaxing Easter afternoon with the in-laws, I carted off to Fenway Park for my first Opening Day. I knew I was in for a long evening from the get go as Sox-Yanks is always a long game. They are the only two teams who could play a 1-0 game and have it last 4 hours. The atmosphere at the park was great, fireworks, Pedro Martinez, Neil Diamond, a small child reciting Herb Brooks, Sox, Yanks, the weather was perfect. I was at the game with my buddy and not Mrs. Pike which meant the evening included one more small detail - beer. As the game swung from the Yanks to the Sox and the beer flowed, rest was not looking like much of an option for the evening.

Now today I am paying the price. Brain function is low. Energy is non-existent. Yet I still have the NCAA b-ball championship tonight and the Frozen Four later this week. I'm exhausted - but I wouldn't have missed last night or the championship games. I'll have plenty of sleep when hockey season is over!