Boston Sports went undefeated on an impressive weekend.
Let the good times roll Let them knock you around Let the good times roll Let them make you a clown - The Cars"Good Times Roll"
For the Boston sports fan, this weekend was as perfect as could be. It included two sweeps, three overtime/extra inning wins, and a good ending to each story watched. We saw the Boston Celtics sweep the Knicks out of the playoffs, decisively winning their two games in New York, and are again looking like Championship contenders. Across the country in California the Red Sox stayed hot and swept the Angels in a four game Series, which was the first time they've accomplished this feat since 1980. While back in Boston the Bruins, who in an effort to shake the ghosts of last years choke job, are staging an inspired comeback against their original six rivals, and are now up 3-2 in a series of epic magnitude.
We all knew the Red Sox would eventually start pitching better, scoring runs, and winning games. During the abysmal start to their season this became the company line. The real questions were when would they start to turn it around, and would it be too late? In truly schizophrenic fashion the Red Sox have pulled a complete 180 on how they started out the season, and have now won seven out of their last ten games, and look like the Team everyone predicted them to be. Our starting pitchers are the story behind this recent streak, and John Lackey did his part yesterday, pitching a strong eight innings while striking out eight and walking only one.
The Red Sox starting pitchers have now had nine consecutive games in which they've gone at least five innings and allowed fewer than three runs. Their collective ERA during this streak is 0.88 - and ties their longest such streak in franchise history (1946). It's pretty remarkable seeing how affective the Sox can be when all their starters are at the top of their game, and you hope winning streaks such as this are not an abnormality, but a consistent result of the Team assembled.
It's not only the pitchers who've picked it up though, as the Sox offense has started to put up some crooked numbers on the board, averaging 5.2 runs over the past ten games. Compare that to the 3.5 runs they were scoring the ten games prior to that, and it's easy to see that both their pitching and hitting have awoken from their Spring slumber. The Sox have the night off tonight, and tomorrow they'll be back on the East Coast in Baltimore, where they look to keep the good times rolling.
Could Nenad Krstic be the sleeper 'throw in' Mike Lowell was in 2006? (SawxBlog Illustration)
The Kendrick Perkins trade was shocking, sudden, and sad. We all watched Perk mold himself from an awkward kid out of high school to the grizzled vet he became, who'd do anything to help the Celtics win, scowling all the time. He was our modern day Robert Parish, and we loved him. It was a tough pill to swallow, and my instant reaction was not a positive one, but to obtain a player of Jeff Green's potential, you have to give up something of value, it's just too bad it had to be Perk. Like a good wine - this trade still needs proper room to breath so that all the notes can be appreciated in balance. Green's shown some glimpses of being the heir apparent to Paul Pierce, and while Perkins is young in age, there's a lot of wear on his body after eight long years in the NBA. The one thing I wasn't planning on at all though, has been the inspired play of Nenad "Curly" Krstic.
I guess if you have no expectations, you're sure to impress, and impress is what Krstic has done thus far for me. He was what we all believed to be a throw in with Jeff Green, however, he's shown that he's needed if the Celtics want to make another deep run in the playoffs. It reminds me very much of the Mike Lowell situation, where everybody thought we had to absorb his contract in order to recieve Josh Beckett in a trade with Hanley Ramirez. Little did we know that Lowell was soon to be a fan favorite, and in two short years, the MVP of the 2007 World Series.
Now I'm not expecting this bad (awful?) haircut toting Eastern European to become a Final's MVP by any means. But watching the selfless way he plays, I see nothing but continued success for the goofy guy. The Celtics reward hustle, and Krstic has been doing everything he can to fit in. He's looked a lot more comfortable than Green so far, and I'd rather see him on the floor than Jermaine O'Neil any day of the week. Again, this needs to breathe some, but from initial feedback it looks like the Celtics may have gotten a steal here.
Lastly, Happy St. Patricks Day to all, this is always a special day in Boston, but please remember to celebrate responsibly, and be sure to raise one to Curly, he may just be helping raise Banner 18 come Summertime.
Since 2007 Boston has had stability in their Professional Coaches. (Z.Trainor - SawxBlog Illustration)
While the above illustration, created by the talented and esteemed Zac Trainor, may not be what Boston's All-Time Mt. Rushmore coaches pantheon would look like, it's at least half-way there, and when looking at the collective success these four coaches have had in the past five years, it's hard to deny the high times we live in. Looking specifically at the last four years, we find the collective winning percentage for all four coaches at .636 (not including playoffs), which equates to a lot of wins for us Boston fans, and a lot of money for their bosses.
During this four year run Boston Teams have played in four championships and won it all two of those years (2007 Red Sox and the 2007-08 Celtics) - with each Team making their respective Finals at least once, except for the Bruins.
Success has bred camaraderie too, and it's not out of the ordinary to see players and coaches attending each others games, helping give an almost collegiate feel to our Professional Teams in what is a most collegiate city.
Bill Bellichick already has the title of the best coach of his generation, and he may be a Superbowl or two away from being remembered as the best ever - shoot, he may even be there now. While Terry Francona has become the greatest Red Sox coach of all-time, which is saying a lot given the longevity and history the Red Sox have as a franchise. Meanwhile, Doc Rivers has been given the time to really flourish in Boston, and his ability to manage the Big Three while returning the Celtics to glory hasn't gone unnoticed by the league, and he's now one of its most coveted coaching stars. Claude Julian, much like his Bruins, is the weakest link in this chain, and his name was surfacing in rumors of being fired as recently as this season. He's done admirably for the Bruins though, but until real success is found in the playoffs for them, he'll continue to be the black sheep of this group.
I've written tirelessly over the past decade about how lucky we are to root for the Teams Boston sports have provided us, and think it's due time to acknowledge the coaches and managers who've helped guide the players to success, as too often they're used only as scapegoats during the low times, instead of linchpins to our Teams success during good times, and thanks to their efforts - the good times have been often, and currently show no signs of turning dour.
With the Canadians & the Lakers, there'll be no love lost at the Garden. (SawxBlog Composite)
Last nights contest between the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadians served as a fine opening act for tonight's game pitting the Celtics against the Lakers - as the Boston Garden plays host to the intensity of rivalry week that's being played in collegiate gyms across the Nation. Not a bad 48 hours to be on Causeway Street.
The Bruins finished off the hated Canadians yesterday in a thrilling 8-6 victory giving them a four point lead over Montreal in the division. I didn't think anything could match the insane intensity of last Thursday's game between Boston and Dallas - which featured three fights in the first four seconds, and two goals within the first 2:20, but last nights game somehow seemed to top it. And what pushed this game past is the tradition, history, and hatred that only a properly simmered rivalry can provide.
While the Bruins have fallen on some hard times with the tragic loss of Savard, they've been playing some of their most inspired hockey of the year, and are winners of seven of their last ten games. They may be missing a true scoring winger - or a defenseman who can handle the puck and lead a power play, but they're showing a lot of heart, which once again has them poised to make a deep run at Lord Stanley's Cup.
On the other side of the Garden the Celtics have been both breath taking and frustrating. They've shown they can rise to the ocassion and gut out big wins such as in LA or against the Magic on Super Sunday. But they also show major signs of lapse, like against the Bobcats or Suns. The things that scares me about the Celtics is that at this time of year they only seem to get up for the really big ones. So tonight and Sunday I have no fear of them not showing-up. Asking them to win both isn't out of the question, but what I'm more worried about are the games next week against the likes of the Nets, Nuggets, and Warriors. I don't think home court advantage can be downplayed, especially in light of Game 7 last year - and with Miami only half a game behind us in the East, I'm looking for the Celtics to play like it's a national game every night.
Regardless of the highs and lows a regular season presents, there's no doubt that with the Canadians coming to the Garden last night, and with the Lakers and Heat coming tonight and Sunday - that our version of rivalry week is in full throat, which makes for some great time killing as it's only three short days until pitchers and catchers report.
KG, Ray Ray, and Shaq look on last night at MSG. (AP Photo)
Watching the Celtics play the Knicks in a meaningful game at MSG last night was excellent. Seeing the buzz and urgency of the crowd was a very welcome sight, and aside from the Garden or Staples Center (I still think of it as the Forum) - there's no better place to watch a game of basketball. The one advantage MSG holds over the Garden or Staples Center is it's still the original MSG, and not the new MSG with some bogus corporate name attached to the front of it. The history stands on its own there, from concerts to games, the old place has seen it all, and it still does a great job of playing center stage in a great city. The only good basketball played there over the past few years has been the Big East Tournament, but it looks like the Knicks are trying to change that, and as I said, it's very welcome, and good for the NBA. Just think, this could have been Lebron doing this, he could have owned NYC...
The main reason behind the Knicks revival is obviously the play of all-world Amare Stoudemire, who is morphing into the big time player he's always been close to being. But I do have to agree with Paul Pierce, you can go-ahead and call this a rivalry in the making, but you can't call it a rivalry yet. The Knicks have been irrelevant the last few years where the Celtics have been elite. The Celtics are five games ahead of them in the standings, and one amazing game isn't enough to put this series in rivalry status. You have to endure multiple games against each other with both teams winning, stir some bad blood into the mix, and then most importantly, play each other in the playoffs. That's how rivalries are born and renewed, and from watching last night, this one's off to a great start, it just needs to be watered a bit.
Somewhere, deep in the hills of VT, Bill Lee is smiling at Brian Wilson. (ESPN Screenshot)
Since November is looming danger close, with political campaigns and debate roaring across America, I thought it'd be prudent to announce SawxBlog's endorsement for the 2010 World Series. The choice wasn't as easy as you'd think, as both the Giants and Rangers have teams full of great stories and characters, but San Fransisco Giants closer, Brian Wilson, has won me over with his heavy dose of weird. If the Giants end up winning it all, Ron Artest is in great jeopardy of losing his title as "Craziest Champion Alive". I never realized how bizarre Wilson was until being directed to the below video of him on Jim Rome, upon watching it, I instantly knew I had to root for this guy.
Sports fans are obese. We've been fed line after line of tired cliché's by athletes with no personality for much too long. Then - if an athlete does happen to have a personality, it only shines through to show off their enormous ego, a la Esteban Ochocinco. Brian Wilson is a horse of a different color though.
It's almost as if he's playing a caricature of himself, similar to Hunter Thompson's Dr.Gonzo. I see everything Wilson does as a wink and a nod. He stares down reporters with Manson eyes and says things that are bat shit crazy and absolutely hilarious. The whole notion of celebrity is silly, and Brian gets that. With his shoe polish black beard he stands on the mound laughing at us as we laugh at him. Much like Thompson, I think he may end up blurring the lines too much between life and act, but what the hell do I know?
I know this. Brian Wilson is bringing weird freaky fetish sex jokes to American sports fans across the country, and that makes me smile. Those two things usually don't mix well together, well - unless you're Tiger Woods or Brett Favre...but I can't go there now, that pool's too deep. He's slowly leaked out bits and pieces of his friend, Machine, with the patience of a Buddhist monk. From pulling out the "Machine Mask" on Jim Rome, to mentioning Machine in an interview after winning the NLCS, Wilson has brought the weird to our front doorsteps, and because of this, I full heatedly endorse the San Fransisco Giants in the 2010 World Series.
Paul Pierce and the Boston Celtics chose hoops over hype with a complete team effort. (AP Photo)
The Boston Celtics made witness again that any contenders will have to go through them to get to the Finals in the East, as they defeated the Miami Heat 88-80 on opening night at the Garden. Yes this was only the first game of a long year. And yes these two teams will look completely different the next time they square off against each other, but that still doesn't take away from the fact that as you sit today reading this, the Celtics are light years ahead of the Heat in every facet.
The Celtics chemistry is better. The Celtics starters are better (as a whole). The Celtics bench is deeper. The Celtics coach is better. The Celtics fans are better. The Celtics are just plain better. ESPN and others will be making excuses for the Heat, believe in that. They'll state how this was only Dwyane Wade's first full game back after missing the pre-season, but shit, at least the Heat had Dwyane on the court. The Celtics, mind you forget, are sans their starting center in Kendrick Perkins along with backup point guard Delonte West. The Celtics are only going to get better, and those are two guys already very familiar with the Celtics system - and aren't starting cold or learning on the job like the Heat.
As the game progressed it looked like Wade began to find his rhythm, and for all the hate I throw on Lebron, he really is a special talent, and if he showed us anything, it's that he'll be no ones sidekick in Miami. But he also showed he's NOT Magic Johnson either, can we please stop insulting Ervin with those comparisons? Lebron is Lebron James, and thankfully for the Celtics last night felt like a game against the Cavs of last year. Seriously. Lots of talent and promise over there, but in the end it's just watch Lebron do his thing and get out of the way. There's no team continuity whatsoever. I still can't wrap my head around the fact that Bosh is making as much as Wade and James, that is just an awful signing. Dude has his moments for sure, like when he beat KG to the baseline in the first half, but he's no where near the elite level of his counterparts. The Big 2 + 1 if you ask me, that's what the Heat are.
On the other side of the court the Celtics look like they're the Big 15. There's literally not a player on the court I groan at when I see them approach the scorers table. Huge minutes were given by Nate, Baby, and Marquis Daniels last night, especially by Marquis. It seems like this whole team has no ego whatsoever, which is pretty amazing, and a testament to their maturity, and Doc's ability to lead winners. Each guy with a Celtic jersey has bought into the team system, it's all very Patriot-like of the Celtics. The depth of the team is truly amazing as well. I'd be worried if I were the Heat, because Miami has no answer for our big men (please take note Orlando). Come playoff time Perk will be healthy and Jermaine O'Neil will know his role and be a lot more comfortable, because the Celtics won't be dependent on him.
Then there's the 36 Chambers of Shaq. Of all the stars on the court last night, the crowd was most electric when he had the ball. His 18 minutes were as solid as anybody's, and if he can stay healthy (isn't that really the byline for any Celtics story?) - wooooooooooo boy. Look out NBA. The Celtics aren't back - because they never went anywhere, they're just better, retooled, and with a helluvalotta motivation from Game 7. Add on top of that that they're being labeled as underog's because of the Heat, and you have yourself a recipe of danger for opponents. They're focused, fearless, and fired-up. There's going to be some great basketball in the Hub this year, get ready for one hell of a ride Boston, we may very well be turning 18 this year.
The Celtics look to rebound from their nightmare Game 7 fourth quarter this year.
The Anticipation The anticipation that's been building for basketball heads around the world will finally be released tonight. The Boston Celtics kick off their season with a match-up against the now hated Miami Heat. Anticipation. That word weighs heavy on the NBA's shoulders, and as it waits for tonights opening tip-off at the Garden, there's more anticipation than there's ever been before. So what's happened in the NBA since last summer's spectacular Finals? The short answer. Everything.
The Game I want to make one thing crystal clear before you get too far into this post. I hate Lebron James. My dislike for James was born well before his infamous decision, and it's a conclusion I came to over time, and particularly after the 2008 Conference Semifinals. This was the first time Lebron showed me his true colors. Game 7 of that series showed us, jammed together all in one game, everything that Lebron James is about, as well as everything Lebron could have been about. This was his "two roads diverged in a yellow wood" game, and I don't think he's taken the best path.
James had a phenomenal game as he went toe-to-toe with Celtics captain Paul Pierce. He didn't have the Magic-like numbers people now expect from him, his numbers were much more Jordan-like. 45-5-6 If you watch the video below, you'll also see how much of a leader Lebron was. He placed the Cavs on his back and just went for it, which is what we all admired about him. However, when he couldn't clear this particular hurdle, he retracted into his spoiled shell, and the angry Anakin James we now know was born. He went directly into the Cavs locker room after the game. No handshake, no congrats, no nothing. This is the one move that really turned me off of from "The King", from playing basketball for a lot years, I know it's just a move you just dont do, on the playground or in the gym. It's simple really, you have to show respect, or you get none back. And this showed no class or humility from Lebron, and helped lay the foundation for how James is perceived today.
The Decision When Lebron announced he'd be taking his talents to the Miami Heat I wasn't shocked at all. It fell right in line with who I thought he was since that fateful game. This kid has no true sense of reality. He's been touted as a demigod since the 8th grade, and ESPN has been showing his games on primetime since he was in high school. Has there been a high school athlete who's gotten this much press and national attention before or since? I'd be hard pressed to think of one.
I thought the amount of excuses people made for Lebron his last two season in Cleveland were pathetic. Come playoff time it'd always be, does Lebron have the proper people around him? Instead of people saying, is Lebron the proper guy to lead a Team to a Championship? In both of the last two seasons the Cavaliers had the best record in basketball. Better than the Celtics. Better than the Lakers. Better than the Magic. Better than everybody. But still, people pined over the fact the James didn't have the "proper cast" around him.
Give me a break. Seemed to work fine for him in the regular season, and if anything, adding talent like Antawn Jamison should have made him better. You think Jordan would have made Jamison a better player, and a compliment to his game? You bet your ass he would have. But there it is. The true ghost that's been around the NBA since he let that hand hang in Utah. Jordan's shadow looms as massive in basketball as any athlete in any other sport, except for maybe Babe Ruth in baseball. We as basketball fans have to accept that there will never, ever be another Michael Jordan. Kobe Bryant is part of the same family tree for sure, and it pains me to say it, but Kobe really is unbelievable. Still though...he's no Jordan. And neither is James.
What Should I Do?
What should you do Lebron? Play basketball. It's that simple. Don't act like you're bearing a cross. Don't tell me about how some people wrote some distasteful things to you on Twitter. Trust me, I just run a shitty Red Sox blog, and I still get my fair share of hate, but it's all part fo the territory, I'm putting myself out there after-all. Don't crush your hometown on National TV. Don't act like life is so hard for Lebron. Don't worry about any of it. People loved you for your game, let that be enough, and damn what happens in-between.
Lebron is, was, and forever will be, a polarizing figure. It's because he has talents like we've never seen. He can do things on the basketball court that make us awed. There's nothing worse for people than to see what they perceive as talent being squandered, and to say Lebron's done that would not be fair to the man. I'm 31 years old, and if each and every decision I made as a 25 year old was scrutinized and watched in slow motion at a national level I'd probably get bitter too. In the end the expectations were too high for Lebron when he was in the eighth grade, and that's unfair. I don't feel sorry for the guy though, and think he's made an awful lot of bad decisions with his persona, but who am I to Judge, I'm just a guy with a blog.
The Heat I think Lebron going to the Miami Heat may be the best thing to happen to the NBA in the long run. With their star power, they've instantly elevated themselves to a Dallas Cowboy or New York Yankee level. You either love or hate the team, and I think that's awesome.
It's awful ironic that three friends getting together like this may help stir a little bad blood into the NBA pot finally. Ever since Michael left us (there's that name again) there's been too much hugging. Too much dancing. Too many friends playing against each other. Too many dinners and shared agents and groupies. Screw that.
The reason that basketball was saved by Bird and Magic was because of their rivalry and hatred for each other. Having the rekindled Celtics vs. Laker rivalry back was helping the league get some of its edge that it had in the 80's, but the Heat are going to catapult people's allegiances even more, and that's great for everyone, especially us fans.
Really lost in the shuffle in all this is Dwayne Wade. I think he had the most potential to enter into MJ & Kobe land, however, this will taint his pursuit of that just a bit. Yes, yes, I know. Jordan had Pippen. Magic had Kareem. Bird had McHale & Parrish. But was there ever a question who the alpha-dog was in each those relationships? There isn't a clear line in Miami, and it's to be seen how they gel together. I can't imagine they're going to be bad. I will say that Chris Bosh is now the most overrated player in the league. He's going to become a super role player now for sure, but I have no memories of him really stepping up in an important game...well....ever. At the least it's going to be very interesting to watch this team, and they will eventually win it all, just not this year.
The Beginning is the End Is the Beginning The result of tonights game will tell us nothing about how the season will end. It will however, officially mark a new chapter in the NBA. This may be the next transition. Bird & Magic. Jordan. Duncan. Kobe. Heat. As much as I'll be hating on Lebron and the Heat over the next few years, I do ultimately respect their decision to go at it full bore together, and even thank them for putting on the black hat. I already had my Laker rivalry back, now it looks like we have the Bad Boys 2.0 as well, and I can't wait to root against them not only tonight, but for the foreseeable future.
(Editors Note: Will write on the actual Celtics soon, but had to get this out today.)
This is what it's all about. This is the moment we yearn for, the moment that drives us. This is why we watch, through victory and defeat, through success and failure. This is what makes us spend our hard-earned cash on tickets, jerseys, and over-priced beer. This is what fuels the dreams of little boys and girls, running and playing on great grassy fields and blacktop courts, imagining themselves as the heroes of the game. This is what makes grown men shout and scream, high-five and clap, leap for joy and weep in despair.
We watch our heroes, gods in human flesh, battle for supremacy night-in and night-out. We sit in anticipation of the start and dreading the finish, when our heroes retire, eventually for good. We awake with refreshed spirits each day, even after witnessing crushing defeats, for that is the nature of fandom. To believe in something completely out of our control, but so close to our hearts. We choose to make the heroes larger than life, because we all want to be like them, to be loved and cheered for. To taste victory on the world's largest stages.
No matter what happens this evening, I know, as you all do, that being a sports fan is one of the greatest choices a person can make. To put our hearts in the hands of men and women we may never meet. Because at some point, they were just like us - fans.
Today - June 17, 2010 - the city of Boston is Green. (SawxBlog Illustration)
Getting ready for work this morning, staring aimlessly in the mirror brushing my teeth, I noticed something strange. My eye's were shining a bright green - verdant in contrast to the stale white of the bathroom walls. Strange indeed.
Clicking on the shower radio and stepping into the hot stream, I was awash in the sounds of green spewing from the clock-radio speaker, tinny in nature. Interesting.
Then - stepping out of my apartment, the trees on Beacon Street had leaves stiffened at prompt attention, streaming a joyous green into the air - effervescent and infectious in nature. Exhilarating.
Riding the train into work, on the Green line of course, I noticed an abnormal ratio of olive about the train, as my fellow Bostonians acknowledged each other's allegiance, without muttering a word. Faith.
Now, working at my desk, I calmly wait for the day to unfold - and for the green to engulf. For today I am color blind, and there's only one pigmentation I see, and I see it holding a trophy at the end of the night. Joy.
Photos of Game 1 of the 2007 World Series. My girlfriend Jeannine and I took my Dad and didn't tell him until we were basically at the Gate. One of the best nights of my life hands down.
On the way home from a good friends wedding Jeannine and I decided to stop off at the Hall of Fame (which never gets old for me), however with limited time we decided to make it a tour of only things Red Sox. Enjoy!
This was the first time I've been to a game with my Dad since the early 90's and it was just awesome, especially with everything that happened with my Mom a few weeks ago. I know she was watching the game with us and had to have been happy to see us happy.
Marathon Monday (Patriots Day) is a great tradition in Boston. The Sox always start early in the a.m. and the marathon is on it's final stage right outside of Kenmore as the game lets out. This is a photo tour of our experiance, enjoy!
This past Mothers Day I was visiting Chicago and attended a Cubs/Phillies game. This was my first time at Wrigley Field and I was embraced by my NL cousins. Chris & I represented the Red Sox and I was congratulated on the 2004 season by numerous Cubbie fans. Here you'll find 11 pics from the game.
Boston.com and Boston Dirt Dogs had a playoff push party at Game On! in Fenway Park on September 19. The game didn't go so well as the Sox lost, however, a lot of people had a good time hanging out while getting to "meet" the trophy!
My brother Chris flew into Boston from Chicago to help me root on and pull for the Sox in the Series. We went right from Logan Airport to the Park and ended up watching the game across the street from Fenway at Bills Bar on Landsdown Street. We looked into scalping tickets but standing room only were going for $1,200 and up!This was a great and memorable day to be able to be with my brother in Boston to see the Red Sox in the World Series. This is a snap shot of two weeks of my life that provided a lot of sorrow, joy, sleep deprivation, and hangovers. Two of the best weeks of my life...
