Watching the Bruins during the holiday season

Watching the Bruins during the holiday season

By: Peter Stathopoulos

Having lived in Boston for my whole life, I obviously know about the Boston Bruins and their recent2011 Stanley Cup Finals triumph.  But, unlike the Stanley Cup Finals against the Vancouver Canucks which in itself was a joy to watch; home games during the Christmas season certainly bring a different feel to the air.  The weather in New England is certainly appropriate for hockey; it is cold in all of New England as winter has arrived upon us.  In years past, watching Bruins games during the holiday season was not as enjoyable as it is starting to become in the past couple of years.  Why was the case in years past?  I have no idea, but one thing I do know is that Bruins hockey games thisDecember are almost guaranteed to be sold-out.  This has not been the case during the 2008 seasonand before.  During that same season, I have gone to the December 23^rd game against the St. LouisBlues and that game was not sold out.  I could notice that certain sections of the TD Garden arena were empty.  From what I can remember, that game seemed more like a college hockey game than an NHL game.  Obviously, today it is totally different; it actually does seem like an NHL game!

 Even though the NHL season goes from October until April, NHL hockey during the holiday season brings on a special feeling for me.  I do not know how other hockey fans feel but the holiday season is literally one of the very few times during the NHL season where I actually pay attention to the Bruins.  I know that there are some people that will not believe that last sentence.  But, I swear that I actually do pay attention to the Boston Bruins during the month of December.  During the month of December I might even attend a Bruins game at the TD Garden.  That month is the month that I would most likely be attending a Bruins game.  If I am lucky I might even attend multiple Bruins games during the month of December.  I always love watching the Bruins during the month of December.  The holiday season is always special, especially in regards to watching the Bruins.  How do fellow Bruins fans feel about Bruins hockey during the holiday season?

Its personal AGAIN...

                                                                  

Hey folks since its only fair and I have 5 days to make a preview of the showdown this Sunday lets dedicate this post to the one and only Sexy Rexy Ryan ( who we all hate).

Since he took over in 2009 last year he has been adding a hatred and sting to all Boston sports fans against the jets. I guarantee if you ask New Englanders who do you hate the most on the Jets most of them including myself would say Rex Ryan.

In 2009 when Mangini got axed Rex Ryan had his first news conference. We remember the quote that put the Pats-Jets competitiveness above the colts. " I didn't come here to kiss Bellichecks rings."

Since taking over the Jets coaching job he is 2-2 against the patriots. ( Both wins in the meadowlands, both losses in Gillette).  As much as you hate the f*n guy you got to credit him with turning the Jets into the most feared pass and rushing defense like the additions of Bart Scott, Darell Revis, Antonio Cromatie, Calvin pace, d'bricishah Ferguson and many more.

His targets are none other than the people that come to mind when the word Patriots shows up, no other than Tom Brady and Bill Belichek. Last week he stated during his press conferences days short before the wild card round vs the colts " Its become personal." He also stated during the press conference that while Manning studies hard he also says that Brady thinks he studies hard but its only belicheck that helps him study.

If the Jets hadn't squeaked by the Bengals and chargers ( the teams that always choke during the playoffs) to the AFC championship game or if Nate Kateing had made 1 of the 3  field goals he missed in the 2009 divisional round he wouldn't be as mouthy as he is now. With the HBO series hard knocks made the Jets a more hated team then ever before. Since off season of last year we hadn't heard the end of him claiming the Jets are Superbowl contenders.

Hopefully at Sunday evening at 7:30 he'll be at McDonald's eating 5 big macs ( we as patriots fans would enjoy seeing that caught on tape just like the feet scandal with his wife)

World Cup 2010

After watching the World Cup six months ago from South Africa, I could definitely notice several things happening here in Boston as a result of the the world cup. From personal experience watching the World Cup myself, I think these changes that have occurred are for the better.

First of all, I have noticed that in all of a sudden, people here in Boston were passionate about soccer. This reason is not only because of the frenzy caused by the US national team competing in the world cup, it is also because here in New England, we have our own professional soccer franchise, the New England Revolution. This team is proving to be a team that can compete with the rest of the Boston teams for media coverage and highlight time when the MLS season is in full swing.

Soccer is one of the sports that is in my opinion uniting the world in a way that no other world currently being played around the world. Aside from the professional leagues around the world and the World Cup, the game is also an Olympic sport. This speaks volumes on having a unifying sport being played in a sports competition in which is meant to bring the world together for three weeks or so they can compete with each other for medals and perhaps national bragging rights along the process. The World Cup is also another competition in which brings together each country's national teams (for soccer) for a month-long competition. Which, any soccer player around the world would tell you they would dream of represent their home country by playing on the national team that happens to be competing in the World Cup. What I would miss about the World Cup the most is not the hype or the commercialization placed around it; it would mostly be the way the world just seems to get together in one country to play one common sport that is played all over the world. I just we all treat each other the way all of the time as we do during that one month every four years.

In fact, Soccer is going to be the sport, which in my opinion would replace Baseball in the future in this country. I can even see it in the numbers lately, that more kids are going out for Soccer than for Baseball. Also, at the same time, the interest level of Baseball is going down at the same the interest level for Soccer is going up. I can't see it as much here in Boston as the Red Sox are still selling out but I do see the soccer fan coming out in most Boston sports fans as attendance at Revs games have steadily gone up over the past couple of years.

Banged Up B's

This is my first bruins thread. Since the thrilling victory for the bruins at Fenway in the winter classic the B's have been struggling. Losing the last 7 out of the privious 8. Since than injures were suffered by  Mark Savard, Patrice Bergeron, Marco Sturm, and Andrew Ference. Some are day to day but that aint helping at all and no one to call up from Providence. Today should make more help facing not only the team that knocked them out of the playoffs but the worst team in the NHL the Carolina Hurricanes.  They only won two games since the winter classic.  They held a number 5 spot in the eastrn conference and fell to the number 9 spot. An Ovechkin or crosby type player would be great right now.  There problem is the team can't find a way to score goals and they are lacking on being physical.If the team dose'nt improve by the time the olypics come in expect fanbases to drop down.

Where do the Patriots go from here?

After the loss to the Baltimore Ravens yesterday, there have been many questions raised on what options are available for the Patriots. Here are a few options that are in the best interest of the Patriots. One option is to fire the defensive coaching staff and hire new personel on that side of the ball. Another option is that they would need to trade Adalius Thomas to free up cap space. They also would need to find a third recieving option on the offense. There needs to be an emphasis on running the football; Pass rushing would also need to be addressed during the offseason. I have a prediction right here, this team is going to have to brace itself for a long-term playoff drought to start at some point.

This is the start of a long rebuilding process for the team, even Bill Belichick said it was so during the preseason.

Every team that has been a dynasty at some point has fallen off the tracks and it looks like it would happen to the Patriots as well, especially since Bill Belichick gives too many second chances to bad players and assistant coaches combined with the fact that there's no GM on the team.

Patriots vs Ravens playoff preview

Hi bostonaians and patriot nation, not only is this the first patriots and NFL thread but my first real thread. These Ravens had been though the road in the postseason not long ago. Their journey has had victories at miami, Tennessee, and lost in a nailbiter to the pittsburgh steelers {they won super bowl last season, they got eliminated in tie breakers}. The patriots are 5-0 all time aginst the Baltimore Ravens. This is indeed the toughest challenge yet.  The pats as we all know will be without Wes Welker for this game, all postseason, and half or all of next season. The pats are going to miss him espacily since he is one of the best slot recievers in the game. Which puts a lot of pressure on Julian Edleman a rookie reciver, he is mini-wes if the pats are going to win this game Edleman will not only explode on screen plays but have to catch the long ball.

 Keys to the game for the ravens/pats showdown
1. Who ever eccels at screen passes will be big factor.
2. Who can put a "stop sign" on the running attack.

Look on sunday for the pats and ravens to throw lots of screens and have a runnig attack. It will be tough for the pats to stop the dyamic duo of Ray Rice and Willis mgahee. The Ravens defence led by their heart and soul Ray Lewis and the scondary led by Ed Reed as people know they are going to try and cover Randy Moss forcing Brady to throw to inexperience recivers Edleman, and Aiken.  Ill have a recap on sunday or monday.


GO PATS!

An MLS combine Preview

As far as the MLS combine goes, it has just started today. Currently as the Roster of the Revolution stands, they don't have much depth at the Forward position and here are a list of some players coming out that would possibly add some much needed depth to the club.

1. Danny Mwanga (Oregon)

2. Teal Bunbury (Akron)

3. Andre Akpan (Harvard)

4. Andrew Wiedeman (California)

5. Zach Schilawski (Wake Forest)

6. Jack McInerney, U.S. U-17

7. Jason Yeisley (Penn State)

8. David Estrada (UCLA)

9. Bright Dike (Notre Dame)

10. Justin Davis (New Mexico)

After the combine the focus should shift towards the draft in Philadelphia where the Revolution might a couple of these guys. I'm not saying forward position is nessasary right know, I'm just telling you that we should start planning for the future. They don't have many forwards because you can only start two of them in one game. They have three forwards on the squad right know. They don't have much of a depth chart at all at the position as it stands right now. This top-10 list above is credited to ESPN.