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Patriots Impressive in First Two Preseason Victories
The Sully's Crew generally is not especially concerned with any sports preseason games, but the NFL’s preseason is probably the most important. If your team does not hit the ground running on all cylinders in week one, that could be the difference between going to the playoffs and going home.
Glad to report that we have been pleasantly surprised with the Patriots’ performance in the first two games. We heard the practices against the Saints were not going very well, but the games have been downright decent. Brady looks sharp, Welker made some catches and took a few hits, the running backs have been finishing strong, not a lot of dropped passes by the receivers, defense has been getting stops on third down, some decent punt returns, etc. I expect all of these trends to continue against the Rams in Foxborough next week. Statistically the Patriots have the sixth most difficult strength of schedule and the home schedule appears particularly difficult. But, if the PATS continue to improve and stay healthy, they should be prepared to spank the Bengals in the opener on September 12.
Posted on August 19th 2010
Bruins Off-Season Round Up (Part 2)
The Bruins’ regular season officially begins with an unorthodox “home and home” series against the Phoenix Coyotes on Saturday, October 9 and 10 in Prague’s 02 Arena. It is difficult to come up with a less interesting opponent than the Coyotes. Was Nashville not available? Shouldn’t these games have been against one of the Bruins’ rivals instead of a random Western Conference team with several Czech and / or Slovakian players?
As promised, our second installment commenting on the Bruins major off-season moves.
August 4 - Doug Jarvis named assistant coach.
Will have big shoes to fill replacing Craig Ramsay, but we are optimistic that he is up to the task. Bs could have done a lot worse.
August 3 – Second Overall pick in the 2010 draft, forward Tyler Seguin signed to an entry-level contract.
Edmonton was never going to trade down or pass on Taylor Hall. Hall might end up scoring more goals than Seguin, but Seguin may have more impact on the game at center. Seguin should be good enough to make the Bruins out of training camp as third or fourth line winger. If the Bruins have to make a trade to stay under the cap, or if there are injuries to Savard, Bergeron, or Krejci is not ready to go, Seguin will slide back into the face-off circle. I have not seen this kid play a ton, but from what I have seen he reminds me of Penguins / Whalers era Ron Francis. The Bruins need to find a sniper to ride shotgun with Seguin long-term. Maybe next years top pick from the Leafs will provide a solution.
July 30 - Signed Blake Wheeler to a one-year contract.
See separate blog post below.
July 9 - Defenseman Mark Stuart signed to a one-year contract.
The injury bug bit Stuart hard at the end of last season when the Bruins needed him most. I expect Stuart to fully recover and return to his previous form as a dependable contributor on the blue-line. He might not put up a ton of points or have a big plus / minus, but if you need a penalty killed or a top winger bottled up, Stuart is your man.
July 1 - Forward Daniel Paille signed to a two-year contract extension.
Paille can be a frustrating player to watch. He is always working hard and killing penalties. Sometimes he can get hot and score a couple goals, maybe even bang home a highlight reel goal. But then Paille will go cold for weeks and you barely even notice he is on the ice. I will be looking for more consistent efforts from Paille next season.
June 28 - Forward Mark Recchi signed to a one-year contract extension.
Hard to believe that the Bs were able to steal Recchi away from Tampa Bay for basically nothing. Would have preferred the Bs got him a decade ago, but Recchi’s been a consummate professional since he arrived in Boston. It can be painful watching this guy skate at times because he looks so slow, but he is one of the few guys on the Bs with actual scoring touch. And when he gets in on the forcheck you better keep your head up. Why not bring him back for one last run at the Cup?
Posted on August 18th 2010
Thanks for a good time, Texas!
If traveling weren’t such a miserable experience, I’d go to Texas every weekend.
Thankfully, I finally found some time to write, between the friendly Red Sox fans of Texas buying me beers, the hours of travel and delayed flights, combined with having to be at Fenway Park at 10am this morning, after getting in to Logan Airport after 3am, there was just no time.
First and foremost, I’ve got to thank the Red Sox Nation Governor of Texas, Mr. Johnny Matthews. The man flew me down to Dallas, posted me up on his couch for the weekend and threw together an impressive watch party at Humperdink’s, where nearly a hundred Red Sox fans traveled from all over the great state of Texas.
Most importantly, Johnny and I helped raise significant funds for The Jimmy Fund. I donated half of all the sales from my books that were sold in Texas to the Jimmy Fund, which was upwards of a hundred bucks, so thanks to everyone who helped make a difference!
Posted on August 16th 2010
Fenway Luxury Box Experience – Past & Present
Attending a Red Sox game at Fenway Park is a unique experience. These days I can only afford to sit in the bleachers, but I have had the pleasure of sitting in almost every section of the ballpark. You name it, I have probably caught a game there: centerfield bleachers, upper bleachers underneath the scoreboard, first row behind the bullpen, right field grandstand facing the monster (not home plate), infield grandstand, left field no alcohol grandstand, right field roof box, State Street Pavilion, Budweiser roof deck, on top of the Green Monstah, fifth row right behind home plate, etc.
Once when I was a kid my father, grandfather, and I all took in a Sox / Mariners game from the 600 Club (later renamed the .406 Club). For those you too young to remember, the 600 Club was the glass enclosed section behind home plate below the press boxes. People used to contend that the glass enclosure altered the wind pattern in the ballpark reducing the number of home runs hit. I think the Sox just had less power hitters. I knew this game was a big deal because my dad said we had to wear slacks and a collared shirt for admittance, and we couldn’t pay for food with cash, only with a credit card. If I remember correctly it was an afternoon game and Randy Johnson was pitching for the Mariners. I don’t remember who won, but Mike Greenwell got beaned with a Johnson fastball and was down for what seemed like an eternity. The experience seemed artificial being stuck behind the glass with an uptight privileged crowd. I figured I’d never get back to a luxury box again.
That assumption was correct right up until Tuesday August 16th when I witnessed the Sox defeat the Angels 6-0 on a perfect night for baseball. Buchholz was dominant over seven innings and Kalish sealed the victory with his first major league grand slam. The box was so nice, I kind of hoped that Anaheim would claw their way back into the game so I could enjoy more baseball. It was like having a great hotel room stocked with food and beer, but with the Red Sox playing right outside your window. The bathroom had a small TV on the wall so you wouldn’t miss a second of game action. The staff was considerably more pleasant than other service providers around the ballpark. Really a first rate experience and my sincerest thanks go out to the people that made it possible. The box was a nice change of pace, but I couldn’t imagine sitting up there with any regularity. The rich just live in a different world I can’t begin to understand. A week later I was back in section 36, sitting in the rain, yelling at morons trying to start the wave, right where I belong.
Posted on August 16th 2010
The Batter's Box – Episode Five Capsule
Andrew and Doc squared off in week five of the Boston Baseball Tournament as the first round continued. Lots of quality questions in the first inning. Andrew came out swinging for the fences with a home run question in his first at-bat and promptly banged a difficult Smokey Joe Wood question out of the ballpark. Doc’s first question was about the alleged Curse of the Bambino. There was never any curse on the Boston Red Sox; the curse was invented by a hack sportswriter to sell books. The Sox World Series drought was due to poor management, not quite good enough play on the field, and some bad luck. But I digress. How could Doc forget that Bill Mueller was a Silver Slugger; he won the batting title just ahead of Manny. Leading 2-0 after the first, Andrew expanded his lead to 5-2 in the second with some fine process of elimination answering. DA delivered some harsh comments for both contestants in his insider segment, but I liked Andrew’s confidence. The gum chewing did not go over wel. Has anyone ever heard of the Nation’s Nest? I call BS on that one, sounds like some crap they found on Wikipedia. Doc plated three runs in the third to make it interesting, but came up short dropping the decision to Andrew 7-5.
Posted on August 15th 2010
Jared from Sully's to host webcast on RedSox.com!
(RedSox.com) -- As an extension of the 2010 Listening Tour, the Red Sox have created an online opportunity to hear from those fans who cannot attend the Listening Tour event in each New England state. Red Sox Nation Governor of Massachusetts Jared Carrabis will sit down with a Red Sox personality periodically to field questions and take suggestions live from fans. During each webcast, Jared and his guest will reply to questions that fans have posted on this site beforehand, as well as respond to live comments and questions posted on Facebook and Twitter.
Word just came down to Sully's HQ that Jared will be hosting a Red Sox webcast on RedSox.com. Pretty cool stuff. The gist of the show will center around social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. Jared will have a new guest on his show every other Friday, and fans can post questions on Facebook, or tweet the show using the #RedSox hashtag. His first guest will be Mike Hazen, the Red Sox Director of Player Development. The Sox are well-known for developing players into impact major leaguers, so I'm sure they will have plenty to discuss.
You can bet the house that he'll probably rock a "Laser Show" t-shirt at least once. He wears it all the time because he thinks he can hit. Kidding. He would probably take me deep any day of the week, and twice on Sunday. On behalf of everyone here at Sully's, we wish Jared the best of luck in his latest endeavor!
You can follow Jared on Twitter by clicking HERE. Also, check out SoxSpace on Facebook HERE.
Posted on August 11th 2010
Sully's Crew Visits Patriots / Saints Joint Practice
Sully's Crew rolled out to Foxborough for a VIP Patriots Training Camp experience this morning. It was the PATS' third joint practice with the Saints and their 22nd practice overall. Have to say I was impressed with the strong showing of Saints fans. I went to a PATS / Saints game in Foxborough a few years ago, and I only saw one New Orleans fan the entire day. Thanks again for taking Peyton down in the Super Bowl. I love training camp. You fumble, the other team recovers, or you throw an interception, you get the ball back and your drive continues.
Not a whole heck of a lot to report from practice. During the punt return drills, some players got into a pushing contest along the sidelines. Welker caught a nice touchdown from Brady in the back of the end zone, although everyone was not so sure he brought both feet down inbounds. 2010 Patriots Hall of Fame Inductee Sam "Bam" Cunningham spoke to the PATS at the close of practice. One can only assume motivation phrases and sentiments were uttered.
After practice, we headed up to the Fidelity Club Level for an impressive lunch. A handful of PATS cheerleaders were spreading cheer, and a PATS alumni was going to speak, but we had to race back to Peabody to get back to work, so we missed the speech. If you have a family, I would definitely recommend checking out training camp next season. Good times.
Posted on August 11th 2010
Bruins Off-Season Round Up (Part 1)
The Bruins have had an eventful off-season and unfortunately we haven’t had a lot of spare time to allow us to comment on their moves. Just in case you weren’t paying attention to the Bs this summer, below is a short recap of their most notable moves and some commentary from the Sully’s Crew. Expect part two early next week.
June 26 – Traded center Vladimir Sobotka to the Blues for Boston University’s defenseman David Warsofsky.
This trade should work out for both teams. The Bs had a log jam at center and the Blues needed an inexpensive, tough center. Sobotka effectively became the scapegoat for Savard’s too many men on the ice penalty that cost the Bs game seven. I liked Sobotka’s tenacity and willingness to take the body, but a -10 plus minus in the playoffs just was not going to cut it. I watch a lot of college hockey, specifically BU hockey, and Warsofsky is the real deal. He is exactly the type of puck moving fleet of foot defensemen that could thrive in the new and improved NHL. However, his size (5’8” 160 lbs.) and the intense pressure of being local product could hold Warsofsky back.
June 24 - Signed defenseman Johnny Boychuk to a two-year contract extension.
Finding players like Boychuk are why the Bruins are headed in the right direction and why GM Chiarelli will not be fired in the foreseeable future. If Tuukka didn’t have such a breakout season, Boychuk could have won the 7th player award. This kid does it all: shoot, pass, skate, score, hit, block a shot, kill a penalty, run a power play, you name it. For the Bruins to be a cup contender, he has to continue to build on last season’s successes and not hit a sophomore slump.
June 22 – Wideman shipped out to the Florida Panthers (with a 2010 first round pick and a third round pick in 2011) for forwards Nathan Horton and Gregory Campbell.
The fans had enough of Wideman and he absolutely had to go. All things considered, Chiarelli could have done a lot worse from a weak trading position. If Horton can stay focused and healthy, he should score 25-30 goals with at least 12 of them on the power play. Don’t know enough about Campbell to comment. I do expect Wideman to bounce back with a talented but young and inconsistent Florida squad, but it won’t be enough to get them back in the playoffs.
June 16 - Cam Neely named president!!!!!
Over the next three decades, this will likely have been the most important move of the off-season. With Cam and Don Sweeney steering the ship, you gotta figure the Bruins are in good hands.
June 5 - Defenseman Dennis Seidenberg signed to a four-year contract extension.
Not sure about the length of this contract, but the Seidenberg trade was another steal for the Bruins. His laceration injury at the tail end of last season was rather gruesome and unfortunate for the team. Seidenberg and Chara look to be quite a combination on the blue line next season. Seidenberg makes great first passes to start the breakout. I have no idea how Seidenberg blocks so many shots and stays in the lineup, but I hope he can keep it up for the next four years.
June 4 – Tough guy Shawn Thornton signed to a two-year contract extension.
Someone has to fight besides LUCIC. I love how Thornton throws the puck on net every chance he gets. Those wild shots rarely go in, but they keep the goaltender honest, produce attacking zone face-offs, and often produce juicy rebounds for someone cruising through the slot.
March 24 – Bald guy Andrew Ference signed to a three-year contract extension.
This signing still makes no sense. I can’t believe I have to watch Ference miss the next for three more years. No one is going to trade for him with that contract. I predict he’ll be inured for at least half of the Bruins games over the life of his new contract.
Posted on August 10th 2010
The Batter's Box - Episode Four Capsule
Week four of the Batter’s Box pitted the lovely Colleen against mad dog Mike. Mike jumped out to a quick two run lead in the first inning, stringing together a couple doubles while Colleen was unable to advance her runner past first. Best question from the first inning was about the classic New England candlepin bowling program “Candlepins for Cash” and the program’s famous host. Mike missed a couple of easy questions in the second inning, opening the door for Colleen to tie it up with a two run home run. I did not realize I remembered the correct answer until it popped up as one of the choices; can you remember which sitcom TV38 often played during Sox rain delays in the 1980s? Mike pulled away in the third inning scoring three runs with the help of his pinch hitter, but Colleen narrowly missed tying up the game with a home run in her last at bat. Much like in roulette when you always bet on black, when Mike Greenwell is a multiple answer choice, select the Gator.
Posted on August 08th 2010
Team Sully's Advances to West End Softball League Championship
Team Sully's was scheduled to rematch Suffolk University in the semifinals of the West End Softball League. Perhaps recognizing that victory was impossible, Suffolk neglected to show for the game so Team Sully's advanced by default. Team Green came to play so we faced the Rainbow team (a team consisting of players from the blue team, the purple team, and whatever ringers they could find). Team Sully's won the scrimmage by a touchdown. The real story was the post game cookout. It was such a beautiful day and our cookout along the esplanade had it all, including bocce ball. Many thanks go out to Jo for hosting and to everyone that contributed to the quality hang.
Team Sully's will defend their West End League Championship under the lights on Friday, August 13 at Teddy Ebersol Field at 9 PM. Won or lose, you can find team Sully's at the Beacon Hill Pub afterwards crushing beers.
Posted on August 07th 2010
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The Sully's Crew generally is not especially concerned with any sports preseason games, but the NFL’s preseason is probably the most important. If your team does not hit the ground running on all cylinders in week one, that could be the difference between going to the playoffs and going home.
Glad to report that we have been pleasantly surprised with the Patriots’ performance in the first two games. We heard the practices against the Saints were not going very well, but the games have been downright decent. Brady looks sharp, Welker made some catches and took a few hits, the running backs have been finishing strong, not a lot of dropped passes by the receivers, defense has been getting stops on third down, some decent punt returns, etc. I expect all of these trends to continue against the Rams in Foxborough next week. Statistically the Patriots have the sixth most difficult strength of schedule and the home schedule appears particularly difficult. But, if the PATS continue to improve and stay healthy, they should be prepared to spank the Bengals in the opener on September 12.
Posted on August 19th 2010
Bruins Off-Season Round Up (Part 2)
The Bruins’ regular season officially begins with an unorthodox “home and home” series against the Phoenix Coyotes on Saturday, October 9 and 10 in Prague’s 02 Arena. It is difficult to come up with a less interesting opponent than the Coyotes. Was Nashville not available? Shouldn’t these games have been against one of the Bruins’ rivals instead of a random Western Conference team with several Czech and / or Slovakian players?
As promised, our second installment commenting on the Bruins major off-season moves.
August 4 - Doug Jarvis named assistant coach.
Will have big shoes to fill replacing Craig Ramsay, but we are optimistic that he is up to the task. Bs could have done a lot worse.
August 3 – Second Overall pick in the 2010 draft, forward Tyler Seguin signed to an entry-level contract.
Edmonton was never going to trade down or pass on Taylor Hall. Hall might end up scoring more goals than Seguin, but Seguin may have more impact on the game at center. Seguin should be good enough to make the Bruins out of training camp as third or fourth line winger. If the Bruins have to make a trade to stay under the cap, or if there are injuries to Savard, Bergeron, or Krejci is not ready to go, Seguin will slide back into the face-off circle. I have not seen this kid play a ton, but from what I have seen he reminds me of Penguins / Whalers era Ron Francis. The Bruins need to find a sniper to ride shotgun with Seguin long-term. Maybe next years top pick from the Leafs will provide a solution.
July 30 - Signed Blake Wheeler to a one-year contract.
See separate blog post below.
July 9 - Defenseman Mark Stuart signed to a one-year contract.
The injury bug bit Stuart hard at the end of last season when the Bruins needed him most. I expect Stuart to fully recover and return to his previous form as a dependable contributor on the blue-line. He might not put up a ton of points or have a big plus / minus, but if you need a penalty killed or a top winger bottled up, Stuart is your man.
July 1 - Forward Daniel Paille signed to a two-year contract extension.
Paille can be a frustrating player to watch. He is always working hard and killing penalties. Sometimes he can get hot and score a couple goals, maybe even bang home a highlight reel goal. But then Paille will go cold for weeks and you barely even notice he is on the ice. I will be looking for more consistent efforts from Paille next season.
June 28 - Forward Mark Recchi signed to a one-year contract extension.
Hard to believe that the Bs were able to steal Recchi away from Tampa Bay for basically nothing. Would have preferred the Bs got him a decade ago, but Recchi’s been a consummate professional since he arrived in Boston. It can be painful watching this guy skate at times because he looks so slow, but he is one of the few guys on the Bs with actual scoring touch. And when he gets in on the forcheck you better keep your head up. Why not bring him back for one last run at the Cup?
Posted on August 18th 2010
Thanks for a good time, Texas!
If traveling weren’t such a miserable experience, I’d go to Texas every weekend.
Thankfully, I finally found some time to write, between the friendly Red Sox fans of Texas buying me beers, the hours of travel and delayed flights, combined with having to be at Fenway Park at 10am this morning, after getting in to Logan Airport after 3am, there was just no time.
First and foremost, I’ve got to thank the Red Sox Nation Governor of Texas, Mr. Johnny Matthews. The man flew me down to Dallas, posted me up on his couch for the weekend and threw together an impressive watch party at Humperdink’s, where nearly a hundred Red Sox fans traveled from all over the great state of Texas.
Most importantly, Johnny and I helped raise significant funds for The Jimmy Fund. I donated half of all the sales from my books that were sold in Texas to the Jimmy Fund, which was upwards of a hundred bucks, so thanks to everyone who helped make a difference!
Posted on August 16th 2010
Fenway Luxury Box Experience – Past & Present
Attending a Red Sox game at Fenway Park is a unique experience. These days I can only afford to sit in the bleachers, but I have had the pleasure of sitting in almost every section of the ballpark. You name it, I have probably caught a game there: centerfield bleachers, upper bleachers underneath the scoreboard, first row behind the bullpen, right field grandstand facing the monster (not home plate), infield grandstand, left field no alcohol grandstand, right field roof box, State Street Pavilion, Budweiser roof deck, on top of the Green Monstah, fifth row right behind home plate, etc.
Once when I was a kid my father, grandfather, and I all took in a Sox / Mariners game from the 600 Club (later renamed the .406 Club). For those you too young to remember, the 600 Club was the glass enclosed section behind home plate below the press boxes. People used to contend that the glass enclosure altered the wind pattern in the ballpark reducing the number of home runs hit. I think the Sox just had less power hitters. I knew this game was a big deal because my dad said we had to wear slacks and a collared shirt for admittance, and we couldn’t pay for food with cash, only with a credit card. If I remember correctly it was an afternoon game and Randy Johnson was pitching for the Mariners. I don’t remember who won, but Mike Greenwell got beaned with a Johnson fastball and was down for what seemed like an eternity. The experience seemed artificial being stuck behind the glass with an uptight privileged crowd. I figured I’d never get back to a luxury box again.
That assumption was correct right up until Tuesday August 16th when I witnessed the Sox defeat the Angels 6-0 on a perfect night for baseball. Buchholz was dominant over seven innings and Kalish sealed the victory with his first major league grand slam. The box was so nice, I kind of hoped that Anaheim would claw their way back into the game so I could enjoy more baseball. It was like having a great hotel room stocked with food and beer, but with the Red Sox playing right outside your window. The bathroom had a small TV on the wall so you wouldn’t miss a second of game action. The staff was considerably more pleasant than other service providers around the ballpark. Really a first rate experience and my sincerest thanks go out to the people that made it possible. The box was a nice change of pace, but I couldn’t imagine sitting up there with any regularity. The rich just live in a different world I can’t begin to understand. A week later I was back in section 36, sitting in the rain, yelling at morons trying to start the wave, right where I belong.
Posted on August 16th 2010
The Batter's Box – Episode Five Capsule
Andrew and Doc squared off in week five of the Boston Baseball Tournament as the first round continued. Lots of quality questions in the first inning. Andrew came out swinging for the fences with a home run question in his first at-bat and promptly banged a difficult Smokey Joe Wood question out of the ballpark. Doc’s first question was about the alleged Curse of the Bambino. There was never any curse on the Boston Red Sox; the curse was invented by a hack sportswriter to sell books. The Sox World Series drought was due to poor management, not quite good enough play on the field, and some bad luck. But I digress. How could Doc forget that Bill Mueller was a Silver Slugger; he won the batting title just ahead of Manny. Leading 2-0 after the first, Andrew expanded his lead to 5-2 in the second with some fine process of elimination answering. DA delivered some harsh comments for both contestants in his insider segment, but I liked Andrew’s confidence. The gum chewing did not go over wel. Has anyone ever heard of the Nation’s Nest? I call BS on that one, sounds like some crap they found on Wikipedia. Doc plated three runs in the third to make it interesting, but came up short dropping the decision to Andrew 7-5.
Posted on August 15th 2010
Jared from Sully's to host webcast on RedSox.com!
(RedSox.com) -- As an extension of the 2010 Listening Tour, the Red Sox have created an online opportunity to hear from those fans who cannot attend the Listening Tour event in each New England state. Red Sox Nation Governor of Massachusetts Jared Carrabis will sit down with a Red Sox personality periodically to field questions and take suggestions live from fans. During each webcast, Jared and his guest will reply to questions that fans have posted on this site beforehand, as well as respond to live comments and questions posted on Facebook and Twitter.
Word just came down to Sully's HQ that Jared will be hosting a Red Sox webcast on RedSox.com. Pretty cool stuff. The gist of the show will center around social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. Jared will have a new guest on his show every other Friday, and fans can post questions on Facebook, or tweet the show using the #RedSox hashtag. His first guest will be Mike Hazen, the Red Sox Director of Player Development. The Sox are well-known for developing players into impact major leaguers, so I'm sure they will have plenty to discuss.
You can bet the house that he'll probably rock a "Laser Show" t-shirt at least once. He wears it all the time because he thinks he can hit. Kidding. He would probably take me deep any day of the week, and twice on Sunday. On behalf of everyone here at Sully's, we wish Jared the best of luck in his latest endeavor!
You can follow Jared on Twitter by clicking HERE. Also, check out SoxSpace on Facebook HERE.
Posted on August 11th 2010
Sully's Crew Visits Patriots / Saints Joint Practice
Sully's Crew rolled out to Foxborough for a VIP Patriots Training Camp experience this morning. It was the PATS' third joint practice with the Saints and their 22nd practice overall. Have to say I was impressed with the strong showing of Saints fans. I went to a PATS / Saints game in Foxborough a few years ago, and I only saw one New Orleans fan the entire day. Thanks again for taking Peyton down in the Super Bowl. I love training camp. You fumble, the other team recovers, or you throw an interception, you get the ball back and your drive continues.
Not a whole heck of a lot to report from practice. During the punt return drills, some players got into a pushing contest along the sidelines. Welker caught a nice touchdown from Brady in the back of the end zone, although everyone was not so sure he brought both feet down inbounds. 2010 Patriots Hall of Fame Inductee Sam "Bam" Cunningham spoke to the PATS at the close of practice. One can only assume motivation phrases and sentiments were uttered.
After practice, we headed up to the Fidelity Club Level for an impressive lunch. A handful of PATS cheerleaders were spreading cheer, and a PATS alumni was going to speak, but we had to race back to Peabody to get back to work, so we missed the speech. If you have a family, I would definitely recommend checking out training camp next season. Good times.
Posted on August 11th 2010
Bruins Off-Season Round Up (Part 1)
The Bruins have had an eventful off-season and unfortunately we haven’t had a lot of spare time to allow us to comment on their moves. Just in case you weren’t paying attention to the Bs this summer, below is a short recap of their most notable moves and some commentary from the Sully’s Crew. Expect part two early next week.
June 26 – Traded center Vladimir Sobotka to the Blues for Boston University’s defenseman David Warsofsky.
This trade should work out for both teams. The Bs had a log jam at center and the Blues needed an inexpensive, tough center. Sobotka effectively became the scapegoat for Savard’s too many men on the ice penalty that cost the Bs game seven. I liked Sobotka’s tenacity and willingness to take the body, but a -10 plus minus in the playoffs just was not going to cut it. I watch a lot of college hockey, specifically BU hockey, and Warsofsky is the real deal. He is exactly the type of puck moving fleet of foot defensemen that could thrive in the new and improved NHL. However, his size (5’8” 160 lbs.) and the intense pressure of being local product could hold Warsofsky back.
June 24 - Signed defenseman Johnny Boychuk to a two-year contract extension.
Finding players like Boychuk are why the Bruins are headed in the right direction and why GM Chiarelli will not be fired in the foreseeable future. If Tuukka didn’t have such a breakout season, Boychuk could have won the 7th player award. This kid does it all: shoot, pass, skate, score, hit, block a shot, kill a penalty, run a power play, you name it. For the Bruins to be a cup contender, he has to continue to build on last season’s successes and not hit a sophomore slump.
June 22 – Wideman shipped out to the Florida Panthers (with a 2010 first round pick and a third round pick in 2011) for forwards Nathan Horton and Gregory Campbell.
The fans had enough of Wideman and he absolutely had to go. All things considered, Chiarelli could have done a lot worse from a weak trading position. If Horton can stay focused and healthy, he should score 25-30 goals with at least 12 of them on the power play. Don’t know enough about Campbell to comment. I do expect Wideman to bounce back with a talented but young and inconsistent Florida squad, but it won’t be enough to get them back in the playoffs.
June 16 - Cam Neely named president!!!!!
Over the next three decades, this will likely have been the most important move of the off-season. With Cam and Don Sweeney steering the ship, you gotta figure the Bruins are in good hands.
June 5 - Defenseman Dennis Seidenberg signed to a four-year contract extension.
Not sure about the length of this contract, but the Seidenberg trade was another steal for the Bruins. His laceration injury at the tail end of last season was rather gruesome and unfortunate for the team. Seidenberg and Chara look to be quite a combination on the blue line next season. Seidenberg makes great first passes to start the breakout. I have no idea how Seidenberg blocks so many shots and stays in the lineup, but I hope he can keep it up for the next four years.
June 4 – Tough guy Shawn Thornton signed to a two-year contract extension.
Someone has to fight besides LUCIC. I love how Thornton throws the puck on net every chance he gets. Those wild shots rarely go in, but they keep the goaltender honest, produce attacking zone face-offs, and often produce juicy rebounds for someone cruising through the slot.
March 24 – Bald guy Andrew Ference signed to a three-year contract extension.
This signing still makes no sense. I can’t believe I have to watch Ference miss the next for three more years. No one is going to trade for him with that contract. I predict he’ll be inured for at least half of the Bruins games over the life of his new contract.
Posted on August 10th 2010
The Batter's Box - Episode Four Capsule
Week four of the Batter’s Box pitted the lovely Colleen against mad dog Mike. Mike jumped out to a quick two run lead in the first inning, stringing together a couple doubles while Colleen was unable to advance her runner past first. Best question from the first inning was about the classic New England candlepin bowling program “Candlepins for Cash” and the program’s famous host. Mike missed a couple of easy questions in the second inning, opening the door for Colleen to tie it up with a two run home run. I did not realize I remembered the correct answer until it popped up as one of the choices; can you remember which sitcom TV38 often played during Sox rain delays in the 1980s? Mike pulled away in the third inning scoring three runs with the help of his pinch hitter, but Colleen narrowly missed tying up the game with a home run in her last at bat. Much like in roulette when you always bet on black, when Mike Greenwell is a multiple answer choice, select the Gator.
Posted on August 08th 2010
Team Sully's Advances to West End Softball League Championship
Team Sully's was scheduled to rematch Suffolk University in the semifinals of the West End Softball League. Perhaps recognizing that victory was impossible, Suffolk neglected to show for the game so Team Sully's advanced by default. Team Green came to play so we faced the Rainbow team (a team consisting of players from the blue team, the purple team, and whatever ringers they could find). Team Sully's won the scrimmage by a touchdown. The real story was the post game cookout. It was such a beautiful day and our cookout along the esplanade had it all, including bocce ball. Many thanks go out to Jo for hosting and to everyone that contributed to the quality hang.
Team Sully's will defend their West End League Championship under the lights on Friday, August 13 at Teddy Ebersol Field at 9 PM. Won or lose, you can find team Sully's at the Beacon Hill Pub afterwards crushing beers.
Posted on August 07th 2010
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