Double Dip: Match Play & Bruins

Posted on February 28, 2012 by amazze

Over the weekend, the annual Accenture Match Play Tournament took place in Arizona. Different from stroke play, match play pits two golfers head-to-head in a bracket style tournament, similar to the March Madness tourney (with maybe just a little less excitement). The American and goat of the Ryder Cup two years back, Hunter Mahan edged out rising star Rory McIlroy for arguably his best career victory. Mahan was solid throughout the event, but it was McIlroy who really impressed me. If you don’t already know, this kid is damn good. After falling 3 holes behind Lee Westwood in the semi-final match, McIlroy rallied back to take the next 3 out of 4 holes and square the match. I don’t know if there will ever be another Tiger Woods, but McIlroy is going to be great, if he isn’t already. Look for him to take over the World Number 1 ranking after the tournament this weekend.

Now on to the Bruins…

I don’t know about you but I am excited for the Bruins vs. Senators tonight. Up in Ottawa a couple of nights ago there were a few mix-ups and a lot of unfinished business left on the table. Both Boychuck and Corvo took some heavy shots late in the game from Senators Chris Neil and Kyle Turris respectively. Neil’s shot on Boychuck was clean, but unneccessary. It was a huge hit that if the roles were reversed we would be going crazy. However, since it was our guy Boychuck getting steamrolled I was a little pissed and Zdeno Chara also wasn’t too happy because with 7:00 minutes left in the third he duked it out with Neil. I’m not too sure if that will be the end of that, but look for guys to really “finish” their checks on him tonight. The hit on Corvo was not so clean. Turris received a 2 minute minor for boarding, but the hit to the head left Jack Edwards up in arms so I expect to see some retaliation on Turris tonight by either McQuaid, Thornton, or even Corvo. Regardless, it should be a good, physical game which suits the B’s well. Also look for new additions Brian Rolston (right) and Mike Mottau.

J.R. Smith NY

Posted on February 17, 2012 by leibo4

With the emergence of Jeremy Lin, the Knicks have been on a seven game winning streak. Now it looks like their getting some more help. All signs point to J.R. Smith signing with the New York Knicks over the Clippers and other teams in contention. The Knicks can offer him the most money 2.5 million dollar mid-level exception pro-rated from February 10th. As of last week it was looking like Jeremy Lin was going to be the cut to make way for Smith but we all know now that isn’t happening. All signs point to Mike Bibby as being the cut for the Knicks. If he signs then the question goes to where does J.R. fit with the Knicks. Is he their starting shooting guard or does he come off the bench as a 6th man. He would be replacing Landry Fields in the starting lineup. This presents a challenge for all teams in the NBA east as the Knicks now have a top five guys as good as any. People know about J.R. Smith’s ability to shoot and score, but when motivated he is one of the premier defenders in the NBA. The only question is whether or not they can find enough shots for this many shooters. Look for Lin’s points per game to take a major dip but assists to rise to 10-15 area. Time will tell if this is a good fit, I always thought he should have gone to the Clippers.

Piggyback Anyone??

Posted on February 17, 2012 by christoph131

At Century High School in North Dakota last week, plenty of fans were in attendance to watch their schools’ basketball teams go at it. One man, who is 5’8 240 pounds, named Sherwin Shayegan, decided to get a little more into the game. He showed up in a full uniform of the visiting team, acted like he was handicapped, and got water for the team. He even began to give the players back massages.

After the game was over, Sherwin went out to celebrate with the team and asked for a piggyback ride. One player actually gave him one! In fact, this is not his first rodeo (no pun intended). He is known as the “Piggyback Bandit”. His piggyback rides can be traced back to 2008 and have happened in Washington, Oregon, Montana, North Dakota, and Minnesota. How has he not gotten in trouble yet?

He has even tried to pay for piggyback rides too. He gets close to them by playing it off like he has an illness, writing term papers, acting team manager, and even just used the crowd to blend in as an every day fan.

Lin It to Win It

Posted on February 16, 2012 by jtulz07

Linsanity is sweeping the nation, no doubt about it. Cliche “Lin” words aside, us here in Boston find ourselves with a soft spot for this guy from the Knicks. Who doesn’t love an underdog story? Even Doc Rivers had kind words for Lin, stating, “It’s a good thing; It’s a good lesson for everyone: If you want some attention, go win.”

Nons wrote an article on Lin yesterday (I know, surprise right?) titled “A New Tebow”, although he never really compared the two. But that’s my point. They shouldn’t be compared. They’re two completely different stories. The sole thing they have in common is that the media is going crazy over them, making them the topic of conversation every three minutes on every sports network in the country. Tebow won two national championships in college. Lin barely made the Harvard squad. Tebow’s form and mechanics in pretty much every aspect of the quarterback position have been in question from day one of his professional career, probably even prior. Lin has a mixture of speed, knowledge, and a court vision that makes him a great point guard. Not to mention a jumper that makes him a threat from the outside, leaving defenders on their toes at all times. You don’t see anyone complimenting Tebow on his skill set at the QB spot. Before last week, no one knew who Lin was. A true underdog. Now, he’s making national, even global headlines in the NBA. As a Boston fan I’m eager to see Lin’s progress moving forward against the likes of Miami and Chicago. And you might want to mark down March 4th on your calendar. Lin and the Knicks are shipping up to Boston.

A New Tebow?

Posted on February 15, 2012 by nolankartholl

Well hello again everyone. Sorry I’ve been a little absent this month, and by absent I mean non existent, but the real world is upon me. Don’t worry, I’ll still sprinkle some articles in here and there, but I’ll sadly be the background of BSB as we emerge as one of the leading blogs in our field.

Anyways, back to the topic at hand, there may be a new Tebow among us. Jeremy Lin, the Harvard economics grad and new Knicks sensation, is currently the trend on ESPN and Twitter (see #linsanity). This guy is playing absolutely out of his mind and he’s on a team dominated by two prima donnas. With Melo out, this guy has taken the reigns and has totally overshadowed his only healthy counterpart, Amare Stoudamire. In his first five games, he’s accomplished something that no other player has ever done (average 20+ points and 7+ assists in his first five starts), and oh by the way, this guy is averaging 26.8 ppg and 8.5 assists in the last 6 games, all of which have been wins. In a season that was supposed to be a real breakout year for the Knicks (although I think the last 7 seasons were defined as that, too) it’s incredible to see a guy from the Ivy League put the team on his back.

This guy is solving the Global Debt Crisis by day and hitting game winning tres by night. God shouldn’t create people like this, it’s not fair. Either be incredibly athletic or extremely smart, not both (Shaq and Sir Charles Barkely being the ideal examples here).

Anyway, there has been rumor that this guy is the new Tebow because he is a new sensation who is winning. Floyd Mayweather made some pretty ignorant comments on twitter about Lin, only to be ripped by Spike Lee the next night – who I normally can’t stand but was 100% right. The big difference between Tebow and Lin is the fact that Lin is truly winning these games for his team. Tebow had the crutch of the defense to lean on and The Holy Spirit, meanwhile Lin has an injury riddled Knicks squad and lives in a city ruled by Satin.

Either way, this cat can ball. 6-0 in his first six starts, and he’s playing the same amount of minutes as Kobe and more than Lebron. Jeremy Lin is on the cusp of becoming the new Prince of NY (Jay Z is still the king, common son) and has given hope to the Madison Square Garden faithful.

Shaq Weighs In

Posted on February 15, 2012 by christoph131

It is impossible to not be compared to Shaq if you are Dwight Howard. First off you took his nickname “Superman”, and now you’re trying to leave Orlando for a bigger market team. Sure, Howard is the best center in a league that has seen the center position go with the wind. Who does he really have to compete with? Jermaine O’neal, Andrew Bynum? He has averaged 18.7 points in his career. Shaq averaged 23.7 and most of his lows were when he was injured or like a hundred years old. He also went against Olajuwan, Ewing, Mutombo, Robinson, & Mourning.

Howard will surely be a hall of famer, there’s no doubt about that, he is a great player. It is scary for the Orlando Magic to have to try to start from scratch if Howard does leave. He has given his agent permission to discuss deals with the Nets, Lakers, and the Mavs. I can understand why the Magic’s owner said he wouldn’t want to trade his franchise player, but why not get something for him? I know it is tough because he will most likely not sign an extension with any sub-par team, but at the very least you can get a fill in and get some draft picks.

Even Shaq has said that it would be a ‘travesty’ to lose Dwight, and they don’t really like each other. He thinks Orlando should try their best to entice him to stay by offering him the max contract, and bringing in players around him. Jameer Nelson & Reddick cannot win you championships as your #2 in this league, it’s too tough now. Plus, Orlando can offer him the biggest deal due to the new Collective Bargaining Agreement. If he goes to a new team, he will not be able to make as much until his contract is re-negotiated down the road. I wouldn’t want to play for your Oompa Loompa coach either, but at least you are they key player on a playoff-contending team, with the assets to bring in even more help.

A Familiar Sight

Posted on February 14, 2012 by christoph131

It’s great for me to watch the Lakers falling apart at the seams. Sure, the Celtics have been criticized of being in the same boat, but you can be assured that it has nothing to do with the players that are under Doc Rivers’ watch. Metta World Peace, formerly Ron Artest, is causing quite a panic in the locker room for the LA Lakers. He is shooting and scoring career lows, and is wondering why he is getting less playing time. Are you serious? It’s cause you suck and you have the worst name known to man.

Three Laker players who wanted to remain anonymous stated their displeasure with him already. They all seem to agree that without him there, they would be a much better team. I mean, he is even dissing his new coach Mike Brown. Give it a few weeks and he may be punching fans in the face again like he did when he was with the Pacers. I love to watch the Lakers lose, but I hate to see anyone put up with a player like him.

Now for a classic Ron Artest Clip. Below is a video of him pantsing Paul Pierce during a game while he was with the Pacers. Classic.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Posted on February 14, 2012 by jtulz07

Happy Valentine’s Day Boston, even though it’s arguably a made up holiday where big companies look to cash in on husbands and boyfriends buying expensive jewelry, flowers, and chocolates just a month after Christmas, who would otherwise be kicked to the curb. I digress. Anyways, I figured we’d mix it up and let the ladies speak their mind today as opposed to Friday with a special Valentine’s Day version of She’s the Man. In fact, we have two articles coming today from the female point of view, so stay tuned. And remember, if you want to be the next womanly voice on the Boston Sports Blog, send us an article to bsb.tips@gmail.com!

Randy Moss – “I Wanna Play Football”

Posted on February 13, 2012 by jtulz07

There’s not too much excitement coming out of Patriots Nation these days, but this is something that might leave a tingling feeling in any Pats fan. The big news of the day, which happens to be his birthday, is that Randy Moss wants to come out of his short-lived retirement. Initially, it’s hard to think too much into this right now. 1.) I don’t really even want to think about the Pats right now, and 2.) How many times do we hear this from recently retired athletes? The whole T.O. ordeal at the beginning of this season is a perfect example. Look how that turned out. Brett Favre? Don’t even get me started. We all know where that goes. You get my point. We’ve even heard Moss say he wants back before, but it just never happened. Even if it did happen, what if he’s not the Moss of old? Sorry Chad, but it could turn out to be a bust again. And remember, for the most part I can’t argue with the fact that he’s a poison to the locker room. Not the Pats locker room, but locker rooms in general. If it’s Bill and the Pats locker room, nevermind.

On the other hand, how can it not excite you just a bit? With the final game of the 2007-08 season aside, how great is reliving those times. Absolute domination. Over the past few seasons, it’s become clear that the deep threat is what we are missing the most. The final piece of the puzzle that we once had. Add that into the mix this year, with the short field threat of Gronk and Hernandez, and there’s no way any defense could contain us. Not to mention, Moss loves the Patriots. He loves Brady and Bill. If Moss comes back, if anyone could get him back in Foxboro it’d be Bill. The ups and downs are pretty much clear. With that said, Pats fan or not, would you welcome Moss out of retirement onto your team?

Tiger’s 2012 U.S. debut

Posted on February 10, 2012 by amazze

There’s not much to talk about concerning the Bruins today. They got smoked the other night. Ryan Miller played great, Tuukka Rask did not, simple enough.

Switching gears, Tiger makes his 2012 U.S. debut this weekend at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in California. This is a great event on the Tour because you get to see Chris Berman and other celebrities make fools of themselves on the course, making us feel better about ourselves. Tiger played well last week at the Abu Dhabi tourney in the United Arab Emirates and he looks to have regained some of his old form. As of this post, he is -4 through 12 holes, 4 shots behind the leader. I personally think Tiger is going to come back strong this year (his swing mechanics are 100% better) and I am going to predict that he will win the green jacket at the Masters in April. You know he will be confident, but now he will have to compete with young guns like Martin Kaymer and Rory McIlroy who have emerged (among others) as legitimate competitors in major tournaments.