The Grinch Is Coming to New England

By Stephen M. Hague ProfessionalSportsCommentary.blogger.com 12.24.2008



The most wonderful time of the year? Not if you’re a fan of the New England Patriots who are in all likelihood, out of the NFL playoffs this year.
Think about it. An 11 – 5 team (with a much anticipated defeat of the hapless Buffalo Bills on Sunday), out of the playoffs. The team that just pummeled the NFC West Division champion Arizona Cardinals by 40 points. The team that lost the most important player on any football team and last year’s league MVP Tom Brady, after 7 offensive snaps this season and still will manage an 11 – 5 record. The team with the unknown, untested, and unsure backup quarterback Matt Cassel whose brilliant play will certainly lead to a multimillion dollar contract with another team as an unrestricted free agent. Out of the playoffs.
Meanwhile, those same Arizona Cardinals and the San Diego Chargers may win their respective divisions at 8 – 8.
The NFL really is “soap opera for men”. The Patriots and their fans are forced to root for the hated NY Jets on Sunday for a chance to win the AFC East. The Jets play at home against the Miami Dolphins who with a victory over the Jets can become AFC East champs after going 1 – 15 the year before.
The Dolphins are the team that ended New England’s 21 game regular season record winning streak this year with a 38 – 13 shellacing at Gillette Stadium. To add to the disdain Patriot’s fans have for the Dolphins, old friend Bill Parcells is running football operations in Miami this year. One of his first and best moves as Big Tuna was to swoop in and take Chad Pennington who had just been released from the Jets to make room for Bret “I’m a hugely over-rated QB” Favre. We can only hope that playing at home in The Meadowlands in front of rabid Jets fans will give them the edge, though they may be screaming for coach Eric Mangini’s head. Mangini of course is the rat, fink former protégé of Bill Belichick who blew the whistle on his mentor leading to the “Spygate” scandal last season.
There is another possibility for the Patriots to get in but it’s a lot less likely than the Jets beating the Dolphins at home.
If the 5 – 10 Jacksonville Jaguars can somehow beat the hard-hitting Baltimore Ravens, the Patriots are in as a wild card assuming a Dolphin win.
So find a dark green sweater to wear, paint your face green, and practice yelling
“J – E – T – S, JETS!”
If the Jets do lose as expected, just look in the mirror after the game has ended and you’ll see that the Grinch has truly come to New England this year.

16 and WON !

Boston's Historic Massacre of the Lakers in Game 6 Closes Out Banner Season

Stephen M. Hague - June 18, 2008

Somewhere, really high above courtside, Red is smiling. After 22 years of mediocrity and dissapointment, by far the longest drought between championships, the Boston Celtics will proudly raise banner # 17 to the rafters of the Garden this fall.
For Celtics fans who remember the last championship in 1986, here's a glimpse of what you've seen since. Remember these names ? Dino Radja, Sherman Douglas, M.L. Carr, Rick Pitino, Chauncey Billups, Vitaly Potapenko, Tony Battie, Walter McCarty. Ouch.
Fortunately they've been replaced by Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, KG, Danny Ainge and Doc Rivers.
Tuesday's game 6 finale was a case study in one team with "the greatest player on the planet", giving up and throwing in the towel early and the other team continuing to fight for the full 48 minutes even though the outcome of the bout was long over.
Showtime was a no-show for this game and most of the series as the Lakers lost large leads even in the games played in the Staples Center. Medical personnel inside of the Garden stood ready to check the pulse of the Lakers when it was clear that they were playing with no heart.
Phil Jackson proved he is a great coach and motivator when his rosters have names like: Jordan/Pippen or Bryant/O'Neal.
This 39 point point beatdown was even bigger than the Memorial Day Massacre in 1985 when the Celtics beat the Lakers 148 - 114. The Lakers would come back to beat the Celtics in that series, but not this one.
The dramatic turnaround from 24 win team to 66 win champions is still hard to believe.
The Celtics dynasty (yes, it's still there), and this year's team with the multiple story lines blended with the proud and rich tradition of the Celtics franchise made this series unforgettable.
Ray Allen with a Finals record (7) 3 pointer's after being poked in the eye by Lamar Odom earlier in the game and playing on fumes after missing much needed sleep while tending to his ill son.
Kevin Garnett, the Big Ticket who was beginning to be labeled as someone who couldn't carry a team to a championship. 26 points, 14 rebounds, and relentless defense put that talk to rest for good. Has there been a better scene than Garnett hugging Bill Russell at mid-court after the game saying, "I got my own now, I got my own. I hope I made you proud".
Playing for this team and this franchise meant so much to those who wore the green jerseys or managed the team or its players this year.
Doc Rivers who struggled through a season with 18 straight losses last year claimed to Tommy Heinsohn, "the Celtic tradition definitely helped pull this team together".
Paul Pierce the embodiment of the Celtics franchise thanked the fans for sticking with him through the lean years. Celtics fans would do well to return the thanks as Pierce was ready to move on last year before Ainge made the bold moves that led to this coronation. Pierce added, "It feels like I can come out of the shadow now (of the Celtics legends of the past). Now I can stand up and look at them eye to eye."
The Green Team can also step up on the pedastal that holds the new millenium's other New England champions, the Patriots and the Red Sox.
The euphoria is just beginning in Boston and in Celtics Nation. Celtics fans, remember to cherish this one as long as you can because chances are, you'll be talking about it for the rest of your life.

Tradition Continues.

Stephen M. Hague - June 17, 2008

Sorry Rudy, Rocky, and Raging Bull. This is a script writers dream. The story of the 2008 world champion Boston Celtics couldn't have been written any better. Think of all of the characters and story lines that are woven into this gem.
THE GODFATHER:
Start at the top with the late patriarch of the Celtics, Red Auerbach. Who after all of those championships as coach, general manager, and president, passed away a year and a half ago. Make no mistake though, that his input and tutelage of Danny Ainge and Doc Rivers was present.
THE VP and GENERAL MANAGER:Ainge himself a two time winner as a player, collected the pieces as GM to deal away at the right time in building this team. His team "lost" the lottery last year and traded the 5th pick to obtain Ray Allen. He also talked old friend and Timberwolves VP Kevin McHale into trading Kevin Garnett for a couple of first round draft picks and a handful of complimentary players.
THE COACH:Doc Rivers who was fired from Orlando after 4 winning seasons as coach and 3 straight trips to the playoffs. His team's 18 game losing streak last year no doubt left his job in jeopardy, but Celtics management and ownership stayed with him. He's only the fourth coach in Celtics franchise history to have earned the NBA Coach of the Year Award and he was instrumental in keeping his team focused all year. He also badly outcoached 9 championship winning coach Phil Jackson.
THE PLAYERS:
Finals MVP Paul Pierce - 10 year survivor of mostly mediocre Celtics teams. Matured into a great player and team captain. Came back from a scary knee injury in game 2 to lead the team to a win.
Kevin Garnett - Big Ticket whose leadership ability was questioned in Minnesota because he could never win it all. Unquestionably the biggest reason banner 17 will be raised to the rafters this fall. His defensive intensity helped bring this team from worst to first.
Ray Allen - One of the greatest pure shooters the NBA has ever seen. Like Pierce and Garnett, sacrificed personal statistics for the chance at a title. Fought through a difficult shooting slump early in the playoff's to have a great final 2 series including a record tying (7) 3's in Game 6. Also played the last 2 games on very little, if any sleep after his infant son was hospitalized and diagnosed with diabetes.
Rajon Rondo - 2nd round pick last year struggled in the games in LA and willed himself to 21 points, 6 steals, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists in Game 6.
Kendrick Perkins - 23 year old anchored the defense in the middle and played the last 2 games with an injured shoulder.

All that's left is to choose the producer and director. Let's see if we can also find a role for Jack Nicholson.

KG is The Man, but not The Main Man

Kevin Garnett. 11 time all-star, defensive player of the year, first ballot hall of famer, and most likely a champion for the first time in 2008.
Sure, he admittedly played poorly in Game 5. "Like garbage", he said. His foul trouble made his play tentative and he spent too much time on the bench, especially with Perk out of the lineup. He's averaging 17 points and 13 rebounds in the Finals. Slightly better than his regular season average of 19 points and 9 rebounds if you agree that 4 more rebounds outweighs the subtraction of 2 points. In LA though, he's averaged only 14 points and 12 rebounds.
We can compare any of his numbers to many of the great Celtics of the past and they'd measure up with the best of them. But maybe not with the VERY Best of them. Certainly the names that come to mind first are Bird, Russell, Havlicek and after these finals Pierce.
The problem is that Celtics fans and basketball fans in general expect Garnett to carry the Celtics to the promised land as Paul Pierce seems to be doing and as the very best professional athletes most often do.
But that's not what Kevin Garnett does. KG has never done that. KG will probably never do that. He is one of the most intense players in the league and there's no doubt that that intensity, drive, and focus has turned this franchise around in ways that Celtics fans only dreamed of.
Let's not make the mistake though of wondering why he doesn't finish a game or series like Bird, Magic, or even (Cedric) Maxwell could do. The kind of player who told you they were going to bury you, then when out and buried you, and then told you how they buried you when the game or series had ended. For whatever reason, it's not in him. That's not to say he doesn't trash talk and intimidate on the court. He's one of the all-time greats at that. But it's why some yahoo Celtics fans didn't want him, because he "never won anything".
Understand though that he's more like McHale than Bird, like Pippen than Jordan, and like Worthy than Kareem or Johnson. He's really the perfect fit on this team. Pierce as the captain, The Truth and the Main Man. The guy who wants to take that last shot. That feeds off of the chance to put the dagger in the heart of the other team and break their will.
KG is a perenial all star and great defender. You usually know what you'll get from him every game. But let's not ask him to be something he's not. Let's appreciate him for what he's done for this team, this franchise and all of the Celtics fans of yesterday and today.

Green Monsters !

Grrrrreatest comeback in NBA Playoffs history !
Will add more before game 5.

Sorry LA Sports Fans ... YOU SUCK !

I hate to be so harsh and direct, but boy is it true. While listening to KLAC radio the past few days, the impression I've gotten is that the average LA sports fan spouts off like you may have as a kid when you said, "my father is tougher than your father!" or "my mom is prettier than your mom!"
Seriously, as soon as someone finds anything they say over the airways that's the least bit incisive, analytical, or objective please let me know. The sports IQ in LA is about equal to that of a 3rd grader. Hey, here's an idea for a new game show on Fox. We'll call it, "Are you smarter than a 3rd grade Boston sports fan?" And that's just the station's hosts ! You should here some of the callers ! Here they are breaking down a game: "Boston sucks."
Thank you for that insightful deliberation. BTW, you know you'll never get that 10 seconds of air you wasted back, right ?
Anyway, if you've got some time on your hands and a few brain cells to kill, it's worth tuning in. Otherwise, stay away.

Relax Celtics Fans ...

We all expected LA to pull out a win in game 3, didn't we ? This was a must win for them and through the brilliance of K. Bryant, they did it.
If you're part of Celtics Nation though, you have to be somewhat satisfied with what you saw going into game 4 on Thursday. Your 2 best players combined for 19 points and STILL had a chance to win the game. Paul Pierce's lethargic play led to 2 of 14 shots or 14% from the field in scoring only 6 points while Kevin Garnett scored 13 points, hitting only 6 of 21 shots for 19%. OK mathemeticians, that's a combined 8 for 35 from the field or a Lamar Odom-like 23%.
Expect both to "rebound" (wake up) in G4 and relax.
The yellow and purple still don't have an inside game and are at best inconsistent offensively. Besides Bryant, the hot shooting of Sasha (don't ask me to pronounce that last name) Vujacic helped LA escape with a win. Gasol was MIA and old friend Lamar Odom continues to look as if he needs a floor plan, a compass, and directions to the basket.
If Perk continues to muscle inside and can score a few more and grab a few more, we'll be alright.
Look for the C's to take one more in LA and go back home for G6 with a 3 -2 advantage.

Pierce's Pain Inflicted on Lakers

Make no mistake this was not Larry Bird returning to the floor against the Pacers after diving for a loose ball and slamming his face against the parquet in the old Garden. But in terms of what it meant to the crowd and more importantly his team, this was just as dramatic.
Paul Pierce returned from what looked like a definite series-ending injury to lead the Celtics to a win in game 1 of the NBA Finals.
Phil Jackson's bafoon like comments after the game intimating that Pierce may have been faking and asking if he were dramatically healed during the minute and one half that he was out, was just one more reason to dislike him. The self-centered, arrogant hippie should spend more time worrying about his team's lackluster play than an alleged injury to the Celtic captain.
With 3 days off between games, expect Pierce to be back at close to full strength.

Making a Case

Making a Case

Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling continues
his mastery in the post season.

By Stephen M. Hague October 25, 2007

You knew it had to end this way. If indeed, this was Curt Schilling’s last appearance in a Red Sox uniform, it couldn’t have been scripted much better. Schilling brilliantly helped pitch the Red Sox to a win in Game 2 of the 2007 World Series Thursday night in front of a cold yet satisfied capacity crowd in Fenway Park.
The crafty right-hander who can no longer rely on a 96 mph fastball, has become the ultimate thinking-man’s pitcher. He meticulously studies opponents’ tendencies and takes notes on each and every batter he faces. Along with head master Jason Varitek his catcher, Schilling strategizes like no other pitcher in the game. He now has to rely on pin-point location each and every pitch and hope that the split-fingered fastball which consistently drops out of the strike zone, is enough to get him through 6 innings.
Schilling is not only looking to help lead his team to World Series victory for the 3rd time, but also to help justify himself as a worthy Hall of Fame candidate. Although he says he’s only concerned with helping his team win, being elected to the Hall is certainly on his mind and may be attainable.
But regular season statistics alone won’t get him elected. His won/loss total is 216 and 146, a 60% winning percentage, with a respectable 3.46 era (earned run average) in a career that began over 20 years ago.
His post-season dominance on the other hand, just might be enough to get him in. An
11 – 2 record with a paltry 2.23 era is excellence unmatched in a 14 year playoff career. He is a World Series Co-MVP with a 4 – 1 record and miniscule 2.06 era on baseball’s grandest stage. In 48 innings pitched he’s given up only 33 hits, struck out 43 hitters, and walked only 10.
It can also be argued that Schilling is the most valuable pitcher in Red Sox history since the big guy himself, Babe Ruth toed the rubber and won 2 games along with Carl Mays in the 1918 World Series. Schilling is considered the guy who, along with a little help from his friends, came to Boston in 2004 and broke an 86 year curse. One of his ‘friends’ being a Dr. Morgan the team physician who famously sutured Schilling’s balky ankle and allowed him to pitch in the post-season ALCS and World Series. The bloody sock which now resides in the Hall of Fame, is a testament to Schilling’s grit and determination to win.
It appears that with a commanding 2 – 0 lead in this World Series, there’s a good chance that he’ll be adding another ring to his collection.
If the Series does go back to Boston and goes to a sixth game, Red Sox fans will be guaranteed one more chance to see their franchise’s most valuable pitcher perform and add to an already stellar resumé in post-season baseball.

Wrath of Belichick

Wrath of Belichick
The Rest of the NFL is Responsible for Patriots Bludgeoning Opponents

By Stephen M. Hague November 21, 2007

New England Patriots fans know that Coach Bill Belichick reads, watches, and studies; better yet: eats, sleeps, and drinks all things football. As respectful to football history as he is though, is it possible that he’s taking cues from 18th century English literary giant Samuel Johnson who said: “Revenge is the act of passion; vengeance is an act of justice.”

Those of us outside of the Patriots inner circle; and that would be everyone but 53 players, assorted coaches, and former disciples of all things Belichick, may never know.

It seems obvious though that simply being the best is not good enough. Running up the score and rewriting the record book are not simply his way of showing the rest of the league that he’s the best coach in football and that he has the best team in the history of the NFL. It’s a loud slap in the collective faces of those who dared to question his ethics or comment on the supposed lack of them.

Former Belichick protégé Eric Mangini, now the coach of the AFC East rival NY Jets is responsible for creating this firestorm. It’s his fault that the league and every team the Patriots will play with this season will suffer the consequences. Mangini of course, is the unlikely villain who blew the whistle on his former coach and the Patriots for illegally taping Jets defensive coaches’ signals from the sidelines during their opener in September. A practice Mangini was most certainly familiar with from his time as assistant coach and defensive coordinator under Belichick.

Make no mistake that December 16th had already been circled on Belichick’s calendar before “Spygate” occurred. You can be sure that the circle on the calendar has been changed to a bulls-eye target for Mangini and the Jets and that others that have crossed Belichick have already or will soon feel the fury of a man determined to meet out his own personal brand of justice.

Commissioner Roger Goodell steals away the most coveted possession that Belichick has, a certain to be first round draft pick next year. The way the Patriots are playing, this is sure to be the 32nd and final pick of the 1st round. Goodell’s punishment - Belichick doing his best to roll over and embarrass the rest of the teams on their schedule making a mockery of the league’s ongoing attempt at parity. Also proving that whatever the Patriots were doing in the way of cheating, didn’t make a bit of difference in the way that they played. Oh, by the way Roger, the Patriots still own the 1st round pick of the nose-diving 49er’s which is almost guaranteed to be in the top 5.

LaDanian Tomlinson of the pre-season AFC favorite San Diego Chargers said he wasn't surprised by the allegations that the Patriots cheated, adding that he thought they lived by the motto, "If you're not cheating, you're not trying." Chargers punishment – A thrashing at the hands of the new-look (no-look?) Patriots by the score of 38 – 14 for the 2nd week in a row after dismantling Mangini’s hapless Jets the week before.

After thrashing the killer-less B’s (Bill’s, Bengal’s and Brown’s) in weeks 3, 4 and 5, the Patriots cruised past the formerly high flying and undefeated Cowboys where T.O. learned how good the “real” # 81, Randy Moss is. Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips spent the week prior to the game backpedaling on comments he made earlier in the season that the Patriots Super Bowl titles were tainted because of the cheating allegations. Sorry coach, apology not accepted.

After a couple of more blowouts and a close win against the then undefeated Colts (which has to be considered a moral victory for the Colts after coach Dungy’s “sad day for the NFL” blast) following the cheating scandal, the Patriots score a franchise record 56 points against the Bills. Buffalo had won 4 in a row prior to this game and there had been rumblings out of Buffalo that the Bills actually thought they had a chance to win. Buffalo’s punishment – see above mentioned 56 points and franchise record.

This week’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles is sure to be interesting. Interesting to see how many points the Patriots will win by, 20, 30, 40 anyone? The motivation for this upcoming rout? Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb joking earlier in the season after the Spygate scandal was exposed, “maybe we can get our ring back". "Maybe we can get the real one", referring to their loss to the Patriots in the Super Bowl 3 years ago. Eagles Safety Brian Dawkins quipped, “There's always going to be questions about the situation, was it great adjustments at halftime or what." Eagles punishment – upcoming grounding at Gillette Stadium, 11/25/07.

The foot-in-mouth syndrome continues of course with the recent statement by Hall of Fame Dolphins coach Don Shula’s comment about having an asterisk placed next to the Patriots upcoming 19 – 0 perfect season. Of course, his ’72 Dolphins undefeated streak of 35 years is in jeopardy so Coach Legend thinks; let’s fire the first volley by trying to smear the ’07 Patriots with Barry Bonds rhetoric?. Please. Dolphins’ punishment – TBD on 12/23/07.
I hope the Dolphins aren’t expecting the Patriots and Belichick to soften up two days before Christmas. Sorry Jason Taylor, Zach Thomas, and Dolphins quarterback whoever you are; Bill Belichick will be delivering his own personalized bag of coal in a sure to be dismemberment of your hopefully (still) winless team.
Maybe we’re just unfairly labeling Belichick as being vindictive. Maybe he sees “spygate” and the reaction to it in simpler terms as Frank Sinatra once said, “The best revenge is massive success."
So continue your jealousy, ridiculous comments, and outlandish accusations fellow NFL’ers; the Patriots and Bill Belichick will add them as fuel to their unstoppable, uncontrollable, and undefeatable wild-fire of a season.

Back Where They Belong

Twenty One years. That's how long it's been since the greatest and most beloved franchise in basketball and possibly all of sports (sorry Yankees), has been to the pinnacle of it's sport, The NBA Finals. I'm talking of course about the Boston Celtics. The team that all others will forever be measured against. 16 time world champions.
We last saw the Green Team in The Finals in 1987. For those of you old enough to remember 1987, gasoline was $0.95/gallon, Fatal Attraction was a top movie, and "Baby Jessica" McClure was rescued after falling into an 8" wide hole. She's 22 and married now in case you're wondering.
The Celtics are 8 - 2 against the Lakers in The NBA Finals but have lost the last two meetings in '85 and '87. I can live with the fact that the Lakers were a better team than the Celtics in 1985, but only injuries kept the 1987 Celtics from winning their 17th banner. Think about it. Larry Bird had elbow problems, Robert Parish's ankle was a huge problem as evidenced in the Eastern Conference Finals where he was suspended for a game for pummeling sissy-boy, McFilthy Bill Laimbeer. The suspension gave Parish an extra couple of days to get his ankle treated. Worst of all was Kevin McHale who limps today on a foot that was broken and treated in a M*A*S*H-like surgery where screws were inserted during the playoffs.
Not to mention Bill Walton who played a few minutes of meaningless ball after missing almost the entire season on his own cranky feet.

So here we are again and enough about the past. Well, one more thing: Phil "I made a career out of coaching great teams" Jackson. The hippie lettuce smoking zen master has a chance to pass Celtic patriarch and by far the greatest coach and GM the game will ever see. What a shame if that ever happens.

Get ready for banner # 17 to be hung in the new Garden. Celtics win this one in 7 games. Listen closely and you'll hear the gravelly voice of Johnny Most singing, "It's all over, it's all over..."