Two From Purdue

The buddy system.  It’s a beautiful thing … keeps you accounted for, in-check and generally in a more relaxed state than facing something new alone.  Seems like Danny Ainge agreed and, in yesterday’s draft, snagged two players out of Purdue to join The Green: JuJuan Johnson and E’Twaun Moore.

JuJuan Johnson

Johnson, who was selected with the C’s 27^th pick, is listed as a 6’10” forward who averaged 20.5 points and 8.6 rebounds in his senior year.  He was named First Team All-American, Big Ten Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year last season.  Johnson will add some much needed height to the Celtic’s frontcourt.  "I love that I'm going to Boston," said Johnson. "It's great to be able to learn from all their veteran guys.  You have so many NBA All-Stars on that team. Just to be able to play with a great point guard like Rondo and all those guys truly is a blessing”.

E'Twaun Moore

Johnson’s teammate Moore, a 6’4” guard, finished his senior year averaging 18 points and 5.1 rebounds per game.  He was named an honorable mention AP All-American and was a Wooden Award finalist.  Moore, who is a shooting guard, could lend some help as point if needed but will mostly be utilized as an offensive contributor as a 2 guard.  Ainge credited his extremely long arms as a factor in making him such a scoring threat.

Johnson and Moore scored a combined 53% of the Boilermaker’s points during the 2010-2011 season.  “We’re very fortunate,” said the Celtics' president of basketball operations, Danny Ainge. “We got two really good, productive college players, mature kids, great character and attitude. We’ve got some shooting, got some length, and I think they’re a good fit for us.” 

Boston originally took Providence College’s Marshon Brooks with their 25^th pick but then traded him to the NJ Nets for Johnson and a future 2^nd round pick.  Two other local players were selected yesterday: Reggie Jackson (Boston College) and Kemba Walker (UConn).  Jackson, a junior point guard for the Eagles, was selected by the Oklahoma Thunder with their 24^th pick.  Walker, the 9^th overall pick in the draft, will head to Charlotte as the newest Bobcat.

All We Do Is Win Win Win ...

The 2010-11 NHL season officially concluded last night with the NHL Awards at the Palm’s Casino in Las Vegas.  After setting the record for best save percentage in NHL history (.938), Tim Thomas won – for the second time in three years – the Vezina Trophy confirming that he is, without a doubt, the best netminder in the League.  TT also had a league-low goals-against average (2.00) and finished the season with nine shutouts (including Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals).  He beat out Roberto Luongo (Vancouver) and Pekka Rinne (Nashville) for the award.

Thomas because just the second goaltender in NHL history to win the Vezina, the Conn Smythe and the Stanley Cup in the same season.  The only other player to do so?  Bernie Parent (Philadelphia) during the 1973-74 season.

Conn Smythe (left), Sick 'Stache (middle), Vezina (right)

Boston fans were disappointed when Nicklas Lindstrom (Detroit) was announced as this season’s best defenseman and winner of the Norris Trophy over Zdeno Chara in what was the narrowest margin of victory in the history of the award.  Shea Webber (Nashville) was also a contender for the award.  Chara did, however, win the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award.

Just as entertaining as watching the Bruins win was, well, watching Vancouver win.  They all looked genuinely miserable to be sitting there – and each award appeared to be the further rubbing of salt in the wound.  Ryan Kessler won the Selke Trophy (forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game); Daniel Sedin won the Lindsay Award  (most outstanding player) and the Art Ross Trophy (regular season points leader); and the Jennings Trophy (goalkeeper(s) having played a minimum of 25 games for the team with the fewest goals scored against it) went to Luongo and Cory Schneider.  Mike Gillis was named General Manager of the Year.  The icing on the cake really came when Thomas and Chara brought the Stanley Cup onto stage … check out Kessler’s face at the: 54 second mark.  Dude is NOT enjoying the moment:

As an aside, how classy is Chara?  First thing he does in congratulate the Canucks.  Way to be. 

Haters Gonna Hate

I had a mini-epiphany while watching this video today: of course everyone outside of New England hates Boston teams.  I mean, wtf?  Any arguments around which city should be dubbed "Titletown" can obviously be put to bed.  But not only that ... does any other sport's city have this much fun?  Since last Wednesday, I have seen nothing but pictures and videos of these guys partying (including a $156K bar tab at Foxwoods) and celebrating with fans.  How sick is that?  And then they get to further my envy by rolling around Fenway on a duck boat and shooting the shit with the Red Sox.  In Boston, summer 2011: life is good.  Fact.

#DearVancouver

Reason number 357282 why I think that Twitter is the best thing I have stumbled across since the 10-second rewind button for my DVR ... Dear Vancouver became a top trend just minutes after the Bruins won the Stanley Cup.  For those of you who aren't on Twitter (or just happened to miss these gems), here are some of my favorites:

At least you won in the EA Sports NHL Simulator, Vancouver …

I don’t know what kind of voodoo magic the folks over EA Sports are into, but they have proven themselves to be pretty damn good at picking the outcome of playoff hockey games (they accurately predicted 13 of the 14 series leading up to the Finals).  They had the Vancouver Canucks and the Boston Bruins going to the Stanley Cup Finals … they also predicted the series going seven games, with all teams winning at home.  So they were almost right.  With one key exception.  Instead of the ‘Nucks winning the final game, 3-1, the Bruins took Rogers Arena by storm and brought the Stanley Cup back to Boston for the first time since 1972.

Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand each netted two goals while Tim Thomas recorded 37 saves in last night’s shutout win in Vancouver.  Bergeron’s two goals ended a 9-game scoring drought for the assistant captain.  With only 6 recorded PIMs, the game was as faced paced as we have seen this series.

The man of the series – the entire postseason, really – was Tim Thomas, who was able to limit the League’s highest scoring team to just eight goals in seven games (.967 sv %).  He was the obvious selection as the Conn Smythe Trophy winner (MVP of the playoffs).  Thomas finished the postseason with a .940 save percentage and a 1.98 GAA.  We will know next Wednesday if we can call him the Vezina Trophy winner as well (best goaltender).

True to the NHL’s tagline of “history will be made”, the Bruins became the first team in League history to win a Game 7 three times in the same postseason (Montreal in the quarterfinals and Tampa Bay in the Conference Final). 

This city has celebrated three Super Bowls, two World Series and an NBA Championship within the last ten years … but the superfecta of championships always seemed improbable.  Until now.  It took 39 years and five previously unsuccessful trips to the Finals but, finally, the Black and Yellow get their time on a duck boat.

And the Cup is back where it rightfully belongs: The Hub of Hockey.

How Many Punches Does It Take To Get A Penalty?

Apparently it's more than six, which is fortunate for Brad Marchand ... not so much for Daniel Sedin.  When asked about the incident in post-game comments Marchand remarked, "he didn't say anything, he was just kind of taking it".  He later expanded on his motivation for repeatedly punching one of the most notoriously hated players on the Vancouver bench saying, "because I felt like it".

  

Quote of the Day - King James

"'All the people that was rooting on me to fail, at the end of the day they have to wake up tomorrow and have the same life that they had before they woke up today,' James said. 'They have the same personal problems they had today. I’m going to continue to live the way I want to live and continue to do the things that I want to do with me and my family and be happy with that.'"

- LeBron James, following Game 6 loss

Dallas Mavericks Win NBA Championship; LeBron And His Talents Remain Ringless

You know that feeling you get when you're playing beruit against the most arrogant guy at the party and he keeps asking you to "pick a cup" ... and then he hits it?  That sense of hate that slowly grows inside you?  And despite how irrational you recognize this feeling to be, you can't help but hope beyond hope that he tanks the next shot and you can mount the most epic comeback ever ... simply so you can wipe that smug look off his face?  I can't help but assume that is the feeling that every single player in the NBA felt about LeBron James and the Miami Heat.  "Not two, not three, not four ...".  We all remember that ludicrous preseason press conference.  The non-stop fan fare.  Then this little doozy made its way on to YouTube:

So as you can imagine, last night's Game 6 105-95 win by the Mavs was the most gratifying victory in recent NBA memory.  Couldn't be happier for Dirk Nowitzki and the rest of Dallas franchise.  Well played, fellas.

The Red Sox Sweep The Yankees (For the 2nd Time This Season)

"It’s frustrating to lose five in a row to the Red Sox, your biggest foe. That’s frustrating. We need to win. That’s the bottom line."

- Joe Girardi

(before last night's meeting between the Red Sox and the Yankees)

Whoops.  Sorry 'bout that, Girardi, but Josh Beckett and the Sox had other plans ... and those included shelling your best pitcher in the 7th inning to solidify their sixth consecutive win in the Bronx.  Boston won last night's outing in a convincing fashion, lighting up CC Sabathia in the 7th inning (6 hits/7 runs) and beating New York, 8-3.

In addition to all the usual hoopla surrounding baseball's greatest rivalry, this 3-game series had even more to offer.  Last night's game, delayed 3 hours and 27 minutes by rain storms, saw its first pitch at 10:32 PM.  The game ended at 1:43 AM, long past this guys bedtime.  It was nice, however, to wake up to good news.

Not really the expression you want to see
 on the face of the man you just hit
with a fastball

Of course, we have all been inundated with the bitching and moaning surrounding David Ortiz's "bat-flip and pirouette" in Tuesday night's game.  I was hoping to show a video but it was such an insignificant thing that it doesn't exist as far as I can tell.  Believe it or not, the only videos I could find were of the home right.  Crazy, right?  Based on memory, I found a picture that should help clarify the movement. There was so much controversy (fueled mostly by ESPN) you would think he ninja-kicked Hector Noesi square in the jaw, but I digress.  Ortiz went yard again on Wednesday night but this time he kept his ballerina moves in check.  Things then got really spicy last night when Beckett hit both Derek Jeter (upper arm in the 1st) and Alex Rodriguez (in the keister in the 3rd).  CC returned the favor the following inning when he smoked Ortiz in the right thigh with a 97 mph fast ball.  Home plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt issued warnings after that.


Once again, Beckett - who is now 5-2 on the season - showed no fear as he took the mound.  His .86 ERA performance last night brought him to 3-0 against NY this season.  Boston's offense was also a huge factor, with each starter having at least 1 hit this series.  


The Red Sox now sit atop the AL East.  Tuesday's 6-4 win over the Yankees tied things up in the standings with the subsequent two Ws creating a little cushion as the Sox head in to a six game road trip (facing Toronto and Tampa Bay, respectively).

Thomas Showing Us Why The Vezina Will Be His

After Game 2, Tim Thomas took a lot of shit from a lot of people (myself included) for leaving the crease and inevitably giving up the GWG in overtime to Alexandre Burrows.  It was tough to watch, especially considering how much everyone in this city hates Burrows.  Then the debates started.  Was it Thomas' fault?  Chara's?  Do we just chalk it up to a decision made by an unorthodox goalie that didn't end the way we wanted?  At this point, it really doesn't matter.  

Enter Game 3.  Some critics argued that Thomas needed to change his style; that he needed to bring an element of conservative play to the crease.  To that, Thomas replied (in actions, not words): GFYS.  Instead, he did was he did best - coming out of the net, aggressively attacking the puck and giving us some of the best highlights from a game that (let's be honest) gave us video clips for days.  Just under 7 minutes in to the third, Henrik Sedin caught up puck out of the air and attempted to drop it right on the edge of the crease ... but before he could get the shot of, he was absolutely crushed by - none other than Tim Thomas.

This, ladies and gentleman, is how a Vezina Trophy winner defends the crease:

Burrows Fights Like a Girl ... And Apparently the NHL Is Cool With It

First a hair pulling incident in '09 and now this ... Alexandre Burrows has certainly built up quite a resume on man-moves the ice.  I am, of course, referring to Burrow biting Patrice Bergeron's finger in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals.  Too bad the NHL didn't see it as a big deal.  Apparently Mike Murphy (the NHL’s Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations) could find no conclusive evidence that the bite was intentional.  

According to the NHL rule book, biting falls under Rule 75, which covers unsportsmanlike conduct. Similar penalties include hair-pulling and grabbing a face mask.  It's also considered a bitch move. 

In a press conference, Bergeron responded to the League's decision with the following statement:

You know what, I'm over it. To be honest with you, I'm looking forward for next game. We have to get back in the series. Like I said last night, it's the League's decision. I'll let them make the call, make the decision. I have nothing else to say about it, I guess.

A Beginner's Guide To Despising the Canucks, Part Deux

Huge thanks to Alexandre Burrows for the reminder in last nights came that he, too, should be on this list.  So much for easing in to your new role as League disciplinarian, aye Brendan Shanahan?  The 'Nucks came out of the gate strong this series with this classy move:

On a side-note, good thing we have Mike Milbury around to remind the viewers that "you can't bite in this League". 

A Beginner's Guide To Despising the Canucks

The only thing standing in the way of bringing the Stanley Cup to Boston for the first time since 1972 ... and that, is Vancouver.  So, if you are like me, that translates into instant hate.  Not dislike, not bitter indifference.  Hate.  Why?  Because I am not emotionally strong enough to handle any more losses this season.  The Patriots took me to a dark place and, quite frankly, I am in no rush to revisit it.  Now, I could just tell you that this hate will be justified by the 2nd intermission tonight and just leave it at that but wouldn't it be more fun if I give you a "what to watch for" list so you could follow along in your own growing despise of this team?  I thought so.  So, without further adieu, the top four reasons to hate the Vancouver Canucks:

• Ryan Kesler.  He's a great goal scorer (41 in the regular season, 7 in post-season play), dangerous on the power play and plays the full ice better than most ... but he's also a total douche.  Watch him in action tonight (and in pre/post game interviews) and you will see what I mean.

• Maxim Lapierre.  He brought all the intangibles he learned in Montreal with him to Vancouver.  And by intangibles, I mean "dives".

• The Sedin twins.  You will hear more about these two than you will about Chara's height.  Henrik and Daniel play on the same line (center and left, respectively) and receive non-stop ass kissing for their communication on the ice.  We get it, they are twins but let's not get crazy, folks - they are not telepathically connected.  They read the puck just like any line with great chemistry can.

• The green men.  Look for them in the crowd.  Not that it will be hard ... the camera will flash to them every 2.7 seconds.

Disagree with me on this list?  Fair enough.  But there is a reason why they are one of the most least likeable teams in the league.  Talk to me after Game 3 ... see if you still feel the same.

It Has All Led Up To This

A 46-25-11 regular season, seven games against Montreal, four against Philadelphia and another seven against Tampa Bay - it hasn't been an easy road, but it has led the Bruins to tonight: Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals.  For the first time in 21 years, fans will be cheering on the Black & Gold in hopes of bringing the Cup back to Boston.  Doing so, however, will be no ease feat. 

The Bs must defeat the regular season's 1st place points leader (117 vs Boston's 103), the Vancouver Canucks AKA the least likeable team in the NHL.  The Canucks, who finished the regular season 54-19-9, will be seeking their first Stanley Cup in franchise history (they made appearances in '82 and '94).

To earn their spot in the Finals, Vancouver defeated Chicago in seven games, Nashville in six and San Jose in five.

The teams met only once this year, with the W going to Boston.  On the 26th of February, Vancouver native Milan Lucic (1-2-3 on the night) led the Bruins to a 3-1 victory over the Canucks.  Thomas made 27 stops that night.

Of course, none of that matters tonight.