The Bruins Ruined My Birthday

I turn 28 on Friday. And before the Lockout I'd been hoping to attend the annual Bruins Black Friday matinee at the Garden. It would have been a fun treat. It was not to be.

I'll get over it, of course. But I can't help but think about the younger boys and girls who would have had their birthday celebrations at the Garden this season, watching the Bruins play.

Across the continent, thousands, even millions of children are not attending NHL hockey games. These are the potential future fans of the League and the game. And instead of going to games or watching them on TV, they'll find something else to do. There's no shortage of entertainment choices out there.

How many young people, in desperate confusion, will pick up the nasty habit of playing lacrosse? How many average height and short kids will play basketball, think their fundamentals and ball handling will make up for their lack of height, only to lose a spot on a Division III team to a 7 footer from Belarus who's never even seen a basketball?

How many young Shawn Thorntons are out there with no positive forums for their anger and strength? How many young Zdeno Charas are working at libraries stocking very tall shelves instead of skating in rinks?

The NHL, led by Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs, are determined to make it as difficult as possible to be a hockey fan. Kids, whose attention spans are at an all-time low, can't become fans of a game that isn't being played. They'll find something else to entertain them.

The NHL and the Bruins didn't actually ruin my birthday. But they are ruining themselves by alienating an entire generation of young hockey fans.

Ignorant College Football Picks*

It's a good weekend for rivalries. I didn't make any picks last week. Sorry. So far on the season I'm 63-66-1, and pleasantly surprised to not be doing worse. Here are my picks for Thanksgiving weekend:

Texas -7 vs. TCU
Weird not seeing UT play A&M on Thanksgiving.

Syracuse -7.5 @ Temple
I hate picking Syracuse.

Iowa +15 vs. Nebraska
Iowa at home, Nebraska might be thinking past them. Could be close.

LSU -12 @ Arkansas
The Razorbacks are not good at all.

Central Michigan -10.5 @ UMass
Always pick against the Minutemen.

West Virginia -1.5 @ Iowa State
Why not.

Rutgers +2 @ Pitt
Future Big Ten vs. future ACC.

Virginia +10 @ Virginia Tech
Horrible year for football in VA.

Northwestern -19 vs. Illinois
Smart school prevails.

Michigan +3.5 @ Ohio State
Don't know why.

Georgia -13 vs. Georgia Tech
Tune up for Bama.

Louisville -11.5 vs. UConn
Blowout.

Texas Tech +2.5 vs. Baylor
Game is in Lubbock, go with Red Raiders.

Maryland +24.5 @ North Carolina
Big spread.

Boston College +14.5 @ NC State
BC has played their last games very close.

Oregon -9.5 @ Oregon State
Angry ducks pound Beavers.

Florida +7 vs. Florida State
SEC>ACC.

Oklahoma -7 vs. Oklahoma State
Bedlam in Norman.

Penn State -2.5 vs. Wisconsin
Good season for PSU.

Alabama -31 vs. Auburn
The Tide have truly rolled.

Stanford -2 @ UCLA
Trees continue to grow.

South Carolina +4 @ Clemson
SEC>ACC.

USC +7 vs. Notre Dame
Hopeful pick.

Patriots-Jets Drinking Game: Thanksgiving Edition

Thanksgiving, a time for football and goddamned snacks. And after dealing with your family for a few hours, you might want to drink heavily.

Anytime a commentator says...
"Thanksgiving" = 1 drink from a beer
"Happy" = 1 drink
"Turkey" = 1 drink
"Gobble" = 1 shot of Wild Turkey
"Snack" = 1 drink
"Trimmings" = 1 drink
"Potatoes" = 1 shot of vodka
"Cranberry" = 1 cup of vodka and cranberry
"Stuffing" = 1 drink
"Yams" = drink beer for 10 seconds
"Gravy" = drink a gravy boat full of beer
"Feast" = 1 drink

Anytime this is on the screen:
A member of the broadcast crew greeting their family = 1 drink
A turkey (living, cooked, or cartoon) = 1 drink
Rex Ryan smiling = 1 drink
Bill Belichick scowling = 1 drink
Bill Parcells = 1 drink
Eric Mangini = 1 drink
Curtis Martin = drink for 28 seconds
A player or coach wishing us a Happy Thanksgiving = 1 drink
Pilgrims = 1 drink
Plymouth Rock = drink as much as you can for 16 minutes and 20 seconds (16:20)
Bob Kraft = 1 drink
Bob Kraft talking = drink as long as he talks

Anytime this happens:
The broadcasters thank you for welcoming them into your home = drink for 15 seconds
Tom Brady yells "Alpha Milk" = 1 drink
Brady points out the "Mike" = 1 drink
Patriots get a 1st down = 1 drink
Patriots go no-huddle = 1 drink per snap
Patriots allow 15+ yard pass play = 1 drink
Mark Sanchez makes a dumb throw = 1 drink
Sanchez throws a pass that's tipped = 1 drink
Patriots force a turnover = 1 drink
Vince Wilfork forces or recovers a turnover = 1 drink
Wilfork returns a turnover for a TD = 1 whole beer, 1 shot, 1 pumpkin pie
Kickoff touchback = 1 drink
Kickoff return = drink during the entire return

Please get lubed up responsibly and have a happy Thanksgiving.

Bill Belichick Causes Freak Injury

Rob Gronkowski got hurt and I'm angry! And it's Bill Belichick's fault!

Why was Gronk in there? It was a meaningless PAT in a meaningless part of the game and it resulted in a very meaningful injury. Belichick should have taken him out. He should have gone up to him before the PAT, said "Rob, you're more important than your teammates, stay on the sidelines where it's safe."

I know PATs usually aren't dangerous, but why take any risk at all? Gronk is an important part of the team, more important than his teammates, and the best thing for the team was for Belichick to point out to the team that Gronkowski is separate from and above teammates.

I know Belichick has won some Super Bowls here, and he drafted guys like Tom Brady, and Gronkowski, and so on and so forth. He's a good coach. But I'm getting tired of all the "In Bill We Trust" people who blindly support everything he does. I'm allowed to question and even criticize him. I'm tired of me, the sports media, and thousands of fans being silenced. All we have to voice our opinions are newspapers, blogs, sports radio, Twitter, and Facebook. Somehow, we will be heard!

Look, I obviously don't want Belichick to be fired. I just want him to change what he does and how he does it. It clearly doesn't work, because if it did, Gronkowski wouldn't be injured right now.

What Belichick should have done, for the good of the team, is to tell an individual player that he was more important than his teammates. That he was precious, and must be preserved and protected. Then after the game, give a speech to the team about how important Rob Gronkowski's health is, and how dangerous PATs are.

Nothing builds a team mentality better than putting individual players on a pedestal, and dividing the team into two groups: important stars, and expendable laborers. That, along with an intense fear of injury, are how winning teams are built.

End Sarcasm.

BC Hockey Comes Back Against Merrimack

#1 ranked Boston College continued to roll, beating Merrimack 4-3 Friday night. The Eagles fell behind by 3 goals in the 2nd period, but erased that deficit in less than 5 minutes, also in the 2nd period. Then in the 3rd, Steven Whitney's 6th goal of the season gave the Eagles their 8th win, and coach Jerry York's 922nd career victory (the record is 924).

After Merrimack went up 3-0, Whitney started the scoring for BC in the 2nd. So far this season the senior from Reading, Mass. has been BC's secret weapon behind Johnny Gaudreau. Gaudreau assisted both Whitney's scores. Patrick Wey and Danny Linell scored BC's other goals.

The Eagles shot the puck 42 times, and barely missed on a few scoring opportunities in the 1st period. BC didn't figure out Merrimack goalie Sam Marotta until the 2nd.

BC hosts Dartmouth on Saturday in a non-conference game, then it's the annual home-and-home against BU on the 30th and December 1st. Jerry York can tie and break the all-time record for college hockey coaching wins in those rivalry games, which would be quite fitting.

Maryland and Rutgers to Big Ten

When the SEC went to 14 teams, the other BCS conferences watched to see if it would work. It did work, and now the Big Ten is expanding. They're reportedly going to add Maryland, as well as Rutgers, taking them from the ACC and Big East, respectively.

Both teams would add an East Coast presence for the Midwestern conference. And Rutgers would help the Big Ten infiltrate the New York media market. The Big Ten already has a juicy TV contract with ESPN, as well as their own network, so adding teams in general only increases the content they can provide.

I'm getting a little tired of this musical chairs in college sports. I want it over with.

In 10 years or so, it will all be sorted out. There will be three major conferences, with 16 or 18 teams each: The Big Ten, the Pac-16, and the SEC. The ACC and Big East will combine as a 12 team league just below the Big Three.

And in Webster's Dictionary, the Big Ten will pay for the meaning of the word "ten" to be changed to "any number between nine and twenty." "Ten" will become an approximating word like "several."

BCS Mess

Both Kansas State and Oregon lost, catapulting Notre Dame to #1, and bringing Alabama back to the BCS title game as #2 after only a 1 week absence.

However, there's no way that Notre Dame is the best team in the country. If they do play Alabama, who would you bet on? If they played Oregon, who would you bet on? And how razor thin was their margin of victory over Stanford? They are just waiting to lose.

When Notre Dame lose to USC, which they will, there will be a BCS mess for the #2 team in the country. Alabama will rightfully assume the #1 spot, then there will be Georgia, Florida, Oregon, Notre Dame, Kansas State, Florida State, Clemson, et cetera.

In other words, it's good that we'll have a playoff next year. But are 4 teams enough? I think 6 or 8 would be best. But progress is progress.

Patriots Tame Colts

I like Andrew Luck. I liked him at Stanford. And as much as I also liked RG3, I felt like Luck was a better NFL QB because he was a better decision maker. And maybe someday that decision making ability will come to fruition. But not yesterday. Yesterday, Mr. Luck was a walking turnover.

The much-maligned Patriots defense turned this game around in the 2nd quarter. They forced a 3 and out which led to Julian Edelman's punt return TD. Then Vince Wilfork's pressure influenced Andrew Luck to thrown an INT, which Aqib Talib returned for another TD.

In the 3rd quarter, the Patriots offense stepped up. Right after half-time they flawlessly drove downfield and scored. Then after Rob Ninkovich forced an Andrew Luck fumble, Brady hit Rob Gronkowski in the end zone. And the game was essentially over.

Alfonzo Dennard's pick 6 was icing on the cake, and the Patriots won the 4th quarter 21-7. He and Talib are actually legit CBs, and that's nice to have once again.

But already I can hear the armchair coaches out there. "Why was Gronk still in there?" "Why were we still scoring?" "Why do we have star players on PAT?"

Folks, it's a 60 minute game. And injuries are always a risk. You play 60 minutes, even with a big lead, so when you need to play 60 tough minutes you're accustomed to it. Please leave your amateur coaching strategies where they belong, inside your brain, along with your theories about traffic on 128 and how you can do a better job than your boss.

Some people are already complaining about this 5 score victory. This Yahoo recap moaned about the Patriots defense being "suspect" and allowing 448 yards. Um, the defense also scored twice, forced 4 turnovers, that's a good day for a defense. Regardless of how many yards they allowed.

Let us be cheerful. The Pats have a 3 game lead over every AFC East team. They're playing the Jets on Thanksgiving, and it's an opportunity to all but eliminate the NYJ from the divisional race.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo