Not Such Deep Thoughts: Special Stanley Cup Edition

Well, it’s that time again; the old noggin is filled to ‘esplodin’ with unvoiced thoughts, so let’s get right to it, and there’s no better way to start this off than by saying:

How ‘bout those Bruins, eh?

They took us for a long and wild ride on their quest for the cup, and the victory was made that much sweeter by its sheer unexpectedness. Sure, they were a pretty good team this year, but after their epic collapse in last year’s playoffs, I just didn’t think they had it in them. Boy was I wrong. In retrospect, it played out a lot like our other sports team’s recent championships; the dark horse team that rose to every occasion, time and time again, always managing to get the job done. No trash talk, no false bravado, just blood, sweat and hustle. It’s become standard operating procedure for our Boston teams. Shut up and play is our mantra here, and it’s served us well.


Speaking of the Bruins, could these guys be any more likable? They just keep surprising me with the things they do, mainly because they’re so down to earth. Out and about with the general public after the victory, walking the streets, stopping in at a barber shop to have their beards buzzed, putting the Cup in a baby stroller and taking it down to Tia’s to hold court, beautiful. You just don’t see that type of behavior in professional sports these days and it’s very refreshing.


Anyone know where I can get one of those Locker Room hats? Damn they’re hard to find.


Not to diminish this year’s feats in any way, shape or form, but while we’re on the subject of the Stanley Cup, I’ve been weighing this years Championship victory against what I’ve always considered to be the most exciting hockey moments of my life; the 1970 Bruins quest for the cup.

Orr, Sanderson, Espo, The Chief, Hodge, Pie and The Cheese, that was quite a team, my team, and they were having an incredible season. My Dad and 2 of my Uncles were long time season ticket holders back then, so I got to go to a lot of games, but when it came to the playoffs, nuh-uh, no one was giving those babies up, so my buddy, his little brother and I packed up our lawn chairs, sleeping bags and street hockey sticks and headed on down to the Gah-den to get us some tickets.

We spent three days waiting in line; two camping in the alley between the Garden and the Registry, and one night sleeping in the Garden itself. Our parents would come by a couple of times a day to drop off food and generally check on our well being; it was long before the cell phone, no way to check on Junior except in person in those days. We kept ourselves busy playing street hockey in that alley, there was always a game going on, or playing cards with our neighbors in line. Barrel fires lit the night, and the only thing to fear were the rats (great big rats). We’d sit there at night clutching our sticks, trying in vain to stay awake.

On the last night they herded us all inside and sat us in sections according to our place in line. We ended up exploring every inch of that place before the night was through, us and about a thousand other kids. Pure nirvana for a 15 year old Bruins fan. We walked out of there the next day clutching tickets to games 3 and 4 of the finals, feeling like we had just hit the lottery, and we had, of course, because we were standing high in the gallery during the game 4 overtime period, screaming and yelling ourselves hoarse, when we all learned that number 4 could fly.

Ah, memories. As I said before though, I don’t bring this up to diminish what this year’s team has done; it’s just hard to think of any Bruins team without measuring them up with The Big Bad Bruins of my youth. This season was just as exciting, but for much different reasons.

That 1970 team seemed predestined for coronation; the Orr era Bruins were akin to the Montana era Niners, you just knew they were going to win, and we ate it up. The excitement they generated with their spectacular play and bloody fights, combined with the unabashed hero worship of my youth and the new found freedom our parents had afforded us that spring was totally intoxicating, and it left an indelible mark on me.

This 2011 Bruins Championship was exciting because the outcome was always in doubt. Close, hard fought games, incredible plays, incredible hustle, and incredible determination. They personified team, and made you proud to be a fan.

As I said; just as exciting, but for much different reasons.

On a sad note; I lost 2 of those Bruin loving, larger than life Uncles during this past season, one of them passing just before game five. I like to think they went to join my Dad, and they were all watching from the gallery as that final horn sounded and bedlam ensued. In my mind’s eye I can see the pure joy and excitement on their faces. It’s such a clear and beautiful image that it has to be true.

That is all.

Welcome to Boston, boys.

Bruins 8, Canucks 1

That is all.

Not Such Deep Thoughts, Part IX

You know the drill by now; every time my head gets filled to overflowing with random thoughts, you get one of these, so let’s get right to it:

Speaking of drills, how about this mess in the Gulf? It turns my stomach to think of the devastation that’s in store. Now, I’m a realist, and I know that we can’t get along without oil, and that you can’t get oil without drilling, but we need to do it correctly despite the cost. There should have been an acoustic switch installed as a fail safe on the Deepwater Horizon, and the fact that the US doesn’t require them on all offshore rigs is ridiculous. We need to get regulations in place right now. We also need to start supplementing our oil usage with alternative energy sources yesterday. I don’t want to hear the argument that projects like Cape Wind will spoil the views in Nantucket Sound; this spill isn’t doing too much for Gulf property values, now is it? Or, that it won’t make a dent in our energy needs. Hey, it won’t power the entire state, but powering ¾ of the Cape is nothing to sneeze at. Just think, every barrel saved is another barrel for your SUV. It’s all about conserving our resources any way we can now, while we work at developing real alternatives.

The Red Sox really, really, suck this year. They looked great on paper coming into the season, and their come from behind win against the Yankees in the home opener had me all jeeped up, but they’ve been on a downhill slide ever since. On the bright side, they’re pounding the Angels this week, so maybe they’re waking up, and last year I thought the Yankees were toast when they were battling with similar suckage, but look how that turned out. Hey, ya gotta have hope…

The Celts and the B’s, on the other hand, are both doing very well. Both have made it to the second round, and the games have been hard fought and exciting (Tuuuu-kka!). Who would have guessed? We’re really pretty lucky to have such a wealth of pro sports around here, and who knows, maybe by the time these guys finally wind down their respective seasons, the Sox will have gotten back in the groove. Maybe.

I finally got to play with the iPad the other day, and while it’s definitely slicker than snot on a doorknob, its just not the right device for me. I’ve already got a Touch and a laptop, what the heck am I gonna do with an iPad? The way it’s tricked out right now, its only purpose is as a cool but expensive coffee table gadget.

I’m still working on my Peeps stash, and the ones that are left are aged to perfection.

My buddy Steve sent me a picture from his phone the other day of an album he was buying (see above). It was a vinyl copy of the 1968 Muddy Waters album “Electric Mud”, and it got me to thinking. Although I love the instant gratification that is iTunes, I really miss browsing through all the albums and CD’s in a real brick and mortar record store. The little thrill you get when you find a gem like Electric Mud amidst all the clutter, the heft of the album in your hands as you turn it over to check out the play list on the back, you actually felt like you were buying something substantial. I couldn’t wait to get home and unwrap it, pop it on the turntable, and then sit back and read the liner notes as my 301’s engulfed me in audio bliss. With iTunes, I usually end up having my first listen on my computer, which is a less than satisfying experience. April 17th was National Record Store Day, and there were a lot of vinyl releases to coincide. Matter of fact, there’s a 7” Beatles remastered vinyl coming out on May 18th , featuring Paperback Writer and Rain. Check out this website for more info on vinyl releases and to find a record store near you. My personal favorite is Aboveground Records in Edgartown, I could (and have) spend hours in there.

I was totally impressed by the speed, skill and determination of the MWRA workers that fixed the Aqueduct failure this week, and by the way the whole thing was handled in general. Good job people!

I really like the way the Patriots drafted this year; big and beefy. Last season when it came down to physicality they were getting their butts handed to them, and that just won’t cut it in the hard fought AFC East. I think the big tight end Gronkowski is going to make an instant impact. I can see him becoming a short yardage binky for Brady. If Welker comes back and Hernandez works out, that would give them a lot of options. My only regret is that they didn’t pick up a running back. Hopefully they’ll bring in a veteran or two before camp. LaDainian would have been interesting, but that boat’s already sailed. I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

One last thought before I go and I think I’ll have cleared out enough free space for now;

I love getting out in the yard in the spring. Raking, planting, fertilizing, planning my little projects for the season, improves my disposition. I tend to get a little grumpy and cranky towards the end of the winter and spring yard work helps pull me out of my funk. Looking out over the yard at the end of a hard day’s labor, thinking about those long, lazy summer days that are coming; priceless.

That is all.

Not Such Deep Thoughts In The Year 2010

I had a great holiday vacation, and I hope you all did too. I rested, relaxed, visited, shared and celebrated. I even managed to get a few long put off projects done, most notably installing slick new programmable thermostats throughout the house and rewiring my entertainment center to include a nice input selector switch to manage all of my sources. On the whole, it was time very well spent.

All good things must come to an end, though. I’m back in the thick of things now, and life’s tempo has picked back up to its usual break neck pace. I spent most of last week in that “after vacation” state, where I run around trying to get caught up, and promptly crash and burn the minute I find time to sit down. Although I haven’t been able to stay awake long enough to post anything, I haven’t stopped thinking. Matter of fact, in that period just before sleep, as I’m slowly and blissfully spiraling down into unconsciousness, my mind bubbles ups all kinds of interesting things.

Here’s a few of this past week’s “thought bubbles”:


Wow, 2010. It still seems kind of unreal to me. It wasn’t that long ago that the year 2010 seemed an eternity away for me, and it promised to be a time of technological wonder. In Arthur C. Clarke’s 2010: Oddessy 2, he had us visiting distant planets and seeing a second Sun appear in our sky after aliens turned Jupiter into a star. Although it has become a world of technological wonder, the journey to 2010 hasn’t played out quite as he had envisioned, and that’s probably a good thing. I’m of the opinion that aliens can be rather pesky, plus I’m pretty sure a second Sun wouldn’t help us with the whole global warming thing. Computers with artificial intelligence freak me out a little, too. Sometimes I worry that my GPS might pull a HAL and carjack me, but so far all it’s done is scold me. If she starts calling me Dave though, I'm shutting her down.


A lot of people like to make New Year’s resolutions. Not me. I prefer not to make any promises that I may or may not be able to keep. It only seems to lead to disappointment down the line. In fact, research shows that only about 12% of people polled actually achieve their goals. Instead, I like to make a list of New Year’s hopes. Almost the same thing, except there are no lofty expectations attached. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a completely passive wish list. As the year, or the new decade, in this case, progresses, I try to do what I can, where I can, to help things along.


Speaking of new decades, the Aught’s kind of sucked. I hope the Ten’s are better.


Win, lose or draw, I hope the Pats bring it, and leave it all on the field during the playoffs.


I really love the CES; it’s a pure, unadulterated, geek fest. Although a lot of what’s unveiled at the show amounts to little more than vaporware, it brings me great pleasure to see what amazing things people have been cooking up each year. This year’s buzz is all about 3-D TV, with tablet PCs, e-readers and handheld digital TVs also making a strong showing. I’d love to attend one of these days. I’ll have to work on getting some press credentials for next year. Anybody out there interested in helping a fellow geek live his dream?


The Winter Classic was fun to watch, but I still can’t get into the Bruins in a serious way. I was a huge fan as a kid, even sleeping on the sidewalk outside of the Gahden for days, just for a chance at playoff tickets, but it doesn’t seem to float my boat anymore. It’s a different game these days, and way to sterile for me. Memories of Orr, Espo, Turk, Pie and the Chief, all flying around sans helmets (and teeth), ice chips and blood spraying everywhere, seems to have spoiled me forever. Those were the days when men were men, and sheep were afraid. Especially if the Turk was around.


There’s nothing like heated seats when it’s frigidly cold. It’s one of those small things that make a huge difference in life. Mmmm, toasted buns…


On the subject of life, and making differences, I leave you with this; during my holiday sabbatical I realized that I haven’t been striking a good work/life balance lately. It’s important to be with friends and family, and to enjoy life on a regular basis. It will do wonders for your stress and anxiety levels, but more importantly, life can be way too uncertain to squander.

This year that’s going to change. This one isn’t a hope or a resolution, it’s a solemn vow.


That is all.


zzzz, SNORK, zzzz…

The Sports Hub

I love August; it’s the most wonderful time of the year. There’s still at least a good month of summer left, baseball season is just beginning to heat up, and football is warming up. Sitting by the pool, flipping between the Sox and the Pats, steaks sizzling on the grill, now that’s my idea of heaven.

And this year we have a little added bonus.

98.5 The Sports Hub debuts as the new player in the field of Boston sports media this coming Thursday, August 13th, which coincidently is the date of the Patriots first preseason game. The station will feature a sports talk format, and will be the new home of both the Patriots and the Bruins. Don’t worry, Gino and Gil will still be the voice of the Patriots, although the rest of their lineup is still a work in progress.

Regardless of who or what they fill the airwaves with in between games, it will still be great to have an alternative to the same old same old of local sports radio, and a strong signaled FM alternative, no less. I’ve been lucky enough to be able to listen to the Sox games on FM for the last couple of seasons on North Shore 104.9, and the difference is incredible.

Hopefully, audio quality won’t be the only improvement we see. Although WEEI has been a pioneer in sports radio, I haven’t been able to listen to them for quite a while.

My stray from WEEI started off slowly, with me flipping to either WBZ news or an FM music station whenever the talk got so hot that I could envision the spittle flying from my radio’s speakers. Each time it would take longer and longer before I would switch back, until finally I stopped switching back. It’s been about 4 months now since I’ve listened to WEEI. I just can’t take all the ranting and raving, yelling and screaming, punctuated only by long interminable commercial blocks, and way too short and underdeveloped sports flashes. It offends my modest sensibilities, and quite frankly, it gives me a headache. I find the sports news better on WBZ-AM anyways. Hopefully WBZ-FM will stay true to form. It would be great to hear Gil doing the news segments, and I’d love to see them pick up Troy Brown for a little football talk. Oh, the possibilities…

So, as I said before, it will be great to have an alternative in sports radio. WEEI likes to say they’ve trounced all their competition to date, I say BS. You have to be able to get a station in order to listen to it, and none of the alternatives to date have been even close to listenable in my area, so there hasn’t really been anyone to give them a decent run for their money.

That changes this week, and with the bar currently set so low, and football season about to get underway, I think The Sports Hub will find a place in this town.

Remember, the Pat’s first preseason game is this coming Thursday, August 13th @ 7pm on both WBZ-TV 4 and 98.5 WBZ-FM. Don’t be looking for it on WBCN, because you won’t find it. Speaking of which, BCN will still be available streaming on the web and on WBZ-FM HD2 (98.5-2), for those with an HD radio.

That is all.

A Viewer's Bonanza!

I usually dig a little overlap, but wow, the Bruins, Celtics, Red Sox and Lost, all head to head. It's almost too much.

Almost.

My recorders will be working overtime, but there's no way I can wait to watch any of the above, so I'm in for an evening of clicking and split screen. I'm gonna have to remember to get up off the couch slowly though, all the flipping might bring on a mild case of vertigo...