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History Repeats Itself

Global Something

First of all. I was listening to thunder this morning. Apparently we have screwed up our weather. It's January 11th. And two years ago when I was living in Cambridge, I remember when it thunder-snowed!! Oh well.

Les Hated Habs

The Bruins lost to the Canadiens ... again. Similar M.O. The B's came out fired up in front of the big crowd and lost their composure. I hate to break the news to anyone, but the hit from behind was a hit from behind (and to bring back and compare the Bergeron hit - c'mon - not fair - different everybody - and we can't compare every boarding/charging call to that). Kobasew came from a distance on a straight line to get him. The Schaefer elbow. Legit, it was basically like a punch to the head with the elbow. Sturm's wasn't horrible, but he did lead with a high elbow to the head. And so on, and so on. To blame the officiating is the oldest out in the book. Not buying it.

Aside from putting the best power play on the power play, and then having to play come from behind against Montreal yet again, the B's showed another inadequecy we can't forget. They don't have much scoring punch. Lucic scored a nice goal from Krejci, but prior to that, the B's earned a fluke one off the boards from Ward. Periodically, the lack of talent and scoring depth up front rares it's ugly head. Part of the reason the B's play and have found success with Claude's dump and chase and clog it up system is because it's the system that best fits the personnel. Get it deep, race for it and try to make things happen. When they get off to a slow start in a game, fall behind, and have to open it up, especially against talented counter-attackers, they're in trouble. Another crack at the Habs in less than two weeks. Meanwhile, big test in Philly Saturday.

Hard Core Hockey

Maybe part of it is the success of the other teams in N.E. right now, and maybe part of it is the performance of the Bruins in general since the lock-out, but for a hockey region like ours, there sure isn't much hard core hockey talk. I mean, it's cyclical I'm sure, if the B's make the postseason and continue to make strides, it'll likely pick up. But media wise, there doesn't seem to be much demand.

I don't say much during the games, I don't really have the time or opportunity to spontaneously discuss personnel, current events, history, systems, tendencies, etc. That's called a color man or a host. In that sense, with thirty-five years of following the puck, I'm overqualified for my game night job, of my many jobs at NESN. It is what it is. But at the same time, where are the other outlets to purge all things puck. There are one, maybe two weekly hockey radio shows in this area. No dailies. There is no talk about hockey much that I've noticed on the other talk dailies (although I admit I don't listen much because I'm not in a car). But what a shame. N.E. should be (and is in a lot of other ways) hockey HQ.

Where do I get my fix. I'm a guest once a week on a radio show in Montreal. I'm a periodic guest on two different shows in Toronto. Does a hockey Yankee really have to go North of the border to talk hard core hockey and/or to even get the opportunity? Apparently so. It's nuts. I'm talking about the Bruins, breaking down Bruins hockey, but it's never in Boston.

I am working on a second and third hockey/media book. That's cool. But it's not spontaneously conversational.

And while speaking of hard core hockey ... Is there a better show on television than "On The Fly - Final", which airs repeatedly each morning on NHL Network as the carry-over from the night before? I think not. Check it out.

All the best.

RS