Yawkey Talk

NSFW: Porn for Bruins fans.

Gary Bettman Cuts His Nose Off To Spite His Face

Wasn't game 7 of the Caps/Habs series an awesome game? You would have no clue, because you didn't watch it. You would think that one of these NHL execs would have an inkling of an idea how they could ride the success of the Olympics and parlay it towards the remainder of the NHL season. But no, the playoffs are still stowed away with the likes of Nat. Geo. and the Food Network (not knocking either of these channels, good stuff.) If you want your sport to make the jump from niche to the 4th major, give yourself an opportunity to earn market share; saturday afternoon games on NBC aren't going to cut it. Buy out VS's contract and go to a channel like USA, the way the NBA has dominated ratings with TNT.

The rule changes that were made post lock-out have made hockey enjoyable again (some would argue that goalie pads need to be reduced) and there are  ample superstars in each conference to nationally market. An 8 seed just chopped down a 1 seed in the forest.....did anyone hear it? The answer is No. 

To the NHL's defense, there are reasons a channel like ESPN doesn't carry the games. There aren't enough commercial breaks compared to the NBA (how many timeouts do NBA teams have? 15 or something, right?) and it always comes down to the dollar. Therefore, ESPN only gives Barry Melrose a 3 minute spot, compared to the 10-12 minute segments they give Legler and Jalen Rose because the NBA is the product they push. Bottom line, the games have never been more intense/exciting; a perfect opportunity to drum up loyal NHL fans for seasons to come. Bettman just sits on his hands and shrugs. If I owned a Subway, I wouldn't hire this guy to clean the fucking toilets.    

Showtime

  

I know most of you are growing roots on the couch/not doing work in your office chair today for March Madness and couldn't care less about a regular season hockey game, but the Bruins play the Penguins tonight for the first time since the Matt Cooke cheapshot. There MUST be revenge, and I've had enough of all this "but making the playoffs is the priority" bullshit coming from some of the fans. I know they have to make the playoffs. But if they stand up for themselves and knock Cooke into another zip code then maybe, just maybe, the Bruins will look like a team for the first time this season and can gain some momentum down the home stretch. So when you're done tearing your brackets into 200 pieces, tune into the B's game for a chance to see some old time hockey. 

Quick Hits From The Past Week

Between being under the weather and having an unfortunate work schedule it has been a struggle to post recently. Actually, calling it a "struggle" would imply that I had tried hard to do so, which would be a lie. So real quick, here are a few takes on notable Boston sports stories from the past week or so.

 

 Patriots Re-Sign Vince Wilfork: It's about goddamn time. Vince has been our best defensive player for at least the past four years and I honestly didn't think this would ever get done. I figured we'd slap the franchise tag on him and he'd be here for another year and eventually leave for greener pastures after next season. Or the season after that, if there's a lockout. Please God, don't ever let that happen. 

 

 Patriots Re-Sign Leigh Bodden: I get that this move HAD to be made. I'm even OK with the money he got (if they had given him $16m guaranteed like it was rumored I certainly wouldn't have been). But Leigh Bodden is not a number one corner, and anyone who says he is probably didn't watch one minute of any Patriots game last season. Sure, he led the Pats in picks with five. But three of those came in one game...against Mark Sanchez. If you go back and watch all the games, you'd realize that you and your three closest buddies don't have enough fingers to count the number of times Bodden got beat with his back to the ball. I like his physicality in the run game, and I think he will be better in his second year with the Pats, but the fact that many fans let out a big sigh of relief when he re-signed proves only one thing: these Patriots need help...and a lot of it. 

 

 (Nah, couldn't be...)

Nomar's Cute Little Tea Party: Let me start by saying that I was a big Nomar supporter back in the day. You don't see hitters like him come around often and the seasons where he hit .372 and .357 were a marvel to watch. But then he started getting hurt, pouting, complaining about management, etc. By the time he was eventually traded in '04, it was to the point where I would've paid for his plane ticket and cab ride to the airport to see him go. Which is what makes his little retirement stunt downright disturbing. Why the hell would this guy ever want to sit in between the two people who shipped him out of town and field questions from a bunch of reporters who he hated and hated him? We're not talking about Jerry Rice retiring with the Niners here. We're talking about a guy who could barely make the throw from short to first by the end of his tenure. 

 

 The Bruins Change Their Tampons and Play Like Men: Actually quite the opposite. What that headline should've said is "The Bruins Act Like 3rd-Grade Schoolgirls While Their Best Player Lays Motionless on The Ice After A Bullshit Cheap Shot and Their Vezina Trophy-Winning Goalie Gets Pushed Around Like A Ragdoll". If Matt Cooke isn't in worse shape than Savard after next Thursday's game I will never watch the Bruins again, and I don't care if he isn't playing. Climb into their bench, rip him onto the ice and beat him until he is indistinguishable. According to Colin Campbell, that's legal in the NHL. It's a rivalry thing. Plus, who's going to stop you, Sidney fucking Crosby? IT'S CALLED BRUINS, DAMNIT!

Do the Bruins know that they play Hockey?

    Why don't you take a break from huddling over Marc Savard (the Bruins' best player) and go beat the shit out of Matt Cooke for one of the most obvious cheap shots of the season.  If this doesn't exemplify the weaknesses of this year's Bruins team I don't know what does. Total low point. Michael Ryder's half-hearted, "Hold-me-back," wimpy attempt at approaching Matt Cooke post-cheap shot was an absolute embarrassment. Ok. So maybe Ryder isn't the right guy to send a message. Well then, Shawn Thornton will absolutely demolish Matt Cooke on the next shift, right? No. Nothing. Julien didn't tap any of the goons on the shoulder. In fact, after the game he said that he'd leave it up to the league to punish the cheap shot or not. What happened to old time hockey? Apparently Savard leaving in a gurney isn't compelling enough to respond. 

    What influence does Cam Neely have on this team? Is he being groomed to be more player personnel oriented? Because clearly, his presence isn't resonating with this team. THIS NEVER WOULD"VE HAPPENED DURING THE NEELY/BOURQUE YEARS! EVER! Matt Cooke basically blew a load over Marc Savard's girlfriend on the Ice and our response was to send Michael Ryder over and give her a napkin. First, we don't make any moves at the trade deadline and now we are struggling to stay in 8th place in the east. If Matt Cooke isn't decapitated  on the 18th then Julien needs to be fired. Because this team has clearly quit on him. Hire John Chaney. Atleast he'll send in the goons.