DRAMAKILLER's blog: "boston sports"

For the first few years they were the Boston Patriots, a vagabond team in a upstart league, in search of a permanent home. They played in every possible venue, from BU to BC to Harvard and Fenway Park. They even played a home game in Alabama. Somehow they persevered and survived, and today the New England Patriots have a beautiful new stadium of their own, and three Super Bowl Championships since 2001.

They were the last of eight teams that formed the new American Football League which began play in 1960. Though the AFL was ridiculed by the media and the NFL, it succeeded with a wide open shoot-out style of football. The Patriots were solid contenders with several standout players, in the early years. They won the Eastern Division in 1963 but lost to San Diego in the championship game. By the time of the merger of the AFL and NFL in 1970, the Patriots were in decline and still without a home.

In the summer of 1970, the Patriots opened Schaefer Stadium in Foxboro. They also had a new name, the New England Patriots, and were now new members of the National Football League. In 1982, the stadium was renamed Sullivan Stadium after the team's founder and owner Billy Sullivan, and renamed again as Foxboro Stadium in 1990 by new owner Victor Kiam. Though a spartan facility, the venerable stadium had excellent sight lines, seats close to the action, and provided the Patriots a home for 31 years.

Patriots fans were treated to many fine teams with three trips to the Super Bowl during the Foxboro Stadium years. In 1986, the Pats were the first team to win three road playoff games en route to their first ever Super Bowl. Playing the powerful and heavily favored Chicago Bears the Patriots were no match.

The arrival of Drew Bledsoe and Bill Parcells in 1993 and new owner Robert Kraft a year later launched the franchise into a new era of success and popularity. In 1997 the Patriots made it to a second Super Bowl, losing an entertaining game to Green Bay.

In 2000 despite the doubts of some, Kraft hired Bill Belichick as head coach of the Patriots. Belichick had a five year stint as the head coach of the Cleveland Browns but it was his work as assistant coach and defensive coordinator that had earned him acclaim. Given a second chance as a head coach, he built his team on a foundation of discipline, teamwork, preparation, and character, with the result of the Patriots developing into an elite team.

Perhaps the most memorable game ever played in the old stadium was its last, in January of 2002. On a Saturday night in a raging snow storm, Adam Vinatieri booted a field goal in overtime to give the Patriots a playoff victory over Oakland. Two games later, with quarterback Tom Brady completing the first chapter of the onset of a legendary career, and Vinatieri booting yet another game winning field goal, the Patriots won their first Super Bowl.

In the Fall of 2002 after decades of frustration, deals gone bad, and threats of relocation, the Patriots opened state of the art Gillette Stadium, next to site of the old one. In addition to athletic events, the stadium clubhouse was also constructed to be used as a year round convention center and function hall.

The first year in the new stadium was an off year for the team but 2003 and 2004 were historic. The Patriots steamrolled to consecutive 14-2 records and two more Super Bowl titles. They became the second team to ever win three out of four Super Bowls, and their 34 victories is record for two seasons.

It has been a long journey for the Patriots. From a rag- tag team in an ridiculed league; forever in search of a home, often in search for fans, victories, and respect, the Patriots have reached the apex of their sport. When referring to the New England Patriots of the 2000's, they are on the short, illustrious list of the greatest dynasties of the NFL.

Any discussion of NBA history starts with the Boston Celtics. Under the direction of Red Auerbach, the Celtics produced three dynasties winning 16 World Titles from 1957 to 1986. The fast break, the full-court press, and unselfishness on the court became synonymous with Celtics Basketball.

They were a charter member of the NBA when the league began in 1946. The team struggled for the first four years, but in 1950 two newcomers arrived who would forever change Celtics fortune and the game itself. Owner Walter Brown brought in former Washington Capitals coach Red Auerbach to take command; and as the result of a league contraction and a draft, a six foot guard from Holy Cross, Bob Cousy returned to the Boston Garden. The Celtics continued to improve with the addition of quality players the likes of Bill Sharman, Frank Ramsey, and Tommy Heinsohn, but the addition of Bill Russell in 1956 was the final piece of the puzzle.

Russell revolutionized the role of the big man in Basketball. His shot blocking, rebounding, and passing transformed a good team into an unstoppable force. With Cousy triggering the fast break, and the other players performing their roles, the first dynasty was underway.

Thirteen years and 11 championships later, Russell retired. After a couple of down years, Auerbach drafted rookie center Dave Cowens. Small for a center, Cowens made up for his size with his fierce intensity and toughness. With superstar John Havlicek a holdover from the Russell era, Cowens, and a collection of key role players, the Celtics added two more championship banners to the Garden rafters in the '70s.

Auerbach struck again in 1979. With a crafty maneuver, he drafted junior Larry Bird of Indiana State University. Bird had led his college team to the NCAA finals losing in the classic 1979 title game to Magic Johnson's Michigan State team. Bird was the NBA Rookie of The Year in 1980 with the Celtics improving from 29 to 61 wins. Johnson's Lakers won the title that year but the next year Bird led the Celtics to Championship number 14, and the rivalry of Bird vs. Magic, and the Celtics vs. the Lakers began again in earnest.

After Birds' retirement the Celtics fell on hard times. With the death of all-star Reggie Lewis in 1993, the retirement of Kevin McHale, and the departure of Robert Parish, the remaining ties of the glory years were gone. Over the next few years the wins became fewer culminating in a franchise worst record of 15-67 in 1996-1997. One bright spot that year was the arrival of rookie Antoine Walker.

The next year hopes were raised when Rick Patino was hired as coach and president of the team. The team improved by 21 games in the 97-98 season and ended on an upbeat note. It appeared luck was on their side when Kansas star Paul Pierce unexpectedly became available in the 1998 draft.

Pierce showed from the beginning that he was a special talent and has developed into a premier scorer, all around player, and team leader. He became the fastest Celtic to score 10,000 points and has became a perennial all-star. Since his arrival the team has had some success including a trip to the Eastern Conference finals in 2002.

The next year, Danny Ainge, a key member of the championship teams of the 80's returned to the Celtics as the Director of Basketball Operations. Ainge has retooled the team bringing exciting, athletic, and talented young players to develop as a unit together. With the superstar Pierce leading the way as the captain, there is reason for hope that the glory days will be returning to Boston.

With sixteen Championships, and twenty eight Hall of Famers, the Celtics established the standard for basketball excellence. Powered by the amazing skills of their superstars, they adeptly integrated their lesser players into roles best suited for their talents. When the Celtics were at their best, it was poetry in motion on a basketball court. Some say the Celtics success is related to their logo, the smiling leprechaun; but any basketball historian will tell you that luck had nothing to do with it.

The arrival of spring awakens the citizens of Red Sox Nation and the annual quest for a World Series victory by the local nine. They began in 1901 as the Boston Americans of the newly formed American League. They won the first ever World Series in 1903 over the Pittsburgh Pirates. In 1908 they changed their name to the Red Sox. In 1912 they moved into brand new Fenway Park, where they still play today.

In 1918, the Red Sox won their fifth World Series, thanks in part to a star lefty pitcher named Babe Ruth, who could also hit the 'you know what' out of the ball. Following the 1919 season, Sox owner Harry Frazee sold Ruth to the New York Yankees. For the next 86 years despite the enduring loyalty by Red Sox Nation the team suffered a variety of gut wrenching disappointments and no World Series victories.

After the Babe's exile to New York, thirteen futile years followed including nine last place campaigns. A resurgence began in 1933 when millionaire Tom Yawkee purchased the team, remodeled Fenway Park, and spent money for big name players. Through the 1940's and 50's, the team continually competed for the pennant but they were foiled several times, often by the Yankees. In 1946 they won their first pennant since 1918 but were beaten by the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series.

They went through another bleak period from the late fifties until the "Impossible Dream" team of 1967; led by Carl Yastrzemski's incredible Triple Crown season. The love affair between New England baseball fans and the Red Sox was reborn. Since that magical '67 season Fenway Park has consistently been filled to capacity. In the following years the Sox won pennants in 1975 and 1986, captured three divisional championships, and made five wild-card appearances. In the winter of 2002 the Yawkee era ended with the sale of the team to a group led by principle owner John Henry.

In 2004, eight decades of heartbreak were forever purged. In the A.L. Championship Series, the Sox went down a seemingly impossible three games to none to the Yankees. Amazingly they reversed the tide and vanquished the New Yorkers four straight times to take the pennant. Four games later in St. Louis, when reliever Keith Foulk fielded Cardinals shortstop Edgar Rentaria's bouncer to the mound, and tossed the ball to Doug Mientkiewicz at first base, the Boston Red Sox were finally the World Champions of Baseball once again.

This time there would be no 86 year World Series drought for Red Sox Nation. In 2007 the Sox ended the Yankees 11 year reign as Eastern Division champs, enroute to a second world championship in four years. Once again they came back from the brink of elimination in the American League Championship Series, rallying from a 3-1 deficit to the Cleveland Indians to win the pennant. They completed their championship year, behind MVP Mike Lowell, sweeping the Colorado Rockies in the World Series.

Boston fans have witnessed many historic moments at Fenway Park. They watched the spectacular career of Ted Williams, called by many who saw him play, "the greatest hitter who ever lived." They also cheered the exploits of Hall of Famers Carl Yastrzemski, Carlton Fisk, Joe Cronin, Wade Boggs, and Bobby Doerr. Former Red Sox pitcher Roger Clemens guaranteed his place in Cooperstown with his years in a Boston uniform. Now playing elsewhere, Pedro Martinez and Nomar Garciapara left indelible marks in Boston sports lore in the late 90's and the early 21st century.

Currently Boston fans are being treated to the heroics of David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, Curt Shilling and a perennial contending team. With a second championship now under their belts, Josh Beckett, Jonathan Papelbon, Kevin Youkilis, Dustin Pedroia, and Daisuke Matsuzaka, are among the new names added to the long line of Red Sox greats.

In addition to bringing world championships to the starved fans of New England, the new ownership has infused fresh energy to the team on and off the field. They have made many improvements to aging Fenway Park, most notably the addition of the Monster Seats atop the famed left field wall. They have greatly improved the food, the comfort, and the area around the park to make a Red Sox game a unique and memorable Boston experience.

he Boston Bruins entered the National Hockey League in 1924. They were the leagues'first expansion team, and the first U.S. based NHL team. The first year they won only six of thirty games, but they rose quickly and won their first of five Stanley Cups 1929.

Their first star player was defenseman Eddie Shore who came to the team in 1926. He led the Bruins to eleven playoff appearances in his thirteen seasons. The Bruins won their second Championship in 1939 with Shore as the captain.

In the 1940's Milt Schmidt was the star leading Boston to a Stanley Cup victory in 1941. At the end of his Hall of Fame career in 1954, Schmidt became coach of the Bruins. Later he became the general manager and made the landmark trade for Phil Esposito, Ken Hodge, and Fred Stanfield from Chicago, to join a young phenomenon named Bobby Orr.

Ask a Boston hockey fan who was the greatest to ever lace up skates and the answer will always be 'number 4' Bobby Orr. Carrying on in the tradition of Shore, Orr redefined the position of defenseman with his lightening speed and his offensive artistry. He was the leader of the star studded "Big Bad Bruins" of the late 60's and early 70's. It was the golden era of Boston hockey with the Bruins the kings of the city, winning two Stanley Cups.

The line of great defensemen continued when 18 year-old Ray Bourque joined the Bruins in 1979. The Montreal native went on to have a brilliant 21 year career rewriting a number of league and team records. At the start of the 2001 season, his number 77 was raised to the rafters of the TD Banknorth Garden (formerly the Fleet Center) to become eighth Bruins to join the exalted group. If not for Bourques' generosity, the number 7 he had worn since joining the team would have been raised that night. However on a December night at the old Garden in 1987, Bourque made a token of generosity that became one of the greatest moments in Garden history. On the night Phil Esposito was honored with the retirement of his 7, Bourque relinquished the number 7 he was sharing with the former great, and took 77 in its place.

The 2002 opener was another special night at The Garden. The number 24 worn by Terry O'Reilly was raised to the rafters. Of all the legends whose numbers have been retired, O'Reilly may have had the least talent, but no one ever played the game harder or with more pride than he. He is all time team leader in penalty minutes, but he is also near the top in team scoring. He was the team captain, and after his playing days he coached the Bruins to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1988. To the hockey fans of New England he was and still is the ultimate Bruin.

The last number to be retired is the number 8 worn by Cam Neely, in 2004. The phrase power forward, formally a basketball term, was given to Neely for his bone crushing style during his ten years patrolling the right wing for Boston. Unlike most tough guys Neely had game. In the 93-94 season he became one of only eight players to score 50 goals in 50 games. He retired as the all-time Bruins playoff goal scoring leader. His career ended prematurely due to injury,but his legacy went well beyond Boston.In 2005 Neely was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Since retiring, Neely has dedicated himself to giving back to the community and the world. While he was playing, both of his parents succumbed to cancer. Knowing the hardships, and the pain that families suffer,the Neely family created the Cam Neely Foundation for Cancer Cure, 1995. The foundation helps the families of cancer patients with accommodations and support during their love ones' treatments in Boston. In the words of Bruins President Harry Sinden, "Cam's contributions to Boston have gone far beyond what he accomplished on the ice."

From their days in the beloved old Boston Garden to their present home at the TD Banknorth Garden, the Bruins have been a major part of Boston sports lore. Through the good times and bad, their hard core following forever bleeds black and gold.