Bruins Panthers Game 5

A huge win by the Bruins keeps the series alive and takes it back to Boston for Game 6. Game notes below:

– Swayman kept his stellar play going and backed up his promise to bring the series back to Boston.

– The Bruins finally didn’t get out shot and dominated in hits. When they play this way they can keep up with Florida.

– They still need to keep the penalties down. It feels like they get a too many men on the ice penalty every game which is inexcusable. They also still need to finish chances better.

One game at a time. If they win Game 6 in Boston, then Game 7 – anything can happen.

An American’s Guide to the Premier League Part 1

As I mentioned in last week’s article about the Premier League, if you want to get into English soccer and need a team, then pick one of the top 6 teams to follow. These are Chelsea, Tottenham, Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Liverpool. You might feel like a bandwagon, but it makes it a lot easier to get into soccer when the team you’re playing for is actually good. Plenty of us are cursed by being born into fandom of US sports teams that disappoint us and let us down. Don’t hurt yourself anymore by picking a team that will never win the Premier League or even compete. Also, very few American Premier League fans you meet will accuse you of being a bandwagon fan – they’ll just be happy to meet someone else who follows it.

Manchester United: Probably the most prestigious Premier League club, they are the equivalent of the New York Yankees. They have been historically great and won more league titles than any other club. However, they have been less dominant of late and haven’t won the league in over a decade. It’s an especially tough pill to swallow given the newfound success of their main rival who we’ll talk about next. If you like teams with an awesome history they are for you. Also, if you like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Glazer family also owns United.

Manchester City: The new kids on the block. They are basically the Kansas City Chiefs of the Premier League. For years, they were Man United’s little brother, but are now the best soccer team in the entire world. If there’s any team you’ll get shit for, for being a band wagon fan, it’s probably them. However, if you want your team to dominate and win titles then this is your team. Also, if you like following a team that historically didn’t have a ton of success, but now is dominant, this is also the team for you.

Liverpool: They are similar to Man United in that they have an incredible history. Unlike Man United, they are having much more current success. If you like a team that is currently good and has great success in their past, then they are for you. A word of warning though, their coach is leaving after this year, which could have a big impact. Also, Fenway Sports group owns them, so if you’re a fan of the Red Sox this is an easy team to pick. For any Lebron James fans, he’s a part owner of Fenway Sports Group, so this might also be the team for you.

Chelsea: Chelsea does not have the same long-term success as some other Premier League teams, but recently became one of the best clubs in the league winning 5 of the last 20 league titles. Unfortunately, the past two seasons have been tough, as their new owners have struggled to keep the team competitive. There is hope for the club, as the new owners seem very interested in making sure the team is competitive and have spent over a billion dollars since May 2022 in acquiring players. They currently have many young players with potential too. The other teams they own, the Dodgers and Lakers, have also had recent success, so it’s believable they will make the club successful in short order. If you are a fan of West London or the Dodgers and Lakers, Chelsea’s your team.

Arsenal: Arsenal has an incredible history, though not as prestigious as Liverpool and Man United. They have not won a league title for 20 years, but are one of, if not the most, promising young teams in the league. They are filled with young, exciting players and a young manager. If you want to a follow a club with an exiting history and future or really like North London, they are for you. The owner of the Colorado Avalanche, Denver Nuggets, and Los Angeles Rams, owns Arsenal so if you like those teams, this could be the team for you.

Tottenham: They are definitely the biggest underdog team of the Top 6. They haven’t won a league title since the early 1960s and are known as under achievers. If you like North London or like an underdog team that’s trying to overcome a harrowed past, this is your team.

On Wednesday, I’ll post a quick guide to the basics of how the Premier League works.

Patriots New Logo

The Pats have subtly released what seems like a secondary logo (as seen above). It is very odd to release a new logo with absolutely no fanfare whatsoever. Maybe this means they are just experimenting with it and may remove it, if fans aren’t big into it. The current reaction is mostly negative and I have to agree.

The NE is too big and they are trying to do too much by incorporating the Flying Elvis face into the letters while also merging the N and E into one. It’s a little odd, but maybe hints that they are looking for a new logo long term.

Bruins Panthers Game 3

This was the opposite of last game, where they lost, but didn’t play awful. Last night was just plain bad. Game notes below:

– Sam Bennett had one of the dirtiest hits I’ve ever seen. He straight up punched Brad Marchand and should be suspended. On our end, Marchy is out at least two games which is a huge blow. I really hope someone has a big hit on Bennett or challenges him to a fight. It’s fitting the Panthers bandwagon fans throw rats on the ice, because their whole team is filled with them.

– The Panthers dominated all game and had double the shots of the Bruins. You are not going to win in the playoffs with those numbers.

– The Bruins need to be way more disciplined. They keep giving the Panthers Power Play opportunities and last night the Panthers completely took advantage. They also still continue to have terrible in zone turnovers that lead to goals.

The B’s need to put this game away and start playing with some heart. Maybe Marchand’s injury will finally give them a spark.

An American’s Perception of English Soccer

Growing up my whole life, I always thought soccer was such a dumb, boring sport. Going to New England Revolution games and my friends’ high school soccer games never changed my mind on the subject. In addition to that, European soccer always seemed so confusing with a lack of playoffs and all the different competitions these teams played in. Furthermore, I never had a team to root for, which made it even harder to get into.

However, my opinion forever changed in January of 2022, when I got an in depth tour of Stamford Bridge and then went to a Chelsea FC – Tottenham match there later that month. I can honestly admit how wrong I was about soccer, because at that moment I realized, I had never witnessed high level soccer with the best players in the world. Me watching the MLS and concluding soccer was boring is the equivalent of a European going to a UMass football game and deciding football is a boring sport not worth watching.

The atmosphere at pubs around the stadium and during the actual game was like nothing I’d ever experienced. The entire crowd singing the same chants in unison was awesome and the game was super interesting to watch. Easily the most surprising thing was how much more physical English soccer is than I would’ve thought. I never could get why soccer players were always on the ground so much, but getting slid into by a guy going full speed when you’ve played 70 minutes of a soccer match isn’t fun, and it’s obviously going to take you a little bit to get up. Seeing Chelsea win 2-0 was absolutely awesome and I’ve been a Chelsea fan since, even if the last two seasons have been rough.

I know not everyone can get the chance to go to a game in person, but anyone who thinks soccer is boring or soft should give the Premier league a chance. It’s not as entertaining as football or hockey, but it’s defintely worth watching. The games go by much faster than American sports and they tend to play Saturday and Sunday mornings so it doesn’t interfere with watching other sports later in the day.

A word to the wise, pick one of the top 6 teams to follow if you’re going to become a fan. These are Chelsea, Tottenham, Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Liverpool. You might feel like a bandwagon, but it makes it a lot easier to get into soccer when the team you’re playing for is actually good. Plenty of us are cursed by being born into fandom of US sports teams that disappoint us and let us down. Don’t hurt yourself anymore by picking a team that will never win the Premier League or even compete.

The next two weeks, I’ll post a quick guide to those six teams and how the Premier League works.

Bruins – Leafs Game 7

Whew. The Bruins pull that series out by the skin of their teeth. Game notes:

– Swayman was out of his mind this series. Easily the MVP of the series. Without him, we never would’ve won that series and need him to continue his great play.

– Carelessness from the Bruins continued today. They still don’t look completely focused and like they have their composure. Mind boggling turnover continue to plague this team. They got to get it together.

– Lindholm played so good. Getting such a quick goal in response to the Leafs scoring was super important and swung the momentum back for us. It feels good to see Pasta get the game winner and hopefully he keeps the momentum going.

– The Bruins have a lot of shit to work on and need to play a lot better next series. The Panthers are great team and are much more rested. Time for some revenge after the tough defeat last year.

LET’S GOOOOOOOOOOO BRUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUINS!!!

Bruins Leafs Game 6 Recap

Now, it’s time to be worried. The Bruins are in danger of repeating what they did last year by blowing a 3-1 lead. We have tormented the Leafs for years and now we’ve given them hope that they can turn the tables on us. Game notes below:

– Another slow start for the Bruins as they were outshot 12-1 in the first. If not for Swayman playing so well, these past two games could have been much more lopsided.

– The Bruins continue to not finish scoring chances late in the game. There were a couple golden opportunities to tie the game at 1 in the third and they just couldn’t put the puck home.

– McAvoy was way too aggressive on that last Leaf’s goal. He made a terrible step up that led to Nylander getting a breakaway. It’s another example of how the Bruins need to be more composed and keep their heads.

– Bruins coach Jim Montgomery, called Pasta out for not playing better. Hopefully, this lights a fire under him and he plays his ass off Game 7.

“Game 7. Anything can happen.” – Kevin Millar, former Red Sox first baseman. It’s one of the truest quotes in sports history. You absolutely never know what’s gonna happen in these winner take all games. The Leafs have the momentum and Matthews might be returning. But the Bruins are back at home and know they can’t blow this series lead, especially after last year. Let’s just hope they get it together and win.

Bruins Leafs Game 5 Recap

This was a game the Bruins did not deserve to win, but nonetheless, had plenty of chances to win. Below are my game notes:

– They were absolutely terrible in the first period and the first ten minutes of the 2nd period. They got outplayed, could not get anything going, and were lucky that Swayman played amazing last night to keep them in the game.

– Even though they improved their play the last half of the game, some common errors kept happening. They could not break the puck out and their composure was awful all night. They had so many in-zone turnovers that led to scoring chances and it looked like they couldn’t make a clean pass all night. They were dominated on faceoffs too.

– This is giving me echos of last year. The Bruins were up 3-1, then lost game 5 in OT at home and went on to lose the series.

– It would be one thing to simply lose the game. It’s hockey, that is going to happen. But the fact that the Maple Leafs – without Austin Matthews – outplayed them and the Bruins didn’t look like they came to play is a bad sign. The OT goal is a perfect example of that. Two Bruins forwards took a terrible change while the Leafs were on a rush, leaving the Bruins with three guys in the Dzone. Grzelcyk was playing Tavares, while McAvoy and Coyle were simply watching the puck instead of covering a guy. Tavares got the puck out front and McAvoy and Coyle weren’t in position and there was no backchecking forward there to cover Knies either and he got an easy rebound goal. That simply can’t happen in the playoffs.

– Despite their bad play, the Bruins still had multiple chances to win the game but were either stopped by Woll (who played great) or missed the net. Those are pucks they need to put home if they want to win the Cup.

– Now they have to go back to Toronto and try to win there, lest we have a Game 7. It’s time to put this game to rest and focus on Game 6.

Post Draft Thoughts

So much success in the NFL is based on where you play, especially at quarterback. No matter how much talent you have, a terrible organization, coach, and team can derail a career. Now that we know where the top 6 QBs and a couple other top prospects are playing, below I predict how their careers will turn out.

Caleb Williams:

Going to Chicago has historically been where careers go to die for QBs. However, if one QB can buck that trend, it’s Williams. He is so talented and the fact that his pro comparisons are Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes tells you how good he is. Unlike with Justin Fields, the Bears have actually done a great job of surrounding him with amazing weapons and a solid Oline. How great he will be will come down to how well the coaching staff develops him. Regardless, the Bears history of never having a QB throw for 4,000 yards or 30 TDs will end soon.

I think he will be a really good to great QB in the NFL. He will make multiple Pro Bowls and help the Bears compete in a really tough division. My main apprehension with him is he seems like a diva type player. That’s fine with wide receivers like TO and OBJ, but when it comes to quarterback, that type of personality tends to not work out. Look at guys in the league who are star QBs: Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, etc. They are not controversial and outspoken personalities. They always say the right things and are tremendous leaders. I just get the vibe that Caleb will not be a great leader and might causes some issues off the field similar to Kyler Murray and Aaron Rodgers. Once again, I think he’ll be really good to great, but will definitely cause some headaches for the Bears.

Jayden Daniels:

It’s great to see another LSU QB have a massive progression, win the Heisman, and be a top pick in the draft. That shows how great his work ethic is. His athleticism is off the charts and he will be one of the most athletic QBs in the league right away. It’s also reassuring that Daniels put up the numbers he did while playing in the best conference in college. He will be able to make an immediate impact and having an OC like Kliff Kingsbury is also a plus.

My one apprehension with him is that he is not super well built. This is something that can be fixed, but with a terrible Oline and being a guy that runs so much, it could be an issue.

Overall, he has a pretty good group of weapons around him with Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson at WR and Austin Ekeler and Brian Robinson Jr at RB. I think he has an average to solid career as a starter, but is not anything special.

Drake Maye:

I have super high hopes for Maye. He was my favorite QB in this draft, so the fact the Pats got him at #3 is a steal in my opinion. He reminds me a lot of Andrew Luck and Justin Herbert in terms of his combination of size, athleticism, and arm talent. He will just have turned 22 at the start of next season and will have time to develop under Jacoby Brissett. He is extremely tough, is a great kid, and played well through some perseverance and tough situations last year.

The biggest question with Maye has nothing to do with him, but the Patriots. First off, they have the worst roster in the league, especially when it comes to Oline and WR. They drafted some wide receivers and offensive lineman after Maye, but they still need to surround him with weapons and guys who can block. Also, how will the coaches develop him? Jerrod Mayo is a defensive coach so it will mainly be the responsibility of Alex Van Pelt, who is relatively unproven.

I believe he will develop into the Patriots franchise quarterback. He has the tools to succeed in New England, with a big frame and big arm that will serve him well in the terrible Foxboro weather. He obviously won’t be Tom Brady, but I think he can be a better version of Drew Bledsoe. He should be a multiple time Pro Bowler and lead the Pats back to contention for years to come.

Michael Penix Jr:

Easily the biggest shocker of the draft. I was initially shocked by what they did, but the Falcons explaining why they did it helped me make more sense of it. I just don’t agree with their reasoning.

Penix is going to be 24 before the season starts and is maybe the most “pro-ready” QB prospect in the draft. But they drafted him to be the developmental, eventual starter. He should have some good weapons around him when he does start, but when will that be?

They owe Kirk Cousins a ton of money and realistically can’t get out of the contact until 2026 when Penix with be 26 himself. Cousins isn’t amazing but he’s a good enough starter who probably won’t play himself out of the position. With all the uncertainty and an odd situation, I think Penix doesn’t end up being a long-term starter in the league.

J.J. McCarthy:

I like McCarthy, but easily think he was the most overrated player this draft. Compared to the other 5 QBs taken, I think he easily was the worst prospect and was benefited by his team more than any of them. With that being said, he is going to basically the perfect situation. He has a really good offensive coach in Kevin O’Connell, the best WR in the league in Justin Jefferson, a top 3 TE in TJ Hockenson, one of the best young WRs in the league in Jordan Addison, and new RB Aaron Jones. They even have a good offensive line. Furthermore, McCarthy can develop behind Sam Darnold if needed.

I think McCarthy will have a career similar to the man he is replacing – Kirk Cousins. His situation is just too good to be a complete bust. I see him putting up solid numbers but not being a guy who can win his team big games and take them far in the playoffs.

Bo Nix:

Nix lands in a spot with a good head coach, but a team that really lacks weapons. He’s accurate and has a ton of experience, but I just don’t think he has that high of a ceiling. Sean Payton has also been very impatient and critical of his QB and team since taking over and I don’t think that’s a great situation for any rookie QB. I think Nix ends up playing a good bit as a rookie, but I don’t think his career will mount to much and he won’t be a long-term starter.

Marvin Harrison Jr.

I think he is the best player in this class and the most exciting by far. Getting to play for a good QB in Kyler is also huge for him. He’ll be a Day 1 starter and should be an absolute stud for years to come.

Brock Bowers:

I think Bowers fits into the Raiders mold well. The biggest question is who is gonna be the QB throwing him the ball and how good will they be. However, he’s so talented that he should make an immediate impact and he has other weapons around him so defenses can’t just key in on him. He should be a long-term starter and make a handful of Pro Bowls.

Other Quick Points

With 6 QBs taken in the first round and all these other amazing offensive players at marquee positions like WR and OT, I think this draft will go down in history as one of the best ever.

The fact that round 1 of the NFL draft had a higher average viewership than last year’s NBA finals once again shows why football is the king of sports in the US.

Xavier Worthy should be a great pick for Chiefs. He fits in so well with Mahomes and that offense. The Chiefs have rebuilt their WR corps into one of the better ones in the league in just one year, showing why they are the dynasty that they are.

It’s still so early, but the Bears – Panthers trade from last year might go down as the worst trade in NFL history. If Bryce Young ends up being a bust, while Caleb is a stud that’s bad enough. But on top of that, the Bears got one of the best WRs in the league, a starting tackle, a starting CB, and still have another 2nd round pick next year. This is something to keep an eye on.

Patriots Free Agency and Draft Recap

Below are some of the highlights (and some lowlights) of the Pats offseason so far.

Key Additions/Returners:

Drake Maye, QB: Wow, this could not have gone better. He would have been my top choice at QB even if we had the number 1 pick. He’s absolutely our guy. I’m happy we got him some new WRs and offensive linemen because we needed help there and still do. Now we need to let him develop and simaltaneously keep building up the team around him. Don’t have the reason he doesn’t succeed be because we didn’t give him anything to work with. Luckily, the great thing is that he can sit behind Jacoby Brisset for a year if needed and develop while we continue to build up our team in free agency and the draft next year. I don’t like the Joe Milton pick unless they end up moving him to TE. It makes no sense to have two rookie QBs that you need to develop, so hopefully he switches positions.

Ja’Lynn Polk, WR: I have high hopes for Polk. He was overshadowed by Romeo Odunze, but still had a great season for Washington. He’s got great size and should immediately become our WR1. In recent history, many stud WRs have been taken in the early 2nd round, so Polk could develop into a star WR for us.

Caedan Wallace, OT: He is a player with a low floor, but a high ceiling. He could end up contributing nothing or being a great player for years to come. It helps that he can play left tackle or right tackle, so hopefully he can make an impact his rookie year.

Jacoby Brissett, QB: I love signing Brissett to a 1 year deal for $8 mil. It is a perfect low risk move that gives us a potential bridge QB who is a great guy and teammate.

Mike Onwenu, G/T: Signing him to a 3 year deal for $57 mil is a little expensive, but I’m happy they kept him. Having a good offensive line is huge for a young QB and Onwenu can play both guard spots and right tackle so he’s a huge asset. The Pats have let great homegrown offensive lineman like Joe Thuney leave in recent years so I love that we kept Onwenu around.

Kendrick Bourne, WR: I think we overpaid him at 3 years, $33 mil, but its good to have our best WR from last year back. Ideally we draft a couple weapons and he is our number 3 receiver, but he’s still a good guy to have around.

Hunter Henry, TE: I feel similar about this signing as I do with Bourne. That being said, he’s our best red zone option and can be a great safety blanket for a young QB.

Kyle Dugger, S: The Pats placed the transition tag on him, then signed him to a 4 year $58 million deal. He’s a good player and seems like a good guy, but I don’t get why they shelled out such a big deal to a guy who is 28 and doesn’t play a premium position.

Christian Barmore, DT: The Pats signed Barmore to a massive 4 year deal worth up to $92 million. He’s now the 7th highest paid DT in the league and it’s the biggest non-Tom Brady contract in team history. They easily overpaid Barmore. However, the one thing that eases my disagreement is that only about $40 million is guaranteed. Seeing as the Pats have plenty of cap space and no real stars they need to resign soon, it still isn’t a good deal, but isn’t detrimental. Barmore was pretty good last year and let’s hope he now raises his game even more.

Key Depatures:

Mac Jones, QB: This was a great move. Having Mac there would be awkward for our new QB and the fact we got anything for him is huge. A 6th round pick isn’t amazing, but Brady was a 6th round pick so you never know what they could get.

Trent Brown, T: He was by no means that good, but losing your left tackle is important, especially with a new young QB. They need to replace him.

Overall, I’m very happy with how this offseason went. The Pats got their potential franchise QB and some WRs and offensive lineman in the draft, which were their three biggest needs. That shows that they are willing to invest significant time and draft capital into offensive players, which they have been terrible at the last decade plus. They also resigned some key lineman and receivers, while cleaning house by trading away Mac Jones. I don’t expect us to win a lot of games this year, but my hope is our young players can develop and the future will look bright.