Well, the ebullience of the championship team has given way to a hangover that results in only spurts of glorious form every other day - and a sub-par start to the championship defense, so far...
Still, as Coach Julien said on that evening before the fateful decisive game versus Vancouver - win now, win together, and we will walk together forever.
Even though several players have left already (Ryder, Recchi - and that other guy, the mercenary...) the champion Bruins of June 2011 are together forever.
And to better remember them, as they are forevermore to be remembered, with this feat etched in time for all time to come, you may want to go for this...
Never mind those who say that you're "only as good as your last performance"... That is only valid for the superficial psyches without memory - or much grey matter.
A champion is a champion forevermore.
Win - or lose.
Repeat or no repeat, too.
Although everyone hopes for the repeat in 2011-2012, obviously, one has to be like Mike Milbury when he was himself coach of the Boston Bruins. It was the early 1990s and, once again, the Bruins came knocking on that door... Milbury led a great team all his own and his words about being prepared in the advent of his team not getting the all-important first goal in a crucial Stanley Cup Final game, since each time a team scored first it would wind up winning the game, were oh-so important. He stressed how it was imperative to mentally prepare his players to fight on, in case they indeed didn't get the first goal of the game - and, that night, his team got the first goal within ten seconds. On a play set up by Cam Neely, now the team president.
Thus, without a shadow of a doubt, this team is bracing itself and is firmly grounded - and it knows that repeating will be hard, that it can be done, but that if it isn't achieved, they can still hold their heads high and come back proud, strong and as hungry as ever the next time...
And they know that, no matter what may come, they are Stanley Cup Champions.
Having said all that, of course, the current Boston Bruins are not all champions...
Joe Corvo is a former Hurricane. He was in the Carolinas watching the game home when the Boston Bruins were winning the Cup in Vancouver.
Likely with envy.
Benoit Pouliot is a former Canadien - ugh! He was somewhere in the vicinity of Montreal when the Boston Bruins were pummeling the Canucks 23 goals to 8 in the Finals.
Most likely, his envy was even greater than Corvo's.
They effectively replaced the mercenary (Tomas Kaberle - now effectively replacing Corvo, too, in the Carolinas) and Michael Ryder, who is now in Dallas.
No one can truly replace Mark Recchi - but certainly Tyler Seguin will be comparable indeed.
Having two players tacked onto the team does not explain a poor performance over the span of the first few games of the post-championship season though. The theory of a huge "hangover" (reinforced by the fact that the off-season was so short due to the championship and ensuing party time) is much more believable - and there are several cures for that, in truth...
Worthy opponents, or opponents that one truly hates: Boston stepped up to the challenge and defeated former champion Chicago, rivals Tampa Bay and Toronto. But then they dropped two games against Carolina, who should be a sworn enemy still - remember how the "Canes" ruined the Boston Quest For The Cup a mere two years ago? I do... They also dropped a 2-1 decision on opening night against hated Philadelphia - how can one no longer hate the Flyers enough? Just because the sting of the previous year's defeat in seven games was avenged some months ago by a sweep on the way to the championship? Such things should only partially erase bad memories - not delete them completely...
One opponent that can never be forgiven nor forgotten is, for historical reasons, the Montreal bunch. And, as fate would have it, they are in a bigger funk than the Bruins are these days - *and* they are the next opponent for the Bruins. Not once but twice - a two-game set.
Just what the team needed to get over the hangover syndrome, move on and realize that the next season has already started.
Well, the ebullience of the championship team has given way to a hangover that results in only spurts of glorious form every other day - and a sub-par start to the championship defense, so far...
ReplyDeleteStill, as Coach Julien said on that evening before the fateful decisive game versus Vancouver - win now, win together, and we will walk together forever.
Even though several players have left already (Ryder, Recchi - and that other guy, the mercenary...) the champion Bruins of June 2011 are together forever.
And to better remember them, as they are forevermore to be remembered, with this feat etched in time for all time to come, you may want to go for this...
Go Bruins, Go!
...
Never mind those who say that you're "only as good as your last performance"... That is only valid for the superficial psyches without memory - or much grey matter.
ReplyDeleteA champion is a champion forevermore.
Win - or lose.
Repeat or no repeat, too.
Although everyone hopes for the repeat in 2011-2012, obviously, one has to be like Mike Milbury when he was himself coach of the Boston Bruins. It was the early 1990s and, once again, the Bruins came knocking on that door... Milbury led a great team all his own and his words about being prepared in the advent of his team not getting the all-important first goal in a crucial Stanley Cup Final game, since each time a team scored first it would wind up winning the game, were oh-so important. He stressed how it was imperative to mentally prepare his players to fight on, in case they indeed didn't get the first goal of the game - and, that night, his team got the first goal within ten seconds. On a play set up by Cam Neely, now the team president.
Thus, without a shadow of a doubt, this team is bracing itself and is firmly grounded - and it knows that repeating will be hard, that it can be done, but that if it isn't achieved, they can still hold their heads high and come back proud, strong and as hungry as ever the next time...
And they know that, no matter what may come, they are Stanley Cup Champions.
Hence the collectible puck...
...
Having said all that, of course, the current Boston Bruins are not all champions...
ReplyDeleteJoe Corvo is a former Hurricane. He was in the Carolinas watching the game home when the Boston Bruins were winning the Cup in Vancouver.
Likely with envy.
Benoit Pouliot is a former Canadien - ugh! He was somewhere in the vicinity of Montreal when the Boston Bruins were pummeling the Canucks 23 goals to 8 in the Finals.
Most likely, his envy was even greater than Corvo's.
They effectively replaced the mercenary (Tomas Kaberle - now effectively replacing Corvo, too, in the Carolinas) and Michael Ryder, who is now in Dallas.
No one can truly replace Mark Recchi - but certainly Tyler Seguin will be comparable indeed.
Having two players tacked onto the team does not explain a poor performance over the span of the first few games of the post-championship season though. The theory of a huge "hangover" (reinforced by the fact that the off-season was so short due to the championship and ensuing party time) is much more believable - and there are several cures for that, in truth...
Worthy opponents, or opponents that one truly hates: Boston stepped up to the challenge and defeated former champion Chicago, rivals Tampa Bay and Toronto. But then they dropped two games against Carolina, who should be a sworn enemy still - remember how the "Canes" ruined the Boston Quest For The Cup a mere two years ago? I do... They also dropped a 2-1 decision on opening night against hated Philadelphia - how can one no longer hate the Flyers enough? Just because the sting of the previous year's defeat in seven games was avenged some months ago by a sweep on the way to the championship? Such things should only partially erase bad memories - not delete them completely...
One opponent that can never be forgiven nor forgotten is, for historical reasons, the Montreal bunch. And, as fate would have it, they are in a bigger funk than the Bruins are these days - *and* they are the next opponent for the Bruins. Not once but twice - a two-game set.
Just what the team needed to get over the hangover syndrome, move on and realize that the next season has already started.
That is what the team G.M. thinks - and I tend to agree with that.
Go Bruins, Go!
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