A Perfect Disaster

The year is 2008 the month is February, the day is Sunday. I woke up in the hotel room that day and had one thing on my mind, 19 and 0. Patriot’s nation was in Phoenix Arizona and getting ready to witness history. Just not the type of history they were hoping for. I was among these faithful fans, somehow finding my way to Super Bowl XLII to witness perfection.

The trip started with positive expectations, and old friends who I knew in Arizona. “If the Pats lose this one I’m going to have to move back to Mass after all the talking I’ve done down here,” said Jeff Rebelo, a Former resident of Massachusetts.

Many fans felt the same as Jeff, “it’s in the bag” seemed to be a key phrase of the weekend. Though I never let myself say those words I couldn’t help but think them. However, the underdog story seemed more intriguing to most then the story of a perfect season. “Eighteen and one that’s still a good record,” Giants fans said. We had our phrase they had there’s.

Although it was a New York and Boston rivalry, most Giants fans were good sports as were Patriot’s fans, which proved for a good time. Beer drinking challenges between the two sides were going on in every bar, along with football competitions, and even model shows to see which state had better looking women. In the end it all ended with smiles, except for the actual game of course.

Finally, game day arrived. I felt anxious, excited, nervous, and a little sick from the previous nights activities. Everything was fun and games, until game day. I noticed immediately when I walked outside with my Patriot’s jacket on and heard a big, “YOU SUCK and….. SO DO THE PATS!!!” I smiled and thought o boy I love football.

We decided to go bar hoping for a bit before the game; not for the drinks but more for the atmosphere, and the spectacle of the entire event. What a spectacle it was; they had jugglers on corners, mini beer stand set up in the middle of traffic, the bars had dividers separating the two fan bases leaving room in the middle for unbiased spectators, church fanatics cursing at fans for not being in church, the smell of meat cooking everywhere you turned, and laughter.

Everyone was happy, and excited about what was to come. As I stood looking at the stadium from about a quarter mile away I could not believe were I was, and what I was witnessing. As the time drew closer the stadium began to fill, and the teams arrived.

The pregame introductions where very well put together a video of this follows. Looking back it was a great game. A defensive struggle which is my favorite but not that day, that day I wanted a blow out. However that is not what happened, instead a fourteen point underdog took the greatest offensive to ever play all four quarters.

Tom Brady couldn’t throw the ball without getting smacked down, and Coach Belichick decided to not alter the game plan which may have cost them the game. In the end, David Tyree and his infamous catch will be burned into my mind forever, and as I watched Ellis Hobbs fall down, I sat in my seat knowing what has happened. Yes, I sat down before Buress caught the game winning pass, and didn’t see the catch; Hobbs falling down was enough for me to see what was coming.

Perfection stopped dead in its tracks by the better team on that day. As the game ended the spectacle didn’t seem as fun, nothing did. The only thing I had my mind on, as did many other Patriots fans, was a nice shot of Jameson. The whiskey went down easy, but other than that the lump in my throat stopped food or anything else from going down for the rest of the night.

The next day I went to a pool hall, and awaited my red eye flight. I got to hang out with one of my best friends who I hadn’t seen in years. We played pool and we drank our sorrows away. That day as I played pool with my long lost friend I faced a realization. A classic paradigm shift, which changed the way I have looked at sports, and life since.

I went into the weekend a New England sports fanatic, but that’s not how I left. I left with a new sense of sports, and become a sports fan. I left that trip feeling lucky. I felt lucky that I was able to witness one of the greatest Super Bowls ever played, and that’s not so bad.

Although the Patriots didn’t come out on top; the game itself gave me a new respect for sports in general, and has made me the true sports fan I am today.

New Age of Professional Poker

Money. Some people have it, everyone wants it, and a few people even gamble to get it. Profession on-line poker players are a few of these people.

“It’s not gambling. Well it can be gambling if you’re not good, but poker is a skill sport like baseball, or football. It is an acquired skill you develop through practice and hard work,” said Kush Patel, a professional poker player.

Patel is just one of an entire labor force playing poker on-line to support them. He plays poker (mostly Texas holdem) as a full time job, and makes money like any other full time job. “I play on-line for at least eight hours a day six or seven days a week. While I play, I play sixteen cash games at a time on my double to triple monitor set up,” Said Patel.

At first it seems like an easy job. Get to stay at home; choose your own hours, and you get to play poker. “I hate it” said Patel “its grueling work. Staring at two screens while constantly needing to be aware of ever hand at every table gets exhausting. One mis-click could cost me hundreds of dollars”.

That’s right, a “mis-click”. Which means folding on accident or raising on accident. Basically clicking the wrong button is all it takes to turn a winning day into a losing day.

If that doesn’t sound stressful enough sometimes a forty hour week can turn no profit what so ever. “It’s tough and even if you are the best other people will get lucky. You play the odds, and sometimes the wrong cards just seemed to find their way onto the table,” Said Patel.

Patel learned that first hand just one year ago while playing in the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas. “I played for three days and lost with pocket kings to ace king; it was the first time in my life I was upset with the game”.

As I sat in on one of Patel’s poker sessions I found out firsthand how hard managing the tables really are. I wasn’t even able to focus on four tables at a time let alone the sixteen Kush sits in front of every day of his life.

Patel is just the tip of the ice berg. There are literally millions of people that log onto these poker sites everyday to try and win money. However, most just end up giving all their money to players like Kush who do it for a living.

“I’ve been playing online for about five years. I’ve never really won; just throw thirty bucks or so in every once in a while, and it’s usually gone in a week or so,” said Tim Baroni. Baroni is the perfect example of how people like Kush make their money; they beat people who are worse than them, amateurs.

“Usually people win when the first start playing; they get lucky make bad decisions, and end up winning 100 bucks or so”. “Over time they end up giving me the money or someone else because their luck runs out. Those are the targets, we call them fish,” said Patel.

A Fish is an amateur player who basically loses their money time and time again, and doesn’t understand why. These are the players who fund the professional players allowing the pros to feed themselves and live pretty well.

“I work hard, but yes I also do pretty well for myself,” said Patel. Patel would not go into how much he actually pulls in a year due to certain reasons, but he did divulge it was upwards of six figures a year.

Playing poker is not the only thing these online gurus do; there is a much larger market for good poker players then most people know about.

“I also work for a staking company based out of Seattle Washington which stakes new players in tournaments. If the players win we get half” said Patel. “I also coach players for about 200 dollars an hour”. So, not all the money comes from just playing poker, but more often than not playing the actual game is where these entrepreneurs make most of their money.

At first the word entrepreneur seems a little out of place but after seeing the market that has been created one cannot argue against it. They have taken something that was once only done at casinos and backroom games to the internet.

Entire companies have been started just to tend to the needs of these professionals. Computers have been developed to meet their specific needs, and countless programs which analyze every hand have been developed to show what hands hit more often than others.

Since the new card cameras came to be about six years ago, Texas Hold Em has become a household game. The cameras immediately turned poker into one of the best TV sports to watch; allowing people such as Patel to see how the game is played.

“I got into poker the first year the whole card cameras came out. My poker career kicked off the same as most people; I put some money in online and lost it all immediately”. Said Patel

As the truth with everything else in the world, before one can be good at something you generally start off bad at it. “Yeah it was pretty bad I lost 500 dollars in a matter of minutes. A lot more than watching the pros on TV goes into becoming a good poker player,” said Patel.

Patel like most players dove into the sport before he was ready, and it almost convinced him to never play again. “After I lost my first deposit I figured the game was all luck, and quit for about a year. Then a found a website called 2plus2.com, which is a poker forum where players post about their hands. That website is why I am where I am today.”

Patel then went on to read more poker books and do more research on the sport. He quickly learned of a thing called variance, and how it applies to poker. “Basically, variance is why I win and why I lose. It is my 1 percent advantage in a game with average players. That overtime adds up but in the short run is the reason why I lose,” said Patel.

When Patel sits at a poker table he has a competitive advantage over the other players because he knows the game better. This advantage is small “maybe one or two percent,” said Patel. Over time the one percent advantage adds up, and is the reason Patel is able to make money in the long term.

However in the short term the variance can be quite painful. “Sometimes I will work a 40 hour week and lose three or four thousand dollars. However, if there was no variance then the fish would never win. If the fish never won they wouldn’t play, and I would be out of business,” said Patel.

ME: So what your saying is sometimes losing is a good thing? Patel: No losing is never I good thing I hate losing. Hahaha. It’s just a part of the game that I have to deal with.

Patel has made a great living playing poker, but doesn’t see himself playing for the rest of his life. “I got into it just to make some money and it pretty much took over my life. Unless I make it big I plan on quitting in a year or so and getting back into school,” said Patel.

The on-line poker community continues to grow, and is showing no signs of slowing down. According to Patel almost all professional players get started just as he did, through reading and studying the game. Patel insists he is not some super poker genius, and that anyone who puts the work in could do what he’s doing.

“I’m not saying you’ll get all the breaks all the time, but if you’re willing to do the work that money is out there to be won,” said Patel.

As the industry grows more and more people are looking to get their share of the money. However, becoming a fish and feeding money into the system is a very real outcome. So, before you decide to go all in just remember the player across the table may just have you beat; even if only by one percent.

A Profile of Kush Patel's path

Bruins Slipping

The Hurricanes take the 2-1 series on Jussie Jokinen’s 5th goal of the playoffs. It was a close game the entire way, but the Bruins could not maintain control of the puck coming out of their own end all night and it eventually cost them.

The entire night the Bruins shot themselves in the foot, not being able to bring the puck out of their own zone. It seemed every time they were about to go on the attack they just turned over the puck either in their own zone or in the neutral zone.

The Canes outshot the Bruins 41-23 dominating the Bruins in every zone. The Canes played on the Bruins half of the ice all night dominating the fore-check, an area the Bruins usually win.

The number one seed has put themselves in a virtual must win situation not wanting to fall behind 3-1. With the Sharks already being upset, the Bruins need a win to bolster their confidence and to show the Canes they are the Best team in these playoffs.

The worst thing you can give a weaker team is hope and the Bruins have done that. The Bruins are clearly the better team on paper, but that’s why they play the game and now the Canes have hope. Look for this to be a highly competitive series the rest of the way and count on this one going all seven games.

Celtics Pull Even

The Celtics pulled even with the Magic winning game two of the series in a convincing fashion. On the back of Rajon Rondo’s third triple double of the postseason, and Eddie House’s 31 points the Celtics Rolled to an easy 112-94 win over the Magic.

After getting blown out in the first three quarters of game one, the Celtics picked up right where they left off in game ones fourth showing the same toughness throughout game two. However, this time it wouldn’t be too little too late, but a steady stream of defense followed by a steady stream of points on the offensive end led to the easy victory.

House’s 31 points is a playoff carrier high for the shooter, and showed off exactly what he can do on a hot streak. With Pierce struggling and maybe a little worn down, House’s career night couldn’t have come at a better time.

Not only did House score 31 points, but he also did something that may help the team win this series letting Pierce rest much of the game. With Eddie’s success Doc Rivers was able to rest Pierce who at times just looked worn down.

The rest could end up being exactly what the Doctor ordered and look for him to come out angry and hungry in game three.

Celtics Pull Out Game 5 in a Classic

In whats turning into a all time classic playoff series, The Boston Celtics defeated the Chicago Bulls 106-104 in the third overtime game of the series to take a 3 games to 2 lead. The game played just as close as the score would indicate and with Ray Allen Fouling out with over five minutes left in the forth the Celtics where down there clutch shooter for the end.

Things were'nt looking good but the captain and "The Truth" Paul Pierce was all the Celtics needed coming down the stretch. "I just thought when Ray fouled out it was time for me to really step up" said Pierce.

Speak it and do it and that's what Pierce did scoring 12 points in the 10 minutes Ray Allen was out of the game including the game winner in overtime.

The Celtics trailed by as many as 11 points in the fourth quarter but where able to come back and show some championship talent in the process. They won this very pivotal game five which in most cases is the most important game in any best of 7 playoff series.

Other Key players for the Celtics where Rajon Rondo leading the team with 28 points and Kendrick Perkins finishing with 16 points and 19 tough rebounds. The series now shifts back to Chicago for game six a must win for the Bulls, and should be another classic between two of the most talented team in the NBA.

The Celtics should win this series, but don't count out these Bulls. With players like Derek Rose and Ben Gorden the Bulls have a great upside and should be competing in the Eastern Conference for years to come.

Allen leads Celtics to Series Tie

The Celtics escaped Monday night riding on the back of Ray Allen. Allen hit key shots down the stretch and hit a contested 3 point shot to win the game 118-115. It was a shooters duel between Ben Gordon 42pts, and Ray Allen 28 most of which came in the second half.

For a Basketball fan it was a great game, both sides played hard and both sides wanted to win. For a Celtics fan it was a nail biting experience knowing a loss here could be it for the 2009 season. however, the team pulled it off riding Ray Allen all the way to the victory.

Allen struggled the first game only scoring once from the floor, the first half of Mondays game looked like it was going to be another struggle for the All-Star but after halftime it was Ray Allen's game to win. "I never think I'm not in my rhythm. It can be a grind as a shooter. As a scorer your always trying to find something" said Allen after the game.

Allen certainly found it in the second half lighting up the scoreboard from beginning right down to the very end hitting an amazing 3 pointer to win the game.

The series will now head to Chicago all tied up at one thanks to the heroics of Allen, where the Celtics hope to stop the duo of Gordon and Rose, and hopefully get the job done.

Bruins Take Commanding lead

The Boston Bruins have taken a 3-0 series lead over the Montreal Canadians, and to say they looked good would not be doing them justice. Monday night the Bruins again dominated the Canadians in every aspect of the game to take a commanding lead in the series.

The Bruins were able to weather the initial storm the Canadians threw at them in the first period, only giving up one goal in the opening period and scoring one themselves in a deflection by Phil Kessel.

After the Canadians initial push the team looked flat and uninterested for the rest of the game scoring one more goal in the second, then giving up 2 more goals to the Bruins.

Former Canadian Michael Ryder scored the eventual game winning goal in the second, and after being benched by the Canadians last year one can only imagine how good that goal must have felt.

With the Bruins now in control of the series it's time to shut the door on the Habs. The last thing the Bruins want is to give hope to the hopeless so shutting the door quickly is very important.

The Canadians are backed into a corner but still have a very skilled and veteran team so watch for them to come out strong in game four, matching their intensity could be a hard thing for the Bruins to do with their big lead. Canadians could steal one in the next game let’s hope the Bruins can drive the final nail in the coffin.

Family fun

The Red Sox are back in action and any fan can go enjoy a game at Fenway Park, as long as that fan has about a hundred bucks to blow on one game and if they sit in the bleachers. It’s no secret the economy is in tough shape and taking the kids to Fenway might not be an option this year. If you are one of the many looking for a baseball fix but don’t want to spend Fenway money, seeing the Lowell Spinners are a great option to take advantage of.

The Lowell Spinners are a single A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox and have helped developed players such as Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez, along with current Red Sox Jonathan Papelbon, Kevin Youkilis, and up and coming stars such as Clay Buckholz, and Justin Masterson. The Spinners also won their division for the first time last year under local pro and former All-Star Gary DiSarcina, who has been the manager the past three seasons.

With all the young talent the Spinners have produced; tickets can be sold out very quickly. “Tickets are still available for the 2009 season but are going fast,” said Jon Boswell V.P. of media relations for the Lowell Spinners.

The Spinners have successfully sold out every game of every year since August 2 of 1999, which is unheard for minor league baseball anywhere. Tickets are available on their website, which is listed below.

The tickets start at just five dollars a seat, and if you’re feeling high class, you can even upgrade to the premium box seats for just eight dollars a ticket.

With the economy in its current state, getting to Fenway or even going on a summer vacation may be out of the question. “Stay-cations is a term a lot of people are using this summer. Basically, stay at home vacations, and many people are taking advantage of the inexpensive opportunities the Spinners offer,” said Boswell.

“Stay-cations” look to be this summer’s getaways for many people. “I’ve been fortunate enough to have been able to take my family on a Florida trip or Washington D.C. trip over the past few years, but this year it’s just not in the cards,” said Ellen Johnson from Wilmington.

Many families are missing out on yearly trips this year due to the lack of jobs in the area. “Between working and my husband being away in Colorado to find work going away just isn’t going to happen, so instead I’ve planned a week off in July and My husband Bill will fly home for the week and we will spend our vacation around here,” said Johnson.

With so many people staying at home this summer; going to a few Spinners games maybe just what the family needs.

The Spinner’s season starts June 19th against Vermont, and has already been sold out except for the standing room tickets, which are a steal at only four dollars. “It may not be Fenway Park, but these kids are fun to watch,” said Mike Fernandez of Billerica. “Manny Ramirez complains about making 20 million a year while the entire country is in bad shape. You won’t see that at a Spinners game; alls you will see there are some young kids absolutely loving the fact that they get to play baseball, and make a nickel while doing it.”

The summer kicks off in a few short weeks. Get to a game, grab a hotdog, and enjoy the smell of the freshly cut grass; all for around 20 bucks.

Bruins Clinch Division

After weeks of below average hockey the Boston Bruins finally clinched the Northeast Division title beating the New Jersey Devils 4-1 on Sunday. The Bruins who have been victims of some very bad bounces finally got a coupe to got their way Sunday getting two goals off of deflections and holding their ground defensively to secure the victory.

"Lately we've been wasting allot of energy jut thinking about getting the win and forgetting how to get the win" said Bruins Coach Claude Julien, after the game. The Bruins who were coming off back to back loses needed this win not only to clinch their division but for their confidence going forward.

Boston holds a five point lead in the eastern conference with nine games to go have seen that lead dwindle over the course of the last two months. They have played poorly on all sides of the puck causing many Bruins fans to question how much this team has left in the tank.

However, this win could give the team the confidence it needs to move forward. The Devils are one of the best teams in the league and the Bruins played them desperate on Sunday. down the stretch look for more desperate play but this young team along with intense battle for the puck in every game.

The only way this team can continue winning just like every other hockey team is to play desperate. The team who wants it more will win in the end. For now as Bruins fans lets rejoice enjoy the Division title hopefully the conference title is next.

Thank You Curt

Goodbye Curt Schilling. Today Curt Schilling announced his retirement on his blog, putting an end to a great career. Schilling began his Baseball career in 1986 being drafted by the Red Sox and now in 2009 he has retired with the same team.

He played with five major league clubs starting with Baltimore after being traded by the Red Sox, then pitching for Houston, Philadelphia, Arizona, then back to Boston in 2004. Schilling appeared in four World Series winning one with Arizona in 2001 which he was the co-MVP of with Randy Johnson, then adding two more championships with the Red Sox in 2004 and 2007.

Schilling finishes his career with 216 wins, a 3.46 ERA, and 3,116 strike outs which puts him 15th on the all time strike out list. His regular season numbers show a solid fast ball pitcher worthy of some recognition for the hall of fame however; his postseason numbers are second to none.

Schilling posted an 11-2 record in postseason play which is the best of any pitcher with 10 decisions or more. He also had an astounding 2.23 ERA in his 19 postseason appearances which could secure a spot in Cooperstown.

Schilling was a pitcher who was not afraid to speak his mind no matter how it made him look. He never shied away from the spotlight which rubbed allot of people the wrong way including this writer.

Schilling hurt his Hall of Fame bid almost every time he opened his mouth, which was often, making enemies with many voters, but that never stopped him from voicing his own opinion which must be respected especially this day and age.

Love him or hate him, Boston Sports fans owe him. He came to Boston in 2004 and brought the end of an 86 year drought. Whether you agree with him or not ever Boston Red Sox fans owe him a giant thank you.

Thank You Curt, for giving it all you had and giving all Sox fans young and old a reason to believe.

Bruins Coming On?

The Bruins on Saturday looked as though they were ready to start their run at the playoffs, Sunday was a different story. On Saturday the Bruins beat the Black Hawks, who are fourth best team in the Western Conference, playing mean, tough, desperate hockey.

On Sunday against the Rangers the Bruins also came to play and play hard with the exception of their goal tender Manny Fernandez, who single handedly cost his team the game. Fernandez gave up four goals in the game including one he put in himself and one he was out of position on so badly the announcer of the game voiced his disgust.

The Bruins goaltending has proved to be a problem over their skid, with both goal tenders giving up questionable goals. The Defense and Offense seem to be coming on. The defense has looked great over the past few games, and the offense has finally turned their shots into goals over the last two games.

The Bruins offense has had trouble finding the back of the net over the last 10 game stretch, not lacking in shots or offensive pressure just in goals which is the most important stat of them all.

With only 15 games left before the playoffs the Bruins goal tenders better get their heads on straight or this top ranked team could be the victim of a first round knockout.

Celtics Fend Off Pesky Nets

Entering the fourth quarter the Celtics had a comfortable 13 Point lead, then with one minute left in the game it was tied. The nets, known for collapsing and giving up in games did the exact opposite Wednesday night and came from as many as 13 Down to give the Celtics a scare down the stretch.

Paul Pierce again rose to the occasion sinking a 17 foot fade away with 20 seconds left to put the Celtics up 113 to 111, and a couple of Ray Allen free throws later led a Celtics victory over the nets 115 to 111.

The Celtics defense is clearly hurting with Garnett and Scalabrine still out of the lineup. While Garnett’s timetable has stayed the same (2-3 weeks) the Celtics are still to report of anything positive Garnett is doing and Scalabrine has already been ruled out for the entire month of March with a concussion.

While the offense is stagnant at times without the energy of Garnett they are still scoring plenty of points. The defense is clearly suffering, a Garnett led defense does not give up an 11? Point lead in the fourth quarter to a New Jersey Nets squad who have been known to tank it if the game takes a bad turn.

With that said, Doc Rivers and the rest of the Celtics have done a great job over the past week, losing two key players in addition to incorporating two new players one of which has not played basketball in a year.

While Michael Moore has had his downs, he has adjusted and fit in pretty nicely thus far. Stephon Marbury had a good first game but has struggled since, turning the ball over and just not knowing the Celtics defensive and offensive sets yet. While the Marbury addition could prove to be a key addition to a playoff run the Celtics must go through this transition with the point guard and for the time being, deal with his mistakes.

However, none of that matter comes Friday night when the battle for eastern conference supremacy will take place between the Cavaliers and Celtics. So whether Starbury has learned the Celtics game plan or not the Cavaliers are coming with a full roster to win home court in the playoffs. After last year the Celtics better hope they learn how to win on the road before the third round starts.

Hook Slide Kelly: Place to be

So many bars so little time. Lowell is known for its down town bar scene sporting dozens of bars in a rather small area. With all the college students and local residents enjoying these establishments; these bars can get rowdy, crowded, and suffocating.

According to many; some bars just aren’t big enough however, one bar named Hook Slide Kellys seems to have the right idea. "Hook Slides is the place to go. Thursday nights at Hook Slide Kelly’s are great,” said Tim Baroni, of Lowell.

Other share the same opinion, “I enjoy going out, but I do not enjoy fighting my way through a crowd every time I need to use the bathroom. Hook Slide’s is one of the only bars that has easy bathroom access,” said Mike Fernandez, of Billerica.

With other bars overcrowding themselves beyond capacity simple tasks such as using the bathroom can become quite daunting. Hook Slides sets up their bathroom in the back down a hallway that at first seems incontinent, but in fact allows a much better flow of traffic.

“The first time I went to Hook Slides I had no idea where the bathroom was. It was like a maze. After I figured it out, I realized how convent it really was,” said Baroni.

According to many getting a drink can also be a very difficult task while at many of the Lowell bars. “Getting a drink can be very hard, I found that Hook Slides does a decent job of serving their customers, but any where you go it’s not easy,” said Fernandez.

Although Hook Slide Kellys service is about the same as the surrounding bars, their set up allows for easier travel to and from the bar. “Well they have the dance floor in the back; then I nice long bar on the right side, and tables on the left. Every area is wide and open unlike most bars in the area,” said Jackie Spry, of Wilmington.

The wide open set-up Hook Slide’s provides allows everyone to have fun, while still allowing personal space. Hook Slide’s also has one of the bigger dance floors of any Lowell bar attracting a younger crowd.

“I love to dance and have fun. Besides the Brewery, Hook Slides has the best area to dance that I’ve seen in Lowell,” said Spry.

Some people hold their allegiances to other bars in the area, “I like the dub [Dubliner], it is always filled with college kids and is right downtown,” said Steve Johnson, of Wilmington. “Hook Slides only fills up on Thursdays, and sometimes they don’t let people in, which can be aggravating to get caught outside”.

No bar seems to be without its flaws, but Hook Slide Kellys seems to be as close as it’s going to get around the Lowell area. With so many bars to choose from going out is easy. Lowell clearly has a great spot for college students to unwind, and have a good time.

No matter what bar you prefer; it is clear that Hook Slide Kellys is definitely worth spending some time in.

Bruins Struggles Continue

The Boston Bruins lost another tough game in the final two minutes of the third period, as Vaclav Prospal beat Manny Fernandez for the go ahead and eventual game winning goal. The worst part about this loss was that it was too the Tampa Bay Lightning, who are currently ranked 13th in the Eastern Conference.

Bruins Coach Claude Julien had other thoughts "I think if all the cards were aligned, I don't think they be in the bottom of the league. You just have to look at the guys that they have up front. There’s a lot of fire power there" said Julien reports http://espn.go.com/nhl/recap?gameId=290222020.

The Lightening is a talented team and deserves credit for putting on a great show, but it was a game the Bruins should have won. Just like many of their other losses on this slump, the Bruins out shot and outplayed Tampa Bay for the duration of the game, and just couldn't hold defensively.

Ever since giving a game up late to Philadelphia back on February 7th, the Bruins seem to be in a rut they cannot climb out of. They have lost six of their last seven and have only been out shot in two of the six loses.
Who’s To Blame

It is very easy to point the finger at the Bruins offense considering they have been shut out twice during this slump; however the offense is not to blame. The Bruins have out shot four of the six opponents they have fallen to while dominating offensively, out shooting Philly 37-30, New Jersey 31-18, Florida 41-29, and Tampa 43-18. While only being out shot in loses to San Jose 31-30, and Nashville 25-31. Over those six loses the Bruins out shot their opponents 207-157 and had 10 goals to show for it over the 6 games.

This shows their offense has hit a bit of a cold streak, but over those same six games the defense has given up 19 goals. This averages over three goals a game given up by bad decisions and bad goal tending. The combination of All-star Tim Thomas and back up Manny Fernandez seems to struggling along with the rest of the defense.

This is a very bad sign for the future, because the Bruins are built on defense and toughness. The reason they took Montreal to game seven last year was because of defense, and the reason they are on the top of the Eastern Conference is directly related to their defensive play thus far. So as the Bruins defense stumbles the rest of the team will continue to fall.

For all the Bruins fans out there don’t sell your season tickets quite yet as long as Coach Claude Julien is at the helm the defense remains a very fixable problem.

Suns Get Rondoed

No Kevin Garnett, no problem, Celtics still have Rondo. On his 23rd birthday Rajon Rondo decided it was a good time to show off his talent against a very hot Phoenix Suns team. Not only scoring a game high 32 points, but also leading the team in assists, steals, and rebounds.
Rondo again showed his ability to dominate one of the best point guards in the game in Steve Nash, and with the help of Ray Allen, was able to make some team history in the process. As the two guards lit up the scoreboard all night, becoming the first Celtics backcourt duo to score 30 plus points each since 1977. After starting the year off strong Rondo looked as though he had a chance at the All Star game, but his struggles lately knocked him out of the voting. After his showing in Phoenix, it seems those struggles have gone away, and at a time when the Celtics need him the most with Garnett out.
With Rondo showing what he can do, I do not expect the Celtics to show much of a drop off with Garnett out of the lineup. With Garnett out the Celtics have posted a 12 and 2 record in the past, and there is no reason why they can't do it again. http://espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=290222021 reports, Rondo feels the same way "guys step up and play thier roles even better when kevin is out" Rondo said after his career night. Although there will be a drop in the defensive play, the offense should continue on with Rondo, Allen and Peirce leading the way. Over the next few weeks watch for Perkins and Scalabrine to step up defensively. Also watch for big baby Davis and Leon Powe to see substantial playing time with Garnett's absence.