Tag: professional sports
PCI: Should NFL Athletes Have More Choice In What They Wear for Cleats?
by The Cowl Editor on November 14, 2019
PCI
Allow More Freedom
By Cam Smith ’21
Assistant Sports Editor
The NFL, often labeled the “No Fun League,” is notorious for restricting players’ freedom to wear cleats of their choosing. If the league wants to keep up with the times, that needs to change.
Recently, the cleat controversy has centered around Cleveland Browns wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry. A week nine game against the Denver Broncos saw the pair sport unauthorized cleats in the first half of the game, before being forced to change at halftime by a league dress code official. If they refused to comply, the duo would have been banned from participating in the second half of the game and would likely have faced further league punishment.
The fact that this can occur is ridiculous on two fronts. The first being the hypocrisy it displays, as the league very much profits off of the individuality of its stars. In Beckham’s case, the league has gone to great lengths to promote him as one of the faces of the game, featuring him and his flashy play style in everything from commercials to award shows.
The league intentionally highlights Beckham as one of the great personalities in the game in an effort to draw viewers in. That is why it is so abhorrent that they then restrict him in the one area where he can creatively express himself on the field.
Secondly, the absurd nature of the rule is amplified by another American sports league’s recent update on its footwear policy. The NBA changed its dress code rule to allow for sneakers of any color, with designs of the player’s choice. This season, players have already flaunted everything from SpongeBob SquarePants to Minnie Mouse on their basketball sneakers.
“You can learn a little bit more about a guy when you see what he’s putting on his shoe, whether it’s a social campaign or his love for a movie or character or something like that,” said Colleen Garrity, the Vice President of basketball marketing at Excel Sports Management, an agency which represents multiple NBA stars.
Indeed, this increased knowledge of players’ interests has already allowed for greater fan interaction, as fans can now better connect with players they know share similar interests. So too has it added some much needed personality to games sometimes filled with boring and monotonous uniform colors. The NFL has no reason not to follow suit.
Finally, with the advent of items such as social media, players have been given more substance to their public personas beyond simply the uniform and team they play for. Gone are the days of football being just about football, and the cleats the players wear should reflect this.
The NFL must catch up with the changing times.
Keep The Rule
By Scott Jarosz ’21
Sports Staff
Many controversies have risen as of late relating to the National Football League’s strict policies about the gear its players can wear during games, and specifically the cleats the players can wear. The league’s strict policies have earned it the nickname the “No Fun League” in recent years, as players have little freedom in terms of wearing customized cleats during games.
In some cases, players have donned customized cleats that are designed to support good causes, such as when Cleveland Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. sported cleats that raised awareness for cancer research back in 2016.
However, for the most part, giving players freedom to wear whatever they choose welcomes the possibility that players could wear cleats that contain imagery that is inconsistent with the league’s values. These types of unwanted situations would negatively affect the league’s image. This is why the NFL should continue to enforce its relatively strict policies surrounding custom cleats, as doing so helps maintain leaguewide consistency and also prevents players from wearing controversial gear that harms the perception of the league.
Back in 2017, the NFL updated its footwear policy to allow players more freedom in wearing cleats with custom designs. The new policy allowed for players to wear approved cleats with custom designs during team warmups as well as pregame activities.
However, during games, players would be required to wear cleats that are black, white, or team colors. This policy allowed players to show their true colors during warmups, but also maintain consistency with their uniforms during games. This policy returned to the spotlight on November 3, 2019 when Odell Beckham Jr. wore “The Joker”-themed cleats and Jarvis Landry wore flashy gold cleats during a game. The league informed the players that they would have to change their footwear to adhere to league standards at halftime or else they would be prohibited from participating in the second half. The league’s enforcement of its rules during this situation was fully justified, as the players knowingly acted against the footwear policy.
The NFL, just like any other work environment, has a dress code that its “employees” must follow or else they will be asked to change. If the league were to make exceptions to this rule, it would face even more criticism. By enforcing its footwear policy, the NFL ensures that it produces a consistent on-field product that is organized and prevents further controversies from arising.
Editor’s Corner: Money Talks: The NBA & China
by The Cowl Editor on October 31, 2019
Professional Sports
By Cam Smith ’21
Sports Assistant Editor
For months, pro-democracy protesters have filled the streets of Hong Kong, a former British colony that was handed back to the Chinese in 1997. Although taking place on the opposite side of the globe, the effects of the protests are being felt on the American world of basketball.
To understand the unrest, one must understand that since 1997, China and Hong Kong have operated under a “one country, two systems” policy. The policy grants the citizens of Hong Kong far greater access to rights, including the right to free speech and free assembly, than those living on the Communist party-controlled mainland.
The catalyst for the protests was a bill that would make it easy for Beijing officials, including President Xi Jinping, to accuse Hong Kong citizens of fallacious crimes, and then process them through courts controlled by the Communist Party. Although the bill was recently withdrawn by the Hong Kong legislature, the protests have continued as they have evolved into a broader fight against the increasing encroachment of Beijing into everyday life.
It is in this context that on Oct. 4, the general manager of the Houston Rockets, Daryl Morey, tweeted out his support for the protesters, posting an image that read, “fight for freedom, stand with Hong Kong.” This simple gesture of support created countless consequences.
Subsequently forced to apologize for his tweet, Morey was denounced by the Chinese consulate in Houston and was even on the hotseat as the Rockets reportedly considered firing him in an effort to appease the Chinese. His own star player, James Harden, took it upon himself to apologize for Morey, saying, “We apologize… we love China. We love playing there.”
Fellow NBA star, Lebron James, whose team was in China at the time for a pair of preseason games, also weighed in, saying that, “So many people could have been harmed [by the tweet], not only financially, but physically, emotionally, spiritually… Even though yes, we do have freedom of speech, there can be a lot of negative that comes with it.”
Since then, Chinese broadcasters have ignored key games in the opening week of NBA action, including the Rockets opener against the Milwaukee Bucks. Chinese sponsors for the NBA have also been pulled, and those games that did make it to television in China were devoid of audio for fear of mentioning the controversy.
It was only recently that the NBA forged a $1.5 billion agreement to stream games online with Chinese tech giant Tencent Holdings. Prior to the deal, what the league labels as “NBA China,” already held an estimated value of $4 billion to the league. Unquestionably, China represents an enormous market for basketball itself.
However, this does not excuse the NBA from turning its back on a people fighting for freedom. The squashing of support for Hong Kong by the league, along with other American corporations including Apple and Blizzard Entertainment, is deeply disturbing. Furthermore, it is a complete betrayal of the American values that we hold dear as a country, values that have allowed the NBA and its players to thrive. The expansion of capitalism must not result in the sacrifice of democracy.
Simone Biles: The Golden Girl
by The Cowl Editor on October 10, 2019
Professional Sports
Gymnast Sets Record for Most Medals in History
By Nicole Patano ’22
Guest Writer
Simone Biles has one medal for every year she has been alive—and then some. During the 2019 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, which started on Oct. 4, Biles won her 21st world championship medal. Taken together with her five Olympic medals, the 22-year-old has a total of 26 medals, making her the most decorated female gymnast in history.
The title for most World Champion medals was previously held by retired gymnast Svetlana Khorkina, who had 20. With 21 under her belt, Biles is only two medals short of the all-time record for men and women. And the week is not over yet. If Biles were to medal in the Women’s All-Around Final, as well as four individual event finals—vault, uneven bars, balance beam, and floor exercise, her total count of World medals could get up to 26. While this week is full of successes for Simone Biles, it is nothing new to her.
Biles has been training in gymnastics since the age of six. She made her national debut at the American Classic only five years later, where she placed third in the all-around competition and first in the vault. From there, her career took off. Still too young to perform in the 2012 Olympics, Biles trained six to eight hours a day in preparation for the 2016 Olympics held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Biles’s inaugural Olympic performance led her team to victory and won her four gold medals, setting a new American record for most gold medals in gymnastics at a single Olympic Games. Her team elected her to carry the American flag in the closing ceremonies. Since then, Biles has been the face of U.S. female gymnastics, appearing on the covers of Time, Sports Illustrated, and Teen Vogue.
Recently, Simone Biles has been in the news for being the first to execute a perfect double-double dismount off the balance beam and a triple-double on the floor. She nailed these two moves at the world gymnastics championship, and they are now known as the “Biles” and the “Biles II,” respectively. With the addition of these moves, Biles now has four moves named after her. If her performance this week continues, we may see more history being made.
But it has not all been gold medals and perfect dismounts. At an early age, Biles was diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). While this was difficult enough, after the 2016 Olympic Games, Russian hackers accessed the medical records of some Team USA athletes, including Biles. They revealed that Biles had tested positive for methylphenidate (Ritalin) and tried to use this information to discredit her performance at the Games. Biles took to social media, saying, “I have ADHD and I have taken medicine for it since I was a kid. Please know, I believe in clean sport, have always followed the rules, and will continue to do so as fair play is critical to sport and is very important to me.” By opening up about her experience with ADHD, she encouraged many young people in similar circumstances.
When Team USA members began accusing team doctor Larry Nassar of sexually abusing them, Biles added her name to the list. While she does not carry Nassar’s guilt, Biles says, “It’s not easy coming back to the sport, coming back to the organization that has failed you…I feel every day is a reminder of what I went through and what I’ve been through and what I’m going through and how I’ve come out of it. I try just not to think about it.” In August, Biles told reporters that she could no longer trust USA Gymnastics, and that she feels anxiety whenever visiting a doctor or trainer now. “We had one goal and we’ve done everything that they’ve asked us for, even when we didn’t want to, and they couldn’t do one damn job.”
In addition to the emotional pain Biles feels, she admits to constantly being in physical pain. In an interview with Daily Mail, Biles says, “I joke to my friends a lot that I am going to be in a wheelchair at 30.” She adds that it is unusual for her to not be in pain. A calf that has been torn repeatedly, a broken rib, and a shattered toe, and Biles claims she has been fortunate with her injuries. Less than 24 hours after spending the night in the hospital with kidney stones, Simone Biles was leading her team to first place at the 2018 World Gymnastics Championships and securing them a spot in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
The 2020 Olympic Games may be Biles’s last ever. The champion says that her body is “just kind of falling apart.” While she has been out breaking records, she is also healing—emotionally and physically. Admitting that there is little keeping her in the sport besides herself, Biles feels she does not have to prove herself anymore. It is about time that she experiences a break that will not result in a hospital visit.
Editor’s Corner: Crashing Through Gender Barriers
by The Cowl Editor on October 10, 2019
Professional Sports
By Meaghan Cahill ’20
Sports Co-Editor
Olympic gold medalist and former Providence College Women’s Hockey Team member Cammi Granato ’93 has been hired by the National Hockey League expansion team based in Seattle as the first female pro scout.
Team general manager Ron Francis said, “I know she’s a female pro scout for us, but her resume is why she got the job—not because she’s female.”
However, there is a lot of importance in the fact that Granato is a female.
As one of the handful of women working in the NHL, Granato’s new position signifies that the NHL is beginning to catch up to current times and solve the gender inequality that has had a daunting hold over professional sports for many years. The only difference between the NHL and other leagues is that the MLB, NBA, and NFL have already made attempts to close the gap between the male-to-female workers ratio.
As of 2018, the MLB has over 100 women working in baseball operations (front office and on-field jobs) and the NBA and NFL have hired woman to take on full-time coaching roles. And while it must be noted that no women has been hired as a full-time general manager or head coach, at least there has been acknowledgement from these three leagues that women are capable of working within both the game and with the athletes.
MLB chief diversity officer Renee Tirado said on the issue, “There’s no sugar-coating this. There’s a lot to do.”
The acknowledgement towards the lack of female presence in professional sports has been lost amongst the NHL it seems, considering that, of the four major pro leagues, they are the only league who has been reluctant to hire women. Of the 31 NHL teams, there is not a single female coach, assistant coach, general manager, or assistant general manager. Even within hockey operations there is a sparse amount of women working.
With that being said, Granato’s hiring might be an indication that the NHL is finally beginning to realize that they are very far behind not only the MLB, NFL, and NBA, but also society as a whole. In a league where many coaches, GMs, and AGMs are former professional players themselves, Granato’s hiring is opening doors to a vast amount of people—male and female alike—to find jobs in the NHL. Especially for women, Granato’s hiring is proof that outsiders of the NHL can know the game and do beneficial work within it.
On her new position, the first female Hockey Hall of Fame and United States Hockey Hall of Fame inductee said, “I know the game and I’m confident in that. I’ve been around the game since I could walk. It’s really cool to be able to do it as a job and I’m looking forward to contributing my opinion.”
Granato’s words and Francis’s comments on her extensive resume being the reason that she got the job demonstrates a solution to what has been the main argument for not hiring women to work for the NHL: that they do not know the game.
Gender issues aside, until recently it has been extremely difficult for non-NHL experienced players to break into the league. Even AHL coaches struggle to get a promotion. This is all changing. As of 2018, 14 of the 62 head coaches have never played in the NHL; the same goes for 13 of the 62 general managers.
Sports writer Lauren Kelly writes, “If there is a time for women to break into this area of the industry, it is now.”
Because, as with any sport, one does not need to play the game to know the game.
Editor’s Corner
by The Cowl Editor on February 14, 2019
Professional Sports
What People Can Learn From Patrice Bergeron’s Career
By Meaghan Cahill ’20
Sports Co-Editor
Over the past week, the entire hockey community has been celebrating Patrice Bergeron as he reached yet another milestone in his career—playing in 1,000 games. Former players, coaches, family members, and fans have expressed their gratitude for all that Bergeron has done on and off the ice in a series of interviews and videos shared by the Boston Bruins organization. Upon reflection, these videos have brought to mind not what Bergeron has given of himself, but what people, athletes and non-athletes alike, can take and learn from him over the course of his 16 year career.
1. In the face of adversity, never give up.
In October 2007, Bergeron’s career almost ended when he suffered a grade-three concussion after a hit from behind during a game against the Philadelphia Flyers—there is no grade-four. His injury was so severe that in the months following the hit, the question was not “will he be able to recover and return to the game?” but “will his life in general ever be the same?” There was serious doubt that he would ever be able to play hockey again. Yet, Bergeron put all those doubts to rest when just over a year later he was back and scoring goals. Three more serious (but not as major) concussions later, Bergeron proved time and time again that when people think his career is finished they need to think again.
2. “We” not “Me” because selfishness gets you nowhere.
According to Boston Bruins announcer Jack Edwards, the media joke surrounding Bergeron is to see what it takes for them to get him to once refer to himself in the first person. It never happens. Bergeron’s main focus has always been, and always will be, his teammates and their contributions. It is a true sign of his leadership perhaps, or just his character in general, but Bergeron’s unselfish attitude is one that is known throughout the league and it is the one thing that players commented most about him. And to Bergeron, even when asked about his latest accomplishment of being the fifth Boston Bruins player to make it to 1,000+ games, he stated, “My best memories are always what we’ve accomplished as a team, and the friends I have made. It’s honestly that’s what I’m most proud of.”
3. Have courage to persevere in any situation.
Game 6 of the 2013 Stanley Cup Finals against the Chicago Blackhawks ended with the Blackhawks as the victors, but Bergeron a legend. Against medical advisement, Bergeron played alongside his teammates with a plethora of injuries: torn rib cartilage, broken rib, separated shoulder, and a punctured lung. On his more recent injury that would take Bergeron out of the game for a month, teammate Brad Marchand commented how he would not succumb to his injury until the final buzzer went off, “Essentially, his whole body was broken, the whole upper half. And he still comes back to play. It’s incredible.” His toughness has become a staple on his résumé as a player and proves time and time again why he is considered the best of the best.
Patriots Clinch Super Bowl LIII Over Rams
by The Cowl Editor on February 7, 2019
Professional Sports
PC Campus Celebrates Patriots’ Sixth Title
by Liza Sisk ’19
On Feb. 3, the New England Patriots earned their sixth ring during Super Bowl LIII. The Patriots are now tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the most Super Bowl wins by a single franchise. In an incredibly underwhelming game from an offensive perspective, but possibly one of the most challenging defensive games in Super Bowl history, the Patriots outscored the Los Angeles Rams 13-3.
“We have a lot of great people in the organization. It starts at the top with Robert [Kraft] and his family, he’s given us great support in all the things we need to do to be competitive. Again, we have a great group of players and coaches that work extremely hard to compete the best we can. Happy that things worked out for us this year and we were able to be the best team in football this season,” said Patriots’ Head Coach Bill Belichick to USA Today.
The game was scoreless heading into the second quarter. Perhaps it was inspiration from Belichick or the performance by Maroon 5 and Travis Scott, but the Pats were able to pull off the W in the final quarter. The game was the lowest-scoring Super Bowl in history, succeeding the Miami Dolphins victory over the Washington Redskins 14-7 in Super Bowl VII. In addition, a record was set by quarterback Tom Brady on Sunday night. He is the first athlete in the NFL to win six Super Bowls and holds the record for most Super Bowl appearances with nine.
Super Bowl LIII also brought a few firsts for the Rams franchise. Johnny Hekker, punter for the Rams, now holds the record for the longest punt in Super Bowl history after kicking 65 yards. Additionally, the Rams’ head coach received a nod as the youngest NFL head coach to make a Super Bowl appearance. Sean McVay is just 33 years old and is the youngest person to become a head coach in the National Football League since 1938.
The Patriots, led by Brady, were able to turn on the heat in the fourth quarter to secure the victory. Two crucial passes from Brady to tight end Rob Gronkowski and a successful drive by Sony Michel led to the first and only touchdown of the game. A field goal by kicker Stephen Gostowski sealed the win.
Following the win, Brady told USA Today, “We couldn’t take our foot off the gas pedal, we were playing a great football team. They’re explosive in all areas. They got the one turnover. They have a great team.”
Wide receiver Julian Edelman earned the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player award. Edelman made 10 catches, earning 141 yards during the game. His performance alone accounted for over half of the Patriots’ total receiving yardage, 262. He was the first wide receiver to win the award since Super Bowl XLIII in 2009. After a rocky start to the season, he was able to tally up 74 catches for 850 yards and six touchdowns in 2018. Edelman said,“I wasn’t focused on that (MVP). I was just trying to go out and have a good week of practice and do my job. And sometimes, the cookie crumbles that way.”
Following the win, there was an undeniable buzz in the air at Providence College. The majority of students hailing from New England, it is no surprise that the sixth Super Bowl victory for the franchise brought so much excitement.
“This is the greatest sports dynasty of all time,” said Francis Figueroa ’20. Similar sentiments were shared by other students as Providence College students shipped it up to Boston on Tuesday, February 5 to watch the victory parade.
Baseball Writers Elect Four to Cooperstown
by The Cowl Editor on January 31, 2019
Professional Sports
Three Pitchers & First Designated Hitter Cement Their Legacy
By Thomas Zinzarella ’21
Sports Staff
With the winter meetings in the rearview mirror, the next big event on the baseball calendar before spring training in March is the annual Baseball Hall of Fame election. The voting for this prestigious honor is left in the hands of an exclusive few who are also known as as the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA).
Four members on this year’s ballot were voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Mariano Rivera garnered 425 votes out of the possible 425 votes.
Rivera is the first player ever to be a unanimous decision. Ken Griffey Jr. was the closest in 2016, earning 99.3 percent of the possible votes. Edgar Martinez and the late Roy Halladay ushered in 85.41 percent of the vote, while the final candidate to be elected was Mike Mussina with 76.71 percent of the vote.
Mussina was as steady and reliant as a pitcher could be. Mussina, a five-time All Star and seven-time Gold Glove award winner, posted 17 consecutive seasons with 11 or more wins while finishing in the Cy Young top-5 six different times.
Mussina started his career with the Baltimore Orioles before heading to the New York Yankees via free agency. Many debated whether he should be inducted because he holds the 3rd highest ERA for a pitcher to be elected into the Hall of Fame. Some argued this is because he pitched in the hitter-friendly Camden Yards and Old Yankee Stadium, while others state that he was pitching in a time when hitters were dominating the game of baseball.
Martinez had to wait 10 years but, in his final year on the ballot, he was able to reach the 75 percent threshold. Martinez was used to waiting, though. Signed for $4,000, Martinez hit .173 in his first minor league season where he did not get a starting job until he was 27 years old. Martinez ended up spending the entirety of his 18-year career with the Seattle Mariners, where he was a seven-time All Star, five-time Silver Slugger, and led the American League in Average twice. Martinez’s number may not be the flashiest, but fellow Hall of Fame Pitcher Pedro Martinez ranked Edgar as one of the five toughest hitters he faced in his career due to the fact that he “was a guy that had the ability to foul off pitches, and it pissed me off because I couldn’t get the guy out.” Edgar only scratched three hits in 25 plate appearances against Pedro, but his legacy lives on.
The late Roy Halladay got into the Hall on his first try and well deservingly. Halladay passed away suddenly in 2017 after a plane crash, but memories of him live on through his family and his fans.
Halladay was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays as the 17th overall pick in the 1995 draft, but he struggled early on in his career. In fact, Halladay was demoted to Single-A to work on his mechanics. Halladay persevered and became a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Halladay was one of the most dominant pitchers in the modern era.
He was an eight-time All Star, a two-time Cy Young award winner, and recorded 61 complete games from 2003-2011. This is 30 more complete games than CC Sabathia, who was second. Halladay was a consistent workhorse for both the Blue Jays and the Philadelphia Phillies. During his tenure with the Phillies, Halladay threw a perfect game and a no-hitter, both in the same season. He became the first player ever to throw both in one season and become only the second player ever to throw a no-hitter in the postseason. Many remember Halladay by his nickname “Doc” for his flat-out dominance and control on the mound, and he will be missed by the baseball community
Surprisingly, it took this long for a player to be unanimously voted into the Hall of Fame, but there is no better candidate than Rivera. Better known by his nickname “Mo,” Rivera is a five-time World Series Champion and is currently the all-time leader in saves with 652.
Rivera’s story is a unique one. In 1988, Herb Raybourn, a scout, noticed Rivera playing shortstop at a youth tournament in Panama and decided to pass up on him. Rivera began to pitch and a teammate of his called Raybourn, who was then the Director of Latin American Operations for the Yankees. In February of 1990, behind Rivera’s house, he threw only nine pitches before Reybourn quickly signed him to a $2,000 bonus, and the rest was history.
He not only excelled on the field, but he was flat out dominant. More people have walked on the moon (12) than men who have scored against Rivera in the postseason (11), and he faced 527 hitters in the postseason, yet only two of those batters hit a home run off him. You can love him or hate him, but you have to respect the fact that our generation has grown up with one of the best closers in the game, and we may have taken him for granted.
The 2019 Baseball Hall of Fame class is truly unique due to the fact that many of these players had to grind their way through and experienced failures along the way. It proves to any athlete or baseball player that pure determination and effort can take you anywhere you want to go.
Bruins Rally to Eliminate Leafs
by The Cowl Editor on April 26, 2018
Professional Sports
By Jeremy Perrigo ’18
Sports Staff
The Boston Bruins failed to eliminate the Toronto Maple Leafs for the second-straight game Monday night, as the team from the hub of Canada’s hockey world forced Game 7 with a 3-1 win at Air Canada Centre.
The final game of the best-of-seven series headed back to TD Garden Wednesday night, drawing eerie similarities to a first-round meeting between these two Original Six rivals five years ago.
In 2013, as most Bruins fans remember, Boston had a 3-1 series lead over Toronto in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. The B’s went on to lose the following two games and were forced to face the Maple Leafs in Game 7, similar to their matchup this postseason.
In that game, two goals from Cody Franson, followed by goals from then-teammates Phil Kessel and Nazem Kadri, propelled the Leafs to a 4-1 lead with less than 15 minutes remaining in the third period.
As the saying goes, the rest is history. Goals from Nathan Horton, Milan Lucic, and Patrice Bergeron brought the game back to even with 51 seconds remaining.
Bergeron would go on to score an emotional game-winning goal 6:05 into overtime to propel the Bruins into the second round. From there the team would defeat the New York Rangers in five games and sweep the Pittsburgh Penguins in four, before falling to the Chicago Blackhawks on home ice in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final.
Now, many hockey-educated fans are quick to point out that this Toronto Maple Leafs team is not the team of 2013. Sure, they were the underdog team coming into this series, as they were back then, but their current roster looks dramatically different.
Then goaltender James Reimer has since moved on to Florida, and Frederik Andersen has won the starting role for Mike Babcock’s Maple Leafs. Kessel, after the organization spent years trying to build a team around him as their star player, has moved on to Pittsburgh, where he has won two Stanley Cups in a supporting-cast role to Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.
Drafting Auston Matthews first overall in 2016 has been the biggest improvement for the Maple Leafs over the last two years. In his freshman and sophomore seasons Matthews lived up to the hype, recording 69 and 63 point seasons, respectively.
The Scottsdale, Arizona native and Toronto phenom remained mostly silent throughout the series, recording only one goal (albeit a beautiful one) and an assist leading up to Game 7, where he would be held off the board yet again.
That was perhaps the most troubling fact for Bruins fans, heading into the final game of the series. While it felt at times like Toronto had narrowly escaped destruction with at least two of their three victories in the series, they managed to do so largely without the help of their star player.
William Nylander, largely considered to be Matthews’ right hand man, as he literally played right wing on a first line centered by No. 34 for most of the season, went through a similar drought of postseason success. He recorded only one goal and one assist over the first six games of the series, which bounced him down to Toronto’s fourth line for games five and six. He would add two assists to his resume in Game 7.
Players noticeably absent from the scoresheet for the Bruins during those same two games when Nylander was on the fourth line, were David Pastrnak, Brad Marchand, and Bergeron, who are better known as the components of Boston’s first line.
To put it even more into perspective as to how important these three are, in the Bruins’ first three wins of the series, they combined for 23 points. In the team’s three losses, they had zero.
Enter, Game 7.
The Bruins and Maple Leafs combined for five goals in the first period alone, as veteran Patrick Marleau opened the scoring with his third goal of the season just 2:05 into the game.
Bruins rookie Jake DeBrusk would tie the game before Marleau would put his team back ahead with his second of the night with a wrist shot from the right circle.
Two goals from Danton Heinen and Bergeron would give Boston a 3-2 lead heading into the second frame.
Despite outshooting the Maple Leafs 13-6 in the second period, the Bruins would allow the only two goals of the period, one to Travis Dermott, and another, a heart-breaking short-handed goal to Kasperi Kapanen.
Heading into the third, Boston’s season was on the ropes.
Only 1:10 into the period, Torey Krug fired a shot from the center of the blue line off the faceoff that rocketed past Andersen and into the net, tying the game 4-4. Just 4:15 later, DeBrusk would power to the net with a strong cut to the inside, sliding another puck past the Toronto netminder to give Boston the go-ahead goal.
From here, the rest is history.
Pastrnak would add another from the slot off a smart feed from Bergeron, and Marchand put the icing on top with an empty-net goal from center ice.
Boston would cruise to a 7-4 Game 7 victory, with seven points from its first line and six from its second line of DeBrusk, David Krejci, and Rick Nash.
And, for at least a night, the Bruins have reason to celebrate. After all, this is the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and the Tampa Bay Lightning wait rested at home as they open the second round against Boston Saturday at Amalie Arena.
Stay tuned, and if the regular season matchups were any indication, hockey fans should be in for another electric series between the B’s and Bolts.
Gil Santos ‘Voice of the Patriots’ Dies at 80
by The Cowl Editor on April 26, 2018
Professional Sports
By Meaghan Cahill ’20
Sports Co-Editor
Gil Santos, inductee of the Massachusetts Broadcasters Hall of Fame, radio play-by-play announcer for the New England Patriots, and member of the Patriots Hall of Fame passed away last weekend on April 19. It was his 80th birthday and 57th wedding anniversary.
Known as the “Voice of the Patriots,” Santos began his renowned career in 1966 as a color commentor for WBZ. He became the official play-by-play announcer in 1971 when the Patriots moved to Foxborough, Massachusetts. He called 744 games in 36 seasons before he announced his retirement in 2009.
In a 2009 interview, Santos recalled that it was Mel Allen announcing the Rose Bowl Game in 1950 that ignited his passion for sports broadcasting. “He said, ‘It’s 80 degrees and sunny here in Pasadena’ and I was thinking ‘Geez, it’s snowing here, it’s 80 degrees there, and this guy’s there to broadcast the game. What a great way to make a living.’”
Santos gave 63 years of his life to the broadcasting business, announcing most notably for the Patriots, but also for teams such as the Boston Celtics, the Providence College Men’s Basketball Team, and the Boston College football team. He also announced at events such as the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Santos described his broadcasting career as “simple. I tell the people where this ball is, who has it, and then what they’re doing with it. Then I let my partner talk.”
His son, Mark Santos, recalled his father’s career as being anything but simple, reflecting on the countless hours of preparation and lack of sleep his father endured. Mark gave a nod to his father, saying, “For a guy who spoke nothing but Portuguese until he was five, he came a long way. [My father] never felt more comfortable than sitting in a press box. That was his calling. He loved calling games.”
Following Santos’ death, of which the cause remains unknown, Patriots owner Robert Kraft released the statement, “For generations of Patriots fans, Gil Santos was and forever will be known as the ‘Voice of the Patriots’. Gil was a legendary broadcaster, who for 36 years passionately described the play-by-play detail of every Patriots game during his career, including many of the most memorable moments in franchise history.”
Gino Cappelletti, the former star Patriots kicker and receiver, partnered with Santos in the booth until his own retirement in 2012; it was a partnership that lead to Santos referring to Cappelletti as “mon ami” (my friend in French) at the beginning of every one of his broadcasts.
Following the announcement of Santos’ death, Cappelletti interviewed with The Boston Globe on his former partner. In the interview, Cappelletti recalled Santos’ enthusiasm with the memory from the 2004 Super Bowl XXXVIII game at the Reliant Stadium, “I’ve got to watch Gil. He gets excited and tends to lean over. If he does that here, he’d better be wearing a parachute.”
In the same interview, Cappelletti stated that Santos was “truly a pro in every sense of the word, always prepared. Gil demands quality and excellence in everything he does in the radio broadcast business.”
Former coworkers of Santos took to remembering him following his death, reminiscing on memories they have of him and the type of man and worker that he was.
Gary LaPierre, Santos’ colleague from WBZ, commented, “There are none better at painting pictures on radio. He’s got a set of pipes and credibility. You never hear anyone bad-mouthing him. He is a straight shooter.”
Santos’ gave his last broadcast on January 20, 2013 at Gillette Stadium, where the Patriots lost the AFC title game to the Baltimore Ravens. Santos had to spend months determinedly completing rehab to make the game after suffering pneumonia and an obstructed pulmonary disease the year before, days after the Patriots loss in Super Bowl XLVI. Against all odds, Santos survived the illnesses, but was only left with movement in his right arm and was unable to feed himself.
In the final years of his life, Santos reflected, “Hey, I’m pretty lucky. I got to do what I wanted to do. Now all I’d like is to be remembered as someone who was good at what he did and was a good guy, too…It’s never been a job with the Patriots. It’s been an honor.”
Many people across New Engand will certainly remember Santos the way he wanted to be remembered and for so much more.
No Stars? No Problem for Celtics
by The Cowl Editor on April 26, 2018
Professional Sports
Jaylen Brown Breaks Out to Give Boston Series Lead
By Jack Belanger ’21
Sports Co-Editor
It has not been an easy season for the Boston Celtics this year in terms of injuries, but the team nevertheless has found ways to win. Once starting forward Gordon Hayward went down with a season-ending injury on opening night, all-stars Kyrie Irving and Al Horford were able to lead a young team to the second-best record in the Eastern Conference. The team took another big hit when it was announced that Irving would undergo a season-ending knee surgery on March 11.
Without Irving, Head Coach Brad Stevens was able to get the most out of young players, as Jaylen Brown and Jason Tatum stepped up and led the team to a 9-6 record to end the season and set up a first round match-up against the Milwaukee Bucks led by Giannis Antetokounmpo. Without the Celtics’ top two players, plenty of experts picked the Bucks to win as they saw Antetokounmpo as the best player on either team.
Five games into the series, Antetokounmpo has played exceptionally well, averaging 25.4 points per game. Luckily, Boston has been able to match his performance with Brown breaking out and leading the Celtics in scoring, averaging 21.8 points per game. Brown’s stellar play has given the Celtics the push they needed and helped them take a 3-2 game lead over the Bucks after five in the best-of-seven series.
While the team still has an all-star in Horford on the court, it is the improved play of Brown, Tatum, and point guard Terry Rozier that has been the difference for the team in the series. In Game 1 the trio combined for 62 points, including 23 from Rozier who hit a three-pointer with half a second left. That shot would have won the game for Boston had Milwaukee’s Khris Middleton not hit a buzzer-beater shot to force overtime, where Boston would win 113-107.
In Game 2, Brown was in complete control as he scored 30 points, leading Boston in scoring. He made 12 shots from the field, including five three-pointers. Overall, the team had six players score over 10 points as the Celtics dominated the Bucks 120-104, taking a 2-0 series lead before games 3 and 4 took place in Milwaukee.
Game 3 was a disaster for the Celtics. Boston was slow from the start and the Bucks took advantage, leading 27-12 after one quarter. Boston would only shoot 40 percent from the field for the game and ultimately lost 116-92.
While Boston took a tough 104-102 loss in Game 4, allowing Milwaukee to tie the series to two games apiece, the ending of the game gave Celtics fans comfort that the team would not have another poor performance. Boston was down by as much as 20 points early in the third quarter, but the team was able to go on a run to tie the game and even take the lead with less than a minute left in the game. Ultimately the Bucks were able to win the game on a tip-in by Antetokounmpo. Boston’s resurgence in the second half was largely thanks to Tatum’s 18 points in the second half and Brown’s 34 points for the game, including 10 points in the final quarter.
In Game 5 back in Boston, the Celtics held control throughout the entire game. Brown played tough defense on Antetokounmpo, holding him to only 16 points. The Celtics were also energized by the return of point guard Marcus Smart who missed the first four games with a thumb injury.
Smart was able to seal the game for Boston, as the Bucks had closed the game to 84-79 with less than a minute to play. As Milwaukee ramped up the pressure, Boston lost control of the ball, but Smart was able to dive on the loose ball and make a great pass with two defenders on him to a wide open Horford under to hoop to put Boston up seven and seal the Game 5 win.
The two teams head to Milwaukee for Game 6, where Boston will have a chance to win the series where they will play tonight at 8 p.m. The Philadelphia 76ers will be the next opponent for the winner of this series. The 76ers beat the Miami Heat in five games to advance to the Eastern Conference Semifinals.