Red Sox / Indians Game 4 1999 ALDS Ticket, Pictures of Scoreboard (10/10/99)

12 years ago tonight I was at Fenway, and Fenway was rockin’. My friend Deb took me to many games when she had an extra ticket, and this one was probably the best.

After being down zero games to two in the best of five series, the Sox made a statement in game 4. Not only did they score in every inning they batted except the 6^th, the Bo Sox scored 23 times total and won 23-7. According to nationalpastime.com, they scored more than 19 NFL teams did that day.

The deciding game 5 that Boston forced was played the next night and on the back of Pedro’s 6 hitless innings of relief, the Sox won 12-8 and took the series three games to two.

Even though what happened in the ALCS that year was quite a different story, I wonder if any MLB team will ever score this many runs in a postseason game again. It truly was unbelievable to watch. Why did Deb have to get married and move to Montana?

Autographed Zdeno Chara Poster (10/21/10)

Yes, the Bruins are down 0 games to 2 and both losses were heartbreaking to watch. Yes, the B’s are in a hole and they have to dig themselves out. But, I still believe in them and I know now is not the time for anyone to give up.

I’m sick of all the numbers and stats. Teams down 0-2 in the Cup Finals and the Bruins powerplay and blah blah blah blah. None of it matters.

What matters is what the Bruins have shown this playoff season. They have shown they can bounce back. They have shown they can turn it up to 11 when they need to. And in games 1 and 2, the B’s showed that they can play with Vancouver.

I got this poster after the first Bruins home game back in October. They beat the Capitals 4-1, and I asked Z sign this after the game. While he was signing, I told him “This is the year”. He smiled as if to say, “Wow, you’re thinking that already?”, but I told him to keep saying it, believe it, and it would happen. I also had a similar interaction with Tim Thomas, who at the time had no secured his role as starting goaltender. I doubt they remember me saying it to them, but I wonder if getting this far reminded them at all.

And now that the Bruins have gotten this far, it’s time for them to show us, the loyal fans, exactly how badly they want it. I was there when the team busses pulled away for Vancouver, and I would be there for games 3 and 4 if I could afford it.

Either way, I’m not going to be surprised when the B’s head back to Vancouver with the series tied 2-2. They believe this, I do, and I hope every Bruins fan does too…

GO B’S!!!!!

A.C. Moore Receipt (Shaved Head with Bruins B Painted On It)

One of the most important life lessons my parents handed down to me was that it’s important to keep your word…

On March 26^th, I went to my friend Erin’s wedding down in Orlando, Florida. My girlfriend and I were talking about BC Hockey, the Bruins, and the B’s game we were going to the next week on my birthday (see that blog here to read why it’s ridiculous for Bruins fans to chant USA, USA, USA when we play Canadian teams). She brought up a fan we saw at a previous game who had a shaved head with a big B painted on it, and said I should do it for my birthday game. I told her I would do it if the Bruins made it to the Cup Finals.

Now here we are, over two months later and the Bruins-Canucks Game 1 of the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals coming up. I went to A.C. Moore today to buy the paint and brushes, thinking how long it was going to seem before 8:00 PM came around. After a close buzz and shave, my head was ready for the painted B. My girlfriend and I planned out the direction, size, and placement of the B and she took care of the rest. She did an awesome job, and was pleased to finally see her 2-month-old suggestion come to life.

I’m not sure if this will help my Beloved Bruins win tonight, but I’m hoping it helps broadcast the positive thoughts I’m sending out to Vancouver. Here we go Bruins, here we go!!!!!

Bruins Playoff Towel

I’m sitting at my parents’ house in between the first two periods of the Bruins/Lightning game 7 Eastern Conference Finals playoff game. I’ll take it! I’m here with my older sister and two nephews. Although my nephews are enjoying some iPad games and taking a more casual approach to the game viewing, my sister and I are on the edge of our seats.

I’ve watched a lot of playoff games here. I remember watching game 7 against the Devils in 1988. I was finishing the 8^th grade, and the Bruins had beaten the Habs for the first time in my life. I remember watching game 1 of the 1990 Cup Finals here, the most heart-breaking Bruins loss I’ve ever watched.

Although I don’t know how this game will end up, I’m thinking positive thoughts. I just got a text from my friend who told me his 5-year-old wants the Bruins to score 6 and the Lightning to score 2 in the 2^nd period. I’ll take it!

I’m expecting the Bruins to show me just how badly they want this. If it’s as much as I want them to win, they shouldn’t have too many problems. GO B’S!!!!!

More later?

Bruins/Canadiens Playoff Ticket (4/7/04)

This game is how I expected the Bruins to start their 2011 Stanley Cup Playoff run. The game recap shows all the reasons why they won the first game in 2004 and lost games 1 and 2 this year. The B’s had 2 power play goals (including the game’s first goal just 5 minutes in), and killed all 4 of Montreal’s power plays. They dominated the first period, out shooting the Habs 23-9.

The Bruins not only won games 1 and 2 in 2004, they split the games in Montreal and took a 3-1 series lead back to Boston. I also went to game 5, expecting to see my B’s take the series against the “Hated Habs”, but the Canadiens had different plans.

Montreal won games 5, 6, and in game 7, they shutout the Bruins in Boston.

My point is this: The Canadiens won that series in 2004 because they wanted it more. They were trailing 3 games to 1 with two more games to play in Boston, but they turned it around and won three games in a row.

I have seen the B’s win two playoff games in a row in Montreal twice (part of sweeps in 1992 and 2009). I also watched the Bruins win games 1 and 2 on the road in New Jersey in 1994, and then lose 4 straight.

Now, it’s the Bruins turn.

Score first, no huge turnovers, and good special teams. Go B’s.

Bruins/Capitals Playoff Ticket (4/26/98)

April of 1998 was not the easiest month for me as a hockey fan. In the beginning of the month, I went (still don’t know where my ticket disappeared to) to the Frozen Four Championship game at the Fleet Center. BC was playing Michigan, and after Michigan forced OT with about 6 minutes left, they won in overtime. It was the most heartbreaking game I have ever attended and as I described for my BC Superfan T-shirt, my friends and I didn’t say anything or move from our seats until the building was empty and security told us we had to leave.

That story has a happy ending though, because three years later BC won their first of 3 championships (2001, 2008, 2010).

So, a few weeks after watching the Eagles fall short, I went to see the Bruins play the Capitals in game 3 of their first round playoff match-up. This game also went into overtime, and the B’s put the puck in the net. However, one of the Bruins players had his skate in the crease when the goal was scored, so it was disallowed (back then, it didn’t matter if you touched the goalie, a player couldn’t be in the crease before the puck – the NHL has since changed this rule). Not only did the goal not count, the Bruins got a penalty for goalie interference. I don’t remember if the game-winning goal was scored on that penalty or not, but the Bruins lost in OT and the winning goal was scored by former Bruin, Joe Juneau. I was not happy.

I would like to point out one more thing as I look at this game’s box score. Grant Ledyard, one of my dad’s least favorite players, played over half of the game and was a -2 (He was a -54 in his career). My friend Patrick and I often quote my dad whenever we question a coach’s decision about who to play: “Huh? What d’they got Ledgahd out theah foah?”

Looking for the Bruins to bounce back tonight, push around those little Habs, and take back control of this series…

Letter to the 2010-2011 Bruins (Bruins Game Program from 4/21/90)

Dear Bruins,

First of all, congrats on another great regular season. I’m really looking forward to watching you take Lord Stanley’s Cup back where it belongs. The Pats, Sox, and Celtics have had their turns. Now, it’s Black and Gold time. Although I know this feat is more up to you than how badly I want to see you win The Cup, I’m hoping these words will do their part to help you get there.

Even though it seems silly to compare winning the Stanley Cup to a couple of my favorite movies (Three Amigos and Star Wars), the message sent by them is one for everyone. Just like the saying “Everyone has their El Guapo” in Three Amigos, everyone has their Death Star. They both are that ultimate goal that seems impossible to overcome. But, you go after it anyway and you do whatever you can to get there. And in the end, you win.

It’s just as easy to say “Everyone has their Stanley Cup”. Like I explained in my Open Letter to Your Captain last year, one of my “Cups” was a diagnosis of a cancerous brain tumor when I was 18. The doctors told me I was going to need rounds of chemotherapy followed by radiation. I said, “Oh yeah?”, and finished treatment without needing radiation – my doctors had no explanation for this. Part of the reason was, as my mother would coach me through treatment, I took it “Like a Bruin”: I was tough, I tried not to complain, I kept having fun, and I played to win. I also believed in myself and had people who believed in and supported me.

Although I have only been lucky enough to meet a few of you a few times, I’m betting you’ve made it to the NHL because you believed in yourself. I’m betting most of you have parents who love you and supported you with everything you’ve done. And I believe you are playing the game because you love it and you want to go after your own Stanley Cup – which is the actual Stanley Cup (you really need to watch Three Amigos if you haven’t yet…trust me!).

Even though I will only enjoy NHL games from the stands, my chair, or playing the EA Sports video game, I can tell you that I think the strategies I used to beat cancer can easily be applied to winning The Stanley Cup. Battling cancer is not a time to fear, doubt, or blame. It’s a time to believe, celebrate every day, and be surrounded by people who can pick you up when you need it. Like I explained in that letter to Z, I used visualization when I was getting my chemotherapy treatments – I imagined my medicine traveling through my veins, up to my brain, and attacking my brain tumor. My images were vicious, and I knew the cancer didn’t have a chance. Even on my sickest days I told myself “If I feel this horrible, my cancer must be worse”. Getting cancer is time to take charge, and this is that time for all of you.

Every single Bruins fan believes in you. Believe in yourself, believe in each other, and show you want it more than anyone else. Visualize, and it will happen.

Now, go get it!

Dave McGrath

PS-The add for the Bruins Master Card in this Program is Priceless…

GO BRUINS!!!!

After watching tonight's game (4/21/11), I had to write about this program again. This game was the best playoff game I've ever attended. The B's trailed the Habs numerous times, and kept coming back to tie it up. With under two minutes to go in the 3rd period, Cam Neely tied it up with a power play goal. As OT started, my dad was complaining about Gary Galley being on the ice (not one of his favorite players, but I thought he was okay). Well, below is Cam's goal along with what "Ga-Ga" did in OT and it reminded me a lot of tonight's game - I love watching this with the French play-by-play...