He's back. (hopefully)

Last night we welcomed David Ortiz back from the dead, and what a night it was. It was great to see Papi finally get a home run on his 2009 resume.  When the ball was in the air, I think I heard people literally praying for it to get out. And when it did, the Fenway crowd erupted. When Ortiz reached the dugout, the players initially gave him the Silent Treatment (one of my favorite things in all of sports) and then hopped all over him like he just hit a postseason walk-off. It was a legitimate moment, capped off by Dennis Eckersley (who I like more and more every game) exclaming, “I just got chills!” It was awesome. Of course, Ortiz is still batting .210 with 1 homer but who’s counting? He’s back (we hope). 

I do have to say one thing though – wasn’t last night’s game a little weird?

Brad Penny has a great outing. Jacoby Ellsbury ties a major league record with 12 put-outs in centerfield. Mike Lowell and Jason Bay hit back-to-back homers. David Ortiz gets a curtain call after his first home run of the season on May 20th. And to top it off, Jason Varitek submits a 2-home run game. 

What planet am I on?

Don’t get me wrong, it was a great game. It’s always nice to get a win against the first place team in the division and you love to see the bats come alive like that. But overall it was just an unusual game with a lot going on. It had the feel of one of those games you’ll think back on at the end of the year and perhaps point to as a turning point of sorts.

Let’s hope so.

Get this guy a Pats jersey

Michael Vick, the erstwhile Greatest Athlete in the NFL, was released from Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary this morning, slipping out a back entrance before dawn to evade the gathered media hordes. Looks like he’s still got his trademark elusiveness. 

With news of his release, the old debate began raging anew: Will – or should – Mike Vick play in the NFL again?

My answer: Absolutely. And I’d love to see him on the Patriots. 

He’s a phenomenal talent, a once-in-a-lifetime combination of speed and agility, and he can be had for cents on the dollar. Hell, as soon as he gets home he’s going to be starting a construction job at ten bucks an hour – I don’t think it’s going to take too much to pull him away from that. He’s a brilliant player, assuming he can regain his quickness, and he could be a huge asset to a Patriots team coming off a tough season.

You tell 'em

But it’s Michael Vick we’re talking about, so there are always going to be your PETA-inclined folks who think that signing him would be just about as honorable as signing Charles Manson to a three-year deal. There are plenty of Vick haters out there who think I’m crazy for even considering him for the Pats – they have their arguments and hold strongly to them. But to those who think it’s a bad idea, I say this: What do the Pats have to lose? Why shouldn’t they sign him?

Their answers, and my rebuttals:

The Public Relations Issue: 

This is the big one for the Vick haters. I mean, we are talking about a guy who lorded over an enormous dog fighting ring. He was responsible (though probably not personally) for the drowning, electrocution, torture and killing of Man’s Best Friend. The saga of his conviction was flooded with gory details straight out of a Saw movie – abandonded shacks, chains, blood, rape stands, buried bodies. Michael Vick offended a nation of dog owners (some estimates say upwards of 65 million Americans own dogs) and they want vengeance. Seeing Vick back in the NFL would be a slap in the face to anybody who’s ever loved a dog, many people say. He shouldn’t be rewarded with millions of dollars – he should still be in jail! It is sentiments like these that any team signing Vick would have to deal with. If handled poorly, a Vick signing would quickly turn into a public relations nightmare. Why risk it?

Smile For the Camera, Pacman

Again, my answer would be why not? First of all, let’s set the story straight here: Michael Vick is guilty of a crime against animals. He never killed anyone, he never shot up a strip club like Pacman Jones or got caught drunk driving like every member of the Bengals. He didn’t put any humans in danger. Vick is responsible, at worst, for the death of dogs. Don’t get me wrong, I love animals. I grew up around dogs and I have a soft spot in my heart for our furry friends, but c’mon. Let’s be serious. In 1998, Rams defensive end Leonard Little left a birthday party drunk and crashed his car into Susan Gutweiler, killing her on impact. He served 90 days in jail and is still in the league today. Vick spent 2 years in jail and people are questioning his reinstatement. Are you kidding me? Little killed a woman – a human being! – and he played in 14 games in 2008. Compared to Little’s crime, Vick’s actions pale in comparison. We have to remember that Michael Vick isn’t the only guy killing animals these days (see: hunters, food manufacturers, your local farm, kids with BB guns). So why should he be the fall guy for everyone? It’s as if America decided to pin the transgressions of thousands on this one guy. As far as I’m concerned, Vick has already served more than enough time befitting his crime and now he deserves a second chance. 

And that’s exactly how the Patriots should spin it if they sign him – as the second-chance granting of a benevolent organization. Robert Kraft should present the situation like it’s a charity case – an kindly owner taking a troubled youth under his wing. Signing Michael Vick isn’t a public relations nightmare – it’s a public relations opportunity! If they handle it correctly (and they usually do), the Patriots can come out of a Vick signing smelling like roses. Can’t you hear it now? We believe that Michael has served his debt to society and we would love to be a part of his road to recovery. All the Pats have to do is tee it up and let Kraft and Belichick knock it out of the park. It’s PR 101. So again I say, why not?

The Patriots Already Have Tom Brady:

True, but the Patriots no longer have Matt Cassel, or any other servicable backup quarterback. The departure of Cassel left a gaping hole behind Brady – a void that neither Kevin O’Connell nor Matt Gutierrez can capably fill. Why not sign a supertalent like Vick, let him learn from Brady (aka the best quarterback in the league), and incorporate him into the Patriots system?

The Wildcat Formation

But the former superstar won’t settle for being a backup, my critics will say. First of all, I don’t think he can afford to be very picky at the moment – the man needs paychecks to climb out from under a mountain of debt – and secondly, he won’t be just a backup. That’s the beauty of it. Sure, he’ll serve as a servicable backup to Brady in case he suffers (gulp) another injury, but you simply can’t leave a weapon like Vick off the field for too long. So here’s what you do: make him a running back. Not just any running back, mind you, a Wildcat running back. That’s right, I’m talking about the Wildcat Formation with its offset offensive line and direct snaps. The Patriots already run the Wildcat from time to time so they’re familiar with it, and what better player to have taking the direct snap than the 6 foot, 215 pound, 4.3 40-running Michael Vick? Bill Belichick’s head must spin with the possibilities Vick creates coming out of the backfield. How could an opposing team possibly prepare to face a Patriots team that on one possession can trot out Tom Brady to sling long balls to Randy Moss and on another, direct-snap the ball to Vick and have him run wild? It would give coaches fits. The Miami Dolphins ran the Wildcat successfully for much of last season with Ronnie Brown – Ronnie Brown – so why wouldn’t it work with arguably the greatest pure athlete in the history of the NFL? The fact is, it would work, and the Patriots should seriously consider it. Again, why not?

The Vick Relapse Potential: 

I’ve heard pundits the last few days discussing the chances of Vick relapsing into his prior pattern of bad behavior if he’s able to reclaim his fame and fortune. What’s stopping Vick from simply starting down the same road all over again?, they argue.

Well, my answer is this: two years in Leavenworth are what’s going to stop him. 

Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary

Strange things happen to people in jail. They find God, they pursue a degree, they rediscover themselves. They spend a lot of time alone, thinking about why they are lying on a cot in a tiny cell and how exactly they got there. They think about freedom and many – not all, but many – come to the conclusion that once they get out of jail, they’re going to do everything they can to maintain their freedom. I would imagine that mindset would be particularly magnified for a former world famous, millionaire athlete who spent the first half of his twenties enjoying the fruits of stardom. There isn’t a bigger fall a human being could take and I bet that fact crossed Vick’s mind once or twice during an especially long night his cell. He would have to be either pretty callous or pretty dumb to risk going back to jail if he is ever able to reclaim his former superstar perch.

But the beauty of the NFL is this – if he does screw up again, the Patriots can cut him. It’s as easy as that. Call it a social experiment, call it a roll of the dice, call it whatever, but signing Michael Vick amounts to a nothing-to-lose scenario for the Patriots. Either he becomes an instant impact player as a Wildcat back, slashing and burning his way to the end zone, or he fizzles out, sulking on the sidelines and contemplating Bad Newz Kennelz 2. Either he’s a star again and you celebrate, or he’s a malcontent and you cut him. There’s no gray area, and no reason not to give it a shot. The Pats gave Randy Moss a second chance after every other team – even the lowly, desperate Raiders – had written him off, and look how that turned out. And while Vick and Moss were in the league at the same time, there was no arguing who was the bigger star: #7.

Vick was a play-maker

In the wake of his dog fighting conviction and two year jail sentence, I think we’ve all forgotten just how good Michael Vick really was – not neccessarily at the quarterback position, but certainly at making things happen on a football field. He was lightning fast, willing to take a hit, and had an absolute laser arm. When he was drafted, NFL experts thought he was literally going to revolutionize the league. 

Well he didn’t end up doing that, but anyone who watched Vick play knows that with the ball in his hands he was a force to be reckoned with. And if he can revolutionize himself - which I think he has done – perhaps he can be one again. The Patriots owe it to themselves to at least find out. 

Why not?

That’s right – there’s a new Game 6 feature in town! Introducing the Summer Movie preview (and I’m not ruling out movie reviews, either). So, without Freddy Adu, 10 movies to look for this summer in order of release date:

1. Star Trek

Release Date: In theaters

What It’s About: It’s a re-boot of the original Star Trek franchise. So, it’s about space and time travel and other nerdy stuff. 

What I think: I was never a big Star Trek guy growing up but this one’s gotten great reviews across the board (95% on Rotten Tomatoes) and I’ve heard it’s terrific. See it for the special effects at very least, and see it in IMAX.

Update: I just came back from the movie. It’s awesome. Go see it now. 

2. Angels & Demons 

Release Date: In theaters 

What It’s About: The movie version of The Da Vinci Code author Dan Brown’s first book, Angels & Demons is a similar religion-science melting pot thriller. It follows Tom Hanks (as symbologist Robert Langdon) through Rome in his quest to track down anti-Catholic group The Illuminati before they destroy the Vatican. 

What I think: Well, this one I’ve seen and it’s good. Good, not great. It’s a solid enough thriller – definitely better than The Da Vinci Code though, and Tom Hanks at least got a haircut for this one. 

3. Terminator Salvation 

Release Date: Thursday, May 21st

What It’s About: Futuristic terminator stuff, obviously. John Connor (Christian Bale) leads the resistance against the computer network Skynet…and blows stuff up. 

What I think: I have to be honest – I’ve never seen a Terminator movie so I don’t have much to go off here. I have seen plenty of Christian Bale movies though and they’ve all been good, so I have no reason to suspect that this one won’t be. (Except that it’s directed by a guy named McG. Just McG, that’s it. One word. So…we’ll see.)

4. The Hangover 

Release Date: Friday, June 5th

What It’s About: Four guys head to Vegas for a bachelor party. The next morning, three of them wake up in a hotel room with a live chicken and no groom. Hilarity ensues. 

What I think: This one has some potential, with a decent cast (including Sack Lodge from Wedding Crashers) and a Mike Tyson cameo. You may have seen a preview or 1000 if you’ve been watching the NBA and NHL finals, but the hype machine must be working because I’ve heard good things. 

5. The Taking of Pelham 123 

Release Date: Friday, June 12th

What It’s About: This remake of the 1974 original stars Denzel Washington as a New York City subway worker who is forced into action when John Travolta’s character takes a subway train and it’s passangers hostage. 

What I think: I’m really excited for this one. There’s nothing bad about the pairing of director Tony Scott (brother of Ridley) and Denzel Washington, the two men responsible for one of the most underrated movies of all time, 2004′s Man On Fire. If Pelham is anywhere near as good as that one, we’re in for a treat. 

6. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen 

Release Date: Wednesday, June 24th 

What It’s About: Real-life action figures fighting each other, primarily. And Megan Fox. 

What I Think: I have no idea what to think about Transformers 2. The first one was pretty good and director Michael Bay usually throws together a good action movie, so it has a good shot of being entertaining. I’ll probably see it. 

7. The Hurt Locker 

Release Date: Friday, June 26th 

What It’s About: This is another entry in the ever-lengthening line of movies about the current Iraq War. Set in Baghdad, it deals with an elite military bomb-defusing unit and stars Anthony Mackie of We Are Marshall fame. 

What I Think: If it’s well-made (which many who’ve seen it say it is), The Hurt Locker could be the first good Iraq War movie.

8. Public Enemies 

Release Date: Wednesday, July 1

What It’s About: This movie stars Johnny Depp as 1930′s bank robber John Dillinger and Christian Bale as FBI agent Melvin Purvis who is tasked with stopping the famed gangster. 

What I Think: What I think is that Public Enemies is the movie to beat this summer. Directed by Michael Mann and starring Depp and Bale? Say no more. Just mark July 1st on your calendars, ladies and gentlemen. This is the kind of movie you see on opening night and pray that it meets its potential. And if it does, you go see it again immediately. 

9. Bruno 

Youtube deletes all posted Bruno trailers

Release Date: Friday, July 10th

What It’s About: It’s Borat, except this time Borat (Sacha Baron Cohen) is a gay Austrian fashion reporter named Bruno. 

What I Think: If Baron Cohen successfully pulled it off again, a) we should be ashamed of ourselves and b) this movie will be awesome. 

10. Inglourious Basterds 

Release Date: Friday, August 21

What It’s About: The film (directed by Quentin Tarantino) deals with a special Jewish-American military unit – led by Lieutenant Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) – that is dispatched into Nazi Germany to spread chaos and fear. In the trailer, Pitt’s Raine orders each of his men to bring him 100 Nazi scalps. Good Lord. 

What I Think: On one hand, you have the love-it or hate-it Tarantino style direction (I go back and forth on this) and on the other, you have Pitt playing the ultimate badass. So, what do I think? I think it could go either way. But I’ll definitely be in the theater to find out. 

So there you go – a top 10 list of 2009′s must-see summer movies from Game 6. Expect more coverage as the blockbuster months begin because when I’m not watching sports, I’m watching movies.

Greatest logo in sports

Even though my beloved Bruins are out of the Cup chase (bleep you, Scott Walker), I’m not yet ready to close the door on hockey for the summer. It’s just too good a sport to turn your back on while there are still meaningful games to be played. So, what it comes down to is this: I need another team to root for. Fortunately there is a team left that I’ve always had a thing for, ever since I was young, and I’m fully prepared to throw my energy (albeit limited) behind said team.

That team is the Chicago Blackhawks. 

And why not? The Blackhawks come fully armed with an arsenal of good qualities that make them a worthwhile team to follow. Awesome city, great fans, a tradition of physical play. The Blackhawks are an easy team to like. But I almost wish they weren’t. 

I’m a little worried because, whenever entering into a fan relationship (call it fantercourse) with a team that does not hail from your city of residence, you have to be extremely careful about not becoming the worst sports fan of all – the Bandwagon Fan.

The dreaded pink hat

The Bandwagon Fan is easily recognizable. The first sign of a BF is their frontrunning tendency. The BF is a casual fan, at best, with no childhood loyalty to his hometown team, so he latches on to a team that is currently popular (ie, a winner). BF’s are always frontrunners, leaping on the back of any team coming off a championship or a great season (see: post-2oo4 Red Sox fans, mid-90′s Cowboys fans, or Michael Jordan-era Bulls fans [although, I really can't blame them and may/may  not have been one...]). 

Another sign of a BF is a distinct lack of knowledge about the sport he is bandwagoning within. BF’s tend to engage in cursory conversations about the sport at hand but when pressed, reveal their true colors. For instance:

BF: Hey, the Sox look pretty good this week!

Real Fan: Yeah, they’ll be alright but to be honest, I’m still trying to get over the Bruins loss. That felt like 2003 all over again. The ghost of Aaron Boone. 

BF: Yeah….wait, who is Aaron Boone?

And that is exactly what is so wrong about Bandwagon Fans – they enjoy the fruits of success without first experiencing the pain of defeat. And not only do BF’s enjoy victory, they pretend to enjoy it just as much as all the real fans. BF’s are the kings of faux passion, talking endlessly about how nervous they are during games and how they can’t sleep after losses. They buy all the team gear they can find, layering it and flaunting their “fan-ness” at any opportunity: I love this team! See: Look how many t-shirt jerseys I have! That kinda thing. The true BF purchases shirt after shirt and hat after hat, all in order to disguise the fact that he knows next to nothing about the team he is pretending to be so passionate about. The ironic thing is that all their new gear – none of it faded, or creased, or greasy – only serves as a giant red flag of indentification, revealing them in all their fake fan glory as a superficial, sort of pathetic, definitely embarassing Bandwagon Fan. 

Not the kind of thing you – or I – want to be. 

So, as I seriously consider throwing myself behind the Blackhawks, I’ve had to put a lot of thought into this Bandwagon thing. I mean, they are in the Western Conference Finals, in serious contention for a Stanley Cup. Does that make me a frontrunner? Historically no, because in the key category – championships – the Hawks have suffered even longer than the Bruins (the last Blackhawks Stanley Cup came in 1960-61). So, at least I’m not grabbing hold of a freshly sewn banner. But, in any case it’s a serious matter which warrants further consideration, so I’ve decided to draw up a little list of Reasons I’m Rooting for the Blackhawks. 

Allow me: 

The City - Chicago is, unquestionably, a great sports city. Between the Hawks, the Bears, the Bulls, and its 2 baseball teams, the Cubs and White Sox, Chicago is home to some of the greatest franchises in sports. The fans are diehards and the teams are well-attended. The city itself is a fun place, too, with tons of stuff to do and a lot of great restaurants. So, all in all, Chicago is bringing a lot to the table. (I mean, it’s no Boston, but then again – what is?)

The Chicago skyline

Chief Black Hawk

The History - The Blackhawks are one of the Original Six NHL teams, along with the Bruins, Rangers, Canadiens, Leafs and Red Wings. This is a must. I would never openly root for a team not among the Original Six – it just wouldn’t feel right. The Blackhawks were founded in 1926 by coffee tycoon Frederic McLaughlin, who originally named the team the Black Hawks, after the 86th Infantry Division with which he served during World War I. The Division had been nicknamed the Black Hawks after famed Sauk Nation Chief, Black Hawk, who is still the only person in history to have an American war named after him (the Black Hawk War of 1832). The Blackhawks won 2 Stanley Cups early on in their history (1933-34, 1937-38) and one more in 1960-61 but currently own the longest Stanley Cup drought in the NHL. Their 48 year failure to win a Cup is rapidly approaching historic lengths, as it is exceeded only by the New York Rangers’ 54 year streak, broken in 1994. During their tenure, the Black Hawks were also the late-career home of the greatest hockey player of all time and Bruins hero, Bobby Orr. 

The Current Team: Now, this is where things get a little dicey in the Bandwagon department – the 2008-2009 edition of the Blackhawks are a very good team. They have two solid American stars, Patrick Kane and Dustin Byfuglien (pronounced “Bufflin” and not “Byfoogleeyn” as many, myself included, once thought) and a great core group going forward. Kane, the former #1 draft pick, is going to be a superstar. Twenty years old and only in his second NHL season, Kane put up 70 points (10 more than Phil Kessel) this year, improving on his 2007-2008 Calder Memorial Trophy-winning performance. (He also wears #88, which is a sweet hockey number – always a plus). Between Kane, Byfuglien and 21 year-old center Jonathan Toews, the Hawks have a talented young core in place and one legitimately nervous potential bandwagoner.

Can Kane become the new Video Game Roenick?

The Intangibles - The Blackhawks are loaded with intangibles. First of all, their biggest star and best player is American, which is refreshing in a game so often dominated by our neighbors to the North. Secondly, they have one of the greatest logos in American sports. The Blackhawks logo, originally designed by McLaughlin’s wife Irene, has changed little over the years. It is traditional and iconic in a way that many logos today are not, having weathered the recent storm of political correctness that wiped most of the American Indian namesakes off the map of US sport. It is simple and proud, and here’s hoping it doesn’t change any time soon. 

Roenick Dominated NHL 94

Finally, the Chicago Blackhawks’ most important intangible is that they were once home to one of my favorite hockey players of all time and local Boston native, Jeremy Roenick. Roenick was the best – just a tough-as-nails Boston guy who played the right way and had no problem speaking his mind. But Roenick the player had absolutely nothing on Roenick the video game character. He was arguably the best ever. I’m obviously talking about Sega NHL 94 Roenick, also known as the single greatest video game athlete ever not named Bo Jackson. Not only was NHL 94 the best video game in history, but Roenick was the best player in it. Not Little Wayne, not Lemieux, not Hull. Jeremy Roenick ruled the Sega ice and he did so with an iron fist. I can’t even tell you how many Basement Stanley Cups I won with Roenick. How many wrap-arounds I put in. How many slappers I buried from the point. From center ice even. Hell, Video Game Roenick could score from the defensive zone.

Ever since those days of Jeremy Roenick domination, I’ve had a fan crush on the Blackhawks. I’ve followed them from afar for years, wishing them well but never finding enough time to really devote to their cause. I was too young, too wrapped up in other sports. I barely had enough time for the B’s, let alone 2 NHL teams. 

Until now.

Now I’m ready. Now I’ve finally put my full energy into the game of hockey, realizing after all these years what a phenomenal sport it really is. Now I’m ready for a second team to follow.

I’m ready for the Blackhawks.

Obviously they will remain a very distant second to my Bruins, and if the two teams ever play each other, there will be no conflict of interest. I’m a Bruins fan first. But it’s always good to adopt a second team in each professional sport you love. In MLB, my second team is the Atlanta Braves. Every year, I follow the Braves, trying to pick up their players on my fantasy teams and watching their games when they are on tv. My excuse there, of course, is that the Atlanta Braves were originally the Boston Braves, moving to Milwaukee in 1953 and from there to Atlanta in ’66. With the Blackhawks, it’s more of an innate connection that I feel to the team, a lingering pull from my childhood Roenick fanship. 

What a jersey

Obviously I can’t – and won’t – claim to be a Chicago Blackhawks diehard. But from this day forward, I will root for them, giving the team my energy and attention. It’ll be like a fan vacation, like a minor league version of my Bruins passion. It will be refreshing, for sure, not to feel like I have to live and die with the team. If they hoist a Cup, great. If they don’t, it was fun along the way. I’m not going to commit the Cardinal Bandwagon Sin and pretend to care more than I do. There will be no jersey purchases (unless it’s a vintage Roenick #27, of course) and no crazy celebrations in the event of a championship. 

So, as a newly minted fan, do I hope the Blackhawks win a Cup this year?

Actually, no. I don’t.

I hope they have a good series against the Red Wings, learn some lessons along the way, but ultimately lose in the Conference Finals. I hope their young guys gain valuable playoff experience and find out how they react when the lights are brightest, but no, I don’t hope they win. Why? 

Because I’m enjoying all the extra room on the bandwagon.

Magic 101. Celtics 82. 

It doesn’t look like a good result. You never want to see your team on the wrong end of a 19 point swing in a Game 7. But here’s the thing: 

No one expected this injury-riddled Celtics team to make it to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals anyway. No KG, no Leon, a tired Pierce, a sporadic Allen? No way.

But the Celts persevered and battled their way to a Game 7 and they should be proud of their effort. In the end, they were just too tired to go any further. They have simply played too many  basketball games over the last eighteen months and it caught up to them. You can’t score if your legs are too tired to take it to the hoop or elevate your shot, and ultimately that was the story of Game 7.  ”It just felt like we ran out of gas,” said Pierce after the game. And they did. 

You can’t say enough about the way this squad played down the stretch though, with huge contributions from guys like Eddie House, Big Baby and even Scal. I mean, if someone told you that in the ’09 Eastern semi’s the Celtics were going to force a Game 7 with Glen Davis, Perk and Scal playing instead of KG, you would have laughed at them. But that’s exactly what this team did and they almost snuck into the Conference Finals. 

So, I’ll remember the 2008-2009 Celtics team as a team of fighters; a group of guys who fought through adversity and took the season about as far as it could possibly go. These Celtics defended their title with grit and heart, never quitting in the face of seemingly endless bad luck.

Really, in the end, that’s all you can ask for. 

Rachel Alexandra just became the most eligible bachelorette in America.

How can you not be rooting for Rachel Alexandra today? 

The 3 year old filly is trying to break into the Boys Club and win the Preakness for the first time in 85 years and, though she’s been called a “freak of nature” by Derby winning jockey Calvin Borel who will ride her today, she faces a pretty serious challenge. Only four fillies have ever won the Preakness in the 133 year history of the race and it’s rarely even attempted because of the miniscule odds a filly has of winning on a track this long. Any distance over a mile is considered almost an impossible length for a filly and the Preakness track measures a mile and 3/16. 

But history and distance aren’t the only obstacles Rachel faces today. She’s running against a racing culture that has long worked to keep girls out. Just to get her into the Preakness today, Rachel’s handlers had to wage a veritable media war to drum up sympathy before she would even be considered as an entrant. It looked like Rachel would be watching from the sidelines as owners schemed and maneuvered to keep her out by entering substitute stallions to block her. It wasn’t until Luv Gov owner Marylou Whitney threatened to pull her horse in favor of Rachel that the little filly was allowed in. And even then, the governing bodies stuck Rachel with the 13th post spot. No horse has ever won the Preakness coming out of the 13 hole. But at least she’s in. 

And why not? Now that Rachel is running, horse racing – an institution that has long faced waning relevance and bad PR (see: Barbaro) – has something good to talk about again. Rachel Alexandra, gorgeous filly that she is, has brought a little mystery and intrigue back to the Preakness. And, until about 6:17 today, the question remains: 

Can Rachel run with the boys? 

Can she beat them? Can she perform at Pimlico the way she did at the Kentucky Oaks two weeks ago, when she beat the field by more than twenty lengths? Can this beautiful horse become the first female to win the Preakness since Nellie Morse did it 85 years ago? 

It remains to be seen, but count me among those who hope that today Cindarella will crash the ball.

Rene always sets the tone

There’s a Game 7 at the Garden tonight, in case you weren’t aware.

There is a live-or-die, win-or-go-home, gut check game happening on Causeway street tonight at 8 and if you have any appreciation of our city’s sports history, then you know what that means. 

Whenever I think of Boston sports from a historical perspective, a litany of images spring to mind: 

The Flutie pass. Pudge’s homer. Dave Roberts. Steal by Bird, underneath to DJ, he lays it in! Bobby Orr captured forever in mid-leap. The Snow Game. Schilling’s bloody sock. Vinatieri’s game winners. Red’s cigar. Rene’s fist pump. 

Rene’s fist pump?

Yeah, Rene Rancourt’s post-anthem fist pump. I know, I know – it’s not a conventional choice, but think about it for a second. Name another guy – other than maybe Red Auerbach – who has had a longer continuous impact on the Boston sports landscape than Rene Rancourt. 

You can’t. 

Sure, Rene certainly stands out like a sore thumb on a list like this: 

Bourque. Neely. Pedro. McHale. Parish. Lynn. Rice. Yaz. Cusick. Russell. Red. Brady. Most. Couz. Heinsohn. Teddy Ballgame. Rene. 

But the imprint he has left on the local sports scene is undeniable. Rancourt has remained a relevant Boston sports figure for over thirty years!

Can Bird say that? Can Yaz? Can Orr? 

Rene's patented fist pump

Now I’m obviously not going to sit here and say that Rene Rancourt has had a bigger impact on Boston sports history than Larry Legend or Bobby freakin’ Orr. What I’m trying to say is that this one guy has been a consistent face in the Boston Garden for a long, long time and that it’s important to at least consider his place in our history. 

So, who really is this velvet crooner who has serenaded us all these years? 

Well, he’s a classically trained opera singer from Maine, it turns out. The 60-something Lewiston native first started singing anthems in Boston at Fenway Park in the early 1970′s. After making a name for himself at the local ball yard, Rancourt was hired in 1976 to sing before Bruins games. He’s been doing it ever since, and is now a household name in homes across New England. 

Rene was made for the Old Garden with its terrible acoustics and airy rafters. Garden Management loved him because his strong voice carried enough to overcome the weak built-in sound system. His classical background meant that his delivery was polished and conservative, with nary a risky, personal flourish. To Rene, the anthem is a timeless American classic, not a pop hit to be interpreted, and he sings it that way. Everytime Rancourt steps on the ice for “The Star-Spangled Banner”, you know what you’re going to get: a boisterous, vaguely operatic rendition capped off by a salute and a pump of the fist. By  now it’s an ingrained tradition, an actual piece of Boston sports history, like the fabled parquet floor or the Green Monster. Rene Rancourt is, unarguably, a Boston Bruins icon. 

So when he steps out on that ice tonight for the Game 7 anthem, all eyes will be on him and he’ll be ready. He’s sung at big games before. In ’75, he was a last minute substitute to sing the anthem before Game 6 of the World Series – yeah, that Game 6. He’s no stranger to drama.

It’s nice to know that Rene will be there again tonight in the New Garden, to serenade us once more before the puck drops in Game 7. It’s always a pleasure when he starts in on the anthem, and he always hits the right notes with that powerful voice. He always does his job as a singer. 

But tonight I’m praying I don’t hear him. That way I’ll know that I’ve done my job as a fan. 

So do me a favor and cue up Dropkick’s “Time To Go,” because 

Rancourt’s ready, it’s time to take the ice

So tie down the jersey ’cause it could get ugly tonight 

Let’s go. Game 7. 

With the Cleveland Cavaliers looking dominant following their second sweep of the postseason, the inevitable debate has arisen again: LeBron James vs. Michael Jordan. Is James better than Jordan? Can Lebron surpass Jordan’s legacy? When all is said and done, is it possible that LeBron James will retire as the greatest NBA player in history?

The short answer: No. Of course not.

The long answer? Here we go: Read the rest of this entry »