Sports Then and Now

The NHLPA and NHL have reached a tentative agreement to end the 2012-13 NHL Lockout

Most people are pretty unhappy when they have to be awake at six in the morning, and usually I am right there with them. Today is different though, not because I woke up on the “right” side of the bed this morning, but because the NHLPA and NHL have reached a tentative agreement to end the NHL Lockout.

The news broke early this morning by the media in attendance including TSN analyst and former Bruin Aaron Ward, TSN’s Darren Dreger, and ESPN’s Pierre Lebrun. The story from TSN can be read here.

“We have reached an agreement on the framework of a new collective bargaining agreement,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman confirmed to reporters early Sunday morning. “I want to thank Don Fehr. We still have more work to do, but it’s good to be at this point.”

While details are few at this time and are the typical “more to follow” variety; it is known that the new deal is 10 years in length. The tentative deal was finally reached after a marathon session of negotiations which eclipsed nearly 16 hours and led into the early morning of today.

It also appears as if the deal features a salary cap of $64.3 million in the second year which is a common ground for both parties as the owners wanted for the cap to be $60 million. It is this concession that is believed to hold major significance in reaching a deal between both parties.

According to ESPN and TSN analyst Pierre Lebrun, the NHL has both 50 game and 48 games schedules drawn up depending on how long it takes to ratify the new CBA. It is unknown at this time as to how long that process will take. What I can tell you is that the NHL Lockout is all but over. There are still some minor things to be done, but for all intents and purposes, we will be seeing hockey pretty soon.

More information will come out over time and we here at Boston Sports Then & Now will keep you all abreast of it as it is released. For now you can all sit back, relax, and think about your beloved black & gold taking the ice at the TD Garden sometime in the next couple of weeks.

You can follow me on twitter for any and all NHL, Bruins, and hockey related news here: Mattjacob64

The NHL is approaching the deadline to cancel yet ANOTHER season.

The players are IRATE with the league’s negotiating tactics.

The “BRAND” has become an UTTER joke.

The businesses/cities are losing MILLIONS.

The fans are PISSED off and are at wit’s end.

The video below put together by Janne Makkonen, who brought to you the EMOTIONAL and EPIC “Together We Can” masterpiece, encapsulates the SORRY state of the greatest game (not for long) on the planet.

Hockey fans are the MOST DEDICATED in all of sport.

And they get WALKED on the most!

Hockey fans everywhere are TRYING to keep CALM and SURVIVE the latest lockout as it enters it’s FOURTH month.

What a great Xmas present the NHL has given it’s fans during this holiday season!

A BIG OLE LUMP OF GREED COAL!

Well, the NHL owners will feel the wrath of the fans when the game returns hopefully in 2013.

When it comes to buying merchandise and renewing season tickets, the fans will be the GRINCH and SCROOGE the owners where it hurts.

In their HUGE wallets…

END THE FRIGGIN’ LOCKOUT!

ST&N Tip Of The Cap To Angry NHL Fans!

Legendary marathoner and triathlete Rick Hoyt poses with statue of Team Hoyt that was unveiled at the 2012 Mayors Reception before the 2012 Boston Marathon. A life size version of the statue will be erected in Hopkinton MA, the start of the famous Boston Marathon.

Rarely in life do we have the opportunity to look back and appreciate the fact that we may have actually achieved something that really counts. Something that makes a difference not only to ourselves but perhaps has an impact on everyone who touches it. A creation that seems to have such potential impact that it becomes impossible to comprehend that it came from us alone and wasn’t also sprinkled with a heavy handed dose of divine intervention.

I’m reminded of the story called Starfish that I heard some years ago. It is the story of a young girl who was walking along a beach upon which thousands of starfish had been washed up during a terrible storm. When she came to each starfish, she would pick it up, and throw it back into the ocean.

People watched her with amusement.

She had been doing this for some time when a man approached her and said, “Little girl, why are you doing this? Look at this beach! You can’t save all these starfish. You can’t begin to make a difference!” The girl seemed crushed, suddenly deflated. But after a few moments, she bent down, picked up another starfish, and hurled it as far as she could into the ocean.

Then she looked up at the man and replied, “Well, I made a difference to that one, didn’t I?” The old man looked at the girl inquisitively and thought about what she had done and said.

Inspired, he joined the little girl in throwing starfish back into the sea. Soon others joined, and all the starfish were saved.

The story which was adapted from the Star Thrower by Loren C. Eiseley, describes precisely how I feel after experiencing the fervor and enthusiasm that has surrounded the launch of my new book, entitled One Letter at a Time by Rick Hoyt with Todd Civin.

One Letter at a Time is the life long story of famed marathoner and triathlete, Rick Hoyt, who together with his equally famous father, Dick Hoyt, makes up the world-renowned duo known as Team Hoyt.

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YES, Browns fans!

Trent Richardson Has Helped Put Bite In The Dawgs Bark.

You FINALLY have collection of players and coaches that are a REAL team.

There is HOPE.  SERIOUSLY, I REALLY MEAN IT this season.

The Cleveland Browns are turning what’s left of the sinking ship into port. Their decrepit vessel is getting repaired, the holes are getting PLUGGED. After a MADDENING 0-5 start (STANDARD procedure in Cleveland since ’99) which saw the Browns lose three games by 7 points or less,  fans were playing the COULDA, SHOULDA, WOULDA game in their heads.

Close YET AGAIN but no CIGAR for a very YOUNG team.

While most NFL teams play 1 or 2 rookies, the Browns play 12. Every team has to start over with young players at some point. #ibelieve — Katie Giovannucci (@Katiegio3) December 9, 2012

The Browns are maturing into a team that is INJECTING the Dawg Pound with HOPE FINALLY. Led by the “BEAST”better known as rookie running back, Trent Richardson, Cleveland’s running game is is a LEGITIMATE WEAPON & THREAT. Even when T-Rich has a sub-par game, he still contributes by finding the end zone.

Quarterback Brandon Weeden has got more and more comfortable in the offense. The “OLD MAN” rookie has cut down on costly turnovers that lost games for Browns earlier in the season. He is becoming the intelligent game manager that fans in Cleveland has CRAVED and has not seen since Bernie Kosar.

Yet ANOTHER offensive rookie, wide receiver  Josh Gordon has also grown leaps and bounds. Gordon has become Weeden’s long distance threat which the opposition has to pay attention to. It’s only up from here for the former Baylor Bear.

The Browns defense and special teams have GELLED and stats show it. Cleveland is currently ninth in the NFL in points allowed with 20.9 points. Due to a GREAT PASS rush, the defense have become a ball hawking unit as of late including EIGHT forced turnovers versus the HATED Steelers.  They currently are FOURTH in the AFC with a +8 takeaway/giveaway ratio.

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Now that they have won the AFC East, Tom Brady and the New England Patriots are focused on the playoffs and another Super Bowl appearance.

The New England Patriots continued their dominance of the Eastern Division by collecting their 10th title in 12 years following a hard-fought victory against a stubborn Miami Dolphins side.

The Patriots, favorites in the pre-game betting NFL markets were nowhere near their attacking best during the 23-16 win, with Tom Brady only finishing with modest figures of 24 from 40 for 238 yards, landing a seven yard touchdown pass to Wes Welker, during a tough day at the office for the quarterback in which he was sacked four times.

Wide receiver Welker was lively throughout the victory against the Dolphins, finishing with 12 receptions for 103 yards and his crucial second-half touchdown. Kicker Stephen Gostkowski’s two field goals also proved invaluable for New England as they held firm in the face of a determined Miami side intent on ruining their opponent’s day.
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