Rite of Spring 2013 (NHL Playoffs): "You have no fear of the underdog, that's why you will not survive."

[CS85]

I think Boston people have the sense to realize that anyone hawking this crap is a detestable human being who's merely taking advantage of shock value to make a few bucks off of drunks.

[TorinK92]

I think Boston people have the sense to realize that anyone hawking this crap is a detestable human being who's merely taking advantage of shock value to make a few bucks off of drunks.

most people who aren't taking advantage of shock value to make a few bucks or get fame for 15 minutes knows that it's wrong.

[The_Admiral]

No, he's actually right about how the homicidal lunacy of two disturbed locals has not rendered its teams invincible, and the #bostonstrong commodification was unpleasant enough before other people started hijacking it.

Wrigleyville t-shirt people are the pits, though.

[CubsFanBudMan]

I'll add that I was never comfortable with the Red Sox's "B STRONG" approach using their logo as the B. It just seems like those sorts of things, even if organic, come off as trying to capitalize on a tragedy. I think black armbands or patches or something generic that says "Boston Strong" should suffice. The fact that there's any "branding" of a tragedy these days, whether by ribbons or slogans or hashtags, is slightly disturbing.

Call me cynical, but I see a marketing guy saying, "Let's get our logo everywhere by changing Boston Strong to [Red Sox logo] B Strong." So I get the backlash, but it's never going to come off right, so better not to do it. (And I say that without actually seeing the shirt, as it was pulled by the time I clicked.)

[RyanMcD29]

Now why does 2 Final games have to be on NBCSN? I get that it was like that for ESPN, but ESPN is way more popular then NBCSN will ever be. It seems very OITGDNHL to have championship games on that channel.

Basically like everything else in sports on cable, to push circulation on cable/satellite systems, grab ad revenue for said cable network, and more or less try and get your cable bill raised or something or another like ESPN does with their overpaid college sport contracts

[Alex Houston]

Two things I had a good chuckle at when reading the morning links:

NBC Sports Executive Sam Flood calls McGuire the "gold standard" in coverage and lambasts Twitter for attacking him and other broadcasters.(http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nhl/news/20130612/stanley-cup-broadcasting-guide/?sct=hp_t13_a9&eref=sihp)

Phil Esposito doesn't care much for this series

(http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2013/06/12/phil-esposito-on-hawks-bruins-final-doesnt-mean-s-to-me/)

[TorinK92]

NBC Sports Executive Sam Flood calls McGuire the "gold standard" in coverage and lambasts Twitter for attacking him and other broadcasters.(http://sportsillustr...13_a9&eref=sihp)

and he CAN believe it.

because the Russians iced the puck.

[The Giant Pacific Octopus]

Ratings ain't what they used to be, you know. Last night's 4.8 won the night handily for NBC. That 5.2 in 1997 probably kept Fox in 4th. That any non-NFL sporting event can match its TV numbers of 16 years ago is pretty remarkable.

We're at a point where nationally-televised baseball longs for hockey's numbers, especially in the money demos.

Its a different World. Most people I know watch games on thier mobile devices streaming the games live. Not just for hockey but all sports. The days of the whole family sitting around the TV watching programs together is dying.

[speedy]

I think Boston people have the sense to realize that anyone hawking this crap is a detestable human being who's merely taking advantage of shock value to make a few bucks off of drunks.

Yes.

On a related note, I have no problem with people who are selling Boston Strong gear where it's clearly labeled "100% of net profits goes to the One Fund." However, about 90% of the vendors around the city will charge $30 for a cheaply made Boston Strong shirt, and give $5 to charity. Disgusting. You can tell those shirts apart from certain companies who donate it all. People walking around in those are some of the douchiest people on the planet, and there's a lot of them.

No, he's actually right about how the homicidal lunacy of two disturbed locals has not rendered its teams invincible, and the #bostonstrong commodification was unpleasant enough before other people started hijacking it.

Wrigleyville t-shirt people are the pits, though.

I think you're the only one on here who portrays Boston teams as invincible. We get it, you think Boston Strong is a joke. I'll grant you, some of it is - as I've mentioned above. However, as someone who lives in this city, and who's volunteered at the past 4 Marathons (except this year because Patriots Day fell on my birthday), it's not a joke. Don't play the intellectual troll card just because it's your favorite hand, every other page is you complaining about it. Boston Strong was about unifying an often divided city, it was about awareness of the victims, and raising the proper money to take care of their needs. So if you want to keep deriding that go ahead, but your posts on the topic wreak of ignorance. Which isn't typical of you.

[FGM13]

Prediction: If Boston wins this game, they win series in 6, if Chicago wins, they win in 7. I also predict Boston wins all home games.

[Eye]

Why did it take a tragedy for Boston to be, or let us know they're strong?

[Brass]

Why did it take a tragedy for Boston to be, or let us know they're strong?

You're asking why Boston, a city that people ridicule as is, would roll out a catchphrase for absolutely no reason? If they did, you'd certainly have a problem with it.

It was a rallying call to help our citizens through a very dark period in our cities history.

[dbadefense1990]

Why did it take a tragedy for Boston to be, or let us know they're, strong?

Using your logic, I can post this and expect no backlash:

{in sarcastic tone}

Why did it take 9/11 for America to be, or let us know they're, strong?

You see how stupid your post was.

[The_Admiral]

If my city had to go six-star GTA to catch some jerkass kid, I wouldn't feel strong at all. I'd feel like a tiny worthless bug that could be crushed underfoot at a moment's whim.

[Eye]

Why did it take a tragedy for Boston to be, or let us know they're strong?

You're asking why Boston, a city that people ridicule as is, would roll out a catchphrase for absolutely no reason? If they did, you'd certainly have a problem with it.

It was a rallying call to help our citizens through a very dark period in our cities history.

Boston is a great city and I certainly don't have a problem with them being Strong. You missed my point.

I would like to see this unity more often, instead, we don't.

Why did it take a tragedy for Boston to be, or let us know they're, strong?

Using your logic, I can post this and expect no backlash:

{in sarcastic tone}

Why did it take 9/11 for America to be, or let us know they're, strong?

You see how stupid your post was.

I wasn't talking about 9/11, but if you want I guess you can compare the two.

Instead of being patriotic when something terrible happens, why can't we be patriotic all the time?

It would be great if America and Boston or whatever city always strong and let us know when things are going well, too.

The unity in Boston is great, we need to see more of it (doesn't matter from whom).

[fouhy12]

Well, I'm not really sure how that wasn't goalie interference.

[CS85]

Awesome period by the Blackhawks. Also Milbury just stabbed Jagr in the face with his microphone.

[Still MIGHTY]

Well, I'm not really sure how that wasn't goalie interference.

Because Rask wasn't actually interfered with until the puck was behind him in the net. He couldn't get up his own defenders were around him.

---

This game has been damn near all Blackhawks. It's a minor miracle for Boston that it's only 1-0. Scary prospect for Chicago, but it's not like what they're doing isn't working. They've just got to break through again.

[CS85]

You can play like crap and still win. Boston's proving this is absolutely possible.

[CS85]

Holy god. The Blackhawks power play is just the absolute worst thing to ever happen to the sport. I'd rather watch a sick old man take a dump.