One of my first sports memories was of watching the '70 & '72 Stanley Cup finals with my brothers on the floor of our living room. Now how much do I remember? Well considering I was what-4 when they won in '70 I can't say I remember tons but enough to remember the excitement when the game ended and we all jumped up and screamed. I also remember my sister keeping newspaper clippings of the B's (especially Derek Sanderson-yup her love of bad boys began early on) in a green plastic mini suitcase along with the names of all the players that she carefully and painstakingly made from alphabet pastina and scotch tape! She drew with pen a huge Bruins' logo and kept it under lock and key. I was privy to the contents, but couldn't look at it without her around. Well 39 years later, here we go again. Hell froze over in '04 when the Sox finally won a World Series, pigs flew earlier in 2001 when the Pats won the first of three (that's three-super bowls) I'd talk about the Celtics, but I never was a basketball girl, and now the Bruins have brought Lord Stanley's cup back to Boston! I'm looking outside my window right now for flying Locusts.
Now I have to admit, I stopped watching hockey regularly around '90. Before that, good lord, in High School I watched it all the time. My best buddy Gina had 1/2 season tkts bought with her baby sitting money. I was fortunate enough to go to the '83 playoff game with her when Brad Park scored an overtime goal to beat the Sabres. LOVED Brad Park. Over those years I've wanted to marry let's see (in no particular order), Giles Gilbert, Mike Krushelnyski, Brad Park, Bobby Orr (well okay 4 was a bit too young to think about getting married) and Peter McNabb. But then the lovin' stopped...pretty much after Cam Neely had to retire. While I've never not be aware of the Bruins-you can't when your oldest brother is a die hard fan and lives vicariously though you since he's on the West Coast and you're the only one that can go to games, I've just not been really engaged with the team. Recently, my fav player over the past 5 years or so has been Patrice Bergeron, he of the bubble head wrap and one more concussion away from not playing ever again (sigh). So who'd have thought this group, kinda like F Troop if you ask me, would make it happen. Well they did,and god luv em for it. Tim (Timmaaay) Thomas was awesome, and everyone on the team contributed, that's Hockey folks, the ultimate team sport (well granted we did have the "En Fuego" goalie during the playoffs). Anyway, thanks for the run boys, it was awesome.
What's the memory I'll keep of this win? The call I got from my brother on the West Coast right after the final seconds of game 7 came to and end. The gist of the conversation. Phone rings....I answer...no sound on the end "Larry???" "Um, Steph, they won, so I just wanted to check in, I"m, well I'm going to watch this, and I'll call you later, ok?" That and then me running out with Gina to Modell's in Medford at 11:30pm and waiting in line 45 minutes to get our Stanley Cup Champion T-Shirts.....God luv ya guys, it's Unbelievable.....and Most Excellent, and Wicked Awesome.... Thank you!!!
