When authorized sports activities betting started in Massachusetts on Jan. 31, Massachusetts House Speaker Ron Mariano was among the many politicians and athletes on the WynnBET Sportsbook in Everett to position ceremonial first wagers.
He wagered $50 on the Celtics to win the NBA Finals and $50 on the Bruins to win the Stanley Cup.
Turns out, the home all the time wins. Even when the speaker doesn’t.
The NBA Finals start tonight … in Denver.
The Stanley Cup Finals start Saturday … in Las Vegas.
That was not presupposed to occur.
TD Garden was double-booked.
NBA Finals on Thursday.
Stanley Cup Finals on Saturday.
NBA Finals on Sunday.
Stanley Cup Finals on Monday.
The Score of Supremacy enters its second act.
Boston reclaims its throne because the Sports Hub of the Universe.
The Brady Effect, lastly, purged from our ethos.
Cue the … “Price Is Right” horn.
Boston’s highway was broad open. But the bridge bought washed out.
Two gut-wrenching Game 7 choke jobs later, we’re caught with 101 days of the Red Sox.
The Patriots open at house in opposition to the Eagles on Sept. 10 with 17 weeks of three-and-out.
Boston’s title drought will have a good time its fifth birthday on Feb. 3 if the Red Sox don’t win the World Series.
Big “if” there.
Today is Day 1,579.
The chance of a double Duck Boat parade within the early-summer solar warmed the Bay State all winter. The victorious Celtics and triumphant Bruins rolling down Boylston Street in joint mayhem. The glare of the Larry O’Brien Trophy and Stanley Cup shining upon a number of million blind drunks.
It was all a dream.
Blades went into hibernation a month in the past.
The “Greatest NHL Team Ever” blew a 3-1 collection lead in opposition to the No. 8-seed Panthers in Round 1. The mighty Boston Bruins bought iced by a goalie born within the Soviet Union throughout the Cold War. And cowed by the swagger and talent of Matthew Tkachuk.
The Curse of the Presidents’ Trophy stays extra deadly than John Wick. Of the final 20 winners, solely two have received the Stanley Cup. That’s a kill fee of 90%. Dogs included.
The Celtics fooled themselves and everybody else, besides the Miami Heat. Boston ran out of second possibilities in opposition to Miami, after being pushed to Game 6 in opposition to Atlanta and Game 7 in opposition to Philly.
It’s unfair to name these Celtics “frauds.” They by no means pretended to be something however a talent-heavy crew missing the “grit” essential to win a hoop.
By now, your head is spinning with commerce discuss, new-coach discuss, and variations of the roster that someway would be the distinction subsequent 12 months.
The Celtics want a coronary heart and soul transplant. Plus, an grownup within the room with an NBA championship ring.
Meanwhile, Jaylen Brown simply dribbled the ball off his foot. And Jayson Tatum is complaining to the refs.
Winning has been purged from the Celtics group’s DNA.
One title in 37 years does that.
They at the moment are the NBA’s model of “Glass Joe.” Can’t take a punch.
Lucky’s black eye might final for years.
The final little bit of “Celtics Pride” perished Monday night time.
With Pat Riley watching, the Miami Heat acquired the Bob Cousy Trophy and Jimmy Butler hoisted the Larry Bird Trophy. All this occurred on a TD Garden parquet flooring that options the quantity “6” in honor of Bill Russell and the signature of Red Auerbach.
It was unholy. Before the Celtics take into consideration elevating Banner 18, they should chop up the wooden, throw it right into a shredder, and burn the stays. A Greek Orthodox priest can carry out an exorcism to purify all of it.
Monday’s besmirchment got here practically a 12 months after the Golden State Warriors celebrated an NBA championship on the identical cursed timber. Steph Curry was given a trophy named for Russell as collection MVP.
When you hear discuss “blowing up” the Celtics or Bruins, you would possibly wish to embody TD Garden.
In addition to Game 7, the Celtics dropped two at house to open their collection in opposition to the Heat earlier than their failed impersonation of the 2004 Red Sox. They are 11-12 of their previous 23 house playoff video games.
The Bruins misplaced three house video games, together with Game 7, to the Panthers. The Bruins have misplaced seven Game 7s of their present constructing and watched two groups (Chicago and St. Louis) declare the Stanley Cup on that tainted ice.
How a few Little Wrecking Ball of Hate?
Boston can now boast that it’s the solely metropolis ever to lose Game 7s to NBA and NHL No. 8 seeds at house in the identical season.
The NBA Finals swing again to South Beach subsequent week. That’s acquainted turf given the Heat’s success of the previous 20 years.
The Stanley Cup is both going to be received simply off the Las Vegas Strip or behind a sprawling mall in Sunrise, Fla. Hardly Original Six territory.
The largest query for each the Celtics and Bruins is: “Now what?”
In phrases of management, roster make-up, and the franchises themselves.
How do you promote the Celtics subsequent season? Will “Unfinished Business” change into “Risky Business?”
How about: “No Guts. No Glory.”
Or: “5 Guys … Disappear.”
The Bruins will bamboozle the plenty with infinite chatter about it being their one hundredth season.
When you’ve received only one Stanley Cup in 51 years, historical historical past is all you’ve bought.
Those underneath 45 don’t have any actual reminiscence of the dynastic Celtics of the Nineteen Eighties. Add one other decade for the Big Bad Bruins of the Nineteen Seventies.
The lasting impression from this season for each the Bruins and the Celtics shall be an impossibility for his or her fan bases to ever take the common season significantly once more.
Even if each go 82-0.
Bill Speros (@RealOBF and @BillSperos) will be reached at [email protected]
Source: www.bostonherald.com