Scott Cordischi On Sports

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Scott Cordischi, GoLocalProv Sports Editor

We have been told for years that teams cannot simply “turn on the switch” come playoff time. You have to play well going into the postseason and develop some consistency before it begins. We have been misinformed. The 2010 Boston Celtics are a great example of a team that was and is capable of flipping that switch. All season long we lamented that age had caught up to the Big Three and that it would be nearly impossible for the Celtics to advance an further than the second round. Well here they are in the Eastern Conference Finals looking like a much better team than Orlando. This is what happens when you have three future hall of famers who know what it takes to win and do it. It’s fun to watch.

-What Rasheed Wallace did against Dwight Howard in game 1 was exactly what Danny Ainge had envisioned when he brought the enigmatic big man on board during the offseason.

-I don’t know about the rest of Red Sox Nation, but I went to bed angry Monday night.

-Yes, the Bruins choked giving up 3-0 leads in the series and game 7 against the Flyers. But did anyone think that this team had a chance to be one win away from the conference finals before the playoffs started?

-Did Theo say that his team was built for “run prevention” or “win prevention?”

-If Celtics assistant Tom Thibodeau doesn’t get a look at some NBA head coaching vacancies this offseason then other GM’s just aren’t paying attention.

-Tom Brady’s unwavering support of Bill Belichick was nice to hear. Now Brady needs to be a vocal leader and hammer that point home with all of his teammates this season.

-Whether it’s Tyler Sequin or Taylor Hall, the Bruins will be picking up a tremendously talented offensive player in the 2010 NHL draft.

-So far, the galleries have treated Tiger Woods very politely on the PGA Tour. You wonder if that will change when Tiger plays two months from now in the British Open at St. Andrew’s?

-The last two men’s basketball coaches at Columbia University now coach in Boston – Armond Hill with the Celtics and Joe Jones at Boston College.

-Jonathan Papelbon is a one-trick pony with his only good pitch being his fastball and opposing hitters are sitting on it. He had better learn how to develop a consistent second pitch or locate his fastball with pinpoint accuracy or he will continue to be less effective.

-Former Providence Bruins radio voice and current Washington Capitals television voice Joe Beninati does a solid job of hockey play-by-play for Versus.

-Ditto to former Knicks and Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy who does a great job as a color man for ESPN and ABC.

-If Doc Rivers decides to walk away from coaching to be with his family this offseason, would Danny Ainge consider his former teammate and best friend Kevin McHale for Doc’s job?

-In case you’re wondering, I don’t want to talk about Army’s upset of Syracuse in the NCAA men’s lacrosse tournament.

-Monday night’s loss in New York had that pre-2004 Red Sox feel to it, didn’t it?

-Brown University officially announced that their football team will play its first ever home game under the lights on Saturday, September 25^th at 6pm.

-Joba Chamberlin is a mess!

-In all due respect to LeBron James, I think that Kobe Bryant may be the best the NBA has to offer.

-It’s only fitting that the Magic play in Orlando after their Mickey Mouse performance at home in game 1 and 2 of the Eastern Conference finals.