Blog: Former BU Star Charlie McAvoy Will Take the Bruins By Storm

By Nick Beaudoin (@beaudoin91_)

Charlie McAvoy is the future of the Boston Bruins franchise.

He is a generational talent, and the Bruins may have made one of the greatest picks in the team’s 93-year history when they selected McAvoy 14th overall in last year’s draft. The 6 foot, 208-pound offensive defenseman has played at the highest ranks of American hockey his entire life. McAvoy is product of the NTDP (National Team Development Program) in Ann Arbor, Michigan and, most recently, the storied hockey program at Boston University.

The 10 Best Games of 2015

Malcom Butler's interception sealed one of the most memorable Super Bowls in history for the Patriots, but would that be our game of the year?.... Probably.

By Andy Dougherty (@AndyDougherty10)

Ed. Note- We at SuiteSports would like to wish everyone a happy 2016, and we can't think of a better way to prepare for another awesome year than to look back at the best games of a thrilling 2015. Luckily, correspondent Andy Dougherty was willing to put together this list, complete with highlights and whatnot. As you'll see below, it was a heck of a year for fantastic football finishes.

Happy new year!

Bob Lobel: An Ode to Bruins Fans

By Bob Lobel (@boblobel)

They are the best of fans and they are the worst of fans. 

Trying to compare the fan bases of our professional sports teams is not easy. It's like trying to explain why one pizza is better than another.  Clearly, any team that is winning attracts the die hards, the “I told you so” group, the “remember whens”, the singled out heroes, the coach that ownership knew would win, and the money spent by that owner. Blah, blah, blah. 

You know the obvious signs and sayings. It is, of course, the opposite when teams underachieve. That is fan speak for “they  suck." For some reason, the Bruins usually can wear both the "team to beat” hat and the “they suck” hat.

When that change occurs, it goes from "we" and "us," to "them" and "they." 

How are the Bruins and Celtics in the Same Boat?

The absence of David Krejci likely won't help the Bruins' 23rd ranked offense or 22nd ranked power play, but the recent addition of diminutive Isaiah Thomas has helped the Celtics close out a pair of key games late.

 By Andy Dougherty (@AndyDougherty10)

Before the start of the NHL and NBA seasons, experts predicted the Boston Bruins to be championship contenders and the Boston Celtics to be a doormat. About 70% of the way through, their seasons have played out more similarly than anyone expected.

The Bruins are clinging to the final Eastern Conference wild card spot while the Celtics find themselves just percentage points behind the Pacers in what is practically a tie for the final playoff spot in their Eastern Conference. Additionally, the Celtics actually have more room to climb the standings than the Bruins. They are just 1.5 games behind the 7th-seeded Miami Heat, while the Bruins are 7 points (or the equivalent of 3.5 games) behind the next highest team in the standings, the Washington Capitals.

How did this happen?

Your NHL Midseason Report

Ryan Getzlaf has the Ducks primed for a Stanley Cup run.

By Andy Dougherty (@AndyDougherty10)

On Sunday, Team Toews took down Team Foligno 17-12 in the NHL’s highest-scoring All-Star game ever. As the All-Star break wraps up, let’s take a look back at the best highlights from the first half of the year.

Goal of the Year

Sabres forward Tyler Ennis leapt past the Montreal Canadiens’ goal and put a blind backhand past Carey Price while falling down. ESPN listed this play third in its Top Ten Plays of 2014 in all of sports.

The Top-10 Plays of 2014

By Andy Dougherty (@AndyDougherty10)

Ed. Note- Yeah, we know we're a little late on this whole "best plays of 2014" thing, but our buddy Andy put together a great list for you all, and I didn't want a little thing like "timeliness" to ruin it. Click on all the links to watch video of these memorable plays.
Enjoy.

-Joe

10. Central Michigan's Crazy Touchdown in Closing Seconds of the Popeyes Bahamas Bowl

One second remained when this play began, and Central Michigan was nowhere near the end zone. The play started with a Hail Mary, and even when that was caught, the Chippewas were still 30 yards away. A series of laterals finally allowed them to score a touchdown on the crazy play. Unfortunately, they missed the ensuing two-point conversion and lost the game by a point.

The Worst Boston Sports Years Ever: Where Does 2014 Rank?

Unlike recent years, 2014 has not been kind to Boston sports fans. Where does it rank among the worst sports years in the city's history?

By Adam Lowenstein (@StatsAdam)

Since we turned the page to the most recent millennium, Boston’s four major professional sports teams have tasted a ton of success, but 2014 has been a different story thus far.

With this season’s version of the Red Sox all but eliminated from the postseason, we are now on pace for one of the five worst years in Boston sports history. Even with the Bruins’ terrific 2013-14 regular season, the overwhelmingly subpar seasons from the Celtics and Red Sox have brought the group record down to historic lows.

Will Soccer Stick in America THIS Time?

Sure, we're all into soccer now, but will the sport matter in America after the World Cup?

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

With the World Cup in full swing, American sports fans are finding themselves in an odd place: Pretending to care about the world's game.

America's thrilling 2-1 win over Ghana Tuesday surely enhanced the image of US Soccer, especially after the national side was eliminated by Ghana in the last two World Cups, but it also helped us understand why we've managed care so much about the World Cup, while not holding particular interest in the goings on of world soccer for the last two decades.

The World Cup is the last place where beating a "pretty good" team from a midsized nation is a step in the right direction for America. Once every four years, we Americans get to feel like underdogs and cheer with house money against nations that have been playing soccer longer and care about it far more.

The US Men's National Team is the last American competitive entity where baby steps can be taken and moral victories exist. Combine that with the fact that multiple generations have now grown up playing soccer as children, and you have a recipe for legitimate interest in the sport following the World Cup.

I think.

March Mascot Melee™: The Final Four

Only in New Jersey could people be so excited for their kids to meet the Devil. But, can Lucifer make it to the finals for a potential rematch with the Angels?

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe) and Jeremy Conlin (@jeremy_conlin)

We're almost home.

After four heated battled in the Elite Eight (Parts One and Two), we are left with the four baddest mascots in American professional sports. Only the NBA bracket champion Magic, MLB bracket champion Angels, NFL bracket champion Titans and NHL bracket champion Devils remain.

Did the actual NCAA tournament (which this is unceremoniously modeled after) end on Monday? Yes. Are we like, a week late? Yes. Do we care? Not really. We're really lazy. And by "we" I mean Jeremy.

Here's a look back at our bracket to see how we got here.

March Mascot Melee™: The Elite Eight Part One

Don't be confused by his appearance or his name (Stuff the Magic Dragon) - the Orlando Magic mascot is wielding a power that humans know not.

By Jeremy Conlin (@jeremy_conlin)

Florida, Connecticut, Kentucky, and Wisconsin punched their tickets to the "real" Final Four in Dallas this past weekend. This morning, four mascots will join them in our own Final Four, only ours will take place in Kamchatka, which, as everyone knows, is the Thunderdome capital of the World.

March Mascot Melee™: The Suite 16 Part Two

If the Rockets' mascot is just an overweight bear with a smile, maybe I advanced them too far.

By Jeremy Conlin (@jeremy_conlin)

Entering the week, we were down to our Suite 16 mascots in this 64-team, Thunderdome-style March Mascot Melee™. Yes, we realize that our tournament has pushed into April, and yes, we realize that we came into the week two full rounds behind the actual tournament that we're supposedly mirroring. We can easily explain those two nagging problems away by saying first that the last time the NCAA Tournament actually ended in March was during the Clinton administration, and second that by the end of the week, we'll be down to four teams, just like the actual tournament. So there.

Bob Lobel: Jerry Remy Impresses on Opening Day

By Bob Lobel (@boblobel)

We know how the Red Sox did in game number one, but a more difficult measurement is the Jerry Remy factor. 

On a scale of one to 10, how do you think it was? I’m putting him down for a solid seven, and the reason it wasn’t higher was the opening of the game, when he was on camera in the most intimate, for lack of a better word, setting. 

March Mascot Melee™: Round 2 of the NHL Bracket

Look at that handsome Devil. Who could stop him?

By Jeremy Conlin (@jeremy_conlin)

With the NHL bracket, we finish up Round 2 of the March Mascot Melee™, having already covered Major League Baseball, the NFL, and the NBA over the last few days.

The NHL region has seen fewer upsets than the other regions, and we'll see if that trend continues in Round 2. (Yes, I realize how strange that sounds considering I am in sole control of the outcomes and very well could create some upsets simply because I feel like it. But let's just move on.)

March Mascot Melee™: Round One of the NHL Bracket

Don't be fooled by his fluffy appearance - sharks are deadly

By Jeremy Conlin (@jeremy_conlin)

Today, we finish up the first round of our March Mascot Melee™ tournament. Yesterday, we covered Major League Baseball and the NBA, and earlier today trusty old Joe Parello tackled the NFL (Get it? Tackled? Because football? Anyone? *Looks around for a high five* No? Nobody? Okay, I'll show myself out).

Bob Lobel: Which Refs Have the Toughest Jobs?

By Bob Lobel  @boblobel

Ready or not here it comes, three weeks of stupid bracket decisions. 

It will be three weeks of totally second-guessing yourself, and you’re not alone. Just about everybody who thinks they know anything about college basketball will be on the Titanic with you. 

But that’s not why I called you here today. 

Coming Soon: March Mascot Melee™

By SuiteSports Staff

Have you ever wondered which of the NFL's bird mascots is the toughest?

How about if a New Jersey Devil could defeat a Tennessee Titan?

Ok, chances are you've never given this too much thought, but the folks that brought you last year's March Man Crush tournament are here to sort out these questions, and more, with March Mascot Melee™!

Ed Note: We did not actually trademark that term.

Catching Up With Bob Lobel: Bob Checks in from Spring Training

Legendary sportscaster Bob Lobel calls in from Fort Myers, Florida, the site of Boston's first Spring Training game. He discusses the chances of a Red Sox repeat with host Joe Parello, and breaks down the Bruins as we head into next week's NHL Trade Deadline.

That, and more, on this week's edition of "Catching Up With Bob Lobel."

Discover Sports Internet Radio with SuiteSports Live on BlogTalkRadio

Top Plays of 2013

2013 is almost over. Time to re-live some of the best moments.

By Jeremy Conlin (@jeremy_conlin)

2013 is almost in the books. It's been a very interesting year in sports. The reigning NFL Champion won't be in the playoffs. Peyton Manning broke a whole slew of records. The BCS is in its final year. LeBron James and the Heat won back-to-back titles. The Red Sox went from last place to first place. A 15-seed made the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.

We're here today to share our choices for the biggest plays and best moments from each sport and each league. Some of them are no-brainers, some might come as surprises. And some we couldn't pick just one so we had to use a few.

We'll start with the two no-brainers:

In Defense of South Florida Sports Fans

Wait, the Dolphins went undefeated in 1972? Their fans NEVER talk about that! Still, it's been a rough last four decades for Phin fans. Well, I guess Dan Marino did have some exciting playoff losses and Ricky Williams had a fun retirement.

By Joe Parello  @HerewegoJoe

There has been a lot of hate thrown around these past couple weeks, and not all of it has been directed at LeBron James and his cronies.

No, after the Miami Heat were dead in the water during Game 6 of the NBA Finals, the national media and fans everywhere lobbed shots at Heat fans for leaving early and missing out on one of the most improbable comebacks in NBA history.

A Tale of Two Cities: Championship Nights in Miami and Boston

By Joe Parello  @HerewegoJoe

I normally try to write in a way the average sports fan can relate to, but I'm pretty much gonna throw that out the window here: I just spent the last two nights at a Stanley Cup game in Boston and at Game 7 of the NBA Finals in Miami.

Before you dismiss this as a blog from a pompous jerk bragging about an awesome experience, give me the benefit of the doubt, and at least get these three points out of this.

1. Boston is a great sports town (Something you already knew).
2 South Florida is a weird freakin' place (Something you may have known).
3. My dad is awesomely crazy (Something you surely know if you've ever met the man).

Let's start with that last one, as I explain my recent championship night experience.

I called my dad on Father's Day, and the first thing he said to me was "Joe, it's Father's Day, but I've got a present for you."