DHL Dan CCXXIX - Riding The Pine

The Bruins' David Pastrnak got benched earlier in the week, and Shank recalls another Bruins benching:

David Pastrnak’s benching recalls an earlier event that didn’t sit well with Cam Neely, and other thoughts

Picked-up pieces while calmly reciting Lou Gorman’s mantra: “The sun will rise, the sun will set, and I’ll have lunch” …

▪ Bruins coach Jim Montgomery benched his best player, David Pastrnak, for the third period of a win over the Kraken at the Garden last weekend.

And it was no big deal. After taking responsibility for a bad turnover in the game, Pasta said, “I don’t want to be any distraction to our team,” then two days later led all Bruins forwards with 22:18 of ice time in Toronto.

I don’t remember Manny Ramirez, Tom Brady, or Larry Bird getting benched very often. It’s a hockey thing. And it’s usually not a big deal.

Except for once around here when it was.

In January of 1996, 34-year-old rookie Bruins coach Steve Kasper sat Cam Neely and Kevin Stevens for a game in Toronto that ended in a 4-4 tie. Neely, a nine-year Bruins veteran and alternate captain who was playing in the final year of his career, did not take it well, and neither did Bruins fans.

The Real Deal?

That's what Shank's wondering after last week's New England Patriots loss to the Tennessee Titans:

Love or hate the Drake, you will always remember Maye’s Music City Miracle — and he looks like the real deal

NASHVILLE — Drake Maye did it all Sunday in Tennessee.

All except for the winning part.

One week after being sidelined by a concussion in the first quarter against the Jets, New England’s new franchise quarterback made his fourth career start and did a lot of everything.

With little concern for his personal safety, Maye ran the ball eight times for 95 yards, eschewing the safety slide on most occasions and coming within 5 yards of being the first Patriot quarterback in 48 years to rush for 100 (Steve Grogan, 1976).

Love the Drake!

He completed 29 of 41 passes for 206 yards and orchestrated two second-half touchdown drives.

Love the Drake!

He fumbled twice (losing one) and was intercepted twice.

Hate the Drake!

DHL Dan CCXXVIII - Spooky Thoughts

Speaking of mailing it in, I skipped three of Shank's columns from ealier in the week, so we can get right to a sequel to Shank's infamous book, The Curse of The Bambino:

These Mookie Betts/Babe Ruth parallels with the Red Sox are getting spooky, and other thoughts

NEW YORK — Picked-up pieces while concluding that the Mets, Phillies, and Padres also would have beaten the Yankees . . .

▪ The Dodgers won the World Series Wednesday, and it was Mookie Betts driving in the winning run. Mookie has won two World Series since the Red Sox dealt him for Jeter Downs (released after 14 games), Connor Wong, and Alex Verdugo (traded to the Yankees).

This really is starting to feel like Babe Ruth Redux. Exactly 100 years later.

The Babe came to the Red Sox in 1914, Mookie in 2014.

The Babe won a World Series with the Sox in 1918, Mookie in 2018.

The Babe was sold to the Yankees after the 1919 season because Red Sox ownership needed cash. Mookie was traded to the Dodgers after the 2019 season because the Red Sox wouldn’t pay what the Dodgers were willing to pay him.