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November 9, 2006
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LONGSHOTS: Blame game reaches new local low In 1984 the Celtics got blown out in game three of the NBA finals 137-104 by the Lakers. The embarrassing defeat put them down two games to one in a series they should have been down three-zip. They weren’t because James Worthy inexplicability threw a looping pass in the waning seconds of game two that Gerald Henderson picked off and turned into the tying points as time expired. It led to a 124-121 overtime escape that sent a lucky team west tied at a game apiece. In the press conference after Game Three Larry Bird didn’t point fingers at referees, coach KC Jones or any teammate. He looked in the mirror and said the entire team was playing like “sissies” and they better play better, or they were going to be embarrassed again. Many would have blamed somebody, anybody, because that’s what people do when they don’t have the character to face what the real problem is. It’s what folks like Terrell Owens generally do and why, no matter how good they are, I don’t want them on my team. Take Mike Vanderjagt. He once tired to blame a post-season loss on Peyton Manning’s not delivering in the clutch. True or not, and it sure didn’t look that way on Sunday, leaders don’t blame others. Folks who do generally do what Vander gag did when the big moment arrived in the playoffs last year. Needing a field goal to send it to overtime against eventual Super Bowl winner Pittsburgh, he showed true grit by kicking it farther to right than where Rush Limbaugh resides and the Colts went home empty again. Leaders don’t whine, or cry and blame others. They stand there and take it. Then they pull everyone together to solve the problem. That was the case for Bird in 1984 though it didn’t really turn around until Kevin McHale close lined Kurt Rambis on a fast break to spark a Boston comeback in Game Four. Memorable wins in games five and seven followed, as did title number 15. I doubt it would have happened if Bird had sat there after game three pointing fingers as Mayor Frank Guinta did two weeks ago in the wake of much more real life-and-death circumstances. He did it by pointing a finger Governor Lynch’s way for escalating violent crime in Manchester after a gubernatorial debate at WMUR-TV. It was the-ends-justify-the-means politics at its worst, as it blatantly politicized the sad death of Officer Michael Briggs. The kind of thing that makes me shout: when are we going to put our foot down and say enough is enough? And it’s not like it’s one party. The Democrats responded with a press conference, where, after a brief statement condemning the mayor, they politicized it too by recanting a litany of things the Governor has done to curb crime. A friend of mine said the next day, “They can’t help themselves, they’re politicians.” Trying to hold politicians accountable may seem futile, but the impossible can happen. Look at the Bruins after years of owner neglect, when Jeremy Jacobs knew people would flock to see their beloved Bs if they just stayed competitive enough. Then came the lockout, a truly horrendous year, and when the turnstile count plummeted, magically Jacobs appeared to show he cared. I know I’m a cynic, but please. However, it does show that if you hold them accountable with your wallet or vote they will respond. It’s like that with the mayor’s six-point plan to curb violent crime that only appeared after Officer Briggs was gunned down. Where’s it been? I mean the mayor did campaign on this issue, didn’t he? Especially after violent incidents at Omega and Envy fell right into campaign manger Jack Heath’s lap. It’s like Bill Belichick coming into tomorrow’s film meeting with a plan to hold Manning in check. That’s great, Bill, but where was it Sunday when he was nearly unstoppable in a 27-20 loss? And did anyone see Tom Brady blaming anyone for those four picks? No. That’s why he’s so respected. Through the years the line has become so blurred with people talking a good game, it’s hard to tell now what a real thing is when you see it. It’s like the last few years Drew Bledsoe was a Patriot and still the team’s unquestioned quarterback. That was true even among his critics, except, I guess, Butch from the Cape. But Bill Belickick doesn’t look at reputations. He wants production and saw someone holding onto a job because no one on hand was good enough take it. That is until he got hurt, when Brady stepped in and never looked back. Even with three Super Bowl rings tucked away in Brady’s safe deposit box, to this day Drew, unbelievably, still feels he should have gotten his job back when he returned from his devastating injury. He’s unable, I guess, to look in the mirror and see he was holding on to it by default, and didn’t get it back because Brady was better. It’s called denial. Maybe that’s why the mayor tried to lay some of the blame for the recurring street violence on Governor Lynch. Or, maybe it was payback for a slight, or he was just being a political hack trying to help the failing campaign of Jim Coburn – which is even worse. Anyway, it didn’t show the kind of leadership this crisis demands. It’s time to get all who can help involved. Build bridges, Mr. Mayor, make amends with the Governor and stop worrying about credit and blame. In short, be the leader you said you were when you asked Manchester to put you in office. Dave Long can be heard on Sports Night with Dave Long nightly from 6 to 7 p.m. on 610 WGIR-AM |
11/2/2006 A week of highs and lows in sport 10/26/2006 Curses! The U is foiled again
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