By Bob Lobel
Which event was least likely to happen in your dream sports world? The nominations for least likely to happen are:
1) The Bruins in Stanley Cup Final for the second time in three years.
2) The Red Sox holding the best record in American League by Father’s Day.
3) Tim Tebow is a New England Patriot.
4) Jose Iglesias has a 14-game hitting streak and counting.
5) Doc Rivers is not likely to be back as the Celtics' head coach.
6) The most famous Boston athlete with the initials T.T. is not Tim Thomas, but Tim Tebow.
7) Tuuka Rask is better than Tim Thomas was two years ago.
8) Alfredo Aceves is still a working member of the Boston Red Sox, and finally
9) Despite rumors to the contrary, there will actually be a Father’s Day this year!
Now, that’s a bag of surprises for you. All worth dissecting a little, starting with the most recent surprise. I was doing a golf tournament charity auction, and in the middle of it, a guy with a smart phone shows me a note saying Tebow will sign with Patriots.
I refused to announce it until I could check it out for myself on another site. There it was… But why, and for how much and for how long and for what position…
Belichick did a midseason form press conference on Tuesday and gave absolutely no answers to any of the above questions. He was masterful, as only he could be. They may invent a totally new position to suit this player for all we know. I’m pretty sure we have a quarterback so we can’t even go there.
It really is one of those let’s wait and see situations. Plenty of Tim Tebow Patriots football jerseys will be flying off the pro shop shelves as soon as they can be made. It’s kind of free money as a result of skillful marketing.
But what’s the attraction? God? Son of God? Bulked up body? Mr. Nice Guy, aka, the Lady Bing Trophy winner of the NFL? Urban myth of virginity? The overrating of virginity by a grown athletic man who could seemingly have his pick of the litter?
Never mind, it seems with him football is never part of the equation.
Hockey has gripped the hub. It’s the one town in America that seems to understand and epitomize the soul of hockey. And hockey does have a soul.
The NBA doesn’t seem to have one. The Red Sox play in a place that has one and baseball is part of our soul. But not like hockey, at least not this time of the year. You see it, you feel it, now try to describe it. Describe the soul of hockey.
I’ll try.
It’s tangible. It’s real. It connects us in ethereal ways. Talking hockey is really not very interesting. Few people can really do it well, although many think they can. It’s felt, and worshiped and contagious. Explain why teenagers, especially girls, are attracted to its energy?
There in lies the answer, I think. Hockey is palpable energy that reaches into our soul. Hockey’s soul is such that it connects with our inner place. It can light up our happy place like no other sport (soccer is not included, though it seems to have the same power over its devotees).
On to the Sox. Who knew? How is this possible and how can it continue? No clue is the answer to both. Just hop on and enjoy the ride and for those who care, this could be a better Father’s Day than any shirt or tie could ever match.
Good thing they are having one this year. Thanks for that.
