Matt Goisman

New England Patriots Report Card: Super Bowl XLVI

By Matt Goisman ⋅ February 8, 2012 ⋅ One comment

Well… crap. Just like four years ago, the New England Patriots came up just a couple plays short of beating the New York Giants and claiming their fourth Lombardi Trophy Sunday in Super Bowl XLVI. Instead, Tom Coughlin and Eli Manning once again bested Bill Belichick and Tom Brady, with Manning executing yet another fourth-quarter [...]

What Sports of Boston Would Do to Get Dwight Howard

By Matt Goisman ⋅ February 3, 2012 ⋅ Post a comment

When Orlando uber-center Dwight Howard recently said that he’s at least open to coming to the Celtics, bells went off at Sports of Boston headquarters. Or at least they would have, if a) we had a headquarters, and b) it bells in it. Getting Howard would meet many of the team’s most glaring needs. He’s [...]

Ward’s Shutout Gives Hurricanes First Season Sweep Over Bruins

By Matt Goisman ⋅ February 2, 2012 ⋅ Post a comment

The Boston Bruins did just about everything they could against the Carolina Hurricanes Thursday night at the TD Garden. They won over 70 percent of their face-offs. They hit hard and often. And they ripped shot after shot after shot at goalie Cam Ward. They just couldn’t score. Ward saved all 47 shots against him [...]

What Terrell Owens and Randy Moss Taught Chad Ochocinco

By Matt Goisman ⋅ January 29, 2012 ⋅ Post a comment

The oft-maligned and rarely used Chad Ochocinco told the Boston Herald Saturday that he’s often spoken with former Patriot Randy Moss and former Bengal Terrell Owens during this transition year to the Patriot way of life. The move seemingly makes sense: all three players are what Ochocinco called “diva receivers;” Moss is a former Patriot [...]

Celtics Complete Biggest Comeback in 16 Seasons Against Magic

By Matt Goisman ⋅ January 26, 2012 ⋅ 2 comments

The Boston Celtics got double-doubles from Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, plus double-digit scoring from three more, coming all the way from 27 down to beat the Orlando Magic 91-83 Thursday night at the Amway Center. It was Celtics’ biggest comeback in 16 seasons.

New England Patriots Report Card: AFC Championship

By Matt Goisman ⋅ January 25, 2012 ⋅ Post a comment

The Baltimore Ravens shut down the New England Patriots’ receivers in Sunday’s AFC Championship, rattled Tom Brady and held the Patriots to their fewest points since October. And they still didn’t win. The Patriots beat the Ravens, 23-20, advancing to their fifth Super Bowl of the new millennium when Ravens place-kicker Billy Cundiff badly missed [...]

“Moneyball” Deserves None of Six Academy Award Nominations

By Matt Goisman ⋅ January 24, 2012 ⋅ One comment

Moneyball, starring Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill, has earned six Academy Award nominations. The film is an adaptation of Michael Lewis’ book following Oakland Athletics GM Billy Beane’s use of sabermetrics in creating his 2002 roster and setting the single-season MLB record for consecutive wins. The film’s high-profile cast and writer (Aaron Sorkin of The [...]

Tim Thomas Exercises Free-Speech Right, Declines White House Ceremony

By Matt Goisman ⋅ January 23, 2012 ⋅ 6 comments

President Barack Obama congratulated the Boston Bruins Monday for their 2011 Stanley Cup championship. Citing differences of opinion, Boston Globe hockey writer Fluto Shinzawa reported, Tim Thomas chose not to attend. Good for Thomas.

Bruins’ Fourth Line Carries Team Past Devils

By Matt Goisman ⋅ January 19, 2012 ⋅ Post a comment

Good things come to those who wait. The Boston Bruins waited five games to get back Brad Marchand. They waited two games to get back Rich Peverley. And they waited 63 minutes Thursday night before finally solving the New Jersey Devils’ stout defense and even more stout goalie, Martin Brodeur. Once the waiting period ended, [...]

New England Patriots Report Card: Divisional Round

By Matt Goisman ⋅ January 17, 2012 ⋅ Post a comment

The Book of 2 Timothy states: “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.” The Book of Tom states: “Good for you. I just whomped your ass.” Any comparisons between Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos and Tom Brady and the New England Patriots died following Saturday’s [...]

Red Sox Ink Jarrod Saltalamacchia to One-Year, $2.5 Million Deal

By Matt Goisman ⋅ January 16, 2012 ⋅ Post a comment

Jason Varitek is gone. Now it’s Jarrod Saltalamacchia‘s turn. The Red Sox signed Saltalamacchia to a one-year, $2.5 million contract Sunday, the Boston Globe reported, avoiding arbitration and giving Saltalamacchia a $1.75 million bump over his 2011 salary.

Book Review: “Geno: In Pursuit of Perfection”

By Matt Goisman ⋅ January 13, 2012 ⋅ Post a comment

Geno:In Pursuit of Perfection is the University of Connecticut women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma’s memoir. Published in 2006, the mostly self-written book takes us from Auriemma’s earliest years in Italy to growing up in Norristown, Penn. The book touches lightly on Auriemma’s career at St. Joseph’s and Virginia before devoting the bulk of pages to [...]

Heidi Watney Breaks Collarbone Playing Ultimate Frisbee

By Matt Goisman ⋅ January 9, 2012 ⋅ Post a comment

It seems Heidi Watney’s transition from the Red Sox and NESN to the Lakers and Time Warner has been anything but painless. Both the Boston Globe and CBS Boston reported Monday that Watney broke her collarbone playing Ultimate Frisbee in what she tweeted was a “full-speed collision.” We here at Sports of Boston send our [...]

Bruins Smother Flames With Nine Goals, Twelve Point-Scoring Players

By Matt Goisman ⋅ January 5, 2012 ⋅ Post a comment

As a young boy, I played on a recreation-league soccer team in Brookline, Mass. We weren’t very good, but I liked the team’s name: the Flames. I’m pretty sure we could’ve given the Boston Bruins a better game than the Calgary Flames gave them Thursday night at TD Garden. Patrice Bergeron and Nathan Horton each [...]

Rob Gronkowski Has Returned the Tight End to the NFL