Boston Bruins: More Than Meets the Eye

Ladies and gentlemen! I'm officially back. I must apologize to the BR community, and especially to the Boston Bruins community.

My excuses may seem to be as "bush-league" to most. To others  it may seem "whatev", and others I may get a "pass". But lo-and-behold, this is why I have been absent:

I have had numerous family issues, mainly bereavement, which has taken most of my time. Other times, it has been for my new books that I have been working on.

Also, my computer had totally crapped the bed—and today I received a new piece to the puzzle. The rest of the puzzle, hopefully soon. But still, I've lost a good bit of my info.

Sucks.

What's worse than a laptop that takes 34 minutes to re-boot and get an on-line connection?

I tell you what!

It's a computer that takes 34 minutes to re-boot, log on-line, and then crash—not once, not twice, but numerous times!

Ever see that movie "Office Space"? Where Michael Bolton says "PC Load-Letter, that the F*^k does that mean?!"

Or how about the scene where Samir, Michael and Peter drop bombs on that PC-load-letter/printer? Well, that's how I've felt for the past four months. ( I promise to record me destroying my PC, promise)

I have season tickets to the Bruins, again, this year, (section 15 Loge, Row 23) and I've wanted to write numerous articles about the Black and Gold. But again, my computer has inhibited me.

So, cross your fingers. here I go.

The one player I want to address here is No. 22. Big Bad Shawn Thornton.

Now, I wish I had the opportunity to open a "new tab" and recite some facts and legit stats. But I can't. Gosh-Darn PC's!!!!

Many of you think of Shawn as just another goon on the fourth line. The "fair-weather fans" in my section at the TD BankNorth Garden tend to think so.

If you think he's just another heavy-handed enforcer with no attributes to add to this team, I beg to differ.

He is the one player that I have seen that puts 100 percent into every shift.

Shawn has been flip-flopped with many wings and centermen. He's still the one player that does everything that coaches and teammates expect from him. And that's just to play friggin' hockey!

Remember the Karate Kid?

"Strike Hard, Strike First, No Mercy, Sir."

Well this is No. 22. He's not going to get us 60 points, Beantown. Face the facts. And he's not going to be our best power-play player, nor our best shorthanded player, folks.

But what we will get from him is 100 percent tenacity, day-in and day-out. 100 percent effort.

When I see this "goon" on the checking line, I see a player with tenacity.

I see a player who puts the puck-on-net with authority, crashing to the net, waiting for another scoring opportunity.

I see a player with more drive and passion that any other player on this squad.

I see a player who collapses the net, waiting for rebounds, better than anyone else on this prolific team.

I see a player sticking up for his teammates, so Milan Lucic doesn't have to.

I see a player back-checking and fore-checking with the best of them.

I don't see a goon, guys.  I see an all-around player.

So don't get it twisted. No. 22 is a pivotal part to the Bruins success this year. Just as much as the one-two-punch with Manny Thomas in net.

The same as Kessel and Savard's all-star seasons, Thornton is equally in the same conversation

I'm not saying Shawn is an all-star. He's not even the top-five player on this team, by far. But he's not to be over-looked as just a fourth-line fighter.

And in the words of Ryan Alberti and the Transformers—I'm not saying he's Cam Neely, but he's more-than-meets-the-eye...is all.