Sure, it takes a group of talented players to win the Stanley Cup. But it also takes someone to inspire those players to perform at their best when their best is needed.
The Bruins almost didn’t make the playoffs this year, but since the postseason began, they have been playing like the second coming of the Big Bad Bruins, a team possessed, a team on a mission from God, a team that will not stop until they are the last one standing in the NHL.
Someone had to light a fire under these Bruins. Someone had to stress the importance of the moment and inspire them to seize the opportunity.
Who could it have been?
Using the deductive powers of every famous private detective through history — Sherlock Holmes, Sam Spade, Philip Marlowe, Charlie Chan, Nero Wolfe, Perry Mason, Dick Tracy, Columbo and Ace Ventura — I whittled down the list. Here are the most likely candidates who delivered a powerful pep talk to the Bruins to make them believe.
Don Cherry
Grapes called out the Bruins earlier this season for not standing up for Marc Savard. Cherry came back to Boston to give them a vote of confidence and rally the troops. Are you men or mice? Wouldn’t you like to prove all the doubters wrong? The rest of the playoff teams are nothing. Here’s your chance for redemption. Now go out there, smack somebody and shock the world.
Bill Belichick
The modern-day Vince Lombardi knows all about being an underdog. Belichick might be a man of few words with the media, but the hooded master is the Obi-Wan Kenobi of psychological warfare. Belichick opened up his Patriots playbook to share a few mind tricks. The Force is what gives a Jedi his power. Use the Force. The Force will be with you, always.
Bill Russell
The Hall of Fame center won 11 rings with the Celtics. He brought every one of them to Causeway Street to show his support for the Bruins and spread the gospel of winning. I think you’re gonna win a championship. It’s like Field of Dreams. If you build it, they will come.
Al Pacino
The famous actor has made some powerful speeches on the silver screen. He drew on every one of them to deliver an impassioned plea to the Black and Gold. Life’s this game of inches. So is hockey. Because in either game — life or hockey – the margin for error is so small. In any fight, it’s the man who’s willing to die who’s gonna win that inch. And I know if I’m gonna have any life anymore, it’s because I’m still willing to fight and die for that inch. Hoo-ah!
The Dos Equis Man
The most interesting man in the world has never played hockey, but he’s brought bears to their knees. His beard can beat Chuck Norris in a fistfight. And his presence alone rubs off the Bruins and gives them strength. I don’t always drink champagne, but when I do, it tastes best in a Cup. A Stanley Cup.
John Madden
The Hall of Fame football coach took an outlaw crew of renegades and castoffs and molded them into champions with the Raiders in the 1970s. He could make watching paint dry seem like watching Raiders of the Lost Ark. When Madden talks, you listen — and get excited. There’s a lot of places you could be, but there’s no better to place to be than right here. You’re the big cats. Don’t force it. What you gotta do is hit your opponent in the mouth, limit turnovers, kill penalties and capitalize on power plays. Then, boom, count the wins.
Tony Robbins
If the guru can turn Shallow Hal into an open-minded, caring and thoughtful person, he can help the Bruins. So you haven’t won anything since 1972. So nobody thinks you have what it takes to win everything this year. Forget all that. You have all the pieces to the puzzle. All you have to do is put them together.
Barack Obama
Regardless of your political affiliation, you have to admit that Obama can give an inspirational speech. The leader of the free world shares his message of hope with the Bruins. You have a lot of work to do, but it can be done. This time can be different. Yes, you can. Yes, you can. Yes, you can.
The Bruins are one win away from sweeping the Flyers and advancing to the Eastern Conference finals. The players on the ice are getting the job done, but someone made them believe they could get the job done.
Who do you think it was?
