Durzblog

The megaproject that rerouted I-93 through the heart of Boston via a tunnel under the city is complete. Seems like just yesterday this project got underway..not really! The little roadwork project has taken about 17 years and a zillion dollars to complete, but with the end in sight -- I thought it might be a good time to look at the landscape of New England sports then (1991) and now...

New England Patriots, then the Pats were the worst team in the NFL and there seemed to be constant chatter about moving the team out of Foxboro and possibly to St Louis and even at one time to Hartford. In 1994 stability came when Bob Kraft gained control of the franchise. After improvements under Bill Parcells and Pete Carroll, Bill Belichick was hired in 2000 and has brought on success not often seen in the NFL. since It looks as of the Pats are on their way to a 4th Super Bowl in 8 years and have asserted themselves as one of the best teams in the hisotry of American football. How far have the come? In 1991 in the coming off of a 1-15 campaign, the Patriots were thrown into the middle of a sexual harassment scandal when reporter Lisa Olson was sexually and verbally assaulted by several Patriots players in the team's locker room and was later labeled a "classic bitch" by owner Victor Kiam. They may be cheaters now, but they don't verbally assault. ZINGGG

Red Sox, then Sox were in their 73rd year of the curse (with 13 to go) and rarely making appearances in MLB playoff games. since there have been 7 playoff appearances with the unthinkable happening in 04 and yet again in 07. the 91 Sox featured Boggs at 3rd, Gator in left and the Rocket on the hill.



Uconn Basketball, then an up incoming regional basketball program was coming off their first Big East title ever and first elite 8 appearance in nearly 30 years (and only 2nd ever). since Calhoun and Co have rattled off 6 more Elite 8's, two final fours, 13 more Big East titles and two national championships. the 91 Huskies would knock off Shaq and LSU on their way to a second straight Sweet 16 before losing to the eventual national champs Duke (the team who stunned UNLV in the national semi)

Uconn Football, then a middle of the road Yankee Conference (A-10) 1-AA football team was playing to in front of very modest crowds at Memorial Stadium in Storrs. since Uconn has transitioned in to D-1 football, joined the Big East, opened a 40,000 seat stadium in East Hartford, built two state of the art training complexes for $30 million, qualified for 2 bowl games and were crowned co-Big East champs for the 2007 season. In 1991 Randy Edsall was the defensive backs coach at Boston College under Tom Coughlin.

Hartford Whalers, then the 91-92 Whaler club qualified for the playoffs for the 7th straight time, sadly it would their last in Hartford. On March 4, 1991, Whaler GM Eddie Johnston traded Ron Francis and Ulf Samuelsson to the Pittsburgh Penguins in arguably the most one-sided trade in NHL history. The Whale was was sold to Peter Karmanos in 1994 and the pony tailed pig had them headed to Carolina by 1997 since in 2006, with one player from Hartford still on the roster, the Carolina Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup. Somehow my father actually roots for them.

Other highlights since the dig began... -- in 1996 Calipari and Camby led the Umass Minutemen to the NCAA final Four
-- Golf, in 1991 current New England PGA members: Andrade was a 4th year pro, Faxon an 8th, Petrovic was on the mini tours, Quigley was finishing up as a Gamecock and JJ was playing hoops at Fairfield High School. Since this group has represented the US in numerous Walker, Ryder and Presidents Cups while winning 15 PGA titles and may more world wide.
-- Chris Drury has gone from Fairfield Prep to Boston University all the way to a Stanley Cup Champion in 2001 with Colorado
-- There have been four New England Frozen Four Champions (Maine 93,99), BU (95) and BC (01)
-- 5 NCAA titles for Connecticut Women's Basketball (95, 00, 02-04)
-- Larry Bird retired in 1992
--1993 Reggie Lewis died
-- the Bruins lost in the Stanley Cup finals in 1990 and have not gotten past the 2nd round of the NHL playoffs since 1993
-- the Boston Garden closed in September of 1995
-- it has not been a memorable era for a proud Providence basketball program
-- BC Athletics moved from the Big East to the ACC in 2004



let me know what I left out.