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Posts published in “Sports”

Nutrition with a Mission

By editorialteam on February 2, 2020

Staff suggestions for eating well at school

By Ryan Lyesiuk
Observer Contributor

Healthy nutritional habits in a college student’s life often lead to improved overall health, according to Katherine R. Kusza, Registered Nurse at MWCC.

Photo from Unsplash

According to Kusza, a healthy diet consists of a balanced nutritional intake, including a blend of fruits, vegetables, grains, protein, and low-fat dairy products. Reducing your overall calorie intake by eating smaller portions and more frequent meals is important as well in maintaining a healthy diet.

Kusza provided a sample of a balanced meal from ChooseMyPlate.gov. The meal includes half a plate of fruits and vegetables, half a plate of grains and proteins, and one serving of milk. read more

(Archive March 2017) Biggest Questions Going Into the Regular Season for the Red Sox

By editorialteam on March 7, 2017

By Nick Cherico | Observer Contributor

Pitchers and catchers reported for their first workouts on February 14th, marking the official beginning of a new baseball season. After their early exit in the 2016 playoffs and David Ortiz going into retirement, this Red Sox team faces plenty of questions heading into the new league year.

Who is going to start at third base?

Last year for the Red Sox third base was a revolving door. They never had a true every day starter. This is mainly due to the injury of Pablo Sandoval early in the year. After the Red Sox traded who many people thought would be their future third baseman in Yoan Moncada and one of their more versatile infielders in Travis Shaw, this spot is going continue to be a question mark for Boston. read more

(Archive March 2017) NCAA March Madness 2017: Who to Watch For.

By editorialteam on March 6, 2017

By Nick Cherico | Observer Contributor

After a crazy tournament in 2016, we head into this year’s March Madness tournament expecting the same level of excitement. There is always that one Cinderella team in the first round or two that completely busts everyone’s bracket and make things crazy. Expect to see the same thing this year along with plenty more upsets, buzzer beaters, blowouts, and early exits for top seeds.

Last year we saw the Villanova Wildcats silence all of their doubters and win the National Title for the first time since 1985. It was truly something special considering they play in one of the weakest conferences in Division I basketball and nobody thought they could do it. The one team that resembles them the most this year would be Gonzaga. read more

(Archive November 2016) Preview: 2016 Boston Celtics

By editorialteam on November 8, 2016

By Nicholas Cherico | Observer Contributor

In the 2015-16 season, the Boston Celtics finished 48-34, their best record since the 2011-12 season. After a first round exit in the playoffs for the second straight season, the Celtics went into the offseason looking for more pieces to build off their success from last year.

After failing to sign top free agent Kevin Durant, the Celtics made arguably their biggest free agent signing in team history. They signed All-Star power forward/center Al Horford to a max deal through the 2020 season. Next to Durant, Horford was the best free agent available. He provides the Celtics with a deadly mid range shot. He also is going to create a lot of scoring opportunities for the guys around him with his versatility. The Celtics have lacked a skillset like this from the big man position in quite some time.

The C’s also drafted rookie small forward Jaylen Brown from Cal 3rd overall. Brown adds another athletic defensive presence off the bench for Boston, which they did not have a lot of last season. If he can become a more reliable offensive player, he could see his minutes increase as the season goes on.

The Celtics will most likely roll out with a starting lineup of Isaiah Thomas, Avery Bradley, Jae Crowder, Al Horford, and Amir Johnson. This lineup could vary based on who the Celtics are facing or injuries.

The biggest role player for the Celtics is going to be Marcus Smart. Head coach Brad Stevens said Smart would play the role of the team’s “6th starter”. While coming off the bench, Smart is going to receive starter minutes. Smart has already proved that he is a great defensive player, but if he can improve his jump shot and become more of a scoring threat he is going to be a really good weapon coming off of the bench.

The Celtics have been able to do over the past couple years what a lot of teams have been trying to do forever: successfully rebuild. After the trade of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, the Celtics have wasted no time putting their names back in the playoff conversation. They have improved each season since they began rebuilding. Is this going to be the season they finally turn the corner? Even though they have been in the playoffs the last two years, Boston hasn’t really showed any signs of making any significant strides in their playoff performance. They have only won 2 of their last 10 postseason games. The team Boston has now will be able to rack up more wins than last season, but still needs one bigger piece to put them over the top and make them a legitimate contender in the East.

My Prediction

Record: 56-26 (8 more wins than 2015-16)

Playoffs: Eastern Conference Semifinals

The acquisition of Al Horford alone will be enough to get the Celtics out of the first round, and maybe even to the Eastern Conference Finals. However, if the Celtics are to face a team like Cleveland, Toronto, or Indiana in the second round they could have a very hard time with them. All of these teams are experienced in the playoffs and have a lot of weapons that the Celtics might not be able to handle.

(Archive October 2016) Football is Back, But Pats Fans Await Brady’s Return

By editorialteam on October 10, 2016

By Andrew Hoenig | Observer Contributor

 New England –  It’s that time of year again! Football is back!!

Every September when fans of the game hear those three words, their hearts soar a little higher with a joyful glee.

But this year has a different feel to it in New England. And that may be because of the suspension that has loomed over New England all offseason and that will continue to loom till October.

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady had his suspension decision by Judge Richard Berman from last year overturned by a federal court which stated the primary reason for the 180 degree turn as being “Roger Goodell has the given power to impose the penalty based upon the agreed upon CBA by the NFL and NFLPA”.

Because of this decision and eventually Brady’s sacrifice of giving up the fight that could tarnish his name just based on the ridiculousness of the whole supposed scandal with no supporting evidence, Patriots fans now watch their team go the whole first month(four games) without the man who’s led the team to four Super Bowl titles.

For some fans, it feels like the season hasn’t truly started. A feeling reiterated by a fan by the name of Matt Pilcher, a Peterborough local. “Ya of course we think and know it’s wrong and it feels weird but hopefully Jimmy comes in and does well for now.” “Jimmy” is in reference to Jimmy Garappolo, the Patriots second string quarterback. He gets the starts while Brady takes the suspension.

The whole team has seemingly gathered around Jimmy G singing his praises. Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski said that he has confidence in Jimmy G and that he believes Jimmy can steer the team in the right direction in Brady’s absence. “Guys just have to get behind him”, said Gronkowski.

So will the fans. Some fans seem ready and willing to jump on the Jimmy G train which is all fine and good so long as the media doesn’t overblow his play. Bill Belichick really isn’t one for headlines and won’t much care what we think. The Patriots head coach has already, in a shocking development, TOLD the media of his future plans at quarterback this season; a rare thing indeed.

“Jimmy will be the quarterback the first four weeks and Tom will take over again in week 5 when he comes back,” declared Belichick in one of his news conferences before the start of the season.

This just laid a nail in the coffin of an already resounding echo by Belichick all season that Brady is his quarterback and wouldn’t want anyone else. There’s something to be said about loyalty. It might be why Belichick and Brady have enjoyed so much success over the last previous 16 seasons. Or at least a small part of it.

As fans who know what Brady has done for the team and the situation he has been forcibly put in by the league, mainly commissioner Roger Goodell, loyalty might be the best thing to show during that four game stretch no matter what promise(or not) Jimmy Garappolo shows. One day Tom Brady will retire and there will be another quarterback leading the charge in New England but today is not that day. One thing is for sure… Tom will come back and he will be hungry. He’s still got further to go. #DriveFor5