How Far Can the Celtics Go In the Playoffs?

After defeating the talented Atlanta Hawks in six games, the Boston Celtics have been locked in a tough seven game series with the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference Semi-finals. Despite this, the combination of the Celtics experience, their performance against the Hawks, and the current state of the East, many analysts are predicting that the Celtics could go very far in the playoffs this year.

Before the we talk about the Celtics competing for a championship, it’s important that we analyze their current situation. The Celtics are currently facing a young, fast-paced 76ers team. The sixers have a very talented rotation headlined by all-star wing Andre Iguadala. The sixers also have one of the most underrated coaches in the NBA in Doug Collins. The sixers are also one of the best defensive teams in the NBA. While the 76ers are not one of the most prolific scoring teams in the league, their speed, athleticism, depth, and occasional hot streaks could end up giving the Celtics a lot of trouble.

If the Celtics were to defeat the 76ers, they would most likely end up playing the Miami Heat. Lead by MVP LeBron James and all-stars Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh, the Heat are one of the most formidable teams in the NBA. The Celtics won the season series 2-1, but one of those games consisted of their reserve players for the most part. When the Celtics played the Heat in last year’s playoffs, they lost in five games. However, all-star point guard Rajon Rondo played most of the series with a dislocated elbow. Despite last year’s results, many analysts say that the Celtics could be the biggest threat to the Heat in the Eastern Conference. The Celtics rotation is considered to be stronger than the Heat’s. In addition, Chris Bosh is nursing an injured abdominal muscle. Whether the Celtics can defeat the Miami Heat in a playoff series remains to be seen, the Celtics seem like they could be the biggest challenge to the Heat in the East.

Another possible playoff opponent could be the Indianapolis Pacers. The Pacers are young, athletic, big, and deep. In my opinion. they’re the most underrated team in the playoffs. The Celtics would have a very difficult time beating the Pacers in a series. The Pacers beat the Celtics several times at the beginning of the season. However, the Pacers are not very experienced and can go on long stretches without scoring. A series with the Pacers would not be very easy.

When asked how far the Celtics could progress in the playoffs, senior Daanan Hall said, “I think it’s possible that they could make it to the finals, but they probably won’t. They have great players but they get injured a lot. They might beat the 76ers but they probably won’t beat the Heat.”

On the other hand, senior Eduardo Cunha said, “I think they’ll go far. I believe in them. They’ve played a lot of close and crazy games.”

We can only predict how far the Celtics will go, but only time will tell if the Celtics can win one more championship with the Big Three.

Sports Injuries: Knees; ACL & MCL.

As we continue little mini-series, we move onto the dreaded Knee injuries, the two major ones being the ACl tear and the MCL tear. These injuries often leave athletic players sitting on the sideline, watching and waiting to heal, and imagining the day they will return to the athletic field, court, rink etc. First let’s examine the difference between the two injuries.

The ACL, or anterior cruciate ligament, is found in the front portion of the knee, connecting the thigh bone (femur) and leg bone (tibia). The sudden straightening of the knee beyond normal can cause injury to this part. On the other hand, a MCL (medial collateral ligament) is located the inner side of the knee. Damage usually occurs when the knee is bent awkwardly sideways. (Read more here)

When do these injuries occur?: An ACL/MCL tear is most commonly a sports-related injury. They can also occur during vehicle accidents, rough play, falls, or even work-related activities. These usually occur when the knee gives out from a sudden impact, and the force separates the supporting ligaments.

 What are the signs of an ACL/MCL tear?: Some common symptoms of an ACL/MCL tear are as follows. Often sudden and severe pain, frequent loud popping or cracking, swelling, a feeling of looseness in the joint area, and inability to put pressure on the injured area without pain. Although these are some of the common symptoms, they are not all of them, and you may experience symptoms that are not on this list.

How to fix the problem: Simply put, you are going to have to get surgery performed on the tear, at least if you want to have a proper functioning knee after the healing process is over. Here is a rough overview of what the surgery consists of. (See below paragraph)

According to Athletic Advisor,  the surgeon begins by viewing the torn ligament as a final diagnostic evaluation. Also, the surgeon will inspect the knee for other possible damage. The remains of the ligament are then removed with an arthroscopic shaver. Other damage will be addressed as the procedure continues. The replacement tissue for the torn ligament can be harvested from the hamstring muscle tendons on the medial (inside) of the knee or from the patellar tendon at the front of the knee. Once the tendon is harvested, it is prepared for the replacement. (To view the full process click here)

What can be done to prevent these injuries: Athletes really can only do a few things to prevent these types of injuries, withtrengthening the surrounding knee muscles being the most important preventative measure. Some methods of strengthening these muscles are as follows. Warm-ups, stretching, weight strengthening, plyometrics, agility drills, and always ending with cool down exercises.

By following the provided information you greatly reduce the risk of obtaining an ACL or MCL related injury. Although this info does not guarantee anything, it provides possible ways and methods to reduce the risk.

SLA Flag Football Preview

Photo Courtesy of Ethan Comley

SLA used to have intramurals every year for flag football. Recently though, there has been no yearly flag football due to the fact that not enough people would participate. This year has seen a change in that trend. People showed more interest in playing, and the school’s Student Association decided to start the program up again. Many students have signed up and the captains were picked. The captains chosen were juniors Ethan Comley, Helio Ferreira, and senior JP Viteri. The teams were then picked and the schedule was made. There are only three teams since there were a little over thirty participants, and each team plays with eight players on the field.

The teams were picked one-by-one by Helio, then JP, then Ethan. Each team had eleven or twelve players and the games were set to begin the next day; Tuesday, May 1st, taking place every Tuesday and Thursday until the end of May when the Championship game would be played. Unfortunately, Mother Nature decided to send rain causing every game thus far to be cancelled.

Despite this predicament, the regular schedule will resume as soon as possible. When the games do start, they are expected to be full of fun for all those that participate. The schedule is listed below:

Date	Game 1	Game 2
May 1	JP vs. Ethan	Ethan vs. Helio
May 3	JP vs. Helio	JP vs. Ethan
May 8	Ethan vs. Helio	JP vs. Helio
May 10	Ethan vs. JP	Ethan vs. Helio
May 15	JP vs. Ethan	JP vs. Helio
May 17	JP vs. Helio	Helio vs. Ethan
May 22	Lower  Two Seeds
May 24	Championship Game

Sports Injuries: Concussions

In many sports today, players are suffering injuries that often are left untreated or even unnoticed. As “whatever” to you this may seem, injuries such as these are dangerous, serious, and can be impairing or life-threatening. When a concussion takes place you are basically bruising your brain, it may cause swelling and possibly extreme pain as well as other symptoms. Not something to play with in terms of sports injuries, it is not something you can just walk off, nor should you.  So, listen closely and take notes.

What is a concussion?: According to WebMd., A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury that is caused by a blow to the head or body, a fall, or another injury that jars or shakes the brain inside the skull. Although there may be cuts or bruises on the head or face, there may be no other visible signs of a brain injury.

You don’t have to pass out (lose consciousness) to have a concussion. Some people will have obvious symptoms of a concussion, such as passing out or forgetting what happened right before the injury. But other people won’t. With rest, most people fully recover from a concussion. Some people recover within a few hours. Other people take a few weeks to recover. Either way definitely seek medical attention and professional care. 

Symptoms of a Concussion: Some symptoms include, headache, pressure in the head, neck pain, nausea or vomiting, dizziness, blurred vision,  balance problems, light or noise sensitivity, feeling slowed down, difficulty remembering, reasoning, or concentrating, becoming more easily emotional, angered, or irritable, and excessive nervousness or anxiety. Although these are common symptoms, there are many more, why is why it is crucial to seek further medical attention.

How common are concussions?: Concussions and other brain injuries are actually very common. Approximately every 21 seconds, someone in the United States suffers a type of brain injury. One of the most common reasons people get concussions is through a sports injury. High-contact sports such as football, lacrosse, rugby, boxing, and hockey pose a higher risk of head injury, even with the use of protective headgear. Seemingly unavoidable, the only thing that can be done to avoid a concussion is to take as many safety precautions as possible before participating in a high contact sport. 

What is being done to prevent concussions?: Companies such as Cascade, Brine, Nike, Under Armour, and Reebok are doing everything possible to add safety upgrades to their equipment lines. They are developing new types of padding, suspension, impact resistant plastic and fibers, as well as making equipment lighter and stronger at the same time. A good example of this is the Cascade Pro 7 Lacrosse Helmet, and the Reebok 11k Hockey Helmet.

Although concussions are still going to happen, you can do your part and take all necessary precautions to better protect yourself and others around you. The resources are there, but it is the players and parents that need to put in the effort to make contact sports a safer and more enjoyable group of sports.

What Went Wrong With the Bruins?

The Boston Bruins suffered a painful game 7 loss on Wednesday, April 25, 2012. It was a very horrific defeat that definitely stunned fans all over the East Coast. But how did they manage to lose? Well no matter how painful it will be let us examine a number of things that very well could have contributed to their inability to defeat the Capitals in this year’s playoffs.

Number One: Luck

As with any game there always has to be a bit of luck involved for the winning team. “Luck” is added up like this, Hard work + Bounces + Determination + Forechecking/Backchecking = Luck. So if this is what luck is then luck equals a win, and the bruins didn’t have one of the key elements of luck. Determination.

A perfect example of this “Luck”, is last year against Montreal. Same stress level and desire to win, but totally different outcome. It just goes to show that sometimes your gonna win, and other times you may end up with the short end of the stick and loosing.

Number Two: Bounces

Bounces happen when the puck becomes airborne and bounces randomly across the surface of the ice. Bruins defenseman Dennis Seidenberg said to NESN ”A couple bounces here or there can take you a long way, “Last year those bounces went in our direction. This year it didn’t. It’s that close. You’ve got to work for your luck, and this time it didn’t happen.”

This is definitely a contributing cause for the loss, playing hockey I totally know how puck control and uncontrollable bounces can effect the games outcome.

The Verdict:

Look at it as simply as this; after coming off of a championship season, the B’s were in a high spot. They felt on top of the world and maybe a little indestructible too. The “eye of the tiger” is what they lost, for lack of better terms. It is almost like they were playing hard, but with too much self-confidence. They did not have their eyes set on the ultimate prize and in the end they let a very hard fought season go to waste.

Some say that because we just won the Stanley Cup, that the pain is eased and the burn is cooled, but myself, being a hardcore hockey player, knows how it feels to lose a big game, and no matter how good they did last year it doesn’t make up for the loss this year. This season the B’s dealt with injuries, intense practice time, mental strength challenges, and the challenge to show effort every game. Now all of that went down the tubes, and it is never easy.

Better luck next year, and hopefully the Bruins will be able to make another playoff run.