Sports Recycled

We're happy to announce the birth of a new charity, Sports Recycled. It's very basic- we're looking for households and families with old sports stuff laying around. Things maybe you or your kids used when they were younger but now they're too small, or out of style, but still in good condition.

We've been partnered with  the Massachusetts Bay division of Big Brother, Big Sister and 100% of donations will go directly to them.

I got the idea recently just looking in my garage and thinking I should donate it somewhere. Then I thought of my family and friends who probably have plenty of stuff of their own collecting dust in their garages, basements, and closets. So I've been handing out fliers, making phone calls, and sending emails to make it happen.

It might not escalate to much more than a few families helping out. But even the smallest donations can make the biggest differences. And maybe if it takes off, we can expand and make it an annual thing.

Do you have old sports equipment laying around not being used? Donate to Sports Recycled!

Inquiries can be made to:
Tim Wirzburger(781-308-7998)
timwirz17@gmail.com

The Age of War Films

Believe it or not, the writers at Beantown Lifestyle might have an opinion or two on topics other than sports. Once in a while, we like to articulate thoughts on other matters. Sometimes, just sometimes, they make sense.

This particular idea is something that I've kind of always thought about but never put pen to paper, so to speak. I grew up watching old black and white WWII films with my dad, and slowly my tastes evolved from watching John Wayne running around with seemingly unlimited ammo to the more shockingly vivid battle wounds depicted in modern war films (although Sands of Iwo Jima will always be a favorite).

When I was a kid, war movies were coming out every year and I remember my dad going to see them and telling me about them, but saying I wasn't old enough to see them myself. They were too violent, too bloody, too scary. I remember thinking, "Why do they have to make them so violent and realistic? Just because they can, doesn't mean they have to. Kids want to watch war movies, too."

Over the years, I grew my DVD collection and began including the same films that I wasn't allowed to see when I was younger. These movies grabbed my love of history with a penchant for action and harnessed me in over and over again.

Faith Restored

Red Sox Championship Pictures

 

I'm a little late, but here are some photos I was able to upload from the Red Sox Game 6 Championship and the victory parade. I was lucky enough to attend both events and I won't forget either one. I took more pictures, but most of them weren't able to upload for some reason. Enjoy.

 

The Celtics; What's their problem?

The Celtics started off their season hot, losing four straight to non-contenders around the league. During that stretch they found themselves playing great basketball by leading going into the fourth quarter of every game.

The real surprise with this squad is their uncanny ability to close; in each of those games where they led late, they found a way to seal the deal with a loss, which is exactly what you hope for in a team like this. After ripping off four straight losses, the Celtics hit a rough patch where they rattled off 4 straight wins to put themselves back to the middle of the pack: a place where no one wants to be.

During those wins the Celtics experienced a devastating win over the reigning champion Miami Heat which may have been just the type of win that elevates their game for the rest of the season. Thankfully, the Celtics got back on track last night as they lost to the Trailblazers which should point them back in the right direction towards a lottery pick.

With an up and down season thus far, why can't the Celtics just lose? What is their problem?

Cherington's Holding All the Chips

Ben Cherinton

The Boston Red Sox are coming off an incredible 180 degree reversal in what was supposed to be a bridging phase. The 2012 Red Sox had just completely been depleted of half of their producers and had several potential stars brewing in their farm system. The next couple years were supposed to be competitive enough to keep the fan base interested while the real cream of the farm rose to the top of the system. Well that all changed when the island of misfit ballplayers came together in beantown and took home the 2013 World Series Championship.

The Red Sox have a little bit of everything: A surplus of pitching, great young players with MLB experience, and a deep farm. So now that the Sox hold all the chips, where do they go from here?

The Bruins Problem that Nobody is Talking About

It's a good time to be a Bruins fan. They've gone to the Stanley Cup twice in the last three years, have been perennially among the top teams in the league, and they have a well-built core that suggests they will be contenders for years to come.

Most, if not all of the credit to this must be to GM Peter Chiarelli. His vision and knack for talent has given him the tools to build one of the deepest, most well rounded teams in hockey.

However, there is a problem that nobody is talking about.