Neely named Bruins VP

[Chadd 916]

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=219167&hubname=

[Hooah4 12]

JJ is doing anything he can to bring people back. Supposedly attendance for the Tor/Bos preseason game was at 5000 (actual #'s, the gate said 10,000).

Only 200 or so for pre game warmups. The apathy is alive and well though no one really cares.

[Jason Harris 31]

What he said last night in response to how his game would translate to the New NHL was encouraging.

"I still think you can approach the game the way I approached it. If you can take the body, you take the body. You can still hit in this league. From the top player to the fourth liner, you have to take the body, take a hit to make a play. Everyone has to be accountable on the ice."

If he can get the current squad to agree with him even halfway, the Bruins should at least be more entertaining to watch. For 25 years, the B's were known as a lunchpail gang and were always popular. Jacobs alluded to how far they have fallen in comparison to the Sox and Pats, as well as the C's after they picked up Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen.

I'm still not sold on how deeply Jacobs cares about running the team as a winning franchise versus a profitable one, but I'll say he's a smart enough businessman to realize he has a lot of making up to do.

[chippa13 1844]

Neely wasn't brought in to fire the boys up. If he was then the team is in even worse shape than I thought. Guys aren't going to suddenly play tougher because Cam is wearing a suit up in the management suite. They won't throw mitts because #8 is glowering down on them.

[Jason Harris 31]

I got the impression that Cam was brought in to fire the boys up, although they said his job description hasn't been finalized, and he will be involved with the business/marketing side as well.