2021 – Page 153

Best game ever?

One of my sports pet peeves is people who proclaim something as the greatest ever immediately after something great happens like the NCAA College Basketball semi-final game from two Saturdays ago won in overtime by Gonzaga over UCLA, which was sent to OT on a miraculous half-court heave by Zaga’s Jalen Suggs. Don’t mind the enthusiasm and I’m fine with saying that’s the best game I’ve ever seen because that goes to their personal history. What does bug me is that before you proclaim something to be the “greatest” ever, you should have seen, or know a lot about, what has happened before.

But there it was the next day on Facebook with a friend, who should know better, nominating Gonzaga-UCLA as the greatest game ever. Of course like the lunatic I am I launched back by writing back, “EVER? Really? Are you kidding me? I can name two off the top of my head right now that are better than last night.” Now, I don’t recommend it to the kids at home, and only people of a certain age will understand what I mean when I say when I hear something like that, it’s like Moe hearing N-I-A-G-A-R-A Falls on The Three Stooges right before he gives Curley the double-finger eye poke and then hits him over the head with the crowbar. My version of “slowly I turn” was firing back my list of 10 better games.

But before I get to them, let me say what in my not so humble opinion has to happen for a game to be great. (1) There needs to be a dramatic/memorable ending. (2) It has to be historic in some way. (3) There have to be great players involved who build a sense of anticipation going in, like Magic vs. Larry in 1979, though that didn’t live up to the hype, B-O-R-I-N-G. (4) Not perfection, but the ultra-competitive and an extremely high level of play. (5) It helps to have white hat and black hat teams, like Georgetown was during the Hoya Paranoia glory day. (6) A major upset or near miss. (7) A great player performance like Bill Walton’s 21-for-22 day vs. Memphis State in 1973 when the only miss was a disallowed dunk because they weren’t legal then. How many young’ns know that? (8) The game should be played by historically great teams. (9) Or the game itself is so dramatically exciting it renders all my conditions moot. The only game I’ve ever seen do that was The Miracle On Ice at the 1980 Olympics.

Here’s my list from 10th to best.

North Carolina 77, Michigan 71: The Fab 4 was arguably the most publicized team in college basketball history, but it was 73-71 when the leader of the now all sophomore starting lineup, Chris Webber, called the fateful timeout Michigan didn’t have. UNC gets free throws and the ball to close it out.

Indiana 74, Syracuse 73: Keith Smart baseline buzzer-beater in the 1987 Final gives Bobby Knight his third title.

UNC 63, Georgetown 62: Two Hall of Fame coaches, two all-time great players, Patrick Ewing and Michael Jordan, and soon to be a first overall NBA pick James Worthy. Jordan’s all-time shot wins the 1983 Final right before Fred Brown mistakenly passes it to Worthy on final possession.

Duke 79, UNLV 77: Duke ends sinister UNLV’s bid for an undefeated season and a second straight title in the 1991 semi.

UNC 53, Kansas 52 in 3OT: With no one over 6’5” the Tar Heels survive a second straight triple-OT game to take down towering Wilt Chamberlain and Kansas, though MOP still goes to Wilt.

Villanova 66, Georgetown 64: Eight seed Nova shoots down its invincible Big East rival in the 1985 final by shooting 9 for 10 in the second half and 78 percent overall.

Duke 61, Butler 59: Largest lead was five and if Gordon Hayward’s mid-court shot drops the 2010 NCAA Final would have been the biggest upset in history. But instead the clock struck 12 to end Cinderella Butler’s dream as Coach K won his fourth title.

ND 71, UCLA 70: Second-ranked ND took down top-ranked UCLA to end its 88-game winning streak in January 1974 when with 29 seconds left as Dwight Clay’s 15-footer gave ND its only lead, followed by a Bruins miss and three frantic put backs before jubilant ND fans poured onto the court to celebrate the historic win.

Duke over Kentucky 104-103 in OT: The 1992 East Regional Final featured two HoF coaches and the most memorable full court pass in history from a Top 50 player (Grant Hill) to a Top 10 member (Christian Laettner) for the fake left, spin right foul line jumper that won it to make Laettner 10 for 10 from the field and 10 for 10 from the foul line in the game.

North Carolina State 80 UCLA 77 in 2OT: This wins for drama, historic nature, all-time figures (John Wooden, Bill Walton, David Thompson) and great performances along with NC State fighting back from 7 down in the final minutes of regulation and 5 down in the second OT. And, oh yeah, it ended UCLA’s 37-game tournament winning streak and reign of seven titles.

There’s my Top 10 with honorable mention going to 1966 when Texas Western’s first ever all-Black starting lineup took down Kentucky, NC State beating Houston with Clyde Drexler and Akeem Olajuwon a last-second Lorenzo Charles dunk, and the spectacular 1974 ACC 103-100 Final won by NC State over Maryland.

As for Gonzaga-UCLA: Great game, lots of drama and a historically memorable play. But I’ve seen many games I thought were better because, with all due respect, I didn’t think the teams were that good, Gonzaga’s quest for an undefeated season was aided by playing in a second-tier conference, there were no historic players, and the great Suggs shot wouldn’t have counted in H-O-R-S-E because he didn’t call the bank.

Strong families, safe kids

Children’s Trust defines child abuse prevention

April is National Child Abuse Prevention month. To bring awareness, the New Hampshire Children’s Trust has launched its “Prevention Is” campaign, focused on defining prevention and showing how strengthening families by giving them basic needs and emotional support is a key factor in preventing abuse. NHCT executive director Cliff Simmonds talked about the campaign and what individuals and communities in New Hampshire can do to help.

What is National Child Abuse Prevention Month all about?

Last year it was about reacting to the pandemic, but this year it’s about really defining what prevention is. … Primary prevention is about strengthening families [by] giving them the basic needs, emotional support and sense of community they need to be successful, because we know that drastically reduces the occurrence of child abuse and neglect.

What does child abuse look like?

As many people know, child abuse can be physical, sexual, emotional or neglect, but what’s also important to know is that these [types of abuse] don’t show up exclusively. A lot of times it’s a combination.

What is the impact of child abuse on a family?

It’s disruptive to a family unit, and it lessens the odds of success for that child because they aren’t getting the social and emotional growth that they need to be successful. Ultimately, [abuse] can translate into some lifelong psychological consequences, like feelings of isolation, fear, distrust, lower self-esteem, depression [and] trouble forming and maintaining relationships.

What is the impact of child abuse on a community?

A community is defined [by its] family units. … If you have these cases of abuse or neglect going on within a family, [abuse] can cycle through multiple generations … and through a specific geographic area and disrupt the whole idea of success within that community.

How has the pandemic affected efforts to prevent and end child abuse?

It’s been challenging, to say the least. It created a lot of concern when the schools shut down, because that’s where the eyes on kids are. Teachers are one of the major reporters of abuse. They know these kids; they see these kids every day, so they can see if there are any behavioral changes, physical changes or emotional changes. … Reports [of abuse] started dropping significantly when the schools shut down. We got together with different community organizations and state agencies and put our heads together [to think of] creative ways that we could keep eyes on kids and keep families strong. I think we’ve done a pretty good job of reaching out to families, making sure their needs are being met … and pivoting to being more virtual to get the word out about the resources and services that are available.

What is the “Prevention Is” campaign?

Throughout the month, we’re highlighting the factors … of primary prevention — parenting education, social and emotional development of children, basic supports and building a sense of community — through videos, podcasts and other digital [media]. We’re trying to elevate the conversation around these factors and what people can do as a family member, a neighbor or a community member to help strengthen those factors.

What can people do in their everyday lives to help prevent child abuse?

Reach out and say, ‘How are you doing? How are things going?’ It can be as simple as that. If you have a neighbor with young children who is struggling between getting work done and going to the grocery store, maybe you can go over and say, ‘Hey, why don’t you have your kids come play at my house for a bit so you can do what you need to do.’ … It’s not about catching [a parent] doing something wrong; there’s no such thing as a perfect parent. It’s really about having that ‘It takes a village’ mentality and attitude and contributing to create that sense of community that strengthens families.

Featured photo: Cliff Simmonds. Courtesy photo.

News & Notes 21/04/15

Covid-19 update	As of April 5	As of April 12
Total cases statewide	86,125	89,229
Total current infections statewide	3,287	3,384
Total deaths statewide	1,249	1,257
New cases	2,785 (March 30 to April 5)	3,104 (April 6 to April 12)
Current infections: Hillsborough County	1,083	1,002
Current infections: Merrimack County	320	297
Current infections: Rockingham County	826	846

Information from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services

Covid-19 news

During the state’s weekly public health update on April 8, state epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan reported that the test-positivity rates and numbers of new infections and hospitalizations statewide have all been on a slow increase over the past weeks. About 450 new infections per day have been reported on average, WMUR reported on April 12, with the increase being more pronounced in younger people, according to Dr. Beth Daly, Chief of the Bureau of Infectious Disease Control of the New Hampshire Department of Health & Human Services.

Gov. Chris Sununu announced during the April 8 press conference that, starting April 19, Covid-19 vaccine eligibility will expand to all individuals ages 16 and older regardless of their state residency. “We’re going to have a lot of vaccine [doses] here … so we want to get it out to anyone who might actually be here in the state,” Sununu said. As of April 8, roughly 20 percent of the state’s population (about 276,000 people) has been fully vaccinated, Daly said during the conference.

Thousands more, including both Sununu and DHHS Commissioner Lori Shibinette, received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine during the state’s third mass vaccination site at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, which was held the weekend of April 10 and April 11.

On Tuesday, April 13, the state announced that it has paused the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, based on the recommendation of the federal government after reports that six people in the country have developed a rare blood clot disorder within about two weeks after vaccination. “While the federal government has directed a brief pause in the J&J vaccine, the state is already working with our partners to ensure that they have an alternative supply of Pfizer or Moderna,” Sununu said in a press release.

According to the April 12 report from WMUR, three New Hampshire residents have contracted Covid-19 despite being at least two weeks past their second shots. “We know that these vaccines aren’t 100 percent effective,” Daly said, according to the WMUR report. “We are going to have what we call breakthrough disease, which is when someone acquires Covid-19 even though they’re fully vaccinated. For the most part, though, especially the vaccines that are currently in use right now, they’re very effective at preventing Covid-19.”

Waiver approved

The Manchester School District will resume in-person learning five days a week starting May 3, after state officials approved a request for a waiver to Gov. Chris Sununu’s mandate that all schools must start full-time in-person learning on April 19. According to a press release, the District requested the waiver April 6 due to concerns over staffing levels, and in consideration of the fact that the week of April 26 is school vacation. Several staff members plan to work remotely until they are fully vaccinated, according to the release, leaving the schools understaffed until May 3. According to an April 12 Union Leader report, Manchester Superintendent John Goldhardt said the waiver had been approved by state education officials, who are now requiring the District to eliminate Wednesday remote learning days altogether in order to reach the 180 days of school required by state law.

Affordable housing

Last week, Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig released the report from the Mayor’s Affordable Housing Taskforce, the first city housing initiative since the 2008 Affordable Housing Task Force created by then-Mayor Frank Guinta. According to a press release, the task force began its work in the fall of 2020, looking at funding and incentives, zoning, regulations, and land use and support services. There are 14 recommendations in the report, including updating zoning regulations, streamlining the permitting process for developers, compiling a comprehensive audit of all city-owned properties, and creating a housing-resource portal on the city website. The Taskforce also recommends creating a city Housing Commission. Rent prices in Manchester for a two-bedroom apartment increased 25 percent in the past decade, including a nearly 10-percent increase from 2020 to 2021, the release said.

Four New Hampshire schools have each been awarded $50,000 for Career and Technical Education students to build electric vehicles, according to a press release from the state Department of Education. The schools are Dover Regional Career and Technical Center in Dover, Nashua Technology Center in Nashua, Region 14 Applied Technology Center in Peterborough and Mt. Washington Valley Career and Technical Center in Conway.

Victoria Sullivan announced Monday that she will run for mayor of Manchester this year. According to a press release, Sullivan is a former New Hampshire state representative and assistant majority leader who served two terms on the House Education Committee.

Beaver Brook Association in Hollis is participating in a statewide backyard composting bin sale, offering a bin for $62 or a pail for composting kitchen organics for $12, according to a press release. Composters will be available for pickup in mid-May. Call 465-7787 to order.

As of April 12, the Nashua vaccination clinic at the Nashua High School South has relocated to the Pheasant Lane Mall, according to a press release. All appointments that were scheduled for the high school location will be honored at the new location for the same date and time.

Envisioning our future

Over my nine years working at Leadership NH, we often asked the participants: “What kind of state do we have and what kind of state do we want?” I am disheartened when I see legislation like HB 266, HB 434, and, of course, HB 544 in this year’s session. All of them work to undermine the kind of state that I want by working to impose anti-immigration efforts that law enforcement across the state oppose (HB 266), and attack reproductive health (HB 434), and remove conversations about one’s race and sex in all of our public spaces (HB 544).

While many of our lawmakers are working to outlaw our existing inclusive practices, they are also upholding and expanding laws that put some of our most vulnerable populations at risk.

Earlier in the year, the House tabled HB 238, a bill that would prohibit a defendant in a manslaughter case from using the alleged victim’s sexuality or gender identity as a defense for why the defendant was provoked into action as well as any actual or perceived romantic advances made by the victim.

Our state made national headlines when the House voted to expand “stand your ground” laws. Under current law, someone can use deadly force to protect themselves and their family during the commission of a felony inside their homes. The bill sent to the Senate would expand that self-defense law to cases in which a felony is committed against a person in a vehicle.

Fear is clearly the motive behind so many of these bills, and this is only a small sampling of what our legislators are debating in this legislative year. When fright is at the core of the work, it limits what we and our state can accomplish and become into the future.

What decision have you made out of distress that resulted in happiness? I have a hard time remembering any of my anxiety-based decisions resulting in true contentment, and I imagine I’m not alone in that struggle.

If you, like me, want New Hampshire to foster a culture that centers on humanity and potential then we must act to stop these bills from becoming law. Reach out to your elected officials, neighbors, friends and colleagues, and encourage them to act against these efforts. There is promise on the horizon but we cannot favor complacency in getting there. Otherwise the state we have may no longer be the state we want.

Plant Now Eat Later

Plant now, Eat later

If you want fresh herbs and produce later this year, now is the time to plant. Find out how to get started, how to care for your plants as they grow, when to harvest them and what to do with your garden bounty when it’s ready.

Also on the cover, six storytellers tell traditional and personal tales, p. 12. Try some Puerto Rican cuisine at the new Empanellie’s in Nashua, p.25. And head out for the night to listen to live music, p. 36.

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Ragged but right

Bradley Copper Kettle hits the sweet spot Bradley Copper Kettle & Friends is four longtime high school pals and an ...

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Ragged but right

Bradley Copper Kettle hits the sweet spot

Bradley Copper Kettle & Friends is four longtime high school pals and an older keyboard player from the next town over they call “Uncle.” They play roots Americana with gusto; their sets feature well-crafted originals, along with selections from the hymn book of rock. The Band, Neil Young, Grateful Dead and Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick In The Wall” are all in there — the latter done with a funky bottom that sounds like a good ragout tastes.

There’s a guitarist named Brad who plays, sings and writes many of their songs, but this isn’t his band. Rather, it’s no one and everyone’s. On any night, a member of the quintet might step up to the microphone and claim to be the man behind the moniker.

“That’s us speaking to Bradley Copper Kettle as an ideology,” drummer Justin Harradon said in a Zoom group interview recently.

Bass player Andrew Desharnais called the name, beerily coined one night at Cappy’s Copper Kettle in Lowell, “an enigma” — but Brad Swenson, who endured being called Bradley Cooper to the point of annoyance, offered a more succinct defense.

“We’re probably just as confused as our fans are with our name,” he said. “But we love it, so we stick with it.”

BCK&F began in 2014 as a trio — Desharnais, Harradon and guitar player Corey Zwart; Swenson joined soon after. The newest member, keyboard player Leeroy Brown, came on board in December 2018. As a band, they have a knack for sliding into the sublime, pulling a perfect harmony or a gumbo-like jam seemingly from nowhere.

The first awareness that they’d found a special musical connection came on a trip to Martha’s Vineyard.

“Brad was doing some work down there several years back and we just were busking by the port,” Desharnais said. “That’s really where we realized that we sound good together and we should keep doing this.”

The band made Barn, a four-song EP, in 2018. Highlights include Swenson’s reedy tenor on the mournful “Move Along,” and the harmony showcase “Holding Water.” Several other originals turn up in their sets. “Country Mile” is the best of the lot, proving that frequent comparisons to CSN&Y are justified, right down to Zwart’s Neil Young-like harmonica soloing, and lusty layered vocals.

Influences range across the spectrum, from obvious ones like Wilco, Dawes and the Dead to the singer-songwriter canon and more eclectic. There’s even a cover of Herbie Hancock’s “Chameleon” in their setlist. Swenson likes anything with a potential to meld into the band’s special mojo.

“Any song when we can get a three- or four-part harmony, or even Justin to five on there,” he said, “is heavenly at some points.”

Desharnais called what they do “music for the common man,” adding, “none of us are trained vocalists, we’re all just regular guys, but when we sing together and harmonize that’s when it’s magical.”

A show at Nashua’s Millyard Brewery on April 17 will be their first since mid-autumn. Like most performers, they were challenged by quarantine. Swenson lives in Maine, Zwart is in Nashua and the other three remain in the Chelmsford area. Harradon believes time and distance will disappear when they resume playing, however.

“It’s kind of difficult for us all to get together, so we may not even get a full band rehearsal before our show,” he said. “But we’ve all been jamming together since 2014-2015. We’re really confident that once we get back on stage, we’re just going to click and get right back to it. Like we weren’t away at all.”

Bradley Copper Kettle
When: Saturday, April 17, 4 p.m.
Where: Millyard Brewery, 25 E. Otterson St., Nashua
More: millyardbrewery.com
Also at Millyard Brewery Fifth Anniversary Celebration with Charlie Chronopoulos Saturday, April 10, 4 p.m.

Featured photo: Bradley Copper Kettle & Friends. Courtesy photo.

Year: 2021

Best game ever?

Strong families, safe kids

News & Notes 21/04/15

Envisioning our future

Plant Now Eat Later

Ragged but right

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