Tag: 230518

Tatum buries 76ers

The Big Story – Celtics Move On To ECF: Say one thing for the Celtics, they certainly like to make it hard on themselves. For the second straight postseason they went down two games to three by coughing up Game 5 at home to put their season on the brink before barely surviving Game 6 on the road and then closing out the bad guys with a blowout Game 7 win at the Garden.

The series brought to the forefront the continued frustrating inconsistency of Jayson Tatum, though his spectacular all-is-forgiven final 53 minutes of the series is the bigger story than said inconsistency, which included three of the worst shooting first halves in Celtics playoff history.

But it was a seven-game series, not one of just first halves, and despite his terrible first three quarters he saved Game 6 and thus the season by banging out three gigantic threes and a deuce over the final four minutes to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat before delivering the best Celtics Game 7 performance these eyes have witnessed.

It leads the Cs into their third Eastern Conference Finals meeting with Miami in the last four years, a team with the best coach in the NBA and who plays them (and Tatum) tougher than anyone.

Could be a nerve-wracking two weeks for Celtic Nation, so buckle up.

Sports 101: In going for 37 points and 23 rebounds this man had the greatest NBA Finals Game 7 by a rookie in NBA history. Name him.

Thumbs Up – Al Horford: Tatum’s sensational Game 7 might overshadow what Al Horford did on Sunday in the history books, but let’s hope not. The 36-year-old Horford’s spectacular defensive effort on Joel Embiid was vital to the win in harassing the league MVP into 5-18 shooting in his not good enough 15-point, 8-rebound afternoon.

News Item – Pats to Honor Tom Brady: Not sure how I feel about Brady being honored on Opening Day in Foxborough. Stems from his never mentioning the Pats or their fans in his social media posts following the first retirement. That snub and lack of appreciation did not sit well in this space. So I’m not for doing it in his first official game of his retirement. Too soon for me.

I also think, with the likes of Jerry Rice, Jim Brown, Lawrence Taylor and a few others in the conversation, Bob Kraft calling him the “best player in history” in the announcement is up for debate. However, with his seven titles, I’m fine with calling him the most valuable player in league history.

News Item – Rough Week for Sox: Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water of thinking the Sox might be better than most thought, last week happened. They entered the week 21-14 and on an eight-game winning streak. But it was all downhill when it ended on Sunday leading to a 1-5 week, concluding with a sweep at Fenway by the last-in-the-NL St. Louis Cardinals. The main trouble was the pitching giving up seven runs a game in the five losses. The good news was Chris Sale made it three straight solid games, his best one yet coming Saturday when he went eight innings while holding the Cards to three hits while striking out nine before Kenley Jansen blew a second straight win in the ninth.

The Numbers:

6 – organization record at any level for stolen bases swiped in one game set by Sox all-name team prospect Ceddanne Rafaela for AA Portland last week.

10 – losses in 16 Game 7s coached by Doc Rivers, which are the most by any coach in NBA history.

12.5 & 34.5 – points averaged by James Harden in Philly’s four losses to the Celtics and in their three wins in the series respectively.

54 – all-time Celtics record for points scored in a playoff record set by the late great John Havlicek in a 1973 win over the Atlanta Hawks.

Random Thoughts:

One more thing about Doc Rivers’s playoff record. Four of his six Game 7 wins came while coaching the Celtics.

For the record, the best Game 7 performance by a Celtic player I’ve seen before Sunday came in 1984 when Larry Bird went for 39 (13-24 and 12-12 from the line), 12 rebounds and 10 assists as the Cs closed out the Knicks in the semi-final round.

The best by an opponent came in the dramatic 1988 duel between Dominique Wilkins and Bird when Nique scored 14 and Larry 20 in their tit-for-tat fourth quarter, before finishing with 47 and 34 respectively.

Sports 101 Answer: The greatest Game 7 by a rookie was authored by Tommy Heinsohn in one of the NBA’s greatest games ever, when Game 7 of the finals went to double overtime as the Celtics beat the St. Louis Hawks 125-123 to claim their first NBA title. Bill Russell, also a rookie that night, went for 19 points and 32 rebounds while Hawks all-timer Bob Pettit had 39 and 19.

2023 Prediction Record: Was right on three of four in taking Miami (in 6), Denver (6) and Boston (7) in the last round while missing on Golden State vs. L.A.

NBA Conference Title Predictions: Denver over L.A. in six. Celtics in seven overMiami.

Final Thought: To all those praising Joe Mazzulla’s “adjustment” to the double big line of Al Horford and lob-it-to-Rob Williams in Game 6 vs. Philly like he invented plutonium, I’ll remind all we said upon his return in January that bringing him off the bench was a bad idea because it made the defense and rebounding worse because they were too small and there was no way he’d be able to play the 30 minutes per night they needed off the bench. It also killed Grant Williams’s confidence by taking away his regular run.

Email Dave Long at dlong@hippopress.com.

College for all

A discussion with NHTI’s new president

Dr. Patrick Tompkins, the President of NHTI since February, shared his thoughts on the role of community colleges, the challenges of declining enrollment, strategies to ensure high-quality education at an affordable cost and more.

Tell us about yourself and what drew you to NHTI.

I’ve been working in higher education for several decades … in Iowa, Oklahoma, Virginia and now New Hampshire. I was an English professor for a long time, and then … moved into administration. I was a dean and a provost at a college, then went to Eastern Shore Community College and served as vice president of academics, students and workforce education. I came to NHTI primarily because of the quality of the college and what it has to offer. We have really solid programs in things like health care … and we have some really unique programs, like mindfulness, hospitality, sports management and addiction counseling. … I also really wanted to work at a community college that has an athletics program, because I believe it provides academic opportunity for some students who might not otherwise [attend college].

What do you believe is the role of community college?

I call community college the greatest democratization in the history of higher education. It makes post-secondary education accessible to all. It’s affordable. It’s convenient. There’s a community college within driving distance of everybody in the continental United States. It allows people who may not think they’re right for higher education or who would otherwise not be able to get into higher education to get an education in a wide variety of fields.

How will you work to ensure an education at NHTI is both affordable and high quality?

The state legislature has allowed the community college system to keep tuition only $5 ahead of where it was in 2011. … Even though the tuition [cost] has stayed constant, there is still a gap that is hard for students to fill. That’s where I have to expand our scholarships. … When we’re able to provide scholarships to cover ancillary things, such as books or supplies, that helps to close that gap. … Most folks know we’re inexpensive; we’re less than half the cost of any other college in New Hampshire … but that means nothing if we don’t have quality. … Our quality comes from having superior faculty whose only mission is to teach. … We have programs that can be completed in a short term … and with flexible scheduling … that lead to really good jobs. … We have a campus with wonderful amenities and extracurricular activities. … These are all things that are of value to our students.

What do extracurricular activities, athletics and campus life contribute to the educational experience at NHTI?

We serve the entire student. It’s not just about academics; it’s also about helping them develop as good family members, community members and workers, and to live healthy lives, mentally and physically. … Having the dorms and a mix of student clubs and activities makes for a really rich campus life. Many community colleges don’t have athletics, so I’m really happy that we do. … For some students, athletics may be the thing that draws them in, and once they’re here they start to realize that sports is not going to pay their way and that they’re going to need [job] skills. … Not all students will go pro in their sport, but they are still passionate about it, and being able to play at the college level is an exciting thing for them.

Enrollment in community colleges has been declining. How do you plan to address that at NHTI?

Declining enrollment is a national trend that’s been going on since 2014. The two primary factors are, there have been fewer people graduating high school … and the people who want to work have found work and aren’t in immediate need of training. It’s looking like we’re nearing [the end] of declining enrollment, and that those factors — particularly the second one — are going to change. There are going to be more opportunities for people to change career fields or advance in the field they’re in and [therefore] come back to college. … But should growing enrollment always be the goal? I think the better question to ask is, how well is a community college serving its community? Because enrollment [reflects whether] we are offering the right mix of programs that are relevant to [employment] opportunities for residents in the area. … So our focus is on our programs and looking at where there are new opportunities or opportunities to grow.

What do you find most fulfilling about this position?

It helps me live out a very foundational ethic that was bred in me as a young person, which is my commitment to service for others into the community. … I feel fortunate to have a job where it’s not about me. People in our business sometimes say, ‘Your success is our success.’ I don’t view it that way. I view it as your success is your success; I was just lucky enough to be there as you were achieving it.

Featured photo: Dr. Patrick Tompkins. Courtesy photo.

News & Notes 23/05/18

‘Rebel’ marker

The New Hampshire Historical Highway Marker for Elizabeth Gurley Flynn installed in Concord by the New Hampshire Division of Historical Resources has been removed after receiving opposition from New Hampshire Executive Councilors Joseph Kenney and David Wheeler, WMUR reported. The marker, which was located at the corner of Court and Montgomery streets in downtown Concord, recognized Flynn, who was, according to a press release from the Division, “a well-known labor, women’s rights and civil liberties activist.” Identifying Flynn as “The Rebel Girl,” the marker highlighted Flynn’s involvement in the labor movement and her imprisonment after joining the Communist Party. The executive councilors argued that the marker promoted “communist propaganda” because of Flynn’s political associations. The controversy prompted Gov. Chris Sununu to call for a review of the historical marker process. “All policies and guidelines were followed in removing this controversial marker,” a statement released by Gov. Sununu’s office reads. “Through their public statements, the City of Concord made clear they were not advocating to keep the marker up. In their communications with the state, it was learned that the marker was located on state property, not city property as previously believed, and therefore the marker was removed this morning.”

Recall recalled

A recall that was issued on May 5 for “Spice” Packaged Salad Greens grown by lēf Farms in Loudon has been canceled. According to a press release, the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services confirmed, after a two-day inspection of the farm’s facility and products, that the concerns regarding a potential contamination of Escherichia coli O157 bacteria in a specific lot of the “Spice” green were the result of a laboratory error, and that the products are safe for consumption. “I wish to apologize to lēf Farms, their customers and the public for this unfortunate event,” Division of Public Health Services Director Tricia Tilley said in the release. “lēf Farms’ quick and decisive actions put the health of their customers first. Their products are safe for consumers. We appreciate that lēf Farms has been a willing partner in this process. While this situation is unprecedented, our dedicated staff will embrace all corrective actions to ensure it will not occur again.”

Lock in

Ninety-six New Hampshire law enforcement agencies are participating in the “Join the NH Clique” campaign now through June 4 as part of a nationwide effort to enforce seat belt usage for drivers and passengers. According to a press release, New Hampshire law requires that individuals under the age of 18 be secured with a seat belt or child safety seat, and drivers are held responsible for ensuring proper seat belt usage for minors in their vehicle. Data released by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has revealed that seat belt usage in New Hampshire currently ranks the lowest among all states. From 2020 to 2022, approximately half of all victims in fatal vehicle crashes on New Hampshire roads were not wearing seat belts and were ejected from their vehicles. In 2022, 55 fatalities in vehicle crashes on New Hampshire roads involved individuals not wearing seat belts. In 2021, 51 unbelted individuals lost their lives, while 2020 saw 41 fatalities of unbelted individuals. “We encourage drivers and their passengers to buckle up every trip, every time — no matter what,” Capt. Chris Vetter, Commander of Highway Safety in New Hampshire, said in the release. “Unfortunately, the decision not to do so continues to have deadly consequences throughout our state. Through this campaign, we hope to ultimately save lives.”

Post grad plans

The New Hampshire Department of Education has partnered with the College Guidance Network (CGN) to offer support services to help students, families and school counselors navigate the often complex path to post-secondary education opportunities. According to a press release, the initiative empowers school counselors to provide better support to their college-bound students, assisting them in confidently navigating the college admissions process and making responsible decisions. Students and educators at high schools across the state will have unlimited access to CGN School, an online platform available to families in all participating New Hampshire public and non-public schools, as well as home education families. “New Hampshire is an excellent state to build a statewide model for enabling families to better manage this process,” Jon Carson, founder of CGN, said in the release. “Our mix of on-demand video featuring acclaimed college admissions and career exploration experts, a wide range of content toolkits, live programming and our flagship feature, Roadmap to College, will give New Hampshire schools an important new tool to support counselors, students and their parents.”

New board members

The Manchester Historic Association, which operates the Millyard Museum and Research Center and offers public and school programs, lectures and tours aimed at preserving and sharing the history of Manchester, welcomes four new board members, according to a press release: Ami D’Amelio, CEO & President of Just Flow Events & Marketing, has over 25 years of sales and marketing experience; Michael Duffy is a longtime member and volunteer of MHA and currently serves as director and secretary with the NH Preservation Alliance; Patricia Meyers has served on multiple nonprofit boards, including the New Hampshire Preservation Alliance, and has received recognition for her contributions to historic preservation; and Peter Richard, General Manager of XMA Corporation, has a business administration background and involvement in various organizations such as the Manchester Area Human Resources Association and NH Tech Alliance.

The Aviation Museum of New Hampshire in Londonderry (27 Navigator Road) will host an open house on Monday, May 22, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. for adult community members who are interested in volunteering as mentors for the museum’s high school aircraft-building program. According to a press release, volunteers collaborate with high school students on site at Manchester School of Technology and Alvirne High School in Hudson to assemble a two-seat RV-12iS light sport aircraft. If you plan to attend the open house, call 669-4877 and leave a message with your name, or send an email to ldearborn@nhahs.org. Visit aviationmuseumofnh.org.

St. Joseph Hospital in Nashua has won this year’s Nashua Gate City Light award. According to a press release, the award, presented by Mayor Donchess and the City of Nashua’s Mayor’s Volunteer Recognition Committee, recognizes an organization and its volunteers for “giving their time in the spirit of community, caring, and making significant contributions to the people of Nashua.”

The New Hampshire Department of Transportation will hold a public meeting to share information regarding proposed improvements to the crossing of Main Street over Beaver Brook in Pelham. The meeting will be held Wednesday, May 31, at 6:30 p.m. at Sherburne Hall in Pelham (6 Village Green). According to a press release, the project aims to address flooding and to correct structural deficiencies to remove the two bridges from the NHDOT Red List. Call 271-3921 or visit nh.gov/dot/projects to learn more.

Stay in the loop!

Get FREE weekly briefs on local food, music,

arts, and more across southern New Hampshire!