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It's nice that Charlie Jacobs feels Bruins fans' pain, but that's not nearly enough

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7 months ago

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It's nice that Charlie Jacobs feels Bruins fans' pain, but that's not nearly enough

BOSTON — Plenty of meaningful skating has taken place at TD Garden this year. The groundbreaking 4 Nations Face-Off final. The Beanpot. The Hockey East tourney. The high school tourneys.  The World Figure Skating Championships.

What’s missing from this list? You know the answer to that question: The Boston Bruins. It’s been a long time since the Bruins have played much in the way of meaningful hockey, unless you count their “Centennial Game” against the Montreal Canadiens on Dec. 1. We can all agree it was a grand night across the boards for the Bruins: They roared to a 6-3 victory on the 100th anniversary of their first game in the NHL, a 2-1 win over the Montreal Maroons on Dec. 1, 1924, at Boston Arena. Stick tap to Thomas “Smokey” Harris for scoring the first goal in Bruins history.

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But just as the 1924-25 Bruins didn’t qualify for the playoffs, neither did the 2024-25 Bruins. How bad was this latest edition of the Bruins? Their 32-39-9 record included a coaching change and a trade deadline housecleaning that sent Brad Marchand, the last remaining Bruin from the 2011 Stanley Cup champions, to the Florida Panthers. The Bruins lost 10 straight games as the season was mercifully winding down.

Here’s something else that connects the 2024-25 TD Garden Bruins and the 1924-25 Boston Arena Bruins: Ownership believes things are going to be just fine.

Back then, it was Charles Adams, founding owner of the Bruins. Sportswriter John J. Hallahan spoke with Adams at the end of the 1925 season and filed this report for The Boston Globe: “(Adams) says that in another year he will give Boston a team that will be in the thickest of the fight, and expresses appreciation to the fans who supported the team.”

One hundred years later, we have Charlie Jacobs, CEO of the Bruins and son of longtime owner/chairman Jeremy Jacobs, crafting a letter that was sent to B’s fans. The big takeaway, as has already been widely discussed, is Charlie Jacobs’ belief that “expectations and accountability are higher than ever.”

The only real accountability that seems to be going on with the Bruins these days is with the coach. The track record in recent years is that the blame pie is a single serving that’s been delivered to Claude Julien, followed by Bruce Cassidy (who has since won a Stanley Cup with the Vegas Golden Knights), followed by Jim Montgomery, who was fired by the Bruins in November and was quickly hired by the St. Louis Blues. Monty’s Blues are in the Stanley Cup tourney, with Game 1 of an opening-round series against the Winnipeg Jets set for Saturday night.

As for Bruins president Cam Neely and general manager Don Sweeney, they will be seated with Jacobs at the team’s annual end-of-season news conference Wednesday at the Garden.

I’m not here to rant for Neely and/or Sweeney to be escorted off the premises. What’s bothersome about the letter — and give me some rope here — is the suggestion that Charlie Jacobs is just another townie who wants to see the Bruins win.

“I’m incredibly proud to be a Bostonian,” Jacobs writes. “I take even greater pride in being a Boston Bruin. Together with leadership, we are embarking on an ambitious journey to restore glory to this great franchise.”

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In fairness to Jacobs, he has lived in Boston for a long, long time. Though born and raised in Buffalo, N.Y., which is his family’s base, he went to Boston College and later settled in the area to raise his family. He’s the absentee owner’s son, but he’s present and accounted for in the Boston community. His name is attached to several charitable endeavors in Boston. According to the Bruins’ website, he is the founder and chairman of the Boston Bruins Foundation, “whose mission is to assist charitable organizations that demonstrate a commitment to enhancing the quality of life for children and families throughout New England.”

The betting here is that Jacobs knows a couple of good sub shops around town, and maybe a neighborhood bar where everybody knows your name.

It’s the context that’s all wrong. Bruins fans are rightly worked up about the way this season played out. And whether you want to call it a “rebuild” or a “retooling” (the latter being no more than a rebuilding’s euphemistic cousin), the customers are concerned about the future.

To borrow from the iconic folk song that was popularized by The Kingston Trio, the CEO of the Boston Bruins is Charlie Jacobs, not Charlie on the MTA. He’s not some grown-up kid from Inman Square who knew how to sneak into the old Garden. He didn’t see the Boston Braves of the AHL, or the New England Whalers of the WHA. He’s seen Bobby Orr on Level 4, but not on top of Pat Quinn.

Now it’s not necessary for Jacobs to have been any of those things. But for the purposes of this discussion, it’s not a good sell for ownership to pretend to be one of you. The late Tommy McVie, a hockey lifer who had a long tenure with the Bruins as an assistant coach, AHL coach, scout and ambassador, was fond of saying, “If you start thinking like the fans, you’ll soon be sitting with them.” McVie was a coach, and he had coaching in mind whenever he’d roll out that line. But it works just as well with the front office and with owners. In this case, Charlie Jacobs.

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The Bruins have not been a complete disaster over the years. They’ve been competitive more often than not. But if the ultimate goal is to win the Stanley Cup, the sobering reality is that the Bruins have brought the Big Goblet to Boston just once since 1972. Yes, they came close in 2013 and 2019. Alas, there is no second-place Stanley Cup unless you count the Prince of Wales Trophy, which nobody does.

While we’re on the topic, can we please stop with the revisionist history that the Jacobs family would have no Stanley Cup titles were it not for the otherworldly goaltending of Tim Thomas in spring 2011? No doubt about it: Thomas stood on his head. His stick save against the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Steve Downie in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals is the finest net thievery these eyes have seen. But to suggest it was all Thomas is disrespectful to the likes of Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, Zdeno Chara, etc. I seem to recall Mark Recchi scoring a few goals from the slot that spring while opposing skaters were bludgeoning him with tire irons. To give all the credit to Thomas is like saying the Red Sox won the World Series in 2004 because David Ortiz got hot.

My point is that if ownership counts for anything, then Bruins ownership delivered a Stanley Cup in 2011. And now Bruins fans are saying, “OK, that was 14 years ago. Time for another Stanley Cup.”

It’s up to Charlie Jacobs, not Charlie on the MTA, to make that happen.

(Photo: Barry Chin / The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

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Hartman named MVC Player of the Week for third time this season

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6 minutes ago

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November 4, 2025

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ST. LOUIS — UNI junior outside hitter Cassidy Hartman has been named the Missouri Valley Conference’s (MVC) Player of the Week for volleyball, as announced by the league office on Monday afternoon.

The selection comes for the North Liberty, Iowa native after led the Panthers with a pair of double-digit kill showings and one double-double performances in victories over Belmont and Southern Illinois, helping UNI improve to 12-0 in league play. 

Northern Iowa is currently in the midst of a 15-match winning streak, tied for the second-longest in Division I, while also having won 48 consecutive regular season matches against MVC opponents, the third-longest such streak in program history and the second-longest active streak in the nation. UNI is also closing in on at least a share of its fourth straight MVC regular season title this week.

UNI’s season leader with 352 total blocks on the year, Hartman notably set a new career-high with 26 terminations in the Panthers’ 3-1 win at Southern Illinois on Saturday, while also tallying 11 digs for her team-leading 11th double-double of the season. Hartman also recorded 11 kills against Belmont last Thursday, having now posted ten or more kills in 19 matches this year.

Hartman’s selection is the eighth MVC weekly award of the season for the Panthers, who have also seen Maryn Bixby be named the MVC Freshman of the Week three times, and Jadyn Petersen the league’s top defense player of the week twice. 

In addition to Hartman, Valparaiso’s Emma Hickey was named MVC Defensive Player of the Week for a second straight week, while Drake’s Caroline Smith earned MVC Freshman of the Week honors.

Hartman and the Panthers return to action on Tuesday nights as UNI hosts Drake at 6 p.m. CT inside the McLeod Center. Live coverage of the match can be found on ESPN+ and the Panther Sports Radio Network (106.5 FM Corn Country / 93.5 HD-2).

Tickets can be purchased online through the UNI Ticket Office, by calling 319-273-4849 or through email at tickets@uni.edu. 

Fans are encouraged to wear purple for the team’s annual Purple Out match, while UNI will also celebrate Faculty and Staff Appreciation Night.

UNI students in attendance will also have the opportunity to enter a drawing for a $1,000 scholarship. Rules and eligibility can be found HERE. For a full list of upcoming Panther promotions, click HERE.

 

UNI volleyball action can be followed all season long on social media on Facebook (UNI Volleyball), X (@UNIVolleyball) and on Instagram (@univolleyball). The full 2025 schedule and roster, along with the latest Panther news and information can be found online at UNIpanthers.com.





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Cheney Named A-10 Volleyball Rookie of the Week

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22 minutes ago

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November 4, 2025

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Atlantic 10 conference has named freshman setter Ava Cheney the conference Rookie of the Week for games played Oct. 27-Nov. 2.

Cheney stepped into the solo setter role this week and rose to the occasion. Totaling 146 assists over three matches, averaging 10.43 per set, she helped quarterback the Patriots’ offense. She totaled 46 assists on Wednesday vs. GW, 57 assists on Saturday vs. Rhode Island (good for top-5 assists in a single match post-2008, and second most in a single game in the A-10 this season), and 43 assists on Sunday vs. Rhode Island.

In addition to her assists, the Tucson, Ariz. native had four service aces in Saturday’s match, and she totaled 14 digs and 9 blocks over the week. 

The Patriots went 1-2 last week, splitting with Rhode Island and losing to George Washington. They are currently tied for fourth place in the A-10 with a 15-10, 8-6 conference record. 

 





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WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL CLINCHES AMERICA EAST POSTSEASON BERTH

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38 minutes ago

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November 4, 2025

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SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant volleyball team clinched a spot in the America East postseason on Sunday afternoon.

The Bulldogs make their return to the postseason after not qualifying last season. They’re the first team in the America East to clinch a postseason berth.

The Black and Gold have an overall 14-11 record and are 5-3 in conference play, tied for second place in the conference with UAlbany and Binghamton. Bryant split the season series with UAlbany and defeated Binghamton in the first meeting.

Bryant split their home matches against New Hampshire and UMBC this weekend at the Chace Athletic Center.

The Bulldogs are back in action on Friday night (Nov. 7), taking on the Binghamton Bearcats on the road. First serve is at 6:00 PM in Vestal, N.Y.

 



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CAA Volleyball Weekly Awards – Nov. 3, 2025

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54 minutes ago

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November 4, 2025

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CAA Volleyball Weekly Awards – Nov. 3, 2025

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Dylan Smith


RICHMOND, Va. (Nov. 3, 2025) – Hofstra’s Beatriz Braga and Stony Brook’s Kali Moore shared Offensive Player of the Week honors, while the Pride’s Julia Amorim and the Seawolves’ Ava Zamora earned outright Defensive Player and Rookie of the Week recognition, respectively, on Monday.
 
CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Beatriz Braga, Hofstra
Junior | Outside Hitter | Uberlândia, Brazil

Braga helped the Pride pick up a pair of road wins over North Carolina A&T to extend the win streak to nine consecutive matches. For the week, Braga averaged 5.13 kills, 1.88 digs and 0.75 blocks per set. She also hit at a .304 clip in the two contests. The Brazilian native posted 41 kills, while adding 15 digs and six blocks in the two matches. On Saturday, she was outstanding with 20 kills in the three-set match, averaging nearly seven kills per set to go with seven digs and three blocks. In Sunday’s win, she literally one-upped herself with 21 kills, a .350 attack percentage, along with eight digs and three blocks. Both kill totals established new season highs for Braga, and they were just the second and third times in her career that she has reached the 20-kill plateau in a match.
 
CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Kali Moore, Stony Brook
Senior | Outside Hitter | Brooklyn, N.Y.
Moore led the Seawolves offense with 41 kills in a pair of upset wins over Towson. The two wins were also the program’s first two wins against the Tigers in its previous 16 matches prior to the weekend slate. The senior outside hitter posted her fifth 20-kill performance of the season with 22 on Friday en route to a 3-1 victory over the Tigers. Moore also had two aces and nine blocks, including a season-high six blocks on Friday. The Brooklyn, N.Y., native followed up with her ninth double-double of the season, notching 19 kills and a season-high 19 digs to secure another 3-1 victory on the road.
 
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Julia Amorim, Hofstra
Freshman | Middle Blocker | Pavuna, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Amorim produced a strong week as the Pride won both contests at North Carolina A&T to extend the current win streak to nine consecutive matches. The middle blocker totaled 15 stuffs, including five solo, along with nine kills, three service aces, and a pair of digs. In Saturday’s match, Amorim totaled nine blocks, including four on her own, to go with three kills, two aces and two digs. The freshman followed that up with another strong defensive effort with six blocks and six kills in Sunday’s victory.
 
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Ava Zamora, Stony Brook
Freshman | Setter | San Diego, Calif.
Zamora guided the Seawolves to a pair of victories at Towson with 76 assists and 24 digs. The San Diego, Calif., posted a double-double in the opening match with 45 assists and a season-high 19 digs. The freshman setter then recorded 31 assists with five digs on Saturday to notch the team’s first in-season sweep of Towson. Zamora also had five kills, two aces and one block on Saturday.

2025 CAA VOLLEYBALL WEEKLY AWARDS

Offensive Player of the Week

Sept. 1: Tyne Ross, N.C. A&T

Sept. 8: Maja Daca, Campbell / Taylor Pagan, Towson

Sept. 15: Gwen Wolkow, Campbell / Ella Sanders, Towson

Sept. 22: Izadora Stedile, Hofstra

Sept. 29: Caroline Noonan, Charleston

Oct. 6: Beatriz Braga, Hofstra

Oct. 13: Gwen Wolkow, Campbell

Oct. 20: Gwen Wolkow, Campbell

Oct. 27: Tyne Ross, N.C. A&T

Nov. 3: Beatriz Braga, Hofstra / Kali Moore, Stony Brook

 

Defensive Player of the Week

Sept. 1: Nadia Koanui, Northeastern / Mercedes Motton, Stony Brook

Sept. 8: Malinah Purcell-Telefoni, Towson

Sept. 15: Julia Amorim, Hofstra

Sept. 22: Sydney Stewart, Towson

Sept. 29: Makena Parthen, Charleston / Sydney Stewart, Towson

Oct. 6: Sydney Stewart, Towson

Oct. 13: Jumana Martin, Charleston / Lilia Duczek, Hofstra

Oct. 20: Caroline Noonan, Charleston / Leonor Polezzi, N.C. A&T

Oct. 27: Hailey Heytvelt, Campbell / Jumana Martin, Charleston

Nov. 3: Julia Amorim, Hofstra

 

Rookie of the Week

Sept. 1: Ava Zamora, Stony Brook

Sept. 8: Julia Amorim, Hofstra

Sept. 15: Caroline Noonan, Charleston

Sept. 22: Nina Jioshvili-Ravva, Hofstra

Sept. 29: Malinah Purcell-Telefoni, Towson

Oct. 6: Jumana Martin, Charleston / Nina Jioshvili-Ravva, Hofstra

Oct. 13: Nina Jioshvili-Ravva, Hofstra

Oct. 20: Nina Jioshvili-Ravva, Hofstra

Oct. 27: Zariah Winton, N.C. A&T

Nov. 3: Ava Zamora, Stony Brook

 

Follow #CAAVB on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to get up-to-date information and learn more about CAA member institutions and their volleyball programs.

 

 





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Mara Štiglic Named Mountain West Offensive Volleyball Player of the Week

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2 hours ago

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November 3, 2025

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LOGAN, Utah – Utah State volleyball outside hitter Mara Štiglic has been named the Old Trapper Mountain West Offensive Volleyball Player of the Week the conference announced on Monday.

Štiglic led Utah State with a .400 hitting percentage while recording 29 total kills in a pair of wins at San Diego State (3-1) and UNLV (3-0). The sophomore from Rijeka, Croatia, averaged 4.14 kills per set for the week and added two aces, six digs and four blocks. Štiglic tied for the team lead with 13 kills against the Aztecs, hitting .355 on 31 total attempts and adding three blocks. Against the Rebels, Štiglic posted 16 kills on 29 attempts for a .448 hitting percentage, also adding two aces. In the third set, Štiglic had a team-high eight kills to help seal the win. Of 60 total attempts during the week, Štiglic recorded only five hitting errors. 

It is Štiglic’s second time this season and in her career earning Player of the Week honors. She previously earned the award after totaling 46 total kills to help USU to wins against Utah Valley and Weber State plus a spirited effort against then-No. 16 BYU, averaging 4.18 kills per set for the week.

Štiglic is the first Aggie to receive multiple awards from the MW this season. Utah State has had six different players receive a weekly award from the conference this season.

PREVIOUS AGGIES TO RECEIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK THIS SEASON

Sept. 2 – Tierney Barlow, Sr., MB – Offensive Player of the Week

Sept. 22 – Mara Štiglic, So., OH – Offensive Player of the Week

Sept. 29 – Lauren Larkin, R-Fr., MB – Freshman of the Week

Oct. 6 – Kaylie Kofe, So., S – Offensive Player of the Week

Oct. 13 – Kendel Thompson, Jr., L/DS – Defensive Player of the Week

Oct. 27 – Loryn Helgesen, So., OPP – Offensive Player of the Week

Up Next

The Aggies return home for a pair of crucial matches versus teams currently in Mountain West Tournament position. Utah State will first host second-place Colorado State on Thursday, Nov. 6, at 6 p.m., before facing Wyoming, who currently sits third in the conference standings, on Saturday, Nov. 8, at noon.

Season tickets, mini-plans, and single-game tickets are on sale now and can be purchased here or by contacting the USU Ticket Office at 435-797-0305.

Fans can follow the Aggie volleyball program on Twitter, @USUVolleyball, on Facebook at /USUVolleyball or on Instagram, @usuvolleyball. Aggie fans can also follow the Utah State athletic program on Twitter, @USUAthletics, Facebook at /USUAthletics and on Instagram, @USUAthletics.

 – USU –



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Ohio high school volleyball OHSAA state tournament brackets, schedule

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3 hours ago

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November 3, 2025

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Ohio high school volleyball OHSAA state tournament brackets, schedule



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