Let’s face it, going to school in Boston is fantastic. There are so many fun things to do! But the first thing you need to know is how to embrace the sports culture in the city of champions. It doesn’t matter if you’re going to Emerson or Boston College, sports are so important to this city. To help you fit right in, here are some basic things to know:
The Teams:
The four main teams in Boston (and pretty much all of New England) are the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots and Red Sox. There are other teams that don’t get as much credit, like the Revolution.
The Boston Bruins are the hockey team of the city. They won the Stanley Cup in 2011 for the first time since 1972. They consistently have a playoff run and are strong contenders. Games are so much fun and will always keep you on your toes!
The Boston Celtics are the basketball team. They won the NBA Finals in 2008. They traded star players Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce in 2013 and Rajon Rando in December 2014. They aren’t the best right now, but tickets are super cheap (check out StubHub!) and so fun. Grab a bunch of friends and head over to the TD Garden.
The New England Patriots (commonly known in the city as the Pats) are the football team of New England. They were the Boston Patriots in the 1960s, changed names a few times and became the New England Patriots in 1971. The Pats have won four Super Bowls in 14 years – 2001, 2003, 2004, and 2014. You can get to games by the game day commuter rail, but be careful because games are super expensive!
The Boston Red Sox are the baseball team (like you didn’t know). They’re a little up-and-down during the season, but have won three World Series since 2004 – in 2007 and 2013 too. The Curse of the Bambino was a superstition of the failure of the Red Sox for 86 years. It was broken in 2004 by winning the World Series! Tickets are usually cheap and Fenway is small enough that you can sit anywhere and have a good seat! Unless you’re behind a pole.
The Heroes:
Larry Bird played for the Celtics from 1979 to 1992. He was drafted by Boston sixth overall and played his entire career here. He was a 12-time NBA All-Star and the NBA’s Most Valuable Player three times.
Bobby Orr played for the Bruins from 1966 to 1975. He is one of the greatest hockey players of all time. He helped win the Bruins’ first Stanley Cup in 29 years in 1970. His Cup-winning goal is one of the most famous goals in hockey history! He scored the Stanley Cup winning goal again in 1972.
Tom Brady is the quarterback for the Patriots and has been playing for the team since 2000. After being drafted in the sixth round, he has become one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. He became the starting quarterback in 2001, leading the team to their first Super Bowl win. He then led the team to back-to-back wins in 2003 and 2004. After many criticized his start of the 2014 season, he brought the Patriots to victory in the Super Bowl again! He’s also the heartthrob of Boston sports, too bad Gisele got to him first.
Ted Williams played for the Red Sox from 1939-1960 but served the military from 1942-1945. He is widely known as one of the greatest hitters of all time. As soon as he joined the Red Sox, he became one of baseball’s greatest hitters. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame the first year he was eligible!
The Rivalries:
The Bruins’ biggest rival is the Montreal Canadiens. This rivalry is considered one of the greatest in sports history. During the 2011 playoffs, the Bruins beats the Canadiens in the first round in overtime! The Celtics’ biggest rival is the Los Angeles Lakers. This rivalry is considered the greatest in NBA history. The Patriots’ have so many different rivals, but the most hated rival is the New York Jets. They also have smaller known rivalries with the Indianapolis Colts and the Denver Broncos. Everyone knows the Red Sox vs. Yankees rivalry. It’s widely known as the greatest of all time. Boston teams all have pretty famous and awesome rivalries. If you want an amazing experience at any other the games, try to get to a rivalry game (even though those are more expensive).
Boston sports are definitely a huge part of the city’s culture. To live in the city, you have to know at least a little bit about the teams here. The next time someone starts talking about the teams, you’ll actually know what they’re talking about! Plus with all the championship wins the teams have, it’ll be more fun!