For the seventh time in the past 10 years, fans packed the streets of Boston to watch a Boston sports team celebrate a championship with a victory parade. After seeing the Patriots, Red Sox, and Celtics all make the slow duck boat drive through the streets of the city, the Bruins finally got their turn today.
The "rolling rally" kicked off outside TD Garden, where NESN color analyst Andy Brickley served as MC and introduced the 2011 Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins. Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs, president Cam Neely, GM Peter Chiarelli, head coach Claude Julien, captain Zdeno Chara, Mark Recchi, Tim Thomas, Patrice Bergeron, and a poorly rapping Brad Marchand all addressed the crowd outside The Garden before the team boarded the duck boats to make their way to Copley Square.
Notes:
- Boston Police confirmed that the crowd was largest of any rolling rally in Boston history. According to some estimates, one million fans came out to take in the rolling rally.
- The Bruins rode duck boats despite Shawn Thornton's request for for old school black Caddies.
- Cam Neely inadvertently forget to thank goalie coach Bob Essensa and was reminded by Milan Lucic. I'd say Essensa did any OK job with the goalies this year. I think he might deserve a mention.
- Jeremy Jacobs was actually applauded by the crowd, but quickly lost the crowd a bit after mispronouncing "Claude" and calling out Cam Neely for never winning a Cup as a player.
- Zdeno Chara handing the Cup over to Cam Neely was a great moment.
- Brad Marchand attempted to sing Wiz Khalifa's "Black & Yellow"...poorly.
- Claude Julien thanked Doc Rivers, Terry Francona, and Bill Belichik for their support throughout the playoffs.
- The Red Sox moved the start time of their game today to 7:00 to accommodate the parade.
- I guess the goalies missed the memo about the championship caps. Timmy Thomas was sporting an Army-style cap, while Tuukka Rask was still wearing Nathan Horton's helmet. When asked about the helmet by Rich Shertenlieb of Toucher & Rich, Tuukka said "Safety first." Tuukka later swapped Horton's helmet for an all-black Red Sox cap.
- Our buddies, Toucher & Rich hitched a ride on one of the duck boats.
- Marc Savard was on hand to take part in the parade. At one point near Copley Square, Savard grabbed a microphone and started a "We got The Cup" chant.
- Being Tyler Seguin has it's perks these days.
- The Stanley Cup was riding on the first duck boat with Zdeno Chara and Tim Thomas with start. It was then passed to each duck boat along the parade route.
- At one point, Zdeno Chara got off the duck boat and walked The Stanley Cup along the edge of the parade route allowing the fans to touch The Cup.
- A Bruins flag waved over Copley Square.
- This photo that David Robichaud of WBZ 4 took of a sign calling out Alex Burrows is awesome.
- Video of Shawn Thornton talking about the past few days, the difference in fan reaction between winning in Boston and Anaheim, and a great line about the Bruins Mardi Gras beads that they are wearing.
- Anthem singer Rene Rancourt and organist Ron Poster led fans in a "Here we go, Bruins!" chant.
- I was kind of surprised that the Bruins didn't invite more of their past players to participate in the parade. I know it is about celebrating this year's team, but this is a team with great tradition and a storied history. It would have been nice to see some Bruins legends there.
- If anyone was at the parade, please send your photos to stanleycupofchowder@gmail.com. I am going to post a fan photo story later today.
"I'm so proud to be here to say that we're the team that brought The Stanley Cup back to Boston, where it belongs."
Patrice Bergeron
Brad Marchand when asked by WBZ 4 what he has been doing since they won The Cup:
"Celebrating! Partying!"
"We played together, we drank together, we won together!"
Mark Recchi