August 2007 Archives

News Flash: Rodney Harrison has been suspended four games by the NFL for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. In a conference call, the Patriots Safety admitted to the violation, took full responsibility and apologized to everyone involved for his actions. Harrison was named in federal and New York investigations, and admitted his guilt to Commissioner Roger Goodell in a Friday meeting. He claims to have used Human Growth Hormone to help speed up the recovery process from injuries.

View from Mt. Olympus: While disappointed, I have more respect for Rodney Harrison today than I did yesterday…and that’s saying something.

New England sports fans have been pretty fortunate to avoid the steroid/HGH plague that’s infested the sports world (other than Manny Alexander, who we don’t really count as one of our own), but it would have been incredibly naïve for us to believe that “our” guys, no matter how nice they seem or how much we like them, didn’t do that kind of stuff. Believe me, if it’s everywhere else, it’s in our teams’ locker rooms as well.

However, take note of Harrison’s reaction, so different from your typical cheat that's been caught. He didn’t use some lame excuse, blaming an over the counter supplement or claiming incompetence on the part of the testers. Instead, he stood up like a man and apologized to everyone, from teammates and the league, to fans and school children who look up to him as a role model.

(The full text of Harrison’s statement can by clicking "Read full entry")

What’s your view? You at all surprised? Or were New Englander due for one of these?

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

Newly signed Celtics forward James Posey has reportedly been suspended for one game after pleading "no contest" to reckless driving charges.

According to a Reuters report, the charges date back to a drunk driving incident in Florida back to April.

Posey, a 6-foot-8 217-pound forward, was introduced by the Celtics earlier this week.

He averaged 7.7 points and 5.0 rebounds per game for the Miami Heat last season. Posey has posted career averages of 9.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game over his eight year career.

A couple of quick thoughts to take you into the holiday weekend:

-Not only are the Patriots a very good football team, but a very deep one as well. New England’s subs more than held their own in the final exhibition, proving that Bill Belichick’s troops are more than equipped to handle the inevitable injuries that come, except for the obvious position of quarterback.

-I’m not overly concerned about the Sox sweep in New York. Once Manny went down, I thought we were in trouble. Schilling’s start was encouraging yesterday (see, you can always find a silver lining). The real negative is that the Yankees are in great wild-card shape, provided they don’t completely fall apart. Plus, much as they dreaded seeing the Sox in the 2003 and 2004 playoffs because Boston wasn’t intimidated, the Yanks don’t fear the Sox, knowing full well it’s a 50-50 proposition whenever these two clubs meet.

Your thoughts on the Pats and Sox? Are you ready for some football? Worried about Manny’s injury being a long-term thing? Don’t give a damn as long as the weather at the beach is beautiful?

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

The Boston Celtics announced yesterday that they have named Tom Thibodeau as an assistant coach.

“I've admired Tom as a coach for a long time. It’s good to have him on my side.” Celtics Head Coach Doc Rivers said in a press release.

Thibodeau, a Salem State graduate and a former coach at Salem State and Harvard University, comes to the team from the Houston Rockets.

The Thibodeau File:

He helped the Rockets rank among the top five in the NBA in scoring defense and field goal percentage defense in each of the past four seasons.

Prior to joining the Rockets, Thibodeau spent the previous seven years as an assistant coach with the New York Knicks. During his tenure with the Knicks, New York set a then-NBA record by holding 33 consecutive opponents under 100 points in the 2000-01 season.

Thibodeau entered the NBA in 1989 as an assistant coach with the expansion Minnesota Timberwolves under the late Bill Musselman. After two seasons with the Timberwolves, he joined the Seattle SuperSonics in 1991 as an advance scout. The following year, Thibodeau moved to San Antonio, where he worked with Jerry Tarkanian and John Lucas as a Spurs assistant coach for two seasons.

He left San Antonio to become an assistant coach under Lucas with the Philadelphia 76ers. Thibodeau's stay in Philadelphia lasted two seasons, at which point, he joined the Knicks. With the Knicks, Thibodeau worked with Jeff Van Gundy for five years and Don Chaney for two seasons.

Thibodeau's coaching career began in 1981 as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Salem State College. After three years as an assistant, he became head coach in 1984. The following season, Thibodeau became an assistant coach at Harvard. He coached at Harvard for four years before leaving for the NBA.

One of the first thoughts to hit me when I read yesterday’s Lowell Sun article about Scott Boyle accepting and assistant coaching position with Central Catholic football was what Brian Martin would think of it.

After all, one of the reasons for forcing Boyle to choose either football or basketball (he used to coach both) at Lowell High was because Martin and the rest of the school administration believed the modern day demands of coaching two major sports made it impossible to devote the necessary time to both. The Lowell High Athletic Director stated as much during an appearance on SportsTalk Live last spring. So does Martin have a problem with his head basketball coach taking a position as an assistant football coach at another school?

BM: “Not at all. It’s not a head coaching job. It doesn’t require as much time. I wish him well.”

So there you have it. The old boss is OK with his employee’s new job. The controversy, or potential conflict, I thought might arise appears to be a non-issue.

Or is it? What do you folks think? Doesn’t Boyle still have to spend multiple hours a week and game days at his new gig? What if Central qualifies for the Super Bowl? Won’t that cut into hoops season? Am I alone in thinking this issue will come up again?

Did you catch Phillies pitcher Brett Myers blowing up at a reporter the other day? Seems the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Sam Carchidi questioned the Phillies pitcher’s assessment that the two 9th inning home runs he gave up to the Padres Saturday night were popups.

(I tried cleaning up the transcript (courtesy of Bugs and Cranks), but you really have to read it in its entirety to believe it. It’s not intended for young ears. The edited audio clip is here, courtesy of KYW Newsradio 1060)

Myers had to be restrained by teammates. He’s since apologized, though I believe the apology was for using the word “retard” and not necessarily for his actions or to the reporter.

Being in that environment (though never being the object of such a diatribe) I have to give Carchidi credit for standing his ground here. Though I think wising off and then telling Myers that HE was the retard escalated the situation, it’s a tough spot to be put in when athletes basically take out their frustrations on a person trying to do a job. Could Carchidi have shut his mouth and allowed Myers to humiliate him? Sure, but you get what you give in life, so if you’re going to act like an ass, you should expect to be treated as such.

I also think I now have a better insight into what Mrs. Myers deals with on a daily basis.

Listen to the audio and tell me what you think…who was out of line here? How would you react if you were the reporter?

Last Night's SportsTalk Live broadcast was a huge success. Nine
area high school football coaches joined Teddy Panos and Carmine Frongillo to
discuss their teams and the upcoming season. Unfortunately, because of technical
difficulties, only the first half-hour of the broadcast was recorded, so you'll
have to take our word for how great the rest of the program was. Then again, it
serves you right for not calling in the first place...LOL!

On a more serious note, I'd like to announce that Monday Night Lights
will become a regular feature of SportsTalk Live this fall, though in a slightly
different form





What we're going to do is pick a "Game of the Week" featuring the
best matchup, and bring in coaches and key players from participating schools
to talk about it. Of course, you'll be invited to participate as well by chiming
in with your thoughts and questions.

Judging by the response to last night's show, I think Monday Night Lights is going to be a big hit for Merrimack Valley football fans!

Even if you’re a “glass is half-empty” kind of person, you have to be quite pleased with what the summer has brought our favorite sports entries. In fact, the news is so good, the glass is overflowing, not just half-full.

The other day, the previously pathetic Celtics agreed to terms with free-agent James Posey on a 2-year contract for slightly less than the veteran exemption. The 30-year old forward brings much needed defense and toughness, not to mention championship experience. The New Jersey Nets were said to be interested in Posey. Pat Riley and the Miami Heat very much wanted to re-sign the 9-year veteran. Neither team could close the deal. Just hours after Reggie Miller decided against a comeback, Danny Ainge turned his attention to Posey and had ink on a contract.

Let me summarize that last paragraph for those who may have missed the point; a valuable and highly coveted role player had months to decide between playing with Jason Kidd and Vince Carter or Dwayne Wade and Shaq. Yet in less time than it takes an out-of-rehab Lindsay Lohan to get pulled over by police, James Posey opted for bargain basement money and a green uniform.

Yes folks, Boston is an NBA destination city again!

In horse racing, the jockey knows how much horse he has under him by seeing how the thoroughbred responds when prodded to run. In his post-game press conference the other night, Bill Belichick singled out the running game and run defense for praise. He also indicated the players had their best week of practice. For a coach who generally likes to keep expectations in check, the responses were a departure from the normal “we did some things well, other things not so well, we have a long way to go to get where we need to be” quotes.

Sounds to me like Belichick asked his team for a little run at the 3rd pre-season pole, and that he likes how much horse he has under him.

Reche Caldwell, on the other hand, might want to start searching for another racetrack. On a night where Randy Moss and Jabar Gaffney didn’t play, Kelly Washington, not Caldwell, started opposite Donte Stallworth. Caldwell is also on the books for a $1.5-million salary cap hit come opening day.

Hope he doesn’t have a long-term lease or mortgage.

As we told you last week, that shrinking object in the rear-view mirror is the New York Yankees. So let’s get down to serious business and start thinking about playoff rotations. Here’s how Tito Panos lines ‘em up:

Josh Beckett gets Game-1 and Dice-K takes Game-2. Then it gets Dicey. Based on numbers alone, Tim Wakefield should get the call next, followed by Curt Schilling. The knuckleballer has been unbelievable this year, tying Beckett for most wins in the league with 16 and working on a streak of 22-consecutive scoreless innings. So why don’t I want to see him on the mound come October?

Aaron Boone aside, Wakefield was great against the Yankees in 2003. Other than that, he’s been a playoff bust. In 16-career appearances, Wakefield has posted an ERA of 6.12. Does that number inspire confidence in you?

Not only do I give the ball to Schilling, one of the great clutch pitchers of our time, in Game-3, but I also think long and hard about what to do in Game-4. This is where Jon Lester’s disappointing performance really hurts. (Am I the only one who thinks Clay Buchholz will pitch an important game this fall before Lester does?) The Sox will either have to send Wakefield to the hill or hand the ball to Beckett on short rest.

See. I knew if I wrote long enough, I’d find reason to see the glass half-empty!

News Flash: ESPN.com is reporting the Boston Celtics have signed free agent James Posey to a contract.The 9-year veteran out of Xavier is regarded as a hard-nosed defensive specialist.

The View from Mt. Olympus: Further proof that Boston has become a preferred destination for NBA players looking to win championships.

Danny Ainge wasted little time moving on after finding out Reggie Miller would not be coming out of retirement. Posey (stats) also wasted little time making up his mind after the C’s hoops el jeffe contacted him. I’d spent a lot of my day Saturday reading internet reports that Posey, who’s been a free agent for months, was likely to re-sign with Miami or opt to go play with Jason Kidd in New Jersey. That changed the second Ainge had an opening and offered a 2-year deal for just under the veteran’s minimum to fill it.

We are now living in a basketball twilight zone. A valuable, and coveted, role player chose to play for the once woeful Celtics when he had every opportunity to play with Dwayne Wade and Shaq.

Where are you Danny Vision doubters now?

The roster for Monday night’s SportsTalk Live broadcast keeps growing, and we're not done trying to add guests to an already action-packed show! Check back here for updates as we get more commitments from coaches who plan to participate in our high school football preview show.

Recent additions:
Tony Johnson-Bishop Guertin
Dennis Murphy-Greater Lowell

Already scheduled:
Al Pare-Lowell
Peter Flynn-Billerica
Patrick Murphy-Dracut
Bob Almeida-Wilmington
Bill Maver-Acton-Boxboro

Showtime is 7-8pm. Remember to dial in early and let the producer know if you want to participate by asking questions or directing comments to the hosts and guests. The number is (978)364-TALK (8255).

Talk to you Monday!

While the NFL is loathe to admit it, the third game is really the only time during exhibition season that you’re seeing anything resembling regular-season quality football for a prolonged stretch. And Patriots fans have to like what they saw last night in Carolina.

Except for one pass coverage breakdown (that actually involved a slip, too), Bill Belichick’s boys showed why they’re the overwhelming Super Bowl favorite, not just in these parts, but around the rest of the country. The Pats were extremely sharp, dominating both sides of the ball. Tom Brady should have been tired and distracted. Instead, he looked like an already great player who’s about to take his game to new heights with his new arsenal of weapons. (Here’s hoping Randy Moss can get on the field soon, just to see how scary that passing attack will be with all hands on deck)

Laurence Maroney was a busy little beaver, getting his first touches and looking good doing so. One warning for Maroney fantasy owners, of which I’m one; I have a feeling Sammy Morris is going to become the short-yardage back and steal 6-8 touchdowns. While the explosive 2nd year back should still be a stud running back (well over 1,000-yards and a bunch of receptions to go with them), experience fantasy players understand how a loss of that many scores can take a player from the Top-2 tiers down to the 3rd and 4th levels.

What do you folks think of the pre-season thus far? Were last night’s Patriots the team we’ve thought they were all along? Or was it a meaningless exhibition?

News Flash: Reggie Miller tells the Indianapolis Star he will not be coming back to play for the Celtics, or anyone else. Said Miller; "Please write, I will never, ever, ever try something like this again. Any of the 30 teams in the NBA, if you're interested, please don't call.''

The View from Mount Olympus: I’m kind of disappointed, to tell you the truth.

As crazy as it might sound, I really think a shooter of Reggie’s caliber would have been a huge asset in the playoffs, even at his advanced age. On a team with Pierce, Garnett and Ray Allen, Miller would have been a valuable sub, providing an outside threat (no debate about whether he can still shoot…he can do it in his sleep!) without having to carry the load or play too many minutes. Miller, who’s celebrating his 42nd birthday today, was quoted as saying he could handle the physical aspect of a comeback, but couldn’t go “all in” mentally.

Too bad. Reggie was a guy I hated when he starred against the aging Big Three Celtics. I would have loved him as a role player with the new threesome in town!

What are your thoughts on the end of Reggie Miller’s comeback? Would he have helped? Or would that have been a wasted roster spot?

Won’t be long now. The clanging of shoulder pads. The stomping of cleats. Those unmistakable grunts that result from train wreck collisions.

Football season is nearly upon us, and this Monday’s SportsTalk Live is focusing on the Merrimack Valley High School scene. We have an amazing lineup of guests for you, starting with the Lowell Sun’s high school gridiron guru, Rick Harrison, who hops into the co-pilot’s seat this week. Joining us will be a number of coaches from the area’s top squads, giving us the lowdown on their teams and the upcoming season. We’re still working on lining up a few others, but here’s a preliminary list of coaches scheduled to appear;

Al Pare-Lowell
Peter Flynn-Billerica
Patrick Murphy-Dracut
Bob Almeida-Wilmington
Bill Maver-Acton-Boxboro

As always, you’re encouraged to participate by calling (978)364-TALK (8255). Showtime is 7-8pm, though I have a hunch we might run a bit long with all the guests expected to join in. Dial in a few minutes early to make sure you don’t miss out on any of the fun. Of course, you can also just choose to listen in, but what fun is that? We want you to show your school pride!

Feeling better now, Red Sox Nation?

Two wins over the pathetic Devil Rays (still play them 7-more times)…a pair of New York losses in Anaheim (the Yankees should pitch Mussina every 3rd day)...and just like that, the lead is back to 6-games. Trust me when I tell you, it’s only going to get bigger. The Sox will win the East by at least 8-games when all is said and done.

Just look at those faces in the dugout...that's a beaten team, not just last night, but for the year. And I'm willing to bet deep down inside, Joe Torre and company know it!

I don't care how close the Evil Empire got, they're not good enough to beat Boston this year. Their pitching stinks. Phillip Hughes isn't ready. Pettitte, Clemens and Mussina are only going to get worse as the innings pile up. And it doesn't matter how hard Joba Chamberlain throws...it does them no good when their starter is toast by the 2nd inning.

If your league hasn't held its Fantasy Football draft yet, you might want to click on the audio link below before selecting your team. It's from our SunTalk Live Fantasy Football Preview show Monday night, featuring Dave Pevear and yours truly discussing players and strategy to help your club come out on top.

Sharing a few thoughts while trying to talk increasingly panicked members of Red Sox Nation off the ledge:

Take a deep breath. Slowly exhale. Repeat steps one and two as needed. Think nothing but pleasant thoughts, like this one; excluding the six Boston-New York games against each other, the combined record of the Yankees remaining opponents is one game over .500. The Sox remaining opponents are 51-games under the breakeven mark.

Now crawl back in through the window and enjoy the rest of the pennant race, would you!

The best line I’ve read about the Red Sox newest reliever is; “you can’t spell Gagne without the G-A-G.” However, I’m with Terry Francona in believing the same people booing him now will be cheering Eric Gagne come October. I’d be much more worried if he’d come to Boston directly from the National League, but having pitched very successfully in Texas the first four months of the season tells me the Canadian born hurler can handle the American League’s big bats. He just needs to stop throwing seven consecutive fastballs to the Miguel Tejada’s of the world.

A-Rod hits career home run #500. Tom Glavine wins his 300th. Barry Bonds tops Hammerin’ Hank Aaron. But the most fascinating milestone of the month in my book took place last Wednesday when Bobby Cox surpassed John McGraw for most all-time ejections with 132.

No standing ovation from the home crowd. No on-field ceremony. No recorded messages from the deceased McGraw. (Field of Dreams II, anyone?) In fact, Cox didn’t even throw a quality nutty. He was ejected before leaving the dugout by home plate umpire Ted Barrett. How weak! I would have thought a base toss or fake grenade launch toward home plate would be the minimum requirement for such a momentous occasion.

It’s hard to get too excited about the Patriots pre-season contests (see, I didn’t call them exhibition games!), especially since the guy we’re most interested in seeing, Randy Moss, hasn’t played a snap yet. The best vision so far has to be Rodney Harrison running around like the madman we’ve come to expect. I don’t know how much more pounding that body can take, but as long as Harrison is back there terrorizing receivers on crossing routes, I think the Pats secondary can survive Asante Samuel’s absence.

How great does that 2001 draft day trade look for the San Diego Chargers now? Even before Michael Vick’s off-field exploits had him headed for the hoosegow, his on-field struggles and LaDainian Tomlinson’s assault on the record books made the deal a steal of “Parish & McHale for Joe Barry Carroll” proportions.

Trivia question; along with Tim Dwight and a 3rd rounder in that 2001 draft, the Chargers also acquired a 2nd rounder in 2002. Who did they choose with that pick? (answer below)

Programming Note: You might want to break out the old school colors and get to a phone line next Monday night. Rick Harrison, the Lowell Sun’s gridiron guru joins us on SportsTalk Live for our High School Football extravaganza. Coaches from some of the Merrimack Valley’s top teams will also be on the line to discuss their respective squads and the upcoming season. Lowell High head man Al Pare is already on board and the full list will be updated online in the coming days.

As always’ you’re invited to join in with your questions or comments for the hosts and guests. The number to dial in is (978)364-TALK (8255). Showtime is 7-8pm. We suggest you call a few minutes early to get in line and show a little school pride before the season’s opening kickoff!

Trivia Answer: Reche Caldwell

The Wily Mo Pena Era is finished, the power hitting outfielder turned into a dinosaur by his own personal Ice Age…the inability to hit a breaking ball.

The Sox have been trying to deal the 25-year old for weeks, without much success. They finally found a trading partner in the Nationals and GM Jim Bowden, the same guy who got him from the Yankees while with Cincinnati. The Red Sox has to send cash to Washington as well, getting the proverbial “player to be named later” in return. I doubt that player will be anywhere near as valuable as the player Boston sent to Cincy to acquire Pena in the first place.

I was a big proponent of the trade at the time, arguing that the 40+ HR potential was more than worth a mediocre starting pitcher. Bronson Arroyo made that opinion look stupid last year, posting career numbers while making the National League All-Star game. Meanwhile, Pena struggled with performance and injury, never quite living up to the billing in ’06, before severely regressing this year. And even though Arroyo’s come back to earth, the trade is still clearly an “L” in Theo Epstein’s loss column. (In a bit of irony, Clay Buchholz, the player temporarily replacing Wily Mo on the roster is wearing Arroyo's #61...just one of those stupid facts only I find interesting!)

You know what’s funny though? If I’m Theo and the same opportunity presents itself (meaning trading a mediocre starting pitcher for a power bat), I do the trade again in a heartbeat. Perhaps that’s why I’m sitting here tapping away at my laptop in a restaurant instead of the General Manager’s box at Fenway.

Oh well, at least my performance was as good as Theo’s in this case. Maybe I’m qualified to run a baseball team, after all!

What are your thoughts on the Wily Mo Pena Era in Boston? How disastrous was it? (Feel free to take your shots and gloat if you argued against me when the Arroyo-Pena trade first happened)

LowellSun.com is reporting the New Jersey Devils have exercised their two year option to play at Tsongas Arena through the 2009-‘10 season. The decision was announced today by Devils CEO Lou Lamoriello. According to Executive Director Chris Ciceri, “the fans have welcomed us to the community, and they are important to our long-term plans.”

The news is a pleasant surprise in these quarters. I frankly expected Lowell’s AHL entry to skip town at the end of the upcoming season, and wasn’t shy about saying so in this space. While I welcome today’s announcement, I wonder how rock solid the Devils future in the Mill City really is. Attendance was horrible in 2006-’07, and unless there’s been a massive season ticket drive we don’t yet know about, I can only see it getting worse. Today’s new might help, but I question how many ticket sales that will translate to.

The fact ownership is willing to commit another two years to a fan base that’s basically turned its back on the franchise throughout its history tells me the lease is a sweetheart of a deal for the hockey club. And that’s where I still worry despite today’s news. The city signed off on a renegotiated lease with the Devils that calls for an increase of $125,000. Even at that, City Councilors were very cool to the idea of keeping the AHL entry in town, preferring instead to wholeheartedly support and root for a restructured deal with UMass-Lowell. What happens if attendance continues to sag, the city continues to lose money because of the pro hockey team’s presence, and government officials decide to stop paying game day costs, much as they threatened to do this spring? Thanks to today’s announcement, a costly legal battle is what happens, that’s what.

Again, the hope in this corner is that the Devils are here forever, and that they and the River Hawks thrive at Tsongas Arena. Today’s announcement is a good start, though not necessarily a guarantee of long-term success. For that to occur, a lot more fannies are going to have to pack the seats. If not, we’ll find ourselves back where we were last spring…a faceoff between ownership and city government.

I know we've covered the topic plenty of times in the past, but today's announcement adds a new twist...what do you think? A reason to rejoice? Or are we going to end up in the same place again next year, with plenty of political posturing and an arena hemorrhaging money?

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

Despite what happens this week in Philadelphia, the Riptide officially have a rival in the Philadelphia Force.

One game separates the two teams heading into this week’s four-game regular season-ending series. Both squads are among five teams still in the running for the three remaining spots in the National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) playoffs.

The Force was the team that filed the grievance with the NPF that resulted in three forfeit losses for the Riptide. Without the losses, New England’s record would be 24-16, which would be good enough for second place, heading into this week.

Instead, New England (22-18) trails the Philadelphia, Rockford Thunder and Arkon Racers (each 23-17) in the standings.

Philadelphia was awarded two forfeit wins while New England had two wins turned into losses because of a ruling regarding the failure to activate a player on the Riptide’s roster.

New England also forfeited a game to the Michigan Ice, but they recovered a game through filing a grievance of their own which resulted in a forfeited victory from the Rockford Thunder.

* Riptide win three of four against Philadelphia this week.

* Chicago sweeps all four games against Rockford

* The Michigan Ice win three of four against Akron

In the case of a tie, the first tiebreaker is comparing records against NPF teams (this excludes play against national teams and the Michigan Ice). The second tiebreaker is head-to-head meetings between the tied teams.

Picked off
Rookie outfielder Shanel Scott’s run at the NPF single season stolen base record isn’t helped by the forfeited games. The stats from those games were also wiped off the books, eliminating a pair of stolen bases and dropping Scott’s total to 28 (as opposed to 30). She needs to steal five bases in the last four games to tie Kristen Zaleski’s record of 33 in 2005.

Coming back to bite them
Philadelphia’s top run producer Kellie Wilkerson is no stranger to the New England Riptide. She was a member of the Riptide in 2005, but her time was divided between the NPF season and Team USA. Wilkerson hit four home runs and drove in 15 runs while batting .435. Last season she was on the Connecticut Brakettes that fell to New England in the NPF championship game. This season she is hitting .344 with team-high 18 RBI and five home runs.

Did you catch Jose Offerman’s meltdown last night?

The man Dan Duquette signed to replace Mo Vaughn’s on-base percentage was arrested and charged with two counts of second degree assault after attacking a pitcher and catcher with his bat. The former Major League All-Star, now plying his craft for the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League, charged the mound with his bat after being hit by a pitch. Offerman had homered of Bridgeport pitcher Matt Beech, who proceeded to plunk the former Red Sox player in the calf during his next at bat.

Beech suffered a broken finger trying to defend himself, while catcher John Nathans suffered a concussion when one of Offerman’s backswings at Beech caught him in the head. Police immediately took the 38-year old former Red Sox player into custody in the clubhouse. He was arraigned Wednesday, released on $100,000 bond and ordered to appear in court August 23rd.

A couple of interesting things here; first, Carl Everett also plays for the Ducks…I’d have figured this type of behavior more his style than Offerman’s. Secondly, it continues a recent trend of athletes being criminally charged for excessively violent actions during the course of a game (think Marty McSorley and Todd Bertuzzi). I think it will be fascinating to see how it plays out.

I’m curious what you folks think of law enforcement getting actively involved in prosecuting in-game actions. I say it’s not necessarily a bad thing, as professional sports leagues refuse to place severe enough penalties to discourage such behavior. Where this gets a little tricky in this particular case is that Offerman had a baseball thrown at him. I would say with 99.99% certainty that Beech threw at the batter intentionally in the time honored (and stupid) baseball tradition of drilling someone after he, or one of his teammates, went yard on you. Could Offerman reasonably argue that he was assaulted? Would such an argument hold up in a court of law?

This is not to, in any way, condone Offerman’s actions. He obviously snapped. He should be banned from all professional baseball leagues permanently. However, pitchers have been intentionally throwing at batters for over a century and getting by with slaps on the wrist (how exactly is a five game suspension punishment for a guy who plays once every five games?). As I’ve said before, you don’t see hitters throwing their bats at pitchers after striking out twice in a row.

If that scenario sounds silly, that’s because it is. Too bad the reverse isn’t viewed as equally silly and has become an acceptable part of baseball.

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

The name had been tossed around on this blog several times as a potential backup point guard for the Celtics, but free agent guard Brevin Knight signed last night with the Los Angeles Clippers.

The two sides announced the signing last night.

A ten-year NBA veteran, Knight averaged 9.1 points, 6.6 assists and 2.7 rebounds in 45 games played for the Charlotte Bobcats last season.

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

The Boston Celtics have announced their preseason schedule today. They will play everywhere from Rome and London to Worcester and Connecticut.

Here is the full slate of preseason contests:

DATE / OPPONENT / LOCATION / TIME

Oct. 6 / Toronto Raptors / PalaLottomatica (Rome, Italy) / 2:30 PM ET

Oct. 10 / Minnesota Timberwolves / O2 (London, England) / 2:30 PM ET

Oct. 17 / New York Knicks / TD Banknorth Garden (Boston, MA) / 7:30 PM ET

Oct. 19 / New Jersey Nets / DCU Center (Worcester, MA) / 7:30 PM ET

Oct. 20 / Philadelphia 76ers / Mohegan Sun Arena (Uncasville, CT) / 7:30 PM ET

Oct. 22 / New York Knicks / Madison Square Garden (New York, NY) / 7:30 PM ET

Oct. 23 / New Jersey Nets / Continental Airlines Arena (East Rutherford, NJ) / 7:30 PM ET

Oct. 26 / Cleveland Cavaliers / TD Banknorth Garden (Boston, MA) / 7:30 PM ET

It’s been said the quality of books written about a sport is related to the size of the ball used in that sport; the smaller the ball, the better the book. However, Sergio Garcia’s disqualification from this weekend’s PGA Championship brought me to another realization; the smaller the ball, the more likely its participants are to cheat.

Due to the presence of whistle-toting referees, basketball rules are tough to circumvent, unless you’re playing pickup games and using creative scorekeeping (or if the referee is the one doing the cheating). Same goes for soccer, where the lack of action makes participants far too sleepy to bother cheating. Other than Lester Hayes dipping his hands in “stick ‘em” or players greasing up their uniforms to avoid holding, football doesn’t lend itself to much chicanery either.

Baseball players, on the other hand, employ more foreign objects than George “The Animal” Steel. Pine Tar, saliva, Vaseline and nail files are but a few products used to doctor cowhide. Wine country might avoid the cork shortage if the likes of Sammy Sosa didn’t use it to keep their bats from aging. And hey, what’s an occasional steroid laced needle to the rear end amongst friends? It’s not like baseball had rules against it or anything. (An aside to those using this argument to defend Barry “BALCO” Bonds; I’m guessing the standard players contract doesn’t include specific language prohibiting murder either, but it is still, you know, ILLEGAL!)

Which brings us to the links, and undoubtedly the sportsworld’s biggest cheaters; golfers. How else does one explain the draconian rules of golf? Have you ever read that document? It’s ridiculously strict. I mean, you try getting the ball out of a bunker without manipulating your club to create a nice little sand “tee?”

Sergio Garcia signs an incorrect scorecard, a scorecard kept by his playing partner Boo Weekly, and gets booted from a Major. (Until Saturday, I thought Boo Weekly was what the galleries should have been doing to Sergio as the maddening Spaniard re-gripped his club 337-times before swinging it) To the average person, the death sentence seems rather harsh for such a minor and correctable infraction.

Now, perhaps golf’s governing bodies could use a little nudge into the 21st century, but the reason such strict guidelines exist is because they have to. Otherwise, the foot wedge would be the club of choice when faced with a sticky predicament on the course. With dozens of cameras covering a tournament, the pros can’t get away with much cheating. At the lower levels? Fuggedaboudit! Try placing a friendly wager with your buddies during your next golf outing, and the rule book disappears from your scorekeeping faster than the six mulligans and three complete whiffs do.

Look at the bright side Sergio. The penalties in marbles are much harsher. However, the literature about the game is phenomenal.

Programming note: You “make-believe” sports fanatics out there will want to keep your phone lines open next Monday for the SportsTalk Live Fantasy Football Preview show. Lowell Sun pigskin pundit Dave Pevear joins yours truly for an hour-long discussion on who to draft, who to avoid like the plague, and who to pawn off on unsuspecting owners not smart enough to follow our advice.

Now, I don’t know about Mr. Pevear, but when it comes to fantasy football prowess, to paraphrase my alter ego Ron Burgundy; “I’m kind of a big deal. I have many leather bound books and my apartment smells of rich mahogany trophy cases. I’m friends with Merlin Olsen, too!”

Keep an eye on the Lowel Sun, LowellSun.com and TheSunBlog for details on how to listen in or, better yet, participate.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

This past week the Celtics officially announced a couple moves in their quest to round a roster depleted by the 4-for-1 deal that brought Kevin Garnett to Boston.

The Celtics introduced Scot Pollard, a 6-foot-11 273-pounder who played for the Cleveland Cavaliers last season, and Eddie House, a 6-foot-1 175-pound guard who was with Atlantic Division rival New Jersey this past season.

Here's a little of the background information on the two newest additions.

Pollard, a former college teammate of Paul Pierce at the University of Kansas, has had stints with the Detroit Pistons (1997-98), Sacramento Kings (1998-99 through 2002-03), Indian Pacers (2003-04 through 2005-06) and Cleveland Cavaliers (2006-07).

His career averages are 4.5 points per game and 4.8 rebounds per game while playing an average of 16.9 minutes in 484 games (99 starts). Pollard’s best year (statistically) was in 2000-01 when he scored 6.5 points and grabbed 6.0 rebounds in 21.5 minutes.

House, the 10th-ranked three-point shooter in the NBA last season (42.9 percent), averaged 8.4 points in 16.9 minutes per game.

The guard has played for the Miami Heat (2000-01 through 2002-03), Los Angeles Clippers (2003-04), Charlotte Bobcats (2004-05), Milwaukee Bucks (2004-05), Sacramento Kings (2004-05), Phoenix Suns (2005-06) and New Jersey Nets (2006-07).

House is a career 40.8 percent shooter from the field and 38.1 percent three-point shooter.

In the book :07 Seconds of less: My season on the Bench with the Runnin’ and Gunnin’ Phoenix Suns author and Sports Illustrated reporter Jack McCallum described House as a guy who “never stops talking and never stops shooting; key for positive team chemistry, though struggled late in the season.”

Roster Update

Guards: Ray Allen, Tony Allen, Eddie House, Paul Pierce, Gabe Pruitt and Rajon Rondo

Forwards: Glen Davis, Kevin Garnett, Leon Powe, Brian Scalabrine and Brandon Wallace

Centers: Kendrick Perkins, Scot Pollard

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

The Lowell Spinners, Class A Affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, announced on Sunday that Red Sox No. 1 Draft Pick, left-handed pitcher Nick Hagadone, is scheduled to make his home debut on Thursday, August 16, at LeLacheur Park against the Vermont Lake Monsters at 7:05 p.m.

Hagadone was the 55th overall selection in last June's First-Year Player Draft. He made his professional debut on July 18 at Aberdeen and has made five starts total.

Since going just an inning and a third and allowing five runs on six hits in his professional debut, Hagadone has pitched eight scoreless innings over four starts, striking out eleven while allowing only three hits and two walks.

Not really much to add to last night’s Patriots exhibition opener (there I go, calling them “exhibition” games again…the NFL’s not gonna like that).

Without Randy Moss and Dante Stallworth suiting up, and most regulars barely playing, it’s tough to pass any judgment on what we saw or get overly excited about it. You’re certainly not going to get anything definitive from Bill “We did some things well, we did some things not so well, we’ll move forward and look to improve next week” Belichick. What I would like to do is make a brief observation about something I see developing, and then turn it over to you folks for your comments on the game and the Pats.

The wide receiver position is loaded…so loaded, don’t be surprised if Chad Jackson begins the year on the PUP list (or even sits out the entire year) whether he’s entirely healthy or not. I count four definite roster spots right now; Moss, Stallworth, Wes Welker, Troy Brown. From all reports, Jabar Gaffney and Reche Caldwell are having very good camps…that makes six. The team usually carries five, though Brown’s versatility and special teams ability may allow them to go with all six when healthy. Assuming a nagging injury or two on a week to week basis (a good assumption in the NFL), Kelly Washington may survive the final cut.

Where does that leave Jackson? For now, on the outside looking in, if you ask me. Belichick probably won’t cut last year’s second round pick without getting a chance to see him fully healthy. Plus, he does appear to posses an awful lot of talent, so he’s going to get a full shot at some point. I just see it coming next year instead of in ’07.

Which, when you think about it, tells you all you need to know about how strong the team is this year at one of their weakest spots last year. The player they were counting on to be their go-to guy when they drafted him may not have any role right now.

What did you think of the game? How about the receiver position? Is my take on it pretty accurate, or do you see another scenario playing out?

Now that the euphoria over the Celtics acquisition of Kevin Garnett is dying down, there seems to be a rush by many to douse the high expectations of the fan base. Specifically, they question the C’s depth (as if the NBA is loaded with teams that boast great lineups in the 4-8 spots…hey folks, the trick is to get the superstars first, then worry about the depth!!!!) and Rajon Rondo’s ability to lead at the point guard slot (the big concern there isn’t his passing or physical skills, but his shooting).

Well, slowly but surely, the depth issue is being addressed (love the Scott Pollard signing), and I’d like to take a moment to calm the panic about Rondo’s “shooting woes.” You’ll get no disagreement here that Rondo needs to improve his shot or else teams will sag off him. What I’ll disagree with is the assumption that he can’t be a good point guard just because he can’t shoot the rock or that he can’t become a good shooter simply because he hasn’t done it yet.

First of all, the University of Kentucky product has plenty of speed and athleticism to get enough easy buckets to still make him a useful scorer, especially on a team with three outstanding offensive options in Pierce, Garnett and Allen. (Name me another point guard in the league with three better options to dish the rock to?) Secondly, did you realize Rondo’s .418 shooting percentage during his rookie year was better than Allen Iverson’s .416 mark? Not to say Rondo will ever become anywhere near the offensive threat Iverson is, but don’t equate a poor shooting percentage with the inability to score. As a matter of fact, Iverson’s career shooting percentage of .423 hasn’t kept him from averaging 27.9-points and 6.2-assists per game, has it?

To assume Rondo can’t contribute simply because he doesn’t shoot the ball well is silly, just as it’s silly to assume he can’t improve his shooting with hard work. Anybody remember a guy by the name of Bruce Bowen? Used to play for the Celtics and dent the backboard with his bricks on a nightly basis? Worked hard enough to turn himself into a good enough shooter to win a few rings, didn’t he? That’s what happens when you work hard and are surrounded by other great players.

Which brings me to the guy I think Rondo has a chance to turn into based on the speed and quickness similarities; Tony Parker. Parker shot .419% in his rookie season, just .001% better than Rajon. Parker averaged 9.2-points and 4.3-assists per game playing 29.4-minutes on a team featuring Tim Duncan. The Celtics rookie averaged 6.4-points and 3.8-assists in 23.5-minutes for a team that gave significant minutes to Brian Scalabrine and Allen Ray. Get my drift? Hey, don’t let the facts get in the way of a good argument, right?

Again, this is not to insinuate Rondo can become anything close to Parker. But based on the numbers, physical skills and surrounding talent, it’s not unreasonable to suggest Rondo can not only become a viable NBA point guard, but a darned good one.

That’s my take…what’s yours?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

You pretty much know what I think. (If not, type Barry Bonds into the SportsTalk search engine to get a mouthful)

Instead, this post is for you. I want to hear what you think of Major League Baseball's new Home Run King and his accomplishment.

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Today's poll is inspired by the Patriots' signing of Cornerback Dante Wesley. Wesley is a 5-year veteran (4 w/Carolina-1 w/Chicago) who has amassed a grand total of zero career interceptions.

In my mind, the move underscores New England's weakness at the position as a result of Asante Samuel's holdout. Chad Scott's year-ending knee injury has already taken away some of the team's depth at the corner, and even though 1st round draft pick Brandon Merriweather has worked at CB in training camp (and by all reports looked good doing so), most Pats fans point to the Samuel situation as the biggest question mark facing the Super Bowl favorites.

Include me in that group, though I'm not quite sure if his absence is enough in and of itself to derail the Super Bowl Express.

So tell us what you think and why you voted the way you did!

Schoolchildren probably don’t want to hear this, but autumn is just around the corner and I, for one, can’t wait for it to get here. The season that brings us the Fall Classic is shaping up as a classic fall for area sports lovers. Consider:

Major League Baseball’s post-season will descend upon us around the same time the leaf peepers do. When it does, our beloved Red Sox will be odd-on favorites to capture a second World Series title in four years. Led by a trio of pitchers on the front side of the staff (Beckett, Dice-K and Schilling) and an even more dominant threesome on the back side (Papelbon, Gagne and Okajima), Boston’s Boys of Summer are well-positioned for the time of year when pitching, pitching and more pitching determines the legends of the fall.

Did I mention New England also plays host to the Super Bowl favorites this fall? While most Sunday tourists focus on the foliage come September, these eyes will turn to Foxboro, where Tom Brady is surrounded by more talent than Hugh Hefner…and his Patriots teammates aren’t too shabby, either.

(Let’s leave the Bruins out of this conversation. The Black and Gold have become more irrelevant and pathetic than Fredo in Godfather II…isn’t it about time someone takes them fishing on Lake Winnipesauke?)

Even if we didn’t live less than 30-miles from The Hub of the sports universe, this still shapes up as a mighty interesting season for those of us in the Merrimack Valley. The drama that was the Lowell High football coaching derby finally plays out on the gridiron when the Friday night lights turn on a month from now. If enthusiasm and love of the program translate into winning, Al Pare’s boys notch plenty of marks in the “W” column. However, the MVC is loaded in 2007, so matching the 8-3 record of the 2006 edition will be tough. (By the way, keep an eye out on LowellSun.com for details of our Fall Football Extravaganza special on SunTalk Live)

The Lowell Devils return to action soon for what may be their final season in the Mill City. Management is staying silent (wisely so) on plans beyond ‘07-‘08, but it doesn’t appear Lowell’s AHL entry can co-exist with the city’s state university. The fan in me hopes Tsongas Arena can indeed support two hockey tenants. The realist in me doubts that’s the case. The political winds are blowing in UMass-Lowell’s favor. Expect River Hawks attendance to soar while the Devils numbers fall off the face of the earth.

I could go on listing other marquee happenings for September, October and November, but I think you get the idea. If you need any pleasant thoughts to get you through the dog days of August, just look ahead to the fantastic fall in store.

Those are my thoughts...what are yours? Is the ultimate pessimist being too optimistic here? What about the local sports scene? Which team will win the MVC football crown? Have you bought Devils or River Hawks season tickets? We want to hear from you!!!

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

The New England Riptide didn't play a game this week, but in the matter of one day they lost three games.

Friday the National Pro Fastpitch league commissioner Cheri Kempf announced the following ruling: The Michigan Ice will be issued two forfeit victories and the Philadelphia Force will be issued one forfeit victory from games involving the New England Riptide on July 5, 11 and July 13 respectively.

A grievance was filed by the Philadelphia Force and following further investigation by the league, it was determined that the New England Riptide used a player that was on their inactive list (and thereby ineligible to play) during all three games that originally resulted in wins for the Riptide.

Because of this decision, the record for the Force will be adjusted to 18-16, while the Riptide will adjust to 19-17. Game and individual statistical adjustments due to this ruling may not be reflected immediately on the website.

Sunday's edition of The Sun will feature more details and comments from Riptide co-owner and general manager Joe Adlman.

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

There’s a feature on LowellSun.com that you golfers out there might want to check out.

In the Sun Media Center (the place that has all the videos) you will find a series of Golf Tips mixed in there. As of today, there are eight of them in all, ranging from proper stretching exercises and stance, to driving and bunker play. The video snippets run anywhere from a minute to two minutes long, with Hopkinton Country Club golf pro and Tyngsboro, MA native Dave Lane providing the lessons.

I can tell you from my experience doing similar golf tips segments in the past, you can learn an awful lot about the game and improve your score dramatically if you practice these tips, particularly the ones involving the short game. As an example, I’d never hit a flop shot before filming a tip on them. Now, it’s a vital part of my game

So head on over to the Sun Media Center and check these tips out. You’ll thank us afterward!

A lot of you fret about the Tigers starting pitching. Others are concerned about Vlad Guerrero and the Angels bullpen. And I’m sure there’s still a large block of Red Sox Nation petrified that the Yankees will sneak into the wild card and derail Boston’s title hopes. But for my money, the team I absolutely, positively do not want to see come October is Seattle.

Every team has one opponent that, for some odd reason or another, it can’t seem to beat, often for no good reason. You remember a few years back when the Orioles gave the Sox fits, and even the lowly Devil Rays had the Yankees sweating over the last few years? Well, that same situation is playing itself out now, except more extreme, with the Mariners owning the Red Sox to the tune of 9-consecutive wins at Safeco Field. The scary part is; this isn’t a case like Baltimore or Tampa, a pesky club that will be golfing when the leaves turn. Seattle is right in the thick of the Wild Card chase (also in the thick of the West Division race) and could very well be the team Boston faces when post-season play begins.

It would be nice to see the Sox ride Dice-K and Josh Beckett to a pair of victories Saturday and Sunday. For one, it will perhaps end this curious Safeco curse the M’s hold over Boston. Secondly, it will deal Seattle a setback in the standings, keeping me from having to worry about them when the playoffs start.

Is anyone else out there worried about the Mariners dominance of the Sox at Safeco Field? Is it just a curious coincidence? Or is it a bad matchup that Terry Francona and company would be wise to avoid?

Played the Merrimack Valley’s newest golf course this morning…and came away very impressed.

The much anticipated Meadow Creek Golf Club in Dracut was well worth the wait. The course opened to the public in April of 2007, and despite the fact I grew up barely a stone’s throw away, today was the first time I found myself on the track. I can guarantee you it won’t be the last…unless my golf game really goes down the tubes and I need to play less formidable tracks.

As a kid, I used to ride my bike in the general vicinity of the course and I never dreamed they could lay out such a spacious course on that plot of land. The architect did a fantastic job of using what Mother Nature provided. The result; a tight, hilly 18-hole course with plenty of challenges for golfers of all levels.

The fairways are plush…the tee boxes in excellent shape…and the greens are in private club condition, providing a true roll at lightning fast speed. The challenge will be to keep it in this condition, as Meadow Creek is still a new course and doesn’t get as much play as other area tracks.

To play it, you’ll need to hit all your clubs…and hit them straight. Though not very long from the whites (5,493-yards), the fairways are narrow and littered with danger. Almost every landing area and green is well-protected by sand, and if you don’t keep your shots on-line, you’ll often end up in the vegetation or water that lines every hole. This is not a course where you can spray the ball and punch out of the trees. You go wide, you take a penalty. It’s that simple. There are also plenty of tee shots where you must get the ball airborne to avoid losing it in the shrubbery. In many ways, it reminds me of Bradford C.C. in Haverhill, though not as relentless in the target golf aspect. The other comparison I can think of is Passaconaway, but nowhere near as long.

The hole that really stands out is #14, a 344-yard par-4 where you must place an iron to a landing area, then take a sharp 90-degree angle to a green protected by lots of water. There was maybe one other hole I was forced to play an iron off the tee to avoid hitting too far into the stuff, but I don’t exactly crush the ball anymore. My cousin, who does, was forced to lay up much more than I was. Also, I’m generally able to keep my driver straight and in the playing surface, but if you spray it long or are at all inconsistent, you’ll likely put the driver away except for maybe a handful of holes. I also have to warn you about the green on #17, which has a roller-coaster downslope at about the 1/3 point. Unless the pin is back there, do not hit to the rear of the green.

One other point I have to bring up; in comparison to most courses, Meadow Creek does a great job taking the ladies into account when setting up tee boxes. The “reds” provide a distinct advantage on almost every hole. Without sounding like a male chauvinist, ladies on average hit it 25% shorter than the men, so the tee boxes should be set up accordingly, but usually aren’t, really slowing down play at times. At Meadow Creek, they are, even taking away a lot of the trouble off the tee for the girls.

In case you can’t tell, I really liked the course. It helped that I played well (not sure I would have been so chipper had I struggled), but the rest of my foursome shared similar sentiments as well. Let me also state this is an impartial review, as I didn’t identify myself and get a free round like I used to in my old TV gig. Had I hated the course, I would have told you so.

Bottom line; the folks at Hickory Hill and Trull Brook (in my mind, the top public courses in our neck of the woods over the years) have some real competition on their hands. Meadow Creek, the new kid on the block, is a welcome addition to the neighborhood!

Have any of you played the course? What do you think? What could they improve? How does it compare with other area courses?

June 29, 2006: "The only way I trade him (Al Jefferson) is if Kevin Garnett comes in return!"

August 15, 2006: "I know it’s still a ways off, but the Garnett Era in Minnesota is coming to an end. Whether it’s midseason or next summer, Garnett will ask out. I want Danny Ainge to have as much ammunition as possible for an all-out assault on this guy. If he's going to trade any of his young players, it should be done with goal of getting something in return that would entice Kevin McHale when the time comes. AI (Allen Iverson) makes the Celtics entertaining but he doesn’t put them over the top. KG does. There are other reasons that make me iffy on Iverson in Boston, but the possibility of acquiring a 7-foot scoring, rebounding and defensive machine that doesn’t need to take 30 shots a night tops the list. I know it’s not set in stone that we’d get him, but I can dream, can’t I?"

December 19, 2006: "There's a reason for that (why Allen Iverson was traded for so little)…two actually. 1)Iverson isn’t worth much more than that and 2)the smart teams are saving their bargaining chips for the Kevin Garnett sweepstakes."

December 26, 2006: (From a Christmas Gift story) "Danny Ainge likes to play with little gadgets before the products have even been tested and proved effective. Apparently, the Celtics “hoops el jeffe" goes by the belief that if you keep an Al Jefferson or a Gerald Green long enough, it’ll mature and you’ll either end up with a great gift or at worst, you can trade it on EBay a few years later for something more valuable, like a Kevin Garnett."

June 22, 2007: "P.S. I don’t believe the KG trade is completely dead yet. Obviously, Ainge and McHale worked out an agreeable package. If other teams don’t step up, the T’Wolves could just tell Garnett he’d have to spend another year in Minnesota and a situation that is worse than Boston’s. Sure, he’d like to force a trade to the Suns (who wouldn’t?), but if KG realizes that’s not going to happen, he might very well change his mind on coming to the Celtics. After all, the T’Wolves don’t exactly have any Paul Pierces on their roster to make Garnett’s life any easier."

June 26, 2007 (day before NBA draft): "Kevin Garnett is definitely coming to Boston. Remember, you heard it here first!" (Might as well read the rest of the post..might have been off by a month, but it pretty much shook out the way it was predicted)

July 2, 2007: "For what it’s worth, I like the Ray Allen trade. Maybe now Kevin Garnett will agree to come here. Hey, for $20-million a year, you can’t expect a guy to be good enough to turn a team around all by himself, can you? Don’t worry KG. Even if you can’t get that ring spoon fed to you by Steve Nash, Allen and Pierce will be more than happy to shoulder all the responsibility of being “The Man” down the stretch in close games."

July 31, 2007: (Posted by Lynn Worthy) "It is now official, the Boston Celtics have completed a trade to acquire Kevin Garnett from the Minnesota Timberwolves."

Funny, but even though I was dreaming about the possibility and trying to convince everyone of how it could happen all along, there's a part of me that still can't believe it actually went down. I can't stop looking at the pictures, watching the video and reading the words written about it, as if not doing so would mean it's really a dream. I like to consider myself a journalist (not a very good one), but the best part about writing a blog is that you can put your ethics and objectivity to the side and sometimes be a fan.

Kevin Garnett is a member of the Boston Celtics. All is well in the basketball world again!!!

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

The Boston Celtics are down to 11 players who are currently on their roster. Executive director of basketball operations Danny Ainge said yesterday that the team needs another guard and another big man.

Head coach Doc Rivers went so far as to say getting another guard is the primary need right now.

After the trade that brings Kevin Garnett to Boston, this is how the current roster breaks down for the Celtics.

Guards: Ray Allen, Tony Allen, Paul Pierce, Gabe Pruitt and Rajon Rondo

Forwards: Glen Davis, Kevin Garnett, Leon Powe, Brian Scalabrine and Brandon Wallace

Centers: Kendrick Perkins

The Red Sox starting pitching got a heck of a lot better over the trading deadline.

I know what you’re saying; “Panos has flipped his lid again. The Sox didn’t acquire a starter. They didn’t call up Clay Buchholz. Curt Schilling won’t be back till Sunday. And Julian Tavarez has to start once more now that Kason Gabbard is gone. How is that improvement?” Well, let me tell you;

Remember when the ’96 Yankees had Mariano Rivera as a setup man with John Wetteland closing? Basically, if New York had a lead entering the 8th inning, the game was over. The Bronx Bombers also had that to some extent when Rivera was the closer and Ramiro Mendoza and Mike Stanton were still in their prime as setup guys.

Well, the acquisition of Eric Gagne could very well mean that on some nights, the game will be over when Boston’s Boys of Summer lead after six frames. When all three are rested, Terry Francona can then turn the ball over to Hideki Okajima in the 7th, Gagne in the 8th and Jonathan Papelbon in the 9th. Nine times out of ten (if not more), that spells victory. And that is quite a security blanket for Francona and the guys taking the mound in the first inning because in essence, you've strengthened the front end by reinforcing the backside of your staff.

The biggest weakness of most teams in this day and age is what happens in the 7th and 8th innings. Most clubs have someone to work the 9th, but getting there is the hard part. Managers must choose between leaving a tiring starter in there and bringing in a fresh arm to bridge that gap to the closer. So what you end up with is a pitcher running on fumes or an inferior arm entering the game, often with runners on base in a crucial situation. Now, Sox starters can go all out for as long as they can, secure in the knowledge that they don’t have to save a few bullets for later on. That alone will make Josh Beckett, Dice-K, Jon Lester and Schilling better pitchers, not to mention making Francona the same “genius” Joe Torre was in the ‘90’s.

A couple of other quickies on the trade: I love Gagne…thought the Sox should have signed him over the winter and made him the closer instead of experimenting and finally turning back to Papelbon. At the very least, you now have a stud closer on the nights Little Papi can’t go, which will keep him healthy and fresh come October.

The other thing the trade does is show your current players that you’ve got their back. Theo Epstein did nothing at the deadline in 2005 & 2006, and the team responded in kind. By bringing in the biggest name available other than Mark Texeira, Theo just showed his guys he believes they’re championship caliber, and he’s willing to go all-out to get them another ring. The fact he gave up very little to add Gagne makes the deal that much better.

What do you think of the Gagne trade? Should Epstein have done even more, especially to bring in another bat?