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The end of the line

Published on May 8, 2013, by in Celtics, NBA, New England Sports React.

 

 

Garnett and Pierce have brought plenty of smiles to Boston fans.

Garnett and Pierce have brought plenty of smiles to Boston fans in their 6 years together.

Well this is it. Yes, with the Game 6 loss against the Knicks the Boston Celtics run is finally over as we know it. Despite a valiant attempt at a comeback, the Celtics once again fell short as they just simply ran out of gas. Their age finally caught up to them, like I predicted it finally would; it just happened a game later than originally thought. The lesson here is: Father Time never loses and the Celtics staved it off as long as it could.

This isnt meant to be an obituary and a somber day by any means. Let us remember the good times from 2007 all the way up until this season where the grit and effort was there from this team game in and game out with Garnett Pierce, and Allen giving us Celtic fans something to cheer about and having a very likeable cast of characters to be able to get behind. The championship banner, the exhilarating playoff runs, the Garnett catch phrases (bar fight, anything is possible, just to name a couple) and all the drama that kept us on the edge of our seats for the better part of 6 years.

So what is the future of this team? Well you may be thinking to yourself, Garnett and Pierce can still come back next year and this run may not be over yet. I would say to those people that yes, it can be possible they return with KG having 2 more years under contract and Pierce having 1 more season. I would say it is very unlikely they would be around though. KG is seriously pondering retirement and Pierce is a prime candidate to be bought out (he is only guaranteed 5 million of his 13 million dollar salary next season) and if he goes, Garnett will understandably leave also. This is a team that isnt going to be a championship contender next season, it is best to move on and finally begin the rebuilding process. Garnett and Pierce deserve to be on a team that they can compete for a championship as a bench player, something that I don’t believe either would particularly enjoy here( much like Allen, leaving to go to another team to come off the bench as opposed to being demoted on the Celtics.)

Danny Ainge once criticized Red Auerbach for holding onto the original Big Three (Bird, McHale, Parish) far past their expiration date and swore he wouldn’t have made the same mistake.  It’s finally time to go through the stage none of us wanted to, and none of us were looking forward to. It’s time for rebuilding to begin, whether that is during the offseason, or making moves at the trade deadline when the values of players will be at their highest point. The writing is on the wall. It’s time to let go. Thank you for the good run and for both Pierce and KG, im sure their numbers will be ‘retired’ whenever they decide to call it quits.

-John Calabro

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UT498QZb7U

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COMEBACK KIDS! C’s Climbing Back into Series

Published on May 2, 2013, by in Celtics, NBA.

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The Knicks may have been the jokesters beforehand, but it was the Celtics who got the last laugh Wednesday night.

Is this really happening?  Have the old, raggedy, Rondo-less Celtics truly managed to force a Game 6 on their home court after falling down 3-0 to a seemingly overpowering New York Knicks squad?  I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it.  With Knicks fans and players alike “preparing for the Celtics’ funeral” by donning all black, and their backs as far up against the proverbial wall as they could be pushed, however, Boston came through with one of those performances that shows the depth of heart and toughness a veteran group commands on the court.  A 92-86 final wasn’t indicative of just how well the C’s not only handled the pressure of the situation they were in, but also how well veterans Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett played in a game that possibly could’ve been their last together in green.  Pierce responded with 16 points, going 4-for-8 from behind-the-arc, while Garnett added 16 of his own and came up with a much-needed 18 rebounds, singlehandedly helping Boston overpower New York on the glass (41-39 in total rebounds).  The clutch play of these two veterans was inspiring to watch, and gave myself and Celtics fans alike hope that this team has what it takes to pull off one of the greatest comebacks in professional sports history.

Perhaps most impressive, though, was once again the stellar play of Jeff Green.  This kid just continues to get better with each minute of experience he gets, seemingly no limitations as to what level his game can eventually reach.  Wednesday night, not only did he put together another impressive offensive performance with 18 points on 5-of-8 shooting, hitting three-pointers on consecutive possessions late in the fourth quarter to all but seal the deal for the Celtics, but he also played a solid defensive game.  Teaming up with Pierce, Green helped contain Knicks superstar Carmelo Anthony, allowing the NBA’s leading scorer to shoot just 8-of-24 from the floor while putting up an average 22 points.  Their combined effort on ‘Melo,’ along with the early struggles of J.R. Smith (missed his first 10 attempts), were no doubt major factors that resulted in a C’s victory.

So was it Boston’s return to a defensive mindset that turned things around for them after the Knicks’ 11-0 run to begin Game 5?  Or was it simply a case of one team taking advantage of another’s willingness to get caught up in the off-the-court hooplah rather than focus on the game at hand?  The answer is it was likely a combination.  The boys in green-and-white held the orange, white, and blue bullies to 39.5 percent shooting, including 22.7 percent from downtown, below their season averages of 44.8 and 37.6.  It seems that Doc Rivers’ defensive preaching has finally begun to pay off, and if the team can keep it up it doesn’t seem likely that they’ll be fading quietly into the offseason like we all expected they would be just two games ago.

But you can’t tell Kenyon Martin that.  According to him, the series is still in the Knicks’ favor.  And technically he’s right: New York still leads the best-of-seven series 3-2.  Considering what has conspired over the last two games, however, it feels as if Boston is the team that’s up a game.  The momentum has completely shifted to their side, yet still Martin feels the need to add more fuel to the fire.  He’s still confident that the Knicks are in the driver’s seat and isn’t worried at all about his team’s chances of winning.  Well, Kenyon, maybe you should open up the history books and bookmark the dates October 17-20, 2004.  Yea, that’s when the Red Sox completed their comeback from a 3-0 deficit in the American League Championship Series to the Yankees.  Sure, such comebacks have seldom been made before, but just remember what KG said back in 2008 after getting to raise his first and, up to this point in his career, only NBA championship: “Anything is possible!”

-Ryan Hartley

And if you happened to miss the game, here’s the highlights:

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Senior Citizen circuit: Celtics-Knicks Round 1

Published on April 19, 2013, by in Celtics, NBA, New England Sports React.

 

 

Well here we are, the playoffs. One would be in hard-pressed to find a team that is as experienced(read: old) as the Celtics are. Boston rolling into New York to tip off the first round of the 2012-2013 playoffs on April 20th at 3 pm. The Knicks own the season series at an edge of 3 games to 1 in handily fashion. The Knicks have certainly been a team to reckon with this season, and are now looking for revenge for being swept by the Celtics two seasons ago. While at that point, it was clear the Celtics were a much better team, this year it is not as clear and may even be tilting towards the Knicks being the better team especially with the Celtics no longer with Rajon Rondo for the remainder of the season.

The Celtics have limped to the finish line doing just enough to stay in the playoff race and avoid the dreaded 8th seed matchup against the Heat. This bad finish could be attributed to the lack of KG and Pierce playing quality minutes and these two will be leaned on heavily in this series to have a chance to win. Carmelo isn’t going to stop, so neither can Pierce or KG.  The true x factor will be the play of Jeff Green. Green, who has had a knack this season for showing up in big games and performing extremely well, also has a tendency to disappear as well. If he cannot provide the needed spark and plenty of minutes, this series might as well be over before it even starts.

The Knicks meanwhile, are white hot losing only 2 games since March 18th consistently scoring 90+ points a game in this streak, and there will not be any stopping this offensive powerhouse which could pose real problems for the Celtics. With Carmelo, J.R. Smith, and Raymond Felton ( excluding Stoudemire who will most likely miss this series) are the big players that need to be watched at all times. It’s going to be virtually impossible to shut them all down, so the best bet is to try and use the strategies for past games with superstars (Lebron in CLE, Kobe in LA, etc) which is to let the star get ‘their’ points, while shutting down the support system. Quite frankly, unless there are some unforseen circumstances, I believe that is the only way the Celtics could realistically keep it close and have an opportunity to win.

This is an extremely tough matchup for the Celtics, this is not your father’s ill-fated Knicks team and certainly need to be taken seriously. The Celtics have never been a 7 seed before in the playoffs, but their only times as 8 seeds, all ended in defeat. My heart and mind are torn on this one. I hope my heart prediction is the right one, but logic tells you the ride  could very well end in New York.

Heart: Celtics in 6

Mind: Knicks in 5

**At the time of this writing, the suspects in the Boston Marathon bombing were apprehended or killed therefore ending a hectic, emotional week. But we realize not everyone was lucky, as there were casualties(3 at marathon, 1 MIT security officer) and over 150 injured. The prayers of all us at NESR are with the families and friends of those that have been seriously affected by the tragedies in the Boston area this week as the area continues to recover.  Stay strong Boston. **

-John Calabro

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Closer Than You Think

Published on April 18, 2013, by in MLB, Red Sox.

Hanrahan has made recording outs in the ninth inning far from an easy task this season.   

Over the last two seasons, the Pittsburgh Pirates have been the darlings of baseball’s first half of the season.  They combined for a 95-80 record before the All-Star break over that time, and they did so without much of a starting rotation, a line-up which was inconsistent at best (with the exception of future-MVP Andrew McCutchen), and a guy at the back of the bullpen who is probably best described as mercurial.  Yes, they faded (badly) in the second half of each of those seasons, but that had more to do with the first two reasons described than the presence of one Joel Ryan Hanrahan.

Years of witnessing the greatness that is Mariano Rivera, and more recently the steady fire of Jonathan Papelbon, may have blinded many Red Sox fans to the inherent inconsistencies that come with the closer’s position in Major League Baseball.  The fact of the matter is that — his struggles so far this season notwithstanding – Joel Hanrahan is one of the league’s best closers, and the Red Sox were nothing less than savvy to trade Mark Melancon for him this past winter.

During some of Hanrahan’s struggles early in Spring Training, the Red Sox and Pirates did a joint telecast in which the commentators for each club took turns in the booth providing insights for each fan base that they might not otherwise receive.  With Hanrahan on the mound, and Don Orsillo, Jerry Remy and Pirates’ color analyst Bob Walk in the booth, Walk was asked by his Boston counterparts what they could expect from the Sox’ shiny new toy.  What he said surprised me, although it shouldn’t have, in retrospect.

Walk told the small spring audience about Hanrahan, almost predicting what we have seen so far this season.  He said that Hanrahan has a penchant for making things “interesting” with bouts of wildness, but that he will also go on extended tears (with a fastball that touches 98 mph at times) where it looks like he will never lose again.

Looking at the numbers over the last three seasons (when Hanrahan first became an elite set-up man, and later, a closer), they seem to align with Walk’s assessment.  If (and when) he struggles, it’s almost never for more than a few days, a week at the most.  In between those times, Hanrahan won’t give up a run for two or three weeks straight.

The question for Red Sox fans becomes, “Is it worth it?”

Many fans are now calling for Andrew Bailey to be installed as the closer again (which he will for the time being, as Hanrahan is currently dealing with right hamstring issues).  I’ve long been of the mind, though, that the ninth inning is usually not the most important inning in a baseball game.

Take the other night against the Baltimore Orioles, when Hanrahan blew a save and lost the game.  The ninth inning was obviously critical there, but Hanrahan is not even in a position to get a save if it’s not for the sixth inning efforts of Boston’s best pitcher thus far, Koji Uehara.  Coming out of a 43-minute rain delay, Ryan Dempster was taken out of what was then a 3-3 game.  The Red Sox needed to shut down the Orioles and reset the tone, and Uehara delivered on 12 tidy pitches.  In fact, it’s possible Uehara threw more high-fives in the dugout than he did pitches on the mound that night.

In the bottom of that inning, the Red Sox took the lead on back-to-back home runs by Daniel Nava and Jarrod Saltalamacchia.  Junichi Tazawa and Andrew Bailey were similarly dazzling over the next two innings, but the offense was unable to duplicate its earlier theatrics and produce any more runs.  Hanrahan came into a 5-3 game instead of a 6, 7, or 8-3 game, and the rest is history.

Sure, for an elite closer a two-run lead should be enough.  Now we know he was hurt at the time, but that’s not the real issue.  This Red Sox offense is good enough now, and will be even better soon with the return of David Ortiz, that they should beat up on bullpens across the majors.  Especially at home, the Sox’ own late-inning crew should provide them with zeros to compliment crooked numbers like their offense put up in the sixth inning on Wednesday.

So is one week of humanity worth three weeks of something more than that?  I should say so, especially when the rest of the ‘pen may render a run or two in the ninth inning completely moot.

This is an exciting Red Sox team. They have lots of speed (which manager John Farrell is ready and willing to use), timely hitting, and just enough power to get by, with more surely on the way.  They’re also playing lights-out defense and the bullpen, as I have glowingly espoused, is second to none in the American League.  Oh, and then there’s a couple of guys named Jon Lester and Clay Buccholz at the top of the rotation, looking like Messrs. Hurst and Clemens circa 1986.

Here’s hoping that Hanrahan’s Hanra-hamstring gets better soon, because this summer at Fenway should be fun.

-Torrance Kilcoyne

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Jagr Addition Will Greatly Improve Offense

Published on April 6, 2013, by in Bruins, NHL.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jagr has already made his presence felt by scoring the one and only goal in the Bruins’ 1-0 win over the Devils on Thursday.

It was clear that the struggling Boston Bruins needed to do something at the trade deadline to improve their team.  Their sub-par play over the last few weeks had many fans, including me, very worried.  Many of us thought that Jarome Iginla was going to be the answer, and that was about to be true, until the Pittsburgh Penguins came in and stole him at the last second.  There was no time to sulk over Iginla, however, we still needed to make a move.  That move was made on April 2nd when the Bruins sent forwards Lane Macdermid and Cody Payne, as well as a conditional second round draft pick to the Dallas Stars in exchange for 41 year old Jaromir Jagr.  Don’t let the age fool you, Jagr is still a quality NHL goal scorer with great hands and an uncanny ability to find the back of the net.  He certainly is not the prolific superstar he was 10 years ago, but he can still score.  Jagr has 15 goals and 12 assists this season in 35 games.  He made an immediate impact by scoring the game winning goal off his skate in his first game as a Bruin against the New Jersey Devils.  I believe Jagr will help the Bruins offense immensely, and is a great addition to the team.  Hopefully the play of Milan Lucic and Nathan Horton will improve as well; they have been rather disappointing this season.  Jagr will certainly add offensive depth to this team that needs it desparately.  This was a quality trade that greatly increases the Bruins chances of going deep into the playoffs.

- Jonathan Duncan

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There’s Something About Jackie

Published on March 26, 2013, by in MLB, Red Sox.
Jackie Bradley Jr. showed Sox fans that even a little guy has opposite-field “pop,” being congratulated here after lacing a three-run homer to left in the Sox’ 7-6 win over the Phillies this past Sunday.  
    Somehow, without ever suiting up for Boston (or even Pawtucket, for that matter) the name Jackie Bradley Jr. has become synonymous with Red Sox baseball.  Bradley has lit up the Grapefruit League both at the plate (he was hitting .444 as of Friday) and in the field.  He has become the hottest topic in Fort Myers, hotter even than David Ortiz’s heel, although the latter issue certainly informs the former.
    The question everyone is asking is, “When will Jackie Bradley Jr. be in the Majors?”  It’s not an easy question to answer if you’re Ben Cherington.  There are more than a few disparate arguments–all of which have merit–that he must consider and filter through.  The question that he’s trying to answer now is, “Do we bring him up, or do we send him down?”  It’s a question that alludes to the state of limbo Bradley — and with him, the Red Sox franchise — is in.
    BRING HIM UP NOW!  The Red Sox and their fans haven’t seen a player as exciting as Bradley since a young blade named Jacoby Ellsbury.  Yes, Pedro Ciriaco was a Yankee-killer last year…but he’s not Jackie Bradley.  Sure, Daniel Nava hit a grand slam on the first pitch he ever saw in the Majors…but he’s not Jackie Bradley.  Will Middlebrooks looks like he has 30-plus home run power for years to come…but he’s not Jackie Bradley.  Bradley looks like a 4-1/2 tool player, with average, speed, defense, and the best arm in Boston’s outfield in a while.  The only thing he doesn’t quite have yet is power, although he has the swing to spray balls off the Green Monster for doubles.  Why wait?
    SEND HIM DOWN!  Yes, he is good.  The spring stats are great.  But since when do you make major organizational decisions based on what someone does in Spring Training?  Most of the at-bats Bradley has had this spring have been against guys just getting in shape for the season.  How many times he has gotten in the box and seen all fastballs?  Or all curveballs?  He hasn’t really been pitched to yet.  Again, that’s not the opposing repertoire I want to change the course of a franchise for. 
    WE HAVE TO WIN NOW!  In the last two seasons, Red Sox fans have endured ( and for a lot of them, I use that word very loosely) the worst September collapse in Major League history and the worst full season record since 1965.  The “future” you refer to is one extra year of arbitration for Bradley in 2019.  Nobody pays $8.25 for a beer next month hoping the team will be good six years from now. 
    WE WILL ALWAYS HAVE TO WIN “NOW”!  Here’s how it works: if Bradley starts the season in the Minors (and he only has to be there for 11 days), his arbitration “clock” starts later and he remains under team control until the 2019 season.  Forget the beer, is a couple of wins in April more important than retaining a potential superstar for an extra year of his prime?  Or, to put it another way, where would the Red Sox be this year without Jacoby Ellsbury?  Six years ago, the Sox kept Ellsbury in the Minors despite the “win now” pressure, and now he’s still here, instead of taking a walk after last year’s debacle.
    DAVID ORTIZ IS HURT!  There is a spot for Bradley now, and we are going to need him.  It is possible to delay his clock another way.  If at any point this season, Bradley spends 20 straight days in the minors, the Red Sox still get to keep him until 2019.  So why not keep him until Ortiz is healthy, and then send him down until July or August?  That will allow enough time to make a trade and keep Bradley here for good. 
    WHERE DOES HE PLAY?!  Bradley is a center fielder by trade, and he was playing right field while Shane Victorino (he of the newly minted 3-year, $39 million contract, lest we forget) was off at the World Baseball Classic.  So do you ask the kid to change positions again?  Or do you move the expensive new toy?
    And then there’s Jonny Gomes.  Yes, he can DH in Papi’s absence, but what then after that?  Bradley and Victorino can handle themselves against lefties, so there’s no need to platoon, and they obviously play superior defense.  Gomes is supposed to be one of your “clubhouse” guys.  Is he still going to be Mr. Camaraderie if he’s forced to sit on the bench?
    Let’s not forget about John Farrell, either.  Yes, he’s coached in Boston before, but he’s never managed here (read Terry Francona’s book if you want to know the difference).  Now he is dealing with a public relations nightmare instead of managing a baseball team.  Doesn’t seem fair to anyone…
    I think ultimately what will happen is Bradley will be sent to Pawtucket and made to force the Red Sox to bring him up.  They want nothing more than to see him tear up AAA and turn into a local legend before he ever sets foot on a Major League field.  That way, whether the big club is thriving and playing well, or struggling to start a third straight season, Jackie Bradley Jr. will be exactly what they need.
-Torrance Kilcoyne
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Tom Not-So-Terrific Down Stretch: Changes Coming to the Offense?

Published on February 21, 2013, by in NFL, Patriots.

Tom Brady didn’t have much to hold his head high about in the second half of the season.  

It wasn’t just the fact that the New England Patriots fell on their home turf to the rival Baltimore Ravens, but the manner in which they fell apart in the second half that had many fans disturbed long after the final whistle.  A return to the porous pass defense that had plagued them the first half of the season, a lack of pass rush from the front seven; while aggravating given the urgency of the game at hand, the fact that these issues came to the forefront against the Ravens wasn’t a huge surprise.  After all, did we really expect the defense to hold up when star corner Aqib Talib left the game early with a hamstring injury?  Still, what didn’t make sense was the fact that an offense that had averaged nearly 35 points per game in the regular season was virtually kept off the board in the first half and shut out completely in the second, putting up a grand total of 13 points in the contest.  More importantly, how did a Baltimore defense that had been on a downward trend to close out the regular season manage to befuddle future Hall-of-Famer Tom Brady in a championship game in Gillette, where he’s virtually unbeatable?  Besides the motivation of Ray Lewis’s planned retirement, along with the roughing up of Pats receivers by Baltimore’s secondary, the 2013 AFC Championship was simply an off-game for Brady.  And unfortunately for New England, prior to that game the quarterback made a trend of poor performances as the regular season drew to a close.

Against the Ravens, Brady completed 29-of-54 passes (54 percent) for 320 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.  According to Providence Journal sports writer Paul Kenyon, in four games in December, his completion percentage wasn’t much better at 58.5.  While completing better than fifty percent of your passes is decent for most middle-of-the-line quarterbacks, it is paltry for a QB of Brady’s upper-echelon stature; his career completion percentage is just a tick below 65.  On the season, Tom Terrific compiled a completion percentage of 63, his lowest percentage since 2006 (61.8).  Even more glaring in the month of December, though, was his two-to-one touchdown-to-interception ratio, as Brady threw 10 touchdowns and five interceptions; the five picks were more than half of his season’s total of eight.  His TD-to-INT margin at the end of the season was eye-opening as usual, with 34 touchdowns thrown to counter the eight picks (a 17-to-4 ratio), but the fact that his numbers seemed to tail off in the second half of the season which, according to Brady, is when the “real football” is played, is certainly a cause for concern.

Is the 35-year-old starting to feel the subtle effects of age creep on with each new season?  While his legs have clearly seen better days (refer to replays of Tom attempting to outrun the Ravens’ Haloti Ngata on fourth-and-short), looking at his numbers, it’d be hard to argue that Brady’s game has declined simply with age.  Just three seasons ago, in 2010, he unanimously captured the NFL MVP award by throwing for 3,900 yards, 36 touchdowns, and just four interceptions.  Since that season, the Patriots have entrusted Tom with even more control of the offense than he originally had after his record-breaking 2007 campaign, and it seems that it’s had at least a slight effect on his play, especially in the second half of the season.  His work ethic, his drive, and his undying desire to win have kept him among the NFL’s elite class of QB, but even arguably the greatest quarterback of all-time has had his struggles when dropping back to throw the ball over 600 times, something he’s done each of the past two seasons (611 in 2011 and 637 in 2012, compared to just 494 in 2010).  In 2011, Brady had an ongoing soreness in his throwing shoulder that week-in and week-out had him listed as either questionable or probable.  While no such injury plagued him this season, his second-half numbers suggest that something might’ve been going on behind-the-scenes.

So how do the Pats properly preserve the few remaining years Brady has left in the league?  Given the stats, the answer seems simple: reduce his workload.  Get back to the offensive balance that kept Brady under center just as often as it had him dropping back.  Such symmetry starts with the running back core, currently comprised of Stevan Ridley, Shane Vereen, Danny Woodhead, and Jeff Demps (who was on IR in 2012).  Each guy presents their own unique mismatch on the football field, Ridley and Vereen with their explosiveness getting outside as well as to the next level, Woodhead with the deceptiveness of his height and quickness, and Demps with his speed in general.  While New England began the season using these mismatches to their advantage, they shied away from the running game as the second half drew closer.  Sure, Woodhead was integrated more frequently into the offense, but the weekly 150-plus yard performances from the rushing attack that were so common early on became an anomaly.  This not only put more pressure on Brady to perform, but also gave more of a workload to the offensive line to protect him.  Next season, if the Pats want to make a deeper run in the postseason, they must look to maintain offensive equilibrium.

Of course, the running game certainly took a hit when one of its best lead blockers, tight end Rob Gronkowski, went out with a broken left forearm more than halfway through the season.  The team’s scoring didn’t seem to miss a beat, leading the league with 36 points per game without Gronkowski, but the running game certainly seemed to lose its early-season luster.  The passing game also took a hit, decreasing in efficiency as evidenced by Brady’s lower completion percentage and higher touchdown-to-interception ratio.  Gronk’s absence was especially felt against the Ravens, when the likes of Wes Welker, Brandon Lloyd, and Aaron Hernandez struggled to beat press coverage and seemed physically overmatched by Baltimore’s secondary.  Being a finesse offense without much mojo has prevented the Pats from winning a Super Bowl twice (2007 and 2011, both against the tougher Giants), and while the defense seems to be gaining a hard-hitting swagger the offense is still as soft as it was when Randy Moss was leaping amongst multiple defenders to haul in touchdowns.

So what’s the solution?  This answer isn’t as simple, though the pieces currently in place leave the Pats with a couple ultimatums: sign Welker, keep Lloyd, and likely return to the same style of offense as last season, choose to let one walk and hold onto the other, or let both of them go and attempt to build around the team’s star tight ends.  Welker is likely to ask for a big contract, comprising of multiple years and top wide receiver money (upwards of $10 million); these tend to be deals the Pats walk away from more often than not.  According to ProFootballTalk.com, Lloyd, on the other hand, is set to make a base salary of $1.9 million with a $3 million bonus as he is under contract through the 2013 season.  Both receivers are set to turn 32 this offseason.  It would be tough to see Wes go given his outstanding track record with the Pats (100-plus catches in five of six seasons since joining the team in 2007), but his size, age, and hefty contract demands could be factors that favor his departure.  Lloyd would be an easier option to part with altogether, despite the fact that he hauled in 74 catches for 911 yards and four TDs, as he turned out to be nothing more than a sideline route runner that greatly feared contact instead of a deep threat.  Where would that leave the Pats if they let the two aging wideouts go?  With some cap space and receivers on the free agent market, including the sizable Dwayne Bowe, the speedy Mike Wallace, and the versatile Danny Amendola, not to mention the three number-one tight ends in Gronk, Hernandez, and former Giants starter Jake Ballard.

Whichever avenue New England attempts to pursue, one thing’s for sure: Brady isn’t getting any younger.  And with the years dwindling until number twelve is finally forced to call it quits, the team needs to do everything in their power to not only protect him but also greatly reduce his workload.  Such changes could go a long way in not only ensuring Brady’s elite status in the league for years to come, but could finally push them over the proverbial hump they’ve been unable to overcome since 2004.

-Ryan Hartley

 

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Tim Thomas Traded

Published on February 11, 2013, by in Bruins, NHL.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Two years ago Thomas was on top of the world, winning the Stanley Cup and Playoff MVP award, today he is a New York Islander.

In an intelligent move to free up five million dollars in salary cap space, the Bruins have traded goaltender Tim Thomas to the New York Islanders for a conditional second round draft pick.  Thomas has already said that he is not going to play this season, but for the Bruins to receive that draft pick he must report to the Islanders and play.  We will see if he does that.  This trade has no immediate effect on the Bruins team because Thomas was not playing anyway; it does, however, free up cap space that the Bruins can use to improve their team. I still believe the Bruins should be in the market for a top goal scorer, but that would be a luxury at this point.  They have started the season 8-1-1 and are clearly one of the best teams in the NHL.  This trade looks to benefit the Bruins more than the Islanders, who already have a starting goalie in Evgeni Nabakov.  Thomas may not even play, but whether he does or not the Bruins still have five million less dollars against the salary cap.

- Jonathan Duncan

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No Guarantee Talib Will Return

Published on February 8, 2013, by in NFL, Patriots.

Despite his character’s flawed past, Talib would surely be missed by Patriot Nation if he weren’t signed by the team prior to this upcoming season.

You didn’t have to be an avid fan of the 2012 New England Patriots to know that one of their central flaws was the play of their defensive secondary.  And unfortunately for head coach Bill Belichick, who prides himself on the play of his defense, theses issues plagued each individual position, from linebacker to safety (despite the presences of Jerod Mayo and the “always reliable,” but soon to depart, Patrick Chung).  But thanks to a late-season trade for the risqué Aqib Talib, the Pats instantly got an upgrade at a position that was previously led by the Devin McCourty and Kyle Arrington in the first half of the season.  The cornerback had an immediate impact on the field and on the defense as a whole, affecting the way they played as a unit in both confidence and scheme.  He singlehandedly turned what was the worst deep pass defense in the league into a middle-of-the-field group.  Despite the obvious improvement that resulted from his addition to the team, according to Comcast SportsNet New England (CSNNE) reporter Mike Giardi it’s not as much of a shoe-in as fans might think that Talib will return.

Poor work ethic is the top reason that sits on the Pats list of things that would keep them from signing the unrestricted free agent to a long-term deal.  They simply don’t trust that the troubled corner will put in the extra work necessary to maintain a starting job on one of the NFL’s most elite squads (mainly because he didn’t this past season).  And why should they?  He doesn’t have a good track record, and if he didn’t put in the work last year then why bother signing him to a multi-year contract?  A one-year deal is a much safer option, but considering the slim pickings at CB in the upcoming free agent pool, Talib is likely to receive quite the payday.  And since the Patriots aren’t known to give those out regularly (with Logan Mankins being the recent exception), it’s seeming more and more likely that the shutdown corner will not be donning the red, white, and blue next season.

If that’s the case, and the Patriots do decide to let Talib walk, the team will have to make a decision: to add secondary help through the draft or through free agency?  Unfortunately for New England, neither avenue has proven a successful one, especially the draft. It has been past draft picks that have truly doomed the Pats backfield, with misfires such as Brandon Meriweather (1st round, 24th overall, ‘07), Terrence Wheatley (2nd round, ‘08), and Darius Butler (2nd round, ‘09) never seeming to truly find their niche with the team: it was a poor work ethic with one, bad technique with another, and yet another that had a simple lack of understanding of the team’s system.  However, with first-round draft pick Devin McCourty having made the successful switch from corner to free safety, and seventh-round draft pick Alfonzo Dennard having shown the ability as a rookie to both learn and develop, it would seem that the Hoodie is starting to put some of the pieces of his envisioned defense together.  And with some secondary picks in at least two of the first three rounds (along with some additional help either in FA and a hopefully upgraded pass rush), they could be in decent shape headed into the 2013 campaign.  Put it this way: they can’t be any worse…right?

- Ryan Hartley

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Rollin’ On Without Rondo

Published on February 7, 2013, by in Celtics, NBA.

 

Don’t tell KG the season is over. Under him and Pierce, the C’s are flourishing. 

On January 25th, the Celtics blew a 27-point lead to the Atlanta Hawks and lost in overtime to lower their record to 20-23 on the season, continuing to wallow in the worst possible spot in the Eastern Conference: not good enough to be a legitimate playoff contender, but not bad enough to to have a good chance at getting a high draft pick.  This was also the last game that star point guard Rajon Rondo played in.  The news broke around halftime on Sunday, January 27th that Rondo tore the ACL in his right knee and would be done for the season.  Many writers and broadcasters were then rushing to the ”blow it up” talk as they would not make it anywhere without their offensive catalyst.  It seems that someone forgot to inform the Celtics.

Since losing against Atlanta, the Celtics have gone on a six-game winning streak and are right back in the thick of fighting for a playoff spot, once again adding a sense of excitement around this team.  This string of victories could be showing that Rondo is more expendable than originally thought.  With Pierce and Garnett now undoubtedly stepping up as the leaders on the court, the team is operating much like how they did in ’07 – ’08 before Rondo became the great player that he is today.  The only difference is, Pierce and KG are five years older.  Despite the added age, however, they are certainly showing that they can not only still play but win as well.

It’s not all sunshine and rainbows, though, as the trade rumors continue to fester involving both KG and Pierce, with the LA Clippers showing the most interest in the two players.  The only way that I could see either of these players leaving is if the Celtics get some return that they can not simply pass up, such as a young ‘big man’ or some prized draft picks.  With the way their contracts are structured, KG needs to waive his no-trade clause and you can expect he wouldn’t waive it for just any team, making the likelihood even smaller of a trade.  If they can get pieces to get the rebuilding process going right away, then by all means trade these guys.  I don’t see the value out there, though, and fully expect both Pierce and Garnett to be wearing Celtic green for the remainder of the season and beyond.  Don’t know where this run will lead them, but let us enjoy watching these two future Hall-of-Famers show us what they have left in the tank. Let’s go Celtics!

- Quick congratulations to Kevin Garnett for surpassing 25,000 career points in the NBA against the LA Lakers on Thursday night.  Not something you see everyday.

- John Calabro

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