Billy Donovan To Orlando?

ESPN's Pat Forde is reporting that Billy Donovan, coach of the two-time defending NCAA champions, has received a 6-year/$36 million dollar contract from the Orlando Magic and that the Magic expect Billy the Kid to accept the deal. To be perfectly, 100% clear, the Donovan leaving for Orlando is the University of Florida head coach; not the Milton High School junior varsity boy's basketball coach (and author of TheBostonInsider). I hate seeing great college coaches go for the money of the NBA but for $36 million, can you blame him? Donovan is only 42 so even if the NBA doesn't work for him he could still land an elite college job before turning 50. In other NBA coaching news, the Indiana Pacers hired former Celtics coach Jim O'Brien as their new head man. I will miss O'Brien's insider information on ESPN.com as he wrote for the world wide leader since leaving the 76ers a few years back. Also, Marc Iavaroni was hired by the Memphis Grizzlies as their new coach. Iavaroni was highly respected for his work as an assistant with the Phoenix Suns. I hope he stays at Florida and continues to build the super power of the 21st Century (two national championships, one national runner-up). Even making $6 million a year will not give him authority over the spoiled millionaire brats that play in the pros, a level of control that he does have now with the Gators.

The Greatest Game

Guaranteed to make you abandon whatever you should be doing... (Now this is where Mark Cuban should invest his billions -- imagine a game where you could really kick the CHB in the ass!)

NBA/Red Sox Thoughts

I thought the Western Conference Finals may have lasted 7 games but there was no surprise that the Spurs took out the Jazz. Don't think Utah will slip back into obscurity however. The comments by Carlos Boozer after the Game 5 loss -- saying you can't win a championship when guys already have vacation plans on their minds -- tell me that the Jazz will be a team that will be heard from in the West in the immediate future. Boozer, Deron Williams, Andrei Kirilenko and Mehmut Okur form a solid nucleus and Jerry Sloan is a Hall of Fame coach. Sloan's intense attitude has obviously rubbed off on Boozer whose frustrations with losing to the Spurs are proof that he wasn't happy just to make it to a conference final and that he has bigger aspirations as a player... I'm still trying to convive myself. Yi Jianlian. Yi Jianlian. Yi Jianlian... When will Steve Buckley come out with his playoff pitching rotation? Beckett, Schilling, Matsuzaka, Wakefield/Lester if you ask me... Watching Clay Buchholz pitch for Double-A Portland on Memorial Day (great work on the part of NESN for the broadcast) was a glimpse into the very bright future of the Red Sox pitching staff. In the not so distant future a rotation of Beckett, Matsuzaka, Lester, Buccholz and Michael Bowden will terrorize the American League...

Random Thoughts

The eyes of Red Sox Nation will be fixated on Josh Beckett tonight in his first start since suffering an avulsion on the middle finger of his pitching hand on Mother's Day. The Sox say Beckett is 100% healthy and that no other problems should surface... Hey, give Trot another standing ovation tonight. Tomorrow night too... Listening to WEEI yesterday on my drive to work, I heard a caller who made some real Celtics sense. He proposed a three-way trade that would have the Celtics send the No. 5 pick and Theo Ratliff's contract to Minnesota, Kevin Garnett would go from Minnesota to the Lakers and the Lakers would send Lamar Odom to Boston and the Kwame Brown and the No. 19 pick to Minnesota. This way, the Lakers could team Kobe Bryant with KG, the C's would get Odom -- an All-Star forward -- to team with Paul Pierce and Al Jefferson and Minnesota could rebuild through the draft (picks 5, 7 and 19) and through free agency (with the expiring deals of Ratliff and Brown)... Anaheim over Ottawa in 6. Like anyone outside those cities actually cares... It's still shocking that an amazing athlete could drown at age 24, in the prime of his life. Marquise Hill becomes yet another tragic reminder of how we should really take advantage of each moment we have on Earth... J.D. Drew will be as hot in June and July as he was cold in May... While not looking past the Indians, it is possible that the Red Sox could put an end to the Yankees this weekend...

R.I.P. 91

I just got home from work but quickly I wanted to pay respect to former Patriot defensive lineman Marquise Hill, age 24, who was found dead earlier today. Hill had been in a watercraft accident on Sunday on Lake Pontchartrain in Louisiana. My condolences go out to Hill's family, friends and teammates. It is not important that he was an NFL player, it is just sad that a young man is dead in such a tragic manner. This is what members of the Patriot organization had to say today about Hill: "We have suffered a stunning and tragic loss," Patriots coach Bill Belichick said in a written statement Monday evening. "Marquise will be remembered as a thoughtful and caring young man who established himself as one of the year-round daily fixtures of our team. I send my deepest condolences to the Hill family." "I lost a brother, man," [Jarvis] Green said. "He was a funny guy. ... He'd just sit there and talk to you, say some funny things off his head that'd make you laugh. He was good to be around." "We are absolutely heartbroken," Patriots owner Robert Kraft said in a statement. "Marquise was a very respectful young man who worked hard to improve and was always eager to contribute to the team, both on the field and in the community."

Kobe Wants Out Of LA

According to Ric Bucher of ESPN, Kobe Bryant will demand a trade from the Lakers if Jerry West is not brought back to Los Angeles with full control of basketball operations. Just for fun: Boston trades Paul Pierce, Sebastian Telfair, Theo Ratliff and the No. 5 pick in the 2007 Draft to Los Angeles for Kobe Bryant, Kwame Brown and the No. 19 pick in the 2007 Draft. Kobe a Celtic? Only if the Red Sox are 12.5 games ahead of the Yankees on Memorial Day.

Happy Memorial Day Weekend

The beers are iced down, the grill is ready to be fired up and both the Red Sox and Rich Hill are playing today. My forecast for today is to drink some Amstel Light's, eat some burgers and watch some baseball -- a great holiday if you ask me. To celebrate Memorial Day, here are 11 (and a half) great reasons to be a Red Sox fan in 2007: 11. Terry Francona, the most underappreciated manager in the game. 10. Daisuke Matsuzaka and Hideki Okajima, the two Japanese imports who have bolstered the pitching staff. 9. Coco Crisp, his bat may not be great and Jacoby Ellsbury is the immediate future in center but Coco sure does play some great defense. 8. Mike Lowell, the guy we had to take on in the Beckett trade is hitting .325 with 9 HR and 37 RBI. 7. Curt Schilling, he isn't the dominant No. 1 starter he once was but he still battles every time he gets the ball and 38pitches.com gives us all something to talk about. (Here's that half of a reason: Torre and Cashman -- the voices of reason in the Bronx -- are about to be fired by Steinbrenner, a move that will set them back a decade; Rivera's wear and tear make Britney Spears look young; Clemens is nearing 45 and still in Triple-A; A-Rod is finally "earning his pinstripes" but will be leaving New York no later than this winter; Jeter and Posada can't carry the team like Paul O'Neill and Tito Martinez once did; Mussina's fastball tops out at 88 mph; Giambi doesn't have the "stuff" anymore; neither does Abreu; Damon makes Rivera look young and his physical breakdown is directly related to helping the Sox win a World Series, not helping the Yanks lose to Detroit in the 2006 ALDS; Pavano keeps cashing checks) 6. Kevin Youkilis, (.352/6/27) is an All-Star. 5. Josh Beckett, finally pitching like an ace. 4. Jonathan Papelbon, leading the bullpen -- the job that will one day put him in the Hall-of-Fame. 3. Manny Ramirez, starting to hit and at just the right time. 2. Big Papi, enough said. 1. First place in the AL East (by 11.5 games), best record in baseball (33-15), and a team that this city truly loves. It's going to be a great summer!

Celtics Trade Proposal

The Red Sox are 11 games ahead (going into tonight's game at Texas) of the fading Yankees and still I think about the Celtics. Hopefully this addiction to the hopeless will get me into heaven at some point in time. Anyways, as I mull the future of the C's without Greg Oden and Kevin Durant I become torn over whether to hold on to the No. 5 pick or to package the pick and get a veteran in return who could help Paul Pierce and Al Jefferson. I'm starting to think that gambling on Yi Jianlian may not be so bad. It can't be worse than gambling on any veteran that Danny Ainge brings into Boston. Maybe Jianlian is the missing piece to the puzzle and he teams with Pierce and Jefferson over the next 3-4 years in building a winner in Boston. But that stuff can wait until June 28. Right now I want to propose a trade that does work financially. Boston sends the No. 5 pick in the 2007 Draft, Kendrick Perkins, Ryan Gomes and Theo Ratliff to Phoenix for Shawn Marion and the No. 24 pick in the 2007 Draft. Phoenix has a problem that the C's can help solve and benefit in the process. Shawn Marion skills tend to conflict with those of first team All-NBA center Amare Stoudemire. He also makes a lot of cash (roughly $15 million), something Suns owner Robert Sarver would like to take care of so he can avoid paying the luxury tax. In this trade, Phoenix does send away an All-Star forward but in return they get the chance at drafting a young star for the future with the fifth pick, a physical center who can rebound and defend in Perkins, a young versatile forward for their bench in Gomes and the expiring contract of Ratliff. In return, the Celtics get a proven star who can immediately help their team as well as a late first round pick, something Ainge has had success with (Delonte West, Tony Allen). If this trade were to go through, the 07-08 Celtics could look like this: C - Al Jefferson PF - Shawn Marion SF - Paul Pierce SG - Wally Szczerbiak PG - Delonte West BENCH: Rajon Rondo (PG), Tony Allen (SG/SF), Gerald Green (SG/SF), Brian Scalabrine (PF), Leon Powe (PF/C) The No. 24 pick, the No. 32 (second round) and free agency would fill out the roster. The big question for Ainge and the Celtics is, by adding a veteran All-Star like Marion, are you really closer to an NBA Championship? I don't think so. I say keep the pick and roll the dice. Mediocrity isn't an option anymore. If they hold onto the pick and take Jianlian, here would be the team: C - Kendrick Perkins PF - Al Jefferson SF - Paul Pierce SG - Wally Szczerbiak PG - Delonte West BENCH: Rajon Rondo (PG), Tony Allen (SG/SF), Ryan Gomes (SF/PF), Gerald Green (SG/SF), Yi Jianlian (PF/C), Brian Scalabrine (PF), Leon Powe (PF/C) It may not be a championship team in 2008 or 2009 but that roster gives me more hope than the one with Marion on it.

Random Thoughts

I made the 45 minute drive from my house to Pawtucket last night to take in Jon Lester's start for the PawSox. Lester looked very good, consistently hitting 90-91 mph on the radar gun and topping out at 94 mph. He allowed one run on three hits in five innings (he was restricted to five innings or 70-75 pitches). According to this mornings Boston Herald, Lester was not allowed to use his cut fastball due to some minor concerns of the arm cramps he sustained in early May. Also shining for the PawSox last night were center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury and relief pitcher Craig Hansen. Ellsbury showed off his awesome speed twice in this game. In one at-bat, Ellsbury drove a hard ground ball up the middle that was knocked down by the Syracuse Chiefs pitcher John Thomson. Before Thomson could pick the ball up and turn to first, Ellsbury was streaking through the first base bag. The center fielder of the future in Boston also tracked down a hard hit fly ball by Howie Clark, the first batter Hansen faced. The ball screamed to the right-center gap but Ellsbury easily covered the ground and made a possible extra base hit into a routine out. Hansen pitched a scoreless sixth and seventh inning in relief of Lester. He pitched with confidence and mixed in an 88 mph slider with his 95-96 mph fastball. Hopefully he can get his mind and his stuff on track so he can be a positive force in the Boston bullpen sometime this summer... Driving around the other day, I saw a 30-something woman jogging. No big deal, right? Well she was jogging while chatting on her cellphone. Was the person on the other end of that conversation as dumb as her? I wonder... The Red Sox need to bounce back from dropping 2-of-3 to the Yankees by winning their series in Texas this weekend. The losses to the the Yanks will not mean as much if they take care of business elsewhere... I know he's a Mormon and doesn't gamble but wouldn't you just love to play Blackjack against Danny Ainge? He's about as lucky as Rick Pitino... Back when the Original Six were the rulers of the (North American) hockey world, did anyone ever think that Anaheim and Ottawa would be playing in June for Lord Stanley's Cup? While I'm wasting your time and mine on hockey, would it be too much to ask for the Bruins to contend sometime in the next decade? Chris Drury -- a free agent Mr. Peter Chiarelli -- would be a great fit in Black & Gold... If he lasts to No. 5, get used to the sight of Yi Jianlian in Green... Speaking of the NBA Draft, if you believe the 1985 Lottery -- which delivered Patrick Ewing to New York -- was fixed than the 2007 Lottery will forever offer proof that it wasn't and that it is totally random. There is no way David Stern wanted his next two megastars to begin their careers playing in Portland and Seattle...

5th Pick

It's too miserable to talk about right now. No Greg Oden. No Kevin Durant. Hopefully no more Ainge? My jerk reaction is to trade Pierce while he still has value and gamble on Al Jefferson becoming a stud. Build around Al with Rajon Rondo, Gerald Green, whatever they can get at No. 5 (I bet he speaks Chinese) and whatever they can pull back in a move for Pierce. The C's could also gage Phoenix' interest in a Top 5 pick -- they would have had Atlanta's first pick if it wasn't in the Top 3 -- and see if Shawn Marion is available. The No. 5, Ryan Gomes and Theo Ratliff's expiring deal for Marion would save the money conscious Suns some dough while allowing them to get younger. Does it matter? Right now it does not. It hurts to know that Oden will start his career in freaking Portland and that Durant will open his career in delightful Seattle. Hey, maybe if the C's clear some cap room they can make a run at Oden or Durant in 2012. I have some hope again.

Lottery Prediction

Anyone out there remember October 20, 2004? It was the night that the Red Sox beat the Yankees in Game 7 of the ALCS, forever ending the failures of the Sox. May 22, 2007 may go down as the same type of night for Celtics fans. Since Len Bias dies hours after the Celtics took him with the No. 2 pick in the 1986 Draft, the fortunes of the Celtics gone from mystical dynasty to laughable loser. But tonight is the night it gets turned around. Here is my predicted order of finish for the lottery, to be aired tonight at 8:30 pm on ESPN. There is a Mock Draft to go with it. 14. Los Angeles Clippers (.5% chance at No. 1 pick) -- Jeff Green, PF, Georgetown 13. New Orleans Hornets (.6%) -- Al Thornton, PF, Florida State 12. Philadelphia 76ers(.7%) -- Spencer Hawes, C, Washington 11. Atlanta Hawks (from Indiana Pacers; .8%) -- Acie Law IV, PG, Texas A&M 10. Sacramento Kings (1.8%) -- Joakim Noah, PF, Florida 9. Chicago Bulls (from New York Knicks; 1.9%) -- Roy Hibbert, C, Georgetown 8. Charlotte Bobcats (1.9%) -- Brandon Wright, PF, North Carolina 7. Portland TrailBlazers (5.3%) -- Al Horford, PF, Florida 6. Seattle Sonics (8.8%) -- Yi Jianlian, PF, China 5. Phoenix Suns (from Atlanta Hawks; 11.95) -- Mike Conley Jr., PG, Ohio State 4. Milwaukee Bucks (15.6%) -- Julian Wright, SF, Kansas 3. Memphis Grizzlies (25%) -- Corey Brewer, SF, Florida 2. Minnesota Timberwolves (5.3%) -- Kevin Durant, SF, Texas 1. Boston Celtics (19.9%) -- Greg Oden, C, Ohio State

Draft Lottery/Joe Torre

Ten years ago, the Celtics had the best chance to win the NBA Draft lottery and the opportunity to draft Wake Forest center Tim Duncan. Instead, the San Antonio Spurs got the top pick -- and Duncan -- while the C's ended up with the third and sixth picks (Chauncey Billups and Ron Mercer). The Spurs capitalized by winning three NBA Championships (1999, 2003 and 2005) and are the favorites to win the 2007 championship. On the other end of the spectrum, the Celtics have been regular visitors to the lottery and have made the playoffs just four times including their fluke 2002 trip to the Eastern Conference Finals. Tonight, Celtic fans hope for a reversal of fortune. They enter tonight's lottery drawing with the second best chance at getting the top pick. If luck falls their way, the C's will have the opportunity to draft Ohio State freshman center Greg Oden. Even if they fail to get the first pick, staying at No. 2 would give them a chance to draft Texas freshman forward Kevin Durant, the consensus national player of the year. Of course, after one and two there is a drop off. The C's would still have a shot at a very good player -- what if Rick Pitino had not traded Billups after only 50 games of his rookie season? -- but no matter what Danny Ainge or any other general manager tells you, this draft is all about Greg Oden and Kevin Durant. The drawing will take place before Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals. Playing tonight will be Tim Duncan. The irony is there. Tonight while San Antonio is in the midst of a run toward their fourth championship in a decade, Boston will be praying for a chance at getting the player -- Oden or Durant -- that can get them back among the NBA's elite... As a Red Sox fan, I hope that the Yankees fire Joe Torre because that is the absolute worst move that George Steinbrenner could make. As of this morning, after last night's 6-2 win over the Red Sox, the Yankees trail Boston by 9.5 games in the AL East. It kills me to say it but on May 22, that is far from being an insurmountable disadvantage for New York. Firing Torre now, as the rumors in the Apple continue to swirl, would be a crushing blow in the Yankee clubhouse. Does Steinbrenner expect Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada and the other Bombers to be inspired by the firing of Torre? Would any other manager make a diference when they are losing starting pitchers on an almost daily basis? The smart move would be to let Torre finish the year despite where the Yanks finish. After all that Torre has done for Steinbrenner and the Yankees -- 10 AL East championships including the last nine in a row, 11 postseason appearances in a row, six American League championships and four World Series championships -- he deserves to go out on his own and with his contract up at the end of the 2007 season, just let him walk away this fall. Making a rush decision to fire Torre sends the wrong message to his players, especially those who have been with him during the glory years. By allowing Torre to guide the team for the remainder of the season, there will be no storm of confusion among the Yankees. With all the injuries they have sustained, it is crazy to think they should be playing better. It is not Torre's fault that the Yanks are playing so poorly so Steinbrenner should not place the blame on him. After this season, the Yankees can find a new manger (Don Mattingly, Joe Girardi, Larry Bowa) and begin the process of building a new team. Alex Rodriguez will most likely leave as a free agent when he opts outof his contract and Bobby Abreu probably will join him. The pitching staff is getting older as well. This is an opportunity for Steinbrenner and the Yankees to make the wise choice to rebuild the organization at a time when the remainder of the 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2000 World Series championship teams is growing older and the high priced mercenaries they acquired during this decade are on the way out. Allowing Torre to finish the season -- he would be the first Yankee skipper to manage 12 consecutive years since Casey Stengel did it from 1949-1960 -- is the first step in the direction of rebuilding the Yankees. So, as a Sox fan, you can see why I want Torre fired...

Random Thoughts

The Phoenix Suns played with pride and emotion last night but without first team All-NBA center Amare Stoudemire and backup forward Boris Diaw, the Suns just didn't have enough firepower to overcome the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs now lead the series 3-2 and are in position to close out the Suns on Saturday in San Antonio... Jon Lester will make another start for the Pawucket Red Sox, in Ottawa on Saturday. Hopefully this will be Lester's final Triple-A start and he can finally claim the spot in the rotation currently held down by Julian Tavarez... To me, LeBron James can not be considered a great player until he steps up and actually leads the Cavaliers. It is not enough to be flashy, sell sneakers and make SportsCenter every night with a fabulous dunk; it is time to validate all the hype and win in the lowly East. The Cavs could have won their Eastern Conference semifinal series against the New Jersey Nets last night in Cleveland but James -- who scored just 20 points -- could not lead his team to victory against the mediocre Nets. New Jersey led going into the fourth quarter by a score of 77-59 but were held to just 6 points in the final quarter. Even with the Nets falling apart on offense, the Cavs -- and James -- could not capitalize, falling 83-72. Now James is not surrounded by an All-Star team in Cleveland but there is more than enough talent to advance at least as far as the Eastern Finals. They had a great chance to do that last night at home but they choked. James needs to step up his game and get his team to win. Anything less will be a failure...

Random Thoughts

I am still outraged with the suspensions of Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw for Game 5 of the Suns-Spurs series tonight. Yesterday I got into my reasons and after hearing a replay of NBA commissioner David Stern's interview on the Dan Patrick Show on ESPN Radio, I am even more upset. Stern was arrogant during the interview to the point that I almost do not want to watch the game (I will watch it just to see the Suns rally around Shawn Marion -- he's getting a triple-double tonight, bank on it -- and Steve Nash to pull off the upset). Stern continued to state that the rule says if a player leaves the bench at all during the game he has to be suspended and would not listen to Patrick (or anyone else with common sense) when the point was brought up that neither Stoudemire or Diaw (who actually appeared to take a few steps and turn around to help his coaches block teammates from running off the bench) made the situation worse. Fine, live by your stupid rule Mr. Commissioner but then live up to your word and suspend Tim Duncan and Bruce Bowen for leaving the bench -- Duncan was a step inside the three point line -- during the third quarter. Do not try and use reason in one situation (Duncan and Bowen) and not use it in another (Stoudemire and Diaw). I'm far from alone on this point. Bill Simmons, Ian Thomsen and Jack McCallum all weigh in on the subject in opposition of the NBA. Anyways, I'll go with the Suns tonight. 112-99. If I'm wrong, so be it. The NBA has refused to use common sense and reason and in speaking for the remaining fans of professional basketball, I hope it does not ruin this series... Josh Beckett will not make his scheduled start for the Red Sox against the Braves on Friday. The avulsion on the middle finger of his throwing hand has not healed 100% and the Sox are in no rush to push Beckett. I'm not worrying, at least not yet... Rich Hill goes in New York against the Mets tonight, aiming for his fifth victory...

NBA Drops The Ball With Suspensions

The NBA has suspended Phoenix Suns forwards Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw for Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals for leaving the bench area directly after San Antonio Spurs forward Robert Horry hip checked Steve Nash out of bounds with under 20 seconds to play in Phoenix' 104-98 win that tied the series at 2-2. Horry, who was immediately ejected from the game, received a two game suspension. I am in total disagreement with the NBA on their ruling. First of all, Horry only deserved to miss one game. What he did was wrong but there is no way he should have gotten two games. The reason that Horry got two games is that the NBA gave both Stoudemire and Diaw a one game suspension. There is an NBA rule that states players can't leave the bench during the game or they will be suspended but in following this rule, the NBA is not taking into account the great emotion the players have during the game. Upon seeing their teammate go flying into the scorers table, both Stoudemire and Diaw clearly run in the direction of Nash -- not Horry -- and when an assistant coach got in their way and herded them back to the bench, they returned to the bench. Believe me, if the 6-10 255 pound Stoudemire and the 6-9 240 pound Diaw really wanted to get at Robert Horry, no assistant coach could have or would have held them back. The NBA should have used common sense and at worst fined the players. Instead, NBA executive vice president Stu Jackson handed down the suspensions, saying that, "...the rule, however, is the rule, and we intend to apply it consistently." The suspension could totally throw the series in the direction of San Antonio. Phoenix fought back from a 97-92 deficit with 2:23 to play in what was a must-win for them on the road, closing out the game on a 12-1 run against one of the best teams in the NBA. Now the Suns must battle Tim Duncan -- who also left the bench area along with Bruce Bowen during the game after teammate Francisco Elson was undercut by James Jones -- without two of their best players. And if the NBA are suspending Stoudemire and Diaw, which is the wrong move, then why aren't Duncan and Bowen being held to the same rule. No fight or altercation broke out during the Elson/Jones entanglement -- and one did not break out during the Nash/Horry play -- but still, if the rule applies to one, it should apply to all. The NBA could have made this a non-issue by not suspending either Stoudemire or Diaw and explaining so using common sense. Instead a potentially great finish to a series could be short cut because the NBA has no guts.

Pats Keep Loading Up

ESPN is reporting that Junior Seau will re-sign with the Patriots. The 38-year-old middle linebacker joined the Pats last season and was a force against the run, making 69 tackles before a broken arm suffered versus the Bears on November 26 cost him the rest of the year. A future member of the Pro Football Hall-of-Fame, Seau is still in search of a Super Bowl ring. The Patriots obviously give him the best chance to win a championship with the roster they have right now. He joins a linebacker crew that includes Tedy Bruschi, Mike Vrabel, Roosevelt Colvin and Adalius Thomas... In other NFL news, Brett Favre was reportedly so upset with the Packers for failing to finalize a trade for Randy Moss, who was sent from Oakland to the Patriots during the Draft, that he asked to be traded from Green Bay. Favre, entering his 17th NFL season -- and 16th with the Packers -- cooled off a few days later but his anger at the team for not getting him a marquee receiver isn't going to go away anytime soon...

Happy Mother's Day

Mom, have a great time at the Red Sox today -- just don't root too hard for Kevin Millar. Remember that he doesn't play for us anymore... Along the lines of my previous post, Tim Duncan is another superstar who is sometimes overlooked because he isn't a flashy player or isn't on television for things other than basketball. Against the Suns last night, he brushed aside any and all forms of post defense and put Phoenix into a must-win situation tomorrow. Duncan had 33 points and 19 rebounds and showed yet again why he is the most dominant player in the NBA now that Shaq is 50-years-old... What has happened to Chris Drury and the Buffalo Sabres? My Stanley Cup favorite is now down 0-2 to the Ottawa Senators and the series is going to Canada. Drury, a free agent, will hopefully come back to his college hometown of Boston (he was a BU Terrier) and help revive the Bruins next season... Josh Beckett will go for 8-0 today against the Orioles...

Kidd At Play

Earlier this afternoon, the New Jersey Nets hosted the Cleveland Cavaliers in an NBA playoff game that will soon be forgotten. The Nets defeated the Cavs 96-85 to cut Cleveland's series lead to 2-1. This was not a classic game, it was not the deciding game of the series and it was just an Eastern Conference semifinal game so a few days from now, not many people will remember this game at all. Funny thing is, thanks to the brilliant play of Jason Kidd, I will remember this game for a very long time. Actually, I'm angry at myself for not taping this game because Kidd put on a clinic in how to play point guard. Before I give some hero worship to Kidd -- a player that I despised a few years back for the whole wife abuse thing and for knocking the Celtics out of the playoffs in both 2002 and 2003 -- I would like to give credit to Kidd, Steve Nash, Deron Williams, Baron Davis, Chauncey Billups and Tony Parker for showing anyone who pays attention to basketball that the point guard position is absolutely vital to win in basketball. Nash gets the most credit, he won back-to-back MVP's in 2005 and 2006 for doing what a point guard is supposed to do -- get your teammates easy shots and make the game seem enjoyable. Williams is doing the same thing in the relative obscurity of Utah. Davis is running NellieBall -- Don Nelson's orchestrated chaos of an offense -- perfectly. Billups leads the underrated offense of the defense-orientated Pistons. Parker thrives playing in Tim Duncan's enormous shadow. But Kidd is a whole different animal. Since coming onto the national scene as a freshman at the University of California in the 1992-1993 season, Kidd has always been one of the best point guards in basketball. However, starting his career with the then dysfunctional Dallas Mavericks removed him from most hoop radar screens. His trade to Phoenix during the 1996-97 season (a move that sent Nash to Dallas) revived his career but the Suns could never get over the hump in the Western Conference in Kidd's five-plus years with the team. The mentioned incident with his wife (soon to be ex) Joumanna expidited his departure from Phoenix to basketball oblivion -- New Jersey. In New Jersey he did the impossible, leading the Nets to consecutive Eastern Conference championships (losing in the Finals to the superior Lakers in 2002 and the Spurs in 2003) before knee injuries slowed him down. He still played at a high level but the return to mediocrity for the Nets and the emergence of a new brand of "superstars" led by Dwayne Wade and LeBron James pushed Kidd out of the spotlight. That brings me to this afternoon. Kidd proved today why people should watch the New Jersey Nets. It's not to see Vince Carter act like a baby, leaving the game for an extended period of time with what was diagnosed as a sprained finger. It's to see Kidd pass Larry Bird for second place on the career triple-double list with his eleventh as he scored 23 points, passed for fourteen assists and grabbed 13 rebounds. Kidd also only turned the ball over in 40 minutes of action. Now it is one thing to look at a box score and declare Kidd dominated the contest. The stats do not lie about this one. But to watch the manner in which he orchestrated this victory was incredible. At one point, Kidd leaped over a crowd to snare a defensive rebound and before his Nike's touched down on the court, he had thrown an outlet pass to a streaking Carter for an uncontested dunk. And he made it look easy. That was one of many great plays Jason Kidd made on a Saturday afternoon in New Jersey that will soon fade from the memory of many of those who witnessed it. Do yourself a favor. Don't ever let Kidd fade from yor memory. He is a brilliant player that does not come along too often.

Random Thoughts

I don't see what the big fuss is over the Celtics giving Doc Rivers a one year extension on his contract. There is no harm in giving him a shot to win with a healthy Pierce and a more developed rotation of Jefferson, Rondo, West, Gomes, Perkins and Green. That No. 1 pick will make a difference as well. If things don't work out, they can terminate him. It is only a one year deal so it's not like the Celtics will have to raise ticket prices to give Doc his golden parachute... Speaking of that No. 1 pick, the Lottery drawing is only 11 days away... How 'bout the Red Sox. Thirty-three games does not make a season but this 23-10 start has not been accomplished with smoke and mirrors. They are winning with great pitching, from the rotation and the bullpen. The bats -- save David Ortiz, Mike Lowell and some flurries by almost everyone else -- haven't even started to really bang yet. When that happens, it could be lights out early in the AL East... The Boston Globe reported this week that Boston College will be adding USC to its' football schedule come 2011. Great move by the Eagles. It does not matter if BC wins on the field, just by adding the Trojans to the schedule is a positive move. If BC wants to start playing in bowl games that actually mean something, they needed to stop playing the likes of Central Michigan and Buffalo and start playing the elite teams... Some encouraging Red Sox stats: The team is 12-2 when Julio Lugo scores a run ... Dustin Pedroia batted .588 (10-for-17) with 5 RBI this past week ... Tim Wakefield is currently working on a scoreless inning streak of 16.1 innings and has a 1.79 ERA ... Hideki Okajima is also working on a 16.1 innings scoreless streak in his last 16 games and of the last 27 outs he has recorded, 19 have been via strikeouts ... A-Rod's historic April (14 HR, 34 RBI) have him sitting on top of the leaderboards (15/39) but Big Papi is creeping up behind him in homeruns (9) and RBI (30)... It is sad to say but in an offseason that has seen the Patriots trade for Randy Moss and Wes Welker, sign Adalius Thomas, Sammy Morris, Donte' Stallworth and Kelly Washington amd draft Brandon Meriweather, the picture of Tom Brady wearing a Yankee hat was way too big of an issue...

Daisuke Impressive

For the first time since his debut against the Kansas City Royals, Daisuke Matsuzaka looked every bit the part of a pitcher that the Red Sox shelled out $51 million to talk to and another $52 million in salary to bring to Boston. Over seven impressive innings and 109 pitches, Daisuke shut down the struggling Toronto Blue Jays. He allowed just one run (on a Lyle Overbay homerun in the sixth inning) and five hits, he walked just three batters and struck out eight. The rookie hurler -- don't forget that -- is now 4-2 with a 4.80 ERA. The control problems he has had were not a factor last night. Matsuzaka threw more fastballs, especially early in the count, and he dominated the Blue Jays. His next start will be against the defending American League champion Detroit Tigers on Monday at Fenway Park. This will be a key start because not only are the Tigers an impressive team -- their lineup features Gary Sheffield, Magglio Ordonez and Pudge Rodriguez -- but Daisuke has struggled mightily in his three home starts. His 1-1 record is hidden by a 7.58 ERA and 32 base runners allowed (21 hits, 7 walks and 4 hit batters) in 19 innings pitched. The Fenway Faithful will be watching intently to see if last night's start was the start of the dominance that Matsuzaka's talents promise or if more hard lessons have to be learned before he asserts himself in America.

Top 10 NBA Draft Prospects

The NBA Playoffs have me very excited but with the Celtics on the outside looking in, there is a sense of disappointment. The only thing a C's fan has to be excited about right now is the NBA Draft. The Lottery, held on May 22, will determine where the Celtics will pick. They were the second worst team in 2006-07 so when the ping-pong balls drop two weeks from today, they will be picking anywhere from No. 1-No. 5. Preparing for the Draft, which will be held on June 28, I will list the players who I believe are the Top 10 prospects for the Draft. One disclaimer -- I will not list any foreign players because I have not seen them play. Foreign born players who may be lottery picks are Yi Jianlian from China and Tiago Splitter of Brazil. The Top 10, in reverse order... 10. Al Thornton, PF, Florida State 9. Al Horford, PF, Florida 8. Jeff Green, F, Georgetown 7. Mike Conley Jr., PG, Ohio State 6. Joakim Noah, PF, Florida 5. Julian Wright, SF, Kansas 4. Corey Brewer, SF, Florida 3. Brandon Wright, F, North Carolina 2. Kevin Durant, F, Texas 1. Greg Oden, C, Ohio State

Pistons-Bulls; Jazz-Warriors

I didn't catch all of either playoff game last night but the parts of the Pistons-Bulls game and Jazz-Warriors game that I did see were very entertaining. I watched the majority of the fourth quarter of the Pistons 108-87 win over the Bulls. Heading into the fourth, Detroit led 83-62 and were in total control of the still evolving Bulls. An early push in the quarter by Chicago -- led by Tyrus Thomas' energy -- cut the lead to 93-80. Enter Rasheed Wallace. Wallace entered the game with Thomas on the free throw line. (For those of you in the dark on Ty Thomas, he was the best player on LSU's 2006 run to the Final Four and was the No. 4 pick in the Draft by the Bulls. He is an energy player and a tremendous athlete.) The Pistons brought the ball down court, poured it into Wallace with Thomas on his back and Wallace released a powerful dunk on top of Thomas. Wallace let out a fury of screams as he ran downcourt. A Chicago turnover seconds later led to a Chauncey Billups three-pointer and a 98-80 advantage. Timeout Bulls. Game over. As for the late game, I wish I was able to stay awake long enough to see its' end. The Utah Jazz and Golden State Warriors played vintage '80s basketball, pushing the ball up the floor at every opportunity, scoring easy baskets in the process. The Jazz held on, winning 116-112 in an instant playoff classic that not many people witnessed. Carlos Boozer (17 points, 20 rebounds) gave Utah the lead for good on a put back off of an offensive rebound. Starting with the first quarter, which ended with the Jazz up 37-35 (how many Celtics games have a similar score at halftime?), both teams pushed all night long. Utah's point guard -- and one of the breakout stars of the playoffs -- Deron Williams played flawlessly. Running the show in a manner that can be described as "John Stockton with an attitude," Williams scored 31 points and dished out eight assists while only committing 6 turnovers, a relatively small number considering the uptempo pace of the game. Andrei Kirilenko, the multidimensional third star on the Jazz, filled the stat sheet with 13 points, 7 rebounds, 7 blocks and 4 assists. The Warriors had five players reach double digits with Baron Davis (24), Al Harrington (21), Jason Richardson (21) and Matt Barnes (20) all dropping in at least 20. Game One was just a preview of what is to come. Golden State needs to push the ball to be successful and Utah is more than capable of playing that style and they also can slow it down and play a halfcourt game -- giving them the advantage in reaching the Western Finals. On tap for tonight are the New Jersey Nets in Cleveland, trying to even the series with LeBron and the Cavs at 1-1. The late game has Phoenix hosting San Antonio, trying to get the series to 1-1. This is a must win for the Suns; if they lose the first two at home they are finished.

NBA Playoffs - Round 2

My predictions for the NBA Playoffs weren't so bad. In the Eastern Conference I had all four series winners -- Pistons, Bulls, Cavaliers and Nets. Out West I went 2-for-4, missing on the Mavericks (though I did have the Warriors lasting six games) and the Rockets (I called a 7 game series, I didn't see Carlos Boozer turning into Superman in Houston though). Both of my "projected" NBA finalists -- the Suns and Cavs -- are still alive and three of my four Conference finalists are playing as well. Overall I think that Round One of the Playoffs has been great. The basketball has been exciting for the most part and new teams -- the Bulls, Warriors and Jazz -- are stepping into the spotlight which, as Ian Thomsen of Sports Illustrated pointed out in this enlightening piece, is great for the NBA. As Round Two opens, I think that I will lose my NBA Champion. I just don't see Phoenix getting past San Antonio. Watching Game One of that series yesterday, I can't believe that I missed Tim Duncan and the Spurs all season -- while Dallas was burning itself out winning 67 games before collapsing against Golden State and the Suns were running all over the Association the Spurs were playing it smart, staying quiet and gearing up for a run at their fourth (third if you don't count the '99 strike season) title of the Duncan era. I love the Suns and their brand of up-tempo basketball but the Spurs are too good defensively to let Phoenix run all over them and they have no answer for Duncan. The best part of this series will be watching Steve Nash and Tony Parker post ridiculous offensive numbers because both are great with the ball and neither plays particularly good defense. I'm holding out hope that the Suns will gets their moment but my head may win out over my heart for once -- the Spurs just look too good. This is not a good development for the NBA. The Spurs are a great team -- as anyone who really knows hoop can tell you -- and Duncan is the greatest winner of the post-Jordan NBA but the casual fan wants Phoenix and their 150 point-per-game offense to shine. Sadly, the NBA at the bottom line is about money and while defense wins titles, offense sells sponsorships. Here are my updated predictions: EASTERN CONFERENCE Cavaliers over Nets (4-2) -- LeBron inching closer to Finals; Nets on last legs. Pistons over Bulls (4-1) -- Bulls can't beat the Pistons shooting jumpers. Pistons over Cavs (4-1) -- A total flip-flop on my part but unless LeBron morphs into 1991 Jordan, the Cavs aren't pulling this one off. WESTERN CONFERENCE Spurs over Suns (4-2) -- Losing Nash in the final minutes of Game One was a death blow for the Suns. Duncan is too much for Stoudemire. I just hope that the Suns don't get broken up because this team will win a title with this nucleus. Jazz over Warriors (4-2) -- Nellie is a great coach and the media loves him right now but don't expect him to outclass Jerry Sloan in this series like he did Avery Johnson in the first round. I give the edge to the Jazz because they have two players to defend Baron Davis (the wildly underrated Deron Williams and former Laker Derek Fisher). Boozer is the low post threat that G-State didn't have to worry about with against Dallas. Spurs over Jazz (4-3) -- The Jazz may not be well known but they are a very good team and they will push San Antonio to the brink. NBA FINALS Spurs over Pistons (4-3) -- A well played and well coached series that will have most of the idiots in the media complaining about lack of interest and games that aren't appealing to fans. Let 'em complain, I'll enjoy a matchup of these two teams.

More Clemens

It turns out that it was about money. Surprised? You shouldn't be. I was yesterday -- that emotional rant sounded ridiculous when I read it over this morning -- but when push comes to shove, money is what Roger Clemens is all about. When he was leaving the Sox after 1996 he said he wanted to go close to his home in Texas. Was he looking at the map upside down when he went to Toronto? No, he was looking for large stacks of green. Did he mind going to the Yankees before the 1999 season? I mean, all those years in Boston had to mean something, right? Turns out they didn't, Roger pushed for the trade to New York and a new fat contract extension. After retiring following the 2003 World Series, did he really retire? No way. He pitched in Houston, right near home, for a sweetheart deal that paid him tons of dough and in return he only had to be in uniform on the day that he was scheduled to pitch. So, now that it turns out that Clemens took the pro-rated $28 million from the Yankees instead of the pro-rated $22 million from the Astros or pro-rated $18 million from the Red Sox, I am in full acceptance that Clemens is nothing more than a mercenary desperate for headlines. Doesn't make him a bad guy. All it makes him is an enemy of the Sox -- something this bored fan base is in serious need of -- a greedy bastard and a more faded memory of my childhood. The late great Will McDonough said it best... Roger really is a Texas Con Man. And if that doesn't do it for you, Curt Schilling's comments put it in great perspective from a Red Sox point of view ... I would have loved to have him [Clemens], I said so, but the second he chose the Yankees it became a non-factor. This game is hard enough worrying about the things you can control much less the things you can’t. We have a very very good team. I think we have the best staff in the game right now. Can that change? Sure it can but no one here can tell us how when and why it will change. Maybe it won’t. Bottom line is if you are in our clubhouse wishing we had Clemens you are basically telling a teammate you suit up with every day that we’re better off without you. I’ve made that mistake in the past and refused to do it again. CHB can sob all he wants, Rocket coming here gave him something legitimate to actually write about for the next 4 months. Now he can stick to the bitter style he’s perfected and talk about how bad we suck because we failed to get Rocket." -- 5.7.07, Curt Schilling, 38Pitches.com

The Antichrist And Other Thoughts

It is official. Roger Clemens is Satan's love child with Marge Schott. Clemens announced that he will return to the Yankees this summer at the Yankee-Mariner game this afternoon. Bill Simmons was right all along. Everyone who told me that Clemens was a dick knew what they spoke of. Instead of staying retired, returning to the hometown Astros or coming back to Boston where he started his career, Clemens will be making reservations in Hell as they fit his fat ass for pinstripes. I grew up with Clemens as my baseball hero. His 1996 defection to Toronto and subsequent move to the Yankees in 1999 inspired me to hate him but by the end of 2003, with his career ending, I began to make peace. When he "came back" each of the last three years with the Astros I wasn't too upset, he was pitching at home with his family close by. And during the time from 2004-2006, there were always rumors that he might return to Boston. Of course, there was talk of a return to the Yankees as well but I didn't think that would happen. But now it has. And I hate Clemens again -- this time for good. I'm not worried about him going to New York. As great as Clemens was, he's 44 and will be returning to the American League and the AL East -- not the Triple-A NL Central. He will be hit and hit hard. The Yanks still don't have the pitching that the Red Sox do. Now that I think of it, Clemens' return to the Bronx may be a good thing. This should wake up the anger that drove me -- and thousands of other Sox fans -- to hate the Yankees. 2004 is over and done with. Roger is our enemy again. Everything seems right. I can't wait until he comes back to Boston with his lover Andy Pettitte on his arm and with Jeter and Torre kissing his fat ass. I will cheer for him to fail harder than I ever did when he broke my heart the first time. The Yankees next visit Fenway on June 1-3 but he won't be ready that early. The Sox also visit the Bronx a few times this summer, before Clemens will be in Boston. I can't wait for September 14, 15 and 16... Rich Hill is still cruising for the Cubs. After beating Washington yesterday -- and recording his first career RBI on a bases loaded walk -- Rich is 4-1 with a 1.72 ERA... This is why I love being a fan -- I will forever hate Roger Clemens now but I am making room for Randy Moss in my heart... The Red Sox are 19-10 (about to be 20-10 if they hold on in Minnesota) and they haven't even hit yet. Big Papi is ripping it up (.304/8/25) and Mike Lowell is swinging the bat great too (.302/4/21) and Kevin Youkilis has been steady (.276) but the rest of the regular lineup has not been on fire. When Manny Ramirez, Julio Lugo, J.D. Drew and the rest get going, Clemens will wish he stayed in Houston...

Quick Thoughts

Don't be shocked to see a stunned Dirk Nowitzki walking off the floor tonight... Why not? That is the question Bill Belichick must be asking himself right now... In declining order, the MVP's for the Red Sox in April were: 3. Josh Beckett 2. Hideki Okajima 1. Jonathan Papelbon... What Dan Shaughnessy doesn't understand is that fans are supposed to have open minds and opinion changes for their teams, especially when they add a talent like Randy Moss... The NBA Draft Lottery is on May 22, just 21 days away. That's all us Celtic fans have going for us... I still hate the NHL but I am pulling for the Buffalo Sabres to win the Stanley Cup. If they can't do it, I'll take the San Jose Sharks so that Joe Thornton will get a parade in Boston...