Random Thoughts (July 7, 2009)

Celtics fans received a bit of bad news yesterday. Marc Spears, the C's beat writer at the Globe, is jumping ship to Yahoo! Sports. I can't blame Spears for moving on to a bigger and better opportunity - especially at a time when the future of the Globe is still uncertain - but his hoops knowledge and writing ability will be missed... It looks like free agent swingman Grant Hill will decide between becoming a Celtic or a Knick. Hey Grant, if you are serious about winning a championship, there is nothing to think about. You should be willing to pay your way to Boston... The tragic death of Steve McNair over the weekend is just another reason why sports stars should be supported for what they do on the field only. McNair, who was married and had four sons, was fatally shot while in the apartment of his girlfriend, 20-year-old Sahel Kazemi. The 2003 NFL co-MVP was a great football player but it's sad that problems in his personal life caused his untimely death... For argument sake, how long will the Red Sox wait for John Smoltz to find himself before calling up Clay Buchholz? I'm not ready to give up on Smoltz - patience is required for a pitcher who had been out since tearing his labrum over a year ago - but with the Yankees and Rays gaining ground fast in the AL East, I wonder how much patience the Red Sox can afford to have... Enjoy Josh Beckett tonight...