Football Picks

This did not post earlier because of internet problems at home. Picks are against the spread (BoDog) and home team is in capitals... NCAA Ole Miss (-8) over MISSISSIPPI STATE Oklahoma State (+8) over OKLAHOMA Florida State (+24.5) over FLORIDA Arizona (-3) over ARIZONA STATE Utah (+8) over BYU Last Week: 4 - 1 Season: 36 - 19 - 2 NFL HOUSTON (+3.5) over Indianapolis Cleveland (+14) over CINCINNATI PHILADELPHIA (-9) over Washington Miami (-3.5) over BUFFALO Seattle (-4) over ST. LOUIS ATLANTA (-13) over Tampa Bay Carolina (+3) over NY JETS Jacksonville (+3.5) over SAN FRANCISCO SAN DIEGO (-14) over Kansas City MINNESOTA (-11) over Chicago Arizona (+3) over TENNESSEE Pittsburgh/BALTIMORE (no line, Roethlisberger injury) Patriots (+3) over NEW ORLEANS Last Week: 8 - 7 This Week: 2 - 1 Season: 84 - 75 - 1

Random Thoughts (November 27, 2009)

Now that the Blue Jays have signed Alex Gonzalez, the Red Sox have to seriously start shopping for a shortstop. The Sox currently have control of Jed Lowrie and Nick Green but neither has proven themselves capable of handling the job for an entire season. Marco Scutaro, coming off a very successful 2009 season with the Blue Jays, could be a good short term option. Scutaro batted .282, sported a .379 OBP, and a .788 OPS. However, at age 34, he is not the answer at shortstop for the future. That answer might already be in the Red Sox minor league system. The Sox signed 19-year-old Cuban shortstop José Iglesias this past summer. Iglesias is considered to be a premier defensive player with the potential to develop into a solid major league hitter. With Iglesias at least a year away, I expect the Sox to sign Scutaro before the New Year... While I'm sure that Hollywood will butcher Michael Lewis' excellent book, I think that I'm going to spend the $11 to check out Michael Oher's life story on the big screen in The Blind Side... The final two weekends of college football are upon us. The important matchups with BCS implications this weekend include Cincinnati-Illinois, Alabama-Auburn, TCU-New Mexico, and Florida-Florida State. This weekend will set up next weekend's championship games. The winner of Florida-Alabama in the SEC will face Texas (if they survive the Big 12 title game), while the winner of the Oregon-Oregon State "Civil War" will take the Pac-10 championship and a spot opposite Ohio State in the Rose Bowl and the Georgia Tech-Clemson ACC title game winner will make reservations for the Orange Bowl. Here are my predictions for the BCS bowl games: BCS Championship Game: Florida-Texas Rose Bowl: Ohio State-Oregon Orange Bowl: Georgia Tech-TCU Fiesta Bowl: Boise State-Oklahoma State Sugar Bowl: Alabama-Cincinnati BC fans should not worry, the Eagles will land in the Emerald Bowl keeping their consecutive bowl game streak intact at eleven... There are many of us in New England who believe the Pariots are in contention to win their fourth Super Bowl title of the decade but to prove that to the rest of the country, they need a win on Monday night in New Orleans against the 10-0 Saints... Next year, Wildcats, next year...

Thanksgiving Football Picks

Happy Thanksgiving. All picks against the spread (BoDog) and home team in capitals: NFL DETROIT (+12) over Green Bay DALLAS (-14) over Oakland DENVER (+7) over New York Giants Thanks Mom & Dad...

NFL Random Thoughts

Of the four teams that played in last season's conference championship games, the team many believed was the least likely to replicate their success in 2009 was the Arizona Cardinals. With the Steelers (6-4) and Ravens (5-5) struggling for their playoff lives in the AFC and the Eagles (6-4) not striking fear into anyone in the NFC, the Cardinals (7-3) could be the only team out of the four to make a serious run in this season's playoffs... If the Steelers or Ravens do get back into the playoff picture, they can thank the Bengals - especially kick returner Andre Caldwell - for losing in Oakland for giving them hope... It's wierd to see Wes Welker's stats from yesterday's decisive 31-14 Patriots victory over the Jets - 15 catches for 192 yards - and not be surprised by the production. Tom Brady has certainly hit the trifecta in his personal (Gisele) and professional (Welker and Randy Moss) lives the last few years... The shine is certainly coming off the fast starts for Josh McDaniels in Denver and Rex Ryan in New York... With the continued demise of Charlie Weis at Notre Dame, I wonder what NFL sideline (New England, Denver) he will be on next fall... Two very interesting notes from this morning's Monday Morning Quarterback, courtesy of Peter King: In 1989, Tony Dungy came very close to joining the staff of Bill Parcells and the Giants before going to Kansas City. Imagine Dungy's expertise added to the 1991 Giants and 1996 Patriots before he moved into a head coaching gig... In their fifty years of playing against each other, the Patriots and Jets series is as even as they come at 50-50-1... Here is this week's edition of the "Super Seven": 1. New Orleans Saints (10-0) 2. Minnesota Vikings (9-1) 3. New England Patriots (7-3) 4. Indianapolis Colts (10-0) 5. Arizona Cardinals (7-3) 6. San Diego Chargers (7-3) 7. Dallas Cowboys (7-3) Putting the Patriots ahead of the Colts is not the blatant act of homerism that you probably think it is. I truly believe that in spite of Peyton Manning's brilliant (MVP) season, the loss of Bob Sanders and Marlin Jackson to their defense gives the Patriots the edge in January... Enjoy Steve Slaton v. Chris Johnson tonight...

Football Picks

All picks against the spread (courtesy of the "Bible") and home team in capitals... NCAA Ohio State (-10.5) over MICHIGAN North Carolina (+3.5) over BC Oregon (-6) over ARIZONA TEXAS TECH (+6.5) over Oklahoma Virginia (+21) over CLEMSON Last Week: 4 - 1 Season: 32 - 18 - 2 NFL DETROIT (-3.5) over Cleveland JACKSONVILLE (-9) over Buffalo Pittsburgh (-10) over KANSAS CITY BALTIMORE (+1) over Indianapolis Atlanta (+6.5) over NY GIANTS San Francisco (+6.5) over GREEN BAY MINNESOTA (-10.5) over Seattle DALLAS (-11) over Washington New Orleans (-11.5) over TAMPA BAY Arizona (-9) over ST. LOUIS PATRIOTS (-10.5) over NY Jets Cincinnati (-9.5) over OAKLAND Philadelphia (-3) over CHICAGO DENVER/San Diego (OFF) Tennessee (+4.5) over HOUSTON Last Week: 8 - 6 - 1 This Week: 0 - 1 Season: 74 - 68 - 1

An NBA Story About Nothing

If I am lucky enough to get home from work before 6pm, I consider my day to be successful because it allows me the opportunity to watch the greatest television sitcom of all-time, Seinfeld. After years of watching Seinfeld repeats, I have found new meaning in the "show about nothing." While simultaneously watching Seinfeld and reading The Book of Basketball last week, I came to the conclusion that there was one NBA team that found their success in the same manner as Seinfeld. Think about it for a minute. If you guessed the '86 Celtics you are ... wrong. Think a little harder. The '96 Bulls? No. The '87 Lakers? Wrong again. The great NBA team that best represents Seinfeld are the Pistons teams that won back-to-back titles in 1989 and 1990. Although the Pistons will not be remembered as one of the truly great teams in NBA history (like the previously mentioned Celtics, Bulls, and Lakers teams) and Seinfeld is the greatest comedy in television history, there are still many similarities in how the Pistons and Seinfeld achieved greatness. Let's start with the most obvious tie between the Pistons and Seinfeld. The Pistons were NBA champions in 1989 and 1990, the same season that Seinfeld made its debut. To become champions, the Pistons had to knock off the Celtics and Lakers while Seinfeld needed to convince its fans that it was a better show than Cheers. The Pistons changed the way NBA teams were built (surround one superstar with another very good/great player and a slew of quality role players) and Seinfeld changed the way great sitcoms were built (surround one great comedian with a terrific ensemble cast). The Pistons of that era were led by a truly great player, Isiah Thomas. Thomas is one of the five best point guards the NBA has ever seen but he acquiesced his game to include his teammates, which made the Pistons champions in the most competitive period of professional basketball. Seinfeld was led by one of the signature comedians of the late '80s/early '90s, Jerry Seinfeld. Although his show was named for him, Jerry never went out of his way to steal the spotlight. He shared key scenes with his fellow castmates, which propelled the show to greatness. Isiah and Jerry both benefited greatly from superior supporting casts that would not have been as great as individuals but thrived in within their respective roles. Joe Dumars, who became a Hall of Famer playing alongside Isiah, is linked to George Costanza, who became the greatest television character of all-time thanks to Jerry. Dumars rose to fame as a worthy sidekick in the Pistons back court. Costanza needed Jerry to set him up for his most memorable scenes. I can even imagine Joe yelling out "It's gonna be the summer of Dumars," while accepting the MVP trophy for the '89 Finals. Dennis Rodman, the eccentric forward who thrived as a defender and rebounding specialist with a flair for the dramatic, is a kindred spirit of Kramer, Jerry's bizarro neighbor who made a career out of making the unexpected into the norm. Major bonus points are awarded in this relationship for awkward brushes with racism by Rodman (calling Larry Bird overrated because he was white in the '87 playoffs) and Michael Richardson (the man who played Kramer) sounding like David Duke during an infamous attempt at standup comedy. Elaine, Jerry's former girlfriend turned best buddy, is the Seinfeld equivalent of the surly Pistons forwards Bill Laimbeer and Rick Mahorn. Elaine's personality, which can be politley described as "pleasantly tough," provided a necessary edge to the show. Laimbeer and Mahorn, the big men who protected Isiah and Dumars, provided toughness to the Pistons. The sixth man of the Pistons, Vinnie "Microwave" Johnson provided instant offense off the bench for the champs, just like the instant comedy provided by Kramer's friend/Jerry's nemesis, Newman. Beyond the main characters and players, both the Pistons and Seinfeld relied on many role players and bit characters that made the team/show truly great. The Pistons would not have been champions without the contributions of James Edwards, Mark Aguirre, and John Salley just like Seinfeld would not have been as consistently hilarious without George's parents, Kenny Bania, and Puddy. The legacy of those Pistons teams will not be as great as Seinfeld. The Pistons have the misfortune of falling in the middle of the Larry Bird Celtics and Magic Johnson Lakers on one side with the Michael Jordan Bulls on the other side. Seinfeld will go down in history as the greatest sitcom, the Pistons of '89 and '90 will not share that same fate.

Thursday Football Pick, Random Thoughts

CAROLINA (-3) over Miami I would have loved to pick the Dolphins this week but Ronnie Brown's season ending injury rules it out... Keep a close eye on Georgetown's sophomore center Greg Monroe. The big lefty is tough to stop around the basket but can also create his shot off the dribble. This should be an All-American campaign... As long as the Sox do add at least - if not two - impact bats this winter, I will be just fine watching Jason Bay depart as a free agent. Bay turned down the Red Sox initial 4-year/$60-million offer and will test the free agent waters. I think this will turn out well for the Sox in the long run because I don't expect Bay to be producing numbers worthy of a $15-million salary at age 35. I would much rather see Theo Epstein spend John Henry's millions on free agents Matt Holliday and John Lackey and find a way to pry Adrian Gonzalez (goodbye, Clay Buchholz) away from San Diego, giving the Sox this lineup in 2010: 1. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF 2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B 3. Kevin Youkilis, 3B 4. Adrian Gonzalez, 1B 5. Victor Martinez, C 6. Matt Holliday, LF 7. David Ortiz, DH 8. J.D. Drew, RF 9. Jed Lowrie, SS Starting Rotation: Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, John Lackey, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Tim Wakefield God, I love filling out fictional lineups in November... My biggest fear about the Celtics - that Kevin Garnett's time as a dominant player is in the past - might be closer to reality than I previously believed... I have an actual "column" coming soon. The working title is "An NBA Story About Nothing"... Ken Jeong has always done a fantastic job of making me laugh but his work on "Community" might be the vehicle he needed to become a star... Enjoy Milan Lucic tonight...

Celtics Trade?

ESPN is reporting that the Celtics are involved in discussions to acquire forward Andres Nocioni from the Sacramento Kings as part of a three-way deal with the Philadelphia 76ers. According to Marc Stein, the Celtics would ship Tony Allen and Brian Scalabrine to Philly (along with Kenny Thomas) and J.R. Giddens to Sacramento (along with Samuel Dalembert) in exchange for the versatile Nocioni. The 6-7 Nocioni can play both forward positions, is a solid offensive (career 11.9 ppg and 44% shooter) and defensive (career 0.9 storks* per game) player. He would provide another excellent role player for an already deep bench and offer Doc Rivers a reliable backup for Paul Pierce so he does not wear out his legs during the regular season. One potential holdup is Boston's desire to take on the three years and $20+ million on Nocioni's contract. If the deal is consumated, the C's bench would be deeper than some team's starting five. Here is the Celtic depth chart if Danny Ainge pulls the trigger: 5: Kendrick Perkins, Rasheed Wallace, Shelden Williams 4: Kevin Garnett, Glen Davis (currently injured), Nocioni/Williams 3: Paul Pierce, Andres Nocioni, Daniels Bill Walker 2: Ray Allen, Marquis Daniels 1: Rajon Rondo, Eddie House, Lester Hudson (* A stork is the new statistic - courtesy of Bill Simmons and The Book of Basketball - that combines the average steals and blocks into one category.)

NFL Random Thoughts

I intentionally waited an entire day before making any comments about the Patriots-Colts game but even 24 hours has not been enough to ebb the pain of watching the Pats give away an important win to Peyton Manning. Bill Belichick will take a lot of the blame for not punting on 4th-and-2 from his own 28-yard line with two minutes to play. The Pats failed to convert and gave Manning a short field to convert the game winning touchdown. It was not the best moment for Belichick but my memory does recall some other risky moves taken by the Hooded One - giving the Broncos a safety on Monday Night Football in 2004 to improve field position in a victory - that worked out so I refuse to place all the blame on the coach. Two players that deserve a fair slice of the blame pie are Laurence Maroney and Nick Kaczur. Maroney's fumble in the end zone cost the Patriots crucial points in the third quarter and ended up being the difference in the 35-34 loss. Kaczur's inability to stop Colts defensive end Robert Mathis in the second half took Tom Brady out of his rhythm and slowed down the Pats offense. The Colts now have a three-game lead for home field advantage in the playoffs, meaning that to win a fifth AFC title this decade, the Patriots will probably have to return to Indianapolis... The Patriots defense did collapse in the fourth quarter but there were many positive plays from the younger members of the squad. Specifically, second-year linebacker Gary Guyton did a remarkable job covering Dallas Clark and rookie cornerback Darius Butler held his own in defending the Colts wide receivers. As this young unit gains more experience, they have the potential to be a special group come January because of their speed and athleticism... If the season ended today (and if I had a vote), this is what my MVP ballot would look like: 5. Tom Brady, Patriots 4. Jared Allen, Vikings 3. Brett Favre, Vikings 2. Drew Brees, Saints 1. Peyton Manning, Colts With the changes on the coaching staff and to his receiving corps, it is a testament to the greatness of Manning that the Colts are 9-0... Do you think Eric Mangini wishes he had followed Belichick's advice to stay on as Patriots defensive coordinator after the 2005 season instead of taking the Jets head coaching job? Mangini failed with the Jets and is doing a worse job in Cleveland, where he will probably be fired after just one season. He should have stayed in New England and studied why Belichick has been so successful instead of forging his own (crooked) path... Fact: I would be a cheaper and more efficient option at quarterback for the Raiders than JaMarcus Russell. In a related note, I can not throw a spiral more than 25 yards because of a bad shoulder... This week's edition of the "Super Seven": 1. New Orleans Saints (9-0) 2. Indianapolis Colts (9-0) 3. Minnesota Vikings (8-1) 4. New England Patriots (6-3) 5. Cincinnati Bengals (7-2) 6. San Diego (6-3) 7. Pittsburgh (6-3) Enjoy Jets Week...

Football Picks

Jay Cutler is a bag of shit, smeered all over my fantasy football team. I would rather play Steve McNair at quarterback than Cutler. This is another reminder of the brilliance of Josh McDaniels, who was happy to give away Cutler in exchange for Kyle Orton and two first round draft picks. As soon as McDaniels decided to cut ties with Cutler, I should have crossed him off my draft board. All picks against the spread (BoDog) and home team in capitals... NCAA Boston College (-5) over VIRGINIA Iowa (+17) over OHIO STATE Alabama (-12.5) over MISSISSIPPI STATE PITTSBURGH (-7) over Notre Dame OREGON (-20) over Arizona State Last Week: 4 - 1 Season: 28 - 17 - 2 NFL Jacksonville (+7) over NY JETS Denver (-4) over WASHINGTON Cincinnati (+7) over PITTSBURGH TENNESSEE (-8) over Buffalo Detroit (+17) over MINNESOTA New Orleans (-14) over ST LOUIS Atlanta (-2) over CAROLINA MIAMI (-10) over Tampa Bay Kansas City (+2) over OAKLAND ARIZONA (-9) over Seattle SAN DIEGO (-1) over Philadelphia Dallas (-3) over GREEN BAY Patriots (+3) over INDIANAPOLIS Baltimore (-11) over CLEVELAND Last Week: 6 - 7 This Week: 0 - 1 Season: 66 - 61 - 1

Red Sox Random Thoughts

I disagree with Christopher Gaspar's blog about Jason Varitek's return to the Red Sox - he picked up his $3 million player option for 2010 yesterday - being a potential nightmare. At age 37, Varitek is no longer the quality player he once was but he does give the 2010 Sox a quality backup behind Victor Martinez. His ability to work with Martinez and the pitching staff will help the team transition to a Varitek-less 2011 (when the Sox hopefully overwhelm Joe Mauer and bring him to Boston) and as a once or twice a week player, 'Tek can still contribute to a winner... The Sox look like they will be involved in the talks for free agent left fielder Matt Holliday. As I have written before, I would prefer Holliday to Jason Bay. Bay did produce in his 1 1/2 years in Boston but Holliday is younger and more likely to be productive at the end of a 5-year contract than Bay... As much as Red Sox Nation has enjoyed his time here, the Red Sox would be wise to shop Mike Lowell. It is painful to watch the 2007 World Series MVP hobble around third base and his hip injury prevents the Sox from being able to trust in his ability to play a complete season... If the Adrian Gonzalez trade talks do not progress by Christmas, I would not be shocked to see the Sox make a play for Detroit's Miguel Cabrera... The ground work is being laid for a return by Billy Wagner, which would be a wise move. Wagner is a power lefty in the bullpen who can setup for Jonathan Papelbon, along with Daniel Bard, and close in a pinch... Enjoy it while it lasts New York...

Thursday Football Pick

With the 49ers hosting the Bears tonight, the Thursday night portion of the NFL schedule kicks off with a whimper. Neither San Francisco or Chicago has what it takes to compete with the Saints or the Vikings in the competitive NFC. That being said, it is still a nice surprise to have a NFL game dropped into your lap on a Thursday night, regardless of the matchup. Beggars can not be choosers. The pick is against the spread and home team is in capitals... Chicago (+4) over SAN FRANCISCO

Random Thoughts (November 11, 2009)

There is no better surprise than being able to play a round of golf in Massachusetts during November but a wave of nice weather made that possible this morning... Happy Veteran's Day to all of the servicemen and women who protect our country and make it possible for schmucks like me to be able to golf on my day off. What a Veteran's Day it will be for Navy graduates, who are coming off a victory over Notre Dame last weekend... If you are looking for a good idea for a Christmas present for the sports fanatic in your life, spend your money on Bill Simmons' The Book of Basketball. The receipient will not be disappointed... The college basketball season is starting. My preseason top five has Kansas, North Carolina, Kentucky, Michigan State, and Texas... I doubt he would want to leave the warm weather and sun of Miami but if Randy Lerner, owner of the Cleveland Browns, truly wants to build a winning franchise, he has to cut a big check to procure the services of Bill Parcells to run the football operations for his team... We are just a few weeks away from an Alabama-Florida matchup in the SEC Championship Game, which will most likely serve as a de facto "playoff game" to determine who will face Texas for the BCS National Championship in January... I never thought it was possible following the departure of Jeff Jagodzinski but Frank Spaziani has Boston College bowl eligible for the tenth straight season... Enjoy Rajon Rondo tonight...

NFL Random Thoughts

The NFL ramblings are back after a one week hiatus. The Halloween booze cruise I attended physically prevented me from doing any writing last Sunday. I'm happy to be back... The Patriots are almost guaranteed to win their ninth (I count the ties in 2002 and 2008) AFC East championship of the decade with their win over the Dolphins yesterday. The Patriot defense played smart, tough football in stopping a Dolphin offense that relies on a variety of formations. The Dolphins still use the "Wildcat" and yesterday ran some option with rookie quarterback Pat White. Tom Brady had another solid game (25-of-37, 332 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) and at the midpoint of his comeback season, looks to be on pace for another Pro Bowl season (2364 yards and 16 TDs). If the defense keeps coming up with big stops and the Pats keep rolling, Brady may sneak into the MVP discussion by December... The annual Patriots-Colts showdown is this Sunday. The Pats will enter Indiana with a 6-2 record while the hosts sport the AFC's only undefeated record at 8-0. The Colts will be favored but I have to give the edge in this one to the Pats. The Colts defense has lost their two best players in the secondary - Bob Sanders and Marlin Jackson - to season ending injuries. Brady should be able to pick apart a diluted Colts pass defense and expect monster games from Randy Moss, Wes Welker, and Ben Watson in a key New England victory... The Chiefs have wisely cut ties with former Pro Bowl running back Larry Johnson after his criticisms of coach Todd Haley on Twitter. Johnson is no stranger to negative publicity but I would not be against the Patriots bringing in Johnson for the remainder of the 2009 season as insurance for their backfield. The Pats are already down Fred Taylor and Sammy Morris, leaving Laurence Maroney as the primary ballcarrier. An injury to Maroney would be a crippling blow without a viable option like Johnson to turn to... Has any team needed a bye-week as bad as the Jets? I expect Rex Ryan's boys to finish the season strong and compete for the playoffs now that they have had some time to fix their problems... Here is this week's edition of the "Super Seven": 1. New Orleans Saints (8-0) 2. Minnesota Vikings (7-1) 3. New England Patriots (6-2) 4. Indianapolis Colts (8-0) 5. Dallas Cowboys (6-2) 6. Denver Broncos (6-1) 7. Cincinnati Bengals (6-2) Enjoy Hines Ward tonight...

Football Picks

Back with the Boston Herald (aka, the "Bible") this week. All picks against the spread and home team is in capitals... NCAA Oregon (-7) over STANFORD ALABAMA (-7.5) over Louisiana State MIAMI (-13.5) over Virginia Navy (+12) over NOTRE DAME Washington (+5) over UCLA Last Week: 2 - 3 Season: 24 - 16 - 2 NFL JACKSONVILLE (-6.5) over Kansas City Baltimore (-3) over CINCINNATI Houston (+9) over INDIANAPOLIS ATLANTA (-10) over Washington Green Bay (-9.5) over TAMPA BAY Arizona (+3) over CHICAGO Miami (+10.5) over PATRIOTS NEW ORLEANS (-13.5) over Carolina Detroit (+10) over SEATTLE SAN FRANCISCO (-4) over Tennessee San Diego (+4.5) over NY GIANTS Dallas (+3) over PHILADELPHIA DENVER (+3) over Pittsburgh Last Week: 8 - 5 Season: 60 - 53 - 1

Celtics Thoughts

I could not be happier with today's announcement that the Celtics and Rajon Rondo have agreed on a 5-year/$55-million contract extension. The more that I watch Rondo, the more convinced that I become that Rondo is the player of this generation that Boston basketball fans will most identify themselves with. Seriously, Rondo is to the fans of the early 21st Century just like what Larry Bird was to the fans of the 1980s. I'm not trying to say Rondo is equal to Bird on the court but if you watch him play on a regular basis, you will notice he has a Bird-like flair for making at least two or three plays a game that are absolutely amazing. Unlike Bird, Rondo will never carry a team with his scoring but his passing, dribbling, and defense create more than enough opportunities for him to make his mark almost every time he steps on the floor. Rondo has had the good fortune of counting future Hall of Famers Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen as teammates but all three of them would tell you in an instant that Rondo makes their lives very easy. Having such an elite point guard is a luxury that the Celtics did not count on when they acquired Garnett and Allen two-years-ago but that is what they have in Rondo and it is why they will win their second title in three years. Five more years of Rondo is a great thing. Make sure you are watching... Garnett is off to a solid start but there are still lingering doubts about the long-term health of his surgically repaired knee. The optimist in me wants to believe that he will return to his normal self after a few weeks to get in shape but the realist in me wants to slap the optimist with a 2 x 4. KG lacks explosiveness and I don't know if it will return once he gets back into game shape. I think Celtics fans like myself need to be prepared for a Garnett that is capable of contributing to a championship team but can not carry a champion on his back... I have been promoting the awesome depth of the Celtics since the summer but I think that I underestimated the impact of newcomers Rasheed Wallace and Marquis Daniels. Wallace gives so much to the Celtics on both ends of the floor and at a time when it looks like KG is mortal, his contributions are vital. Daniels is the go-to scorer off the bench and his versatility on offense and defense gives Doc Rivers a lot of options... Kendrick Perkins might just be the third best center in the Eastern Conference, ranking right behind Dwight Howard and Chris Bosh... Enjoy Rondo...