Wow, what a whirlwind this week has been in the world of sports. The past seven days were filled with ups and downs, great wins and brutal losses, and everything in between. Let’s get right to my takes for the week!
Red Sox
- I’m man-crushing hard on Alex Cora. Did you see that man strut his way up the Brookline Avenue Bridge on the way to his introductory press conference? What a badass. I’m hopeful he’ll inject the Red Sox clubhouse with some much needed enthusiasm.
- If the rumors are true, and free agent outfielder J.D. Martinez is looking for a long-term deal upwards of $200 million dollars, I’m out. Do I think Martinez would be a good fit for this ballclub? Sure. However, I’m not pulling the trigger on a player 30 years of age or older.
- Happy Birthday, Giancarlo Stanton. There are so many ways to celebrate future birthdays in the city of Boston. Click here for ideas! See you soon?
- Mitch Moreland, we hardly knew ye.
Celtics
- A 10 game winning streak is nice.
- I’ve never seen someone handle the basketball as gracefully as Kyrie Irving. As much as I think he’s an odd character (Did he really go back to the flat earth theory?), he’s one of the most entertaining Celtics players in recent memory.
- I’m already intensely infatuated with this Celtics team. They are, for my money, head and shoulders more interesting than last year’s group.
- Jason Tatum is going to crush it in the NBA.
Patriots
- John Lynch, you’re one crazy S.O.B.
- Sorry, but the Patriots did not win the Jimmy G. trade. I know, I know. How dare I question The Hoodie. In Bill We Trust. I just don’t think New England managed the Garoppolo situation well at all.
- Truthfully, I’m not a fan of Brian Hoyer.
- I’d love to see the Pats snag Martellus Bennett off waivers tomorrow. The offense could use another passing option with so many key injuries. Dwayne Allen has been a bust, and Jacob Hollister has been…well…Jacob Hollister.
Bruins
- Oh vey, it’s going to be a long year.
- David Pastrnak, the $40 Million Dollar Man, needs to get it together.
Revolution
- I’ll have more on this story later, but if the New England Revolution were hoping to reignite the wavering passion of their fan base, the rumored hire of Brad Friedel isn’t going to get the job done.
- Did you know that Friedel was once the roommate of the Revolution’s much-maligned GM, Mike Burns? Normally, I wouldn’t make such a big deal about this little tidbit, but it’s worth questioning the motive for such an uninspired hire.
Miscellaneous
- Yes, I heard Mike Felger’s rant on Roy Halladay’s tragic passing. It was in poor taste. Without a doubt, it was #toosoon. However, I disagree with the notion that Felger must be suspended, or even fired, for his comments. At the end of the day, he’s playing a role. He’s an antagonizer. It’s how he makes his living. The very nature of sports talk radio requires on-air personalities to deliver takes that are controversial in nature – or at least against the grain. It’s frankly the only thing that separates one show from another. In the never-ending battle for ratings supremacy, it’s no wonder why hosts from both 98.5 and WEEI are continually filling air time with ludicrous remarks. Why is that? They know we’ll be tuning in tomorrow for more.
- How did A.J. Green avoid suspension for his WWE-style sleeper-hold on Jacksonville CB, Jalen Ramsey? Frankly, he should have to sit a game for stupidly punching a helmet.
- Do you all remember when the Arena Football League was an up-and-coming alternative to boring summers without the NFL? That was neat.
- I’ve caved and started watching Stranger Things on Netflix. I “get it” now. Great show!
That’s it for me! Until next time…
McHale