Is talking about sports all we do?
At school, work, or over coffee, Boston sports talk is in our blood – or, at least, coming out of our always-opinionated mouths.
Seriously, what do you think we say more: “Hello” or “Did you watch the game last night?”
Whether it’s because of Opening Day for the Red Sox, the Celtics looking to go back-to-back, star receiver Stefon Diggs signing with the Patriots, or the disaster that is this 2024-25 Bruins team, we just can’t get enough of these franchises.
For better or worse – and never including any swear words, of course.
More often than not, we’re talking about what these teams should do. Sign him. Trade him. Keep him. Rebuild around him. Or, in the Celtics’ case, don’t change a dang thing.
Here’s what I think should be brewing in Beantown. Feel free to disagree. I wouldn’t expect anything else.
On the ice, I may be in the minority when I say the Bruins are in better shape than you’d think.
This entire season was going to be, frankly, unpredictable. Brad Marchand was getting older, Jeremy Swayman was half in and half out, and our two best players (David Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy) were only just reaching their primes.
By the way, am I correct in saying the Bruins will have to retire the jersey numbers of Patrice Bergeron, Zdeno Chara, Marchand, David Krejci, Tuukka Rask, and Pastrnak one day?
That’s a lot, but I think you have to. Back to the point.
If injuries to McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm were speedbumps, then the trade deadline, save percentage of Swayman, and loss of a captain were the catastrophes.
My take: Rebuild around Pastrnak and McAvoy, draft forwards with speed, and suffer the growing pains of Fabian Lysell, Matthew Poitras, and Mason Lohrei. It will pay off.
If I was a betting man, I’d bet on the Celtics to hoist another trophy in a few months, but what about long-term?
Jrue Holiday is getting older, Al Horford becomes a free agent this summer, and Payton Pritchard could probably be a starting point guard on most teams.
My take: View Jayson Tatum as your far-and-away best player – because he is – prioritize Pritchard (again, with growing pains) over some older guards, and try to keep Jaylen Brown long-term. If you can’t, acquire shooters and continue to develop Tatum as a playmaker.
Ugh, Tatum is just so complete. He may not be the best player in the NBA (he’s three or four), but I wouldn’t want anyone instead.
On the gridiron, honestly, this offseason has been a dream for the Patriots.
The receiver room suddenly looks not elite, but pretty strong, and second-year quarterback Drake Maye should only get better and better. Defensively, the team has become more validated with starting-caliber players, I think.
My take: Reach for the playoffs, but let’s manage expectations because No. 12 isn’t throwing to No. 87 any time soon. Oh, and draft a lineman (boring but necessary).
As for the Red Sox, fans seem more excited than the last few years. New face Alex Bregman is only 30 years old, most starting hitters are in their twenties, and the fans seem bought in for a season that isn’t a sub-.500 snoozefest.
My take: Enjoy the show, don’t expect perfection, hope the young guys (Marcelo Mayer, Kristian Campbell, Roman Anthony, to name a few) develop, and view reaching the postseason as an absolute win. I’m not sure we can hang with that team in Los Angeles just yet.
Well, it’s time to play ball, drop the puck, tip off, kick off.
Ugh, you get it.
