The last time the Celtics played the Wizards, the game came down to Gilbert Arenas driving to the hoop and picking up a foul with no time left. Usually the adage in the NBA is that down the stretch, the officials should let the players decide the outcome of the game. That call was very questionable, and it cost the Celtics a close game. Last night the exact same thing happened, with the same player getting a call and making free throws to win the game for the Wizards. This time, a little better case could be made for the foul, but still, you don’t like to see the refs determine the outcome of the game. Shira Springer notes that while the Celtics are frustrated about the call, they know that they let this game get away from them, after seeming to have things in control for much of the evening. Steve Bulpett has Doc Rives noting that there were some other calls (and non-calls) down the stretch that seemed to favor Washington. Shalise Manza Young also has the Celtics frustrated that they didn’t close out the Wizards when they had the chance to do so. Lenny Megliola has more on Arenas breaking the Celtics hearts again last night. You can also check out coverage of this game from the Washington Post.
Ron Artest is coming to Boston, but not to wear the green. Peter May looks at Artest coming to Boston Friday night as a member of the Sacramento Kings, who finished off a deal for the former Pacers forward yesterday afternoon. It promises to be quite a media circus at the TD Banknorth Garden that night. Mike Fine has a midseason report card for the Celtics, with the only “A” going to captain Paul Pierce. Bulpett looks at Al Jefferson’s poor defense forcing Doc Rivers to take Mark Blount out of mothballs and play him some minutes last night. Springer’s notebook looks at Paul Pierce missing eight free throws last night and blaming himself for the loss. Young’s notebook has Rivers saying that he’s no longer a big fan of the inactive list. Bulpett’s notebook has more on Artest coming to the Garden Friday night with the Kings.
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It was the Larry and Theo show yesterday, with a little Jed and Ben and John Henry thrown in for good measure. Michael Silverman looks at the Red Sox media blitz from yesterday and what they accomplished. Gordon Edes also has a look at the feel good story that is the front office reunion in the Red Sox organization. Sean McAdam looks at everyone getting on the same page again. Paul Doyle looks at the Red Sox plans to become a more tight-lipped organization in the mold of the Patriots. David Borges has more on the Red Sox trying to become more like the Patriots when it comes to the release of information.
Chris Snow has John Henry’s thoughts on his newly reunited baseball operations department. Art Martone has the Red Sox saying that they are a stronger unit for the turmoil that they have gone through in the last few months. Lenny Megliola looks at the new foundation that the Red Sox have made with this saga. Alex Speier says that it is now time for the Sox to get to work.
Dan Shaughnessy focuses on Theo and his words yesterday about the 85 day self imposed exile and what the future holds. Shaughnessy says at one point:
It's hard to say what to make of all this. We know the fans want us to move on, pretend none of this ever happened. Get to the bottom of the cereal bowl and find out what's going on with Coco Crisp.
That somewhat echos the sentiment that Shaughnessy expressed on SportsPlus on NESN yesterday about what the fans want from the Red Sox media. What’s interesting to me is how Dan feels that he has a pulse on what the fans want, and second, that the media has an obligation here to dig more and talk about this soap opera stuff and not just ignore it. It’s their responsibility. Well, it is when its a good story. You try to get certain media members to dig a little deeper on other topics, and the response is that the sports section is the “toy department”. You can’t have it both ways. Talking about “responsibility” in one breath and then discounting sports as just the “toy department” in the next.
Mike Fine has a good article looking the the witch hunt that the media has been on recently and offering a little commentary on how the group as a whole has done their jobs during this drama. Bill Reynolds also says that the fans want to just move on to actual baseball and put this episode behind them. Steve Buckley (subscription only), however, says that because of the events of the last three months, Theo Epstein is now fair game to be criticized in the media. Even Margery Eagan (subscription only) gets into the Theo action, mocking the GM for his “vision” and “philosophy” on the job.
Joan Vennochi looks at the Red Sox struggling with Mayor Menino over public funds. Silverman has Jed Hoyer saying that Guillermo Mota passed the medical standards set down by the Red Sox when they acquired him from the Marlins in the Josh Beckett trade. Snow says that Mota could still be a part of a trade with Cleveland. Silverman’s notebook has the Red Sox keeping mum on the reworking of the Coco Crisp trade.
Michael Vega and Mark Murphy look at Boston College going into Chapel Hill, NC and defeating the Tar Heels in the Dean Dome. Vega’s notebook has the team still shaken up over their bus striking and killing a cyclist on Tuesday night. Murphy’s notebook has a look at Al Skinner getting his 300th win.
Nancy Marrapese-Burrell and Stephen Harris look at the math getting a little easier for the Bruins as they try to find their way into the playoff picture.
NESN has Bruins/Capitals at 7:00. ESPN has Duke/Virgina Tech at 7:00. TNT has Heat/Suns at 8:00 and Mavs/Sonics at 10:30. FSN has UCLA/Oregon at 10:30.
Boston Sports Media Watch 