Sports of Boston

Celtics Win Ugly Defensive Battle Against 76ers to Advance to Miami

John — Sun, 27 May 2012 03:37:09 +0000

Tough defense and poor shooting on both sides kept the scoring low, but in the end, Boston turned things on to crush Philly’s hope late. As a result of an 85-75 victory, Boston moves on to face the Miami Heat in the Conference Finals, a series that will begin Monday at 8:30pm EST.

Boston started Game 7 against the 76ers strong, scoring the first six points. Philadelphia was forced to use a timeout as well after going down 10-2. However, they just couldn’t keep up the pace, with Philadelphia clawing their way back into the game, tying the game at 17 and then taking their first lead, 20-19, with 41.5 seconds remaining in the opening quarter.

Boston tried to open up a lead in the 2nd Quarter, but Philadelphia, despite some scoring issues, continued to trade shots with Boston, narrowing Boston’s new lead to two, before Boston recovered their momentum late. By the end of the half, Boston took a 41-33 lead, their biggest lead of the night at the time.

Boston continued their momentum in the second half, getting their first double-digit lead, 49-38, with 8:04 left in the 3rd Quarter. Philadelphia then went on a run of their own, scoring seven straight points during a streak that saw Boston go scoreless for 3:14. The lead was pushed back to eight after that, but the Celtics couldn’t score again for the last 3:22 of the quarter, except for a buzzer beater from Kevin Garnett. Thanks to that and two huge missed free throws from Andre Iguodala, Boston was up 55-52 going into the final quarter.

It was another tight battle in the 4th before Boston started hitting some key threes. They had been 0-14 on the night from behind the arc, which would have tied the record for most threes attempted without a make in a playoff game, but Ray Allen (who struggled again throughout the game previously) finally hit a three for Boston to go up 60-54. Another three from Allen exactly four minutes later made the score 69-61.

Philadelphia continued to push, getting the lead for Boston down to three with 4:30 remaining, but a few fruitless minutes for Philadelphia allowed the Celtics to go up by ten with 2:09 left, a run capped off by a fairly deep three from Rajon Rondo.

From there, the Celtics were able to keep the 76ers at bay with free throws under an expiring game clock, and finished off a rough series. Unfortunately, an even rougher one awaits.

C’s Stud of the Game: Rajon Rondo

Another triple-double for Rajon Rondo helped push Boston to the next round. That means he was doing everything for Boston in a game that needed everything, especially after Paul Pierce fouled out.

C’s Dud of the Game: Ray Allen

The two threes were a huge help, to be sure, but that was about all Allen did for the whole night. He may be having ankle issues, but he was still missing plenty of shots he should be able to make.

But if you don’t like Allen in this category, the Celtics only got seven bench points in the game.

Tommy Talk:

“This team is really the most competitive [team] I’ve seen in years in a Celtics uniform.” – Tommy Heinsohn on Boston’s fortitude in Game 7 and the series.

Game Notes:

Scoring Leaders: Kevin Garnett (BOS 18), Rajon Rondo (BOS 18), Andre Iguodala (PHI 18)
Field Goal Leaders: Kevin Garnett (BOS 7/17), four others with six
Three Point Leaders: Andre Iguodala (PHI 3/5), Jrue Holiday (PHI 2/6), Ray Allen (BOS 2/7)
Free Throw Leaders: Rajon Rondo (BOS 5/5), Andre Iguodala (PHI 5/8), Brandon Bass (BOS 4/4), Kevin Garnett (BOS 4/6)
Rebound Leaders: Kevin Garnett (BOS 13), Thaddeus Young (PHI 10), Rajon Rondo (BOS 10)
Assist Leaders: Rajon Rondo (BOS 10), Elton Brand (PHI 6), Brandon Bass (BOS 4)
Steal Leaders: Jrue Holiday (PHI 5), Rajon Rondo (BOS 3), Paul Pierce (BOS 2), Kevin Garnett (BOS 2)
Block Leaders: Paul Pierce (BOS 3), four others with one
Foul-outs: Paul Pierce (BOS, 4:16 left in 4th), Elton Brand (PHI, 1:45 left in 4th)
Technical Fouls: none
Turnovers: BOS 15, PHI 15

2012 NHL Playoffs Expert Picks: Third Round Results

John — Sat, 26 May 2012 14:49:10 +0000

The Stanley Cup Finals are now set. It’s an unlikely match-up between a #6 and a #8 team. And to get there, they had to beat a #1 and #3 team. At that point, the Kings were expected to make it through to the Finals, while the Devils pulled off a bit of an upset over the Rangers.

It was also somewhat difficult to guess the length of the series. The Devils’ medium length series threw everyone off, while not many thought the Kings would dispatch the Coyotes in such quick fashion.

The standings are still pretty close, and it’s still anyone’s Pick ‘Em. So to that end, check below for the complete results of Round Three, and check back Wednesday for the Stanley Cup Final picks.

	Name	Erikk	John	Josh
Rangers vs Devils	Winner	Devils	Rangers	Rangers
Rangers vs Devils	Series Length	7	5	7
Coyotes vs Kings	Winner	Kings	Kings	Kings
Coyotes vs Kings	Series Length	6	5	6
Total	Points	15	17	11

Table Legend:

Two-point picks are bolded.
One-point picks are italicized.
Zero-point picks are crossed out.

Avery Bradley Injury Status: Out for Rest of Postseason

Nick Bohlen — Sat, 26 May 2012 03:02:53 +0000

When the Boston Celtics embarked on the 2011-2012 season — heck, two months ago — would anyone have imagined that Avery Bradley missing the rest of the postseason would be devastating news?

After suffering innumerable shoulder separations all season, including three during the playoffs, Bradley underwent season-ending surgery on his left shoulder on Friday. According to this article by Greg Payne on ESPN Boston, sources say Bradley will have four months of rehab ahead of him.

Having missed the Celtics’ last two playoff games, Bradley was unlikely to return to play in Game 7 against the Philadelphia 76ers at the TD Banknorth Garden on Saturday night. But Bradley’s presence has been sorely missed, especially when the Celtics were in desperate need of a stop down the stretch in Game 6 but couldn’t keep the Sixers’ guards out of the lane. If (I repeat, if) the Celtics can manage to win Game 7 and advance to the Eastern Conference Finals, his absence will be even more notable against Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat.

After a rookie season where Bradley barely saw the light of day between the lines, Bradley has emerged late this season as an integral part of the Celtics’ success. When Ray Allen went down with an ankle injury, Bradley stepped in as the starting shooting guard and didn’t miss a beat, playing so well that he held onto the starter’s job even when the future Hall of Famer returned. While his scoring has declined in the playoffs, he has still remained effective with the occasional corner three and timely backdoor cuts to keep defenses honest.

In fact, according to ESPN Stats & Info, the Celtics’ best lineup was with Bradley on the court. The starters with Bradley at the two-spot have outscored playoff opponents by 53 points; the next-best playoff lineup (Allen, Kevin Garnett, Rajon Rondo, Paul Pierce, Mickael Pietrus) has outscored the opposition by all of 18 points. In case that doesn’t illustrate his importance clearly enough, Bradley also has the best plus/minus on the Celtics roster (+63) just behind Garnett, who is merely playing at an MVP-type level so far this postseason.

Get well soon, Avery.

Was the Hate Towards Jonathan Papelbon Really that Necessary?

Josh Segal — Fri, 25 May 2012 22:49:33 +0000

The Red Sox series against the Philadelphia Phillies this past weekend marked more than the first inter-league games of the season. Jonathan Papelbon, formerly Boston’s closer for six years, faced his old team for the first time. While the standard reunion between player and former team typically involves over exaggerated reminiscing over this past relationship (unless you’re Josh Reddick), this meet-up was surprisingly not more of the same.

Rather, the outspoken Papelbon received considerable criticism from Boston fans and media alike. It is no question that Papelbon does not shy away from the mic, but is the reaction from the Boston-end justified? No way.

Leaving Boston

When he chose to enter arbitration year by year over taking a multi-year contract, Papelbon made his intentions clear–when it came to free agency he was looking for top dollar. Any chance of a hometown discount? Forget about it. So now, months later, people inexplicably view Papelbon with hostility. This in itself is absurd. Papelbon did not snub Boston by accepting Philadelphia’s offer of 4 years/$50 MM. In fact, the Red Sox never made a legitimate attempt to retain their closer. If anyone belongs in the dog house for that one, it’s Ben Cherington and friends.

But that’s besides the point. Whether it’s shortsighted fans or ignorant bloggers, there is still this aura of hatred around Papelbon, almost as if he “owes them something.” Because one of the best players in Major League Baseball is in personal debt to specific no-name fans of the Boston Red Sox. Because they deserve it. Never mind Papelbon’s four all-star appearances and World Series victory for their entertainment. How Boston doesn’t understand why the fan base gets such a bad rep, I have no idea.

The Quips

So when there are negative feelings towards an athlete, what do you do? Express your utter contempt by taking complete offense towards everything he says. Combine Papelbon’s (overblown) loud mouth and you have a recipe for disaster.

“Papelbon isn’t afraid of facing the Red Sox.” “Papelbon says Philly is just like Paris.” “Philadelphia fans have a higher IQ than Boston fans.” If he said it, there’s an enraged blog post somewhere. At the time, the Red Sox had bigger problems like the fact that, I don’t know, the team with an $170 MM payroll was below .500. It’s not like Papelbon was going to change his mind and come back to Boston. Let it go.

So?

Ruben Amaro Jr. offered Papelbon an easy $50 MM and, bless his soul, he took it. Since then he’s posted a 2.20 ERA and 12 saves in 12 chances. For all the hate, the Red Sox could really use someone like that. Does this mean the Red Sox should have offered a relief pitcher an absurd, long-term contract? Probably not. But the fact doesn’t change that whether you like him or not, he is still one of the top three closers in the game.

Furthermore, it is also evident that baseball fans hate trash talking. Ozzie Guillen, Luke Scott, anyone this season who has said anything not completely boring has been showered with criticism. Is anything fun allowed in baseball? When “Bobby V” is considered one of the most colorful figures in your sport, there is something horribly, horribly wrong. In the NBA or NFL, nothing Papelbon said would make a headline.

And look at it from his perspective. This is a guy who played for the Boston Red Sox for six years. From Manny Ramirez to Terry Francona, how many teammates and colleagues did he see leave Boston only to be immediately smeared by the Stalin-esque Red Sox ownership and PR machine. Is there something so bad about turning the tables for once? Good for him.

As a fan in this modern age of professional sports, it is impossible to have allegiances to both teams and players without expecting these interests to come into conflict. Papelbon is a pitcher who brings a feeling of security whenever he steps foot on the mound, something not very many baseball teams can boast. He even manages to be entertaining in the process (something the game of baseball itself can no longer do on its own). He wanted to be paid accordingly and he got his wish.

And if Red Sox fans don’t understand that, maybe they really do have lower IQs.

Connelly’s Top Ten: Red Sox Crowned Championship Contenders

Michael — Fri, 25 May 2012 11:00:48 +0000

1. Celtics:

* Hate to say it but Doug Collins is out-coaching Doc Rivers
* Would you trade Rajon Rondo and Michael Pietrus for Steve Nash, Marcin Gortat and Jared Dudley?
* You need Moore or Dooling to get knocked out and tell them they are Gary Payton when they wake up
* Take away Garnett and the game is over
* I agree with sentiment I heard on the radio – I’d rather the Celtics lose Game 7 if they can’t beat Miami (which they can’t)

2. Red Sox:

Last year’s Opening Day Lineup:

Ellsbury – CF
Pedroia – 2b
Crawford – LF
Youkilis – 3B
Gonzalez – 1b
Ortiz – DH
Cameron – RF
Salty – C
Scutaro – SS

Wednesday’s team on the field:

Avilies – SS
Pedroia – 2B
Ortiz – DH
Gonzalez – RF
Youkils – 1b
Middlebrooks – 3b
Nava – LF
Posednik – CF
Shoppach – C

3. Patriots:

Some interesting punting averages:

* Adam Vinatieri – 2 punt / 29 yards
* Matt Bahr – 1 punt / 29 yards
* Tom Brady – 1 punt / 36 yards
* Babe Parilli – 5 punts / 36 yards
* Matt Cassell – 1 punt / 57 yards

4. Bruins:

The Bruins got knocked out over a month ago (April 25th) and the Stanley Cup Finals haven’t started.

5. College Baseball:

Teams above the Mason Dixon line ranked in the Top 50:

5. Oregon
15. Purdue
47. Michigan State
48. Indiana State

6. Shaq a GM?

If Shaq could be considered GM of the Orlando Magic who he left high and dry for the Lakers – how about some other suggestions for Front Office jobs:

* Donovan McNabb – GM of the Redskins
* Lebron James – GM of the Cavs
* Pat Sullivan – GM of the Raiders
* Pedro – GM of the Yankees
* Derek Sanderson – GM of the Rangers
* Ron Artest – GM of Detroit Pistons or OKC
* Mickey Rivers – GM of the Red Sox
* Billie Jean King – the GM of Augusta National Course

7. Amazing Stat:

The best season by a goalie since 1930 – Tony Esposito in 1969 had 15 shutouts in 63 games (Hasek had 13 in 1998)

8. Old School:

In the B’s 1973 Stanley Cup season, the following players played at least 76 of the 78 games:

* Phil Esposito – 78
* John Bucyk – 78
* Fred Stanfield – 78
* Carol Vadinais – 78
* Dallas Smith – 78
* Don Awrey – 78
* Nick Beverley – 76
* Wayne Cashman – 76

(Bobby Orr played in 63)

9. Just a Little Bit Outside:

In honor of Memorial Day – how about some real heroes – Medal of Honor winners from Iraq war – Thank you is sufficient – awe and admiration is my emotion:

* Paul Smith – (4/4/03) – Held off Iraq company with grenades, anti-tank weapons and machine gun while organizing a defense. In the end, 50 enemy soldiers were killed and countless Americans saved

* Michael Monsoor (9/29/06) – In the midst of an enemy attack, Monsoor took a grenade off his chest and then jumped on the grenade sacrificing his life and saving his two comrades.

* Ross McGinhis (12/4/06) – When a grenade was thrown in his armored vehicle, he pinned the grenade between himself and the armor causing his death but saving four comrades

* Jason Dunhill – (4/14/04) – When an insurgent attacked on a suicide mission, he wrestled him to the ground and then leaped on a live grenade saving at least two Marines and sacrificing his life.

10. Randomocity:

* Green Acres, Jeffersons, Alice and One Day at a Time all stunk
* Traffic getting bad again during commutes
* Vanderbilt must have been bad for morale on F Troop
* Bee Gees, Donna Summers, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson – somewhere Bill Veeck jinxed them
* Under the theory that Michael Jordan was suspended for a year for gambling – maybe Josh Beckett was healthy but was suspended for five days by the Red Sox
* If I’m Curt Schilling and am concerned about my legacy – I lose 100 pounds and pitch again for incentive contract and make $10mm and give it back to the state and then I do signings, birthday parties, auctions until I give back every cent. Man of honor or a fraud – those are his two choices…

Celtics Loss Lowers Expectations

Michael Ricci — Fri, 25 May 2012 03:21:12 +0000

The Philadelphia 76ers didn’t show us how tough they are last night, nor how strong their will is, nor how much fortitude they have. Instead, last night, the Boston Celtics showed us how complacent they are, how uninterested they can be, and how little they want to fight.

After scoring 36 points in the first half and finding themselves ahead by three, conventional wisdom would tell us that the older, more seasoned Celtics would finish off the 76ers in the second half. But the 76ers, led by Jrue Holiday’s 20 points, proved that the Celtics weren’t ready to take advantage of a team that could barely get out of its own way. Instead, when it mattered most, the “indestructible” Celtics defense watched Holiday slice his way to the rim without breaking a sweat.

But don’t credit Holiday. It’s fairly easy to get to the basket when there’s no one trying to stop you.

Bad Defense Cost Celtics

The 76ers played a typical 76er game. They shot poorly from the free throw line. They shot poorly from the three point line. The 76ers did exactly what the Celtics expected them to do. The problem, however, was that the Celtics managed to play just as poorly, and dare I say, worse. The Celtics shot poorly from, well, everywhere (33 percent overall), including 3-14 from beyond the arc. But the Celtics certainly could have won that game in spite of their poor offensive performance.

What really cost them is that the 76ers anemic offense managed to score 27 points in the third quarter. Twenty-seven? From the same team that scored 11 points in the second quarter? Yes.

Did they all of a sudden find their shooting stroke? No. Instead, the Celtics invited them to score, and score they did.

So after the Celtics gave away a chance to beat an inferior team on the road in Game 6, it begs the question: what should we expect of the Boston Celtics?

If they lose in Game 7, should we be amicable? Are Avery Bradley’s injury and Ray Allen’s ghost-like performance enough to justify losing a series to a team whose “best player” is, well…who is their best player, again? The Celtics should beat the 76ers Saturday night, and they should be able to beat them by simply scoring over 85 points.

Boston Won’t Reach NBA Finals

If losing Game 7 isn’t an option (and it’s not), then should we expect them to beat Miami or Indiana in the Eastern Conference Finals? Without Bradley to guard Dwyane Wade, and without a two-legged Paul Pierce to guard LeBron James, do they really stand a chance? Could Kevin Garnett and Brandon Bass realistically match up with Roy Hibbert and David West in the paint?

My answer to both questions is “no.” Wade and James would run through the Celtics “tough” defense like a hot knife through butter. Garnett and Bass would make Hibbert look like Patrick Ewing (and for the record, Roy Hibbert is not Patrick Ewing).

It’s time we stopped pretending the Celtics are still a great defensive team and instead look at the reality: they’ve played Atlanta and Philadelphia in the first two rounds. These are two teams that wouldn’t know how to score during a playoff game if the rim was as big as a swimming pool. It will be the Celtics defense, and its defense alone, that undoes their season. Not injuries. Not age. Not lack of depth.

As we heard Doc Rivers say to his team during a huddle in Game 4: “It’s about defense.”

Curt Schilling’s Video Game Company 38 Studios Lays Off All Employees

KC Downey — Thu, 24 May 2012 23:56:50 +0000

Forgive the cliche, but it’s nearly game over for Curt Schilling’s video game company, 38 Studios.

The company laid off all of the employees on Thursday, one week after it was unable to make payroll. The company had nearly 400 workers.

38 Studios was founded six years ago in Maynard, Massachusetts, but later moved its headquarters to Rhode Island, where officials issued the company a $75 million loan guarantee in 2010.

Last week, Rhode Island officials held emergency meetings two weeks after the company was unable to make a $1.1 million loan payment back to the state. The company later bounced a check before actually making the payment.

The company produced one video game called “Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning” and had a new massively multi-player online game on the way for 2013 tentatively titled “Copernicus.” The game, still in development, has already cost the company tens of millions of dollars to produce.

With the online game on the way, 38 Studios has tried hard to find additional investors to keep the company afloat, but has failed so far.

“I have not given up,” Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee told Boston.com. “But I am also a realist. What we’ve learned from (industry) experts is grim news. Very, very grim.”

The state of Rhode Island has already given Schilling’s company $49 million.

Schilling has poured more than $30 million of his personal fortune into the company, but he, too, is tapped.

If the Playoffs Started Today – MLB Week 7

John — Thu, 24 May 2012 17:00:44 +0000

May’s almost over, and interleague play’s first series is over and done. The Orioles are still contending for the AL crown. The Indians are starting to build some room in their division. The Dodgers continue to dominate the standings. There’s certainly plenty going on, so let’s look at what would happen if the playoffs started as of Thursday, May 24 at 1:00pm:

National League

#1 Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers are the first team to make it to 30 wins. They’re still an impressive 19-4 at home, and have proven that they don’t need Matt Kemp to do well. So when he does come back, the Dodgers will be that much more scary.

#2 Washington Nationals vs #3 St. Louis Cardinals

Both teams have similar record, but the Cardinals have also won three straight. Both teams are barely clinging to division leads. The Nationals are good at home, but have had a so-so road season so far. The Cardinals now know they may very well be without Lance Berkman for the season, if not multiple months, but they have room to prepare. All in all, momentum favors the reigning champions.

#W1 Atlanta Braves vs #W2 Cincinnati Reds

The Braves have lost three in a row and the Reds have won five in a row, and both teams are still contending for their divisions. But those three Atlanta losses? They’re all to Cincinnati. The edge here clearly goes to the Reds.

American League

#1 Baltimore Orioles

Despite dropping two of three to the lowly Red Sox (now finally back at .500), the Orioles are still hanging in there nearly two months into the season. They’re only 13-11 at home, but a muscular 15-6 on the road. Even hosting the Orioles, teams won’t be safe.

#2 Texas Rangers vs #3 Cleveland Indians

Texas is running into issues lately, while Cleveland is getting better. They’re even on the verge of sweeping divisional rival Detroit. With Josh Hamilton, the Rangers always have a chance, but with things going the way they are, this will be the upset if there is one.

#W1 Tampa Bay Rays vs #W2 Toronto Blue Jays

The Rays have taken the past two of three against Toronto to stay in the hunt with Baltimore. In a series that could have seen Toronto surpass Tampa in the standings, the Rays came through and still have a solid team with which to make a run.

What Might Change Next Week:

St. Louis is busy with Philadelphia and Atlanta, so Cincinnati has an excellent chance to take over the division.
Any trouble against Toronto and Baltimore will find themselves behind Texas (and likely Tampa [which owns the tiebreaker over Texas] as well).

Sox Rebound in Rubber Match after 4-1 Loss to O’s

Nick Bohlen — Thu, 24 May 2012 11:56:58 +0000

Finally back at .500, the Boston Red Sox squandered their first opportunity at a winning record this season, falling 4-1 Tuesday night to the Baltimore Orioles.

Felix Doubront pitched a solid six innings, striking out nine and giving up just four hits, allowing his only runs on a Steve Tolleson two-run home run in the second inning. Matt Albers gave up another two-run blast to Wilson Betemit in the bottom of the eighth, all but putting the game out of reach with the way the Red Sox were swinging the bats.

The Red Sox bats were silent all game, scoring just one run on a Kevin Youkilis solo shot in his first game back from the disabled list. The only other hit the Red Sox mustered was an Adrian Gonzalez single off Orioles starter Brian Matusz, barely a blip among the 9 Boston batters Matusz sat down with strikeouts. The Red Sox lineup had even worse luck against the suddenly vaunted Baltimore bullpen. Baltimore relievers combined to shut the door for 2.2 hitless innings, including a 1-2-3 top of the ninth on just eight pitches from Orioles closer Jim Johnson.

Thankfully, nearly everything about Wednesday’s game was the polar opposite of the night before, from the Red Sox starter “earning” the win despite a poor performance, to the Red Sox lineup awakening from its slumber to crank out 13 hits. The end result was a 6-5 Red Sox win to rebound from Tuesday night’s disappointing loss and take the rubber match of the three-game series from the first-place Orioles. The Red Sox are now back at .500 with another chance to get on the right side of winning.

Just Good Enough

While neither starting pitcher was sharp enough to make it out of the sixth inning, Daniel Bard managed to (barely) outpitch the Orioles’ Jake Arrieta. Bard only gave up two runs on five hits, but continued his wildness by walking four Orioles batters in just 5.1 innings. He has now walked 19 batters in his five starts during the month of May. Luckily, Arrieta was even worse, surrendering four runs on eight hits and three walks in 5.2 innings. Both starters coughed up a home run.

Same Bullpen, Different Result

Similarly, the Red Sox bullpen managed to simply outlast their Oriole counterparts with one run to spare. The Red Sox finally managed to break through against the Baltimore for a couple of much-needed insurance runs, giving the Boston bullpen a little breathing room for their usual adventurous visits to the mound in the late-innings. Lefty Andrew Miller was tagged for two runs on a Nick Johnson home run (the same Nick Johnson who was out of baseball for a year, and a left-handed hitter, no less), and Padilla gave up a sacrifice fly to Betemit in the eighth inning.

On the brighter side, Rich Hill struck out the only two batters he faced in relief of Miller (at least one lefty specialist was effective), and Alfredo Aceves shut the door with a perfect four-out save, his eleventh of the season.

A Sleeping Lineup Awakened

Thanks to the dearth of healthy outfielders in the Red Sox clubhouse, Gonzalez shifted to right field the past two games to make room at first base for the returning Youkilis, with Will Middlebrooks staying at third base (for the time being, anyway). Even with Youkilis, the Red Sox lineup struggled to score runs yesterday with Ryan Sweeney and Cody Ross on the disabled list.

On Wednesday, the difference on offense came from key contributions from their AAA replacements. With the way Daniel Nava has been hitting since his call-up ((his line now sits at a blistering .350/.491/.600), his home run to put the Red Sox on top 3-2 comes as no surprise.

But the real hero – and the real surprise – was Scott Podsednik. The 36-year-old outfielder was recently acquired from the Philadelphia Phillies and signed to a minor league deal, then brought up from Pawtucket with the injuries to Ross and Sweeney. After pinch-hitting last night for Marlon Byrd (he grounded out), Podsednik got his first start since 2010 on Wednesday and quickly made the most of it. With the Red Sox up 5-4, Podsednik cranked a solo shot over the wall in right that proved to be the winning run. It was just the 42nd home run of his career.

Next Up

After going 5-3 on their road trip, the Red Sox now travel back home to start a three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays. Jon Lester (3-3) will face Alex Cobb (1-0) Friday night at Fenway. First pitch is at 7:10pm.

Philly Writer Calls Boston Sports Fans “Bigoted” and “Racist”

KC Downey — Wed, 23 May 2012 22:25:18 +0000

Are Boston sports fans racist? Bigoted? Why are we asking this question again?

Well, take a moment (that’s all it will take) to read Philly.com sportswriter John Mitchell’s 243-word (wow!) masterpiece of a “column” titled “KG: ‘fair-weathered’ beats bigoted any day.”

West Philadelphia born and raised, as the writer so eloquently describes in his biography, Mitchell did not take kindly to the words Kevin Garnett had about his beloved fanbase.

“You’ve got (Boston) fans and then you’ve got fairweather fans. Take it how you want it,” said Kevin Garnett after Monday’s Game 5 win.

So, Mitchell used KG’s comments as an opportunity to open up a can of worms he didn’t really need to open up.

“You think we’re the fair weather type, do you? Ok, to that I say that it’s better to be fair weather than to be anything remotely akin the cretins that unleashed their racist vitriol via Twitter upon Washington Capitals defenseman Joel Ward, a Black hockey player, last month after he eliminated Boston’s Bruins from the NHL playoffs with an overtime goal,” Mitchell wrote.

You tell him, John! Wait, what does this have to do with basketball? Or Philadelphia? Or Kevin Garnett?!?

Mitchell, of course, is referring to the disgusting tweets made after Ward’s game-winning goal to beat the Bruins in the first round of the NHL playoffs last month.

The tweets ignited a national conversation about race with the microscope again focused on the Boston area, but what Mitchell and several others fail to realize is that a majority of the few dozen people who sent out the tweets were not from Boston. They hailed from Canada, Connecticut, and other parts of the U.S. and world. Some were from Boston, but several weren’t.

So, that makes Boston a racist town? Or, did Mitchell (like several others before him) just paint the city with an unbelievably broad brush? I’ll acknowledge the city has a history of racial conflicts and some race-charged incidents, but if we’re talking about right now (which we are), I’ll go with the latter.

Mitchell then takes his column down a disgusting path with a largely empty threat to Kevin Garnett, who is black, if he cannot win an NBA title this year.

“So my advice to you, KG, is that you’re better off winning this series, the next one and then the next. Because if you let those stalwart fans down, who knows what they’ll unleash on you. We do know what they are capable of. Take that how you want.”

It’s just dangerous to accuse a large group of people (in this case, millions of people) of something so inflammatory. It’s even more dangerous to write an equally inflammatory column threatening an active player.

And it’s downright baffling Mitchell struggled to hit the 250-word mark about a topic he’s clearly passionate about.

(For those counting, I’m at 477 words.)