
Paul Flannery | 02/08/2010 - 4:05pm EST
Before we dive into the Ray Allen trade rumors, let’s start with a premise: The Celtics don’t want to trade him for two reasons. First, they already know that their starting five can win a championship. Yes, things have changed since 2007-08, but there is comfort in that knowledge, and any move involving Allen — no matter how new and shiny the pieces appear to be — will take time for the whole thing to work. Second, if the Celtics don’t trade Allen and if the Celtics begin to gel over the last 33 games of the season they can, at least in theory, work out an extension for Allen. That would, A) save them money in the long run, and B) keep their core intact through 2012, when they can reassess the team after ...

Christopher Price | 02/08/2010 - 2:10am EST
In the end, it was a native son of Louisiana who delivered football salvation to New Orleans. Cornerback Tracy Porter, a native of Port Allen, La. — who said the day he was taken in the second round of the 2008 draft by the Saints was the happiest day of his life — stepped in front of a Peyton Manning pass and took it back 74 yards to cement a 31-17 win over the Colts Sunday night in Super Bowl XLIV. (Click here for the complete recap.) It put the cap on a remarkable year for the Saints. Under Drew Brees and Sean Payton, the franchise came to represent the rebirth and revitalization of the city of New Orleans — four years ago, the team spent the entire season away from New Orleans. So, when Saints running back Reggie ...
Crank up the duck boats and spark the fireworks, the Bruins have won a hockey game. Marco Sturm had two goals, Adam McQuaid scored his first NHL goal and Tuukka Rask made 36 saves as the Bruins ended a 10-game losing streak with a 3-0 win in Montreal Sunday. Patrice Bergeron added two assists for the Bruins, who won for the first time since taking a 2-1 shootout win in San Jose on Jan. 14. After three weeks of futility, it was all good Sunday. With McQuaid and Sturm leading the way, the Bruins grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first period. Instead of the recent late-game meltdowns, this time the B’s not only protected the lead, they added to it. When Sturm netted his second goal with 10 minutes to play, giving the Bruins a previously ...
One man's Super Bowl diary ... 6:00 p.m (EST): I’m a massive fan of Jay-Z and Rihanna’s solo work. To get them together on a Super Bowl pregame show takes care of another Bucket List wish for me. 6:04: Our first look at the duo behind the mic tonight. For the 28,014th straight time I remain Jim Nantz’s friend, which is always kind of comforting. And Phil Simms has his “25-year veteran of the LPGA Tour” haircut going. Very Dottie Pepper. I approve. 6:10: Admit it, when Nantz announced the Saints and Colts, you thought of the 2001 Patriots being introduced as a team and teared up a little. It’s OK. 6:12: Solomon Wilcots and Steve Tasker as the dueling sideline repoertes won’t confuse anyone with ...
02/03/2010 - 1:25am
“Let’s go merck!” — Dustin Pedroia PHOENIX — The words from the Red Sox second baseman — directed at Baltimore minor leaguer Brett Bordes — for all intent and purposes punctuated Pedroia’s Monday. The suggestion to “merck” (defined by the Urban Dictionary as “To ... more »
02/05/2010 - 3:43am
Victor Martinez is one of the best hitting catchers in major league history. Yet it remains to be seen whether the Red Sox — or anyone else — will pay him like one. That issue has assumed heightened importance in recent days. A report that emerged on Monday that Joe Mauer and the Twins were close to signing a 10-year deal now appears ... more »
02/08/2010 - 2:10am
In the end, it was a native son of Louisiana who delivered football salvation to New Orleans. Cornerback Tracy Porter, a native of Port Allen, La. — who said the day he was taken in the second round of the 2008 draft by the Saints was the happiest day of his life — stepped in front of a Peyton Manning pass and took it back 74 yards to ... more »
02/08/2010 - 4:05pm
Before we dive into the Ray Allen trade rumors, let’s start with a premise: The Celtics don’t want to trade him for two reasons. First, they already know that their starting five can win a championship. Yes, things have changed since 2007-08, but there is comfort in that knowledge, and any move involving Allen — no matter how new ... more »
02/06/2010 - 12:24am
The Celtics should have known you can’t read into a record. After all, this is the same team that just a few years ago, at one of the low points of the franchise’s existence, stunned the Spurs on the road to “improve” to 20-46. On Friday, the Nets came into Boston with the same intensity that the Celtics carried into San ... more »
02/03/2010 - 6:46am
There are three things a team and its fans must do to ensure a successful Super Bowl Sunday: win the passing battle, win the turnover battle and, naturally, win the tailgate battle. It looks like one team is poised to do all three on Sunday. It starts, as every NFL game does, with the respective quarterbacks. Drew Brees vs. The Chosen One Over ... more »
02/07/2010 - 10:18pm
One man's Super Bowl diary ... 6:00 p.m (EST): I’m a massive fan of Jay-Z and Rihanna’s solo work. To get them together on a Super Bowl pregame show takes care of another Bucket List wish for me. 6:04: Our first look at the duo behind the mic tonight. For the 28,014th straight time I remain Jim Nantz’s friend, which is always kind ... more »
10/28/2009 - 10:40am
While everyone (rightfully so) focused on Kevin Garnett and how his surgically repaired knee would hold up against LeBron James and the Cavaliers in the Celtics' season-opener, the most encouraging sight of the night was seeing Kendrick Perkins on the bench in crunch time. I’ve said it over and over. Perkins is an ideal backup center for a ... more »