Hardball Heaven

As always, lots happening on the local sports scene. Let's start with what my eyes just witnessed, which was a very tough Celtics loss to the LeBronavaliers. At about 8:30 tonight, it finally hit my wife. "You're back into the Celtics, aren't you?," she asked with a tone of annoyance that another sport is back in the rotation. "I can't believe it."

Well, believe it. The Celts are must-see TV these days. With KG and Ray Allen in green, they're fun to watch again. Between tonight's game and a scintillating last-second win over Charlotte over the weekend, I actually yelled at my TV a couple of times. Actually got mad or pumped a fist. For the Celtics. Yup - the bandwagon's rolling down the road and I'm sitting up front. Tonight's loss in Cleveland should have been a W, and if Allen - a career 89% free throw shooter - had made two measly freebies they would have won this one in regulation. Unfortunately, Allen missed, LeBron took over in overtime and the Celts suffered their second loss on the season. But it gonna be a fun season.

The Patriots got a scare from the Philadelphia Eagles Sunday night, eking out a 31-28 victory to remain unbeaten. Very impressed with how the Eagles played, and with the game plans they drew up on both offense and defense. Brady was pressured all night long, and took one brutal hit early in the game that was positively bone-rattling. It looked to my untrained eyes that the Pats lost the battle at the line of scrimmage (the Eagles O-line was outstanding), but in the end they did just enough to win. Brady stood tall, as always. He's your game MVP - or maybe co-MVP with Asante Samuel, who had two big picks. Next up for the Pats: at Baltimore on Monday night.

Sticking with the NFL, a very sad story with the shocking murder of Redskins safety Sean Taylor. As you know by now, Taylor was shot early Monday morning in his Miami-area home by an intruder. Reports said he was in tough shape, but then news came that he was responsive to a nurse. This morning, it was shocking to wake up and hear that he had died. The kid lived a tough life from all accounts, but it seemed like he was turning things around. And he was one hell of a player.

As far as the Red Sox go, it's been pretty quiet since they inked Lowell. The big news of the last couple of days is that the Yankees and Twins are talking trade for Johan Santana. We knew this was coming, of course, but I'm still hoping Theo is doing his due diligence and at least driving the price up. If the Yankees only give up Phil Hughes and no other name players, it's a sham. The Twins have every right to demand, say, Melky Cabrera and Joba Chamberlain. Santana is the creme de la creme, right up there with Beckett.

We also got word today that Dr. Charles Steinberg - the marketing and promotion maestro for the Sox since the Henry group took over - is leaving to take a job with the Dodgers. I say don't let the door hit your ass on the way out. Steinberg was just way over the top with some of the crap (Red Sox Nation card, dating show) he foisted on us loyal fans year after year. Wonder if he'll get Terry Cashman to sing at Dodger Stadium?