Welcome back to all the college and university students! And a particular welcome to our new squad of student interns here at The15, both in the Greater Boston area and elsewhere:
Emily Barncoat – ’29 Northeastern University
Fern Beckfick – ’29 Emmanuel College
Treydon Bouchet – ’29 University of Massachusetts – Lowell
Waylen Champlain – ’29 College of the Holy Cross
Zorba Fitzmurphy -’28 Boston University
Armando Glurge – ’29 Suffolk University
Willard Kelley – ’28 Bunker Hill Community College
Anastasia Krill – ’29 Boston College
Donnie Lonergan – ’28 Assumption University
Stefon Machafo – ’29 Emerson College
George Rao – ’29 Boston College
Ryan Sorghum – ’29 University of Massachusetts – Boston
Saoirse Vespa – ’29 Merrimack College
Turcotinga Willoughby – ’29 Boston University
Hannah Zuik – ’28 Framingham State University
We hope to learn as much from you, as you do from us. Remember: Knowledge Is Good.
Last summer, the Celtics were in a dire cap situation, paying over $500 million for a roster without its fulcrum. Brad Stevens spent that offseason offloading Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis for meager returns. The point wasn’t to receive meaningful player compensation, but salary relief. The Celtics couldn’t even retain Luke Kornet—a player Stevens had called a top priority—despite holding his Bird Rights. The 2025-26 Celtics were in no position to improve and had to rely on in-house talent and bargain-bin additions.
Nearly a year later, the Celtics have significant breathing room between themselves and the first and second aprons. They are below the luxury tax and now possess tools unavailable last offseason: the full mid-level exception, the ability to aggregate salaries to match larger incoming contracts, unfrozen picks they can trade, and a reset repeater tax clock.
This summer, Boston stands at a crossroads: try once more to build around the current core or reshuffle the deck. The argument for minimal changes is that the team already has solid bench depth. They can chalk up their first-round exit to bad luck, hope Jayson Tatum returns stronger in 2026-27 and pray he doesn’t miss another Game 7. But the reason Tatum missed that game was calf tightness caused by the heavy minutes he was forced to play. The Celtics had to rely on him as their do-it-all forward because players on the roster simply couldn’t replicate what he does. In the past, the Celtics could count on Tatum as an ironman capable of shouldering that burden nightly.
Post-Achilles tear, however, he is more vulnerable. Tatum has achieved a miracle by returning from such a devastating injury so quickly and looking every bit the franchise player. Yet the circumstances around how much the team can put on his plate have changed. Watching games from the 2024 season, what strikes me most is how diverse the Celtics’ offense was in the playoffs. Opponents could not simply drop in coverage to stifle Boston’s athletic wings, who prefer to score near the rim, because of the game-breaking presence of Al Horford and, for a brief period, Kristaps Porzingis.
The Celtics won’t win another title until they find a big man who can once again make it easier for them to attack close to the basket. Joe Mazzulla has mastered using shooting variance to turn the Celtics into a regular-season machine, but the past two playoffs have shown—in a smaller sample size—that this approach can backfire horribly without offensive diversity.
Even with the available tools, the Celtics face limited high-impact options unless they shop one of Jaylen Brown or Derrick White. Brown is eligible for a two-year extension this October that would likely keep him in Boston for the rest of his prime and make him a Celtic for life if he signs. Brown has been an outstanding player and person for both the team and the Boston community. But this is a cold business. There is a real argument that the Celtics’ downward trend can only be properly addressed if the Jays era ends with his departure—either for a disgruntled superstar (if possible) or a collection of players who better fill out various roster needs. The best realistic option at center may be bringing back Nikola Vučević, provided the price is right.
His minutes often looked awkward last season; he frequently appeared unsure what to do with his hands, likely due to the finger injury he suffered in March. Still, he serves a purpose, and Mazzulla has managed him effectively by neutralizing his weaknesses and leveraging his strengths. Re-signing Vooch as a backup veteran big on a modest salary would be a quiet win regardless of Boston’s bigger moves. Other options include using the $15 million mid-level exception on Mitchell Robinson to potentially screw over the Knicks. The catch is that this would hard-cap Boston at the first apron, and Robinson has a significant injury history. Boston could end up doing the Knicks a favor.
An uninspiring pool
The free-agent pool for centers is otherwise uninspiring. Upgrading from Luka Garza by chasing Nick Richards is one modest possibility, but that’s about it. Jusuf Nurkić is unlikely to leave Utah, and Robert Williams III will probably command a larger salary than Stevens wants to pay an oft-injured big. This all circles back to the broader question of whether it’s time to lay the Jays era to rest. Whether targeting Giannis Antetokounmpo or someone like Domantas Sabonis, the changes this team needs cannot happen without moving one of the three highest-paid players while they are still at peak value. The overarching factor is that the Celtics cannot win another title without a big man who can do what Horford once did. This league has always been dominated to some degree by centers. The Thunder, Spurs, and Knicks all feature game-breaking bigs who can create for themselves and protect the rim. Even a solid, all-around player like Sabonis would feel like a godsend in Boston because the team hasn’t had a big who could meaningfully expand its offensive repertoire in years.
Teams in Boston’s position often double down on the past and pay the price, or they sever ties and risk digging the hole deeper. Denver remains tied to Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray and hasn’t returned to the Finals since 2023. Milwaukee misidentified its problems by swapping Jrue Holiday for Damian Lillard and now faces the possible end of the Giannis era. Boston cannot afford to be stagnant or foolish. Brown has not minced words: he wants to remain a Celtic and retire here. Boston is his home. But can management realistically believe they will recapture glory by recommitting to this core when the roster has so many other pressing needs?
Vinny Jace is a special contributor to The15net.com.He does not liveat the Museum of Science.
You know who didn’t come back from an Achilles injury? Achilles.
By Vinny Jace, Special to the15net dot com:
It is almost impossible to appreciate anything in our modern, instant gratification world nowadays. It is not enough for a top 5 superstar to return from a devastating injury in less than a year after surgery; if he is not immediately his old self after two weeks, then he’s a bum. Must be comfortable writing 240-character eulogies from the comfort of your couch while wondering what toppings you’ll order for your next pizza pie.
The concerns for Jayson Tatum are real, and they are also expected. If by some miracle he was his MVP-caliber self at this point, I’d consider it a glitch in the matrix. You can compare him to Kevin Durant, but the difference is Durant took 18 months to recover. The argument against Tatum is that he is not the otherworldly shot-maker Durant is. He plays more like a mini-Giannis, utilizing bully-ball to a maximalist extent. Two different players—all they shared was having the same injury at one point during their primes.
But it’s not like Durant is the same player since his injury. The shot-making is still off the charts, but his passing, playmaking, and athleticism suffered. The contrast between what he is now and what he was in 2014, 2016, 2017, etc., is stark. Even as he’s recovered, he lost something that cannot come back. That’s what makes the Achilles worse than most other injuries.
Does our Hoplite still have his hops? So far. The shooting touch will return, in time.
For Tatum, it’s impossible to see what he’s lost yet. It’s hard to attribute his missed attempts to the injury or just growing pains reintegrating into the offense. We probably don’t want to admit it, but the Celtics established a cohesive hierarchy in Tatum’s absence and reinvented themselves from a high-volume three-point team living and dying on variance to a multi-faceted system that incorporates cutting, the post, and near-the-basket action. Essentially, they are a superior version of the 2024 team in terms of the ways they can score. Whether Tatum can find his footing on a team that isn’t as reliant on him is another topic for discussion.
Prior to his return, Tatum said he was not coming back to be a role player. I don’t know why the term “role player” is treated like a slur in NBA circles. Role players are important. They play, well, a crucial role. Role players are the glue that holds your star players together and elevates the rest of the roster. If we look at the Los Angeles Lakers and the little renaissance they’re experiencing, it can be attributed to LeBron James’ usage going down dramatically and clearing the way for Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves to be their No. 1 and No. 2 best players. It’s something Tatum should be open to so Jaylen Brown and Derrick White can continue leading the show. If Tatum was slotted into a role similar to Baylor Scheierman for the rest of the year, I struggle to see the indignity beyond fat losers online having a laugh.
(Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images)
It is undersold how difficult it is for Tatum to rediscover his groove in the late parts of the regular season, in the midst of a tight race for the second seed. Tatum is not in basketball-playing shape, and we can’t fault him for that. He’s huffing and puffing, playing nearly thirty minutes a night when less than a month ago he just started playing competitive five-on-five.
The pluses Tatum brings on the floor are his defense and passing. The Celtics’ turnovers are cut down when he’s on-ball, facilitating and moonlighting as the point guard. He’s their best dribbler and passer by far. But what the Celtics aren’t better at when Tatum is on the floor is shooting the basketball. Sam Hauser is critical to their outside game. A development this season has been Brown’s decision-making and ability to not settle for jump shots, whereas in the past he would. He’s a constant attacker who’ll create for himself even while guarded tightly, and can kick out to an open Hauser in the corner after commanding lethal amounts of gravity.
Tatum on the floor in his current state messes with that nucleus. That’s not to say he’s a hindrance. The Celtics sport a +14.1 net rating when he’s playing. And we shouldn’t ignore the fact that Tatum has altered his play style to better complement those around him. He is being more selective in his shot attempts, emphasizing his other skills that don’t involve just scoring. But there are some tweaks needed to make the offense flow smoother.
If Joe Mazzulla can figure out a way to lower Tatum’s minutes, reduce his role into a perimeter shooter, versatile defender who can guard multiple positions and crash the boards—sort of like a high-energy bench player who starts—you’ll basically have a taller version of Derrick White.
In 2026-27, the expectations for Tatum will be that he returns to his All-NBA form. Until then, a role player is what should be expected from him, and he deserves a certain amount of grace for what he’s battled against and what he’s willingly sacrificed for the betterment of the team.
Tatum is not sulking in his tent.
Vinny Jace is a special contributor to The15net.com.He does not liveon thecoast of the wine-dark Aegean Sea.
Is this old barn ready for unexpected playoff guests in 2026?
By Vinny Jace, Special to the15net dot com:
(Note: the statistics do not include Monday night’s game)
If you’d told me at the start of the season that the Celtics would be sitting at 20-12—on a 50-win pace—with a revolving cast of contributors, I’d have looked at you like you’d grown two extra heads.
The bottom line is that fans like to say they always knew when a relatively obscure bench player was on the verge of taking a leap, when in fact they don’t. Neither you nor I possess that knowledge. We’ve been wrong before. Ante Žižić, Tremont Waters, and Romeo Langford come to mind as projects we spent offseasons eagerly waiting to see blossom. Every puff piece or Reddit thread dedicated to their skills—bolstered by YouTube highlight videos—had us buying in. It isn’t a crime to want to believe every player your team drafts is a secret diamond in the rough. But one of the first lessons you learn is that it’s far likelier your team just picked a lemon with the 16th pick.
The difference between then and now is that former general manager Danny Ainge’s philosophy centered on exploiting what he saw as inefficiencies in the draft market: trying to recreate Isaiah Thomas by targeting players with similar skills and builds, and sometimes using draft-and-stash for project players. Ainge wasn’t a bad drafter, but in the later years of his regime, he exhibited traits that led to mistakes. Picking late in the first round every year means you’re the last dog at the bowl. As anyone who’s watched Moneyball knows, what happens to the runt of the litter? He dies. It’s safe to assume other teams try to implement similar strategies.
To earn attention from the coaching staff on the Celtics, one must be willing to put their body on the line. Boston draws 0.41 charges per game—10th most in the NBA. Rookie Hugo González and second-year guard Baylor Scheierman average 0.8 and 0.7, respectively.
What Mazzulla wants in his players is relentless, bulldog-like intensity coupled with consistency from three-point land. This means players are walking a delicate tightrope: slack off for one possession and you’re out; miss a rotation and you’re out. Mazzulla is quick to sub out anyone he thinks is slacking. But this roster is made up of players who won’t let that get to them. Professionalism and maturity are key. You don’t want players who accept that there will be games they won’t play in, but you also want them to maintain readiness for when they’re dusted off the bench and given 25 minutes due to whatever circumstances arise.
The three-point numbers for the rotation players are encouraging:
– Jordan Walsh — 45.1% on 1.9 attempts per game
– Josh Minott — 44.4% on 2.6 attempts per game
– Baylor Scheierman — 41.6% on 1.6 attempts per game
– Hugo González — 37.8% on 1.4 attempts per game
González has opened the door for himself by playing hard and tough for a 19-year-old rookie, displaying maturity and intangibles. His hustle plays are reminiscent of Marcus Smart. Off-ball, he’s shown a tremendous ability to cut to the basket and finish craftily. His defensive versatility thus far has been inspiring—the 6-6 rookie has held his own against big men like Karl-Anthony Towns, Bam Adebayo, and Kel’el Ware.
The offseason acquisitions Josh Minott and Luka Garza have essentially switched roles in little over a month. But Minott’s tendency to find himself in early foul trouble, inconsistent offensive input, and the Celtics’ competitive, deep bench have stapled the former Minnesota Timberwolf to the sidelines.
Conversely, Garza has assumed the title of backup big behind Neemias Queta, riding a phenomenal December to escape the doghouse. In November, he shot 55.3% from the field; in December, he raised that to 65.5%.
Outside the core players, you can’t really bank on who’ll find themselves on the floor from game to game. Josh Minott has shown he can contribute but struggles for consistent minutes. Minott began the season showcasing energy on offense, earning crunch-time minutes and even guarding the opposing team’s best player. Like González, Minott can adequately defend positions larger than his own, doing good work against players like Evan Mobley earlier in the season.
Third-year forward Jordan Walsh has played excellent defense on the likes of Tyrese Maxey and Cade Cunningham. While he’s shared crunch-time minutes with Anfernee Simons, the progression is real for Walsh.
Stevens’ ability to identify that the league is trending toward young, intense players who aren’t afraid to grind and get their hands dirty has kept this team afloat during some lean times in the first quarter of the season. And it’s because of his patience in developing players we’d largely forgotten about that the Celtics are no longer thinking about the lottery heading into 2026.
Vinny Jace appears on the Entitled Weekend podcast. He does not liveina seaside shanty in Hull.
Turkey fans enjoy giving out gobbles this time of year, but what about America’s fastest, and fattest, growing dietary subgroup the Porksaterians? Well don’t worry Porky, we’re here to satisfy you with a serving of oinks.
Grant Huckvale (a.k.a. Hogdale): Hogdale carved a niche for himself as an overly exuberant alternative broadcaster to the stoic and bland official Red Sox play-by-play teams on NESN and WEEI. Over the summer you’d see Hogdale clips occasionally retweeted into your timeline, usually after Red Sox wins, and you’d think to yourself “I think that’s the tops“. We probably all agree that Hogdale is special. Smash cut to present day, and we are confronted with a hog of a different color. Barstool, in an effort to fill an obese chromosomically challenged void in their lineup, swooped in and waved a lucrative (by part-time minimum waged Iowan standards) five figure contract in front of Hogdale’s snout and lured him into their slaughter house. Now Hogdale’s giant screaming maw is ever present, ever hot takey and ever annoying. To quote Rocky IV: “What started out as a joke has turned into a disaster”. 4 oinks 🐷🐷🐷🐷
That will do pig
Thanksgiving early eaters time Packers at Lions (-2.5) Jungle Kings slice and dice Cheese Heads
Thanksgiving late eaters time Chiefs (-3.5) at Cowboys Squantos feast on the Pilgrims
Thanksgiving overeaters time Bengals at Ravens (-7) Scary Black Birds bury Burrow’s boys
Black Friday Afternoon Nap time Bears at Eagles (-7) Birds bully Bears
Football Cat lives in New Hampshire, enjoys watching football, and is a cat.
News item:ESPN and Penn Entertainment are ending their sports-betting agreement early after failing to gain significant market share. The sports-media company will instead launch a new multiyear deal with industry leader DraftKings. The early ending for ESPN’s Penn Entertainment venture and ESPN Bet’s inability to gain scale is a sign of the grip DraftKings and FanDuel have on the market. Sports betting has exploded in America, but smaller companies and later entrants have been unable to capture fans’ attention.
We’re all in!
We here at The15Net.com know how difficult it can be for the little guy to mix it up with the big boys, so we are offering up our services to Penn in its time of need. Our industry leading brand is a perfect fit for Penn’s deep pockets and poor judgement. We have year round features like the ever popular Cleaning Out the Sports Junk Drawer, the wildly successful Football Cat’s Weekly NFL Picks, the eagerly awaited March Sadness, this summer’s surprise smash hit the Summer Mini-Tournament and a cornucopia of other fabulous rib ticklers and side splitters. How does “The15net Bets” sound to you?
And all for the low low price of only $15 million in cash per year! That’s a tenth of what you were paying ESPN, and no one even has access to that channel anymore. So please reach out to Mr. Steve Bosell, the Managing Editor of The15Net.com, at your earliest convenience (if you can find him).
Thank you for you attention to this matter.
Sunday Frühstück Time Falcons at Colts (-6.5) Indianapolis Jones triumphs over those Nazi inspired helmet logos
Sunday Lunch Time Saints at Panthers (-5.5) Black cats scare the bejesus out of the Saints
Giants at Bears (-4.5) Bears send G-men into hibernation
Seems like a bad idea
Jaguars (-1.5) at Texans Spotted cats have a problem in Houston
Bills (-9.5) at Dolphins Buffalo grills Dolphins
Not this time Flipper
Ravens (-4.5) at Vikings Scary black birds continue to come back from the dead
Browns (-1.5) at Jets Browns catch Firesale Ed’s team looking ahead to 2027
Patriots at Buccaneers (-2.5) It’s no longer Baker Mayfield, it’s Baker ISfield!
This will never make any sense
Sunday Dinner Time Cardinals at Seahawks (-6.5) Fake Seabirds snatch up pretty red birds
Rams (-3) at 49ers Horny sheep menace Mac
Lions (-7.5) at Commanders Lions tame Swamp Things
No shirt, no shoes, all action!
Sunday Prowl Time Steelers at Chargers (-3) Bolts can’t penetrate the Men of Steel’s Faraday cage
Monday Prowl Time Eagles at Packers (-2.5) American Birds snap up Meat Men
Football Cat lives in New Hampshire, enjoys watching football, and is a cat.
Football Cat is tired from watching the Patriotic Birds play the Pokes.
Your long wait is finally over, and so is your Summah, football season is upon us! And this season is no ordinary season… this season YOU (yes, YOU!) get the opportunity to go head to head with our very own Feline Football Forecaster, the one, the only Football Cat!
One of our interns (I haven’t taken time to learn their names yet) outlined the rules in an earlier post.
The Cliff Notes version: If you can pick more winners than Football Cat you will be eligible to win a fabulous The15 Inside Joke Prize Pack! Email your picks to bjbsjournalintern@gmail.com (prior to kickoff of tonight’s game) and our plucky squad of interns will make sure your entry is added to this week’s pool of contestants! It’s that easy. All you have to lose is your self respect.
Which leaves us with the question… Can YOU beat Football Cat?
Actual prize may vary
Sexta à Noite Prowl Time Chiefs (-3) vs Chargers “I play the beautiful game while I’m in Brazil ‘Cause everybody plays the beautiful game while I’m in Brazil ‘Cause it’s all we’ve ever wanted, and it’s all that you want still Don’t you wanna play the beautiful game out in Brazil?”
Plugs shock Chiefs in the Southern Hemisphere’s Winter Classic
Pelé knew which game was the real o jogo bonito
Sunday Lunch Time Buccaneers (-2) at Falcons An opening week NFC South six pointer! Why wasn’t this on Sunday Night Football? Bucs win and all but clinch the division
Bengals (-6) at Browns Stripey cats leave the Browns strewn across their litter box
Actually Cleveland is a really nice place… for me to poop on!
Dolphins at Colts (-1.5) Ponies pop Porps
Panthers at Jaguars (-3) Cat fight! Spotted cats send black cats home with two black eyes
Woof
Raiders at Patriots (-2.5) Botox Brady’s team comes up short in the shadow of Tom’s tiny headed statue
Cardinals (-6.5) at Saints Cardinals win the Holy War
Say two Hail Marys and one Act of Cat-trition (*uproarious laughter*)
Steelers (-3) at Jets Men of Steel dominate in Metropolis
Krypto, Krytpo, Krypto! Why no love for Streaky the Supercat?
Giants at Commanders (-6) I’m calling the president. Mr. President, we need the National Guard. We need as many men as you can spare because the Commanders are killing the Giants. Wait… what? They’re already here? Never mind.
My old Platoon Sergeant said the Guard was for pussies
Sunday Dinner Time Titans at Broncos (-7.5) Tits sag in the thin air
49ers (-2.5) at Seahawks Fake Sea Birds rub Purrrdy the wrong way
Lions at Packers (-2.5) Jungle Kings devour Meat Men
It’s just a flesh wound
Texans at Rams (-2.5) Horny sheep give Houston problems
Sunday Prowl Time Ravens at Bills (-1.5) Scary Black birds spook Hairy Cows
Monday Prowl Time Vikings at Bears (-1.5) Norsemen skin grizzlies
It’s not a rug it’s a weave
Football Cat lives in New Hampshire, enjoys watching football, and is a cat.
All the cvnts who were performatively rooting for TCU Monday are the same ones who told us they were just being unbiased for years.
“The diamond is loaded” is absolutely a thing that people say.
I already want Tommy DeVito and his greasy butt plug of a manager dead.
All these years Boston sports fans hated Peyton Manning. Now they love Payton Pritchard and Payton Tolle. Amazing what swapping out an E for an A will do.
The next Jordon Hudson joke is going to be the funny one; I can feel it.
Brennan Bernardino looks like Noel Gugliemi.
They gave his radio show to a puffy whore. They took away his casino access. They made him angry. And you don’t make Dan Lifshatz angry.
Cakes are cooking for Dick Motta, Al Jardine, Dave Eichelberger, Valerie Perrine, Eric Bell, Don Brewer, Steve Jones, Costas Mandylor, Spike Feresten, Charlie Sheen, Chris Gatling, Luis Gonzalez, Keith Traylor, Martin Straka, Damon Stoudamire, Jevon Kearse, Garrett Hedlund, Shaun White, Dominic Thiem, Kaia Gerber, and Eileen Gu.
Jimmy Bulger would have turned 95 today too, Danny. But as the Bard wrote, “violent delights have violent ends.”
Hey gang of three-color carbonless invoice enthusiasts, this week’s Phrase that Pays is, “Do you have other plans today, or is that it?”
Old, white guys really love coffee.
The home run leader in the American League and the National League are both from the Cape Cod League. You’re welcome.
Green Line D Branch Reminder: Through September 11 Shuttle buses are replacing service between Kenmore and Riverside for maintenance work. Express shuttles are operating between Newton Highlands and Copley.
You know it’s a big event when Blake Snell shows up.
People from New England that use y’all should be shot in the face.
Someone please give James Gunn a hug and tell him how proud they are about how many obscure comic book characters he knows.
Nobody sweats enough to need 5000+ mgs of sodium a day.
Lays knows how to make potato chips, their Sour Cream & Onion and Barbecue flavors especially.
On May 13, 2004, the Boston Red Sox were blown out 12-6 by the Toronto Blue Jays and got passed for first place in the AL East by the New York Yankees. Roman Anthony was born that day. The rest is history.
I love when people pretend not understand why Irish-American Catholics root for Notre dame. So silly!
My dad is going to hang himself because my mom will watch the auto-previews on Netflix for hours and not pick anything to actually watch.
Good job, rookie Oriental golfer lady.
Noel Gugliemi is an American actor best known for his portrayals of Southern Californian gangsters.
Matt Patricia rolling out an overload sim with Caleb Downs on the line paired with a coffee house stunt the other way. Hooooo boy.
If the Sun moves to Boston, and assuming they adopt the Celtics colors and theme, they should absolutely be renamed the Banshees.
Not Luis Suarez!
Portugal is advancing to the next round of EuroBasket after a thrilling win following Neemias Queta’s ejection.
Roman has a strained oblique? Oh! Bleak!
Ay these edits on Tik Tok these days are on another level ! I don’t know what they are feeding these young hustlers but my goodness! Keep goin crazy!!!
Four young chiquitas in Omaha A waitin’ for the band to return from the show Feelin’ good, feelin’ right, it’s Saturday night The hotel detective, he was outta sight
Now these fine ladies, they had a plan They was out to meet the boys in the band They said, “Come on dudes, let’s get it on” And we proceeded to tear that hotel down.
I really feel like Saturdays are for Dr. Pepper ads and Sundays are for State Farm. Make it happen.
Woah, they released Buehler?
Honk if you remember the longest game in Fenway Park’s history, a 20 inning 8-7 loss to Seattle.
It’s time for Captain’s Skate at WARRIOR ICE ARENA already?
Well actually, Pete Rose is still not in the Baseball Hall of Fame, Mr. President.
Good for you, Jeff Howe. Way to wrest control from that dangerous spiral of six beers a week.
Tommy DeVito…we’re supposed to believe that this is a real person?
SportsChannel and NESN were $20/month on Continental Cablevision in the 80s. I paid for it with my paper route.
Wrexham has a midget.
With whom is Drake Maye getting his revenge? His elementary school teachers?
Kenny Anderson understands brand loyalty!
BC Eagles looking good early.
Best bet for the weekend: win or lose, no Gatorade bath for Coach Vrabes.
You don’t need an official captain to hold a Captains’ Skate.
Material from interviews, wire services, Twitter, Meta, other writers, league and team sources, Joe Giza, and the members of #the15 were used in this column. We lose 80 minutes of daylight in September.
And happy birthday to statuesque Gold Medal-winning softball pitcher Jennie Finch.
It’s bittersweet that Dick Flavin isn’t around to commemorate this 10-game Red Sox winning streak with a terrible poem.
Alcaraz might be a greater non-sweater than Federer, which is really saying something.
Ken Lofton Jr is the definition of a bull in a china shop.
One thing that I will always hate about the MLB Draft is that teams don’t just draft the best players on their board.
I saw Felger on the Nantucket Ferry. He looked scared.
As someone who needs to be reminded the times were living in…a guy who has the last name ..Sinner ..won.wimbledon ..what’s next a man whos last name is judas wins the masters ?
Jerry Thornton has more dead relatives than Daenerys Targaryen.
David Ortiz fans chant, “Who’s your Papi?” Do fans chant, “Who’s your Dumper?” For Cal Raleigh?
It must be exhausting pretending to be an expert on everything. And also being 400 lbs.
Fan mail sent directly to my house will not be opened. It will be thrown out.
Cakes are cooking for Margaret Smith Court, Jimmy Johnson, Cyndy Garvey, Stewart Copeland, Michael Flatley, Gary Anderson, Terry Pendleton, Miguel Indurain, Charles Smith, Claude Lemieux, Chip Lohmiller, Jyrki Lumme, Will Ferrell, Barry Sanders, Daryl Mitchell, Rain Prior, William Van Landingham, Chris Thomas, Corey Feldman, Aaron Glenn, and Adam Scott.
For the record, Claudia Bellofatto is the only Big Dumper I recognize.
“Where does this walk-off rank in THE PANTHEON? Let’s go to the phones,” I say to my concerned wife and terrified children. Their reaction? I’ll let you know, after the break.
I’ve attended somewhere around 100 events at TD Garden between games and shows. Last night definitely cracks my top 5. The Caitlin Clark experience is legit and she is box office.
The terrible irony is that if Bob Kraft had spent the past decade and a half trying to get Stanley Morgan into the Hall of Fame they both would be enshrined in Canton by now.
Showing up in person as a fan to watch the MLB draft should land you on some kind of federal watchlist.
Jelly Roll looks like he does heroin in a Canobie Lake bathroom.
Red Sox kept the better Raffy.
Drew Bledsoe doesn’t get nearly the credit he deserves for his toughness. The man was a warrior.
Blue Line Update: No trains currently stuck under Boston Harbor.
Sox stockpiling arms in the Draft.
Jannik Sinner is Italian?
Cool to see Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner sitting front row at Fenway. Always a special atmosphere when big names show up at the park.
The bunnies and the squirrels have an uneasy truce in place.
Hey gang of squids who barely got through Navy basic, this week’s Phrase that Pays is, “Just buy some calamine lotion, you cheap fuck.”
@MarkDondero don’t sell yourself short mark
Hit up Strega after my North End stroll yesterday. This prosciutto-stuffed veal chop was phenomenal as was the octopus appetizer.
I would like to apologize if I sounded like I wished harm upon either Hardy Boy..
Honk if you remember Rick Dee’s, “Into the Night”.
Memo to WNBA announcer: Don’t call a layup (or lay-in) a “lay.” Nobody is having sex out there.
Respectfully: Keira Knightley looks like a billion dollars.
With one breath, with one flow, You will know synchronicity. A sleep trance, a dream dance, A shared romance, synchronicity.
[Chorus] A connecting principle, Linked to the invisible, Almost imperceptible, Something inexpressible. Science insusceptible, Logic so inflexible, Causally connectable, Nothing is invincible…
It has rained for quite a few Heritage Nights with the Red Sox. Just saying….
They Saved Hitler’s Brain somehow went from a cheesy 1964 sci fi movie to a billion-dollar 2025 AI project.
Imagine having two phones.
Almost-a-Scout Bedard is miffed Belichick didn’t take a big chance on him.
During this heat wave don’t forget to check up on elderly neighbors to make sure their whole house fan is in good working order.
I think Jerry Trupiano needs to do an All-Sentence Music Fest headlined by Teddy Swims and Billy Strings.
Jerry Thornton wanted Up With People to perform at the All-Star Game.
Summer League is physical.
So the Sox play relatively clean for a couple weeks and suddenly that’s all the info from the last four years that we should acknowledge? Okay.
If Angel Reese didn’t exist it would be necessary to invent her.
Best bet for the weekend: Bostonians converging on Elwood Blues’ listed address.
Did we do this to Mike? We did, didn’t we?
Material from interviews, wire services, Twitter, Meta, other writers, league and team sources, and the members of #the15 were used in this column. Don’t tell the director I said so but are you safe, Miss Gradenko?
And happy birthday to retired model & actress Phoebe Cates, whom you may associate with a song by The Cars.
Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind? The answer is a resounding “YES”! It’s best to leave the past in the past. Your New Year’s resolution should be to not dwell on lost loves and move forward. New year, new you. Don’t spend your nights listening to Spotify and crying yourself to sleep over what might have been with Olivia or Jackie or Brad. Lift a cup of kindness and throw it right in their face!
Happy Mew Year!
Or you could just resolve to stop drinking again.
SATURDAY LUNCH TIME Chargers (-4) at Patriots Patriots shock the Bolts like it’s 1985
In 2025 Coach Mayo resolves to be even more open with his good friends in the media.
SATURDAY DINNER TIME Broncos at Bengals (-3) Stripey Cats keep their playoff chances alive
SATURDAY PROWL TIME Cardinals at Rams (-6) Rams rout Red Birds
SUNDAY LUNCH TIME Colts (-7.5) at Giants Giant tank job continues
Now that’s a giant tank!
Jets at Bills (-10) McDermott’s men hijack Jets and send them crashing back to Earth
Never forget
Titans at Jaguars (-1) Spotty Cats can’t handle Tits
Raiders (-1.5) at Saints Raiders win again, they must really hate the idea of drafting Shedeur Sanders.
Panthers at Buccaneers (-8) Scary Black Cats sink Bucs
Tampa should have consulted “Unsinkable Sam”
Cowboys at Eagles (-9.5) American Birds keep the pressure on the Jungle Kings
SUNDAY DINNER TIME Dolphins at Browns (-6.5) Elves shelve Miami
Don’t eat the brown fish
Packers at Vikings (-1.5) Vikings mince Meat Men
I’d rather be plundered
SUNDAY PROWL TIME Falcons at Commanders (-4) Commies swamp Falcons
MONDAY PROWL TIME Lions (-3.5) at 49ers Jungle Kings poach Prospectors’ patellas
Football Cat lives in New Hampshire, enjoys watching football, and is a cat.
The 15 