According to ESPN, Boston has emerged as a leading destination in the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes. No deal is on the table (that we know of), but the mere possibility might raise a few concerns.
Northeast
Pastor announces gender transition during service with congregation: ‘Giving up pretending to be a man’
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A Methodist pastor in New York revealed last week plans to transition into a woman and said the 51-year-old now identifies as asexual.
Rev. Phillip Phaneuf, of North Chili United Methodist Church in Rochester, made the announcement during a Nov. 23 Sunday service. The personal update was delivered from the pulpit while wearing a rainbow stole.
“So I get to announce with joy that I’m transitioning,” Phaneuf said. “I’m affirming to all of you that I am transgender. The best way to put this is that I’m not becoming a woman, I’m giving up pretending to be a man. This is a process, and it may be shocking for some as to what this all means.”
Phaneuf added that the pastor’s sexuality is now asexual, an orientation in which a person experiences little or no sexual attraction to others.
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Phil Phaneuf wearing a blonde wig and makeup. (Phil Phaneuf/Facebook)
“I’m in the category of what they call asexual,” Phaneuf said. “I’ve been that way since we’ve all been together, in that I am not living my life in a way that involves looking for romance.”
Phaneuf said the name will be changed to Phillippa, and the preferred pronouns are she/her. Hormone replacement therapy has been underway for the past three months, Phaneuf confirmed, and changes to appearance, voice and hair are expected.
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Phil Phaneuf conducts a Sunday service on Nov. 23, 2025, in Rochester, New York. (Phil Phaneuf/Facebook)
Phaneuf told Fox News Digital Tuesday that the details of the transition process are accurate and that the community has been extremely welcoming.
“Since coming out to my congregation, they have been overwhelmingly affirming!” Phaneuf said.
The pastor said the bishop, church and theology support the transition, noting that the bishop was consulted before the announcement and that any pastoral duties at the church will not be affected. “What will stay the same is my deepening love for all of you,” Phaneuf said.
The 51-year-old’s parents, however, do not support the decision. “They asked me to tell you all that they do not support me,” Phaneuf announced during the sermon. “They asked me to tell you this.”
Phil Phaneuf revealed during a Sunday service that the pastor will be transitioning into a woman. (Phil Phaneuf/Facebook)
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Last year, the United Methodist Church reversed rules that condemned LGBTQ+ identities in the community, according to its official website. The UMC now affirms human sexuality “as a sacred gift” and says this “applies to all persons, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity,” according to its official website.
“The United Methodist Church commits to befriending and caring for all persons, including LGBTQ persons in our churches and communities,” it said.
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Concern numero uno is obvious. Giannis is one of the handful of players capable of altering the championship picture by himself. Pairing him with Jayson Tatum would create an impressive combination of size, athleticism, versatility, and star power. The question is whether Brad Stevens and the Celtics can actually pull it off without creating a new set of problems for themselves.
Boston’s path to Giannis is narrower than it first appears. The Celtics would almost certainly need to move Jaylen Brown, either directly to Milwaukee or through a third team. Reports indicate Brown has little interest in joining the Bucks (in paraphrase: “Milwaukee?! Yuck!”), which complicates matters further. We start moving from a blockbuster trade to a three-team puzzle involving contracts, draft compensation, and competing agendas.
Even if Boston finds a way through that maze, there’s no guarantee the resulting team will succeed.
Giannis may be a better asset than Brown, but championships are not won by comparing players one-for-one. They’re won by building complete teams (case in point: YOUR WORLD CHAMPION NEW YORK KNICKERBOCKERS ).
Brown averaged more than 28 points per game last season while defending multiple positions. He can create his own offense, punish smaller defenders, and absorb primary scoring responsibilities when Tatum is unavailable (as Tatum was for most of last season, recovering from a torn Achilles). Replacing him with Giannis raises Boston’s ceiling, perhaps, but also changes the structure of the roster.
The Celtics have spent years building an ecosystem around two star wings. Remove one and the supporting cast suddenly becomes more important, which means Stevens would have many more decisions to make before the start of training camp.
What catches me up is, if the Bucks believed that Giannis has more great years ahead of him, would they so quickly offload him to a conference rival? Might he actually be a distressed asset?
Giannis will turn 32 this season. He has generally been durable over his career but has dealt with increasing lower-body issues (especially calves and knees) in recent years, leading to more missed time. To wit:
• 2022–23: 63 GP / 19 missed
• 2023–24: 73 GP / 9 missed
• 2024–25: 67 GP / 15 missed
• 2025–26: 36 GP / 46 missed
Wouldn’t that just be the worst if the Celts parted with Brown to get him, and then Giannis missed extended time due to injury? Like, the absolute worst? (Insert diabolical laughter.)
A healthy Tatum-Giannis pairing would present unique challenges for New York. The Knicks would need to defend relentless downhill pressure while also containing one of the league’s best bucket creators. But, given their depth, New York may be better equipped than most teams to handle it.
So if the Celtics’ pursuit of Giannis causes an initial flutter of worry, you can let that just drift on by. The scenario only noses toward Red Alert if Boston nabs him while somehow also acquiring a guard who makes up for what they’d lose with Brown’s departure.
But wait! This just in: Chris Haynes has pushed back on the idea that a Giannis Antetokounmpo-to-Boston deal is close. He writes that Boston does not appear to be a promising destination and suggested the situation could extend into July. Additionally, Marc Stein reported that the Celtics are frustrated by speculation involving Jaylen Brown, while Brian Windhorst said Brown has not been formally offered in a trade. So, to quote the great William Goldman (also a Knicks fan), “Nobody knows anything.”
It’s worth noting that the Miami Heat are also reportedly in the mix. We’ve heard that the lack of income tax is alluring to the Greek Freak. Plus Florida offers sunny, warm weather, which is not a defining feature of Wisconsin. In the end, though, joining Boston would allow Giannis to keep all his favorite green-themed items in his wardrobe, and shouldn’t looking good be a priority, too?
Pittsburg, PA
SportsNet Pittsburgh parts ways with Penguins rinkside reporter Hailey Hunter after three seasons
Penguins rinkside reporter Hailey Hunter is out at SportsNet Pittsburgh after three seasons.
The network announced the decision on Wednesday evening.
“We are grateful for all of Hailey’s contributions during her time at SportsNet Pittsburgh. We wish her the very best in her future endeavors,” reads a statement from SportsNet Pittsburgh. “We will soon begin a nationwide search for a rinkside reporter for our Penguins coverage.”
The daughter of former NHL player Tim Hrynewich (who played for Pittsburgh between 1982 and 1984), Hunter joined the network during the 2023-2024 NHL season.
Per TribLive’s Rob Owen, Hunter said she wasn’t given a concrete reason for the decision.
“Unfortunately, I was told the Penguins have decided that they simply wanted to move in a different direction with the role,” she wrote to Owen. “I really wasn’t given any details, but I understand that’s the business we are in.”
Hunter added that she “absolutely loved my time with SportsNet Pittsburgh. The network truly felt like family and everyone there will always be great friends of mine. I’ll be having a get-together with many of the people I worked with next week, from cameramen to producers to executives from our network, the Penguins org, and the Pirates org. Sounds like about 60 people are coming, which is so kind, but also speaks to how close friends I became with everyone. We are all pretty shocked, but everyone’s kindness and support has truly meant the world to me.”
Previous to her time with SportsNet Pittsburgh, Hunter worked for Golf Channel and PGA Tour Entertainment as well as a team reporter and host for the New York Islanders during the 2021-22 season.
According to social media posts, Hunter and fiancé Gage Posey got married on May 16.
Connecticut
Sierra Club Connecticut, State Representatives Host Black Lungs Matter: Juneteenth Press Event – CleanTechnica
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Hartford Advocates and Community Members Gathered to Remember, Honor Path to Freedom
HARTFORD, Ct. — Today, Sierra Club Connecticut and State Representatives Minnie Gonzalez, Maryam Khan, and Jilian Gilchrist hosted Black Lungs Matter, a Juneteenth Press Conference, at the Connecticut Legislative Office Building.
The event highlighted the disproportionate impact of air pollution on Black residents in Connecticut and the broken promises that have contributed to this impact. Speakers included state representatives, public health and civil rights experts, plus local voices from Sierra Club Connecticut and the Connecticut Coalition for Economic and Environmental Justice.
The groups are concerned that Governor Lamont is no longer moving ahead with eliminating all carbon emissions from state building heating and cooling systems, as he pledged in Executive Order 21-3. The Trump Administration has also cancelled at least $50 million in federal grants for environmental justice projects across New England, a substantial portion of which was slated to come to Connecticut environmental justice organizations.
Environmental injustice refers to the fact that environmental hazards, such as air and water pollution, and the health harms that they cause, are disproportionately experienced by people of color and low income people. Environmental justice is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people, regardless of race, income, ethnicity, tribal affiliation or disability, in the environmental decision making which affects them.
“Just like the enslaved people in Texas were some of the last to gain their freedom, the asthmatic children of Hartford are likely to be the last to breathe clean air,” said Dr. Mark Mitchell, founder of the Connecticut Environmental Justice Leadership Collaborative. “The Governor should keep his clean air promise to Hartford, and help fight back against the environmental injustice of the Trump Administration.”
“As a Puerto Rican woman, I stand in solidarity with Black communities fighting for the right to breathe clean air and live healthy lives,” said Rep. Minnie Gonzalez, who represents the residents that are most exposed to the pollution from Capitol Area Systems.
“As a representative of Hartford, I am deeply committed to ensuring that every child in our city breathes clean air,” said Rep. Maryam Khan. “On this Juneteenth, we recognize the painful legacy of environmental injustice that has disproportionately harmed Black communities. Today, I stand with the Sierra Club in demanding action to tackle air pollution in Hartford. No child’s future should be stolen by the air they breathe.”
“Connecticut has made commitments to Environmental Justice,” said Sharon Lewis, an Environmental Justice Advocate. “Juneteenth reminds us that commitments matter only when they reach the people they were intended to serve.”
“We cannot allow the environmental justice goals and objectives in this city to be ignored,” said Attorney Cynthia Jennings. “Any investment of our tax dollars must be used to improve the health and safety of residents in every Hartford community.”
“Let’s remind the Governor that Black Americans deserve to breathe clean air in Hartford,” said Sierra Club Connecticut Organizer Alycia Jenkins. “Once justice is won for Black Americans, justice will be won for all.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person’s right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.
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