On August 28, Red Sox legend David Ortiz and Celtics guard Jrue Holiday made an appearance at the grand opening of Raising Cane’s in downtown Boston. The new location sported an all-gold interior to commemorate the restaurant chain’s 28th anniversary.

As a three-time World Series champion, Ortiz was a fitting guest for Raising Cane’s Golden Birthday celebration. While the former Red Sox designated hitter is best known for his baseball career, Ortiz has become a prominent figure in Boston sports and has maintained a close friendship with Celtics center Al Horford since 2016. 

When asked about his prediction for next season’s NBA championship, Ortiz told Boston Celtics On SI that the Celtics will repeat as champions. 

“For next season, of course the Celtics are going to repeat without a doubt.”

Regarding next season’s Most Valuable Player award, Ortiz lightheartedly endorsed Holiday.

“And (for MVP) I gotta go with my boy right here,” Ortiz said with a smile, nudging the two-time gold medalist. 

Ortiz also affirmed that he actively supports the Celtics and fellow Dominican Republic native Horford.  He was excited to watch both win a title in June.

“I gotta tell you, man, I’m a Celtic. I cheer. I scream. I cry. That’s my thing, man. When I see the Celtics win, when I see my hometown homie (Al Horford) getting it done, I feel like I got it done…. Very happy for the Celtics. Very happy for my boy.”

The Boston Red Sox are approaching a crossroads.

After back-to-back last-place finishes in 2022 and 2023, there was legitimate cause for excitement throughout much of the 2024 season. But after a recent stretch of five losses in four days, the Red Sox’s playoff odds have dipped below 20%.

Though it’s nothing compared to the 86-year drought the previous generation experienced, the days of the 2018 World Series team are starting to feel pretty far in the rearview. Red Sox fans are rightfully wondering where the next championship will come from, and what will drive that success.

Though there is no guarantee the Red Sox win it all, or even make the playoffs, in years to come, it does appear that an identity is beginning to form.

Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report named his “biggest strengths” for each of the 30 MLB organizations, saying that the Red Sox “cranking out young players” was the best thing Boston has going for it right now.

“The Red Sox should feel pretty good about Rafael Devers, Jarren Duran, Triston Casas, Wilyer Abreu, Ceddanne Rafaela, (Connor) Wong and David Hamilton,” Rymer said. “All seven are in their 20s and controlled through at least 2028.”

Boston has seen huge steps forward from Duran and Abreu this season, and Devers seems poised to rack up Silver Slugger awards as long as he stays at third base. Casas, too, has been one of the best-hitting first basemen in the game whenever he’s been healthy since the midpoint of last season.

Rymer doesn’t even mention the next wave of position player talent at the Red Sox’s disposal, but it’s nearly arrived as well. Potential stars Roman Anthony, Kristian Campbell, Kyle Teel, and Marcelo Mayer are all one step away from the big leagues in Triple-A.

There is no question that the Red Sox have become a powerhouse in churning out homegrown position players through the years. Before the current group, it was Dustin Pedroia, Xander Bogaerts, and Mookie Betts.

In terms of young position player cores, the Red Sox have few peers around the game of baseball right now. One happens to be in their division, however, as the Baltimore Orioles have had players littered across the Rookie of the Year ballots for three years running.

Can this current crop of homegrown Sox bring the next title to Boston? They’ll need to be supplemented heavily with a quality pitching staff, but the early returns are starting to look promising.

More MLB: Red Sox Could Sign All-Star Hurler On ‘Pillow’ Contract To Solve Pitching Woes

Danny’s mom, Nancy Doherty, who had encouraged her son to start the stand as long as he donated half of the proceeds to charity, also was taken aback.

“Somebody complained. That was the most disappointing part for us was that somebody thought it necessary to complain about a child’s stand,” she said. “It seemed a little, you know, crazy if you ask me.”

Rather than give up, Danny decided to give away the ice cream and accept donations for the Boston Bear Cubs, a team featuring players with physical and developmental disabilities — including his brother, who is autistic.

That’s when the neighborhood fundraiser blew up and became the talk of Norwood, a suburban town about an hour from Boston.

The first day they gave away the ice cream, supplies ran out in 10 minutes and $1,000 was raised. Then, word began to spread about the fundraiser and Danny’s clash with the town. Local media ran stories about the stand, prompting scores of local businesses to hold their own fundraisers for the hockey team.

Among them was Furlong’s Candies, which teamed up with Boston radio station WWBX-FM to hold a fundraiser in their parking lot. They raised $3,600 on a day when lines stretched out the door.

“Danny was trying to do a good thing for his brother’s team — and it’s not just a regular hockey team,” Nancy Thrasher, the store’s co-owner said. “They need a lot more equipment … We were like this is a perfect situation for us to get involved in.”

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Thrasher said she understood why the stand had to be shut down but she still felt bad.

“My heart broke for the kid. He was just trying to do good for his brother’s team,” she said.

Town officials, meanwhile, said they received hate mail and death threats over the dispute, which they suggested has been badly mischaracterized in the media.

They argued the family had sold their homemade ice cream before and even promoted it on social media. The letter, officials said, was only sent after the town received several complaints and unsuccessfully tried to contact the family — something the Doherty’s dispute.

“We had to deal with staff who were upset that they were being threatened. People had gone online and found their addresses simply for sending a letter after having reached out to somebody and said, look, there’s a violation here,” said Tony Mazzucco, Norwood’s town manager. It’s the “first time in recent memory” that the town has shut down an ice cream stand, he said, adding that Massachusetts law allows for things like lemonade stands and bakes sales but not homemade ice cream.

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Mazzucco also said there was a “legitimate health concern” since homemade ice cream can be contaminated with listeria monocytogenes or other bacteria.

Danny’s situation is not altogether unusual. Youth elsewhere have also seen their lemonade stands or pop-up bake sales shuttered — often for failing to have a business or health permit. Several states have responded by moving to lessen restrictions on such ventures.

Nancy Doherty said it was “distressing” to hear the town employees had received threats. She said the family had never sold ice cream before but acknowledged that Danny created an Instagram account to promote the stand.

“I’m not upset with the town for responding to a complaint,” she said. “I’m shocked someone complained. This was a tiny operation. Us serving 20 friends, family and neighbors isn’t a public health action. That is someone complaining to be a complainer.”

For Danny, all the attention has been a little unnerving. “There were so many people and then they started chanting my name,” he said of the fundraiser at Furlong’s. “I didn’t like it, so I ran away. All the attention was on me and I didn’t like it.”

In the end, about $20,000 was raised for the hockey team — more than the amount the club spends in an entire year. The infusion of funds should ensure the club will be on “sound financial footing” for the next decade or more.

“The community response has overwhelmed us,” said John Quill, the director and coach of the Boston Bear Cubs, as he accepted a check from an auto group at the Dohertys’ house.

“There are a lot of good people out there,” Quill added. “Danny inspired a whole lot of people to do good and to be kind and to help us out.”