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Preparing Celtics fans for the regular season doldrums

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Preparing Celtics fans for the regular season doldrums


Some games are easy to get up for. Opening Night (in particular, when it’s a Banner Night) is euphoric. Primetime matchups and nationally televised games generate a lot of buzz. The playoffs are a whole other level. But it is a long NBA season and sometimes it is hard to get excited about a random mid-week game against a team counting ping pong balls. I’m not even talking about the players (that’s Joe Mazzulla’s challenge). I’m talking about fans.

The new-car smell of the start of the 82-game regular season has already worn off. The Celtics picked up their first loss, so there’s no epic winning streak to track at the moment. Football is still going on. The election is a distraction from the importance of NBA games. Soon, most will be shopping and traveling for the holidays.

We already established that the customary 20-game rule doesn’t apply this year. We know who this team is and what they are capable of (even if they don’t show it every quarter of every single game). So how should we approach the rest of the year as we wait for the playoffs? I have some suggestions.

Make up mini-challenges

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This is pretty much the approach that we take on the blog. Look for storylines in the mundane. Tease out an angle that others may have overlooked. Get creative.

Everyone is already tracking Jayson Tatum’s MVP status, but what about Payton Pritchard’s 6th Man of the Year case? How about Jordan Walsh’s development checkpoints? Track career milestones for Al Horford and Jrue Holiday. Hyper-analyze Xavier Tillman’s corner three shooting mechanics.

We need someone tracking the team’s record in various alternative records and Tatum 3’s colorways. Someone should be monitoring Jaylen Brown’s social media posts armed with the Enigma cipher machine to interpret for the rest of us. Have fun with it.

One quick don’t: Don’t join one of those NBA conspiracy cults. I know they have fun flyers with pictures of Tommy yelling at refs on them, but just steer clear. I mean, if there really was a conspiracy against the Celtics, they have failed miserably, and I feel bad for them.

Schadenfreude

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This one kind of speaks for itself, but I think it is important to do this responsibly. We don’t want to anger any basketball spirits in the process. So obviously no cheering for injuries or unfortunate events off the court. And don’t be a front-running troll online (unless provoked and even then maybe consider rising above the mud and muck, lest you get sullied yourself).

With all that said, it is always fun seeing the Lakers lose. I’ve never gotten tired of watching the process falter in Philly. The Knicks might be a worthy foe this year, but if/when they fall short, it will be fun as usual.

Mix in a 2nd hobby

Look, I’m at peace with my singular obsession. I know that on Christmas morning I’ll open several Celtics related items because “we didn’t know what else to get you.” I’ve had to stare blankly at people when they talk about “the big football game” (college or pros). And when I explain that all my basketball consumption leaves no time for other sports the look of mixed pity and disgust is something else entirely. When people brag about the home project they completed or the 20 lb. pork shoulder that they smoked, I smile and nod and wonder if the injury report has been released yet.

With that said, I’ve tried to expand my horizons over time. I read a pretty good amount. I try to volunteer at church. I actually kind of enjoy yard work (if you don’t shake a handful of peanuts in your hand while staring out the window at your lawn, are you even a dad?). The point is, find your other thing and enjoy it (at least when the game isn’t on).

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Oh, and I shouldn’t have to say this, but always do life first. Basketball games can be recorded. Be there for your friends and family.

Enjoy the season! Go Celtics!



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Boston, MA

Saturday storm will bring bursts of rain, strong winds, and… snow?

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Saturday storm will bring bursts of rain, strong winds, and… snow?


Surprise: Another weekend and there’s more rain on the way. It’s bad enough we’ve had to post a First Alert.

For now, we’ll watch as clouds thicken today. We’ll squeeze out some drops later this afternoon and evening.

A weather maker is winding up in Canada, wrapping in cold air. All of that is going to dive down to New England.

We’re in the thick of it tomorrow. Rain will be coming at us in bursts with some dry time in between. Winds will likely push past 50 mph in Boston.

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Those winds will eat away at temperatures; with wind chills barely above freezing. And no – not just in the morning – but the afternoon, too!

It’s so cold there’s the threat of snow as that rain bumps into colder air over the Berkshires, Worcester Hills and southern New Hampshire right up to Mount Washington.

The snow isn’t going to pile up but just know there could be some flakes flying over our highest hills.  

The blue on our Futurecast map marks the spots where snow could mix with rain.

Rain spins out by Saturday evening but not before dumping about half an inch over Boston.

We’ll try to salvage the rest of the weekend with temperatures in the upper 60s by Sunday. Still, there’s the threat of bits and pieces of rain.

By the way, this isn’t any weekend, it’s the last weekend of spring. Meteorological summer starts on June 1.

The first day of summer remains drab and dreary with more rain chances and temperatures in the low 60 on Monday.

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Boston, MA

House GOP demands ‘sanctuary city’ info from Boston law enforcement

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House GOP demands ‘sanctuary city’ info from Boston law enforcement


Federal immigration demands are once again centered on Massachusetts.

The House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday sent three letters to Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox, Suffolk County Sheriff Steven Tompkins and Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden demanding, among other things, information on how many ICE detainers BPD has received and declined to honor from 2022 to 2026 and any communication between the three departments related to immigration.

House Judiciary Chairman Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said in a statement that “releasing repeat criminals back to the streets solely because of their immigration status is crazy, and that’s exactly what Boston is doing.”

But Democrats push back on that framing.

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“You’re familiar with Jim Jordan and his antics,” said Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey. “This is more circus, it’s more theater and it’s not making our community safe.”

A spokesperson for the City of Boston wrote, “the city has provided this information many times…” going on to say “…these policies are part of keeping Boston the safest major city in America.”

The letters call for the documents to be sent to the House Judiciary Committee by June 10th at 5:00 pm. District Attorney Hayden’s office told NBC 10 they are reviewing the letter, neither Commissioner Cox or Sheriff Tompkins responded to requests for comment.



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A look inside Joan Bennett Kennedy’s Back Bay condo, listed for $2.6m

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A look inside Joan Bennett Kennedy’s Back Bay condo, listed for .6m


On the Market

Ted Kennedy Jr. speaks on the importance of his late mother’s Boston home, now for sale.

250 Beacon St. #10 is on the market for $2.59 million. Surette Media Group

At first glance, Joan Bennett Kennedy’s Back Bay home may not appear all that unusual, but the endless stories held within its walls illustrate how a sacred space became one woman’s shelter from the storm.

After divorcing Ted Kennedy in 1982, Bennett Kennedy returned to Boston and moved into 250 Beacon St. #10, and remained there for more than four decades until her death at age 89 in October. Now, her three-bedroom, three-bathroom home, which measures 2,075 square feet, is on the market at $2.59 million.

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“Her home really played an important part in the transformation of her life,” her son, Ted Kennedy Jr., told the Globe. “She was a newly divorced woman coming back, trying to reestablish her roots in Boston, and she had her music, which was part of her unique identity, apart from being married to my father. She was seeking to reinvent herself and live on her own terms.”

A hallway inside the 2,075-square-foot condo. – Surette Media Group

It was there at 250 Beacon where Bennett Kennedy restarted her life. She earned a master’s degree in music education at 44, and became a staple on the Boston classical music scene, thanks to her lifelong dedication to the piano. But it was also where she faced significant struggles, ranging from depression to alcoholism. She didn’t hide her battles at a time when they weren’t commonly discussed.

“She paved the way for many other women who were suffering in silence,” said Kennedy Jr. “The Boston community just took her in and provided her with friendship and support.”

The circa-1925 building features an elegant lobby that leads to the elevators. Inside the fifth-floor unit, a foyer flows into a hallway and into the spacious living room, where hardwood floors run throughout and a wood-burning fireplace sits under a unique carved mantel surrounded by marble. But it’s the windows that capture the eyes, with views of the treetops and the Charles River in the distance.

Large windows bring in natural light and look out to the city. – Surette Media Group
Joan Bennett Kennedy was an avid pianist. – Surette Media Group
The living room fireplace has a marble surround. – Surette Media Group

“She would sit at her piano in the condo every afternoon for hours,” said Kennedy, who noted that the home later served as the spot where his mother penned “The Joy of Classical Music,” a guide for introducing classical music to families. Prominent musical figures, including John Williams, Seiji Ozawa, and Arthur Fiedler, were frequent guests.

The open floor plan continues in the dining area and library, filled with built-in bookcases and oversized windows.

The space has built-in storage and shelving throughout. – Surette Media Group

The living room fireplace is two-sided; on its opposite side is the primary bedroom suite, with built-in bookshelves and a massive bay window with beautiful views. The primary suite features an en-suite bathroom with a pink vanity.

The primary bathroom with its pink vanity. – Surette Media Group

“These front rooms, all three of them, the amount of glass and the size of these windows are just magnificent,” said Linda Barrett of Douglas Elliman, who has the listing and knew Kennedy for years. “Being on the fifth floor, she sat right at the tree line, looking at the Charles River.”

A second of three full bathrooms has elegant marble tiles and a step-in shower. Across the hallway are two closets for storage and the galley kitchen with green/blue cabinetry and stainless steel appliances.

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The kitchen is galley style. – Surette Media Group
One of three bedrooms. – Surette Media Group

There are three bedrooms, one with teal carpeting and ample built-in storage.

The home has central air, and the building has a live-in superintendent. The fee is $1,725.39 per month. The piano is not included as part of the sale.


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Megan Johnson

Correspondent

Megan Johnson is a Boston-based writer and reporter whose work appears in People, Architectural Digest, The Boston Globe, and more.





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