Boston, MA
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
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
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).
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!
Boston, MA
What we know about wrong-way driver killed in head-on collision with state trooper in Lynnfield – The Boston Globe
Court records show that Marrero was the father of three children, the oldest of whom is 17. The youngest two children, twins, are 13 years old; Marrero’s death came days before their 14th birthday.
Records in Middlesex Probate and Family Court also suggest that Marrero faced financial difficulties and personal troubles, stemming in part from a work injury that family members said caused a bout of depression and deteriorating behavior in his personal life.
For nearly a decade, Marrero worked at Dewberry, a Boston engineering consulting firm, court records show, obtaining a job as an architectural design apprentice in 2005. He left the company in 2014, according to a company spokesperson.
Throughout that time, he doubled as a bartender on the side, working at Mexican restaurants in Boston and Waltham, court records show.
A knee injury ended Marrero’s career at Dewberry, court records show, and he left the company shortly thereafter.
That injury, according to court documents, was the catalyst for what his wife described as a “major depressive episode,” which she said contributed to the strain in their marriage. The couple, who had been married for more than 20 years, separated in 2022.
Records also show that Marrero struggled with debts to family members and credit card companies. During his divorce proceedings, it was unclear how much money he was taking home in income.
Marrero briefly owned and operated a contracting business, 109 Construction, but the corporation was administratively dissolved in 2024, according to state filings.
Marrero had lived in US since at least 2001, holding legal status. He became a naturalized citizen in March 2021, court records show.
Social media posts suggest he was active in the tight-knit Venezuelan community in Massachusetts. Photos show him cheering on Venezuela at a World Baseball Classic watch party in Brighton earlier this year.
Court records appear to show Marrero’s interest in art and music, owning a Venezuelan guitar, conga drums, and several Venezuelan paintings, as well as homemade winemaking setup.
Marrero’s family could not be reached for comment. A close friend reached by the Globe declined to comment.
Trainor had just completed his shift at about 2 a.m. on Wednesday and was driving home when he responded to a report for a Jeep traveling south in the northbound lanes of Route 1, near the Lynnfield overpass.
Raised in Salem, Trainor began his public safety career as an Essex County correction officer before graduating from the State Police academy in 2023, State Police Colonel Geoffrey Noble said.
Trainor’s fiancée, Jessica D. Ostrowski, of Georgetown, posted an emotional message to social media Thursday, describing the late trooper as “my absolute best friend.”
“I am beyond proud for the amount of love you have been given by those who loved and cared about you,” she wrote.
Travis Andersen and Jeremiah Manion of the Globe staff contributed to this report. Material from previous Globe coverage was used.
Camilo Fonseca can be reached at camilo.fonseca@globe.com. Follow him on X @fonseca_esq and on Instagram @camilo_fonseca.reports.
Boston, MA
Funding scandal-hit Croft schools in Boston to close this summer after all
Administrators at the Croft School, struggling after allegations of financial fraud, haven’t been able to find a buyer for its Boston locations, which will now close at the end of the school year, parents were told Friday.
Millions of dollars were raised by families and community members to keep the private school open for a few more months while Croft School administrators scrambled to find a buyer. But in Friday’s email, the chief restructuring officer and independent sale advisor said that two parties expressed interest but they ultimately had to pivot toward winding operations down.
“To be clear, the 2025-2026 school year will be completed based on the availability of parent funding. However, without a viable timetable for a transaction, we are faced with this difficult decision,” the email said.
About 350 students had attended the Croft School’s three campuses, two in Boston and one in Providence. Regular tuition starts at $31,000, according to the website.
Millions were raised to keep the private school open for a few more months but the Croft School is looking for a buyer as a long-term fix to its financial problems.
More than 60 families unenrolled from the South End campus over the weekend, the email said.
News of the debt crisis surprised parents in March, when the school’s board revealed in a letter that founding Executive Director Scott Given admitted to fabricating a letter of credit regarding a possible expansion and keeping two sets of books, overstating the school’s revenue while understating its expenses.
The discovery that the school was more than $13 million in debt came after police were alerted to possible fraud. The school has said it’s cooperating with multiple investigations involving Given, who has been suspended.
The private school, with two locations in Boston and one in Providence, requires $5 million to stay open for the rest of the schoolyear.
Given has been sued by at least one Boston parent, accusing him of running a Ponzi scheme. His legal team has said he has no comment.
Parents rallied to save the school, raising enough funds to keep classes going.
The officials in charge of the sale noted “how hard many of you worked to maintain The Croft School as you know it,” but added that the “difficult circumstances, uncertain financials and condensed timeframe made this a trying environment for purchasers to timely make a binding offer for the schools.”
Boston, MA
Where to watch Tampa Bay Rays vs Boston Red Sox: TV channel, start time, streaming for May 8
What to know about MLB’s ABS robot umpire strike zone system
MLB launches ABS challenge system as players test robot umpire calls in a groundbreaking season.
Baseball is back and finding what channel your favorite team is playing on has become a little bit more confusing since MLB announced plans to produce and distribute broadcasts for nearly a third of the league.
We’re here to help. Here’s everything you need to know Friday as the Tampa Bay Rays visit the Boston Red Sox.
See USA TODAY’s sortable MLB schedule to filter by team or division.
What time is Tampa Bay Rays vs Boston Red Sox?
First pitch between the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. (ET) on Friday, May 8.
How to watch Tampa Bay Rays vs Boston Red Sox on Friday
All times Eastern and accurate as of Friday, May 8, 2026, at 6:33 a.m.
- Matchup: TB at BOS
- Date: Friday, May 8
- Time: 7:10 p.m. (ET)
- Venue: Fenway Park
- Location: Boston, Massachusetts
- TV: NESN, Rays.TV and WMOR
- Streaming: MLB.TV on Fubo
Watch MLB all season long with Fubo
MLB regional blackout restrictions apply
MLB scores, results
MLB scores for May 8 games are available on usatoday.com . Here’s how to access today’s results:
See scores, results for all of today’s games.
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