Celtics ☘️ Sentinel

      Let me preface this by saying I've loved Al in Green in White both times. He brought so much to us and even became the first big time free agent to sign here. That first go round he did it with some nice players and a young JT and JB. Getting us all the way to the ECFs only to lose in seven but quite an accomplishment. Then he left for money and a situation that didn't fit him or his game. He made a stop in OKC and we brought him back where he not only help lead us to the Finals but was here when Banner 18 hit the rafters for all this I thank you Al. Yet... I think this move is about the money and a team no closer to a ring than us. Now mind you new ownership is cheap and been cutting costs all summer. So I'm sure it was an amicable split, with that said it's going to be a long season for the Green and White as we navigate no JT for the year. I hope JT takes his time before coming back so come next year we can make a run at another Banner. Thanks for everything Al...

 My quick answer to my title question is - "Yes, the 1950s were fabulous" - at least for me - a kid growing up in the 50s.  Like most mothers-of-the-time, my mom did not work . She was always there for me . My dad, fresh from World War II, worked two jobs to make sure we could live (somewhat) comfortably. Television was a fairly new arrival for folks, and even our black-and-white TV was a treat , particularly when the westerns were on screen. Drive-in movies were also new and it was a great night out with the family. Count me as biased, but the late-50s brought the very-best music . Adults were absolutely buzzing over the rise of Elvis Presley . And he was as good as advertised. But we also had The Platters, Johnny Mathis, The Five Satins, Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, The Everly Brothers and Little Richard . The radio was on almost all of the time in our house. Yes, there was turmoil back then . "McCarthyism" and fear of communism had gained momentum - racial bigot...

     In his interview yesterday he may have committed to winning but he also brought it to a place that worries me. Almost signaling he wants to save as much money as he can. We have 2 stars who should be able to win more than just one ring. To me this is just another owner who wants a new toy. Sports are about win now! There's no more dynasties given the NBAs stupid tiers of taxes. I may not be a billionaire but if I were I'd want to win as many titles as possible. At the end of the day it's about those Banners in the rafters not about what's in Bills pocket financially.       Bill has to prove to me he's in this and right now he's not. Wyc despite his shortcomings did bring us 2 titles, yet it should have been more. If Bill fails to get rings with the Jay's his success as an owner are a failure. I want to be excited about this season but something tells me ownership wouldn't care if we end up in the lottery. I'm gonna miss Jrue especially but look ...

 Back in 1973, the players chose the NBA MVP , not the sports writers and broadcasters that do the voting today. And the players chose Celtics center, Dave Cowens , as their Most Valuable Player . And remember, in 1973, players could not vote for a member of their own team. But the 1973 choice of "Big Red" brought some criticism from many NBA followers. Here are a few of the arguments: "Kareem deserved the award." "John Havlicek had a better season" "Tiny Archibald led the League in scoring and assists. He should have won." J abbar finished second in the MVP voting, while Tiny ended up third - and "Jarrin' John" was fifth. Personally, MVP to me means - take the specific player out of action, and how would the team have fared. In the 1972-73 season, Boston finished the regular season with a 68-14 record - tops in the League. So it was no surprise to see two Celtics players in the top-5 . Havlicek was high man for Boston in mi...

 It happened to me two days ago, and it was alarming! My early-morning urine stream was red, and it definitely looked like blood was in the mix . I did my usual on-line research while my wife, Linda, was prepared to call my urologist. I quickly learned that eating beets can cause your urine to be red - or pink. It is a condition known as "beeturia".  Beets contain a red pigment called betanin - which in some individuals - can not be broken down in the digestive tract - resulting in red-colored urine. It came to me that I had eaten some beets the day before. The situation fit. My "attack" of beeturia lasted the usual 24 hours - and then disappeared. To say I was relieved would be an understatement. Hopefully, this article may help at least one reader who would normally experience such a scare. Beets are in the limelight lately for their possible health benefits. The information I have rendered is worth learning.

 We have lived in the frequent rain landscape of northern New Hampshire for 25 years - n ever worrying about low well level s - until it happened. Rainfall has been scare this summer. When I found low water level in my dug well, I needed a workable solution. Fortunately, our property is bordered by a clear trout stream, so how would I get the stream water into my well? I already had a submersible, electric water pump and a bullet-riddled metal bucket. All I needed was 200-feet of power cord and the same length of garden hose. I placed the pump into the bucket and put the contraption into a shallow section of the stream and ran the power line from my house to the pump . One end of the hose was attached to the pump outlet - while the other end went into the top of the well.  The experiment worked like a charm.  Plentiful, clean water flowed into the well and fears of water shortages dissipated.  So you can (partially) fill a well with a garden hose, despite the hi...

  I did a recent piece on the rankings of Derrick White and Payton Pritchard - and how they fared in Yahooo Fantasy Basketball mock draft s. The sample is small , but here is how they fared in two of my "real" fantasy drafts. For my first fantasy team, I took Jaylen Brown with the 8th pick in the second round (20th overall) when he was ranked at #23 (12 team league). White was taken early with the 9th pick in the 3rd round (33 overall) when ranked at #46 . Expectations are high on Derrick with Jayson Tatum out of action for all - or most - of this coming season. Pritchard went 5th in round 7 (77 overall). He was ranked at #95 . I took him, knowing he would not last on the board much longer. My second "real" draft saw Brown last until #27 overall. White went off the board at #42. I was surprised he lasted that long. Pritchard was drafted at #73 overall . None of this is a surprise . In my limited sample, fantasy managers seemed to feel J aylen was correct...

 Yes, today is National Grandparents Day , and let me say that I love being a great grandfather to Carson Thomas Lane. Here are a few of the things we did together when he was with us for five days recently. He remembered picking blackberries when he was here years ago. So we picked the ripe, black ones and left the less-than-ripe red ones alone - for now. Photo by Linda Lane So, what was next. We live off a road that is not a public way, and having Carson learn to drive at 13 years of age made sense. He handled it perfectly. Carson is an avid fisherman, so I felt it was time to teach him fly casting. It went flawlessly. Like many youngsters, he has an interest in guns. Teaching Carson the safety issues and dangers of firearms was paramount. He had no issues with my Ruger .44 magnum pistol . My wife, Linda, and I also took him swimming in nearby Rangeley Lake . He was in the water for hours. Building a fire with no matches, flint or steal was also on the agenda and gave him a bri...

 The Boston Celtics are definitely heading into unknown territory this upcoming season. The roster has been ransacked during the off-season, and frankly, no one has a decent handle on what they can accomplish. They will certainly miss the suffocating defensive coverage focused on superstar, Jayson Tatum , and that coverage will be felt the most by Jaylen Brown . Can he handle his new role as "Alpha Dog" ? He says he can, and who can doubt the 2024 Finals MVP . Neemias Queta isn't Kristaps Porzingis by any stretch , but he can be a double-double machine with a defensive mindset close to the rim . If he sticks to what he does best and lessens his on-court errors, he can fill the role of starting center for The Green. If Yahoo's Fantasy mock drafts are any indication, Derrick White is expected by many fans to raise his game a level or two . Payton Pritchard just may do the same. Anfernee Simons is a real unknown in the mix. He is a volume scorer , but he will need...

 Count me as a devoted fan of Fantasy Basketball . The real world has not been uplifting lately, so sojourns into the fantasy world are welcome . Yahoo's Fantasy rankings this season, however, do not bode well for the Boston Celtics chances of success. Here are the top-5 Celtics: #23: Jaylen Brown #46: Derrick White #81: Anfernee Simons #95: Payton Pritchard #238: Sam Hauser With Brown at #23, that means he probably gets drafted towards the end of the second round - which I did in a mock draft.. White makes sense at #46 since many expect him to start once again and to take on a bigger load . Derrick is a player I may stretch for in a real draft. Simons beat out Pritchard , but the former may prove to be too much of a defensive liability . Pritchard was drafted early in my mock draft. I expect him to (at least) increase his production this season, whether he starts or not. Then it's a stretch for Hauser at #238 . I expected him to be ranked a bit higher . He could be a sleeper,...