The Boston Celtics raised their 18th championship banner to the rafters in October, celebrating the team’s win over the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals. Charles Krupa/Associated Press
As we ring in the new, it’s time to take stock of the state of Boston sports. It has been a wild year, with highs (another duck boat parade), lows (a team looking at the first pick in the draft), and a lot in between.
The year began with the Patriots playing out a 4-13 season. It was a disaster on all fronts. The season ended with a 17-3 loss to the Jets at home, and the rebuilding began immediately. Bill Belichick “mutually agreed” to part ways, and quarterback Drake Maye was drafted as the franchise’s future.
Maye is the real deal. And his team is really bad. The Patriots’ 40-7 loss at home to the Chargers on Saturday was one of the franchise’s worst in the last 20 years. Maye left with a head injury and was allowed to return to action after he was cleared, putting him (and the franchise’s future) in jeopardy.
Coach Jerod Mayo is already on the hot seat in his first season as the Patriots coach. New England fell to 3-13 with a 40-7 loss to the Chargers on Saturday. Michael Dwyer/Associated Press
By the third quarter, Gillette Stadium was mostly empty, and the remaining fans were letting coach Jerod Mayo know they were not pleased. It’s probably not his fault, but he’s not the answer. The franchise is currently one of the worst in the league. Even with a legit QB1 it’s hard to see how they can turn it around quickly.
On the ice, the Bruins began the year celebrating their 100th season. It was a party worthy of an Original Six franchise with lofty goals each season. The Bruins made it to the playoffs for the eighth straight year, tied for the longest active streak in the NHL.
In Boston, making the playoffs isn’t enough. A Game 7 win over the Maple Leafs in the first round got fans excited, but elimination at the hands of the Florida Panthers for a second straight year ended the party prematurely.
By November, Jim Montgomery was gone and Joe Sacco was the interim head coach. His team has responded with a 12-5-1 record under the new coach. The defense has tightened up, goalie Jeremy Swayman is looking like a true No. 1, and the playoffs are back in play.
The pressure will be on general manager Don Sweeney to add to this team at the trade deadline. That’s good news. In November you had to wonder if Boston would be selling off its assets to reload for the future.
For the Celtics, the future is now. They are the defending champions, raising Banner 18 in June. Yet Joe Mazzulla’s team is just one game over .500 in December. They are their own worst enemy, living and dying by the 3-pointer. They lived to hoist the trophy last year, yet have shown a frustrating knack of letting teams back into games that should be well in hand when their shooting goes cold.
Jaylen Brown admitted that complacency may be setting in with the defending champs. It’s hard to imagine they won’t flip the switch as the stakes get higher. They are undoubtedly the most talented team in the league. Let’s hope they live up to their talent this spring.
The Red Sox traded for Garrett Crochet to be the ace of their staff, but they still haven’t landed a big-name free agent. Duane Burleson/Associated Press
The Red Sox believe their rebuilding phase is over after three straight years without a playoff appearance. Their .500 record was an improvement over back-to-back last-place finishes, but not enough to qualify for the postseason.
The acquisition of Garrett Crochet this month gives the Red Sox the top-of-the-rotation arm they’ve been lacking for years. It’s a step in the right direction.
Yet fans are still uncertain about their team’s intentions. Big-name free agents have signed elsewhere. Pitcher Corbin Burnes and outfielder Teoscar Hernandez came off the board just last week. The Sox have still not signed anyone to a deal worth more than $100 million.
A couple of moves could change that. Alex Bregman would be a good fit. Tanner Scott or Jeff Hoffman would make the Red Sox bullpen one of the best in the division.
If Boston can’t land talent like that fans will continue to think the franchise is no longer investing in top players. And the Sox need to make a resolution to change that attitude.
Tom Caron is a studio host for the Red Sox broadcast on NESN.