BSJ Daily Briefing 01.25.18: Another cut hand (not Tom's), Marchand banished again

Good morning!

A few random thoughts while I reckon the Bruins and Red Sox are removing all sharp objects from their teams...

• Programming note: my breakdown will be out first thing in the morning (it's out). I think you're going to enjoy this one. I'm proud of it. And fat guys on parade!


• First Tom Brady and now we have Marcus Smart with a mysterious cut hand that forced him to miss at least one game. No one's really talking right now but this sounds very strange.


• The guy misses the game-winning shot the night before — where he likely passed up three teammates in position to take the final shot — and the ballhog, I mean, shooter suffers a laceration at the team hotel? Hmmm, color me suspicious.


• Back to the games ... the Celtics found a way to survive without Smart (Al Horford was out too) and finally ended their four-game losing streak.


• Like how Jayson Tatum got more aggressive with his shot selection.


• In how the B's turn, Brad Marchand correctly got the smackdown from the NHL in the form of a five-game suspension for his dirty elbow against the Devils.


• I don't want to hear anything about how Marchand "has to play with an edge" and "this is who he is": when you start launching intentional sucker-punch elbows to the heads of opponents, you get no such protection. That was a dirty play by a dirty player and the NHL was right to sit him down. If he keeps it up, Marchand is going to miss considerable time with his next suspension.


• There's a difference between playing with an edge, and being a dirty player. Marchand has crossed the line with his last two suspensions (spearing and now elbowing).


• It's a shame because Marchand is now one of the elite players in the league. He doesn't need to be doing this. He needs to find the line between being an agitator and intentionally injuring an opponent. It shouldn't be that hard.


• An early thought on the Super Bowl: the Patriots are going to need to figure out some answers among their linebackers because that's an area I expect the Eagles to exploit. Jaguars showed some openings, but couldn't capitalize all the way.

"AYE, FOUR PLAYS! AYE, FOUR PLAYS! FOURRRR PLAYSSS!!!! AND WE'RE IN THE SUPER BOWL! FOUR PLAYS!" -Dmac ? pic.twitter.com/oPpJDgxJhh

— '03 Kliff Kingsbury (@fearthe_beard11) January 25, 2018

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