BSJ Daily Briefing 06.01.18: Sox drop opener to Astros, lingering Pats thoughts, crazy Finals

Good morning!

A few random thoughts while I try to figure out if we're up one or tied...

• Man, that was some crazy game last night to kick off the NBA Finals. LeBron did everything he could, and then the refs and his teammates snatched it from him.


• The one thought I had watching that Cavs clown show down the stretch was ... the Celtics blew 2-0 and 3-2 series leads, and a 12-point lead in the first half of Game 7 ... to those guys? Guessing Danny Ainge was thinking the same thing.


• LeBron's reaction to J.R. Smith was roughly the same one I have about 12 times a game coaching U10 softball.


• The Sox fell in the opener to the Astros in a back-and-forth affair. Now Boston has to beat Maddux, Glavine, and Smoltz ... sorry, wrong era.


• What's up with Mookie? It seems like he's been one day away for about a week. Sox should have just put him on the DL. He's The Franchise. No series in early June — even in one of the two competitive series they'll have in the next two months (have you looked at the schedule?) — is worth risking The MVP.

• The Patriots coaches were very much in the "playtime is over, time to get to work and stop screwing around" portion of OTAs. A lot of yelling and stern instruction. Don't tell Cassius Marsh.


• Speaking of that worthless player — seriously, not a good vibe from him in the locker room — that would be a big miss by the personnel department. Gave up two picks for a player who couldn't set the edge and is a big baby. I'm sure Nick Caserio and crew have already learned the lessons there and are applying them forward.


• It's been out there, but it's true: Tom Brady has been showing up to Gillette but he's only going into the bubble to throw to Julian Edelman and then leaving. Not even a pop-in? I figured Brady to be a pop-in guy. BTW, I bet Brady and Josh McDaniels are in constant contact about what's going on.


• Kenny Britt's probably the player that is stuck in my mind from yesterday. He looks great ... just don't expect Randy Moss or anything. More red zone.


• And, man, any defense is five times better with 54 out there.


• Eric Rowe looked good. Cornerbacks have been working on a lot of trail and under technique. Could see more a return to two-man (two deep safeties with man coverage). Patriots have been more single high in recent year.

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