The holidays are upon us, and I’m feeling awfully grateful during this Thanksgiving week. So I thought I’d let you in on a few people I’m thankful for in the sports world these days.
My list is long, but allow me to narrow it down to the top five for you. Hope I don’t sound too spoiled:
1.) Tom Brady and Bill Belichick
Who in New England would ever open this list with anyone else? As long as these two are running the ship, there is nothing that can sink it. There was a time in which some people in this town used Jimmy Garoppolo’s presence as a way to question Brady’s future. I was not one of those people. The Brady and Belichick duo is a once-in-a-lifetime partnership, and I’d like to see them stick together as long as possible. Because regardless of who their replacements are, it’s never going to get better than this.
2.) Danny Ainge
I could’ve easily added Kyrie Irving and Brad Stevens to this one. That’s not to say I’m not thankful for Irving and Stevens. It’s just that, Ainge is the one who brought them to Boston. As I write this, the Celtics have won 16 straight after defeating the Mavericks in Dallas on Monday night. I had a feeling the C’s would have plenty of success without Gordon Hayward, but this is incredible. Credit Irving — who’s one of the best players in the league — and Stevens — who’s once again built a never-give-up identity with his roster — for being on the same page and leading the Celtics to this type of dominance. But more credit goes to Ainge, who’s been in the kitchen cooking the dinner this whole time.
3.) Rafael Devers
Consider the Red Sox’ third baseman off-limits in any potential blockbuster trades this offseason. Devers turned 21 in October, and after making his MLB debut in 2017, it’s safe to say he’s going to be a stud, if he isn’t already. I’ll trade the prospects for the sure thing any day of the week, but seeing Devers hit .284 with 10 home runs and 30 RBI in 58 games this year, I no longer consider him a “prospect.” Devers was arguably the Red Sox’ best player in the postseason, hitting .364 with two home runs and five RBI in four games of the ALDS against the eventual World Series champion Houston Astros. He wasn’t fazed by the big stage and should be somebody that all of us in Boston will be thankful for, for years to come.
4.) Steve Kerr
The Golden State Warriors coach took the words out of my mouth earlier in the week, when he was asked about the back-and-forth between President Trump and LaVar Ball.
“Two people seeking attention, and they’re both getting it,” said Kerr to a group of reporters. “I’m sure both guys are really happy.
“You know what would help, if all of you just stopped covering both of them. Is that possible? You can probably stop covering LaVar. I don’t think you can stop covering the President. I don’t think that will work. It would be nice for all us if both of them would just be quiet. Wouldn’t that be great?”
5.) Deion Sanders
The Hall-of-Fame cornerback had an unbelievable response to former Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, after Romo knocked Sanders’ tackling ability during the CBS broadcast of Cowboys/Chiefs in Week 9.
“Ten years as a starter, you’re 2-4 in the playoffs,” said Sanders on NFL Network. “You ain’t won nothing.
“Tony, what’s going on man? I got a gold jacket that I didn’t buy. Dak says hi, and bye. Tony, leave me alone man. I got a lot of ammunition man. How many interceptions? Nineteen in 2012? Come on man, you threw to everybody but me. Tony, come one man. You know you never won the big one, you know you never won the big one.”
Listen to “The Danny Picard Show” at dannypicard.com. Follow him on Twitter @DannyPicard.
