Sports Redux: Say It Ain't So, Oden

CelticsBlog featured a post yesterday titled "Watch for Jumpers." The post's content was discussing teams that unexpectedly jump out of the projected draft order, but the title seems more suited for Celtics fans today. All is not well for the Boston basketball crowd - in fact, it freakin' blows.

As many feared, our chance of a happy Wednesday fell through when the ping pong balls were selected during last night's NBA draft. Boston, the team with the second-best chance of landing one of the top two picks, wound up with the fifth pick. The worst pick we statistically could have ended up with. No Oden, no Durant - both of those dreams will likely be realized by Portland or Seattle.

Someone somewhere is looking back at the questionable Celts play during the second half of the season and chanting "karma" under his breath. The luck of the draw favored Portand (who had the slimmest chance of landing the top pick) and totally screwed us over. Can anyone say Duncan, Part Deux?

But it is what it is, and Celts owner Wyc Grousbeck said he's ready to "turn the page" and move forward. We will too be ready to see what the future brings, but forgive us if we're going to grimace for a day first - after this most recent season, we've earned the right and then some.

-- At least the Red Sox did what they could to cushion the blow. The team bounced back from Monday's loss in New York to neatly take care of the Yankees, 7-3. T uesday birthday boy Julian Tavarez put in a pretty sharp appearance on the mound, particularly during the first three innings, while Manny Ramirez - remember him? - set the offense off to a good start with a blast in the first inning. The home run, Manny's seventh of the season, was his 26th at Yankee Stadium, the most by any visiting player in 51 years. Kevin Youkilis put in two hits and Mike Lowell hit his ninth homer of the season.

Tonight should be a good one - Curt in Yankee Stadium against Andy Pettitte. Aw yeah. We will be looking to see whether Dustin Pedroia seeks revenge for the cheap shot A-Rod took in the eighth inning last night, when Rodriguez threw his left elbow as Pedroia tried to turn a double play. It's hard to believe, though, that that charming Rodriguez boy would pull a stunt to try to screw up a young member of the Red Sox team as that player performed a defensive play.

Photo by flickr user emoeby.