Sports Redux: A Day To Take A Breath

Hope you sports fans were able to relax yesterday. The disappointing non-slaughter of the Jets is in the rear view mirror, the Dolphins game isn't quite as exciting since the stupid Ravens ended Miami's bid for a winless season, everything is sewn up in the AFC, and the Monday Night game wasn't that exciting. Plus, the Celtics and Bruins were off.

But we've got some big games coming up in the next 48 hours, so no snoozin'. Tonight the Bruins host Ottawa, who has cooled down after a torrid start but still leads the Prince of Wales Eastern Conference. The Bruins - sit down before you read this, because we had to double-check it - are tied for second most points in the East. That means if the season ended now, they'd have home-ice in the first round. And #1 Ottawa's only six points away.

Tim Thomas is back; he might start in goal tonight, and he's been extremely happy watching Tuukka Rask and Alex Auld play well and threaten his job.

The Celtics, who "haven't played anyone yet", according to the dwindling number of skeptics out there (ESPN's on the bandwagon now), have a tough stretch coming up. The always-powerful Pistons are in tomorrow, then the crappy-but-dangerous Bulls, then the Magic, who have handed the C's half their losses this season. Then a West Coast trip. Bill Simmons says as much as he'd like to believe, he's worried that Pierce hasn't lost the Hero Complex yet (scroll to #19).