Sports Redux: No News Would Have Maybe Been Good News

Yesterday, we griped that there was nothing really new to report. Today, we have something to report, but we don't like it. The Celtics lost to Utah, 90-85, which was bad enough, but it got worse when Doc benched Kevin Garnett for the second half after KG strained his knee late in the first. He warmed up for the second half, but Doc decided not to risk it, and instead have the real docs look at him today. "Obviously, I would much rather be playing instead of giving this statement," said Garnett in a postgame statement.

Without the big guy, the Celtics saw the Jazz come back for a 12-for-17 shooting fourth quarter, turning a Boston lead into a Utah win. Paul Pierce led with 20, but Ray Allen was off all night, and the bench contributed very little.

And the bench got even thinner, as the Celtics did another "not really a trade" trades, sending Patrick O'Bryant to Toronto in a 3-team deal that moved money and nonessential personnel around, netting the C's another future Sacramento draft pick. Bye, POB; we'll skip the candlelight vigil.

Actual news remains so thin coming out of Fort Myers that there's actually a micro-controversy about MVP Dustin Pedroia (fun to type; try it) and his stated plan to play all 162 games this year. Terry Francona was skeptical, saying that he really likes giving players scheduled days off, and that Dustin should save some energy for the nightly cribbage game. Sides are being chosen. Lines are being drawn in the sand. Fort Myers is divided.

ESPN's Rick Reilly has decided it's time to reclaim some MVP trophies and redistribute them to guys who aren't tainted by the steroid scandal. Reilly even reached the reclusive new 1988 AL MVP Mike Greenwell (also: fun to type), who said his wife would have killed him if he had tried juicing. Good for her, and good for the Gator. Now we just need Bud to make it official.

John Tomase talks to a bunch of Red Sox about their spring training memories from early in their careers. Pretty good read, while you try to avoid (or add to) the vitriol and rage stewing about Pedroia's planning to play the whole season.

Photo by Douglas C. Pizac/AP.