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A little sports advice if four coaches are listening

By Hector Longo - Sports Writer | Nov 22, 2019

I know the holidays are still a ways off, but today I am in the mood for giving.

So to you, the four coaches of Boston’s meaningful sports teams – sorry, Revs fans – it’s time to impart some sage words to help improve the local sports scene.

First up has to be the legend, the best there is, was and will be, Bill Belichick. At 9-1, you might think Belichick and the Patriots want for little to nothing.

So how do you explain all this Antonio Brown madness?

Yes, the Patriots receiving corps has struggled. Julian Edelman remains a legend, but Tom Brady has little else. And Mohamed Sanu, already banged up with an ankle, is not the answer.

But Bill, neither is AB. Please take the high road here, for all of us. This is a man who, at best, disrespects women (see his text messages) immensely. You do not need that. You need character in that locker room. Not characters. So please stay away.

Sometimes I wonder why coaches just don’t listen to me. Yes, I’m talking to you Brad Stevens.

Loyal readers might recall my Marcus Smart plan for the Boston Celtics. It is a simple, yet efficient rule that serves multiple purposes.

That is, the incumbent Celtics stone thrower is allowed five shot attempts per game with each one after that costing him a $1,000 fine, for charity of course.

Well, after Wednesday night’s 20-brick barrage in the loss to the Clippers, which included a stellar 1 for 11 from the arc, Marcus the Mason would have already donated $77,000 to a worthy cause this season. That could translate into a lot of happy holidays for many. And a little sanity for Celtics fans everywhere.

Has anyone noticed that Bruce Cassidy has the Bruins cruising in the early going?

So much for the post-Stanley Cup Final hangover, the pain of Game 7 oozing into 2019-20 or even puck luck evening things out a tad after a very fortunate run last season.

But is all this a bit of fool’s gold?

Charlie McAverage is back at it again on the blue line where the Bruins again look vulnerable to quality opponents.

Cassidy hints, time and time again, that he is the next big thing. The team paid him like it. But is he even the best young defenseman on this team?

So, Bruce, I’m telling you now, for your own good. Bank on the guys who got you there last spring, namely Torey Krug and Brandon Carlo. They are your present and your future. Ride them all the way to next May.

And finally, we would like to engage Alex Cora, the current Sox manager in absentia.

Excuse me, Skip, but your reputation, and by default, the reputation of your club, are being bashed in the nose by this recent Houston Astros’ cheating scandal.

You might recall, you were the guy sitting beside AJ Hinch when all the change-up clatter was going on. Perhaps, if you could find your flip-flops and get off the beach, you might want to address this mess.

Last week, he told the folks at WEEI, “I appreciate the question … I have talked to MLB and I’ll leave it at that.”

He might want to re-think that strategy. The Christmas ticket-buying season is fast approaching in the Fens.

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