The Sox are winning, the sun is shining and the NBA and NHL playoffs are up and running. What pandemic?

By BUNKY McCOY

• The smart money is on the Celtics not hanging around the playoffs for very long. Not with
Jaylen Brown in street clothes. Not with Kyrie, KD and The Beard on deck. Not with so many questions swirling over Gang Green like buzzards in search of their next meal.

• Know what local “Big Four” sports franchise benefited from getting a head-start on the
offseason while the beat goes on as far as the chase for postseason glory? Look no further than
the 2020 Patriots, who finished 7-9 and watched Tom Brady win it all with his new team. The
Pats responded with a flurry of big-time moves as soon as free agency began. Plus, they drafted
a quarterback in the first round – a first under Bill Belichick’s watch.

• In other words, Celtics boss Danny Ainge would be wise to give the Hoodie a call. For it’s clear
the Celtics need to do something.

• I don’t know how they’re quite doing it, but as I type this, the Red Sox continue to sit in first
place in the AL East, which features four teams over .500.

• Every time I turn around, it seems Jared Grasso is adding a new player to the Bryant men’s
basketball program. He seems made for the Transfer Portal.

• I guess we can scratch Jayden Epps off the list of possible 401 Podcast with KevinMc guests, right Bunky? Throw Ed Cooley a life preserver for those pool dives.

• The good news for Tim Tebow is that if his NFL comeback doesn’t pan out, he can give baseball
another whirl. Matter of fact, he doesn’t have to go far, for Jacksonville has a Triple-A franchise
that’s nicknamed the Jumbo Shrimp.

• I don’t know if Gov. McKee’s promise to give $25 gift cards to thousands of Rhode Islanders
will ever see the light of day. If it does, I’ll take one to Macy’s so I can stock up on purple shirts.
After all, purple is the preferred color of my Uncle Bunky.

• If Gatsby were around today, there’s no question he would be Tom Brady – complete with a
supermodel wife and seven Super Bowl titles.

• Word on the street is that WPRO afternoon host Dan Yorke jumped on Superman’s cape and
rode the coattails of his playing partner to win the two-day Member-Guest outing at Pawtucket
Country Club. Yorke’s “guest” is allegedly a scratch golfer. It’s been confirmed the identity of
this mystery golfer is not Kevin McNamara.

• Had McNamara teamed up with Yorke, the faithful listeners of WPRO programming may have
been subjected to four straight hours of golf talk. Talk about burying your head in the closest
sand trap, Bunky.

• There are now two types of people in the world: those who are vaccinated and those who
aren’t.

• Fewer things are better in sports than scoring a game-winning goal in overtime of a Stanley
Cup playoff game.

• Speaking of KMac, per his article on his trip to Polar Park for WooSox Opening Day, I’m with
him when it comes to sitting out the soccer craze that’s supposedly on its way to Pawtucket.

• The weather is warming up and that can only mean one thing: the invasion of Connecticut
license plates within the friendly South County confines isn’t too far off.

• Memo to Massachusetts: you now have Triple-A baseball, which used to be based in Rhode
Island for the longest time. Do us a favor and don’t touch the beaches, golf courses, and strip
clubs.

• This column would have been longer, but like a lot of you out there, I’m trying to decide
whether to put my masks in the drawer or toss ‘em in the trash.