The blockbuster trade that we discussed yesterday is now in the books:

The Celtics acquired Garnett, a 10-time All-Star and the NBA MVP in 2004, from Minnesota in exchange for Al Jefferson, Ryan Gomes, Gerald Green, Theo Ratliff, Sebastian Telfair, a 2009 first-round draft pick and a return of Minnesota’s conditional first-round pick previously obtained in the Ricky Davis-Wally Szczerbiak trade.

The Celtics, now with three hungry vets looking for rings (Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen), quickly become a legimate contender in the East. Minnesota will add Al Jefferson (as well as Gerald Green and Ryan Gomes) to a core group that also includes Randy Foye and Corey Brewer. The ‘Wolves are clearly in full rebuilding mode.

But back to the C’s, who definitely got the better end of the deal in the short term. As part of the trade, KG agreed to a three-year extension which will keep him in Boston through the 2011-12 season.

Garnett in green? This is going to be fun to watch.

(Kobe has to be pissed.)

Okay, so Mark Teixeira went to the Braves and Eric Gagne was dealt to the Red Sox. That’s it? That’s all this sorry ass 2007 trade deadline gave us this year? No three-team blockbuster that included nine players, two managers and three batboys? Unbelievable. I think I read that the Padres got a case of Bubble Yum and a crate full of watermelon Jolly Ranchers for reliever Royce Ring.

As boring as the trade deadline was this year, I actually applaud general managers across the league. I think these geniuses are finally figuring out that Matt Mantei isn’t worth a young stud like Brad Penny or that Victor Zambrano might not bring back the same return as a 19-year-old Scott Kazmir might some day. More and more, teams are hanging onto the young prospects and being more patient with their development. With that, fans are seeing less exciting trade deadline deals, but more of guys like Jose Reyes, Carl Crawford and Tim Lincecum develop into future stars.

Tuesday the Boston Red Sox acquired reliever Eric Gagne from the Texas Rangers in exchange for Kason Gabbard, David Murphy and Engel Beltre. The BoSox are just plain sick from top to bottom, from their stacked lineup to their solid pitching staff.

Okay, so your team is facing Boston and is down heading into the seventh inning. At any time during the next three innings, you could face Gagne, Hideki Okajima or closer Jonathan Papelbon. Thanks for playing, drive home safely.

If Boston’s butt holes didn’t consistently pucker up to the size of an M&M in the second half every year (save for 2004 of course), I’d declare the rest of the American League D.O.A from here on out. But I digress.

The Pirates may be home in Pittsburgh in front of the home crowd, but their losing ways will continue this evening when the St. Louis Cardinals arrive at PNC Park for a 3-game set.
Could the Pirates be in a worse spot at home? Losers of 14 out of their last 17, on a miserable 2-8 run and not hitting well as a team. Off losing series against the Philles, Mets and Astros, look for the streak to continue. Tonight the Cards send Adam Wainwright to the hill with an ERA of 3.32 in his last three starts, and a 4-2 road record. With the Pirates having a 10-game team batting average of just .227, they will find the going tough tonight. The Cardinals own this series at 39-16 their last 55 meetings and the Pirates are not a goog bet as a dog, dropping nine out of their 10 games as the underdog. Paul Maholm takes to the hill for the Pirates tonight with a losing record at home, allowing 70 hits and 37 runs in 10 starts where he is 4-6. I doubt he has enough run support tonight as the Pirates simply cannot get out of their own way and are not getting runners in scoring position.

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Frank Gore broke a bone in his right hand during a non-contact ball-handling drill, and may not play in the preseason. HC Mike Nolan said that he will be ready to go by the end of the preseason.

Chester Taylor was carted off the practice field this morning with a shoulder/arm injury. The specifics of the injury are still unknown.

Fantasy impact: I wouldn’t worry too much about Gore’s injury. If he’s ready for the regular season, he should be OK. However, he may not be in the best of shape come September, so you may want to ratchet down his projections a bit. If Taylor’s injury turns out to be serious, this is obviously a huge boost for Adrian Peterson. If Taylor is out, Peterson suddenly becomes a second or third round pick.

8/1 Update: Taylor’s X-rays were negative and the injury was diagnosed as a forearm bruise, which is good news for Taylor and bad news for Peterson’s draft stock.

Remember that KG-to-Boston deal that was killed after Garnett said he wasn’t interested in playing for the Celtics?

Well, it’s back on…sort of.

That deal would have included the C’s #5 pick in this summer’s draft, but it was sent to Seattle in a trade that brought Ray Allen to Boston. Ironically, that might have been the trade that made KG re-think his position:

A Celtics official went so far as to confirm to the Boston Globe’s Jackie MacMullan that a deal was in place.

Multiple sources told ESPN.com that the Wolves are believed to be getting Al Jefferson and Theo Ratliff’s expiring contract.

It’s believed that the latest incarnation of the deal also would have Minnesota acquiring youngsters Gerald Green, Sebastian Telfair and Ryan Gomes.

The Wolves would also receive a future first-round pick from Boston and take back the future first-round pick it sent to the Celtics in the Wally Szczerbiak-Ricky Davis trade in January 2006.

Sources indicated late Sunday that Garnett was warming to the idea, raising hopes on both sides that the deal will finally go through.

See the deal in ESPN’s Trade Machine.

Understandably, Garnett is more willing to consider Boston now that the C’s have two All-Stars (Allen and Paul Pierce). If the deal goes through as described, that would leave the likes of Tony Allen, Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins, along with draft picks Gabe Pruitt and Glen “Baby” Davis, to fill in the holes around the team’s Big 3. While that list isn’t exactly oozing with talent, it does have some upside that could contribute to a championship-caliber squad. The Celtics would basically need to find a point guard and a center capable of meshing with Garnett, Pierce and Ray Allen.

If this deal goes through, it will have a huge impact on the pecking order in the East. The Celtics would immediately rise to contender status in the conference. For the ‘Wolves, the combination of Al Jefferson, Gerald Green and Ryan Gomes plus two first round picks is reasonable compensation for KG. The team will now build around Jefferson, Randy Foye and Corey Brewer (and to a lesser extent, Green and Gomes). In a few years, that team should be able to compete for a playoff spot.

But Kevin McHale will find a way to screw it up, right?

The Atlanta Braves just added a major piece to their lineup by acquiring first baseman Mark Teixeira from the Texas Rangers. It didn’t come without a steep price, however, as the Braves had to package four young prospects, including stud catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia and shortstop Elvis Andrus. The Braves are also in the process of swapping relievers with the Royals, acquiring Octave Dotel in exchange for Kyle Davies.

I know Saltalamacchia (who is a borderer’s worst nightmare) was the future backstop of the Braves, but Teixeira is an absolute stud and is still young at 27. Atlanta lost a future catcher, but gained an already young and proven corner infielder who can hit for average and power.

It will be interesting to see if the Mets counter this deal or rest their hopes on a healthy Pedro Martinez, who is set to do a rehab assignment later this week.

Former San Francisco 49ers head coach Bill Walsh passed away Monday at the age of 75 after a long battle with leukemia.

It’s definitely a sad day in the world of football. I’m willing to bet damn near every current coach has a little Bill Walsh in them and what he brought to the game as far as an offensive mind will live on forever. His pride and joy, the West Coast Offense, is still a staple for many teams, even though some just use a hybrid form of it. The way he ran the personnel department for the 49ers can still be seen in the way the Patriots run their organization, which is to say he did it with total class.

Bottom line is Walsh was, and will continue to be, football.

Titans’ cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones has a lot of time on his hands after being suspended for the entire 2007 season, so he’s decided to join the thrilling and non-controversial world of professional wrestling. According to his agent Worrick Robinson, Pacman has been contacted by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, but to do what is a bit uncertain at this point.

“Pacman is talking with TNA at this time and we expect an announcement to be made in the next several days,'’ Robinson said. “It is not anticipated that he’ll be wrestling, but discussions are taking place for him to have some role in their profession.”

Exactly why would any organization want to use such a classy guy like Pacman Jones? What, to use his good name in order for some pub? Good luck TNA, I’m sure he’ll be a great employer and you won’t have any issues at all. In fact, do the Titans and the rest of the NFL a favor and take him off everyone’s hands for good.

Hey Pacman how about you just lay low for awhile you unbelievable moron.

Ted Lilly is quietly having a great season for the Cubs while Cole Hamels may be a tad over-hyped for the Phillies. Take the red-hot Cubs at a great price. Ted Lilly is on fire, so we will back him and the Chicago Cubs today. Lilly is 3-0 with a 2.25 ERA in his last three starts. This makes him 11-4 this season with a better ERA than his mound opponent tonight, the overrated Cole Hamels of the Philadelphia Phillies.
Hamels also has a career 7.00 ERA against the Cubs, so we will fade him here with a play on Chicago at this cheap price at home.

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Let me preface this blog by first noting that I believe Michael Vick is guilty of participating in the illegal dog fighting charges he’s currently facing in Richmond, Virginia. I think he and his idiot friends are sick and I hope the judge and jury seek the maximum penalty when the trial kicks off in November.

However, in efforts to not sound like I’m defending what Vick did, I find it a bit ridiculous that in the past week, Nike, Reebok and Upper Deck have stripped Vick related merchandise off their lines. Did Reebok and Upper Deck suspend Pacman Jones jerseys and cards after he allegedly slammed a young woman’s face into a stage and then ordered one of his cronies to put a bullet into those who tried to stop him (which they did, paralyzing one man)? How about when Leonard Little killed a woman after driving drunk one night in 1998, and then was pulled over for the very same thing only six years later? Guess what you can buy on the Rams’ official website for only $74.95? That’s right, a #91 Little jersey.

These companies have every right to make sure scumbags like Vick don’t earn another dime from jersey sales, but wrong is wrong and if they’re going to take a stand against a player who allegedly fought and killed dogs, then they should take a stand against one who was actually proven to kill another human being from drunk driving. And if you say there’s a difference because Little’s incident was an accident compared to Vick making a choice, Little still made the choice to drink and drive.

Oh those crazy Los Angles Dodgers and their wacky inside jokes.

As many know, every MLB team holds various events throughout the season. There are poster nights, bat nights and hell, even “Gay Pride” nights. But the Dodgers take the cake, because next Thursday they will hold a “Steroids Awareness Night” and guess who is in town? That’s right, Barry Bonds and the San Francisco Giants.

The team says it’s just a coincidence…yeah, sure it is.

Tony Taylor, one of the four defendants to plead not guilty for illegal gambling and dog fighting charges in Richmond, Virginia, is ready to take a plea bargain to save his own ass and possibly burry someone else. Like say, Falcons quarterback Michael Vick perhaps?

“This could be very bad news for Vick,” said Steven D. Benjamin, a veteran criminal defense attorney from Richmond who has represented many clients before Hudson. “If he is pleading guilty, he is cooperating with the government.”

“That’s the problem with co-defendants. They are going to want to save themselves. And the government wants cooperation. And the person who cooperates first gets the biggest reward.”

Translation: The feds want the big fish named Vick and they’re ready to make it worth Taylor’s wild to talk. I agree with the criminal defense attorney in that this is only bad news for Vick. If Taylor has hard evidence that either shows Vick participated in the nonsense or at the very least was aware of what was going on, then it’s hook, line and sinker for the feds.

Update: The carney sang: Taylor pleads guilty.

For the second time in two years, the New York Giants might enter the season with one of their prominent players talking retirement. According to Newark Star Ledger, defensive end Michael Strahan is considering calling it a career not after the season, but possibly before it even starts.

The Pro Bowl defensive end did not show up in Albany for the 1 p.m. conditioning drills that all players were required to participate in. And later this afternoon, Strahan plans on speaking to coach Tom Coughlin about the possibility of his retiring before his 15th NFL season begins, according to someone who speaks with Giants management on a regular basis.

Tiki Barber’s retirement talk was a semi-distraction last year for the Giants, but more so because the New York media blew it up. Either way, the team is probably quietly hoping the situation is ironed out before the season starts. Rotoworld.com brings up a good point in that this just might be a negotiating ploy by Strahan and his agent, but how much power does a 35 year old defensive end really have?

Update: Apparently the sneaky bastard is just bluffing about retiring.

As expected, the Rams and quarterback Marc Bulger were able to come to an agreement on an extension and avoided a potential holdout. Bulger signed a six-year, $65 million contract according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

It was highly doubtful that Bulger would have held out, but why wait? He’s only 30, has been very productive over the past four years and is in an offense that fits him. Every year several teams have quarterback issues heading into the season and it usually burns them by Week 4 or sooner. This was an excellent job by the St. Louis front office and now Bulger, barring a serious injury or major drop in performance, will likely retire a Ram.

The Pirates and Phillies have a recent history of low scoring games, with Under going 10-2 the last 12 meetings. With Utley now out, expect the same here. It is hard to believe, but this is the first time the cross-state rival Pittsburgh Pirates and Philadelphia Phillies have met each other this season. Last year they played six games, all before the All-Star break, and this year they will play all of their contests after the break. These two teams are going in different directions, with the Phillies having won five of their last six games and the Pirates having won last night for only the second time in the last twelve games. However, the Phillies just got a big piece of bad news, as their All-Star second baseman and arguably their best all-around player, Chase Utley just landed on the Disabled List for what will probably be four to six weeks with a broken hand. Look for their run production to take a big hit in light of this unfortunate circumstance. The Pirate offense does not have anybody even remotely as valuable as Utley, save perhaps outfielder Jason Bay. With no real threat batting around him however, Bay has been nothing more than a guy for pitchers to avoid this season. Pittsburgh’s hitting has pretty much gone to sleep, and they have only scored more than four runs in two of the twelve games they’ve played since the break, not so coincidentally the two games that they won. Looking at the head-to-head series, ten of the last twelve games these two teams have played against each other have gone Under the total. Given these circumstances, play the Under again tonight.

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Sure, everybody’s talking about dogfighting and Pacman, but those are just two of my 10 most compelling storylines as we head into the start of training camp. Will Larry Johnson hold out? Is Jake the Snake really done? Can the Rams re-sign Marc Bulger? I take a closer look in my latest column for Bullz-Eye.com.

Remember that cute couple that got engaged on national TV right after Boise State’s thrilling last second victory over Oklahoma in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl? Well, Broncos’ running back Ian Johnson (who is black) and Chrissy Popadics (who is white) are all set to marry this weekend, but the only problem is they’re not sure they’ve hired enough security after receiving racist death threats due to their bi-racial relationship.

“You take it for what it is — the less educated, the less willing to change,” Johnson, 21, of San Dimas, Calif., told the Idaho Statesman for its Tuesday editions. “But we’re not acting like we’re naive to all the stuff that’s going on. We know what’s been said. We’re going to make sure we’re safe at all times. It’s an amazing day for us, and we’d hate to have it ruined by someone.”

Wow, that’s pretty mature for a 21-year-old kid dealing with something as big as racism. You’d think people would have more to do with their time than try to ruin a couple’s wedding day just because their skin color doesn’t match. These ignorant, racist idiots should join the rest of us living in the 21st century and stop the nonsense. No young couple should have to deal with this type of hate on their wedding day (or any day for that matter) and hopefully everything goes smoothly for Ian and Chrissy over the weekend.

The circus arrived in Richmond, Virginia on Thursday with its main clown front and center. Michael Vick and all three co-defendants pleaded not guilty to dogfighting related charges and asked for a jury trial.

Shocker. The trial is now set for November 26, which would be around the time Vick could have been helping the Falcons win football games (or lose them if his fumblitis and inaccurate throwing arm flared up), instead he’ll be knee deep in dog sh…ah never mind.

According to Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has decided to bar Pacman Jones from participating in the Tennessee Titans upcoming training camp despite initially flirting with the idea.

I was hammered in a recent blog for suggesting it might be a good idea if Goodell allowed Pacman to workout. My reasoning being that A) It would get his criminal ass of the streets and B) He might actually have to do some hard work for once and not get paid millions of dollars for it. Nevertheless, Goodell and most of the free world disagreed with my thoughts, but hey, what do you people know, right?

Here’s hoping that the Titans releasing him after the 2007 season and that no other team picks up the undeserving punk.