Digital Sports Desk

Online Destination for the Best in Boston Sports

Red Sox Personnel Moves

by

BOSTON, MA—The Boston Red Sox announced personnel moves in the Player Development department, as well as 2021 field staffs for their minor league affiliates.

Embed from Getty Images

Ben Crockett has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Baseball Operations. Currently in his 15th year in the Red Sox organization, the Topsfield, MA native has worked as Vice President, Player Development (2016-20); Director, Player Development (2012-16); Assistant Director, Player Development (2010-11); and Advance Scouting Coordinator (2008-09) after spending 2007 as an intern in Baseball Operations. The Harvard University graduate was selected by the Red Sox in the 10th round of the 2001 June Draft, but he did not sign. The former right-handed pitcher spent five years in the Colorado Rockies organization (2002-06) after being selected by the club in the third round of the 2002 June Draft.

Brian Abraham has been promoted to Director, Player Development. The Worcester, MA native previously worked as Director, Minor League Operations (2018-20); Assistant Director, Player Development (2015-18); and Major League Staff Assistant (2013-14). Prior to joining the Red Sox organization, the College of the Holy Cross graduate and member of the baseball team spent six years with the Toronto Blue Jays (2007-12), primarily working in advance scouting and video operations on the Major League staff.

Chris Stasio has been promoted to Manager, Baseball Development. In January 2020 he was hired as Assistant Coordinator, Baseball Development, returning to the organization where he worked in player development and advance scouting roles in 2014, 2016, and 2017. The Northeastern University graduate began his career in baseball as an intern with the New York Mets in 2014 and most recently served as a professional scout for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2018 and 2019.

Harry Roberson has been hired as Coordinator, Player Development and will be involved in various player development programs while engaging with on-field staff, focusing on practice planning and skill development. The Amherst College graduate most recently worked in baseball operations for the Toronto Blue Jays (2019-20) following a season as Hitting Coach for Eastern Connecticut State University (2019).

Shawn Haviland has been promoted to Senior Coordinator, Pitching, after spending the 2020 season as the organization’s Pitching Coordinator, Performance. The Middletown, CT native and graduate of Harvard University was originally hired by the club as Pitching Performance Coach prior to the 2019 season. A former right-handed pitcher, he played nine minor league seasons after being selected by Oakland in the 2008 June Draft, including two stints in the Red Sox organization with Triple-A Pawtucket in 2015 and 2017.

Julio Rangel has been hired as Pitching Coordinator, Performance. For the past two seasons, the Panama native served as the major league pitching coach for the Texas Rangers. Following a seven-year playing career in the New York Yankees minor league system (1994-2000), Rangel began his coaching career with the Tampa Yankees in 2001. He spent 11 years in the Cleveland system as a Cultural Development Coordinator (2007-08), Mental Skills Coordinator (2009-10), Lower Level Pitching Coordinator (2011-15), and Assistant Field Coordinator (2016-17). In 2018, Rangel served as the San Francisco Giants’ Minor League Pitching Coordinator.

Kirby Retzer has been promoted to Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coordinator. The Florida Gulf Coast University graduate is in his sixth season with the Red Sox organization, having spent the last two as a strength and conditioning coach with the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Red Sox, also working with players on rehabilitation assignments.

Paddy Steinfort has been promoted to Senior Mental Skills Coordinator following two seasons as a mental skills coach with the organization. He has also spent time in similar roles with the United States Army (2019-present), Philadelphia 76ers (2018-20), Toronto Blue Jays (2016-18), and Philadelphia Eagles (2015-16).

Adan Severino has been promoted to Latin American Mental Skills Coordinator following three seasons as Mental Skills Coordinator (2018-20). Prior to his time with the Red Sox, he spent time as a behavioral health professional and correctional officer in the state of Florida. The University of Miami graduate played three seasons (2008-10) as an outfielder in the Minnesota Twins’ system and in the independent Frontier League.

Gabriela Alfonso joins the organization as Minor League Sports Dietician and will be based out of Fort Myers. In addition to other experiences in the industry, the Miami, FL native has spent time in athletics as a sports nutrition graduate assistant and nutritionist with the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (2015-17).

Worcester (Triple-A, International League)

Billy McMillon enters his 14th season in the Red Sox organization, his third as Manager for the club’s Triple-A affiliate. The 2021 season will be his ninth as a minor league manager, having also served in that capacity for Single-A Greenville (2010-11), High-A Salem (2012-13), and Double-A Portland (2014-15). Bruce Crabbe will remain on the staff as an additional coach for the eighth consecutive season, extending his tenure with the organization to 17 years (2005-21). Rich Gedman will continue as the club’s hitting coach for his seventh year in that role and 11th with Red Sox minor league clubs. A Worcester native, Gedman was selected to the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2020.

Paul Abbott returns as Pitching Coach for the Red Sox’ Triple-A affiliate for the second consecutive season, his 11th in the organization. Abbott previously served as Pitching Coach for Short-A Lowell (2011-12), Single-A Greenville (2013-14), High-A Salem (2015-17), and Double-A Portland (2018-19). Michael Montville, hired prior to last season as an additional coach for the Gulf Coast League Red Sox, joins Worcester in the same role. David Herrera enters his third season as Athletic Training Coordinator, his 14th with the organization (2008-21). Ben Chadwick joins Worcester as Strength and Conditioning Coach following two seasons in that role with Portland.

Portland (Double-A, Eastern League)

Corey Wimberly joins the Sea Dogs as Manager, having previously managed Short-A Lowell (2018) and High-A Salem (2019-20) as well as been a member of Greenville’s coaching staff (2017). In 2019, Wimberly led Salem to the Carolina League Northern Division title, as the club went a league-best 42-28 in the season’s second half. Lance Carter returns for his second season as Portland’s Pitching Coach. It will be his seventh season in the organization, having previously worked with Short-A Lowell (2015-17) and High-A Salem (2018-19). Lance Zawadzki also returns for his second season as Hitting Coach. He joined the organization with Lowell in 2018 before serving as Salem’s hitting coach in 2019.

Joining the Sea Dogs staff as an additional coach is Ako Thomas, who most recently spent time on the University of Michigan’s staff as Volunteer Assistant Coach (2020) following a four-year playing career with the Wolverines (2016-19). Entering his sixth season in the Red Sox’ system, Scott Gallon will continue as the Sea Dogs’ athletic trainer after moving into that role in 2017. Jeffrey Dolan joins Portland as Strength and Conditioning Coach, having most recently worked in a similar role with the Phoenix Suns (2019-20).

Greenville (High-A, Carolina League)

Iggy Suarez returns for a fourth season managing Greenville, marking his seventh season in the organization and his sixth as a minor league manager. Entering his 23nd year in the Red Sox organization, Bob Kipper will return as Greenville’s pitching coach, having also served in that role with the Drive from 2005-06, 2008-09, and 2018-20. Also returning to the Drive staff is Hitting Coach Nate Spears, who after serving as a coaching assistant with Greenville in 2016 spent four years as a hitting coach for Short-A Lowell (2017-20).

John Shelby III returns for his second season with the Drive coaching staff after joining the organization in 2020 following a stint as Assistant Baseball Coach at the University of Kentucky. Athletic Trainer Nick Kuchwara joins Greenville following time in the same role with High-A Salem (2016-20). Also joining the Greenville staff is Strength and Conditioning Coach Joe Hudson after two seasons in the same role for Salem (2019-20).

Salem (Single-A, South Atlantic League)

Luke Montz enters his first season managing Salem after serving in the same role for Short-A Lowell (2019-20) and serving as a coaching assistant for Double-A Portland (2018). In 2019, Montz led the Spinners to the Stedler Division title and a 42-34 record in the regular season. Veteran hitting coach Nelson Paulino will return to the staff in his 24th season coaching in the organization (1998-2021), having previously worked with Salem in 2013, from 2016-18, and in 2020. Nick Green, who joined the Red Sox organization in 2015 and most recently spent three seasons as Pitching Coach for Lowell (2018-20), joins the Salem staff to serve in that same role.

Frankie Rios, who played in the Red Sox system in 2017 and 2018, will join Salem’s staff as an additional coach after spending the 2020 season coaching in Portland. Bobby Stachura, who joined the organization as an intern in 2017, will serve as an athletic trainer following two seasons in that role with Single-A Greenville (2019-20). Michael Hernandez also joins Salem staff as Strength and Conditioning Coach after working with Greenville in 2020, his first season in the Red Sox organization.

Fort Myers Complex

Tom Kotchman will spend 2021 as a manager at the Fort Myers complex after spending seven seasons as manager of the Gulf Coast League Red Sox. Kotchman has spent 40 total seasons as a minor league manager and scout. Serving as a hitting coach in Fort Myers is Josh Prince, who joined the organization in 2020 as Hitting Coach for Single-A Greenville after spending the 2019 season as a player/coach for the Sugar Land Skeeters in the Atlantic League. Junior Zamora also will serve as a hitting coach, following six years in that capacity for the Gulf Coast League Red Sox and seven years as a bench coach for the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League Red Sox.

The Fort Myers complex will feature three pitching coaches, including Dick Such, a veteran of the Gulf Coast League. Brett Merrittwill also work at the complex after serving as a pitching coach for High-A Salem (2020) and the College of Central Florida (2018-19).Jason Blanton joins the organization, having previously worked as a pitching coach in the Cleveland Indians (2017-20) and Seattle Mariners (2014-15) systems.

Mickey Jiang, who has been coaching in the Red Sox’ system since 2009, returns as a coach and translator. Bianca Smith joins the organization as a coach at the Fort Myers complex after most recently serving as Assistant Athletic Director as well as Assistant Coach and Hitting Coordinator at Carroll University (WI). Smith, who has also spent time with the Cincinnati Reds and Texas Rangers organizations, becomes the first African-American woman to coach in professional baseball history. Also joining the organization as a coach in Fort Myers is Chris Hess, who has spent time as Assistant Coach at the University of Rhode Island, his alma mater, following three seasons playing in the New York Yankees organization (2017-19). Hess also played for Hyannis of the Cape Cod Baseball League in 2016.

Taylor Boucher will serve as Athletic Trainer following two seasons in that role with Short-A Lowell (2019-20). Richard De Luna, who joined the organization in 2018 as a minor league strength and conditioning coach after serving in the United States Marine Corps (2012-17), will serve as Strength and Conditioning Coach, a role he held with Greenville from 2019-20.

Dominican Republic Academy

Jose Zapata will return for his 15th season as the Red Sox’ Latin American field coordinator. Ozzie Chavez and Sandy Madera return as managers at the Dominican Republic Academy, after they both made managerial debuts in 2019. Madera’s first year working in the Red Sox organization was 2019, while Chavez began his coaching career in 2015 as a hitting coach for the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League Red Sox. Serving as hitting coaches at the academy will be Eider Torres, who joined the DSL Red Sox last season, and Danny Ortega, who has coached in the Los Angeles Angels (2018-19) and Houston Astros (2010-17) organizations, including a stint managing the Greeneville Astros in 2017.

Oscar Lira and Humberto Sanchez will continue as the academy’s pitching coaches, with Lira entering his 10th season in the role and Sanchez beginning his fourth. Also returning to the staff are Juan Hernandez, Claudio Sanchez, Carlos Vallejo, and Leonel Vazquezas additional coaches. Joining the academy as International Instructor is Amaury Garcia, after spending 12 years with the Washington Nationals organization, including serving as Hitting Coach for the Single-A Hagerstown Suns (2016-20). Garcia played in the Florida Marlins (1994-2000) and Chicago White Sox (2001) organizations, appearing in 10 major league games for the Marlins in 1999. Guillermo Hinojosa will return for his 12th season as athletic trainer, while Jharvyn Velazquez will return for his second. Antonio Diaz and Danny Gutierrez will resume their roles as strength and conditioning coaches at the academy.

2021 Boston College Football Schedule

by

CHESTNUT HILL, MASS – (Official News Release) – Boston College and the Atlantic Coast Conference announced the 2021 football schedule. The BC Eagles play six home games at Alumni Stadium, including the first game of the season versus Colgate on Saturday, Sept. 4.

Embed from Getty Images

Second-year head coach Jeff Hafley won more games than any other first-year Power Five coach a season ago as the Eagles bring back 19 starters in 2021.

The Eagles return 10 starters on offense, led by junior quarterback Phil Jurkovec and All-ACC wide receiver Zay Flowers. BC’s entire offensive line returns, including All-ACC selections Alec Lindstrom, Ben Petrula, Zion Johnsonand Tyler Vrabel up front.

On defense, BC welcomes back seven starters and 10 players that started multiple games a season ago including All-ACC defensive back Josh DeBerry.

The 2021 season begins at Alumni Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 4 versus Colgate. It is the first meeting between the two schools.

Following the season opener at home, BC hits the road for a two-week stretch at Massachusetts on Sept. 11 and at Temple on Sept. 18.

The Eagles play in Amherst against the Minutemen for the first time since 1982. BC has won 10 straight in the series and is 22-5 all-time against UMass, including a 9-2 record away from home.

Old Big East foes reunite in Philadelphia as the Eagles play their first game at Lincoln Financial Field since 2004 on Sept. 18. The Eagles last played the Owls in 2018 and came away with a 45-35 victory in Chestnut Hill. All-time, BC is 29-7-2 against Temple, including a 10-4-1 mark in Philadelphia.

BC and Missouri meet for the first time on Sept. 25 as the two schools begin a home-and-home series. The Eagles return the visit to Missouri on Sept, 14, 2024. Missouri is the first SEC team to play at Alumni Stadium since Tennessee on Oct. 31, 1987.

In meetings that date back to 1937, Boston College is 13-19-1 all-time against the Southeastern Conference. The last time the Eagles faced an SEC opponent was in the Music City Bowl on Dec. 31, 2008 against Vanderbilt.

ACC play begins on Saturday, Oct. 2 as BC visits defending ACC champion Clemson for the third consecutive season. Last season, BC lost 34-28 at No. 1 Clemson as the Tigers rallied from a 28-13 deficit. In a series that began in 1940, Boston College and Clemson meet for the 31st time with Clemson leading the series 19-9-2. For the 14th time, Boston College and Clemson play for the O’Rourke-McFadden Trophy after the BC Gridiron Club established the award in 2008.

Following a week off, BC hosts NC State on Saturday, Oct. 16 as the two division foes square off for the first time since the Eagles’ 45-24 victory over the Wolfpack in 2019. All-time, BC is 10-7 against the Wolfpack, including a 7-3 record at Alumni Stadium.

Another two-game road swing follows as the Eagles travel to Louisville on October 23 and visit Syracuse for the third straight season on October 30.

Last season, BC captured a 34-27 victory over the Cardinals at Alumni Stadium. In 13 all-time meetings, Louisville leads the series 7-6, but BC has won three of the previous four games.

Boston College won 16-13 inside the Carrier Dome last season. Syracuse leads the all-time series 32-22, including a 20-9 advantage in Syracuse. BC has won three straight games in the Carrier Dome for the first time in series history.

The only Friday night game of the season features an old rival as Virginia Tech travels to Chestnut Hill on November 5. The Hokies defeated BC last season in Blacksburg as they lead the all-time series 19-10. The last time Virginia Tech played at Alumni Stadium, BC opened the 2019 season with a 35-28 victory.

The final road game of the year features BC’s first trip to Georgia Tech since 2007 as the Eagles and Yellow Jackets meet for the second straight season. In 2020, BC rolled to a 48-27 win at home over Georgia Tech. The Eagles are 3-7 all-time against the Yellow Jackets, including a 2-3 mark in Atlanta.

Boston College closes out the regular season with two home games as Florida State comes to the Heights on November 20 and Wake Forest visits on November 27. The Eagles did not play either division opponent last season.

FSU leads the all-time series 13-5 while the Eagles hold a 14-11-2 series lead against the Demon Deacons.

Season tickets will go on sale for the 2021 season starting on Thursday, Feb. 4 on BCEagles.com or by calling 617-552-4622 (GOBC). Kickoff times and broadcast information will be announced at a later date.

2021 Boston College Football Schedule
Sat., Sept. 4                  Colgate
Sat., Sept. 11                at Massachusetts
Sat., Sept. 18                at Temple
Sat., Sept. 25                Missouri
Sat., Oct. 2                    at Clemson*
Sat., Oct. 16                  NC State*
Sat., Oct. 23                  at Louisville*
Sat., Oct. 30                  at Syracuse*
Fri., Nov. 5                    Virginia Tech*
Sat., Nov. 13                  at Georgia Tech*
Sat., Nov. 20                 Florida State*
Sat., Nov. 27                 Wake Forest*

*Denotes ACC game | Home games at Alumni Stadium in bold

Pride and Joy: New Celtics Coach a Family Man

by

Boston Celtics Pride & Joy: New Coach Brad Stevens a Family Man

By TERRY LYONS, Editor

WALTHAM – The formalities were already covered by a series of phone calls between Boston Celtics President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge and Brad Stevens. It was time to sit down and finalize a deal to make Stevens the 17th head coach to walk the sidelines for the storied National Basketball Association franchise. Not a soul outside of the organization was aware of the breakfast meeting at Stevens’ mother’s house in Indiana, a setting that would make the casting directors and set designers for the motion picture Hoosiers marvel in creative vision. The deal breaker was going to be the Celtics’ ability to put Stevens and his family at ease with the daunting task and unfathomable opportunity being proposed to the young coach, the most successful coach in the history of tiny Butler University.

Embed from Getty Images

Stevens’ mother’s shitzu poodle, Mack, greeted Ainge and the Celtics hierarchy at the garage door. Then, with the snuff test administered by the 10-pound pooch successfully passed, the deal-making could unfold with the negotiating at a dining room table in a setting right out of Americana, in the hotbed of hoops in the Hoosier State where basketball is indeed a religion. Ainge, along with minority team owner Stephen Pagliuca and Managing Partner Wyc Grousbeck, gathered around the table covered with plastic to protect young Brady and Kingsley’s grandmother Jan’s furniture from the kids’ arts and crafts projects

Believe it or not, before the job opportunity came along and before the phone rang and Ainge was asking Stevens if he’d be interested in succeeding Doc Rivers, the Stevens family’s belongings were already all packed up and in storage, not because they envisioned a change of employers, but simply because they were trying to find the right home to settle down and raise two wonderful children right smack in America’s heartland.

“It’s really comical, and you have to be able to laugh at yourself,” said Tracy, sincerely happy that their challenging real estate ventures were the subject of questioning instead of her viewpoint on x’s and o’s or the trials and tribulations of life as a coach’s wife. “We had purchased a house in Carmel, Indiana a couple of years ago and immediately knew it just wasn’t the right fit, she explained. “We tried to sell it for about a year and we hadn’t received any offers. So, we finally get an offer, and we sold it and had to get out fairly quickly. We’ve been looking for a place and – this time – we didn’t want to make the wrong choice in buying a new house. We were hoping to find a place quickly but it wasn’t working out, so we decided to put all of stuff in storage and move in with Brad’s mom. It was only going to be a few weeks, as we had (Butler University) basketball camp and Brad was going to be gone a lot in July, recruiting.

“The call comes in on a day when we’d just looked at two houses and we both agreed they weren’t the right fit.” she elaborated. “To me, it was a little bit of a ‘sign,’ as we still hadn’t found a home and, maybe, this is something we should really think about. When it came time to meet, we met at Brad’s Mom’s house and they came in, walked through the garage and the dog is barking,” she laughed.

“Then, right in the middle of the meeting, my cell phone kept ringing multiple times, which sometimes means something is wrong,” she recounted. “I looked at it and it was one of the basketball secretaries at Butler where we had 160 campers. She was calling to say a construction crew had turned off the water and while they had some running water, the restrooms were not working! So I had to excuse myself from the meeting, but when I came back, Brad said “I think I’m going to do it,” and I said, ‘Okay!”

The rest is history, and you can call it Celtics lore or maybe even Celtics “lure.”

Amidst pure fate, some scrambled-up living arrangements and real-world issues like the timing and feel to sign on the dotted line for a longterm real estate move, — never mind the ill-timed plumbing failures — the fade-to-black background story that brought Ainge and Stevens together at this crucial moment in Boston Celtics franchise history actually began at the 2010 NCAA Final Four at Lucas Oil Stadium in downtown Indianapolis. The former NCAA star from Brigham Young University and two-time NBA champion as a Celtics point guard sat with Pagliuca, a Duke University graduate, as the David vs. Goliath NCAA championship game unfolded, pitting Stevens’ underdog Butler team against Duke and Coach Mike Krzyzewski’s blue blood Blue Devils.

“In 2010, Steve and I went to the championship game against Duke, and, of course, Steve was rooting for Duke,” remembered Ainge. “Not to bring back bad memories for Brad, but as I sat there, I said to Steve, ‘this is the best coach in college basketball, right there down on the sideline. He thought that I was talking about Coach K, so we had a little debate right then and there. But, well before that time, I had known of Brad and watched him coach, and I loved to watch his teams play. I love his poise, and more than anything, in talking to Brad about prospects for the draft, I always valued what he said, and I talk to a lot of coaches. For some reason, I just trusted his opinions, and I liked his feel and understanding of players – the character of players and the talents of players.

“Brad was my first choice,” said Ainge at a packed press conference on the floor of the Celtics suburban Boston training facility, a place where the children of Celtics staff and players frequently traipse around, shoot baskets and glance up at replicas of 16 NBA championship banners that mimic the real ones that hung in the rafters of the fabled Boston Garden and now adorn the more modern-looking TD Garden on Causeway Street downtown.

“I’ve watched and admired his poise, his intelligence, his teams and their execution under pressure. I’ve always looked at him over the last few years as a candidate to be a great head coach, never really thinking it was going to be this soon in Celtics history.

“I viewed him as a great talent, but maybe more importantly, a man with great integrity and character,” noted Ainge who was shoulder-to-shoulder with the 10th different Celtics head coach since he played for Bill Fitch in the glory years of the ’80s.

“I am absolutely humbled to be sitting in this room,” said Stevens as the time came for him to speak at his introductory media conference where he let it slip that he had already been reading Celtics great Bill Russell’s memoirs. “As any young basketball coach was or is, I am just in awe of the Boston Celtics organization and all that’s been accomplished by the many players, coaches and everybody else that has worked in this building to help them do what they’ve done.

“One of the things that I’m so thrilled about is to work in a place that has high standards but also places such a value on culture. It’s really important. I’m a process-driven guy. I believe in relationships. I believe in trying to be the very best you can be and that has clearly been something that has been stressed in every conversation that I’ve had here, starting with the multiple conversations I had with Danny.

I want to thank and appreciate Butler, as there’s been a lot of emotion,” Stevens added, sincerely, as he named the Butler support team and called out to the players past and present. “I wouldn’t be sitting here and I’m not one of these guys that’s crazy enough to think that I’m here because of me. I’m here because I’ve fooled a couple of these guys and because we’ve had great people on our bus all the way through and I’m looking forward to working with the great people here.”

“Since the hire, the feedback we’ve gotten has been amazing from coaches, some that I’ve never heard from before, saying that same thing, that Brad is one of the great young coaches that they’ve ever been around. I couldn’t be more excited about our partnership. We’ve spent a lot of time on the phone over the past 10 days, as it’s been a very difficult decision for Brad, leaving a wonderful situation at Butler with his staff, his athletic director and his players,” noted Ainge.

“Brad’s success will be determined by what I do to help him and support him and what (Celtics) ownership does to support us. We all know what we’re about to embark on, and he will have great support from ownership and management. There will be transition from the college game to the NBA game, but we will give him that support to make the transition fast. He’s a very smart guy, and I’m not worried about that. He’s probably more worried about that than I am,” said Ainge with a smile.

“Wyc and Pags knew how much I liked Brad from the very beginning,” said Ainge. “We hadn’t made a deal but it was getting close and the thing that was preventing it from happening was the uncertainty of the NBA. There was a tug to stay at Butler where he was recruiting new players and they’re going into the Big East. Brad loves his athletic director and it was just really, hard. But once he met everybody, he and his wife felt more comfortable.”

The Celtics organization has long embodied the term “Celtics family,” and Ainge took that organizational culture up a notch when he took over the basketball operations job in a place where he and his family literally grew up.

“I lived it,” said Ainge. “I’ve been a coach and I’ve been a player, and I know how draining it can be. We welcome families here. We welcome players to include their families. We want the kids hanging around, shooting with their dads on the court, and we want the whole family to participate in the experience.”

For Stevens, a self-described “process-driven, day-to-day guy,” his hard decision process was a fork in the basketball road. If he jumped at the pros, he would have to leave behind the security of a dream-come-true job at Butler and take that “leap of faith,” as Ainge put it multiple times in the introductory press conference. In Stevens’ mind, surely there was a laundry list of upside factors such as coaching a strong but ornery point guard in Rajon Rondo, who can masterfully quarterback a foundation of gutty, road-tested, high basketball IQ players who will compete mightily during a period of transition and change for this franchise.

On the long-range planning chart for the young coach and his family is the potential for a bright future, living in one of America’s great cities, coaching the league’s most respected and winningest clubs with a newfound, windfall NBA bank account with a different type of security — financial security — to the tune of his freshly minted six-year, $22 million dollar deal.

In taking the gig, Stevens has the utmost admiration and support from senior management, in Ainge. In the past three days, he quickly learned – at his mom’s dining room table – he has the support of team ownership.

Said Grousbeck, with a breath of fresh air and even – yes, humility, uncommon in NBA ownership circles, “Thank you to Brad and Tracy and their family for believing in us, believing in the power of “Celtics Pride.” When you take charge of this organization and all of the tradition and pride that has been built by so many great people in the past, you are a trustee and your obligation is to build the Celtics pride and take it forward. We think that by having Brad and his family here, as a key part of the Celtics going forward, we’re doing everything we can to bring back the championship ways. Both on and off the court, we think Brad will help us lead this franchise to where it needs to be and we’re going to be patient, committed and resolute.”

Reflecting back at the scene from his moms dining room table, Stevens thought hard and you could see the wheels turning in his mind, relishing the request to elaborate on the feeling he had when Ainge and the Celtics’ contingent departed.

“We were pretty well set on what the decision would be when they arrived because of the fact we were meeting in person,” said Stevens, painting the picture. “Obviously, it was important to them to meet us and be sure they felt good about us and for us, we felt a tremendous sense – we felt at home.

“Sitting there around that table, it was very evident, it was very obvious. When they left, it was obvious it was the right decision. But that didn’t make communicating the decision any easy to the people I spent 13 years with (at Butler). We’ve done nothing but look forward since and we had a blast with our family here in Boston yesterday, walking downtown.

“I just can’t wait to get back to normalcy,” added the young coach who can mark his calendar with a date to watch Celtics 2013 draft picks Kelly Olynyk and Colton Iverson along with 2012 No. 1 pick Fab Melo when they play on the Celtics summer league roster in Orlando just about 48 hours after Brad Stevens, the new head coach of the Boston Celtics, was introduced to a group of reporters who all shared the same opinion about a very good hire. That being a coach fitting of a new value in Celtics’ family history – one of humility.