Time of transition is touching sports

A season of transition for sports fans is about to enter a really fun time.

The Red Sox will open in Texas, and that could ruin a whole pitching staff in one series. Roger Clemens will be there as the Rangers will honor the NCAA football champions from the University of Texas.

Clemens said he wanted to be there for that. It just also happens to be the day two teams who are talking to him about his services for the coming season are going to be in the same place.

Could Clemens end up back with the Sox? That is a real possibility.

Make no mistake, if Clemens wanted to retire again, he would have done so. He wants more money and nobody works the media and the system to his favor better than Clemens.

Show me the cash, and I just might come. Because he is in the driver’s seat, he can wait to that moment when teams have the greatest need.

That could be opening day when teams know what their staffs are going to look like, or he could wait a month or two for injuries to take their toll with teams and his value increase by that much more.

Anyway, why not just happen to be around for the opener between the Rangers, who would like to keep him in Texas on a staff that is always in need, and the Sox, who just might be a little short in the starter department.

The Bruins are going nowhere, so the transition of management and probably players is under way with the removal of GM Mike O’Connell from the Bruins front office.

Bruins president Harry Sinden hoped to stay on for another year and then retire. That may happen, but his voice has been reduced by the emergence of Charlie Jacobs, son of owner Jeremy Jacobs.

Charlie Jacobs is being groomed for the job if his father decides to go in the business direction for a GM/president rather than a hockey person. Look for the job to be split between business and player decisions.

Sinden would be needed for the transition period during which some major decisions in the front office would be made and even more major decisions about who’s on the ice have to be made.

Finally, the Maine Black Bears are on their way to Milwaukee. Congratulations to a hockey team that got it together when they needed to.

Maine will receive a good deal of positive publicity about sustaining a great program and its success in postseason games. That will only help recruiting for the future.

For now, however, they will enjoy the rare air of just four remaining.

I am fortunate to be calling the Frozen Four for ESPN-TV and it will be a thrill to see the Blue and White on the ice in Milwaukee. No, there will be no cheering in the press box. Yes, there will be lots of feelings.

It is a time of transition and here comes the sun.

Old Town native Gary Thorne is an ESPN and ABC sportscaster.