Hopes are still high across the board for all of the four major pro sports teams in the Hub, as all four could make at least something of a case as a title contender.
Despite the Celtics' 0-3 start, there is still plenty of talent on their roster. The window may be closing, but if the C's can just get into the playoffs while being healthy and rested, they're a veteran-laden bunch that knows how to win. Danny Ainge has never been shy about wheeling and dealing, either, and there's still a chance he has a move up his sleeve that will help the Celtics' chances.
The Patriots are coming up on their chance to win a title in 2012, as they're getting set to open the playoffs in a couple of weeks. If they can beat the Bills on Sunday, they'll lock up the conference's No. 1 seed, ensuring that the AFC road to the Super Bowl goes through Foxboro. That's a favorable road to say the least, and it's even more favorable when you consider no one else in the AFC really stands out. The NFC has a few darn good teams that the Pats could eventually meet in the Super Bowl, but if it does get to that point, anything can happen. And they still have Tom Brady.
The Red Sox, one would assume, will look to the 2012 season as a chance to prove that their forgettable 2011 season was more of an anomaly than anything else. Ben Cherington has started to revamp the roster some, particularly the bullpen, and it's easy to forget that for much of the year last season the Sox were one of baseball's best teams. If they use their crushing collapse as motivation in 2012, there's no telling what one of the most talented teams in the game can do next season.
Finally, the Bruins certainly looked pretty primed to defend their Stanley Cup title. As good as the B's were this past spring, they've been arguably better this fall and into the winter season. After a slow start to the season, the Bruins have bounced back and bounced back in a big way. They're the best team in hockey as the calendar gets set to turn over, and they seem to keep getting better. As long as they don't get bored, they look like the favorite to capture the Eastern Conference's No. 1 seed, and the lessons in seasons past were evident last spring as they showed they now know how to win.
Which team has the best chance of winning a championship in 2012?
