So I’ve been a Celtics fan forever.
And I’m born and raised an Angeleno; coulda walked to Staples from my original home sweet home.
But I’ve never felt guilty about my not being a card-carrying NBA homer.
As I was driving home last Thursday, I punched in KSPN-AM to catch up on Game 6 of the NBA Eastern Conference Final. A home win would give the Celtics a berth in the 2012 NBA finals (they already have 17 championship banners.)
Today’s Celtics are the physical shadow of the 2008 Championship squad that brought together the Big Three: Pierce, Garnett, and Allen, plus then relative newcomer Rajon Rondo. And Old Man Time does come knockin’ on all our doors.
These days, the Celtics are the youthful, energetic equivalent of my poor ole Uncle Harold (wouldn’t be surprised if they do vitamin b12 shots and prune juice too.) Boston suits up basketball senior citizens that could be sponsored by local urgent care establishments and select New England convalescent centers.
The Celtics really have no business extending the extraordinary Lebron James and the Miami Heat to seven games. But if the Lakers had one-tenth the Celtics’ competitiveness, cohesiveness, and mental toughness, they wouldn’t have “gone fishin” two weeks ago.
I’m probably just being old and sentimental but the Celtics remind me of family and maybe even the perfect business model. They lose but they don’t quit; they’re not into pointing fingers and they don’t make excuses. They’re into results i.e. championships. They do things the right way; they’ll make the extra pass, they play team defense, they help the helper, and they’re at their best when they need to be. And true, they’re all millionaires…but they’re blue collar millionaires.
Of course, I’m well aware I’m seeing my all-time fav team through the impressionable eyes of a twelve year-old kid…but sometimes all good things must at no time end.
With Game 6 coming to a close and the Celtics down by 20, amazing Coach/CEO/spiritual leader Doc Rivers was emptying the bench and putting in the subs.
As maybe one last championship opportunity was slipping away along with the image of the Big Three and Rondo, I could clearly hear the Boston fans chanting something over the radio waves.
LET’S GO CELTICS! LET’S GO CELTICS! LET’S GO CELTICS!
The fans went on for the final three minutes straight and continued as the team walked back to their lockers; think they were saying “Thanks”…just in case.
Having been on the job here in Temple City for more than 30 years and dealing with all the stuff adults get to face courtesy of Old Man Time, even in a Celtics’ loss, it was good driving home and feeling like a kid again.
And turns out, it’ll be “Wait until next year”…and probably beyond for me and the Celtics.
So what? “LET’S GO CELTICS!”
