Confessions of a Lakers Fan

by Jeff Clark on Nov 26, 2007 6:05 PM EST in Boston Celtics News & Links

Eric Neel has some stuff to get off his chest on ESPN's Page 2.

I hate the Celtics. I hate the green. I hate Bill Russell's mannered little goatee. I hate Red's cigar. I hate Bird's mullet. I hate the leprechaun. I hate the stupid floor. I hate Don Nelson and his lucky bounce. I hate M.L. Carr and his towel. And I hate Danny Ainge and his pout most of all....
When the Lakers lost to Boston last week in a hail of boos and "Beat L.A." chants, I was miserable, angry, alone in my office, not cleared, as my wife said, "for human contact." But the feeling didn't linger as it should have, didn't ruin my weekend the way I wanted it to. I couldn't quite hold a grudge against these Celtics.
I hate myself for that, for not hating them quite enough, for feeling the hate slowly ebb out of me. I can't bear to think of what Gail Goodrich would think of me now.
I hate myself for playing back Saturday night's last-second Allen 3-pointer to beat Charlotte. Three times. I hate myself for setting the DVR to record Tuesday's game against Cleveland. And the Thursday game against the Knicks, too. I hate myself for thinking, even if the Lakers don't get there to meet them, that it would be pretty cool if this team can sustain its energy, stay healthy and make the Finals.
No, it's worse than that. It's not simply a matter of self-loathing. That would be easy enough to weather. Hell, I'm a writer; self-loathing is part of the job. It's not that I hate myself.
It's that when I watch these Celtics do their thing, with a smile on my face, I don't even know who I am.

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definitely a nice read….
thanks for sharing this link….
:)

by celtpinoy on Nov 26, 2007 7:55 PM EST reply actions

I hate the Lakers. I hate the yellow. I hate Kareem’s bald head. I hate Jack Nicholson and his sunglasses. I hate Magic’s cheesy smile. I hate Jerry Buss. I hate Thompson’s Water Supply commercials because it reminds me of Mychael Thompson. I hate Glen Rice and Mitch Richmond for going to get championships. I hate Karl Malone and Gary Payton for trying to do the same. I hate Worthy, Cooper, and Byron Scott but also Chuck Nevitt, Swen Nater, and Sedale Threatt.

I guess it’s mutual.

But when the Lakers do well I stop watching basketball and try and pretend it doesn’t exist.

by tb727 on Nov 26, 2007 8:08 PM EST reply actions

sounds like to me someone is itching to let their true celtics fan colors show.

by RickyDavisfor3 on Nov 26, 2007 8:52 PM EST reply actions

It ain’t easy being green but it’s way easier than being yellow. Come out of the dark Eric, come out of the think greasy smog and purple haze shawdows of being a faker….errrrrr I mean Laker. Step out into the fresh green clean mornin’ air and wash yourself off with a bar of minty fresh Irish Spring soap and then have a bowl “me Lucky Charms”. Then you might begin to see who you really are.

Can’t you hear it now rising up in the back of your throat? Whispering to yourself in your new found freedom…..“I am Celtic…. I’m a Celtic” :D

by Master Po on Nov 26, 2007 9:18 PM EST reply actions

I can’t even imagine reducing my loathing of the Lakers to the point where I might be almost indifferent to Koby Bryant.

by no kidding on Nov 26, 2007 10:15 PM EST reply actions

And the point of printing that ranting mess is …?

by lemonadesky on Nov 27, 2007 12:49 AM EST reply actions

Great read. On the flipside, I haven’t hated the Lakers since Shaq left. He took his mojo with him…

by LuckyNumber07 on Nov 27, 2007 6:49 AM EST reply actions

Wow….that is great. Its true though. If you’re a fan of basketball – you can’t help but be intrigued to watch this team. Right? Its just truly fun to watch them do their thing. Love ’em or hate ’em…Go Celtics!!

by celtsrp33 on Nov 27, 2007 7:23 AM EST reply actions

the happiest I’ve been in a long time was when the Pistons upset the Lakers 4-1 in the NBA finals earlier in the decade, and blew up the Shaq-Kobe era.

by youngcrv on Nov 27, 2007 12:00 PM EST reply actions

For now the Cs are going up and the Lakers are coming down. It must be tough to be a Laker out there now with all the front runners in “tinsel town”. Heh, heh, heh.

by Greg37 on Nov 27, 2007 12:02 PM EST reply actions