New Generation of Fans

by Jeff Clark on Aug 2, 2007 1:00 AM EDT in Boston Celtics Articles

I wrote the following article in November of 2006, just before the start of the season and just after Red passed away. I thought this was a good time to dust it off and re-run it. First of all, I have to think Red would be very pleased with this turn of events. But also because there are a lot of casual Celtics fans that are going to be tuning in and visiting this site. I welcome those fans with open arms and I’m very happy to see them. I became a lifer when the team was winning championships; so I’m sure that many people tuning in now will get hooked for the long term too.However, before the newbies get too comfortable, I want to pause and give a big warm hug to the diehards that have been here all along.

A thought occurred to me recently and it stopped me in my tracks. I’m 31 years old, and I think that would make me 11 years old when the Celtics last won a Championship. That alone is enough to stop me in my tracks, but there’s more to it. I don’t know how young you have to be to start appreciating sports, but for the sake of argument, let’s say 6 years old (give or take). That means, any Celtics fans younger than me (and especially those 26 and under) really have no real grasp on what it felt like to watch their team win it all. Said another way, there are adults walking around that are diehard Celtic fans who have no recollection of when Banner 16 was raised.

This isn’t taking anything away from the older fans. This site is blessed with a number of folks that not only remember Bird, but also Cowens, Hondo, and even Russell and Red and the rest of the greats.

Still, I wanted to take some time and salute the diehards of this generation. The teenagers and twentysomethings that bleed Celtic green. You lived through the ML Carr years. You had to endure the Rick Pitino experiment. The best coach you’ve known (after Birds retirement) is Jim O’Brien; a castoff from the Rick Pitino experiment. Any time the team made a brief appearance in the playoffs, the legends of the glory years came out and tried to get excited about fatally flawed Celtics teams that simply got bounced by the Nets or Pacers. The pinnacle of your experience was losing (badly) in the Eastern Conference Finals. Yet here you are.

I got hooked watching Larry, Kevin, Chief, DJ, and Danny scoring in the 100s and dispatching the early Jordan-Bulls teams and Bad-Boy-Pistons teams and of course the Lakers and Rockets. They made it look easy. I thought things would be like that forever. 1986 was the last I saw of the Dynasty, but at least I had that. What do you have to hang your hat on? A miracle comeback game against the Nets? Dee Browns dunk championship? Almost drafting Tim Duncan? Yet here you are.

The Pats had never won anything, but now they have 3 Super Bowl trophies. The Red Sox went 86 years, but even they have a World Series title. Those (like me) who still count basketball as your favorite sport can enjoy those moments in local sports history, but not quite the same way you would if it were the Celtics. So you’ve been buying the same promises this team has been selling for 20 years and the latest edition rewarded you with a 33 win season. (No wonder many of you are bitter.) Yet here you are.

You know the tradition, you’ve seen the footage, you’ve admired the banners, you pay respect to the retired numbers, but you never witnessed it yourself. You share in the grief of losing our great leader, but you never saw him light up a victory cigar drenched in champagne. Yet here you are.

Every Celtic fan has had to endure the hard times, but you didn’t even have the good times to make it all worth it. This is not to remind you of what you’ve been through or to pity you or even to convince you to abandon ship. Far from it. This is my effort to raise a toast to you. Thank you for sticking with this team and for hoping for a return to a greatness you were never part of. Thank you for injecting a sense of energy and exuberance while helping usher in the modern age of basketball.

This team needs to bridge the gap between young and old. They must honor the tradition of greatness while embracing the new era. Red and the Celtics were great because they were innovators (fast breaking, 6th man) and pioneers (first black coach, etc.). This Celtics team needs to start a new tradition of winning, not just to honor the past, but also to reward the fans of the present.

Here’s to Red. Here’s to the new generation of Celtics fans. Here’s to the Celtics, forever.

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Comments

i know how you feel…am 44….and I’ve been through those glory days…..I have been patiently waiting for this window….
enduring heckles and letdowns by rival teams….
fingers crossed….am keeping the faith… and still hopeful for banner 17 :)

by celtpinoy on Aug 2, 2007 1:07 AM EDT reply actions

I think it’s harder to be a die hard fan these days; the fall in quality due to HS players (well done players and NBA on the 1 year rule, the lack of rivalries due to expansion which sees us play NYC, Detroit and Chicago less than ever before, higher ticket prices. I’m a non Bostonian so the ticket prices don’t bother me. But it is sweet to the Celtics back on track. It just feels wrong in that first week of June when Boston isn’t playing for a championship. Kudos to the front office

by Who on Aug 2, 2007 1:10 AM EDT reply actions

by twistedmisfit on Aug 2, 2007 1:34 AM EDT reply actions

This will be the sweetest ride of all if it all goes right. Despite being a 27 year old Celtics fan, I wasn’t really an informed fan when we last won the championship.
My other love is the Sydney Swans (Australian Football) and after winning our Grand Final (Championship equivalent) here in 2005 after a 72 year drought (yes, 72 years!) the victory was oh-so-much- sweeter.
So strap youselves in, Celtics fans. This is no guarantee that the destination will be banner no. 17, but the ride will surely be must-see material.

by Rickety Walking Stick on Aug 2, 2007 1:35 AM EDT reply actions

I’m 19 years old, which means I became a die hard at the strangest of times. I became a die hard watching us lose. I watched almost every game in my dorm room this year and my roommate, who’s a knicks fan, made fun of me for it. I’d just remind him that a true fan roots for wins even when they are few and far between. It’s called hope, and i’ve maintained it all along. I mean…these are the Boston Celtics…how long could we suck? It’s always annoyed me to watch the playoffs with bandwagon fans who cheer for the favorite…but i have a feeling that this year we may all be rooting for the same team. And i don’t mind that at all. :)

by rhinoceros3 on Aug 2, 2007 2:09 AM EDT reply actions

I, a young lad in Kentucky, had the Celtics imprinted on me in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s in only I can describe as like “baby duck” imprinting. I’ve been a Celtics fans ever since. What else could I be? I completely agree with you Jeff about the younger people of the Celtics community.

Clearly, there is a fire of greatness that the teams of old possessed that not only influenced many of us older aficionados of the team, but have burned hot to this day and have stoked the coals of sportsmanship in many young hearts and minds today.

Welcome young people and “fair weather — bandwagon” fans as well to the Celtics universe. This is where you can experience the best of what it means when clear minds and real passion come together to make very special magic happen in this world. Enjoy!

by webmaster on Aug 2, 2007 2:12 AM EDT reply actions

amen jeff.

and hail mchale! we who have waited for so long and who are about to taste greatness again salute you!!! we shall erect a statue of #32 wherever the celtic green is hallowed. thanks man!!!

by nox45 on Aug 2, 2007 2:41 AM EDT reply actions

I’m 21 years old and began rooting for my ‘local’ team (I’m English) in 2003, when I deceided to pledge allegiance to one team instead of following the NBA impartially. I chose Boston because it’s the closest US city to where I live over here.

I like to think I’m a pretty knowledglable and dedicated fan, although I’m still a ‘rookie’ C’s fan compared to some of you guys.

My best Celtics moments are watching Al Jefferson go from being an unheralded HS rookie to one of the young elites of the NBA. Thats why this trade stings a little. Unforunately, I missed the 05 playoffs because I was in hospital, so I can’t really count that.

Now, hopefully my future best Celtics moments will be winning something big.

by UK Celtic on Aug 2, 2007 4:29 AM EDT reply actions

mere pups you guys are…I turn 50 next week as I go to Jacobs field and try to get my Yankees into the playoffs….I grew up in Buffalo in the 70’s when Dr Jack was coaching there and McAdoo was throwing 50 in Big Red’s face every time they played….but the Celtics were the NBA/America’s team…similar to the Yankees,who struggled for many many years,when they finally win again the fan base will come back tenfold..see ,the Celtics and the Yankees are the only 2 teams in American sports that can stand on thier own when they win no matter who the players are on a national basis..MJ was the draw not the Bulls,heck more people wear MJ stuff now then all the current Bulls combined..if things fall right and the Celtics win again the NBA will be bigger than ever and you youngsters will be here to see it….again for many of us

by Motown on Aug 2, 2007 7:17 AM EDT reply actions

For the longest time it was a joke when I wore my celtics jerseys into work and told people the C’s were turning it around, now it’s notso funny. It’s going to be hard not to resent the new “fans” of our team, but I will try my best not to be bothered by the Die-easy fans of the Celtics, and love this team the same way I have all my life.

by Celtic on Aug 2, 2007 8:32 AM EDT reply actions

Red Auerbach in his prime did outsmart his competition. No doubt about it. But times changed, player dynamics changed and he just got old. I stopped listening to Red when when he said Joe Forte was a steal. A lot of other teams knew he stunk. I do dislike most of the show that now surrounds the game but it was coming Red or no Red.

by Wildblu1 on Aug 2, 2007 8:41 AM EDT reply actions

there’s room at the inn for everyone who likes the C’s. Sometimes us older fans get a little self righteous about what it means to be a celtic fan but winning will bring us all together again. GO CELTS!

by Red2 on Aug 2, 2007 8:57 AM EDT reply actions

Wildblue…. Red made a recommendation based on another coaches input and not his true assessment. Ya he was a terrible pick.

I’m 65 young and remember all the great acquisitions made by Red you’ve never heard about. Nauls, Lovelette, Sigfired(sp),Howell, Nelson, Silas and Enbrey to name a few.

We older folks remember turning on the TV and waiting 20 seconds before the picture and sound went on. The new generation is impatient with everything they do.

Good Luck Wyc.

by BigT1942 on Aug 2, 2007 9:30 AM EDT reply actions

Great post Jeff. At 17, the earliest thing I can remember is when Ml Carr coached the team to 15 wins. But for some reason, I had always been confident in the C’s and rooted for them all along. My father had told me about all the glory days when I was younger and I wished I had gotten to see them. My dream is about to come true.

CFF

by Celtic Fan Forever on Aug 2, 2007 10:20 AM EDT reply actions

I am 58 and a life long Celtic fan since I was a kid growing up in Wisconsin. Once a Celtic fan, always a Celtic fan. I salute those who are fans but have never experienced a Celtic championship. Although we gave up a lot to get Garnett, I am glad that Danny & WYC made this deal and after 21 years the Celtics are relevant again. Will it only last 3 or 4 years? Who knows? But the trade was worth all the risks.

by scndtony on Aug 2, 2007 10:55 AM EDT reply actions