The Good Old Days Are Gone

by DRJ1 on Feb 4, 2011 10:58 AM EST

Remember when the Celtics entered the 2008 Finals as solid underdogs? When everyone not living in Boston or affiliated with a green blog picked the Lakers to win it all? Or 2010, when again, no one picked the Cs to get to the Finals? We didn't know it then, but those were the good old days.

Now, everyone and his uncles are picking the Celtics. All four of our Big 4 are chosen to be All-Stars, and dammit: NOBODY'S SURPRISED! And I'm pretty sure most observers would pick the Celtics to go all the way if the playoffs started today. Something's seriously wrong. The world feels tilted.

I hate it. I loved it when we stalwart fans raved alone in a sea of doubt and disdain. But that's me. I don't matter. The problem is: I think the Celtics may feel the same way. I think they react best when part of their mission is to show the world how wrong it is about them. They won't know WHAT to do as frontrunners. Not when "We'll show 'em" doesn't mean anything.

So I long for the good ol' days. For this: Epic Fail

And I'm pretty sure the Celtics feel likewise, whether they say so or not. And even: whether they recognize it or not.

Now pass the tea and sympathy
For the good ol' days long gone
Let's drink a toast to those who most
Believe in what they've won
It's been a long, long time 'til mornin'
So raise your glass on high
Our green will soon ride out to fight
For the good ol' days gone by.

Be respectful and keep it clean. Thanks.

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Comments

I honestly thought Boston woud sweep LA in 2008...

And they would have IF :

1} They had not played their absolute worst game of the year in Game 3
2} They were not robbed by the refs near the end of Game 5

by Title 18 on Feb 4, 2011 12:47 PM EST reply actions

Tell ya what

When the time comes this year, I think I’ll be calling it 16-0 (never been done). Playing their game, they are unbeatable. But still… there will always be two things that can stop them in a game here or there: health (of course), and the refs (damn them).

by DRJ1 on Feb 4, 2011 1:38 PM EST up reply actions

The health issue always hovers like a black cloud over the Celts

by Title 18 on Feb 4, 2011 2:33 PM EST up reply actions

That will literally never happen.

It’s impossible, and I don’t even mean because of the refs.

Even if the games were always called 100% perfectly, just by the pure law of averages, a team eventually will lose a game. Even great shots don’t go in all the time. Just like there are nights when teams can throw up contested 18 fters, off one foot, with their eyes closed and have them go in, other nights they wouldn’t be able to throw a stone in the ocean.

One of those scenarios is going to play out at some point in the playoffs, either an opponent gets absurdly hot, and there’s nothing you can do (See: Miami Game 4, 2010) or you get absurdly cold and there’s nothing you can do (See: Cleveland Game 3, 2010.) Add into the fact that the refs are ridiculously bad and liable to flat out steal at least one game from every team in the playoffs at some point (See: Orlando, Game 5 courtesy of our buddy Joey Crawford, aka Satan) and it is something you will never see happen. Ever. Better chance of getting struck by lightning, 10 times.

"Phil is obviously a good coach. You don't win that many games without being a damn good coach, ... Remember one thing: He's been very fortunate. He picks his spots. That's all I can say." - Red Auerbach

by Sizzlack on Feb 4, 2011 2:40 PM EST up reply actions

I will NOT say "Nothing is impossible", because

… I HATE that argument. Everybody knows “nothing is impossible,” so using it in an argument goes beyond disrespect, and into total nonsense. Obviously, anyone saying something is “impossible” means that thing is “not reasonably possible.”

Still… I disagree. If you said it’s virtually impossible to win 82 games in the reg season, no question I’d agree. But 16 games? That could be done. ESPECIALLY if you’re willing to discount the referee factor. Without getting into any of the gory details, I bring as evidence the playoff records of the 2001 Lakers: 15-1, and the 3 teams who have managed 15-2: 1999 Spurs, 1989 Pistons, 1991 Bulls. If it’s possible to do that well, it cannot be (reasonably) impossible not to do one (or two) better.

by DRJ1 on Feb 4, 2011 3:37 PM EST up reply actions

Reasonably impossible.

Playoff teams are just too good.

Those years were anomalies, with ridiculous disparity between those teams and competitors. Lightning in a bottle so to speak, and even with all of that, still couldn’t get it done.

But your point is valid, impossible does mean “not reasonably possible.”

by Sizzlack on Feb 4, 2011 4:18 PM EST up reply actions

They may have become the favorite

But after last year’s, this team is still going to play like they have something to prove.

by KY Celts fan on Feb 4, 2011 1:06 PM EST reply actions

Agree

I don’t think this team is stopping for anything or anybody. This could be their last shot, if 2011 goes down the toilet….. so they’re absolutely determined this time. And I guess your point is that once the cup is full, it can’t get fuller…..

by DRJ1 on Feb 4, 2011 1:35 PM EST up reply actions

The "good" thing is...

Came playoff time there will always be someone out there saying “they’re too old” so that will help keep them motivated.

by Sizzlack on Feb 4, 2011 2:43 PM EST up reply actions

ha, if i know the "experts"

come playoffs we will be to old and rondo’s jumper will hurt us.

they’ll pick the heat, magic, spurs and lakers as always.

"Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die."

im gonna be all up on you like a spider monkey!

i can just see delonte west winning a game of poker against lebron, throwing down the cards he yells, "who's your daddy!"...."oh, sorry man"

by remembering9ergods on Feb 4, 2011 1:26 PM EST reply actions

That would be nice :)

What’s a playoff without all the “experts” betting against us?

by DRJ1 on Feb 4, 2011 1:36 PM EST up reply actions

Love the article

When the playoffs come,and the Lakers make it to the finals along side us. They all will pick the Lakers. The reason they will pick them over us? Kobe and Phil. If Kobe was as good as Jordan he wouldn’t have lost two NBA finals in his career. I will say this to. If the Heat finish off the year strong,and we finish 6-4 or 5-5 that’s if by then we lock up home court. If we don’t lock home court by then we will finish strong to. Either way many will still pick the Heat over us. The Mark Jacksons,and Hollingers of the world will take them. It again reminds me of the 09 season. Many picked the Lakers to beat us in 09 in a rematch that year.We all know K.G missed the playoffs,and that was it. I think when the playoffs start the ESPN crew will pick the Lakers,and maybe two out of the 10 guys who pick will pick the C’s. As of right now many think we will win.

by green20 on Feb 4, 2011 2:20 PM EST reply actions

I'm going to drink a beer and sing that song, DR. Nice!

by mmbaby on Feb 4, 2011 3:48 PM EST reply actions

Beatable in a single game or two but not in a series

Celtics can easily be beat in a single game or two by some team shooting really well and getting hot so 16-0 is definitely not happening but in a series it comes down to efficient scoring, post play and getting easy buckets which we do extremely well. I like our chances but there is no such thing as a sure thing in sports.

by WISCelticsFAN on Feb 4, 2011 4:14 PM EST reply actions

I agree with everything in your post

…And yet, faced with each series in turn, I can’t see how I could PREDICT that this Celtics team — completely healthy, mind you — is going to lose ANY game to any other team in the NBA today. I just don’t see it happening, unless they pull one of their sleepwalking routines, and that’s something I believe is not going to happen with this team… not after what happened last year (Finals 6), and not with the possible end of their road staring at them in the mirror.

We’ll see soon enough. Right now, the only thing I feel confident predicting is that, as mmbaby says, we WILL lift that mug of beer, and drink a toast to the greatest team in existence today.

by DRJ1 on Feb 4, 2011 4:34 PM EST up reply actions