Remember When...?

What a summer this has been…….geeeeeesh

groceries were cheap (food at Disneyland/world was still expensive) and you could actually afford to get a good seat at the “old” garden? That was before the Internet, blogs and chat rooms, those were the days.

The good old days that had departed us for 1/4 of a century. Will they ever return …. to stay?

from about 1987 to 1997, very few people here should care unless they are just extreme NBA fanatics.

I watched that young man get treated like a junior high school boy for probably at least t four years by Karl Malone. Malone was too big too strong too tall too smart and there was nothing Shawn could consistently do with him even as Shawn got better and better.

Then as I recall the 96 playoffs happened and Shawn had finally figured out how to use his athleticism on Malone. Kemp shot around 67% against Malone. It was the greatest improvement I have ever seen over a long stretch of time from one player and I expect I may never see anyone ever improve so much over many years to very much handle a superstar who used to dominate him.

Kemp then imploded but to focus on that is to forget he actually had a 13-14 year career and scored over 15000 points. He also seems to have tamed his demons enough to be involved in his childrens lives

You might spend all day waiting to see a game, and then have to worry some fool, usually a local news “personality,” might tell you the final score before CBS even started showing the tape at 11:30 pm.

Yeah, those were the good days.

for, like, several seasons in a row? those were my first years as a celtics fan, so i gotta show him some love, but man… oh, man….

I know it has been discussed before,
but he was going to be a big piece in the transition from the Big 3,
unfortunately, it took alot of years to recover from his loss.

doo-ha doo-ha…you never thought that hip-hop would take it this far

NBA players were tall, skinny guys that could shoot a basketball instead of bodybuilders that ‘score’ by running over defensive players?

Remember when players had to dribble the ball without palming it?

Remember when the NBA had incredible scorers that were a treat to watch (Bernard King, Alex English, George Gervin, Dr J, etc…) instead of guys whose repertoire consists of 3-pointers or charging into the paint?

Remember when centers were actually instrumental to a team’s offense (Kareem, Moses, Lanier, Cowens, Sikma, Issel, Parish, Walton, etc…) and defensive centers were only considered bringing half the package (Tree Rollins, Artis Gilmore, etc…)?

     There used to be doubleheaders at the olde Garden. It was the only way they could get a crowd. I was stationed at Otis AFB (Cape Cod) at the time and would go up to the Garden when the 76’ers were one of the teams playing so I could watch Wilt.

They were more interested in listening to how to win the game, than how their stock options were doing

To me, it ruined pro basketball. Big guys started taking 3’s instead of playing under the basket because the money was in points scored. If the line was put at the pro distance it might have changed things and we might have more good centers in the league.

They learned the game in college under some really good teachers. Instead the NBA has turned into a remedial basketball league.

That was a time where players could get even and not even be called for a foul. I’m glad the league did things to take fighting out of the games, but there were instances where it was well-deserved. In the old days, if Wade took down Rondo the way he did in the playoffs they would have needed an ambulance to get him off the floor. Again, I’m not for fighting, but there are times when someone needs to be taught a lesson.

And understood that basketball was an emotional game. There were no double techs and often fouls weren’t even called. I can’t remember the game, but two cousins were playing on different teams and they were trash talking each other. The Ref called a double tech. Then someone, maybe one of the coaches explained to the ref that the players were related and nothing was meant by the exchanges. The ref, on the spot, rescinded the tech. We didn’t have to wait 3 days for the “league” to look at it to make a decision and we didn’t need to worry about one of our guys getting suspended.

I remember when certain sports casters on such as Bob Lobel would give brief highlights of WWF (now WWE) events. They would tell who won the main events and get brief interviews. Also remember when the Boston Herald would also report on the outcomes of the events.

Its really been a long time since anything like that happened.

We were all pissed that we gave up Jeff Green for Ray Allen?

And now, I’m simply just pissed off at Jeff Green.

and jacked up that 3-pointer from the corner?

I can still hear Dick Stockton.

Two seconds on the shot clock. Bird wants three out of it. And he gets it. He had very little time on the clock. But he didn’t care. He ran for the line. Shot it up. And got the three.

That may be my favorite Bird moment. Boy, at times didn’t it seem like Bird just toyed with people. Oh the glory days. Cue Bruce Springsteen.

the excitement on Red’s face on draft night when Red selected Len Bias?

Remember when the only NBA regular season games that were televised were games between the Celtics, Lakers and Sixers?

Today there are to many star players wanting to join forces with other star players…rivalries aren’t what they use to be.

When the balloons didn’t fall from the LA Forum rafters.

there was no three point line??

Larry Bird played his first game for the Celtics, and you just knew then he was going to be a great one??

The refs stole game 4 from the Celtics in the ’73 series? I mean, that was the worst theft until the stole game 6 from the Pistons vs Lakers in 1988 (Lambeer did not foul Kareem).

the 76ers (no one called them the Sixers then) were our rival??

Bailey Howell played his first game for the Celtics? seems like yesterday to me. Was also the debut of Bill Russell, HC.

we thought Orien Greene was the answer to our point guard woes, based on two pre-season games?

we wanted ron artest from Indiana, and thought that Ricky Davis would be enough to get him?

Mark Blount was decent?

Bird hits that behind the backboard rebounded ball in the hoop to win game 1 of the 1984 finals vs. Houston? I was behind the basket watching that game, and did not realize what a great shot it was until I saw it on tv replay that night.

Don (“Duck”) Chaney through bricks, but played great defense, for 1974 championship? He could defend anyone in the league except Frazier and Pistol Pete?

going to the gahden involved possibly sitting behind a pole.

When Larry when on that crazy west coast swing where he broke his nose but average about 40 points a game during that swing…I think in 1989.

Remember when the NBA had Territorial Draft Picks

Remember when Chuck Connors/the Rifle Man pitched for the Red Sox and Played for the Celtics

Remember when Red was the GM, Head Coach (and no assts), Public Relations Dept and Travel Secretary

Remember when Walter Brown mortgaged his house to keep the Celtics afloat.

Remember when KC Jones retired and we didn’t win the Championship

oh, wait, never mind…

Remember when they found a ear bud in Johnny Most ear

Remember when Hondo was cut from the Cleveland Browns in favor of Gary Collins

Remember when Philly won the 1967 Cahmpionship and claimed to be the best team of all time only to lose to Boston the next 2 years

http://bit.ly/q0sHvw

“of a famous NBA play back in the late 1970s when Houston guard Mike Newlin flopped and drew a charging call against Boston center Dave Cowens.

On the next time down the court, Cowens grabbed Newlin, body-slammed him to the floor and snarled at one of the officials, "Now that’s a foul!""

I remember the play, but forgot that is was Mike Newlin. I believe the game was against the Rockets. Also, Newlin did this repeatedly in this game. (I had to ggogle this one up).

Also remember that Dave Cowens had a very firm line of what was clean and what was dirty. He was a physical player, but he took the physical stuff back until someone crossed the line. Then it was “run for your life”. …….which goes back to refs deciding what is clean and what is dirty. The players know, let them police themselves.

Remember when Tommy Heinsohn agreed to a Celtics foul – me neither!

Remember when Johnny Most nicknamed Robey and Mchales as Bumper and Thumper!

Remember when the 2008 celtics made the greatest finals comeback ever?? game 4 baby!

Remember when there were only 2 referees?

Russ had won the MVP and Red came to him before the next training camp and told Russ that he was going to yell at him and get all over him for not working hard or making mistakes in practice. Red said to ignore this because Red was using it as motivation for the other players. If Red could get on Russ he could get on anyone. Russ agreed, but as time went on he got a bit tired of it and mad at Red. He said he was ready to kill red.

Russ then explained that he gave Red an unlimited budget and Red went over it. And then the famous Russell laugh.

Mchale torched Detroit for 56 points one night and Kent Benson was guarding him much of the time. When McHale reached 56 he asked out of the game. Bird tryed to make him stay in and go for 60. Don’t know why he chose 60.

Bird first went to college at Indiana before going to Indiana State. He wasn’t comfortable there and developed a special dislike for Benson. After the game when Kev scored 56 Bird told him he was going to score 60. And Bird always kept his word. A few weeks later he torched Atlanta for 60.

Danny thought it would be a good idea to trade Perk and Nate for Green and Krystic?

Bobby Bouche came back at halftime to lead the Muddogs to the Bourbon bowl? Do ya?

The Cs exclusively wore black shoes at home games and away games

the compression shorts with the short shorts

the knicks name under the numbers of the jerseys back in the 80s

Danny playing against the Cs when he traded to the kings

cowens could have played at the same time as mchale and parish but decided to retire but came back and played for Don Nelson as a Buck

Dave cowens leaving the Cs and driving a taxi

Dave cowens coaching the Cs

hondo’s last game bring televised ny CBS against the buffalo braves and the celtics didn’t make the playoffs that year

Henry finkel “changed” his name to Hank

Ernie D played for the Cs

Bob McAdoo played for the Cs

Pistol Pete played for the Cs

Artis Gilmore played for the Cs

the Cs wore green shoes

mcHale ate pizza on the bench

the Cs being ousted by the pistons in Detroit and lambier and isiah Thomas giving props to mchale as he left the court

mchale retiring after the hornets beat the Cs in the playoffs

parish returning to Boston as a hornet

parish and alonzo playing together

" The Duel" between Bird and Dominque wilkens in the playoffs

Bird being Bird

Bill Russell coaching the SuperSonics

wilt the stilt blocking a Kareem hook at it’s apex

chocolate thunder breaking a backboard

Maurice Lucas and Daryl dawkins squaring off against each other in the NBA finals

bill walton bring called the mountain man by Brent musburger in the 76 NBA finals

bill Walton running down the court circling his hands calling out a play

bill Walton running

bill Walton commentating

bill Walton stuttering

bill Walton and mchale hugging after winning the NBA championship

Danny singe having a tree rollins sandwich

tiny archibald

Cherokee parks

Robert swift

the Boston Garden

giving a retiring opposing player a piece of the parquet floor and Red Auerbach doing the honors

Red Auerbach