Help With Scalabrine Thesis!

by FreshJacob on Feb 7, 2012 9:40 PM EST

Hey fellow Celts fans, I was wondering if you could help me out with my senior thesis? Details after the jump.

My name is Jacob Wolf and I'm a senior at Skidmore College. I'm a life-long Celtics fan writing my senior thesis about basketball fandom. It's going to include a full section about Brian Scalabrine and the cult status he achieved with Boston fans. Could you guys post some replies about why you love Scal? Or if you don't love Scal (blasphemy), could you theorize on why you think everyone else loves him so much? This would be a huge, huge help. Thanks so much!

Be respectful and keep it clean. Thanks.

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I give Scal a ton of credit for the way he handled that.

The cult status was kind of disrespectful when it boils down to it. He was treated like a mascot. But he handled it with grace and pride. He’s actually one of the smarter players you’d ever meet and one of the funniest. Basically a great locker room guy and I think he’ll be a fine assistant coach someday soon.

Faith and Sports - an essay by Jeff Clark

by Jeff Clark on Feb 7, 2012 10:42 PM EST reply actions

I'd second what Jeff said.

He’s also a much better basketball player than a lot of casual fans probably realize. Smart and fundamentally sound. Rarely ever hurt you on the court with dumb plays and more often helped you by doing his job right so that the stars on his team could do theirs.

If he doesn’t have a future as a coach, he’ll probably end up on TV or radio.

NBA Officiating - Corrupt? Incompetent? Which is worse? Does it matter? It sucks.

by mmmmm on Feb 8, 2012 10:11 AM EST up reply actions

I agree...

Scal was a guy that never complained about playing time. He excepted his role and ran with it. I have watched many games where I had seen him coaching the the young guys on the bench as well. He is a class act and every coaches dream of a veteran role model. That is why he is still in the NBA. Scal’s work ethic had always shown on the floor and resulted in the fans cheering him on as well.

The cult status thing may have started with Tommy H. who used to say “I know a little red headed lady from Needham that would love this guy” after Scal knocked down a couple of threes. Of course, Scal’s hair is red.

by bonzo22 on Feb 9, 2012 8:04 AM EST up reply actions

Scal was well liked because the fans thought he was like them.

In a tale we like to fancy ourselves the hero. In order for the author to be able to do that we must identify with the lead character. Many Celtic’s fans are unathletic, and many are also white. I feel like those facts allow the fans to feel like THEY are the ones getting in the game. His great sense of humor made his likability go off the charts. I do agree with Jeff that it was a bit disrespectful as he was a very smart player and his reception when he would get into a game was sort of a mix between loving and mockery.

by Whetzell on Feb 8, 2012 1:54 AM EST reply actions

And I think

Scal being in the game represented that the game was won. When the game got out of hand, Scal being on the court, represented that everyone could be calm and excited about the game being won even thought it wasn’t over yet.

In Boston sports there is always the expectation that the other shoe is about to drop. You’re scared to be excited. You’re scared to celebrate early. Not just because you’re worried about jinxing it. But because of all of the times before when you’ve been excited about an incoming victory, that is then dashed away by some unlucky happenstance. When Scal went in, that meant the game was so well in hand that even bad luck couldn’t break it.

Sometimes glass glitters more than diamonds because it has more to prove.

by Kungfuguy on Feb 8, 2012 3:17 PM EST reply actions

True, except for that window of time in 2009 when KG went down.

Scal got thrust into the rotation, “for real” – and played very well. That little stretch kinda is what made me really appreciate Scal more as a true basketball player and not just a character.

NBA Officiating - Corrupt? Incompetent? Which is worse? Does it matter? It sucks.

by mmmmm on Feb 8, 2012 5:04 PM EST up reply actions

I thought I had posted something similar to what you just wrote, but apparently it didn’t stick.

So many people forget that Scal was the first big off the bench in the playoffs after KG and Leon Powe went down. The Celtics took Orlando to 7 games, without KG, without Leon Powe, starting Glen Davis, and with Scal coming off the bench first . . . that says a helluva lot about Scal and the 09 Celtics.

Sometimes glass glitters more than diamonds because it has more to prove.

by Kungfuguy on Feb 8, 2012 11:08 PM EST up reply actions