What a sad, painful, and tragic season it has been. When we lost Red, it was heartbreaking. He was our patriarch. He was our grandfather. He lived a full, happy life and we treasured every moment. Still, it was his time to go. Losing DJ is tragic. It’s shocking and unexpected. He was 52 years young. We grew up with him. He was our brother. He had a bright coaching future ahead of him. But that is no more. Too soon. Just too soon.
We will always remember DJ for his clutch shots, his steady play, and his quiet leadership as a player. I just wish we had more time to get to know him as a coach.
I can’t help but reflect on two other members of the family that died too soon, Len Bias and Reggie Lewis. Reggie didn’t get to finish his career and Len didn’t even get to start his. But they too left their legacy with us in our memories.
Sadly, this season has done little to honor the memories of those Celtics past. The luck has left the Garden and the team has bottomed out. Injury after injury has sent this team into a nosedive. Without Pierce to prop them up, the team was exposed for all its faults. Too young, too inexperienced, too much faith put into players that may or may not ever reach their full potential. The trade deadline came and passed as expected without bringing immediate help. Now we are tumbling towards the finish line but disheartened to realize that there is still a third of the distance left before the merciful end.
It’s as if the whole organization has spent the season in mourning and has little to no reason to snap out of it anytime soon. In fact, there is nothing left to do this winter but go through the motions and develop the younger players. Ironically, that is something that DJ could have helped out with quite a bit.
I’m tired of this season and part of me just wishes it would end already. The summer may have more to offer us in terms of hope, but that hope will largely focus on the luck associated with ping-pong balls. The kind of luck that seems long forgotten in these parts. Still, we have the rest of the season to talk about that. For now I’d rather remember DJ by linking to the many stories written about him today. Look for those links to be posted sometime this morning.
We will always remember DJ for his clutch shots, his steady play, and his quiet leadership as a player. I just wish we had more time to get to know him as a coach.
I can’t help but reflect on two other members of the family that died too soon, Len Bias and Reggie Lewis. Reggie didn’t get to finish his career and Len didn’t even get to start his. But they too left their legacy with us in our memories.
Sadly, this season has done little to honor the memories of those Celtics past. The luck has left the Garden and the team has bottomed out. Injury after injury has sent this team into a nosedive. Without Pierce to prop them up, the team was exposed for all its faults. Too young, too inexperienced, too much faith put into players that may or may not ever reach their full potential. The trade deadline came and passed as expected without bringing immediate help. Now we are tumbling towards the finish line but disheartened to realize that there is still a third of the distance left before the merciful end.
It’s as if the whole organization has spent the season in mourning and has little to no reason to snap out of it anytime soon. In fact, there is nothing left to do this winter but go through the motions and develop the younger players. Ironically, that is something that DJ could have helped out with quite a bit.
I’m tired of this season and part of me just wishes it would end already. The summer may have more to offer us in terms of hope, but that hope will largely focus on the luck associated with ping-pong balls. The kind of luck that seems long forgotten in these parts. Still, we have the rest of the season to talk about that. For now I’d rather remember DJ by linking to the many stories written about him today. Look for those links to be posted sometime this morning.