So here we are, at the end of yet another fantastic Celtics season. Another year…..more disappointment……there will be no parade, no party, no playoffs…..yet again…..
Looking back at the last 15 or so years is a painful reminder of the complete failure that this team has become, from bad luck, to bad drafts, poor free agent signings, coaching mistakes, old age, and lack of direction this team has done it all. The frustrating part is, {styleboxjp width=250px,float=right,color=grey,textcolor=black,echo=yes}I write this out of a deep love and passion for an organization that is yet to return my love and dedication. Like an abused spouse, I keep coming back for more.{/styleboxjp} Each November I step back into the ring, ignorant to the fact that I will get beaten, broken, and kicked to the floor once again.
I wish I cared about the things that the organization seems to care about. It would make my life a hell of a lot easier. I would sleep better after each loss, and not care the next morning. Reading the paper would not be an agonizing experience, as I learn about why this team lost again, or about how young they are, or, my favorite….just how "close" they are to "getting it".
You see what Doc, Danny, Wyc, and the crew don't seem to understand is that we have been hearing the same rhetoric since ohhhh, 1995? Sure they have done a wonderful job filling the building, and yes, I give them a ton of credit for that. It is just sad that the actual 48 minutes of basketball seems to be an afterthought to game presentation, Lucky, the dancers, and a real favorite, the post-game concerts. {styleboxjp width=150px,float=left,color=maroon,textcolor=white,echo=yes}Do these guys realize that this is Boston? There is a reason why Boston is one of the greatest "sports cities" in the world.{/styleboxjp}
Aren't we supposed to be better than all of that? Aren't we supposed to be smarter than the average fan? Aren't we supposed to see through the smoke and mirrors? Don't the Celtics know that the secret to banging out the building every night is simply to field a competitive team? I would like to think that the success of "Celtic Pride" is living proof of the pure passion that still exists in this town for the Boston Celtics.
I cannot put into words just how much it pains me to continue to have to say negative things about a team that I love so much. The Boston Celtics are the reason that I went into broadcasting. They are the reason that I have spent the better part of my teen, and adult life chasing a dream that is finally starting to come true. Maybe I am the one that just doesn't get it?
{styleboxjp width=200px,float=right,color=black,textcolor=white,echo=yes}Maybe the Celtics don't want "my" type of fan?{/styleboxjp} I love the game of basketball. If I didn't have press credentials, I would still buy tickets. Like many of you, I often rearrange my schedule just to be able to watch another loss. Sometimes I wish that all I cared about was a free t-shirt, and a cheap thrill, but my love of this team goes far too deep to be blinded by the PR machine.
So folks, here we are winding down. Soon I will ice down and see my doctor, rest, recuperate, and regroup. By mid summer I will get the itch. I will leave work early to catch the summer league on ESPN 2, and I will convince myself that Kevin Pittsnogle is the next big thing. This is the life of a Celtics fanatic. Funny thing is, after all these years, I'll never learn.