What this could mean... by Dr. J

Bird and gang brought a lot of smiles to Boston back in '86.

My good friend Josh wrote this post as a comment a few days ago, and with him attending the game tonight, and the Celtics on the brink of number 17 (knocking on wood), this seems more then fitting to make a proper post. It actually moved me quite a bit, and I'm hoping for him and all the rest out there who bleed green that, as Neil Young so aptly put, tonight's the night. Let's Go Celtics!

What this could mean... by Dr. J

Well I am 34 years old now. 86 was my parents divorce year and I spent a lot of my time with my Dad, his new girlfriend, and my little brother at the College Inn in South Hadley during those times. (since burnt down, but right in So Hadley Center)

My dad would hang out in the restaurant, my little bro would play video games, and I would sneak into the bar where the Celtics game was on. This is what I remembered from growing up, yes I loved the Sox and cried that night when the Red Sox blew it (it was not Buckner...it was a collection of bad plays). Also while I watched and rooted for the pats that year, the bears shuffled right over us. Yes I was sad, but it was the Celtics that year that brought this 13 year old kid through some rough times...

Not sure how many of you have parents that got divorced but it is not easy on a young teenager. Bird, McHale, Parish, DJ and that team kept me smiling. Kept me happy and even at such a young age allowed me to learn to focus on some of the smaller things in life to make you happy... Yes sports are the smaller things in life, but as a young unpolished little kid you don't know any better... of course as time moves on and you slowly get older, you realize good friends & family, that's the key to life, but Sports and special sports moments can and will always stay in your heart as a special moment. You will never forget where you were for these moments. Which friends or family was with you when you were jumpin' up and down and completely temporarily happy.

Anyways...moving on, I have probably watched almost every game since 86 (I did watch the 84 series with my dad and mom and of course watched the bruins back in the early 80's, but those memories are foggy...), what I do remember is the 86 finals. My dad was happy. My little brother was dominating in Mrs. Pac Man (I can still beat him. 3rd level baby board on on first life was easy for me.)

I made a lot of friends in that College Inn bar (even though I shouldn't have been allowed in) but in South Hadley growing up if you liked the sports teams, regardless of age, you are welcomed to enjoy the moments.

Ok, so where is this going, well the 2004 Red Sox win brought a lifelong generation of fans together, grandparents, fathers/mothers, sons daughters. But there is another portion of Boston sports fans that have had some more success. We know the taste of victory, however foggy and distant it may seem. The next few days this could be our moment again... I think speaking as a 34 year old.. there are a lot of people out there that have this foggy memory and seek to feel that euphoria again. I think back onto those days and think about the crap we went through. Yet there was my old man, happy again with his new girlfriend (now his wife and mother of my half brother.) There was my little brother happily playing video games until I forcefully removed him from the video game and dragged him into the bar to watch the last few minutes of the final game. And there was myself, starting to understand a few things about life. Things can suck, but we can take some momentary pride in our sports. It does bring friends, family and strangers together in a way that cannot be described in words. Hard work, friends, family. That is the key to being successful in life, but an amazing championship win can certainly make life sweeter.

I do hope that over the next 3 games I can cement some more lifelong memories with my current friends and family, and then one day look back upon this and cherish that memory. With that said. GO CELTS!!! BEAT LA.

Comments

[j9]

great story Dr. J, GO CELTICS!

[Dan Dumont]

Great story, love the pic.

[Dan Dumont]

Great story, love the pic.

[Derek Hixon]

Couldn't agree with either of you more, great story.

[Sede Vacante]

I must say - I am shocked ! Stunned. What happened Kobe? I mean really? What is going on? I expect a major move again this off season for the Lakers. Danny Ainge is really good GM.

Anyhow I hope they did not get tired on the Airflight, that is a LONG trip and you need all the rest in the NBA FINALS.

I am a Big NBA Fan, but I wanted a closer match-up. Poor Lakers. I guess the Refs could not cheat to force a Seventh Game because of the David Stern-Tim Donaghy Scandal? Any ESPN Insights on that one?

I also think perhaps, so it seems, that the Lakers wore "Sede Vacante" Caps or maybe I should (with Richard Williamson) call them"Mente vacante" Baseball hats? I mean really:

http://www.zazzle.com/vatican_baseball_cap_hat-148990466825652270

All I know the "Big Three" (Pierce, Garnett, Allen) went to the Vatican in Rome, Italy before the season with Doc Rivers to find a Common Basketball Philosophy, I am not sure what happened there? Anyone know about the Vatican-Roma Camp the Celtics had? I know Kobe's dad owns a team, I think in Milano? Maybe there is some special Latin Tridentine Mass Papal Ritual they attended to bless their Record Season?

Where were all the Hollywood Stars cheering on LA? I mean everyone loves to "jump on" the Hollywood Bandwagon, right? Like for example, Tom Cruise, Mel Gibson, Mike Huckabee, Chuck Norris, Timothy Henneberry, George Michael, Anthony Hopkins, Robert De Niro, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Don Johnson, Clarence Kelly, Michael Bishop, Marc Anthony, J Lo, Irving "Magic" Johnson, Matthew "The Valid" Parker, Sylvester Stallone, Jack Nicholson, Arnold Schwarzenegger, George W. Bush, Vince Young, Michael Vick, T.O., Lefty Cekada, Kenyan West, Britney Spears, Monsignor Georg Gänswein, Sean O'Malley, Bernard Law, John Kerry, Ted Kennedy, Barack Obama, John McCain, Tony Blair, Roger Federer, Tiger Woods, Guy Richie, Mon. Bernard Fellay SSPX, Tom Delay, Howard Stern, Tony Armani, Ronald Bryant, Sting, Jose Canseco Bono, Ronnie Brown, Al Gore, Santana, Dario Castrillon Hoyos, Richard Jamison, John Henry, Bill Gates, Donald Trump, Anthony Sanborn, Donald Rumsfeld, Solomon Rosenberg, Bob "The Center" Michael, Peter Marcel, Timmy Dimond, Al Michaels, Hulk Hogan, Karl "The Mailman" Malone, "The Worm" Dennis Rodman, James Lefebvre, Tony Romo, Jessica Simpson, Ric Flair, Bill Richardson, Vince McMahon, Joseph Ratzinger, Bob Kraft, Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Eddie Murphy, Bobby Thuc, Tom Hanks, Shakira, Paula Abdul, Roberto Gonzalez, Colin Powell, Jerry Lawler, Howard Dean, Dick Cheney, Tony Garcia, Adam Sandler, Jerry Seinfeld, Bob Barker, Jerry Lewis, Regis Philbin, etc.?

I mean really, this was suppose to be the BIG TIME Lakers vs Celtics Rivalry FINALS, and I did not see many Hollywood Stars and other Celebrities at the Boston Garden there,why? Did David Stern and Senator Arlen Specter deny them invitations? Is Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens banned from NBA Games? And how about Sir Charles Barkley (Is he banned for Gambling on Games)? Or is it just traditional pro-forma to have to receive an "Universal Indult", you know, to get into the Front Row Seats?

The crowd booed David Stern, is that Anti-Semitic? I felt weird.

Anyhow, Congrats to Paul Pierce (a LA Boy) -- we all can cheer for him, he is a secret-Lakers fan, I heard from a certain unknown Rafa Erofadaps,

Shhh!

The NBA is Fantastic.

I can't wait for the Olympic Games in China, I hope Kobe Bryant and Yo Ming play.

- Jason "Sede Vacante" McMichaels

[Sean a.k.a Shizz]

Kobe is comfortable giving it up the ass, guess he was used to taking it up the ass, too.

The A-Rod "Most Hated Player" award in this series has to go to Sasha Vuvacic, or as I call him, Sasha Vagi-itch. Whatddouche.

Losing in a blowout? Respectable. But ot just GIVE UP? Magic and Kareem should be dissapointed.

But great work by the Celtics. What a team!

[sambinde]

Nice post. I agree 100%. here's some more info on
nice to see that this topic is finally getting some airtime. Keeping

hush-hush about it doesn't make it go away... BTW