Win in Seattle!

[Gregory Odegaard <grodeg@kalama.com>]

I won't go into detail on the play by play, Bill will do this nicely.  

My 6 year old grew up last night big time.  He had already been to 7 C's games, one in Boston, before last night, but the excitement we had with this big win, and the normal Seattle fan harassment we encountered made it even more of a learning experience.  

Kenny was booed from his Portland rivalry, he played like a stud, controlling the game often.  Bowen put the hurt on Peyton, to the point Peyton nearly lost it during the game, and did after.  Barros is a keeper, a solid 3rd guard.  It was great to see Mercer do so well.  I guess I will have to go a Raptor game to see Billups just one time, Oh well.

My 2 biggest impressions, other than losing my voice over the excitement, were the greatness of Vin Baker, and the normal abuse given out by the Seattle fans.  I grew up in the Seattle media market, now live in the Portland, went to college in Seattle, long rooted for the Sonics.  But the way the fans there harass and abuse an obvious visiting teams fans is hard to believe.  I have seen it many times before at Celtic games, and it was worst going to a Blazer/Sonic game 5 years ago.  They call you names, throw things at you, etc.  Of course when their team gets beat like last night, this is only the 4th game I have seen the C's win in Seattle, and not for 7 years, the comments get worse.  I loved it all.  My son couldn't believe it a first, but he took it well.  The greatest feeling is bonding with other Celtic fans before during and after the game, especially when we win.  The same fun can be had anywhere.  This abuse does not happen in Portland, unless you get out of line (trust me I have).

On Vin Baker, wow.  I had not seen him play in person before, and he is everything I understood him to be.  I say, wait this summer,  pool all of our cap money in 99 and go after this guy big time, as others have said.  With a journeyman center, like we have in ADQ, or a rook out of the draft, along with Baker in 99 we would be set, no doubt about it.  The problem is, as I have said before, he is loved in Seattle and he seems to love it there.  He may not even be available, if he signs an extension next fall.  I think we should be circling our wagons now to figure out how make it happen.

Anderson was a stud, and I cant' wait for tomorrow night in Portland, to see his return.  At this rate maybe the C's will win there for the first time in many years, and the trip will be very successful at 4-4.

Last night is what makes being a C's fans great.  As we were leaving the Key Arena, walking with some other fans, we were chanting "16 banners" , "rafters baby", like Kevin McHale used to do, and "scoreboard, scoreboard".  Hopefully we can repeat this thrill tomorrow.

Greg