Particularly Pleasant Win

[Theresa Lee <tjoyce@mit.edu>]

The Celtics win over the Knicks was a particularly pleasant one for those
of us grew up in the Boston area. As a Boston fan, it's tough to go to
Fenway Park when the Red Sox are playing the Yankees and see and hear just
as many Yankee fans as Sox fans. Then of course there is the new
Jets/Patriots rivalry heating up b/c of Parcells.

This win was also gratifying for me because my husband is a Knicks fan. I
thought I had converted him by making him watch all of the Celtics games
with me...but, no, he was rooting for the Knicks...you can take the boy out
of NY, but you can't take NY out of the boy!

I don't believe in booing, but John Starks got booed a lot last night and I
was on the verge of enjoying it.

DeClerq and Billups really stepped it up last night as far as intensity.
The Celtics were getting the fouls called for them last night. In one
particularly stunning play (because it happened to a C and that C was
Chauncy), Chauncy drove to the hoop only to be met by a stock still Starks.
The hoop went in and Billups was given the "and one!"  I had to agree with
my Knick-loving husband that it was an offensive foul...however, it's about
time the Celtics get breaks with fouls! I guess the refs hate the whiny
Starks worse than they hate the whiny Celtics.

Speaking of which... Rick Pitino has challenged the team to not look at the
refs or complain after a call. He pointed out that that very act has
actually cost them points....eg, guys are arguing with the refs and the
other team goes down and scores. Rick has told them to ignorethe refs
and/or learn their names. So, I watch the players interactions w/ the
refs....

Best: Billups (who often pats the refs on the rear), McCarty who just
smiles and Mercer who simply doesn't react ( and winds up on his rear a lot
with no calls made)
Worst: Walker, DeClerq (who gets bad calls sometimes), Bowen, and Knight.
Neutral: Dana (more likely to argue about an out of bounds call than a foul)

I'm proud of these Celtics today! This was a milestone.

Theresa