reflections on a dismal month

["Peter G. Toner" <Peter.Toner@anu.edu.au>]

Hi folks,

I don't post very often, but I've been lurking through what has been a
pretty dismal month. After a little thought, I just changed the title of my
post from "reflections on a dismal season" to the current title. I think
that actually says a lot about how we should interpret what's been
happening to our team. Let's not forget that earlier in the season we had
good reasons to be excited and optimistic.

There's no question that they're pretty much stinking up the place, and
have been for quite some time. I just saw the Minnesota box score and it
made my skin crawl. Our "big three", the future of the franchise, shot a
combined 10-49 from the field (although it should be pointed out that the
team shot 16-17 from the line). I used to wish that I had some way of
seeing games from here in Australia. Ah, those were the days. All I can say
is it must have been even uglier than the box score suggests.

Who's to blame? Well, I haven't heard Walter's name come up yet, or Marlon
Garnett. The fact is, everyone is to blame at some level, from Pitino all
the way down. Of course, some should bear more of the blame than others.
But count me in that rapidly-shrinking camp that doesn't want to see any
drastic actions just yet. I don't want to see any trades involving our
young nucleus, although such a trade may be necessary. If I were a Taoist,
I'd say that the lowest point that you sink to is also the beginning of
your re-ascent. I like to think that's the case with the Celtics (although
they seem capable of sinking lower with every game).

I remember one season near the end of Bird's career, I think it was the
season after his back surgery. There was a lengthy period when he was in
the longest shooting slump I could remember from him. He was really
struggling. I remember part of me cringing every single time he took a shot
- I couldn't believe he was missing so many! - but the other part
encouraging him to shoot his way out of it. And he did. Now, nobody on the
current team deserves any comparison to Bird, don't get me wrong. But I
think that these slumps happen and you just have to rough it out. It can't
last forever...or can it? We all have to maintain our sense of humour,
since nothing else seems to work. I'm with Neal...our road back to respect
begins on Sunday.

Cheers,

Pete

P.S. For what it's worth, I'm doing a PhD in anthropology here in Oz, but
I'm originally from Atlantic Canada. We used to get all of our American
T.V. from Bangor, Maine. I've been following the Celts since late in the
1984-85 season, so for me it's been like getting on a roller coaster just
as it's approaching its highest point: it's been all downhill ever since!