Re: How Can You Be Excited About The Celtics When....

[Noah Evans <ishbak@forest.STUDENT.cwru.edu>]

On Fri, Sep 21, 2001 at 03:15:50PM -0400, Way Of The Ray wrote:

>Why should you be excited about the celtics?

I'm excited about the celtics because they're the celtics. Being a fan
is a relationship. As a fan you're committed to a team for good or for
bad. You expect the team to do its best but you also have to
understand that the basketball world is cyclic. With a few notable
exceptions winning begets losing and vice versa. When you're on top
you make enemies and you develop a certain amount of arrogance. Shaq
and Kobe will get old, retire and the Lakers will suck again. They
don't understand this now and neither do their fans. But that day will
come. And their former fans will ask "How can you be excited about the
Lakers?".

What those fans don't understand is that if you care about a team just
because it wins you lose the intensity and true joy of the
experience. Winning is a drug. The initial high is elating but you
become deadened to it. Finally you feel entitled to it and only notice
the lack of it.

The celtics have been a long, sad history over these past 10
years. The tragedies of Len Bias and Reggie Lewis, ML Carr's flailings
and Pitino's hubris and flameout have been far more "exciting" than if
the celtics had won 10 championships back to back.

And the celtics this year reflect this. We have an odd mix this year,
broken down veterans, flawed stars and inexperienced rookies. But --at
least for me-- that is all the more reason to like them. I can't
change management. I can't fire Paul Gaston. I can't buy out Kenny
Anderson's contract. Nor can I get us a franchise center or point
guard. But I can support the celtics as they try to do their best in
spite of their inadequacies. I can be a real, true fan.

The celtics may not make the playoffs this year. They may not even win
30 games. Antoine will be his bonehead self, his heart extending
beyond what his body and mind are capable of. Pierce will continue to
be a nascent superstar. Our rookies will show potential and learn how
to play the game.  And if we luck out and somehow win games or maybe
even make the playoffs, the past years of losing will make those
wins even sweeter. If we lose, well, there's always next year.

Excited about the celtics

Noah