Standard Times Celtics Notebook 31 Oct

["Michael J.King Sr." <kingpin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

The mascot paragraph has a great Simpsons reference!!!

http://www.southcoasttoday.com/daily/10-03/10-31-03/c03sp570.htm

CELTICS NOTEBOOK: Green opener quiets critics
By TIMWEISBERG Standard-Times correspondent


THE WHITE STUFF

  For the first time in team history this season, the Celtics are all 
wearing white sneakers.
The display of team unity, which also serves as a nod toward carving their 
own niche in the franchise's history, will mean a reworking of Paul 
Pierce's signature Nike kicks and Vin Baker's "FBI" sneaks that are part of 
the Team Jordan line.
  In the preseason, Walter McCarty had also debuted his own sneaker.

LUCKY GUY

  For the second time since the new ownership took over the team, a new 
mascot made his debut at the season opener.
After shrinking the size of Lucky the Leprechaun's head last season -- thus 
making him look like C. Montgomery Burns -- the Green have eliminated the 
fake head altogether for a more personable, athletic and limber leprechaun.
Damon Blust is a 28-year-old Pennsylvania native now living in Haverhill. 
He's a world-class gymnast who has previous mascot work with, among others, 
the Harlem Globetrotters and Philadelphia Flyers.
Blust will join the other members of the Green Team -- formerly relegated 
to simply throwing out shirts -- as they put on a dunking display during 
halftime. Using a trampoline, Blust's two signature dunks are a somersault 
jam that requires him to elevate 15 feet, and an upside-down reverse dunk.
  During the game, Blust toddles around the FleetCenter, bent over and 
leaning on a shillelagh.
While many fans seemed annoyed by Blust's over-the-top performance as a 
mascot on opening night, his halftime performance quickly silenced critics.

VOICE OF REASON

  The new ownership has also hired a new public address announcer: Eddie 
Palladino of Saugus.
The 45-year-old East Boston native, formerly an announcer for high school 
and youth sports events, was chosen from a field of eight finalists who 
tried out on September 30.
Palladino replaces last year's tandem of NESN's Eric Frede and WWZN's Dave 
Jageler, who themselves replaced "New England Sports Tonight" co-host and 
WEEI personality Greg Dickerson. He had been the voice of the Celtics for 
the previous five seasons.

mohegan cashes in

  Earlier this week, Mohegan Sun casino became an official sponsor of the 
Celtics.
  As reported by the Associated Press:
  " The Mohegan Sun Casino has signed a multiyear sponsorship deal with the 
Boston Celtics.
As an officials sponsor of the team, the Mohegan Sun will advertise on the 
basket stanchions and on the seat backs for the Celtics and visiting team 
benches for non-national television home games at the FleetCenter.
  The casino will be allowed to used Celtics logos and trademarks in 
marketing and advertising programs.
  Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed."
  For a team looking to answer critics who wrote them off after the Antoine 
Walker deal, the Celtics got just a little justification after blowing out 
the Heat by 23 on Wednesday night.
Sure it was a huge win, but it came over a team struggling to find its own 
identity after roster changes and the resignation of coach Pat Riley last 
week.
  That said, the Celtics came as advertised with a new focus on the team game.
Boston finished with 28 team assists and just 10 turnovers. Paul Pierce led 
with 23 points, but five other Celtics scored in double figures. They also 
held Heat center Brian Grant, who had given them fits on the boards in the 
past, to just four rebounds.
  Defensively, the Celts managed nine steals -- led by Eric Williams' three 
-- and an astounding nine blocked shots.
Whether those kinds of numbers hold up is anybody's guess. Our first chance 
to see will be tonight in Memphis, as the C's play the Grizzlies. (8 p.m., 
FSNE, 1420 AM WBSM).


Tim Weisberg is a columnist for The Standard-Times. E-mail him at 
<mailto:timweisberg@xxxxxxxxxxx>timweisberg@xxxxxxxxxxx
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