The Gators today, but someday soon it'll be the Celtics.

[Eric Albert]

What a great post.  Captures my feelings (and all those great historical
details) precisely, and echoes my hope that one day all of us on this list
will walk in the sun.

-- Eric

>I live in Gainesville, FL -- home of the NCAA Champ Gators and while i
>used to be a big Gator fan, i don't really care that much anymore. 
>(Especially since UF appropriated "nation" from the Sox (i.e. Red Sox
>Nation) and manufactured the so-called "Gator Nation")
>
>Anyways driving on the completely deserted streets last night during the
>game, and having to listen to fireworks and have everyone from my mom to
>random co-workers say "how about them gators?!?" got me thinking about why
>I don't follow the Gators as passionately as i once did.
>
>I realized that all that fan energy has gone into the Celtics. I love the
>Red Sox (and Chargers too) but it's the C's who i can watch play
>meaningless games against Cleveland w/o Pierce or James, who i chart draft
>status of, subscribe to email lists for.
>
>And I started to think that for as crazy and all-consumed as folks were
>around here with the Gators, I can't wait for that feeling with the C's
>being back on top.  Will it be in a couple years? couple decades?  Who
>knows.
>
>But believe me it's gonna be sweet for us -- the die hards, the folks who
>argue over the merits of Leon Powe vs. Brandon Hunter.  Those of us who
>stay awake wondering if the C's had just resigned Orien Greene would Ainge
>have felt compelled to reach for Telfair (since an injured Delonte West
>was our only PG) or would we be discussing the Brandon Roy AND Rondo era?
>
>There will be johnny-come-latelys gaga over the stars (Pierce, Big Al,
>whoever..) but we'll know how long a journey this has been:  Carr, Pitino,
>ThanksDad, The BrainDead Trust; Lewis, Bias, Duncan; Thomas Hamilton, Acie
>Earl, Brett Szabo; Veteran all-stars, Joe Johnson, Joe Forte, Kedrick
>Brown. And on and on.
>
>Overall I think Ainge has done a good job getting this team in a position
>to make a leap. And having followed these Gators I want that leap to be
>more than a one-year hop... i want it to be a Spurs/Pistons-like run of
>being contenders.
>
>Keep the faith! Go Celtics!
>(the other) mark