Hopes and Memories

I don't have statistics at my fingertips but I've been a loyal Celtics fan since my 6th grade teacher turned the radio on to the April 1957 Celtics vs. St Louis Hawks NBA Final's games for a few minutes before we were released for the day. Johnny Most was the voice we heard calling the games.

I'm just pulling a few of these out, no doubt there are many more, but the C's have had their share of bad luck over the years, some that come to mind: Len Bias, Reggie Lewis, Gordon Hayward, Kyrie Irving. "Knock me down, I get up again, smarter stronger." Great coaching, great players, great fans, great management mostly(the name Pitino pops up in the not so much column) have been a hallmark of this team. The failures, there have been more than enough. That's unavoidable in a millionaires club where health is a tenuous thing, but when personal glory is surrendered for the team, things work out for the better.

Finger pointing from the peanut gallery strikes me as mostly missing the mark. Constructive criticism is a good thing and this forum provides the opportunity to offer it. Shoulda, woulda, coulda don't really make it IMHO. Ainge has been very good overall even when s**t happens. Brad Stevens has been very good overall and he strikes me as a very consistent and persistent lifelong learner. He doesn't scream, but he does get angry; reminds me of Pop, another very good lifelong learner of a coach.

Patience is a scarce commodity in this digital instant gratification age. 2020-21 has twisted the fabric of the world and the C's were hit hard by it, very hard. Wholesale swapping out of players, coaches etc. recommended by some may work, but keeping a core of players, coaches and management that get along through diversity and have supported each other may be a wiser course. Changes will come for sure before next season. I look forward to seeing how these youngsters comport themselves against Brooklyn. Even if it's 4 games. There will be a lot to learn, experience and share for all involved including Jaylen watching from the sidelines.

I see a certain likable chemistry in the Celtics mix today, and while changes will be made, the hard road travelled by the whole team may offer a germplasm of continuing chemistry to be considered. Let's watch and enjoy the end of this unique season.

I'd like to thank every player, Brad, all his coaches, Wyc, and Danny Ainge for trying hard to be what the Celtics can become. Thanks also to Mike Gorman, Brian Scalabrine, Abby Chin ^_^, Kendrick Perkins and Chris Forsberg. Happy tears for Tommy and the other C's great old timers that have passed on during this season. Go Celts.

This is probably the most refreshing post that has been on this forum in a long long time. It is good to know that there are some of us still here not pointing fingers, but keeping them crossed. I, too, go way, way back. I used to go to games with my Dad when he could get the tickets and time off. I accompanied my brother on many dates with girlfriends who would love to have him leave his younger sister home!! I had a Mom, who, at 96, was still rooting for players she did not recognize but knew she should root fro them because they were in green. She was a joy, and it was my privilege as I got older to repay the favor and take them to games. The most memorable was the triple overtime game,, sitting in the second balcony, right in front of where John Havlicek, my all time favorite Celtic, hit the leaner shot that we thought was going to win the game.

Memories are great, aren’t they? I would rather find different parts of a players game that amazed me than to criticize him for not taking or making shots.

Thanks for your post, you have no idea how much it gives me pause to realize that there are some of us out there still. To Gyso and NY Celt, thanks for your encouragement. And to the Bob’s. My friends,....see you in Brooklyn

Bygone, I was in 6th grade in 1958. So many good Celtics memories. Thanks for the reminder to appreciate rather than whine.

Thank you for an excellent perspective bygone thank you!

Bygone,

What a fantastic post!

I hope you will grace us with more of the same in the future.

Regards

I second the motion!

Hi,
Well said. Thank you.
Fingers crossed.

AK

We overachieved in 18 almost getting to the Finals and would have given GS a better series than Cavs IMO. Underachieved in 19, too many players with their own issues. Then last year right at start of a weird playoff season/bubble we lost Hayward and still were good enough to get to Finals; but Brad underperformed, not doing his team any favors with colossal blunder at end of game 3. This year we had injury issues and noted consistency issues during this whole weird covid dealing season, which are still on going, and the beat goes on.

Even though it might have cost us, was a smart move to limit Kemba during the season so that he can play strong/effective this time of the year. Obviously I would love to see Jaylen on the floor, with his tag team partner, the young future HoFer Tatum this time of the year. We still have 2 J’s, they made a huge jump and we have great depth at the wing going forward. I agree with patience, we have 2 potential HoF wings, Jordan and Lebron didn’t win it all until they were 28, this teams best basketball is still ahead of us....

bygone,

As good a post as I've read in a long while. Where've you been all my life?

The sky isn't falling. Those are raindrops, and rain washes things clean and brings forth new life. You don't sell the farm because you think it's been raining too long and you want some sunshine in your life. You start dreaming about the bounty of the coming harvest.

Sam always used to preach the importance of chemistry in basketball. How do you develop chemistry when your top 7 players, your absolute rock-solid team, never play a single minute together all season? Regardless of what happens in this series Jayson Tatum is a 23 year old star on the way to superstar (and the refs will blow his game accordingly), soon-to-be 25 year old Jaylen Brown is an All-Star (and the refs will blow his game accordingly) and has improved every year he has been in the league. We've got some good young pieces (PP, AN, RL). We have question marks, as do all teams, and those will be washed away in the summer rain by Danny.

Just like with putts in golf, 100% of the teams that do not make the playoffs do not win the Championship. Underdogs can win and favorites can lose. I don't mean to pick at an everfestering wound with Cowens here, but we were looking pretty damn good in the 2010 Finals until Perk went down. I don't wish injuries on players but they happen. Kyrie has only played 54 games this season. Harden has only played in 44 games this year, including the 8 in Houston and Kevin Durant has only played in 35. They aren't exactly Iron Men.

How many "experts" expected us to get taken out by Washington? The same ones expecting us to get taken out by Brooklyn. Brooklyn isn't Washington, but we're not the same team as 1 week ago neither, the Washington game showed that.

We like to talk about the players playing with Pride. Time to start showing some of our own.

"It Ain't Over 'Til It's Over" - Yogi Berra. And this ain't over. In fact, it's just beginning.

I hope we don't have to wait long for future posts, bygone. I love the rain, but a little sunshine never hurt neither.


Bob


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My nephew, the one who won $17000 when LSU won the NCAA championship then $16000 when the Brady led Bucs won the SuperBowl, bet that the Celtics would beat the Wiz. Vegas had Washington winning by 3. He bet $1500 and won back $1650.

Bygone

A thought provoking post.  We need more of that.  Hope you share with us regularly.