MOST VALUABLE POSTER, 2010-11 SEASON

Going back to the BDC days, it has been an honor to make an award each year to the Most Valuable Poster of Sam's Celtics Forum. Due to the meager resources of the board, all the award brings with it is our gratitude and our recognition of commitment, conviviality, and contribution. But sometimes just being reminded of how appreciated one is can be meaningful, and here's hoping that's the case with this award.

This season's award goes to our friend, Bob Heckler. Could there possibly be anyone whose participation on this board is more meaningful? Game after game, this guy turns out highly articulate, informative, and provocative assessments of the game action and its implications. Thread after thread, he posts sensibly, incisively, and convincingly, always backing up his opinions with revealing support.

This season, he went to Nepal and, in the midst of what sounded like extremely demanding trekking and socializing, he never forgot the board as he regaled us with fascinating accounts of his adventures. And he came back home with the names of three new board members.

Moreover, he's one of the most astute and genuinely fine people it's ever been my pleasure to meet.

So I'm absolutely certain I can speak for the entire board in formalizing what is obvious. Bob's our Most Valuable Poster this season.

Congratulations and thank you, Bob.

Sam

bobs insights and posts are always dead on, hes been must read for me for years.

Could not agree more.

Bobheck is the man.

jeb

Heck, it's gotta be Bob.

Way to go Bob, you are what Sam said. "Informative, provocative and full of ..." Just kidding, Bob you are MVP and thanks for the great stuff.

Hoop

We are blessed to have Bob. If you read the newspaper writers or the online writers, not one has the grasp of the game or the command of the stats that Bob demonstrates every post. Those aspects of his game are beyond compare, but that's not what's so endearing about the man. It's that wicked sense of humor. Thanks.

spike

Bob, do you have an MVP bonus clause in your contract? If not, you'll have to settle for some hearty congratulations. Well deserved.

Outside

Great choice.

I always look forward to Bob's sumation broken down point by point.

Bob, congrants! Keep up the good work!

beat

A totally deserving choice. Congrats BobH!

Bob, a most deserving choice!

Who else could be riding atop a bus in some remote corner of the world one minute and posting here the next?

Congratulations Bob!

I recall being a MVP myself and am quite pleased to see the torch passed to such a deserving person.. Yo Bob, congrads!!!

NYCelt wrote:Bob, a most deserving choice!

Who else could be riding atop a bus in some remote corner of the world one minute and posting here the next?

Congratulations Bob!

he's there somewhere

beat

Bob has keep the juices flowing at times when this board was in a slump. Thanking him for staying consistent throughout.

Certainly a well deserved MVP award.

Dboss

Great job, Bob. Congratulations! It is always a highlight of my day to read your posts. Keep up the great work. db

Bob, well deserved! Enjoy the Mercedes!

Pete

Bob, you'll love that Mercedes. It's fully four inches long, and the salesman at the toy store said it gets about 20,000 miles to the gallon. He did say you should probably wear knee patches when operating it.

Sam

Wow. Unexpected. Thanks all. I take a few hours off on a Sunday and mass insanity takes root. I feel like I have needed to "find my place" on this board for a while. Not because I haven't felt welcomed, I certainly do, but because I'd like to stand out in some area, to excel somewhere, and that's hard to do here.

I'm no capologist, like GYSO is. The ESPN Trade Machine is my savior. I can, however, smell poppycock a mile away and will extinguish pipedreams quickly. I'm a pretty good judge of horseflesh too, but not as good as some on this board.

I can't offer personal insights into Celtic lore and glory like Sam, Rosalie, LACeltfan and others can, since I grew up in NY and was a Knick fan then (and then I woke up and smelled the dynasty). I've just bought into it, bigtime, now.

My travels and recounts of them were nice, but are ashy pale compared to the journey Jeb is on and the insights he has shared about them with us.

I do not stay up until the wee hours, just to watch the Celtics, like Berlin and Swede do.

I was introduced to the new board members by Worcester (thanks again, Worcester!) and they were already die-hard Celtic fanatics looking for a home. They required nothing more than a little hot water and stirring to convince them. Starving for Celtic news as I was in Nepal, starting the conversation with them was easy, as was continuing it thanks to their ardor.

I do not offer the valued objectivity of Outside, nor the challenging and dissenting perspective of TJ. I cannot, for unlike them, my blood is green. Yet I try to dispassionately review events and sift through them for kernels of truth; sometimes sweet, other times sour.

I am therefore, in my mind, a true Celtic. I play a role. I'm never going to lead the league in scoring (nor, probably, in any other category), I just do what it takes to help.

The Boston Celtics invented the 6th man role. It is now an honored icon in the NBA with an award of its own. This may be the first time, however, that a 6th man ever won the MVP.

Thanks again. All.

Go Celtics. It's all about #18.

bob

.

So Bob can you point out which one you are?




I think your on the sundeck top front!

beat

beat wrote:So Bob can you point out which one you are?




I think your on the sundeck top front!

beat

beat,

Actually, I'd be one of the riff-raff in the rear half trying to use the baggage to cushion my bony ass from the steel rods of the roof rack that run north-south. The "sun deck" has nothing to hold onto on turns.

Great pic. Note how the driver enters at the front right. Also note how the bus tilts slightly back (understandably) and to the right, even though 1/2 the bus is on the shoulder on the left. Now picture it doing 35mph on winding mountain roads, some of which are turns to the left, for 3 1/2 hours.

bob

.

Bob

Thought the tilt had to do with tires being large on one side so that the bus leans into the up hill side going up the winding mountain roads.............I won't mention what happens coming down.

beat

PS: Marcus's baseball team is coming along. He was told by the coach he is the#3 starter and will be playiing first all the time when not pitching and expects him to bat 5th or 6th depending on how things go. First game 16 days away! (still need some good weather as they have not yet practiced outside.

Bob,
Congrats!
Keep up the good work.

AK

beat wrote:Bob

Tought the tilt had to do with tires being large on one side so that the bus leans into the up hill side going up the winding mountain roads.............I won't mention what happens coming down.

beat

PS: Marcus's baseball team is coming along. He was told by the coach he is the#3 starter and will be playiing first all the time when not pitching and expects him to bat 5th or 6th depending on how things go. First game 16 days away! (still need some good weather as they have not yet practiced outside.

beat,

Marcus looks like a first baseman. BIG kid. Considering he has been a pitcher, for most of his career-to-date, batting 5th or 6th is high praise. Most pitchers can't get a toothpick around on a fast ball, much less a Louisville Slugger.

His San Francisco Fan Club is still behind him 100%.

bob
P.S. As far as the tilt of the bus goes, in Nepal, what goes uphill inevitably comes downhill...


.

Congrats Bob, most deserved, you are.

wonderful and well-deserved recognition for your balance and insight, bobh. i always look forward to your posts - always. and what a very fine job you did in your 'acceptance speech' !! just goes to show the award was given to the right anointee ! (yes, you've been anointed as MVP ! anointed, like they do in parts of Nepal, i imagine ... )

Michael

Bigpygme,

Do you think it would keep Bob on his toes if we pointed out that they also annoint animals for sacrifice in Nepal?

Sam