Signing on for another season.

Last night, I decided to retire from active participation on the board. We've recently moved; we're carrying two houses, and there are cartons all over the place. I just finished my memoirs and my dad's memoir's, and now I have the task of wading through eight cassette tapes of interviews with my mom and writing her memoirs. I'm still working (although on a greatly reduced schedule). My wife and I want to travel more (if only our previous house would sell). And, in my 78th year, I'm increasingly conscious of the growing scarcity of quality time.

I started this board for several reasons. Number one, I wanted to see if a convivial community could be maintained via the most impersonal method I know—online. Number two, I aimed to continue my main objective at Boston.com—refusing to allow Celtics history to be altered. Number three, I hoped to attract members who were as interested as I was in broadening our knowledge of professional basketball and increasing the number of perspectives from which we could enjoy this pastime.

Well, in just short of four years, all three goals have been met and surpassed. Posting on this board is a constant joy for me, largely because of the quality of our members. We've made so many good friends on Sam's Celtics Forum (and Boston.com before it). I often see comments about the Celtics' past that seem to echo what I've said at one time or another, which reassures me that I've made at least a little progress in preserving the dignity, tradition, heritage and history of the Boston Celtics. And there can be no question that the quality of our basketball conversations, liberally laced with some good-natured humor, would be hard to match on any similar forum. When one's goals are all met or surpassed, the only obvious remaining goal is to turn things over to younger people who will perpetuate what we have collectively become.

Over the past year or two, I've deliberately changed my posting style. I only rarely initiate threads in order to encourage others to do so, and that has been a huge success. Over time, various members have taken it upon themselves to fill necessary roles. (I wouldn't try to name all of them.) More often than not, I hold back in expressing my opinion on a topic because I'd rather have feedback expressed by others. I've developed the habit of trying to add perspectives that may not have been otherwise expressed; and, believe me, that's very difficult on a board as knowledgeable as this one. Alternatively, I try to add a little humor or personal touch to augment the conviviality of the board. And the point has been reached where this board can pretty much run itself and is not dependent on any single person's involvement. Certainly not mine. And being a part-time contributor would be antithetical to my passionate approach to the board. It's all or nothing for me. That's just the way I am.

Perhaps the biggest difficulty in this transition has been that I am a person who has always moved from passion to passion in all aspects of life—sports, human relations, music, travel destinations, schooling, work, animals, whatever. And it's always been difficult to unleash my true passions in my posts because I'm, first and foremost, cognizant of my duty to moderate in every sense of the word.

So, without belaboring the point, last night I made one of the most difficult decisions of my life in deciding to leave the board—excepting possibly stopping by occasionally to say hello or celebrate any number of championships.

And then, a funny thing happened on my way to the keyboard! I watched the video of Brad introducing this year's team to the fans at yesterday's scrimmage!

The crowd was cheering—not as loud as a Game 7 crowd, but plenty expressive nonetheless. As each player raised his hand to acknowledge the crowd, he looked like a midget on the video; and besides, my eyes were misty. If it hadn't been for Brad's introductions, it would have been impossible for me to recognize them (except maybe Rondo and Zeller). But it didn't matter. Because they were Celtics! That's what counted. They were Celtics! And, as I thought back over the years, I realized that what had always mattered in my passion-filled life was that the Celtics have been a part of me and I have been a part of them—and that's simply all there is to it

My wife and I are still planning accelerated travel (please sell, house). I'll just stay up later at night (if that's possible) to do the memoirs. We'll get the cartons emptied somehow. And I'm signing on for another year of basketball battle (in the words of Johnny Most). I do reserve the right to check out (one way or another) at any time, but another year is my intent, and I'm pretty consistent when it comes to fulfilling intent.

So, Go Celtics, and I hope to see as many as possible on the Game On Threads during the Exhibition Season.

Sam

Sam,

I'm glad that you decided to stay.  To say you'd be missed would be the understatement of the decade!!

I know what "please sell, house" means.  We still haven't sold the house in Maine, it's been for sale by a realtor since May and by owner prior to that, since January.  I am splitting my time here in Maine (where I am right now) and in Charlotte, where we have moved over the summer.  I also spend some time in the Fulton, NY area for work .  I drive between the three, mostly clockwise.  I call it the dreaded triangle!!

Anyway, glad you are hanging around!

Go Celtics!!!

gyso

Good news. Same Celt Forum wouldnt be the same without, well - Sam.

Thanks gyso and Mrkleen. Gyso, maybe we could combine and get some kind of Realtor volume discount. Doing all that driving must be exhausting. You have a beautiful place. It will sell soon. And one nice thing is that I bet it's even more beautiful in winter than in summer, so it's got year-round sales potential. After Thanksgiving, real estate around here is dead in the water (literally).

Sam

beat

Glad you are hanging in for another year......Wendys was never the same after Dave left! Hope to see you and the boss soon.

Pete

The ball just keeps rolling forward.

Good news for anybody who has ever read Sam's prose.

The good news, for me personally at least, is that if they're traveling more I can pretty much count on them coming out to San Francisco more.

Another year of Green passion.  Can there be any other way?


bob



.

Nothing related to basketball could please me more than another season to share with you, Sam, and this year, I will be at the Board's game in Boston. Hawk

Frankly, one other thing that dissuaded me from leaving was the prospect of quitting when the team is in rebuilding mode. It would have tarnished my devotion to the Green, and besides, I'm really excited about this year's edition and how it will develop.

Go Celtics!!

Sam

Sam,

Reading your post was like watching someone take an off-balance jumper and then make it -- no, no, no... yes!

Thank you for listening to the green thread in your DNA.

Outside,

Unbalanced! My wife would agree with that. Just call me Jordan Crawford.

Sam

Sam coming to the board and you not being here would be like going to a strip club that didn't serve alcohol and the girls kept their clothes on...

Matty wrote:Sam coming to the board and you not being here would be like going to a strip club that didn't serve alcohol and the girls kept their clothes on...

Hooter,


That sure as hell sounds unappealing.



bob



.

Matty, you mean the girls actually take their clothes off at some of those places?

We just changed homes, and we actually have a room designated as the library now. And the biggest book in it is that great book you sent me with Vargas Girls et al. It gets lots of attention, as it should.

Sam

SAM,

NOTHING SHORT OF A MAX CONTRACT FOR YOU IS ACCEPTABLE...........WE DON'T DO SIGN AND TRADE...........OR ONE YEAR DEALS OR ...............OUT RIGHT RELEASES...........OR AMNESTY..............................SO......................

TAKE THE 5 YEARS AND THE MONEY .........AND THEN RETIRE A CELTIC!


112288

112288 wrote:SAM,

NOTHING SHORT OF A MAX CONTRACT FOR YOU IS ACCEPTABLE...........WE DON'T DO SIGN AND TRADE...........OR ONE YEAR DEALS OR ...............OUT RIGHT RELEASES...........OR AMNESTY..............................SO......................

TAKE THE 5 YEARS AND THE MONEY .........AND THEN RETIRE A CELTIC!


112288

Sam deserves max money at pre new CBA pricing...

The only way Sam would be traded is for a fellow Lifer in Kobe.
Kobe is not very convivial... this forum would be BDC on steroids.

There are many lifetime Celtics that come to mind.
Russell, Havelicek, Cousy, Bird, McHale, Pierce, Sam, Rosalie, etc.
Yes, I consider Pierce a lifetime Celtic. He didn't ask to be traded.
25 years from now few people will remember that Pierce had a cup of coffee in Brooklyn and Washington.

Anyway, Sam, we are glad you are staying.
It just wouldn't be the same without you here.
You are a big reason why I persevered through the tough times when I joined the forum.

112288,

I have discovered that my wife has put out a contract on me. Is that the same as a max contract?

TJ,

Actually, in case you don't know it, it's your knowledge, research and sense of logic that help you through the rough times. It was Milton Berle who used to say, "My breath is coming in short pants!" Well, your delivery in short sentences is something I've tried to emulate without any success at all.

Sam

Sam,

All depends on how many bullets are used to finish the JOB!

LOL

112288