Whet Your Appetite - Sam's Celtics Forum Gatherings......

[bobc33]

For a Forum brought together by love of all things Celtics, our previous gatherings sure have had an emphasis on fine food and drink! Guess I'd say the Celtics know how to win, and we know how to live.

Friends, family, sports, food and drink. Here is a toast to all who can not join us today, we will be thinking of you. We'll hoist a Sam Adams, feast on Boston Baked Beans, and then on to dessert of Boston Cream Pie with seconds of cheesecake.



Better be early, the spread below was just for Cowens, man can he eat! And today he is bringing seven others. Boston better be ready.



Our youngest Forum member Brandon can't make it today, would have been his first visit to the Garden. We did meet Beat at a pre-season game in Albany.



Sam's Forum with Red himself.



I'll be at Cheers and the game, but can't stay overnight as I have plans for later I just can't get out of. (see below)

[mulcogiseng]

have a great time, enjoy the friendships and the game! chalk up one more golden memory, tinged in green.

[bobc33]

Darn the photos are off center, and some people don't show. My apologies.

[Sam]

Thanks for sharing the photos. See you tonight, Bobc.

[cowens/oldschool]

That first and second pic was at NY Noodletown in the heart of NYC's Chinatown, I picked the place and ordered then all the guys kept ordering seconds on their own and kept ordering and ordering.....remember Sam loved that roast pork, Steve devoured the duck and bobc loved EVERYTHING!!! I dare to say we did Red proud with the way we ate Chinese food in his honor.

[bobheckler]

While everybody else was smiling and happy for the camera, I was obviously completely absorbed in my beer.

Typical.

I don't always drink beer, but when I do, I drink Tsing Tao in Chinatown with a bunch of Celtic fanatics...

Stay thirsty for #18, my friends.



bob


.

[steve3344]

That first and second pic was at NY Noodletown in the heart of NYC's Chinatown, I picked the place and ordered then all the guys kept ordering seconds on their own and kept ordering and ordering.....remember Sam loved that roast pork, Steve devoured the duck and bobc loved EVERYTHING!!! I dare to say we did Red proud with the way we ate Chinese food in his honor.

You got my left eye and what was left of the unfortunate duck in the first pic....

[bobc33]

Steve, you deserve better. For a start here is a better one from the NYC event, and tomorrow I'll learn how to resize them and keep in focus in photobucket......

[bobc33]

We crushed the Bobcats!


The Celts are winning, Sam is smiling.....


Worcester with the local beauty, Bob doing a Sgt. Schultz


The gang is almost all here at Cheers.

[bobc33]

Young Michael caught a basketball floating down on a parachute at the game!

[bobc33]

And of course my house was safe while out of town with these two ferocious pups guarding it......



Ok, it is 2:15 off for some shuteye. More to come later today......

[bobc33]

Steve, I guess at the next event I'll get some good shots of you, facing forward in the center. I promise.

[bobc33]

Cow was a good sport and participated as a prop in a street show....

[bobc33]

A few more from yesterday.

[Sam]

Great pix and an absolutely superb group of people. After the game, NYCelt, his son Michael, 112288 and Karen, and Sally and I went to the Marriott Long Wharf for drinks and dessert. We sat down not long after 10:30. Michael heroically lasted nearly a couple of hours; then he and his dad went off to bed. The four of us who remained talked and talked and talked and talked until we realized it was 3:00 in the morning.

But the same group of six convened for a breakfast buffet about five and a half hours later. I don't know about everyone else; but, after breakfast, Sally and I took a much needed hour-long nap before hitting the road for Cape Cod.

Here's hoping all arrived home safely. It was great to see everyone. 112288 deserves major thanks for putting the whole thing together. He strikes me as a person who has absolutely no conception of what it's like to fail at anythingl.

I learn more about the board every time we meet. This time, I realized why even the best of cyber-friends can sometimes have minor skirmishes on the board. It's because , despite their great senses of humor and their affinity for good fellowship, board members are deadly serious about the team they love.

Sally and I will not soon forget this opportunity to get together with so many amazing people. We had an age span of seven decades; we had newlyweds; we had members; we had guests; we had people who had flown thousands of miles to participate; we had people who had driven hundreds of miles and, in some cases, would be returning home without spending an overnight.

I have to admit that I wasn't at the top of my game when I arrived at TD Garden. Having rushed to Boston immediately after the funeral of a wonderful, much younger friend, I was naturally a feeling little down. Frankly, the pregame introductions didn't help my mood, because the blaring fanfares, exhortations to make noise, and sideshow don't square with my image of the Celtics. As I stood for the National Anthem, my dominant thought was how absolutely nothing was the same—not even the parquet floor.

Then my gaze shifted a bit to the right, and I caught sight of 20 old friends flying in the rafters. Seventeen championship banners and three banners displaying retired numbers. They are not going anywhere. No dancers or prancers or mascots or fleshpots can ever upstage their glow. And hopefully they'll be joined by many more of the same in coming years, as the Celtics family expands.

That experience was so profound that I was pretty subdued as I processed it all during the entire first half. But it's difficult to remain distracted among so many great
people. I heard about how life lessons learned by following the Celtics have had dramatic impact on numerous aspects of life for so many people, just as been the case with me. I loved NYCelt's story about how his son, the nine year old point guard, spontaneously yelled at one of his teammates to roll an inbounds pass to him in order to conserve precious seconds on the clock. Talk about the next generation being influenced by the Celtics!

By the second half, I was finally energized; and fortuitously, so were the Celtics. All-in-all, the evening was a huge success. The only ways it might have been improved would have been to prolong it by a week or so and to include all active board members. But all were remembered through toasts and personal reflection.

I don't know about anyone else, but I can't wait for the next one.

Sam

NYCelt, I didn't know Michael had caught a parachute. He really fit right in beautifully. At our end of the row, we missed a parachute that did everything but land in our laps. The reason was that we were preoccupied by a guy who came in the section entrance, had an unexpected parachute land on him and cover his entire head, and dropped the beer he was carrying.

[bobc33]

Well said Sam!

I truly enjoyed the day, most of all seeing fellow board members again, and meeting some for the first time and their family members. I'll second the thanks to 112288. Organizing these types of events take a lot more work behind the scenes than is apparent.

For all the talk of cheesecake on this forum, with me probably being the most guilty, it wasn't on the menu come dessert time! The Boston Cream Pie was though and it was a big hit.

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed being in section 320 in the balcony. I liked how it was easy to see how all 5 players moved on the court running sets. A perspective I don't see watching the games on TV.

Two things on the agenda for me next. One, watching the Cs end the Heat's winning streak tomorrow,and learning how to resize and focus pictures on photobucket.

[NYCelt]

Sam,

It was Bob that caught the parachute and then gave it to Michael. As those who haven't met Bob (yet) can tell from the pictures, he looks like he should be out on the floor. No one was going to out rebound him on that parachute!

It was great to see some folks again and others for the first time. The only unfortunate part was there just wasn't enough time to spend. A couple of old friends we barely managed to visit with and a few new friends we barely caught.

Every single person there was incredible; what a great bunch! Thanks to 112288 for all his hard work and to Sam for his.

Maybe the next one needs to go over a longer span; dinner one night, game the next, optional water-hoops game in the hotel pool in the morning...

Best regards to all.

[RosalieTCeltics]

I can't begin to tell you how sorry I was not to be able to attend the dinner, game, et al. Just wasn't in the cards this time. Matty and I discussed this on the forum the other night as we, along with Berlin were the members holding up this end of the Forum. We made a deal that we would both attend the next time.

Glad you all had such a great time. Hey Bob, we are sorry we missed you, Bill says hello.

Take care all, let's hope they have a great game tonight and beat Miami!!

Rosalie

[mrkleen09]

Real pleasure getting to meet everyone on Saturday.

Thanks to Rich for all the hard work in organizing the day and night - you and your wife are great people and I look forward to continuing our friendship going forward.

Bob C - what a guy. Friendly, funny, smart, welcoming - truly a pleasure.
Sam - great to meet you - sit with you and chat about the game. Sorry for your loss and hope we get to pick up where we left off soon.
Cow - Pleasure and thanks for the nachos and funny stories. Your brother and his kids were great as well. Wish we had more time to chat.
NY Celt - Great meeting you and Michael - he is a great kid. Heard about the funny story with my balloon from my wife - like him even more after that one
Worcester - pleasure as well and your son is a great great guy. Hope he comes out to see me DJ in Portland next month, very much enjoyed the company of you and Jarmin.

My parents (Gene and Linda), and Erin and I had a blast. You made us all feel welcome and it was great to chat about the team with a bunch of people that get it. Hope you are all well and hope we can get together again soon.

Kindest regards and best wishes

Paul

[bobheckler]

I've made 3 of these get togethers and every one is different from its predecessor. Different groups of people, different mix, different venues.

I'm sorry I had to miss this one. There were a number members I haven't met yet but have wanted to meet for years now, as well as some old friends (Cow, I'll still let you know the next time I'm in NY, regardless) . I'll try to make the next one.

bob


.

[112288]

What a great weekend and the ability to meet and make new friends. Karen and I enjoyed everyone's company and look to solidify long term friendships with all.

Most of all, this weekend could not have been possible except for one person - Sam, who had the vision and fortitude to leave Boston.com and form Sam's Celtic Forum. I will be forever grateful to you Sam!

112288

[mulcogiseng]

As a postscript to my previous about being able to get to an event let me add: I would love to come to New England for the summer and fall. That could perhaps put me in the area for the next get together. To be able to do that I would need some help. I need an RV or trailer so I can travel and make sure that I always have a roof over my head. I have the money this group was so generous to donate and more to put towards the purchase. The place I am living has been robbed a number of times including me a couple of weeks ago. I am motivated to leave. The other possibility would be an inexpensive rental in a safe place, hopefully near a lake or the ocean. OK, that one is probably out since there is probably nothing like that. but ya never know. I am of course more comfortable in the real new england, you know, like Me, NH, and Vt. lol If anyone has any ideas or suggestions, please PM me. thanx

[112288]

BobC33

If you can, send me your email and I will forward my pictures as well. You have it on my card I gave you.

Thanks, 112288

[bobc33]

I can't begin to tell you how sorry I was not to be able to attend the dinner, game, et al. Just wasn't in the cards this time. Matty and I discussed this on the forum the other night as we, along with Berlin were the members holding up this end of the Forum. We made a deal that we would both attend the next time.

Glad you all had such a great time. Hey Bob, we are sorry we missed you, Bill says hello.

Take care all, let's hope they have a great game tonight and beat Miami!!

Rosalie

Ros, we missed you and Bill. Would have been great to see you both again but obviously you have to take care of your health. Hope you can make the next event, it is great to meet in person the characters we interact with on this Forum. Hopefully visiting with you and Bill and watching a game at your place can be an annual event for me.

[RosalieTCeltics]

Without a doubt Bob!! Maybe if Sam is in the area we can drag him over too.

My open heart surgery is scheduled for April 4. Met the doctor Monday, he seems like a really good choice. My cardiologist promised me he would get me nothing but the best and I believe he did. This guy was so comforting.

So...my journey continues. Hopefully, all will go well. 5 1/2 hours long. Bill will be pulling his hair out by then.

Thanks for the encouragement. You guys are all very important to me. I will cherish the day that I can FINALLY put faces to names. I will be around for a few more games, then disappear again for a while. Time will tell

Thanks again

Rosalie

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