Our Turn

Finally, our turn! My generation got to see something special the other night with the Celtics winning the NBA championship. I wrote about this in one of my first posts, the fact that I had heard so many great things about the past but never experienced anything for myself in terms of basketball. Basketball was my first love as a kid. It was the sport I was best at growing up. I collected cards, played the video games, and really followed it the most. Yet the Celtics were always at the basement of the NBA. Everything changed this past summer and into this season. Now I have my own memories.


Celtics 131 and Lakers 92. Banner number 17 will be raised next year! Let me say that again 131-92. I still cannot believe that game last night. The Lakers showed signs of life early when Kobe Bryant looked on his way to redeeming his legacy after a subpar finals performance. Unfortunatley for Kobe the task was insurmountable considering his supporting cast and his opponent.

This game was perfection. Using a cinematic analogy (as always) it was what I expect the new Batman movie to be like. I was at a party watching it and could not believe the way the Lakers folded. They folded terribly. I was drinking, but holding off on victory shots until we would have the game in hand. Lets put it this way I was hammered by mid-3rd quater. The fact that the Lakers blew the 24 point lead in game 4 was embarrsing. Then the Lakers managed to squander a 19 point deficit by halftime in game 5 before eventually prevailing anyways. Even though these two games would have been a blackmark on the Lakers and Kobe Bryant; I actually think they would have saved-face more if they had lost game 5 rather then coming back here and putting on that display at the Garden.

Looking back at this series we will see the emergence of Paul Pierce and his legacy will forever be expediented through this postseason. He drops 41 on Cleveland during game 7 to put us in the Conference Finals. Game 6 in Detriot he was called for a foul on a terrible call and instead of losing control (like he would have in the past), he gathers himself and leads the comeback to plumett the C's into the finals.

Then in the finals he has a series of memorable games. The "Willis Reed" game 1, where Pierce has to be helped to the locker-room after getting injured and comes back to drop two HUGE 3 pointers on the Lakers. (By the way there is NO WAY Pierce faked this injury. Pierce was once stabbed 11 times at a night club, nearly died, and came back to play a PRESEASON game in 2 weeks later. Really? We are going to question his toughness and drive? The fact that many media figureheads even suggested this is a joke. The guy got hurt and maybe he over-reacted, but he was scared and there is nothing wrong with that. Simba leaves his home for 10 years before coming back to take his thrown and yet the Lion King is never questioned. Haku Mumatta Baby..). Pierce thoroughly outplayed Kobe Bryant. He shut down Kobe in the game 4 comeback. In game 5 Pierce was the only Celtic to show up dropping 38 on the Lakers only to lose. In game 6, Pierce scored 17 along with 10 assists and facilitated the offense. Earning Pierce the MVP for the series and a place in the hearts of New Englanders for life. I think "The Truth's" number 34 could grace the rafters in Boston one day after this performance.

KG will now also never have the question marks about his fortitude in big games. His 300 type 3 point play just before half-time in a word was----rediculous. He got to the middle of the paint and litterally double clutched the ball with one hand and HUCKED it off the backboard and in. I am not even sure if hucked is the right adjective. Spiked? Look at this video on youtube. The 1:22 mark shows the aforementioned play. Bottom line though watching the highlight reel: He was like a Spartan--ready for destiny and fierce to the point where he needs to think about therapy or something. I will admit that KG had some bad games in the finals. (particulary game 5, where the C's needed Garnett to play big minutes due to Kendrick Perkins being out of the lineup. Garnett was subdued to early foul trouble, never got into the game, and finally missed two clutch free throws in the final two minutes that would have tied the game at 95) However when the Celts needed him the most he was there. He took responsibility and heightened his game when it counted.

Ray Allen--where have you been all playoffs. With exception of a few good games against Detroit in the Conference Finals, Ray Allen had been a shadow of himself during the postseason. I mean people were scared when Ray took shots. This is Ray Allen for heaven's sake. One of the best "pure" shooters of all time. And we are holding our breathe every time he takes a shot like it is Joey from the Real World going out to the bars. However in the finals, Allen was the most consistent player. He was not the MVP, but Ray did not have a BAD game during the whole series. He guarded Kobe for the most part and hit 22 three pointers in the finals alone. His 7 three pointers in Game 6 were the dagger the Celtics needed to deliver. Because of Allen's performance the Celtics found themselves to be well on their way to BANNER 17.

Many critics thought Allen could be washed up, but Allen showed up much like Rocky against Mason "The Line Dixon." In that movie the Itailian Staillion was being judged by the media after a computer simulation stated that Balboa could be the reigning champion in his HAYDAY and of course Rocky decides to take the fight causing much scrutiny. Rocky then shows up and almost beats the champion much to the shock of the crowd. I feel like "coverage" for that bout was much of the same for Ray Allen throughout the playoffs. Many figureheads though Sugar Ray was done playing well, but Allen pulled through and delivered in the finals. (Does this analogy really work? At this point you know I have to use at least one Rocky analogy in my posts. I love Rocky and I love Sports- they coincide to well to NOT go there. But in this case Rocky was like 67 fighting Dixon who looks like he is 33 tops. Ray Allen is 32 and definatley aging, but the fact that the media destryoed him during the Cavs series is so odd. He still could shoot and I am happy Sugar Ray came back strong and proved everyone wrong. Note: I love how rocky almost beats Dixon in this moive--really realistic. Oh Sly anything to earn another paycheck..)

Another thing we learned from the comeback game and last nights BEATING of L.A. (we did not beat l.a.; we BEAT L.A.) is that Kobe is not Jordan. I think it was an unfair comparison. Everyone was looking for the next M.J. as soon as he left and Kobe came into the league right around that time. He quickly became a great player. Then the Shaq thing happened and Kobe wanted to accept the challenge of winning it without the Diesel. To me this was not arrogant or ignorant. In fact, it was actually impressive. I congratulate Kobe for wanting to do it his way and coming very close. It is not completely his fault the Lakers lost. They ran into the buzzsaw known as the Boston Celtics, but his airness even at his worst would never let his team blow a 24 point lead at home or get embarrassed by 39 in the finals. End of discussion. Jordan would have never let it happen and there will never be another Jordan.

The thing that gets me about this championship over any of the other championships in this amazing decade of Boston sports is that it was so unexpected. I mean really think about where we were last year. Second worst record in the league, 5th pick in the draft, a disgruntled Paul Pierce, and so much frustration built up from past endeavors that failed. Danny Ainge defied everyone by bringing in Ray Allen. No one really thought this was a great move at the time. But it was what we needed to attract Kevin Garnett (who originally would not come to Boston). I mean really think about it when comparing it to the other sports and our championships....

The Red Sox amazing comeback in '04 (down 3-0 to the Yankees and making history) was certainly not expected because of the HUGE whole they had dug themselves. But think about it this way- if you were to tell me that the Sox would win the World Series in '04 at the end of '03 I would not be shocked. We were one Grady Little mistake from getting to the World Series in '03. This would not have been completely out of the realm of the possiblity. The Patriots win in '01 was certainly not expected and if you asked me after the 2000 season I would have thought you were crazy. HOWEVER, it is the NFL- the league is all about parody. Teams go from awful to in the playoffs every year or vice versa. Plus once a team is in the playoffs there is a chance, because it is one and done so the better team does not always win (UGGGGH this last Super Bowl, I commend the G-Men, but lets be honest the Pats were the better team). Plus the NFL allows teams to cut players and has non-guarenttee contracts- meaning mistakes can be made and a franchise can recover (as long as they manage their salary cap and make good choices in the Draft). None of the repeats for either the Sox or Pats could be perceived as shocking.

However the NBA is completely different. Contracts are tough and lock teams down financially. For example, Vin Baker was an ALCOHOLIC that literally was not playing anymore for the Celtics but his salary still counted towards our cap. In addition, trades are extremely difficult to pull off because the salaries have to match. Furthermore it is tough to take the luxury tax hit that is charged if ownership does committ (the sport's popularity is not nearly as high as baseball. The Sox can take the hit. They make the difference up easily in their revenue and always compete. Thats why the salarly cap is a virtual joke in baseball. The Sox and Yankees do not compete on the same financial playing field as the Kansas City Royals. Baseball is not a monopoly, there are still aberations like the '07 Rookies, but there are certainly conglomerates that have a legitimate competitive advantage every year because of their markets. Eventually I will write a full length post on this). Either way THIS is why the Celtics winning the title seems SO SURREAL.

A final point about basketball and the Celtics in general. I know that the 80's were the haydays and teamwork was more prevalent. I know today's game is a lot of one on one stuff and at times trying to watch. HOWEVER, we cannot just ignore the good stuff in today's game. The players are stronger, faster, and overall better atheletes. Sure the attitudes and lack of defense get annoying as well---but there is some good in today's game. That is what makes this Celtics championship so amazing. They do play defense, they do legimately care about winning and each other, and they have passion. They did things this year that were simply breathtaking--I think they saved basketball to some degree. There success can only make the league more appealing because of the market they are in (Boston LOVES sports) and the way they go about the game. This was our turn to revel in a team's success and I am proud to have witnessed the time we whopped L.A. by 39.

Reality T.V.- - - You couldn't make this stuff up

Many people claim television is the mirror of our lives. God help us. It is year 2008 and America you just got more rediculous....

This year has produced some awful television. MTV is an easy target. The whole idea of the station is rediculous. It should be called pop-culture television (I have been preaching this for years now). Music plays little to no real role in the programming and when the station does incorporate music it is done half-assed. However this year different. Other stations have also added fuel to the epidemic known as "Reality T.V." Fox, TBS, FX, VH1 (what the hell are they thinking), and ABC have all contributed to awful television. Which leads me to the awards for awful television....


Best Carlos Mencia-esq sketch comedy show...(This is not a compliment)

Frank T.V. - TBS tried mimicking Comedy Central as they gave a reputable comedian (Frank Caliendo) a sketch comedy show. TBS - Not Very funny (Actually not funny at all). Caliendo was lovable, but no comedian and I mean no comedian will ever have a show rise to the level as Chappelle's Show. I do not know why stations are even trying right now. (Although I suppose it is better then "Reality T.V.") Truth of the matter is that Caliendo is an impressionist who is funny to see at stand-up, but does not have the long-jevity to hold over a T.V. series.

Show that should have been cancelled (like before it started)...
Mind Of Mencia- Seriously. Come on, really! The aforementioned Chappelle's Show brought originality, satirical criticism, and an aura that let you laugh at yourself and the stereotypes that we as a country...umm embrace. Unfortunately, Chappelle could not handle his work and how it was interpretted and that caused issues.

On the other hand, Mencia just comes off as an ass. Period. This guy is not funny, he is just offensive and lame. Comedy Central is amazing and has great shows but this guy needs to get off the air.

T.V. Station That lost most credibility due to reality T.V. craze...

VH1. Enough said. Celebreality? They pull the most obscure celebrities out of the gutter and say entertain me. Rock Of Love is a perfect example. Lets see which skank can win in paintball and thus earn quality alone time with Brett Micheals. News flash....Brett sucked the first time around he was famous. Lets move on! The surreal life--no comment. I mean these are shows that are stupid. The fact that they are still producing more is amazing and it shows that America is getting stupider. (did you catch that, stupider is not word! hey you watch this shit, maybe you think stupider is a word.)

VH1 was once a respected station that a lot of viewers enjoyed more then MTV because they stuck to their musical backdrop with great shows like "Behind the Music." Now I get to see Screech cheat on his diet and become a villan on Celebrity Fit Club. I don't care and neither should you America. Go do something productive with your time---like read my blog! (Just kidding, but seriously go out there and just wash your car or floss your teeth. Do something; anything is better then this trash.)

Another aspect that has amazed me about VH1 is their "ability" to create spin-offs from these shows. "Flavor of Love", originated from Flavor Flaves appearance on the "Surreal Life". From that show, America was introduced to "I love New York.'' This show was based off the character named "New York" and her original apperance in "Flavor of Love." Really? So we give a washed up celebrity a show because he made an impression on a show featuring a bunch of washed up celebrities. Then we give a contestant on that washed up celebritie's show her own show. What the hell? This is as cool as a sandpaper handjob.


Show I cannot believe American teens are still enamoured with..

The Hills. I mean this is unbelievable! I DON'T GET IT. It is not real. The show is so rediculous and the fact that they still pawn it off as real is rediculous. Example: The show has the characters (thats right they are characters not people) working at their various jobs. Except they are never shown doing work. They are either talking with co-workers about their relationships. Texting friends or "loved ones" about their relationships. Taking an extended lunch break to meet with a friend to talk about their relationships. Getting hammered with friends and fighting with their loved ones or seeing their "enemies" at the same night club (because there are only 809 night clubs in L.A. and they always convienantly end up at the same place).

The characters themselves are unbelievable as well. I remember watching one episode where Spencer and Hedi fight because Spencer decorates the living room with full on graffitti style walls and of course an arcade type video game machine. Really, thats how you want to come home everyday? Seeing what a normal person would perceive as vandolism on your walls (or gang signs, I think Spence is down with the Bloods or something) and meanwhile your boyfriend (oh Im sorry "fiance") is getting a round of Frogger in? Bitch should have had the guy take a drug test on the spot. Enough said.

Show that pushes the morality barrier to far but hey ratings are up baby!!..
"The Moment of Truth." I personally love this show. I mean I never really have seen many people go above the $100,000 grand mark. BUT I have seen people admit some pretty awful things. One guy cheated on his wife and thought it was appropriate to still go on the show. Obviously they are going to ask you that question, great drama and good ratings. Whatever happened to innocent money making shows such as "Deal or No Deal" where there is no strategy or "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" where yeah you could look like an idiot if you do not know something that is common sense---but you are not admiting awful things.

The thing about this show that gets me is that the money really IS NOT worth it. Even if you are a great investor, the $100,000 is not a great deal of money. I know plenty of people who make that much a year who will definately be working til at least 60. With gas prices, cost of education, and the overall state of our economy in general that money is not anything to write home about in the grand scheme of things. But hey, for better or for worse----they are only wedding vows---don't worry you won't go to hell or anything.

Best Stretch show..

The new ABC show "Opportunity Knocks" has not come on the air yet, but looks incredibly unintentinally funny. If ABC came to me and offered to construct my street into a huge game show, I would laugh. My neighbors are bitches and would probably file a noise complaint. Plus the crowds in the previews look bigger then that God-Send home makeover show. Which says a lot about communities.

Best Satirical Show that does not even know it...

Courtney Cox's show "Dirt". I never saw it, but the idea was great. It was about a tabloid paper and their quest to gather information on celebrities. I liked the idea, because America is OBSESSED with Celebs. It is rediculous and this show would have done a great job at exposing this obsession.


In conclusion, the best type of reality t.v. is sports. It is real, there is drama, and there are definately some great characters (Dennis Rodman;T.O.; Brady; KG; Ozzie Guillen; Jonathan Papelbon). I mean, hey no NFL team is going to have a raging alcoholic (J to the O to the E---Joey on the Real World) and no WNBA team is going to sign a stripper (whatever that beat girl's name is on the Real World). BUT every now and then something amazing happens (Soxxxx come back in '04) that makes you say- 'Man you could not write this shit.' Just a thought! Read up on the "Guess Who's Back" post and the "Grumpy Old Men" post. Both are old posts that I never finished that are entertaining....

Guess Who's Back....Back Again

It has been far to long. I know I started off with a few riveting posts over the summer and then left you all behind. However I had good reason----money. Money is everything- especially to a poor college kid who wanted to make his senior year the greatest. Enough with the apologies-- I am a guy, naturally I am afraid of commitment and that is what exactly this thing is. It is a commitment.

Beantown Ups and Downs....
The Sooooxxxx
It was not nearly as dramatic and it certainly did not have the historical implications as the first time around, but winning the World Series for the second time in 4 years was amazing. Again it was a case of the ALCS having all the drama, while the World Series was simply a crowning. The point is that the Sox did it with great pitching and timely hitting. They were not the same potent offense as '04. This was like a toned down version of that team.

Pats
18-1. I predicted 19-0 and I was almost right. Thats right people, the Inside Man broke it down (in ridiculous fashion) and just like Morpheous knew Neo was the one- I knew the New England Patriots were going to do great things. I said Randy Moss would acclimate to the "Patriot Way", I even said to expect big numbers from Brady, and finally as if I had a crystal ball I predicted 19-0. What happened? Break through historic seasons from Moss and Brady---however all lost in the Super Bowl.

I am going to refrain from really getting into it now about what happened in Super Bowl 42. Instead I am going to give a year-later perspective during the build up to Super Bowl 43 (which will not involve the aforementioned Pats---that is a lock). I am doing this because I am still in shock- I know its pathetic. Maybe not as pathetic as Floyd Mayweather Vs. The Big show at the recent Wrestlemania, but still pathetic.

I do want to talk quickly about what was rushing through my mind as I saw the end of something that could have been great. I was delirious at the time and saying I could not watch football next year. The anguish from the Manning brothers success and my sadness was not worth it. I was devastated.

I had laid out a couple victory cigars for 19-0 and was about to throw them away. Things changed while at a post-game party though. People were drinking and having fun while I was sulking looking at the cigar thinking what could had been. The game clearly had meant more to me then others at this party. I just did not know how to cope and no one really understood what I was thinking (I didn't expect them too). Then my friend Rob Crowell said something to me that really hit home. "Rhino, I mean I am a big sports fan much like yourself lets talk and have that cigar." We lit up, sat down, and started to talk about something men don't usually talk about---feelings. Devastated and saying I was not going to watch next year. Rob then said something that really made me think. "You know, I see great teams win and lose all the time. Its part of the game. You're hurt because you care. Take the good with the bad you know. This is why girls will never get sports. It isn't like Lauren breaking up with Brody---this shit is real. They don't get the countless hours we spend watching pre-game shows or the amount of times we check ESPN.com to read new articles. Our whole world is shocked, but in the end when our kids asked us about this game on this night I will think of how bad it sucked. But then I'll also think of college and how great it was. Not just in sports ('04/'07 world series champs/'04 Super Bowls Champs all in college), but all the great times we had with our friends."

I guess what Rob was saying was simple- Don't Cop Out.

Revitalization of the Green
I want everyone who is reading this to go under the 2007 tab and go to March and read "Grump Old Men..."

While being absent from my blog, I posted it last year and cannot get the edited version to come up as something posted this year which is actually updated from these ramblings as we have made it to the finals (here are my season rants on the rebirth)....

The Celtics are back.....finally. I think I am the only person in my group of friends that has been following the NBA through the rough times, but now that the C's are in it I can honestly say I am excited. I am almost willing to take 18-1 for a Celtics championship. The last time we won the title I was 2 months old and Marty McFly was going back to the future!

The great thing about the Celtics is there attitude every night out. They always show up and are constantly proving themselves. They completed the Texas Triangle which had not been done since 2001 and pretty much rapped up the East. Did that stop the men in green!?! No, they took down the Hornets and Suns because those were the only two teams that they had not beaten over the course of the season. They did it just because and thats what I love---the killer instinct. Thats the culture that I love about this team----KG will not let them give in to shit. He's the motivator and Paul Pierce is the assassin. It is lethal and I will be spending way to much time writing about them and their endeavors these next few months...

Bottom line is I am back and determined to keep this thing up!