30 years
ago the 1984-1985 season was about to get underway for the greatest franchise
in sports history. The team I love and the team we all love - the Boston
Celtics. The Celtics ended up winning 63 games 30 years ago this season. Larry
Bird, not surprisingly, turned out to be the MVP of the league, Kevin McHale
was the 6th Man of Year, and the C’s made it all the way to the NBA Finals
against the Fakers -Lakers. Except the Fakers were not faking this particular
year, they got sort of lucky. It was almost another dream season for us, BUT we
were mortally wounded by a mini-hook shot over Kevin McHale by Magic Johnson.
Was it
an exciting year to be a Celtic fan 30 years ago? Oh course the answer is yes! 1984-85 was a
fabulous season to be a Celtic fan - except for that LA Faker lucky shot on a
sad Sunday afternoon (as I remember to be). I started rooting for the Celtics in
1968 and by the 1980’s I knew we were in for something special. It was all very exciting
and full of immediate hope.
In short, 1984-85 were fun times for Celtic fans as so many other seasons had
been prior to this one.
I met my
future wife in November 1984 and that too was exiting. 30 years later my wife
and I are still together, in love and happy. Is our marital excitement in
2014-2015 still overflowing like 1984? Ehh..not so much. But there is still lot’s
of love after all this time, and she turned into a Celtic fan.
Ok, well
how about Celtic excitement 30 years later – is this excitement still
overflowing 40+ years later? Ehh..not so much. I still bleed Celtic green, and
a new season always gets me a bit buzzed, but do I think something memorable
and/or surprising is about to unfold before our eyes in 2014-2015? Nope – me thinks
not.
My wife
keeps asking me if I would marry her again, and could we exchange our wedding
vows on a trip. I answer this gingerly of course. I don’t need to recommit to
something I am already been committed to for a long time – just like the
Celtics. She has her one ring, I have mine, and for that matter so does Brian
Scalabrine – so let’s treasure what we have I say! Romance isn’t my strong suit, but I am sentimental about the old days that we’ve had together ..ummm…just like the
Celtics and me. I am a faithful old dog if nothing else.
So where
does this leave me for this season? A long way from 30 years ago is where it
leaves me. I’ll go ahead and watch every game on NBA League Pass, I’ll yell and
cuss at the referee’s, and I’ll get mad when we shoot too many three’s. I’ll
get anxious on every close game we have, and I’ll feel really good the next day
after a Celtic win.
With
that said, I know 63 wins aren’t walking thru that door, I know we won’t be
playing the Fakers in the finals, and regretfully, I am quite aware Larry Bird
isn’t suddenly becoming GM of the Celtics (a dream of mine).
Speaking
of Larry, it was also 30 years ago that Larry and Dr. J grabbed each other by
the throat and wrestled each other to the ground. I don’t think anyone was
suspended which in and of itself is a testament to how things have changed in
30 years in this league. That’s another thing I miss about the old NBA days, a
fight could break out quickly and when it was over everybody could just get
back to playing. I think every Celtics home game this season should start off
with old videos of Larry Bird and Chief punching the bejeezus out of Bill
Laimbeer.
This
famous “fight game” in 1984 between Bird and Dr. J was ONLY game 5 of the 1984-85
season! Obviously there were some out-of-the-gate passions to win early in this
84-85 season long since passed, and there was a huge desire to win every game
for playoff position and pride, which by the way, both the Sixers and the
Celtics made it to the playoffs easily that year.
Unfortunately,
this season isn’t going to be a hard march forward to the playoffs for the
Sixers or the Celtics. I have serious doubt I am going to see the
“passion” from the Celtics this year in them fighting for playoff position in
Game 5 of the season whomever we play. By the way, I openly admit I have barely
looked at the schedule for this season. I don’t even know when we play Paul
Pierce - which still hurts to see him not wearing green
I think
the “passion” this year for this team will instead come in short spurts. The
unsteady passion I hope to see will be to get better each game, to hustle like
mad men, play tough tough “D” and rebound like we are really tall, and really
quite mean. We’re not tall and that worries me.
We start
this season playing the woeful Brooklyn-Russian Nets. We will see awe-inspiring
match-ups like Mason Plumlee vs. Kevin Olynyk (ughh). It’s not exactly Dr. J
vs. Bird, but it will have to do. I will make the best of it, and I will surely
have delusions of grandeur moments about this team of mine in the next 8 months or so.
I must say I am
truly excited about Sullinger’s potential. A few other players on our team
are quite fun to watch as well. If I were held at gunpoint, I could be forced to say we
may actually win more than 30 games this season. I think we also may create a
bit of excitement on certain games, and may even surprise some teams with our
competitiveness. Of course those somewhat lofty thoughts may be simply be my
high green blood pressure swirling around my shrinking brain making me woozy
with hope of 30+ wins and me thinking I need to buy a Jared Sullinger jersey. Lord,
please help me stay sane.
I’ll
close this little ramble of mine by saying, I am happy to have the honor of writing a
bit this season for this blog. Maybe I can add a few funny one-liners, or
maybe even one or two provocative thoughts to make people want to actually hold
me at gunpoint as I mentioned above. Thank you to my good friend Shirley for
having me here.
So to my
fellow Celtic brethren and sisters I say “Let the games begin!!!” I’ll do my
best to try and get more excited about this year, and not to live 30 years in
the past. And…. maybe, just maybe I’ll take my wife to Vegas and get remarried
if we make the playoffs!!! Go Celtics!!!! Celtic Pride.
[Discuss on CG Forums!]
I believe the "junior, junior skyhook was 1987"
ReplyDeleteIt was the end of a period in the 1980s in which it seemed like every NBA Finals matchup featured the Celtics and the Lakers, although in reality the two teams met only three times in the decade. The 1987 NBA Finals in a way marked the end of an era.
ReplyDeleteWith the Lakers up 2-1, Game 4 in Boston was a pivotal one. Win, and the Celtics were even with their long-time foes. Lose, and it would be an uphill battle to win another title.
Boston rolled out to a 16-point halftime lead, but the Lakers whittled away at it until they were within eight points with three minutes left and down just 103-102 with 30 seconds to play. A pick-and-roll from Magic Johnson to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar put Los Angeles in front, but Larry Bird responded with a three-pointer to put Boston back on top 106-104 with 12 seconds left. After being fouled on the next possession, Abdul-Jabbar made the first and missed the second, but the rebound squirted out of bounds off Boston.
After a timeout, Johnson took the inbounds pass near the left sideline. He thought about launching a jumper, but lanky Kevin McHale was in his way. So he dribbled toward the key, with McHale in pursuit and Bird and Robert Parish moving over to join him. Before they could collapse on him at the foul line, however, Johnson tossed an old-fashioned running hook shot that nestled through the net, giving the Lakers the lead. After Bird missed an attempt at the buzzer, the Lakers had a 107-106 victory; they went on to win the series in six games.
Afterwards, Johnson labeled the shot "my junior, junior sky-hook," after Abdul-Jabbar's favorite weapon.
"You expect to lose to the Lakers on a sky-hook," noted Bird. "You don't expect it to be from Magic."
Great first article Po!!!
ReplyDeleteLex, you are always on top of things.
That being said, I am happy to welcome Master Po to Celtics Green. You latched onto the Celtics one year before me. I became a fan in 1969 as they approached the playoffs.
I also miss the good old days when McHale could clothesline Rambis and then continue playing and I get warm feelings every time I think of Bird and Parish beating on Laimbeer. I also miss that beautiful shot of Bird's. He was just so good.
But, I get uber excited about every single year, about every Celtic and about every game. I'm predicting 42 wins and a Sully breakout year and All Star appearance, a Rondo MVP, a Kelly emergence and Marcus Smart Rookie of the Year. Yes, I am excited and I'll always be excited about my Celtics,
Po here, That's pretty embarrassing I messed the date up on my first article. Apparently senility has begun. I will try to be on my toes from now on - tip toes. I need the practice. Thanks for correction although I could have swore in was 1984...ughhhh
ReplyDeleteWell the sun is shining in Kansas, I am vertical and I can watch the Celtics on TV tonight - all is good...Go Celtics!!!
We must be at the same level of senility because as I read it, I was thinking I remembered from 84 as well. But, when you have been a fan as long as we have, it's bound to happen. Lex keeps me straight on Celtics history also. His blog, Lex Nihil Novi is one of my absolute favorites.
ReplyDelete:)
ReplyDeleteMost delighted to have you here Master Po (I hope it is O.K. that I call you Po without the honorific?) I don't think I will have an unsteady passion for this year's team; my passion flagged with the mid-90's and again with The Emperor. That passion grew early as Russell arrived just as I graduated from Tonka trucks to sports. When I could actually reach the basket with a ball, my father surprised me with a backboard built on a pine tree in our back yard. Those early years were fed only by a half dozen games on our 12"x12" black and white screen and the only-sometimes line item score in the local paper.
ReplyDeleteI am truly excited by this season. I don't think Boston has a Championship team, but I do think they will improve each month and be dangerous by Spring. I absolutely love the "pace and space" style and the thought of ball and player motion with unselfish passing is a return to the Celtic-way that has made my blood and emotions churn in every decade since the 50's. Doc's Ubuntu was a rebranding of Celtics' principles and a most welcome divergence from the chemistry-bereft shambles in the wake of Pitino and Thanks-Dad Gaston. Still, the Aging Big Three and Doc were increasingly difficult to watch as the fading skills and the erosion of time are a cruel reality--thank God fo the Russian miracle. Brad Stevens was a brilliant hire and I feel privileged to watch the rebirth and growth.
I also feel privileged to offer my foggy insights alongside Shirley, and Po. Once again, welcome to our band of Green Fanatics.