1569 replies to this topic

[Sille Skrub]

This is why we watch.

This is we stay up the late nights that make for tough mornings. This is why we drink that extra cup of coffee in the office the next day. This is why we plan our daytime hours around 48 minutes of nighttime play that is sandwiched between a myriad of commercials and promos for bad reality television. This is why we go home at lunch to walk the dog so we can head straight to the sports bar after work. This is why we continue to come back even though our sportsfan souls have been stomped on and crushed before.

We do it for the mere hope that the teams we follow will show the same fervor in the arena that we do for them everywhere else. When this happens, sports utopia arrives. It is the perfect storm for any ardent sports fan and almost always produces a postgame potporri of social media, messageboards and watching the same highlights over and over until you pass out in a state of bliss.

The 2011-2012 Boston Celtics do and provide just that. They care as much as we do.

Coming into this series, the Celtics were solid 6-1 underdogs. This was supposed to be LeBron's year. The Heat were supposed to "stiemroll" to the Finals on the way to their (not 1, not 2, not 3, not 4, not 5, not 6, not 7) 8+ NBA Titles. The loss of defensive stopper Avery Bradley combined with key injuries to Paul Pierce and Ray Allen was supposed to be too much for the Celtics to overcome; especially against a squad with two of the best players in the game.

Nobody told this Celtics team. Everyone picked against them, but they continued to do their thing. Their captain and most clutch player fouled out of two different games and they never quit. Their old bones could have packed it in and nobody would have even questioned it.

Instead, they found a way. They made sure that any Celtics fan watching wasn't wasting their time. They showed championship heart, championship guts, and championship soul. They showed Celtics Pride.

Welcome to the Jungle, Miami. Good job and good effort this year, but it is not enough.

Let's do this. Win today.

C's in 6.

[CaptainLaddie]

OH GOD CAN THIS GAME JUST GET STARTED

Follow the path of the Thunder, then lets beat some ass on Tuesday night in OKC.

[Nomar813]

[CaptainLaddie]

I said if Danny and Doc got this team to the Finals -- this is back in March -- that I'd never complain about either one of them again.

[AimingForYoko]

I can't fucking sleep and I want it to be 8:30.

[AimingForYoko]

Let's do this.

[sachmoney]

One more night...

...cold blooded.

[Sheets]

COME ON!!!!

[knucklecup]

Up at 4AM to hit the weights today.

I fucking love this team.

Win.

[Caspir]

Happy Lebron James elimination day everyone! This is my first chance to witness a Boston "championship" (conference counts) in person. We'll show those douche bags down in Miami how real fans act when their team needs a boost. I'm hoping we come out hard in the first and just crush their souls. I want Gino!

[TheoShmeo]

This little puff piece is accurate.

http://www.bostonher..._base_enormous/

Almost every Knicks fan I know is pulling for the Celtics. I've never seen NY fans rooting for a Boston team, and to have it be a virtual chorus is pretty amazing.

The Heat are just so easy to despise. I'm unable to make it up there tonight and am openly jealous of and, at the same time, very happy for, fans like Caspir who will be there for this. I was there for the beat down of the Lakers in Game 6 of 2008. While any win will do tonight, an ass whipping somewhere in the zone of Lakers Game 6 is so deserved...and would be so much fun.

Great opening post, Skrub.

PS: Another article making generally the same point as the Herald article linked above.

http://espn.go.com/b...ly-america-team

Edited by TheoShmeo, 07 June 2012 - 06:50 AM.

[TheShynessClinic]

I've never been a basketball fan. The sport always bored, and annoyed me.

Game 5 sucked me in. That was exciting as anything I've watched (short of the Stanley Cup Finals and Superbowl) sports related in a while.

The Heat are a perfect villan, the Celtics are the perfect hero.

I'm in.

[I am an Idiot]

The power of Skrub is a curious thing
make a one team weep, make another team sing
Change a Heat to a little white dove
more than a feeling, that's the power of Skrub

Tougher than Haslem, rich like cream
Stronger and harder than a bad girl's dream
make a bad one good make a wrong one right
power of Skrub that keeps you home at night

You don't need money, don't take fame
Don't need LBJ to ride this train
It's strong and it's sudden and it's cruel sometimes
but it might just save your life
That's the power of Skrub
That's the power of Skrub

First time you feel it, it might make you sad
Next time you feel it it might make you mad
But you'll be glad baby when you've found
Skrub's the power makes the world go'round


And it don't take money, don't take fame
don't need a velociraptor with a herniated stomach to ride this train
It's strong and it's sudden it can be cruel sometimes
but it might just save your life

They say that all the refs are fair
yeah, but you don't care
But you know what to do
when it gets hold of you
and with a little help from above
you feel the power of Skrub
you feel the power of Skrub
Can you feel it ?
Hmmm

It don't take money and it don't take fame
don't need no D-Wade to ride this train
Tougher than diamonds and stronger than steel
you won't feel nothin' till you feel
you feel the power, just FEEL the power of Skrub
That's the power, that's the power of Skub
You feel the power of Skrub
you feel the power of Skrub
feel the power of Skrubbbb


I believe in the Power of Skrub.

Lead us to the finals, buddy.

[Sille Skrub]

Haha!. Well done, Duke.

[24JoshuaPoint]

I can't believe they are here but now i believe they can finish the task. It's gonna take a little from everyone and some hella good time management and matchups. Do it!

[ifmanis5]

Spo has been thrown so severely under the bus by everybody that I expect him to play his big three every second of tonight's game almost no matter what. So, let's blow them out early and watch Wade get ejected in a fit of rage after Hollins dunks on him in the 4th up 20. Harm the Heat!

[Boston Brawler]

Our officials: Dan Crawford, Tony Brothers, Tom Washington. Alternate: James Capers.

Edit:

Edited by Boston Brawler, 07 June 2012 - 08:15 AM.

[DrewDawg]

I'm hearing that Bosh is playing more and probably starting tonight. And so far every single "expert" has said this is a good thing, because look at what he did the other night.

I'm going to send $20 to the first NBA "expert" out there that mentions Bosh couldn't guard Corky with a sprained ankle, how is he going to hang with KG in the jungle?

[NickEsasky]

Have you ever seen Corky Thatcher's first step? Fucking lethal.

[jose melendez]

The only question is whether I get up at 4 AM to watch the second half or 2:30 AM to watch the whole game.

[notfar]

I would follow Skrub into certain death.

[TheGazelle]

I would follow Skrub into certain death.

Speaking of death, did Bosh kill a masseuse?

http://espn.go.com/n...bosh-miami-heat

[Marbleheader]

Dude, that was soooo Game 5

[DrewDawg]

Dude, that was soooo Game 5

I'm just waiting for the collings94 dude or whatever to try and start an NBA Finals game thread when the Celtics score the first basket tonight.

[bankshot1]

I believe it was our 33rd President, Harry Truman, who said, "If you cant stand the Heat root for the Celtics."

Truman got it right, In the spirit of #33, who knew when to bomb the crap out of a hated foe, and could finish, lets nuke these motherfucking posers from South Beach tonite.

Go Celts!

[NickEsasky]

I would follow Skrub into certain death.

Half man!
Half man!
Half man!

[bankshot1]

Almost every Knicks fan I know is pulling for the Celtics. I've never seen NY fans rooting for a Boston team, and to have it be a virtual chorus is pretty amazing

This is true, its like a bizarro world. Life-long Celtic haters are giving props to the Celts, as rootable U-dogs to the phony Mfers.,

[BostonFanInCanesLand]

I can't wait for Varitek to split the uprights after he hits the game winning 3 pointer. Menino is at it again, calling Havlicek and Kevin Johnson out of retirement. And I consider it a good omen:

http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/celtics

“There’s a lot of heart in this team, let me just tell you,” Menino told reporters, before adding, “KJ is great but Hondo is really the inspiration. Hondo drives that team.”

Just WIN.

[fairlee76]

Great opening post, Skrub. Gave me the chills.

I expect these guys to win tonight. Nothing more to add.

[underhandtofirst]

Our officials: Dan Crawford, Tony Brothers, Tom Washington. Alternate: James Capers.

http://www.covers.co...referees_2.html

Recent history:
Dan Crawford: Boston is 1-5 this year, including 4 in a row. Miami is 6-2. One of the losses was in game 3 vs Indiana. Was in game 1 of this series.
Washington: Boston is 1-4 this year, including 3 in a row. Miami is 4-1. You might remember him from game 2 of this series.
Brothers: Boston is 3-2 this year, the last 3 games were Boston wins. Miami is 2-1. The loss was in game 3 vs Indiana.

If they needed any additional motivation they have it. Reminds me of Game 6 in 2008 vs Detroit when they overcame Bennett Salvatore to win going away.

[DrewDawg]

http://www.covers.co...referees_2.html

Recent history:
Dan Crawford: Boston is 1-5 this year, including 4 in a row. Miami is 6-2. One of the losses was in game 3 vs Indiana. Was in game 1 of this series.
Washington: Boston is 1-4 this year, including 3 in a row. Miami is 4-1. You might remember him from game 2 of this series.
Brothers: Boston is 3-2 this year, the last 3 games were Boston wins. Miami is 2-1. The loss was in game 3 vs Indiana.

This is awesome--without delving into the schedule too much, the Celtics won about 59% of their games this year. However with these 3 refs they won less than 33%.

I imagine some of that is wrapped in the fact that the NBA assumes these are good refs and possibly they were reffing in games where the Celts were playing other good teams, but still...

[Ed Hillel]

Crawford sucks, but it could have been way worse. We are avoiding 2006 Finals MVP Bennett Salvatore, Kennedy, J. Craw, Kelogg, and Bavetta. This works.

Edited by Ed Hillel, 07 June 2012 - 09:33 AM.

[TheoShmeo]

Stern to his henchmen: "I really can't believe they overcame Bill Kennedy in game 4 and then the most homerific 3 refs we could find in game 5. Who hates Doc Rivers even more than Kennedy? Danny Crawford, right? He gave them all those wonderful techs in game one. Yup, assign Crawford to this game."

Now I know that sounds ridiculous. But what other explanation is there? Are we really supposed to believe that this is all just random?

[AimingForYoko]

Our officials: Dan Crawford, Tony Brothers, Tom Washington. Alternate: James Capers.

I weep for the hangover to come.

[wiffleballhero]

At a absolute minimum, you would think that Stern would avoid the confirmation bias that will be inevitable with this crew if the Celtics lose.

[Witters]

To be fair, we've dreaded the officiating for several consecutive games in this series, all for naught. Let that continue.

Bury them all.

[Section15Box113]

You'd hope Crawford wouldn't have a hair-trigger (a la Ray Allen) for the second game in a row.

Even if he does, it's time. FINISH THEM!

[Hendu's Gait]

Q: What do Paul Pierce and an alligator have in common?

A: They are green-wearing, cold-blooded, killers of Floridians





working 9 to 5, what a way to make a living, a Heat killing

[Ed Hillel]

That's famous TITLES, Mr. Connery, famous TITLES.

[Andrew]

[Jeff Van GULLY]

May KJ and Hondo lead this team to glory.

[stp130]

In the Orlando airport waiting for my flight to Boston for the game tonight.

DIG DEEP. REALLY DEEP.
CLOSE STRONG.
WIN.

[Sheets]

Besides the cheesy synthesizer music, that would make an awesome NBA commercial. Except the NBA would never allow poor Lebron to be shown in such a light.

Edited by Sheets, 07 June 2012 - 11:40 AM.

[mikeford]

I'd really appreciate finishing this tonight, as I will be watching my hockey team most likely lose the Stanley Cup at home on Saturday and won't be able to watch a possible Game 7

[Nuf Ced]

Tonight is your night. Now go out there, and take it.

[Dogman2]

Our officials: Dan Crawford, Tony Brothers, Tom Washington. Alternate: James Capers.

Edit:

[Turrable]

Today was my last day. It's also Wade and Bron's.

[simplyeric]

[collings94]

I'm sorry everybody. If the C's lose I will assume full responsibility.

[mikeford]

Our officials: Dan Crawford, Tony Brothers, Tom Washington. Alternate: James Capers.

Edit: