<B><C>Random Thoughts For The Week</B></C><br></br> <p></p>

 - At the risk of seeming nieve, I wish that in the search for answers in the Jovan Belcher tragedy of this past weekend, the focus does not get too bogged down in the Steroids/head injuries. I'm sure this will happen, given the media's penchant for quick, "magic bullet" theories . That being said, something tells me that there was more going on with this young man, other than PED's, and numerous shots to the head. I'm not a doctor, and I could wind up being dead wrong, but if Junior Seau's death serves as an example, it is that depression can be just as big of a factor in these tragedies, as any drug, or concussion side effects. <br></br> <p></p>

 - Here is my solution for the hand wringing and anxiety on the part of the Baseball Writers Of America, who are treating their votes for the 2013 Hall Of Fame, as if they were deciding the fate of a death row inmate: Anyone that in any way that was implicated for steroid use, or anyone who was caught, DOES NOT GET IN. I don't care what their stats are, I don't care what part of the record book they manipulated, by using PED's. Bonds and Clemens can't have it both ways. They did enough damage by cheating or"allegedly" cheating. They can't further tarnish the game and its legacy by going into the Hall, also. Unless someone can show me where it is written that someone has to get inducted every year, if there comes a certain year where noone goes in from a certain ballot, so be it.<br></br>,p></p>

 - It was a great SEC Championship Game, Saturday evening between Alabama and Georgia, some are calling it the best College Football game they have seen in years. The Notre Dame vs. USC game last week was entertaining as well. That being said, it really is ridiculous that we have to wait a month for the Irish and the Crimson Tide to bang heads in the National Title Game, but that is part of what makes college sports the joke that they are. Imagine teams winning the pennant, and having to wait a month for the World Series to begin., <br></br> <p> </p>

 - Speaking of local college football, there has been much debate as to whether what goes on with the B.C. Football program, in regards to the school's search for a new head coach, matters. You can put me in the "it doesn't matter" category. The Eagles have been down this road before, actually many times it seems, since Doug Flutie left The Heights. A new coach will behired, possibly with an NFL pedigree, recruiting will pick up, they'll win some games, maybe make it to an upper echelon Bowl Game, then the fun will begin. From there, said, as yet unnamed coach will inquire with  the Powers That Be at B.C. about stadium expansion, aggressive recruiting, among other things, and will be met with the same resistance that Tom Coughlin, Tom O'Brien, and Jeff Jagodzinski, among others did. That is the culture at Boston College, and I don't see it changing anytime soon.<br></br> <p></p>

 - The NHL owners and the NHLPA should just stop the nonsense, and cancel the season right now. Doing so will buy them about nine months until they have to start thinking about training camps,  etc. as well as the start of next season.. Yes it will mean the loss of revenue,(to say nothing of the money out of the pockets of the arena employees, as well as the financial hits to bars and restaurants surrounding the venues) on top of the league having to live with the fact it would be the only one of the four major North American sports, to have lost two seasons as a result of work stoppages. That being said, if the principles are not willing to throw the lawyers out of the room, and get serious about hammering out a long term deal, so that we don't have to sit through this dog and pony show every four or five years. <br></br><p></p>

 - I didn't think it was possible, but ESPN out-did itself once again, with the latest in the 30 For 30 documentary series, Voices Of Mississippi. The film tells the tale of the 1962 University of Mississippi team, who finished the year undefeated, despite the turmoil that engulfed the campus,  as Mississippi struggled to come to grips with the fact that it was time to integrate. As President Kennedy called in the National Guard to assure the safety of James Meredeth, that school's first black student, riots tear apart the campus as the troops arrive. The Mayor of Jackson further  ignites the situation by at first assuring President Kennedy that he will do all that he can to keep the peace, and then going back on his word on the eve of Meredeth's arrival, while using the football games as a speaking platform, while telling the crowds that Jackson will resist the perceived government intrusion, (in the southern rebel tradition), in an effort to integrate the University. Although the song, in my opinion, the song contains lyrics bordering on racist, the documentary ends with a woman singing a brilliant acoustic version of Dixie, as the closing credits roll. <br></br> <p></p>



 

THE TWILIGHT ZONE

I am not now, and never have been a big television watcher. Even growing up, other than a few shows here and there (The Cosby Show comes to mind), there are have been very few programs that I have had the desire to set aside time to watch. As I have gotten older, sports, documentaries, and news (MSNBC), make up what is on my screen when my TV is on.

That being said, the show that I consider my all-time favorite is the Twilight Zone. No matter how many times I watch the episodes (and I have seen all of them many times, between owning them on DVD, and taking in the 4th of July and New Year's Day marathons on the Scy-Fy Channel), I am always struck by Rod Serling's writing, as well as the quality of his monologues at the beginning and end of each episode. As great as the paranormal/Science Fiction episodes are, it was Serling's ability to tackle gripping questions, ones which challenge us a society, which set his story telling ability apart from many others. Heightened fears at the onset of the Nuclear Age, as well as the question as to why former Nazi Concentration Camps should remain standing, are two of many such topics that Serling handled beautifully with his writing.

Serling's ability to delve into the psyche of the common man, whether its a man's desire to escape to a quieter peaceful existence, and away from job and family pressures, or a school teacher who comes to the sad realization that his profession has passed him by, demonstrates his ability to bring emotion, and a deep human element into his scripts. This is an ability that I wish existed in more of today's television writers. It is with this in mind that I present my all-time favorite Twilight zone episodes.

Death's Head Revisited

Another episode in which Serling tackles a lingering question left over from a major historical event, in this case the Holocaust. A former S.S. Officer (played by Oscar Beregi) returns to a city which still contains the site of a former Concentration Camp. Upon checking into a hotel nearby, Capt. Gunther Lutze, while demonstrating much arrogance and smugness at the memory of the horrors that took place in the camp, and ones which he himself committed, decides to revisit the camp itself. After entering, all of the camp's doors slam shut, leaving Lutze no way out, and the spirit of the prisoners whom he tortured years before, emerge. One particular prisoner, Alfred Becker (played by Joseph Schildkraut0 reveals himself, to inform Capt. Lutze that a trial will soon commence, during which the Captain will have to answer for the crimes against humanity, which he is charged with.

As Becker proceeds to read Lutze's charges, and the gravity of the situation hits him, Lutze tries to escape, but trips, falls, and knocks himself out. At this point it is revealed that the entire encounter in the camp was a paranoid dream, causing Lutze to suffer a nervous breakdown. As the Captain is lead to a waiting ambulance, the attending doctor at the hotel asks why the camp, and others, remain standing. Serling answers this question with a brilliant closing monologue:

"There is an answer to the doctor's question...all the Dachaus must remain standing...the Dachaus, the Belsens, the Buchenwalds, the Auschwitzes, all of them... they must remain standing because they are a monument to a moment in time when some men decided to turn the Earth into a graveyard...into it they shoveled all of their reason, their logic, their knowledge, but worst of all their conscience... and the moment we forget this, the moment we cease to be haunted by its remembrance, then we become the gravediggers...something to dwell on and to remember, not only in the Twilight Zone but wherever men walk God's Earth..."

The Changing Of The Guard

Donald Pleasence puts in a brilliant performance in which he plays an English teacher, Professor Ellis Fowler, at private school, who has over-stayed his tenure. On the final day before the Christmas break, Professor Fowler is summoned to the Dean's office, and asked about a letter that was recently mailed to him, to which the Professor had yet to respond. Thinking that the letter concerned his contract extension, Professor Fowler assures the Dean that he plans on continuing his teaching career until the school itself is torn down. The Dean proceeds to inform the Professor that the letter did not concern an extension, to the contrary, it was a message informing Mr. Fowler that he is being replaced, as he passed the mandatory retirement age some years before.

We next see Mr. Fowler in his study at home, looking through an old yearbook, disconsolate, while contemplating his sudden termination. So downtrodden is the Professor that he refuses to eat, much to the concern of his housekeeper. It is during this scene, that Pleasence delivers some of the most beautiful, well written dialogue, in the history of the program. Suddenly, the Professor closes the yearbook, takes off his glasses, and reflects on his years of teaching...

"...They all come and go like ghosts...faces, names, smiles...the funny things they said or the sad things, or the poignant ones... I gave them nothing, I gave them nothing at all...poetry that left their minds the minute they themselves left,aged slogans that were out of date when I taught them, quotations dear to me that were meaningless to them....I was a failure, Mrs. Landers, an abject, miserable failure...I walked from class to class an old relic,teaching by rote to un-hearing ears, unwilling heads...I was an abject dismal failure,I moved nobody,I motivated nobody...I left no imprint on anybody...now, where do you suppose I ever got the idea that I was accomplishing anything?..."

The Professor proceeds to sink further into despair, and eventually decides to take a gun out of his desk drawer, and drive to the school to kill himself. Upon arriving at the school, he hears the bells ringing, as they do to signal the start of the school day. The Professor makes his way to his classroom, where he is met by the spirit of students that he taught through the years, who have since passed away. Much like the dialogue Pleasence delivered in the previous scene, the scene in the classroom is among the most moving and powerful, in the history of the Twilight Zone series.

One by one, students come forward, one who fought in the Phillipines during World War II, another who was among the first casualties on the morning of Pearl Harbor, and still another one passed as a result of a radiation leak, while working in the medical field, developing X-Ray technology. Each student who steps forward says that they remembered important lessons of bravery and loyalty, that the Professor had imparted to them, and others were able to quote the various poems that were taught in Mr. Fowler's classes throughout the years. This brilliant scene ends with the students telling the Professor that it is time for them to go, and suddenly their spirits disappear, as the school bell rings once again. At this point the Professor realizes that he did in fact make a difference in his students lives, and as a result, Mr. Fowler is able to make peace with his termination, and thus begin the next phase of his life.

Night Of The Meek

Another moving episode, in which Serling tackles the issue of the commercialization of the Christmas holiday, a relevant topic, even in the simpler time of the early 1960's. Art Carney delivers a magnificent performance as Henry Corwin, a man who each year plays the part of a department store Santa Claus, and whose one fatal flaw is a drinking problem, which causes him to be terminated, after falling down drunk, much to the astonishment of a customer, waiting in line with her son, to meet Santa. The woman proceeds to tell the store manager how appalled she was, that Corwin would report to work in such a condition, and that the store would hire someone to play Santa Claus despite an obvious drinking problem. The manager proceeds to fire Corwin on the spot, while telling him to "tie one on someplace else", while derisively referring to him as a drunk. At this point, Carney delivers an excellent piece of dialogue about the true meaning of the Christmas holiday...

"...As to my insubordination, I was not rude to that woman..someone should remind her that Christmas is more than barging up and down department store aisles and pushing people out of the way...someone has to tell her that Christmas is another thing finer than that...richer...finer...truer...and should come with patience and love...charity...compassion....that's what I would have told her if you'd given me a chance...I just wish, Mr. Dundee, on one Christmas, only one, that I could see some of the hopeless ones and the dreamless ones...just on one Christmas, I'd like to see the meek inherit the Earth..."

Despite its dramatic scenes and dialogue, Night Of The Meek also contains a comedic element, as demonstrated by Corwin's bag, which he stumbles upon, after getting fired from the department store. Later on that evening Corwin arrives at a holiday celebration at the rooming house in which in he lives. He arrives in a jovial mood, while handing out gifts to all of the residents of the house, which automatically raises suspicions, as to how said gifts were procured. Shortly thereafter, the manager who fired Corwin, Mr. Dundee, arrives at the party, accompanied by a police officer, Officcer Flaherty, as the store is missing merchandise, which Corwin is suspected of stealing. Mr. Dundee expects to see the goods that are missing, but when Corwin reaches into his bag, as ordered by officer Flaherty, all that is revealed are empty cans, and a stray cat. At this point Corwin admits that the bag contains supernatural powers, to Mr. Dundee's disbelief. Angry at having his time wasted, and as what he believes to be incompetence on the part of officer Flaherty, Dundee challenges Corwin to produce a bottle of Cherry Brandee, vintage 1903. Corwin replies that '03 was an "excellent vintage", and hands Mr. Dundee the very bottle that he requested.

The episode ends after the Christmas party lets out. Corwin stumbles out to the street, only to be confronted by an elf, who tells him that he needs to hurry up and drive the sleigh to the North Pole, so that the preparation can commence for next Christmas. Shortly after, Mr. Dundee and Officer Flaherty emerge from the rooming house, tipsy from sampling the Brandy. The two men then turn their attention skyward, to see Corwin driving the sleight through the air, bells ringing. Dundee and Flaherty then decide to proceed to Corwin's house the finish the bottle, with the year's holiday magic complete.

Never Underestimate The Power Of Sport

Many people have differing opinions, but I don't think that it can be denied that for better or worse (depending on one's point of view), that football is as much a part of the Thanksgiving holiday, as family, and the meal itself. In Massachusetts, we are blessed to be able to watch scores of high school games, as well as the NFL offerings, both pre-and post meal. This year, we were further blessed with the Patriots ending the holiday evening, with their contest\beat down vs. the NY Jets. It was during the prime time Patriots affair, that I contemplated the power of sports, and the effect it has on those of us that live and die with our teams.

Beginning as far back as I can remember, all of the mile posts of my life have been marked by sporting events. My earliest memories contain images of the Red Sox, and the Bruins...my elementary school, through Junior High years were marked by the Original Big three of Bird, Parish, and McChale, during a time period when clashes with the L.A. Lakers in the Finals, seemed like a rite of Spring. Our local teams entered into a bit of a recession as I entered high school, although during my freshman year, the Red Sox made their ill-fated trip to the 1986 World Series. My sophomore and senior years each were marked by a Bruins appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals, both losing efforts, of course.

As I entered my 20's, Larry Bird retired, and with him, went the Celtics fortunes. My memories from this era, are mostly of national games/news events. The 1992 Dream Team at the Barcelona Olympics, the 1994 MLB players strike, as well as the emergence of the NFL, into the world-wide global sports power that it is today, are chief among those memories. The ground work of future Patriots success was laid, with the hiring of Bill Parcells as coach in 1993.

My 30's can best be described as the New England Sports Renaissance, or the Golden Age of New England Sports. The decade began with the Patriots bringing us out of the championship wilderness,with their thrilling victory over the St.Louis Rams, in Superbowl XXXVI. Two more Superbowl titles would follow, as would the Greatest Sports Story Ever Told, that being the Red Sox ending and 86 year drought, by winning the 2004 World Series. The remainder of the decade would also contain the Celtics winning championship number 17, and as my 40's began, the Bruins winning their first Stanley Cup in 39 years.

As wonderful as all of these memories are as a whole, it is the small, singular moments, that make these events special, and which demonstrate the power of sport, as well as the reason why these teams, and games, are so important to us. During all of the events mentioned above, I can recall who I was with, and where we were when all of those games were played. Whether it was watching the 1984 NBA Finals with my entire family, while staying up late on school nights in June, or shaking Johnny Pesky's hand on the morning after the 2004 World Series victory, while in a supermarket in our town of Swampscott, Ma. These are the memories that are etched into my mind, and whose memory will endure, as much as the actual games will.

The 2007 New England Patriots season is another such personal enduring memory. Although the ending was very disappointing, with the Patriots losing Superbowl XLII to the NY Giants, and thus the chance to complete to first 19-0 season in NFL history, it was that season's journey, which will always hold a special place in my heart.

The second half of 2007 was a personally trying period for my family and I, as my mother's health, already deteriorating as a result of Cancer, took a turn for the worse, and she would eventually succumb to the disease in December. As the Summer turned to Fall and October began, Red Sox quest for their second World Series title in four years, coincided with the Patriots chase for perfection. As November turned to December and Winter commenced, Mom was in home hospice care, with a dire prognosis. What these games provided for may family and I (the double header Patriots-Red Sox playoff/World Series games included of course), was the opportunity for atleast a few hours, to get our minds away from the abject sadness, which accompanies the loss of a loved one.

These games also provided Mom, a very big sports fan in her own right, an opportunity to enjoy her favorite teams, and engage in a favorite family past time, in her final days. Did it magically cure her?...No, but I would like to think that doing something that she enjoyed, while in so much pain, perhaps helped to make her a little comfortable. Those final days also afforded us the opportunity to get our last looks at Mom's beautiful smile. It also provided her children with an opportunity to derive some happiness and enjoyment, in a time when all else seemed lost. Perhaps it is a small thing in the grand scheme, but it is, and will always remain, the reason why these sports matter to us.

A LEADER FOR THE LEADERLESS

It was a brisk, and unseasonably cold morning in the nation's capital. Washington D.C in early February is not usually this cold, but it had already been a difficult Winter. Almost a foot of snow came in mid-December, and over a foot more was in the forecast for the coming weekend. By way of comparison, the mood inside the halls of Congress was equally cold, with almost daily storm activity. For most of the previous year and for the first month and a half of the current one, Democrats and Republicans battled over major reforms to Social Security.

Various bills had been introduced over the past 13 months, most of them going down to defeat. Despite the partisanship and the heated debate, Congress was closer than it ever had been to enacting serious reforms to the nations retirement system as the holiday recess approached. It was agreed that the House would send a bill to the Senate by the first of the year, and in turn the Senate would produce their own bill, and at that point the process of reconciling the two bills would begin. Before any of that could happen however, there was still another matter to attend to. For on this cold February day, the man who would assume the seat vacated by the passing of the venerable Massachusetts Senator Theodore McColgan was due to arrive and be sworn in. It was this event, dreaded by some, and rejoiced by others, that had the potential to make the delicate process of Social Security reform as much of a white knuckle ride as driving on the Beltway when a winter storm raged.

Scott Barry. As with Senator McColgan, depending on which side of the political spectrum you favor, the name itself is either reviled, or embraced.

THOUGHTS AND QUOTES OF THE WEEK

Hello to one and all, and best wishes for a happy, healthy, and safe 4th of July holiday. Although Christmas is the most commercial holiday, and is more celebrated in song,etc., to me, the Summer, and the Independence Day holiday, is the "most wonderful time of the year". Give me 70, 80 degree temperatures, and day light until about 8:40PM, over pitch black darkness at 4:30PM, and frigid temperatures any day.

LEAVING THE PAST BEHIND

Once again (for the third time in a week), I must say "What Up" to my homies here in the Blogger Community. With 2007 being one of the toughest of my life, I really did not have much of a desire to write, especially toward the end of the year when my Mom passed way. However, with 2007 long since rolled over to 2008 and the Summer here (plus with the Celtics winning banner umber 17), I have had some desire to get back into one of favorite hobbies (writing) as of late. Today, With the Celtics euphoria subsiding somewhat, I will attempt to focus on other things besides sports (believe it or not, we do have other things on our mind other than the Red Sox, Patriots, and Celtics, here in the Boston area) namely, closing one chapter of life, and starting another.

As of August 1st my brother, my friend Dan and I, will be moving together into an apartment, which means my brother and I will be moving out of the place that we have called home, on and off, for the past 15 years. To say that it will be the end of an era is an understatement. For the past 6 months the thought of this move has been on my mind, and I did not think emotionally it would be that big of deal. However as of late, with the preperation getting underway in ernest, I realize how wrong I have been.

A little background in necessary here. My Mom passed away from Cancer last December 14th. Her wish was to not be put into any type of nursing facility, which meant her final days would be spent a home, with the family around, which we all respected. As her condition took a turn for the worse, we all came back home to help care for her (I was living with a friend of mine, closer to Boston), and thus my parent's condominium became home to us all once again. After she passed, and all of the constant bustle of nurses and doctors coming in and out of the apartment stopped, a quietness took over, an eerie calm, if you will. At this point, my brother and I decided to put all of our previous differences behind us (more on that some other time), and try to see if we could live together without killing each other. So far so good on that front.

After the funeral, and all of the other business that must be attended to when a loved one passes on was completed, my brother and I got to work on planning what the immediate future would hold, namely, where were we going to live? We socked away some money that some of our relatives were generous enough to give us, but eventually that was eaten up by bills that the household was very behind on. As the new year came and Winter turned to Spring, it was getting a little tough to make ends meet on our salaries. After putting our heads together we came up with three possible scenarios: 1. We keep plugging away and we stay where we are. 2. We bring in a third person and split the rent and expenses thre ways (the scenario we almost chose, but the one that would have required alot of time consuming work) 3. We pack up and move. The latter is the scenario we chose and after a months long search for an apartment a mutual friend of ours directed us to place that his family owns which is very affordable, and turned out to be the perfect fit for all of us.

So now, after tying up some loose ends with our current landlord (which took longer than anticipated), the process of moving has begun. Upon sorting everything out, throwing things away, and putting other things in a seperate pile to be donated to charity, I realize the memories that have been built in the place over the years. This really hit me when I was going through some old newspapers and magazines that I had saved over this past decade-plus. I though of everything that has happened both locally, and nationally; the sports memories from the last six-plus years. More importantly, I thought of everyone close to me that has come and gone (I lost both of my parents during my time in the apartment), and the friendships I have made during this time period. I took all of this in and realized that I have alot more invested emotionally in that condo that I thought. All things must past and we all must keep moving in life

THOUGHTS FROM THE WEEK THAT WAS/QUOTES OF NOTE

Hello to one and all, wherever you may be. It has been quite a week indeed in Boston, with the Boston Celtics sending us into the OFFICIAL START OF SUMMER with an NBA Finals victory, giving us our second championship in Boston in the last 8 months. At the risk of sounding greedy, I can't help but think that if the Patriots had prevailed in Superbowl XLII, that would have given us THREE MAJOR SPORTS CHAMPIONSHIPS IN A ROW. These are incredible times indeed to be a Boston sports fan, and ones that I will cherish for years to come. Having lived and died with our professional sports teams my entire life, I remember what it was like around here until the Patriots broke the championship drought in February of 2002. With that experience comes the knowledge of how quickly things can change in professional sports. I realize that things will not always be as they are now, and eventually this incredible run of championships will come to an end. That is what makes moments such as last Tuesday so special in their own unique way.

Speaking of championships, there has been much talk and debate locally and nationally about whether seeing our teams have this type of success ever "gets old", and if all these championships have made us "spoiled", or "greedy". As to whether it ever gets old, I can say beyond a shadow of a doubt... NO!! As far as the the Celtics are concerned, the journey was too long and painful (as I pointed out in my last blog entry)from June of 1986, to June of 2008. Anyone that does no know of what I speak, either has not been paying attention, or is not very knowledgeable about NBA history over the last 22 years.

As for the second point, about whether we are too "greedy", "spoiled", or have become a "Mini-New York" in turns of a pompous, entitled attitude, I will say two things: Number one, most of the things I have read about our "attitude" is coming from commentators, etc. from New York, who have NO RIGHT TO CALL ANY OTHER CITY POMPOUS OR ENTITLED. I read in the Boston Globe about one New York sports talk radio host, talking about the "bad attitude" that we have, while bragging about the Giants Superbowl victory, and further boasting about how "things will soon change, and The Yankees will add to their 26 World Series titles". Of course, he convientley forgets how the Yankees chose Game Four of last year's World Series (as the Red Sox were clinching their championship), to air the next installment of the STUPID, boring soap opera between Yankees management and Alex Fraudriguez. Who was acting pompous then?

I will sum up the whole thing by saying this: I hope every fan in every city with four sports teams, that has suffered through mediocre seasons, bad front office decisions, etc. can experience what we have seen over the last six-plus years in Boston, and that includes you SMOKIN STEVE, if you are reading this. I have been saying for a long time, that things will eventually change (as they always do in sports), and cities like Philadelphia will have its day. If it happened in Boston, it can happen anywhere.

QUOTES OF NOTE

" Anything is possible!!!!"
- Kevin Garnett after the Celtics won their 17th NBA Championship on Tuesday night

" I have to thank my teammates, the organization, and the city of Boston for sticking with me...It was tough, and we had some bad teams, but I am glad that we could bring this home for you."
Celtics captain Paul Pierce, upon accepting the NBA Finals MVP trophy

"These events are not easy to plan, bet we sure have gotten alot of practice lately."
- Boston Police Commissioner Edward F. Davis at the press conference announcing the Celtics Championship Parade

"I would like to welcome everyone to the latest meeting of the Book of the Month Club" - Rep. Lamar Smith, on day two of Scott McClelland's Judiciary Committee hearings

Returning To Where We All Once Belonged

THIS IS DEDICATED TO MOM, DAD, RED, REGGIE, DJ, JOHNNY MOST, AND EVERYONE ELSE WHO DID NOT LIVE TO SEE THE JOURNEY COMPLETED.

It was a warm Sunday in early June, 1986. The 15 year old kid gathered with his family in his parents room to watch another rite of spring in the 1980's, to bear witness to the Celtics being crowned king of the basketball world for the third time that decade. The Celtics defeated the Hoston Rockets in six games. Hoston hung in for awhile, and things got rough in game 5 with a brawl ensued. The fight was started by Ralph Sampson, and was ended when Bill Walton tackled the big Houston center from behind, after Sampson took a shot at Celtic guard Jerry Sichting. In terms of drama, that was pretty much all that the series provided, as the Celtics never lost their composure, as true champions rarely do in sports.

The young kid soaked it all in, as many children his age did all over New England in those heady days, some 20-plus years ago. It was June, school was out, the independence of high school awaited in September, and the Celtics had just done it again, dominating the league from start to finish in 1985-86, as few teams had in the history of the NBA. 67-13 was their regular season record. Only two losses in the playoffs . This was a team that lost one game at home the entire season, withstood a 63 point performance from Michael Jordan in the first round of the playoffs, and was never really challenged throughout the remainder of the tournament, save for that two game stretch in Houston during The Finals. If this were not enough, there was kid from Maryland on his way to town whom the experts were saying could very well be the bridge to numerous more titles in the ensuing years. It was all unfolding according to plan, as it often did for the Boston Celtics from the 1960's, through the 80's. Life was good indeed, and about to get better.

Then the 80's turned to the 90's, the kid grew up, went to college, got a job, and it all unraveled right before our eyes. The can't-miss phenom who was supposed to lead us through the next decade passed away from a drug overdose. Larry Bird retired after the 1991-92 season. Reggie Lewis, the team captain who took the torch from Bird, passed away in 1993. There were bad drafts. Bad trades. Dave Gavitt took over as General Manager and Head of Basketball Operations in 1990, (as the kid graduated high school), and promised a return to glory, but was no match for a changing NBA that the Celtics organization was not prepared for. Danny Ainge was traded in 1989. Kevin McHale retired in 1993. Eventually the Big Three was gone, and Robert Parish was off to Chicago Bulls, where he would win a few more titles.

Things would get worse. 1996-97. 15 wins. Enter Rick Pitino. M.L. went to New Jersey for the Lottery and...no Tim Duncan!!! More broken promises. By this time the kid was in his late 20's, and was giving up hope, as we all were. It was a long way from that Sunday in June of 1986, although only 10 years had gone by. Pitino would leave in four years. Another false prophet. Enter Jim O'Brien. New decade. 2000-01 ended on a bit of an upswing. They finished strong, but there still was much work to do. 2001-02. Celtic fan's hopes were rekindled with a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals. The team came from 20 points down in the fourth quarter against the New Jersey Nets. Sadly, the Nets would prevail in the series. Boston just did not have an answer for Jason Kidd and Kenyon Martin. Hey, things were looking up. Kenny Anderson Played well, and this Rodney Rogers kid can really play defense. Enter Danny Ainge. Anderson and Rogers gone within a year. Vin Baker?? A couple more playoff appearances would follow.

By February of 2002, a new era had dawned in Boston sports, as the Patriots brought us out of the wilderness with their first Superbowl victory, and we were all reminded of what it was like in those heady days during the 1980's. The kid was now in his early 30's, and despite the Patriot's success, we could all not help but wonder if the Celtics would ever rise again. 2003 became 2004. The Red Sox shock the world, and erase 86 years of misery with a World Series title, while embarassing the hated Yankees along the way. Still the kid thought... "what about the Celtics?"

2004 became 2005. Two more Superbowls, a couple of more Celtic playoff appearances. A blown three games to one lead against the Indiana Pacers. 2005-06. Out of the playoffs. 2006-07. The kid was now in his mid-30's. 24 wins. An 18 game losing streak. Back to Secaucus for the Lottery, and the...NUMBER 5 PICK???!!! This can't be happening. Ok Danny Ainge, what now? Wait a minute, the Celtic brass is huddling...do they have a plan? Does anyone even care anymore?

The draft comes and goes. Ray Allen is brought on board, and the promise was that more moves would follow. How long have they been saying that? Who else could they possibly get to come to Boston? Kevin Garnett is out there but...no way!!! Won't happen. The brass huddles again. Proposals are thrown around. The story won't go away. Kevin McHale is the GM in Minnesota, do you think he could help us out? God, this has to end sometime! More huddling. More negotiating. A press conference is scheduled. He is coming. Kevin Garnett is coming to Boston!!! Garnett, Allen. Pierce. The New Big Three. Did they give up too much to get these guys? Are they deep enough for a title run?

2007-08. The kid is 36 when the season begins. Have we now finally turned the corner? A 45 win season would make us all happy. 19-0 to begin the year. Looks like we may have something. They sweep the Texas trip. They are dominant at home, just like the old days. Detroit will be the measuring stick. They handled them pretty good during the season. The Western road trips go well. Will they have what it takes come Springtime? " We will see", they said. Here come The Playoffs. Atlanta. Seven Games?? They survive. Clevland and Lebron James await in Round Two. Another seven games. Why are they having such trouble on the road? Next up... Detroit, and The Eastern Conference Finals. Tough. Physical. Still some problems on the road, but they come up big in Game 6, and go ...BACK TO THE FINALS!!!...AGAINST THE LAKERS!!! The 37 year old kid is 13, 14, or 15 again. The memories. Bird. Magic. McHale taking down Rambis. Jack Nicholson... Beat LA !!!

Four games to two. Celtics win. At The Garden. Just like the old days. Boston goes crazy. Banner number 17 at last. Some did not get to see it, but they are looking down and smiling. The Celtics have made it all the way back. The kid is grown up, but feels like a teenager again. It feels great. Let's hold onto this, and never let it slip away.