17! 17! 17!

My favorite sports team is obviously the Red Sox, but my first sports love was the Boston Celtics. We moved to New Hampshire in '86, the year of the greatest Celtics team that I have ever seen. Larry Legend, McHale, Parish, DJ and Ainge. When the Celtics traded for Ray Allen and KG, I just wanted 50 wins and a playoff series win. But, it rejuvenated me when it came to NBA. I watch more games this years, then in years past. And tonight, on June 17th 2008, the Boston Celtics, my first sports love, have clinched their 17th Championship. There was nothing like the Sox in '04, but this win brings me back to my earliest childhood sports memories. Celtics Championship...I LIVE FOR THIS!!

Worst Fans

I have been thinking a lot about fandom in sports. What makes a good fan? What is the worst type of fans? I do not think the worst kind of fans are front runners or bandwagon fans. I think they are the fans that have this stupid sense of entitlement. They feel that their team has to win EVERY year and if they do not win EVERY year then the season was a failure. They are whiny and pathetic, and people cannot stand to be around them. (disclaimer...I am very aware the teams that I root for, the Pats, Sox and Celtics, have many fans that are this way. For most of them it is a new thing and obnoxious. But I promise that I will never be this way...end disclaimer) The amazing thing about these fans is that they are fans of the teams that I hate most: The Lakers, BYU and the Yankees. Some of these "fans" fly hundreds of miles just to watch their team lose in a playoff game. These "fans" find every reason to believe that their team did not lose. The worst part about them is that because they are the loudest "fans" of the teams they "root" for, the teams' entire fan base gets stereotyped as being like them. One of my good friends from UNC is a HUGE Lakers fan and I got a great email from him after game 2. I was expecting him to make wise cracks about poor officiating and how the C's did not win that game without help. But instead this is what I got:

"My boy Leon Powe killed us... and yes, I know him personally from CAL, I was his trainer for 2 years while he was hurt and I know the man has game, but coooooooommmmmeeee onnnnnn LAKERS!!!!!

I was pleased to see the tremendous come back late in the 4th, at the same time I was
mad that Phil didn't have Vujacic in sooner because Radmanovic was F'n things up all night. I'm just frustrated right and hope that we can come out with 3 wins in LA.
Ya'll are looking real good right now, I think our only hope at winning is if your benchcatches the flu or something. Hmmm... I might have my sick cousin walk by your locker room before the game tomorrow night. I'm calling him right now. This is Biological Warfare!!!!"

Now that is a real fan of his team. Not once does he blame it on anyone else, but the team he ROOTS for. If more fans were like that, the sports world would be a better place. Instead, we are stuck with "fans" who have this ridiculous sense of entitlement, who will continue to run sports into the ground.

Things that make me angry during the Red Sox/Rays game...

So, it has been a very long time since I have blogged. We are in New Jersey this summer for my summer internship with the Hunterdon Health Care System. Because of that I come home tired and I just want to spend time with Amy and Grace. So, I do and I don't blog. BUT, right now I watching the Sox play the Rays on ESPN. I am not even going to rant about how horrible Sutcliffe is tonight, but as I watch somethings on the TV driving me crazy.
First, for about 2 innings ESPN decided that it was a great idea to add something to there bottom line. Even few seconds a breaking news report would come on the screen with this important, earth shattering news: Derek Jeter has surpassed Mickey Mantle for 3rd on the all time Yankees hit list. NOT MLB ALL TIME HIT LIST...NOPE, THE YANKEES HIT LIST! Will there be breaking news when someone becomes the player with the 3rd most hits on the Rays???? Why should anyone care?????????
Second, and this has nothing to do with ESPN. There are a lot of things that drive me crazy about the Cialis commercials, but I noticed something today. The announcer guy said, "Do not drink alcohol in excess when taking Cialis." WHEN SHOULD ONE EVER DRINK ALCOHOL IN EXCESS??? WHEN IS THAT EVER A GOOD IDEA? I want the announcer to say next time, "Do not rob any banks while taking Cialis." Seriously...wow.