Friday, June 20, 2008

A Measure of Redemption

It doesn't make up for the Patriots, but we'll take it...



It's a dictum that holds true for all sports...

Defense Wins Championships!

The Patriots may have said that last year too, but they were whistling past the graveyard when they said it, as their defense was aging rapidly on them.

Then again, how much more would the rest of the country have hated this town if the Patriots had managed to get it done too? Is it possible to hate us any more?

Defense wins championships... It makes me less uneasy with another iron law:

Money buys championships.

But that's a subject for another day.

As with the Red Sox last fall, I'd be remiss in not giving credit where credit is due, even though I haven't been following the Celtics avidly. To tell the truth, I'm not much of an NBA fan anymore, although it really was nice seeing them demolish the Lakers, especially in that last game. It kind of got the juices flowing again.

And speaking of "The Truth", the best thing about this was that Paul Pierce really deserved it. He's been a class act in this town, and seeing him win a championship after all of those years in the wilderness was gratifying.

Disclaimer: This post is in no way meant to rub salt into the wounds of Utah Jazz fans. If, however, you root for anyone else (and you know who you are), y'all can kiss my ...

SWEET SEVENTEEN!

9 comments:

Garpu said...

Hrm. I didn't watch the Celtics, and they won. I watched the Patriots, and they lost. I watched the Bears and the Seahawks the years previously, and they lost. I'm seeing a pattern.

cowboyangel said...

Is it possible to hate us any more?

Was that a rhetorical question, or do you actually want an answer? :-)

Kudos to Boston for winning the championships of baseball and basketball in the same year. Very impressive. Has that been done before? Has any city won all 3 major sports championships in the same year?

I used to be much more into basketball - camping out all night at MSG for Knicks playoffs tickets a couple of times. But I watched all of about 15 minutes of the playoffs this year - quick exits by the 3 Texas teams, perhaps. But I did want Boston to beat LA - there are few teams I hate as much as the LA Lakers, especially with Kobe Bryant on them - and I loved seeing the final score of the last game.

And I'm happy for Pierce.

But, really, 17 NBA championships. Can't you guys spread the wealth a bit?

Interesting that Boston totally outdoes NY in basketball championships and NY totally dominates in baseball championships.

I was very intrigued by Tim Donaghy's accusation that the Game 6 between Sacramento and the Lakers a few years ago in the Westerne Finals had been fixed. We were really into the playoffs that year and followed that series closely. At the end of Game 6, I felt for the first time in my life that I had actually witnessed a fixed professional sports game.

Jeff said...

Jen,

Uh oh. That is indeed a troubling development. You may want to consult with your doctor. William used to complain of the same malady.

If you have an albatross effect that lasts more than four seasons, please seek medical treatment right away, as this can lead to a serious condition... ;-)

William,

I don't think any city has pulled off the big three, that I know of. Two is common (if you include hockey). Here is a list I've seen:

1956: New York Giants (NFL) and New York Yankees (MLB)

1971: Pittsburgh Steelers (NFL) and Pittsburgh Pirates (MLB)

1976: Pittsburgh Steelers (NFL) and Pittsburgh Pirates (MLB)

1999: Dallas Cowboys (NFL) and Dallas Stars (NHL)

2001: Denver Broncos (NFL) and Colorado Avalanche (NHL)

2002: Los Angeles Lakers (NBA) and Anaheim Angels (MLB)

2004: New England Patriots (NFL) and Boston Red Sox (MLB)

I don't know about fixing, but they say basketball is one of the easiest sports to shave. Anne was looking at the score the other night, and she was openly speculating on it herself.

As far as other pro events go, ever since the WBA and the WBC in Mexico took over the administration of boxing titles, I haven't been able to take many fights seriously.

Of course, we've also discussed the Tuck Rule and the Ben Dreith incident, regarding football. One does have to wonder...

Ditto on Kobe. He's an awful person. I don't know... It just didn't feel like the old days of the NBA, when every guy in the Lakers lineup was a bonafide star. It just wasn't the same.

As for title 17, I can't feel too bad about it. 22 years is a long time to go without winning by anyone's standards. :-D

cowboyangel said...

I see you conveniently forgot about the 1968-69 New York Jets and New York Mets!!! Damn Beantowner!

Jan 1969 - Jets win the Super Bowl
Oct 1969 - Mets win the Series.

Plus, the Knicks won the NBA title for the 1969-70 season! So if you stretch things out a little . . . .

Jan 1969 - Jets win the Super Bowl
Oct 1969 - Mets win the Series. Oct 1969 - Knicks begin their Championship season.

cowboyangel said...

And, no, I don't include hockey, especially not hockey in Dallas, Texas.

Jeff said...

Now wait a minute. You're getting a little bit creative about how you cast this "New York" umbrella.

If you want to bring in Long Island, stay on Long Island.

If you say Jets...

And you say Mets...

You can't say Knicks...

You've gotta say Nets.

cowboyangel said...

:-) New Yorkers are generous with their definitions of "New York," considering two of three football teams from NY play in New Jersey. (And the third may move to Canada?)

In theory, the Nets are moving to Brooklyn, so technically they will be in the city. Except for people who live in Manhattan, who only consider the "city" to be Manhattan. So to them, only the Rangers and Knicks are actually from the "City."

The Jets will be moving team headquarters and their practice field from Long Island to New Jersey at the end of training camp this year. So their schizophrenic NJ/LI association will be over. Though they will continue to play in the "New York" Giants stadium. (The only major professional sports team to not have their own stadium.)

[They're not actually moving the practice field. Hofstra wouldn't like that.) they will have their own new practice field in NJ.)

But the year the Jets won the Super Bowl, they were still playing at Shea, as were the Mets, so they were both, technically, "New York City" teams at that time. (Except, again, for snotty Manhattanites.)

Although Brooklyn and Queens are, geographically speaking, on Long Island, so I guess we could consider the Mets a Long Island team. And the Nets if they ever actually move to Brooklyn. Except that New Yorkers don't think in terms of geography and despite my vociferous arguments, never admit that Brooklyn and Queens are on Long Island.

There's a great scene in Simple Men about the Queens/LI thing.

Then again, Foxboro isn't exactly Boston, is it?!?!

Garpu said...

Hrm. Past 3 seasons for the Superbowl. Think it's a sign from above that I just shouldn't watch football. Although I *did* follow the Red Wings, and they won the Stanley Cup.

Weird. Haven't been able to get to your blog all day. It would hang on loading the toolator thingy.

Liam said...

I definitely cheer for the Celtics against the Lakers, especially Kobe Bryant's Lakers. It was great to see how happy Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce were, and much deserved on their part.

My favorite team in the East is Cleveland, so once the Jazz and the Cavaliers were out, I was pulling for the Celtics, Danny Ainge or no Danny Ainge.