11/21/24
October 02, 2009
Celtics Hang Blank Championship Banner: The Boston Celtics have hung a blank banner in the rafters of the team's practice facility alongside the one that reads "2008 World Champions." The Celtics added Rasheed Wallace and Marquis Daniels in the off-season. "Blame it on Red," Doc Rivers told the Boston Herald about the banner.
posted by rcade to basketball at 09:39 AM - 21 comments
Not a good idea. Not as bad as signing Artis Gilmore, but still, it's not good.
posted by beaverboard at 10:14 AM on October 02, 2009
I'm definitely not a "Celtics" fan, but I can't help but really like this team for its assembly of some really likeable players.
I think the blank banner is an outstanding idea. A team "could" print its own banner for a practice facility that actually had the title and date ... but the blank one implies overtly that they have to fill it. It's "possible" ... not guaranteed ... which, to me, is the difference between confident (goal-oriented) and arrogant.
"There is no I in TEAM ... but there is in WIN"
posted by Spitztengle at 10:57 AM on October 02, 2009
They call it a blank banner, I call it a large green Kleenex they'll use to dry their pitiful tears when the Magic beat them again on their way to the finals.
Sorry guys, hubris is never attractive.
posted by LostInDaJungle at 11:22 AM on October 02, 2009
Or, as would be pertinent to the NBA:
There is no "I" in team, but there are a couple in "PATERNITY SUIT."
posted by wfrazerjr at 11:22 AM on October 02, 2009
They call it a blank banner, I call it a large green Kleenex they'll use to dry their pitiful tears when the Magic beat them again on their way to the finals.
Now that's funny! We'll see when the Celtics (and a healthy KG) make the Magic disappear from the playoffs if the Magic make it.
I'm a pretty huge Vince Carter fan but I don't see him staying healthy for an entire year and the Magic no longer have Hedo Turkoglu to rely on.
posted by BornIcon at 11:35 AM on October 02, 2009
but I can't help but really like this team for its assembly of some really likeable players.
Yeah. How can you not be charmed by the adorable Rasheed Wallace?
posted by cjets at 11:35 AM on October 02, 2009
I don't mind this. In a sense, the Celtics were never really dethroned. They were ravaged by injuries last year, & still made it through a round of playoff basketball. If they can stay healthy (and that is a big IF considering the age of their team), why shouldn't they have that level of expectation?
Either way, it has been a good run for them. Everyone forgets this team, with the big 3, were originally put together in the hopes to grab one immediate title. That's all. It was a desperate Danny/Doc move to save their jobs. Anything else is icing on the cake.
and cjets, isn't Sheed kind of likable in the same way ochocinco is?
posted by brainofdtrain at 11:48 AM on October 02, 2009
Yeah, there was a piece on 'Sheed on Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel years ago (believe Wallace was still on the Blazers) that made him seem like a nice guy who turns into a nut on the court. I'm excited to see him on the Celtics this year, at least until I get over the dream and have to face the reality that's he's a shade of his former self.
posted by yerfatma at 12:39 PM on October 02, 2009
Arrogant and ill-advised. Makes me root for anyone but them.
posted by dusted at 01:59 PM on October 02, 2009
They did the same thing in 2007. You'll have to retroactive your dislike.
posted by yerfatma at 02:16 PM on October 02, 2009
Also,
Kind of a tangent here, but anyone got the over/under on how many after the big 3 are gone before we remember that Doc/Danny were terrible at their respective jobs? Amazing what three future hall of famers can do to change the percpetion of a GM & the coach.
posted by brainofdtrain at 02:20 PM on October 02, 2009
They did the same thing in 2007.
In 2007 there was no blank banner, just an empty spot upon which a spotlight had been trained on the wall of the training facility.
posted by Howard_T at 02:42 PM on October 02, 2009
before we remember that Doc/Danny were terrible at their respective jobs?
I'm willing to concede Doc, even if he did win Coach of the Year once, but Danny Ainge has a pretty good track record. He's drafted pretty well since becoming GM, even though he didn't "win" the Oden sweepstakes and has had high picks/ just second-rounders the past couple of years.
posted by yerfatma at 03:15 PM on October 02, 2009
and cjets, isn't Sheed kind of likable in the same way ochocinco is?
I don't really consider them similar. At his best, Ochocinco liked the over the top celebrations when he scored. Sheed is a guy with anger management issues on the court that have hurt him and his team.
I don't dislike him, I just don't think he's a "really likeable player." But that's OK. He'll still help get the Celtics to the finals.
Then they can ship that banner to L.A. after the Lakers beat them.
posted by cjets at 04:40 PM on October 02, 2009
Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, KG, Rondo ... those are enough suited cards to trump one Rasheed Wallace in the "likeable player" category. Heck, any one of those guys alone can trump Wallace in that category.
I'll stick to my original statement, not a Celtics fan in any way, other than I do like a handful of their players.
posted by Spitztengle at 06:31 PM on October 02, 2009
I don't think the Celtics over the last couple of years are very likeable. Which seems strange to me because there's only one guy, Pierce, that I really dislike and quite a few that I do like. It's their aggressive style of play, they just feel like bullies to me.
posted by tron7 at 07:21 PM on October 02, 2009
I don't think the Celtics over the last couple of years are very likeable.
No, they have to be one of the most disliked teams among other players. They talk an enormous amount of shit since KG came to town.
posted by yerfatma at 07:45 AM on October 03, 2009
Born, people who don't watch a lot of Magic BBall seem to think we'll miss Turk a lot. We won't. He hurt us as much as he helped us most nights. I've been a fan of his since he was with the Kings, and I still wasn't upset to see him go. He had a VERY up and down offensive game, and as a defender lacked energy and effort.
As for Carter... Nothing in his history tells me he has trouble staying healthy, and frankly, I like the guy behind him on the bench in Pietrus.
I'm more excited to have Anderson and Bass in the fold which means 'Shard can move over and man the three. Add Matt Barnes for more depth at SF, and I think we gained much more than we lost. I'm looking forward to seeing if we play Gortat and Howard against Sheed and KG. Fun stuff man.
posted by LostInDaJungle at 09:39 AM on October 05, 2009
Born, people who don't watch a lot of Magic BBall seem to think we'll miss Turk a lot. We won't.
Not sure what you're definition of 'a lot' is but I watched a lot of the Magic in the playoffs and you can say what you want but Turkoglu was a main reason as to why they even reached the NBA Finals.
I'm looking forward to seeing if we play Gortat and Howard against Sheed and KG.
People that don't watch 'alot' of Celtics basketball seem to think because KG was injured last season and with the addition of Rasheed Wallace, that the Celtics won't get back to their rightful place as NBA champions but that's why they play the game. We'll see.
posted by BornIcon at 09:18 AM on October 06, 2009
Born, no disrespect was intended. I think KG and Sheed takes away Orlando's ability to play 'Shard at the 4, and Bass and Anderson aren't going to handle Wallace or KG. That's why I'll be curious to see if we play both Centers in a "Twin Tower" arrangement against you guys.
As far as Turk, it would be like me saying that the Celts will really miss Big Baby based on him playing well over a few games at the end of the year.
posted by LostInDaJungle at 04:57 PM on October 07, 2009
I like the confidence that the Celtics are showing this year with the addition of 'Sheed and the return of KG. I'm more than sure that there will be some that feel that the Celtics' confidence may borderline arrogance but I like it...then again, I am a Celtics fan.