What's Done Is Done.

Just Let Doc Leave...

Amidst all the trade talks between the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Clippers, one thing is certain for the Celtics next season: Nothing will be the same. What's done is done. Doc has no intent of coming back and even if he did, how would the locker room respond? They wouldn't want a guy who tried to pack up his bags and ditch town coming back in August saying he's ready to move on from the summer and win some games.

Doesn't work like that.

Doc Rivers' time in Boston is done. Next year he'll either be coaching the Clippers, broadcasting for ESPN, or retired. There is no more going back after this debacle. It's a publically known fact Doc is uncertain to come back to a team in midst of a possible roster overhaul looking to move veterans KG and Paul. Doc isn't down to coach a rebuilding franchise. He wants to coach a contender. And he's certainly earned that right.

Even though Doc is still under contract with Boston for three more years, him leaving seems very understandable for some reason. You would think when one of the top coaches in the NBA that's led your team to a title wants to ditch, you'd be pissed. But in all fairness, Doc's served his time and can do what he's doing and not get hanged. Doc helped bring some glory years back to Boston alongside KG, Paul and Rondo. He led a flailing franchise to its 17th title. And for some reason, people can live with him leaving. And this is because this situation has been in the makings. Eventually KG and Paul would get too old and couldn't be a centerpiece any longer and of course Doc would follow suit with these guys and leave. Although this time, it's the coach making the first move not the players. Doc was the one coming out publicly saying he was uncertain about his future not Kevin or Paul. Doc made the first move and Kevin followed by saying if they sent him where Doc went he'd lift his no-trade clause. So that's where the Clippers come in. In need of a coach and veteran presence and trying to impress a superstar (Chris Paul) to re-sign with them. Talks were on. Then they were off. Then they were on. Then the NBA said they wouldn't let the trade pass.

The framework of the deal has been up and down and every direction since talks started. Once, it was Eric Bledsoe, DeAndre Jordan and two first rounders for KG and Doc. But then L.A. wanted to use Bledsoe to deal with other teams so they reached a stalemate. Then Boston said it wouldn't need Bledsoe to make a deal, but they wanted L.A. to take either Terry or Lee to free up cap room for Boston. Then it looked like Caron Butler or Willie Green, DeAndre Jordan and two first rounders for KG, Doc and Lee. Then those talks broke down, but then Chris Paul relayed to Clippers front office that for him to sign the deal had to get done and all of a sudden talks were back on. And then the NBA comes in and says the deal is illegal.

JUST PUT US OUT OF OUR MISERY.

NBA wants to see the two separate deals for KG and a deal for obtain rights to Doc Rivers. Now that slows down the process. Just put us Celtics fans out of our misery and let our heart and soul leave. Let the men that brought us back to titletown leave. Our hearts have already been stepped on, so stop jumping on them. Let the deals go through.
DeAndre Jordan and Willie Green for KG and Courtney Lee.
Two first rounders for rights of Doc Rivers.
There. Let those two deals go through. Clippers get what they want and we get a center and a bench scorer and two draft picks. We get cap space freed up for make a run at Josh Smith on draft night that way and our franchise can quickly rebuild rather than lengthy. Give up both our first rounders (one from L.A.) and Paul for Josh Smith. Smith is actually someone who wouldn't mind playing with Rondo. Seeing as they made a good tandem is in high school together, a reunion sounds about perfect. Think about putting Rondo, Bradley, Green, Smith and Jordan out there as a starting five and Sully, Bass, Jet and Green coming off the bench. That's a pretty young and deep team right there. The rebuilding process could be started and finished in just a matter of two weeks.

So please commish. Stop this nonsense. The wounds of us Celtics fans are deep. (Ray just getting another ring doesn't help) Our heart and soul is going to be shipped out with our beloved coach. Let it happen. We knew this day would come eventually. Maybe not so quick but it did. Now stop ripping the Band-Aid off slowly. Just rip it as quick as possible please, because the more you wait around the more tears and pain develop. Finish the deal so we can move on and accept what our team will become and try to smile at the great memories of the past 6 years with KG and Doc. And smile with a tear at the great 15-plus Paul gave us. These men will be deeply missed. We knew this time would come. Maybe not so soon, but what's done is done, and it's time to move on.

Why Celtics Fans Should Root Against the Heat

Why We Should Root Against the Miami Heat

Since the Finals are fully underway and of course the favored (and despised) Miami Heat are contending to take home a second title in a row. I just wanted to let all Celtics fans why we need to root against Miami to show loyalty to our beloved Gang Green.

1) The Pat Riley Factor.

C'mon. It's Pat Riley. How do you root for this guy? If you even want to call yourself a Celtics fan you can't ever say you want to see him have any success. Magic vs. Bird. Pat was the infamous coach during that decade. He led the Lakers, our biggest rival at the time, to two titles over our Larry Bird led C's. Now he's the man that put together this 'Big 3' in Miami and lets be honest has more of an influence on the team than so called 'coach' Spolestra does. If you don't remember earlier in the year our GM Danny Ainge made a comment about Lebron James bitching over calls and Riley, the dick himself, fired back at Ainge and quote said "Danny Ainge needs to shut the f--- up and manage his own team. He was the biggest whiner going when he was playing and I know that because I coached against him." How would you ever root for a team that takes shot at our GM? You can't! Now, I'm not saying we can't respect Riley. He is one of basketball greatest influences throughout history. But we sure as hell don't have to like him or his team. He is and always will be a considered a rival to the Celtics.

2) The Lebron Factor.

I just don't know how anyone really roots for this guy. I'm not denying that he's the greatest basketball player in the world, but how do you root for him. He had to form a super team to get his ring. I understand he needed help in Cleveland, a lot of it. But he gave up his integrity as a person taking the easy way out by forming a super squad. He took a lot of backlash from many Hall-of-Fame NBA'ers, because they never did it that way. Lebron needed help, not the amount that he got though. Jordan had Pippen, not someone like Isaiah Thomas. The greats always had epic face-offs not teaming up to win championships. He took his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers and packed his bags and ditched. What kind of person disgraces himself like that?? The way he went about it too, just pathetic. I just feel like if he stayed in Cleveland and got the help he needed like a above average scorer and a solid big man his legacy would be double what it is now. Any ring he would have won would have more prominence in Cleveland than anywhere else. Lebron just needs to be hated. He  needs to have haters like me. And we as Celtics fan must hate him. If he's not with us, then he's against us. No if and's or but's about it. He beats our team and is a wimp who couldn't take the pressure of carrying a team so he went to someone who knew how to carry a team in Dwayne Wade. I'm not even from Ohio or have any relation to anyone in Ohio and I STILL to this day can't stand or believe the decision he made. Yes, Lebron James is unstoppable and yes he's the best player in the world. BUT he is also a COWARD and deserves to still hear about it. He took a reeling franchise historically known for being bad, and made them a contender for a couple years couldn't get the job done and had some pressure on him so he packed up and left. COWARD....

3) They've Taken Our Crown

During our 'Big 3' era we ran the Eastern Conference. We were the standard. And now since the new and cowardly 'Big 3' have arrived we were eliminated in the conference semis in five games and last year's heartbreaker game seven in the conference finals. We can't root for this team; they are the rival. They came in and took our crown. How does any Celtic fan find a way to even remotely root for this team? This team is our rival. Equal to what the Patriots have against the Jets and what the Bruins have against the Canadians and what the Sox have against Yanks. This should be and is our #1 public enemy when it comes to the NBA. We were on top in this conference. It was our conference and they came in and stole the show. And as loyal Celtic fans we need to hate this team and wait and fight to get our crown of the Eastern Conference back.

4) Coward #1: Ray Allen

God. This man is scum. Sleazebag. If you're a Celtics fan and my first three reasons don't make you hate this team (you're not a fan at this point) then this reason must make you hate the Heat. Oh the infamous Ray Allen. Once beloved by me and many other Celtics fans. Then there was last summer. Where he leaves Boston to go to the team that eliminated he and his team for the second straight year for LESS FRICKING MONEY TOO. Oh Ray Allen. I know you lost your minutes when the godly figure Avery Bradley showed up on the court. Sorry that he knew how to play defense and didn't have the ankle problem you did. Ray Allen. How do you leave? We brought you home. Accepted you, and made you're career ,which was great, and made it even greater. We brought you in past your prime took two other old guys and made a championship team for you guys. How do you repay us Ray? You go to the hated rival. You take all the commitment to your 'Big 3' and leave. KG and Paul were like brothers to you. You guys all had that connection; Fought long hard years and finally were paid off to triumph with these guys. So what do you go and do? Leave to a team that "gives a better chance to win titles". What was the point of our Big 3? To get a better chance to win titles. Don't ever wonder why KG and Paul won't talk to you and why all of Boston hates you. It's not that this guy left. It's the way he did it. WE offered more money and WE had a plan of getting the band back together and adding pieces to BEAT the Heat not friggin JOIN them. Where is your sense of comradery? Obviously you don't have one. It wasn't like we gave you a horrible offer (cough* Belichick-Welker cough*) and wanted you to leave. We wanted the band back to make a run at these guys and you leave us for THEM? Insanity. Just because you lost some minutes with the team and had a little quibble with Rondo and had some hard times doesn't mean you pack your bags and ditch. (Sound familiar? cough* Lebron cough*) But for you Ray, its worse. We loved you. You were one of the favorites in Boston and you broke our hearts. And that's why we will never forgive you and that's why you don't deserve another ring ever again. Ever. You Ray Allen are the number one coward in the NBA and you play for the Heat and you broke Celtics fans hearts. That is why we as Celtics fans can never ever root for you again as long as you play.


And so, if these reasons don't register with you on why we as Celtics fans MUST hate the Heat then you can no longer be considered a Celtic fan. I do have great respect for the Heat. I don't deny they have the best team in the NBA, the best player in the world and the best three-ball shooter ever and that's why we HAVE to hate them.
Go Celtics. (And please San Antonio, take it away from Ray for me)

The Bruins Quest (continued)

We're going to the Cup!!!

Are you freaking serious??? A SWEEP?!!?!?! Against the Penguins??!?! Is this correct?! Welp, it is. Total domination! Tuukka Rask has turned into the 2011 Tim Thomas, maybe even better. Chara did his usual, hit and block everything. Chara actually made the key save with less than a minute left as he used that 6'9" body frame of his to block the shot away from the wide open net. The stingy Boston defense held two of the best scores in the league (Crosby and Malkin) to ZERO, yes I repeat, ZERO points in four games. The Bruins offense did just enough in games 3 and 4 to eek out two victories. The Penguins generated no offense whatsoever tonight and Rask played his ass off yet again. Rask held the highest scoring offense in the league to two shut outs. They weren't shut out all season long. Also, the Penguins had the best power play in the NHL throughout the season and in the playoffs. Boston shut them down to 0 for 15 on power play tries. This was the first time the Penguins have been swept in 45 series dating back to 1979 which happened against the Bruins. The defense and goaltending showed off its brawn this series and could be the leading force for this team to win four more games and become Stanley Cup Champions.

As for the Iginla-Jagr argument the stats from this series show for themselves:
Iginla:                                             Jagr:
+/-: -4                                             +/-: +3
Points: 0                                         Points: 3
Shots on Goal: 5                            Shots on Goal: 10

The stats show for themselves, Jagr was more of a producer in this series. He was more of a producer throughout the season as well. This series just showed that even though we got screwed on the Iginla deal, Jagr was the better pickup anyway. He's helped bring a presence on the power play and just on the ice in general.

As for the 2013 Rask-2011 Thomas comparisons:

1st 2 rounds + 1st 3 Games Conf. Final:
                   2011 Thomas       2013 Rask
Save %           .932                      .940
GAA              2.28                     1.88
SOG/G          34.5                     33.4
*stats from espn.com

As you can see Rask, even though inconsistent during the year and has had his problems, is actually having a better postseason then Thomas had before the Stanley Cup in 2011. He has posted a better save percentage and goals against average. Rask gave up a mere TWO goals in four games to a Penguins team that averaged over four goals a game going into the series. This performance has taken any criticism from the experts, or me, and thrown it straight out the window. Rask is the real deal, write it down. Tuukka Rask has become elite. The Bruins must ride him if they want to capture a second title in three years...

Bruins Quest for the Cup

The Quest: Stanley Cup. The Goal: Become Champions

Coming into these NHL playoffs, the Bruins were not the favorite to make a run at the title. Late in the season they seemed to fall apart and crumble their way down to a 4-seed, when all followers of this team knew they deserved the 2-seed over the Canadians. They whimpered down to the old Bruins we used to know, lacking in effort and overall seeming not to care when it mattered most. The team looked tired and worn down having to play six games in a matter of nine days to close out the season. Losing four of those six games, the Bruins had no momentum going into these playoffs. Rask was playing so inconsistent there was even talks of bringing in backup goalie Khudobin for the playoffs. People were even bashing Milan Lucic for playing soft and not stepping up and leading the team. The reeling Bruins headed into the playoffs playing a division foe: Toronto Maple Leafs.

Many thought that this series would be a cake walk for the Bruins and for the most part it was. the Bruins quickly took a 3-1 series lead and seemed to be in total control of the series. But then they seemed to lose that competitors edge and fire. They seemed to lay back in games five and six and that could to blame for why they lost both of those games. They reverted back to the old regular season Bruins. Game 7 was no different the Bruins took a quick 1-0 lead but then fell down 4-2 with just under ten minutes to play in the game. The Bruins season, which looked much alive just days before, was crumbling before our eyes. The Garden was dead, the team was dead and there was no hope of a comeback. Then with just under two minutes left, Lucic finds the back of the net and then there is life. 4-3 game, ninety seconds left in their season and Boston was in a mad rush to tie the game and force OT. And after pulling Rask to give an extra attacker the Bruins connected on a Bergeron wrist shot from the blue line.

4-4. Tie game. 50 seconds left in regulation. All you hear is noise. Screaming, yelling, fist pumping and people just losing their minds. The Garden which was dead just five minutes earlier was now the party spot in Boston. I'm sitting on the couch (kneeling on the ground actually) just fired up. Just moments before this unbelievable comeback, I was pulling the fan card where right before your teams doom you turn into a negative nelly. "This team will never do it", "Rask isn't Thomas, we need a goalie", "This team had no heart this year, just disappointing", "All that talent gone to waste on this team". Things like that, yes, were coming out of my mouth moments before I witnessed the best hockey game I'll ever see. And we hadn't even won the game yet. The game was only tied. This team still needed to win in OT to complete it. But, by the time they had tied it every single person, Bruin or Maple Leaf fan, knew that it was over. The Bruins were gonna come out firing and end it and take the series. And sure enough they did. Rask, who I was just bashing moments before, makes a couple great saves to keep them alive. And six minutes in who else, again, but Bergeron. On the rebound a wide open net and a series clincher. (Note: Milan Lucic, who was heavily criticized by many late in the season, was the leader of this comeback. He was the only guy with some fire while this team was down and out, finally showing he is the true leader)

BEST HOCKEY GAME I'VE EVER WITNESSED. Pandemonium, that's the only word I could even think to describe the Garden or my household for that matter. Just that feeling of joyous shock. Like you haven't totally comprehended what just happened, but holy shit you know it was good! There really isn't anything else to describe what happened. This was one of those moments where you just hug, fist bump or high-five the person next to you and take it all in, because this was easily one of the best Bruins games ever. One of the greatest comebacks ever.

Game 7 was one of those moments that sets a team off. You could feel it in the next series against the Rangers. The Bruins just wanted to get it over with. They knew they were better and they were playing better as well. They all believed something special was in the making with this team. There wasn't much to say about this series besides the fact that the Bruins dominated the weaker Rangers and took it handily in five games.

That set up a series with the mighty Penguins who were 3-0 against the Bruins this year (all games decided by a single goal though), and who might I add have Jerome friggin Iginla, who should be a Bruin. (Just to add some fuel to the fire here) And for the record, I believe Jaromir Jagr was a better pickup for us. Iginla has since been demoted to the third line for Pittsburgh and Jagr has been promoted to our second line with Bergeron and Marchand. And Jagr seems to have a lot more left in his tank. He looks faster, quicker, stronger and still has some elusive puck skills and helps set up a lot of offense whether it's on the power play or with our best line. This was the series all Bruin fans were expecting while we were sitting in the 2-seed position just a month earlier. Now we felt like a 2-seed and felt like we could take the NHL's best offense with our high powered D led by Zdeno Chara (the monster) and others (including a small scrappy Torey Krug who was playing in Providence just a month and is now a key part to the Bruins power play attack). So heading into this many Bruins fans knew it would be a dogfight and playing in Pittsburgh is certainly no walk in the park.

But, if you were to tell me before the playoffs started the Bruins were going to go into Pittsburgh in the conference finals and outscore them 9-1 in those first two games I'd probably punch you in the jaw and call you insane. And if you added in the fact that they went back to Boston and took game 3 2-1 in double OT where Rask makes 50-plus saves and we get out shot by over 12? You'd be on the ground at that point. But nevertheless all of this is true and the Bruins have the 'mighty' Penguins in a choke hold now up 3-0 facing off in Boston tonight at eight trying to end the series and avoid giving the Penguins any life. These first three games have been total domination to say the least. At least the first two games were. Offensively and defensively the Bruins controlled the game. Equalized Crosby and Malkin (also I've barely heard Iginla's name up until this point) and made the Penguins play Boston Bruins kind of hockey. The offense looks smooth and clicking, Lucic is bringing people reminders of the great Cam Neely and David Krejci is doing his best impression of Joe Thorton. And Rask has at certain times been lucky and other times he has been standing on his head as hockey experts say. Game 3 Pittsburgh came out looking desperate (because they are) and playing sure as hell like it. Game 3 was the type of game the Penguins were supposed to win. Taking over 50 shots, no bad defensive lapses and good goaltending, all things that led them to the 1-seed and home ice advantage. But, the Bruins were in 'that' zone. The type of zone they had in the game 7 overtime against Toronto. Relentless and not backing down. And a lot of the credit must go to Rask for playing his ass off in this game. I can proudly say he is showing me glimpses of 2011 Tim Thomas who was the sole reason the Bruins won that year. Rask's play led them to a double OT victory in game 3; a game they shouldn't have won. Not because they didn't play better or give the effort just because they weren't supposed to win. the 'mighty' Penguins aren't supposed to fall down 3-0 to this team. This series was supposed to be a dogfight and it just plain isn't. the Penguins are down (very far actually) but not out (certainly close though). Even on their best night they couldn't eek out a victory against this team and they way they were outplayed in the first two games and the way Boston somehow won game 3 (another all-time great game by the way) the Penguins are as close as you can come to being finished, and the Bruins are just starting to peak.

I don't know how, but the Bruins are the heavy favorite in the east now and are so close to the finals they can taste it. All because of one game. That Game 7 in the Garden against Toronto on May 13th changed this team. They have a purpose now. They have a goal. Something special is going on here.