We Have Explored What the C’s Need– Now It’s Time to Move On

We Have Explored What the C’s Need– Now It’s Time to Move On
November 24, 2009 by Nick Gelso

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Have we all read enough regarding the Celtics struggles of late? I know I can barely get my fingers on the keyboard to write about it anymore. The Celtics problems are so over analyzed in the blogging world right now. Why hasn’t the ESPN hype-machine really honed in on it? Even NBATV is underplaying the team’s recent record. Is it because we have a better finger on the pulse of our team? Is it because the green-team has offered us little more to write about other then their recent woes? Can it be because they are so fixated on the “LeBrons” or Ron Artest’s nude exhibition on Jimmy Kimmel? Or, is it because the analysts that sit behind the desk are onto something by actually not over-hyping this one?

I would say, all of the above.

Their is no doubt that, as Celtics writers, we have the right to over analyze our team’s struggles. Let’s face it, the C’s are not playing well. Four wins, four losses, in the last eight games– .500 basketball is not something we are used to OR comfortable with. Putting the Celtics under a microscope daily (hourly) allows us to scrutinize every missed pass, criticize every defensive rotation that never materialized, agonize over the games that were too close for comfort. We can sometimes look deep into the eyes of the players. Glare directly through to their hearts. The heart of a champion? As a whole, I would say yes. During this stretch, I would say absolutely not.

Do we posses magical contact lenses that allow us to read the minds of the players? Challenge their hearts, passion or desire to win? It would be laughable to think we did. Truth is, the closest I can get to befriending a Celtics player is through an occasional twitter response from Shelden Williams. Take writing out of the equation– Dave Cowens summed it up best when he told Larry Bird that Boston fans know when you are not giving 100%. So, are the Celtics players dogging it?

As writers, we try to remove our passions from our material. I try to at least. What I’ve really realized lately is that it’s difficult to not be emotional when your team is in the pit of negativity. We are their right now. Look around the Celtics blogging world. It’s hard to find material that is positive and uplifting right now. Greg Payne at Celticsblog made me chuckle a bit this morning. Reds Army frequently brings a smile to my face with their KG Face of the Day segment. Gino’s Jungle took my mind off things last night while I completed my GJ Pickems. As a whole, however, the C’s news community is suffocating me with a negative dose of Ray Allen trade options, Roller coaster rides of bumpy– inconsistent play, Things the C’s need to improve on and playing the blame game. Are these stories bad? Absolutely Not. Are they necessary? Probably. These stories possess very interesting facts, thought provoking ideas and are necessary evils when covering the team. Hey, we all took a vow to stick around through the good and bad. I read them daily (sometimes twice daily) but I just can’t write about it anymore. I need a dose of green Gatorade that provides me with a classic modern-era Celtics blow out. Can anyone say Sixers tomorrow night?

I sure hope so. It would be just what we need to compound the KG buzzer beater against the Knicks Sunday. I don’t know about you, but I took only a small bit of satisfaction in KG’s late game heroics. Am I being a negative blogger again? Probably but, like I said, it’s been tough not to be in the current climate. I walked away from Sunday’s game trying to hype myself up over the big shot from the big ticket but, instead, my mind kept wondering back to Al Harrington embarrassing the former Defensive Player of the Year with blow by’s off the dribble.

Garnett’s inability in remotely close to defending Harrington just pointed out how far KG has to go in his come back from surgery. We are all trying to ignore it or pacify it but the fact remains that Kevin is nowhere near the player he once was. Is this the new KG? I think not. Garnett is still a player crawling towards full speed. Lets face it, 40,000 minutes makes recovery a little bit slower.

The guys over at NBATV did state that the Celtics older bones take more time to warm up and that, by Christmas, the C’s will be rolling.

I’d have to agree. By Christmas, Garnett should be back to 100% (baring any setbacks), Baby should be back in the line up, Rondo should have corrected his shooting stroke (on my Christmas wish list) and the Celtics should be putting together an extended win streak

If not, being the historic minded man that I am, I will be reluctantly drawing comparison of this team to the Celtics of Larry Bird’s era. A team that closed out their era with a lot of unfinished business.