Celtics Show Manhood; LeBron Not So Much…Headed into Game 5

The last time those crazy shoes and green love beads made an appearance was game 4 of the Celtics miracle come from behind victory at the Staples Center which sealed a championship.  It’s been that long since I felt compelled to go all in. Friday night I wore the kicks and beads.  And I did again on Sunday night. And they worked…just barely.

Friday night, thanks to the generosity of a friend, Elena and I sat on the court just two seats away from the ESPN team calling the game. Sunday we were about 50 rows back of the basket in the flat section of the Fleet Center where anyone standing up in front of you blocks your view.  The two views couldn’t have been more different, but believe it or not it’s hard for me to decide which one I enjoyed more.

Some observations from ringside on Friday Game Three:

* When just about anyone takes the ball in a foot in front of you, they look super human in scale.  These guys are bigger than you can imagine.  They are not human.

* Keyon Dooling is the most intense defensive player I have ever seen up close.  He gets into this squat and looks up at the opposing point guard with this look like he is going to put some kind of Vulcan mind-meld on you. I heard a rumor that he drinks 5 Red Bulls before each game and I don’t doubt it. He’s bouncing off the walls to such an extent that the other Celtic players just kind of ignore him as a being from another planet.

* I really hate Mike Miller.  I mean I just can’t stand that guy.  But watching him up close you can see how much pain he is in because of his back. He is literally wincing in pain each step he takes.  He gears himself up to knock down those 3s and then hobbles back down the court. You gotta respect that.

* LeBron just has this air about him like he almost doesn’t care. He just thinks he is better than everybody else. And maybe he is.

* Rondo is that good.

Here is a classic post-game summary of the fan’s performance in game 3 by Kevin Garnet:

Some observations from deep in the crowd Sunday Game Four:

* There are way more people to high five when good shit happens.

* There are way more people to hold your hand when it gets scary…and the game Sunday night was the most uncomfortable sporting event I have ever endured live.  I wanted to puke pretty much the whole second half and overtime.

* LeBron has a shrinkage problem (end of regulation)

* D. Wade didn’t use to have that problem but its a contagious disease he seems to have picked up from LeBron (end of OT)

* Those “LeBron is a Bitch” t-shirts are really disgusting.  But they do make me chuckle as a completely demented Boston sports fan

* This Celtics team has the kind of heart that makes you love them despite everything

* There’s nothing like walking down the back stairs crammed together well past midnight with strangers screaming their heads of with pure joy 

Videos thanks to my son Seamus who sent Sunday prior to tip off with the instruction “WATCH NOW”