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These are the times that try teams' souls
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A month and a half ago, I was this close to camping out on corner of Tremont and Boylston streets until June 19th. There's a steam vent there that can really keep you warm, and the T stop is roomy enough to dive into if the weather got really bad. Seemed like a perfect place to wait for that Celtics parade as it wound its way through the city.
Today... not so much.
Ok, so the Celtics have become that team again. Something happens to them on the road that makes them very un-Celtics like. Even rookies are calling them out on it. But on the plus-side of things, the last time we saw this was during the playoffs. You know, the playoffs march the Celtics took to the championship?
Yes, concern is starting to creep into Celtics fans' hearts. But these are the trials and tribulations of a champion. Need proof? Celtics blog Lex Nihil Novi pulled out a ton of clips from the 1985-86 season, long regarded as the best Celtics season ever, that showed articles that could be republished this morning for this year's team. Take this one, for example:
After starting the season 17-2, the only question Celtics' fans were asking themselves was what should I wear to the championship parade.
Now such talk looks premature at best and ridiculous at worst.
You say the Celtics have the best starting five in basketball. You say the Celtics have the deepest bench in basketball.
I say prove it, and at the moment the proof isn't particularly convincing.
Yep, that was written about the best Celtics team ever. Early in the season. When they were struggling just like this team is.
We, as fans, are quick to become concerned. Writers, like me, will take to whatever forum is available and document that fear. But all teams go through this. Great ones figure it out. Personally, it's hard not to live and die with every win. But it behooves Celtics fans to take a step back and appreciate the entire work of art, rather than bemoan every brush stroke. Only when the season is over can we really look back at this stretch and know what this team is made of.
