Happy together

1st and foremost, "Hats Off!" to the Celtics for maintaining their focus. As a lifelong resident of Boston, I've seen my fair share of bad times, as well as good, but never to this degree. Lately, in the last 10 years or so, winning has returned to grip this region and has built to an almost unprecedented level, starting with the Pats. The thing that is so amazing about them, as a team and an organization, is that they remain so completely focused on the task at hand, but do it with a "Total Team Effort." And if I seem to be using a buffet of buzz words it's because they truly do apply.
And now the Celts (and the B's) have caught the bug. Granted, quite a few good things had to fall in place, but they did through hard work, determination and a lil' luck (but luck is what you make it) and now the result is...Nirvana! I couldn't have dreamed it any better. We could very well be the new Titletown, USA.

Wow. This season has been so unbelievable. I am, perhaps, the biggest Celtics' fan in central Illinois -- maybe all of Illinois, who knows! I am 27 and had always cherished the little positives the C's accomplished in all these past seasons. Whether it was a 5-game win streak, just making the playoffs, making the Eastern Conference Finals, getting 'Toine back, Pitino coming, Pitino leaving, feeling very sad at the departures of Jim O'Brien, Antoine Walker, Antoine Walker again, getting to watch the C's give the Pacers' their largest home playoff loss in 2004 (I think).

But this season has blown open a new sensation. While we used to have a old satelitte dish to pick up the Celtics games back in the 80's during the Bird period, I was too young to really know that was a special thing. When you're born and all you know is success, you don't know anything negative. The mid-90's really taught me to be a fan and through it all, I stuck with them. As a said, I began valuing the small positives and trying not to focus on the big picture, but always, I remained a true fan always.

This (the way the season has started) has been so unbelievable. Now I can focus on the big picture again. Sure, the Pistons are tough, so are the Cavaliers, so are the Spurs, the Suns and a zillion other Western Conference team. But instead of worrying about how they do, I can't wait to see how they stack up against the tougher teams, during the regular season and in the playoffs. It's exciting once again. This even passes my feeling for the Sox...as I GREW UP WITH THE CELTICS because of my dad. I started liking the Sox more and more as I got older and older, starting in high school. But the Celtics have always been a part of my life and this is most exciting.