In Boston, We Celebrate Championships Not Conference Finals Appearances

On their march to the franchise’s 4th Super Bowl title the powerhouse New England Patriots encountered a speed bump along the way in the form of the Andrew Luck led Indianapolis Colts.

And then proceeded to run over it going 125 mph.

Tom Brady and the Patriots predictably dimantled an inferior Indianapolis team 43-22 in the AFC title game, and then two weeks later – with Deflategate issues swirling around them – defeated the Seattle Seahawks 28-24 to win Super Bowl XLIX in one of the greatest championship games ever played in the history of sports.

A few months later, after finding their way out of the proverbial locker the Patriots stuffed them in – the Colts in all their glory hung a 2014 “AFC finalist” banner at Lucas Oil Stadium to commemorate getting annihilated by the Patriots.

Oh how we laughed.

Understandably so. The Patriots under Tom Brady played in 13 conference championship games during their dynastic run, winning 9. And here comes Indianapolis hanging their little participation banner in celebration of getting their asses kicked in one of them.

Adorable.

So pardon my surprise waking up 10 years later to headlines and tweets from media and fans alike imploring us to celebrate what the current Boston Celtics – led by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown – have “accomplished” over the past 8 years.

Their resume reads as follows…

• 6 Conferences Finals appearances
• 4 Conference Finals losses
• 1 NBA title loss

Get the Mother F–king Duck Boats Ready!!!

What happened to us? Seriously.

This is Title Town USA! “They hate us cuz they ain’t us” and all that. This Celtics season has been all about Banner 18 from day one and nothing has changed.

Don’t get me wrong. It’s great to be here. Better than not that’s for sure. As a fan getting to have some skin in the game and something to root for deep into the spring is great. And this year, unlike some years past, winning it all is a very real possibility. Everyone who follows the team should be happy that the quest rolls on.

But celebrate getting to this point? In past years absolutely. This year, c’mon.

The 2017 team led by the incomperable Isaiah Thomas was a blast and a true underdog story. That team had NO business getting as far as they did in what was supposed to be a rebuilding year.

The 2018 team lost Gordon Hayward for the season in game 1 to a broken foot and Kyrie Irving late in the season but still managed to take LeBron James and the Cavaliers to 7 in Jayson Tatum’s rookie year, Brown’s second with the team. Again, more than anyone could have hoped.

But as Tatum and Brown have matured and now entered their physical primes, expectations have changed. Boston was the best Eastern Conference team in the bubble in 2020 and choked away 4th quarter lead after 4th quarter lead to the Miami Heat losing the Conference Finals in 6. They had Golden State on the ropes with a chance to go up 3-1 in the Finals in 2022 and couldn’t deliver. Then last season they were nearly swept by an 8 seed.

This season however was and is different. This past offseason the Celtics resoundingly declared that participation trophies just won’t cut it anymore. Brad Stevens – under the direction of owner Wyc Grousbech – revamped the roster adding Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday to a core of Tatum, Brown, Derrick White and Al Horford which in turn allowed the Celtics to turn in one of the most impressive regular seasons in NBA history.

• Best offensive rating in NBA history.
• 4th highest point differential in NBA history
• Second biggest lead over 2nd place in NBA history

Contrary to Jayson Tatum’s objections this IS a “Super Team.” That’s what we’ve been force-fed all season long by the Celtics Industrial Compound. And frankly, it’s hard to argue against it.

Which means, anything short of AT LEAST a trip to the NBA Finals is not an accomplishment. It’s a failure.

Sure, you can’t get to or win the Finals without first getting to the Conference finals, but this year with this team against this competition doing so was a foregone conclusion. It’s the equivalent of “graduating” middle school. It’s really not that big a deal.

But hey, you want pop your champagne celebrating what the Celtics have done thus far, go for it. You do you. The rest of us are right along with you on this ride however far it goes.

But I guarantee none of us will be celebrating anything if the Celtics aren’t still playing basketball in a couple weeks.

So if it’s all the same, I’m going to hold my applause until the end.