The tugging on the shorts; the relief of victory; the agony of defeat; the teams hugging each other and this time really meaning it; the standing ovation from the home team’s crowd; the ‘good lucks’ for the following round; both teams walking with their heads high; one towards Orlando; one on the road to next season.
This was the 2009 Bulls-Celtics Eastern Conference Divisional Series.
A series that captivated not only two cities that no longer believed in these teams because of injury and youth, but also a country clamoring for a sporting event that would take their mind off troubles at home.
Early yesterday, I was on the phone with a ticket re-seller from the Chicago area. I asked her:
"So, how are Bulls tickets selling for you?"
She answered:
"Extremely well! This Bulls series has captivated our city. We haven’t been this excited about something since the Bears' Super Bowl run, and that includes the Cubs.
"When you look at Chicago, you see a city divided. Aside from the Bulls, 'Hawks and Bears, everyone has separate rooting interests. So when one team the whole city can get behind makes noise, it’s always a great thing. Everyone from the working class folk on the South Side to the young hipsters on the North Side are coming together to embrace this team."
Three months ago, Larry Fitzgerald and Santonio Holmes provided great theater for the country, but that seems like ages ago considering the NFL Draft just passed and training camp is on the horizon.
The World Baseball Classic? It had its moments—for people in the Netherlands—but not enough to gather us around the TV at the local bar or in our living rooms.
MLB Opening Day? It just didn’t have the same ‘juice’ as before. No pun intended.
NHL playoffs? Aren’t we are all just tired of San Jose choking?
Two weeks ago, on April 19, this series was born. Since, it has been a subject of debate everywhere: on TV, over Twitter, and in the barber shop.
Is this the best post-lockout series? Well, if you ask Kelly Dwyer, he’ll tell you it isn’t. He thinks it comes in a close second to the Spurs-Mavs tussle of '06. He’s right.
Dallas and San Antonio were two great teams at their respective heights. The Bulls and Celtics were two mediocre teams battling it out. Yet I can unequivocally say this is the best first-round series of my lifetime. Those who claim all-time and haven’t lived more than 20 years are being unfair because they fail to consider those series that came before.
Two years ago, the Dallas Mavericks played the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the 2007 NBA playoffs. The teams obviously disliked each other, and there wasn't an ounce of mutual respect. None! With that boasts Stephen Jackson as its co-captain, you can’t really expect much in the “Aretha Franklin” department.
Avery Johnson and the Mavs couldn’t comprehend how they were losing to an eighth seed led by their former coach, Don Nelson. The Warriors couldn’t comprehend how Dallas didn’t take pains in the last week of the season to avoid them.
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