2007 brought plenty of good cheer to New England sports fans.
The Boston Red Sox won their second World Series in four years. Tom Brady and Randy Moss came together to assault the NFL.
But, in my eyes, there was nothing that compared to the earthshaking trade that put Kevin Garnett in a Celtics uniform.
We know the details—and now we're witnessing the results. As I write this, the Celtics have the best record in the NBA at 20-3. They're the best defensive team in the league, and have suffered only one loss at home—to a very good Detroit team.
Vegas pegged the C's at 48.5 wins in the preseason. Now that looks like easy money.
But to rely on numbers to make the case for the best sports moment of 2007 would be weak at best. After all, the Garnett trade changed much more than stats.
The Garnett trade changed EVERYTHING.
As a 26-year-old diehard Celtics fan, I hadn't seen much success, other than Larry Legend’s last few years and the one run spearheaded by Paul Pierce and Antoine Walker.
Now I see what I missed out on—and what the older generation speaks of so glowingly.
Kevin Garnett brought energy. He brought intensity. He brought his top-five talent.
Most of all, he brought hope—hope that had been lost in a city that produced more NBA Championships than any other.
Now the Celtics are back.
The team is the hot topic on sports radio. They're packing the house—and not due to the curiosity of watching a bunch of 20-year-olds flash moments of athleticism between bouts of immaturity.
No—the fans are back for all the right reasons.
They’re back because the Boston Celtics are relevant again—and the Celtics faithful have one moment to point to, and one person to thank.
Everything changed the day Kevin Garnett became a Boston Celtic.
Brett Favre has earned the right to play. Casey Mancini explains. (Read More)
comments (4) write a comment »
write a new comment
7 months ago
It's good to see Boston back on the map and everything, but KG coming to Beantown is not the best story of 2007.
7 months ago
Nice article Nick. It's a cool perspective on the best of '07.
7 months ago
I think you could certainly make a case for it being the best of '07, especially for C's fans. KG did alter the power in the east but it was more him in combination with Pierce and Allen that pushed the C's over the edge. Maybe it's best to wait for the playoffs before we crown it as the best moment.
7 months ago
...Hard to argue with that call. Although, Boston fans probably have a hard time deciding the best thing that's happened to them this year.
write a new comment