Chris's Candor: Why Not To Be Green With Envy Over Celts Title

The Boston Celtics as we all know have recently won their NBA record 17th championship, defeating the Los Angeles Lakers handily in six games. The swarming defense of the entire team, along with the perfect combo of stars and role players, the Celtics were far and away the best team in the NBA this past season. They stormed through the regular season with 66 wins, and lived up to all the lofty expectations that came with the blockbuster acquisitions of Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett last October. I admired their play, and they deserved to raise the Larry O'Brien trophy upon victory.

    Many aspects of their championship run did bother me on the other hand. Though I applaud Danny Ainge for delivering the ingredients needed to bring a championship back to Boston, I don't agree with the praise the Celtics received for their turnaround from a year ago. Trades are a good part of all sports, but watching teams add all-star after all-star onto their roster and then all of a sudden winning, makes me feel as if the business side is becoming to big. What ever happened to bringing up a star through your minor league system, or drafting a player into your organization and watching him blossom. I totally disagree with this "Lets find the hottest player and get him over here" way of thinking by the big market, big income teams. I understand that the NBA, along with all professional sports are businesses, and with free agency, the business side is more apparent than ever. But to me this seemed like a Steinbrenner-esque move. I would cringe every time a broadcaster would proclaim that the Celtics made history with the biggest turnaround in the win column in NBA history. Obviously, when you and Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, considered by many in the leagues top 10 players, you will win a feeewww more games. And yes, they did give up much young talent, but they still had enough to add players like Eddie House, and James Posey who played vital roles in bringing the title back to BeanTown.

    Not that all of Boston should not be wearing green, and celebrating yet another championship team in their city, but this title feels a little different to me. On the same level, the Knicks for example, who couldn't beat the Kansas Jayhawks prove my point exactly. They try to bring in all the sexy, talented free agents, and it never works. No chemistry, no wins. If the in-genius front office of the Knickerbockers were to acquire players to put the right team together, and they won a title, wouldn't it seem a bit fake? Imagine next year, the Toronto Raptors adding Steve Nash, and Dwight Howard in the off season, and then winning the coveted crown? I can't quite hit the nail on the head with my feelings toward the Celts this year, but it seems as if we all knew they were going to rise to the top of the NBA after the deals were made.

    Maybe I'm a bit old school in my thinking, but I much rather watch Brett Favre in Green Bay, where yes he was traded to from Atlanta, but perform in the city that truly embraced him and vice versa, not if he come back and pretended he had all his love and passion for say the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. As much as players play for their individual accomplishments, these are team games we are talking about here. Guys like Brett Favre, Jim Kelly, Derek Jeter, Kobe Bryant, Jorge Posada, are the ones I admire.

I mean come on, did Kevin Garnett really have that much love for Boston and all their history before he was brought in? Probably not.