|
Today, I take a break from the Top 10 lists to speak of a subject dear to my heart: Being a Celtics Fan in Jazzland.
The year was 1986, and I was 7 years old. I had no sports allegiance. I was too busy playing with my He-Man toys, chewing on my shirt collar, and picking my butt. My father is not an avid sports fan and therefore never pushed any teams on we kids, never dressed us in adorable little baby Cubs outfits, never told us to hate the Lakers and Yankees, as he probably should have if he was trying to be a good Dad.
I tell you this so that you may understand that at the tender age of even 7, my mind was a blank canvas in regards to sports loyalty. Enter my elder brother, Jim. He too, had no one telling him whom to like, no one pushing or cajoling him to root for the Vikings or the Jets. (It is fairly obvious the only way these teams have fans is through parents pushing them on their kids, but I digress.)
Living in Salt Lake City, the Utah Jazz had moved from New Orleans in 1979, but they were a minor league operation, at best. They played in the old Salt Palace, where if you sat on the top row, you could literally touch the ceiling. They didn't even make the playoffs until 1984. Kids were not yet wearing Karl Malone jerseys to school, and really it just wasn't that big of a deal until several years later.
That being what it was, Jim felt no pull towards the Jazz. Now 11, he was getting really interested in sports and wanted to choose a favorite team. When the Celtics won the NBA Championship at the end of the 1985-1986 season, it was a no-brainer for young James. (notice that our favorite teams are the Bears and the Mets, all champs during the 1986 season.) Was he a front runner? At that time yes, but history has proven him a to be the most loyal of fans (see Eric Montross, Sherman Douglas, Fat Rick Fox Celtics years) At this point, my fate was sealed. I was going to be a Celtics Fan. Jim didn't even need to work that hard to brainwash me into liking the Celtics. I looked up to him as my cooler older brother, which of course now is hilarious as I have far exceeded him in that regard, and so I did what he did, liked what he liked, and wanted to be as he was. You could say he was my poor man's Jesus. When I asked myself WWJD it was What Would Jim Do? (Which sadly explains my current plight. Should have stuck with Jesus.)
The year was 1996. I was now 16 years old. I lived through some of the worst years in Celtics Franchise History. Most teams deal with injuries, the Celtics dealt with death and murder. Len Bias-dead. Reggie Lewis-dead. Soon, they would deal with Rick Pitino further murdering Celtic Pride. At the same time, my hometown team, the Utah Jazz, had flourished and reached the NBA Finals against the Chicago Bulls. Let me say, the ridicule I recieved during middle school and early high school for being a Celtics fan had, at that point, steeled my resolve against Jazz Fan. I remember it was Yearbook day at Granger High School, and Jazz Mania was at such a point that the school projected the game on a huge screen in the gymnasium during Year Book signing. I recall standing and cheering when the Bulls finally eliminated the Jazz that night, deriding and taunting Jazz Fan like the young jerk I was. Over the next several years, the Jazz would contend for the title, but never quite reach it. So strong was my dislike of Jazz Fans, that I even made a bet for 20 bucks with my best friend before the 1997 Finals that the Celtics would win a title before the Jazz would. (Sadly, I was right.)
The year was 2003. I was now 23 years old. John Stockton had just retired. Karl Malone had just signed with the Lakers. And it hit me like a lightning bolt: I didn't hate the Jazz, I loved them. This was before the NBA league pass and I had, by far, watched more Jazz games than any other. I had grown up with them, watched them try to win it all and fail, and had watched them grow old and face the need to start anew. Sure, the fans had driven me crazy over the years, but really, the were just like any other fan base in the world. (Lord knows the Boston fans are just as awful as any, and probably more racist. I kid, I kid. Jazz fans are pretty racist, too  ) Maybe it was maturity, maybe it was nostalgia, but I realized that I was going to miss this Jazz team, and that it was time to embrace the home team because they were a part of me.
The year was 2008. I started my own blog with my friend and my brother, Jim, Thoughtsfromthejockstrap.com. At various times, I tried to rile up Jazz Fan, tried to make him angry, tried to make him think. Usually, I only succeeded at making him angry, but I hope readers understood that most of my writings, blog postings, or comments were made tongue-in-cheek, to incite, rile-up, annoy, or chafe. In my heart, I wanted and want the Jazz to win, to thrive, and to compete for the NBA Championship.
Tonight, the Celtics will host the Jazz in Boston, and make no mistakes, I want the Celtics to win, and to win big. Call me Benedict Arnold or Judas Iscariot. My allegiance lies with the mighty Celtics, and always will. But I dream of a day when the two teams can meet in the NBA Finals, and the Celtics can win game 7 at the Energy Solutions Arena, and I will be there, wearing Green and White. Then, there will be no taunting, no deriding, no rubbing it in. Then, I will embrace my brother, and thank him for the Legacy he gave me, and hope that next year, The Jazz can finally win won for their wonderful fans, and I will let them mock me, put me down, and have pride in their franchise. Maybe, just maybe, they will allow me to feel a little bit of their joy.
|
(I don't know if I am quite secure enough to use a smiley face icon, but I will give it a shot) 
Bloguin is the revolutionary blog network specifically focused on helping bloggers get the most out of their websites. We're currently working on building a large network of online communities and hope to expand our blogging coverage to include a wide range of topics. 
The Bloguin Network allows advertisers to promote their products and services to our ever-growing number of visitors. We offer both site-specific ad placements as well as the ability to run a network-wide campaign. If you're interested in working with Bloguin to meet your advertising needs, please contact us.
The Bloguin Network is always looking to expand. Here are some of our high-priority areas that we're specifically looking to grow. If you're a blogger and interested in joining our network, please fill out our application form.
The Bloguin Login gives you full access to everything our network has to offer. Your name and password will work for each and every one of our sites. Signing up is simple, and will allow you to post in all our forums, create member blogs, and access other cool features! What are you waiting for? Create an Account! 