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October 28, 2006
Red
1917-2006.
I've been going to Celtics games for years with my Dad. For a couple of years, we'd meet up at Quincy Market before the games. There's a statue of Red Auerbach off to the side of the main building; weather permitting, we'd go over to the statue for a bit of good luck. Of course, if you've watched the Celtics the past ten years, you know how little good luck there's been. Guess that's why we let the tradition die.
Which is too bad. Tradition is what being a Celtics fan is all about. It's why Bob Cousy still shows up to broadcast games in the winter when we all know he'd rather be golfing. It's why Jo Jo White and Satch Sanders are at the Garden more often than not. It's why every other team in the NBA hated the sight of a cigar; it was Red's signature exclamation point on another Boston triumph.
We all knew Red has been going downhill for a few years now. But a couple of times over the past few seasons, he'd show up at the Garden, and everything stopped while the fans stood up and cheered our heads off. To welcome Red back. To say we still appreciated the past, even when the present featured folks like M.L. Carr, Thomas Hamilton, Rick Pitino, or Brian Scalabrine. And a lot of it was because we always knew that this could be the last time we got to salute him.
And now he's gone.
All the crap - the loud music, the cheerleaders, the stupid mascot - that we said would only come to Boston over Red's dead body; well, it's already come. I can't imagine any of that actually affected him, but it was a pretty clear sign that the League has moved beyond tradition. But the game hasn't. And the real fans haven't. And when one day, some Celtic pulls the string to raise the 17th banner to the ceiling - God knows when that day will come - Red won't be there to see it. He won't have been responsible for it. And it probably won't seem quite as sweet now.
So goodbye, and thanks, Arnold. You've made this city a much better place. You've given us a ton of memories. And we'll miss you. I'm going to go buy a cigar now.
Filed Under: Boston Celtics | Permanent Link, Comments (2) | Linking Blogs
Comments
I did my own take on Red's passing, which you might like to read. Good job on yours.
Posted by: Suldog | October 30, 2006 09:48 AM
Very nice tribute.
Things won't be the same without Red.
Posted by: Vin | October 31, 2006 12:23 PM
