NBA '08 Playoff Thread

[Boobie Miles]

As someone hailing from the Detroit area, I can admit to you that things are split. Tigers fans are fair-weathered losers because I can recall going into Comerica Park the year they set the losses record for $1. And when we'd get to the gate, sometimes, they just let us go in because the attendance was downright pitiful in mid-July.
Lions fans are insane. The team has been a joke for the past 30 years and whether it's Ford Field or the Silverdome, you can't hear yourself think before the game starts. Red Wings fans stick it out, Pistons fans for the most part hung through the tough times in the mid 90s. And to be honest, Tigers fans did hang around for a while until it got terrible.
But the point here is, Atlanta is a pathetic sports city -- Boston isn't as great as it likes to think it is -- but at the end of the day, don't we think it's a bit ridiculous for Boston fans to STILL be in a pissing match with forking Atlanta Hawks fans??

I know there is one poster here that might have done so, but I can safely say that there is not widespread Hawks fan bashing in Boston today. I think most people moved on from in the days following Bibby's comments, which really never caused more of an uproar than him getting booed when he touched the ball.

 

[Boobie Miles]

The whole "fair weather" fan thing? I've attended plenty of Celtics games during the past few years, including this season. Nothing different, except the product on the floor and harder-to-find tickets.

Of course they're harder-to-find tickets. The Celtics ranked 20th among 30 teams in NBA attendance a year ago and 23rd in percentage of seats filled at home games.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/attendance?year=2007

And the Hawks were 26th in attendance and 29th in percentage...

There was pretty much no reason to go to the Garden last season. Pierce was out for most of the season and it was basically a bunch of unfamiliar scrubs (minus Al Jeff) like Michael Olowokandi, Brian Scalabrine, Sabastian Telfair, and Gerald Green. With so many sports options in New England, I'm surprised that attendance figure wasn't even lower. Especially with the harmful tanking allegations, which alienated a sizable amount of the diehard fanbase.

"Diehard fanbase"? You mean the "fanbase" that only gives a shirt when the Celtics are good? Boston is home to the most fair-weather fan base in professional sports. "fork 'em" when they lose and "I knew we could do it!" when they win.

I think that's taking it a bit far. That may apply to the Celtics and Bruins, but I don't think it's the case with the Patriots and there's no way that's the case with the Sox. I'm guessing if we put our heads together we could come up with a more fair-weather city than Boston.

The only one I'd be willing to give a pass to is the Sox. But Foxboro was a dead zone for about a decade in between Super Bowl XX and Bledsoe's first playoff appearance.

Yeah, I wouldn't argue that. Would still say there are probably other cities that are more fair-weather than Boston. I think that sports in general are a bigger part of people's lives here than some parts of the country to begin with.

Anyways, I'm going to steer this conversation another way: why is not being a bandwagon fan such a badge of honor? I know many diehards took more pleasure in the Sox win in '04 because they had been there for the down years and they were upset about all of the "pink hats" who latched onto the team. But really what's the point? As I've gotten older I've found better things to do with my time than follow sports' teams religiously. I didn't watch a single Bruins game this season. That didn't stop me from getting into their playoff run. If that makes me a bandwagon fan, I'm fine with it. I just don't really see why loyal fans get so defensive about this type of thing. Sure there can be some drawbacks, but isn't it a good thing when the team you follow gets more attention and attracts more fans?

 

[OnTheRiver]

Yeah, I wouldn't argue that. Would still say there are probably other cities that are more fair-weather than Boston. I think that sports in general are a bigger part of people's lives here than some parts of the country to begin with.

It's neck and neck between Boston and Pittsburgh, which piles all of its emotion behind the Stillers. I've got friends who live there, and they say the place feels like the afterparty at a gosh darn Greek tragedy if the beloved Stillers lose a game.

 

[rube]

In any event, let's do with the Hawks what Boston did to them on Sunday -- put them to bed. They've got a bigger test coming up and in the West, Chris Paul looks amazing -- have you seen a PG play better than this in the past 10 years?

 

[Lieslntx]

Anyways, I'm going to steer this conversation another way: why is not being a bandwagon fan such a badge of honor? I know many diehards took more pleasure in the Sox win in '04 because they had been there for the down years and they were upset about all of the "pink hats" who latched onto the team. But really what's the point? As I've gotten older I've found better things to do with my time than follow sports' teams religiously. I didn't watch a single Bruins game this season. That didn't stop me from getting into their playoff run. If that makes me a bandwagon fan, I'm fine with it. I just don't really see why loyal fans get so defensive about this type of thing. Sure there can be some drawbacks, but isn't it a good thing when the team you follow gets more attention and attracts more fans?

Your post made me think about things from a different perspective, which is always a good thing.

I certainly don't want or need a badge of honor for not being a bandwagon fan. Honestly, watching sports is enjoyable to me and I guess I consider it one of my hobbies. But I will be the first to admit that I will never watch every Rockets or Astros game. I do have a life and other interests. There are simply too many games for me personally to watch them all. I do get online or read a (gasp!) newspaper to get results and a rundown of the game the next day or so.

There are plenty of bandwagon fans out there and that is fine. And yes, it is a good thing when the team I follow gets more attention and attracts more fans when they are winning.

For whatever reason I felt the need to defend my hometown and gave my opinion that we are not a bandwagon town (even though it had nothing to do with the bandwagon towns/teams that were being discussed.) However, statistics were given to prove me wrong. I stand corrected.

I did base my opinion on the fact that I personally don't know or interact with any bandwagon fans on a regular basis. That doesn't make my "circle" better fans. It's just that that's all I know.

EDIT: I stand corrected again. I DO know a fair-weather fan: my husband!

 

[Chi City 81]

Anyways, I'm going to steer this conversation another way: why is not being a bandwagon fan such a badge of honor? I know many diehards took more pleasure in the Sox win in '04 because they had been there for the down years and they were upset about all of the "pink hats" who latched onto the team. But really what's the point? As I've gotten older I've found better things to do with my time than follow sports' teams religiously. I didn't watch a single Bruins game this season. That didn't stop me from getting into their playoff run. If that makes me a bandwagon fan, I'm fine with it. I just don't really see why loyal fans get so defensive about this type of thing. Sure there can be some drawbacks, but isn't it a good thing when the team you follow gets more attention and attracts more fans?

Your post made me think about things from a different perspective, which is always a good thing.

I certainly don't want or need a badge of honor for not being a bandwagon fan. Honestly, watching sports is enjoyable to me and I guess I consider it one of my hobbies. But I will be the first to admit that I will never watch every Rockets or Astros game. I do have a life and other interests. There are simply too many games for me personally to watch them all. I do get online or read a (gasp!) newspaper to get results and a rundown of the game the next day or so.

There are plenty of bandwagon fans out there and that is fine. And yes, it is a good thing when the team I follow gets more attention and attracts more fans when they are winning.

For whatever reason I felt the need to defend my hometown and gave my opinion that we are not a bandwagon town (even though it had nothing to do with the bandwagon towns/teams that were being discussed.) However, statistics were given to prove me wrong. I stand corrected.

I did base my opinion on the fact that I personally don't know or interact with any bandwagon fans on a regular basis. That doesn't make my "circle" better fans. It's just that that's all I know.

EDIT: I stand corrected again. I DO know a fair-weather fan: my husband!

I never said that. That was Boobie's post.

 

[Lieslntx]

Fixed. Sorry about that Doc & Boobie. There were lots of quotes in there that I wasn't wanting to quote. But since I'm still a Newbie, maybe everyone will forgive me :-[

 

[Chi City 81]

No biggie. I just don't ever want to be mistaken for defending anything Boston.

 

[Piotr Rasputin]

Bill Simmons was on ESPN radio tonight, weaselly voice and all. Say this for him, his passion for the NBA has never waned, no matter how bad the Celtics have sometimes been in recent years.

He said he was convinced the Cavs will beat the Celtics, said he can't see how any Celtics fans could remain confident at this point. Sounded like doomsday predicitions, but it was interesting to hear Superfan Himself be so down on the supposed best team's chances.

I think he was right when he said LeBron will steal a close game or two, but I wonder how many of the games will be close, considering the talent gap.

 

[Boobie Miles]

We'll see what he says if the Celtics win. I wonder if he'll put that prediction in print.

 

[Big Chee]

Simmons is an idiot. His love affair with Isiah wears off and he acts as if he stumbled across some unfounded truth calling out the Suns FO for their wealth of mistakes I've called them out in since 06'.

Steve Nash has been tiring out during important stretches in the playoffs for the last three years, and while the Knicks and the most celebrated 20th pick in NBA history was getting all the scrutiny for passing up on Marcus Williams the Suns never addressed their back up PG issue, drinking from the same glass of Kool-Aid everyone else was sipping on as Steve Nash was handed questionable back to back MVP's. Now as the novelty has worn off, Simmons wants to open his eyes to things other than the idiot who ran the Knicks.

 

[93Devil]

Bill Simmons was on ESPN radio tonight, weaselly voice and all. Say this for him, his passion for the NBA has never waned, no matter how bad the Celtics have sometimes been in recent years.

He said he was convinced the Cavs will beat the Celtics, said he can't see how any Celtics fans could remain confident at this point. Sounded like doomsday predicitions, but it was interesting to hear Superfan Himself be so down on the supposed best team's chances.

I think he was right when he said LeBron will steal a close game or two, but I wonder how many of the games will be close, considering the talent gap.

I want to pull up the old Garnett to the Celtics thread, and if I remember correctly, I think old legs and no depth were mentioned.

That said, the last thing the Celtics needed was a seven-game series to start the playoffs.

If the Celtics are pushed to seven by the Cavs and still somehow win, I think Detroit will Coup de grace in the next round.

The Celtics need a five-game win in the worst way.