They clearly can't win without us. You know that line in fever pitch -- you've loved the Red Sox but they've never loved you back? This seems like the rare case where they need us as much as we need them.
More broadly, this is just the thread for people who are angry. Anger is not an attractive emotion, and I'm usually a pretty optimistic guy, but the way they choked away that game last night made me angry, and I feel pretty much the same this morning. I went to games when they lost 18 in a row, I supported the rebuilding, I've been a fan through the tough times, and if they lose to the Pistons in a closely contested ECF I will accept that. But seven games against the Hawks is just not supposed to happen, and beyond all the rational debating that goes on on this site, I have to admit that I'm just angry with how they've played. Who feels the same way?
I felt angry after game 4 but this is a bridge that all championship caliber teams have had to learn. And the lesson is:
You Must Play At A High Level Regardless of Your Opponent.
If you don't:
The opposing team gains confidence
= start making good decisions on the floor,
Their fans get excited =
start filling up the otherwise empty arena and last but not least:
The league gets involved =
refs get caught up in the excitement of the situation.
Its crazy that every year we have this narrative somewhere in the playoff picture. Even down to the signs that the crowd displays during the game. Anyone watch Golden State & Dallas last year? The signs are almost word for word the same (
with a different sponsor underneath) hmmm
I'm not a Mavericks fan but they were getting shafted by the refs that whole series and that completely shook the Mavs confidence, in turn, affecting the outcome of the series.
The Celtics are definitely getting tested to see if they can overcome the only hurdle that the regular season couldn't bring them:
PLAYING UNDER ADVERSITY
Every other test we
unexpectedly passed with flying colors:
Team chemistry?
Check Point Guard play?
CheckBench Play/Depth?
CheckPlayoff experience?
Check (after mid-season acquisitions)
Adversity was the only thing that wasn't present during the regular season and now this is the handicap that the refs have put on their back and their getting frustated, cracking under it and its affecting their play.
In other words:
Learn from the Spurs: Play your game in spite of the refs and if they keep making ridiculous calls it will be that much more obvious. I will say this is very hard task for a team that has been together for only one season to do. But the league is making a lot of money seeing how the C's will find resolve. So lets just win on Sunday and move on. I mean even Hulk Hogan lost unimportant matches on Saturday afternoons against complete no names but McMahon never pulled a stunt like that in Wrestlemania.
So enjoy the drama that Mr. Stern and Co. have provided for us basketball fans through out these couple of weeks and take it at face value. It has worked, I got into this series way more after these "strange happenigs" But I warn you, don't get caught in the trap of pointing fingers, its a waste of energy. If anything the guys have to learn that when you're heavily favored this is the other side of the coin so you have to take emotion out if and
execute you game planWhen the refs make bad calls just raise your hand and put it out of your mind. Watch Manu Ginobli, he's a master at keeping his emotions in check while playing like a maniac. To me that's the lesson this team is in the process of learning....And the league makes a killing in the process $$$
Topic: Game 7 Mindset (merged threads) (Read 21510 times)