It is 'The Dream' or 'The Nightmare' -- no in-between

[Neurotic Guy]

I know that some cbloggers are too young to have experienced the Celtics-Lakers as a true rivalry.  For the last 20 years, C's-Lakers has been no true rivalry. Yet, for the older folks (and, yes, I realize some of the 20 and younger fans have picked up the emotion) this rivalry is red hot.

Today, it feels for me just as it did in the 80's -- I have the nostalgic feel, the triggering of an emotional memory that I haven't experienced in a generation. 

The great news is that the C's are in position to fulfill our collective dreams as Celtics fans.  The bad news is that a loss looms as a much more devastating outcome given the infamy of the opponent.

If the C's were facing the Spurs, Hornets or Jazz, I would be much more level-headed right now.  I'd be ecstatic for the C's, but I'd be able to endure a defeat keeping in mind that the season was a fantastic ride.  But now?... Simply put, there will be no gratitude for a great season if we do not take care of the western champs.   A Lakers win is a nighmare come true (especially since they were on the verge of losing Kobe a year ago and heading to decent but not great season before the 'stealing of Pau'). 

So, for me it's a dream or a nightmare  -- there is no in-between.  It's 17-14 overall or it's a precarious 16-15 with a 7' 21 year old phenom added back to the Purple and Gold next year.

Ending on a positive note -- CBlog has continuously pumped life into my hopes for the C's for this series.  I don't have a feel for how it will play out (will we see the C's from the Atlanta series or the C's from the Piston series?; did the Lakers just take down a washed up Spurs team or did they just dominate a champion?). 

We'll see -- all I can hope for is that the C's play their best and hope that their best is enough.  Perk and Rondo could make a huge difference and Ray must play like to his capacity.  Go Celtics1!!
 

[cuckroller]

given the infamy of the opponent.

Hi NG,
Well, I am one of the old-timers you speak of - one of those supporting those "infamous".  The reports that we eat babies are highly exaggerated.

If my team, the Lakers, lose the series, well, I am comforted by the fact that the following day, the sun will rise, the grass will grow, etc., etc.

The fact of the matter is that these two franchises need each other.  I probably would not even watch pro basketball if Los Angeles had no honorable opponents to measure themselves against.  Perhaps you would like Boston to win every year with a record (including the unnecessary playoffs) of 98-0.  For me, a similar event would just make me bored.  But, to each his own.

For me, the sweetness of victory, or the agony of defeat, is totally commensurate with the uncertainty of these events.  Certainly, when Boston and Los Angeles contend we have the best possible matchup.  I have witnessed a lot of the Laker championship years, and the ones that I most remember were against Boston.  Our two teams define and measure themselves against each other.  If this rivalry did not exist, we would have to invent it.

For me, whatever happens, there will always be next year, and I hope that next year it will also be against the Celtics, the best competition around...

[Redz]

Losing to the Lakers in `85 for the first time was a dismal day for the Celtics.  The Celts air of superiority over the Lakers was no longer absolute, then reinforced in `87 (the Lakers weren't men enough to face the Celts best in `86 ).  I can't imagine how frustrating it must have been for a Lakers fan to have been beaten all of those years when you had to be thinking "We've the better team THIS YEAR for sure".  Kind of like this year, now that I think of it...

Even the Yankees superiority over the Sox all of those years can't compare because they were never competing for the whole enchilada.  Think of how much of a letdown the World Series was in `04. 

This is why the Celtics/Lakers rivalry is unique in professional sports.  In no other US pro sport have two teams met up for the ultimate prize so frequently.

[Neurotic Guy]

given the infamy of the opponent.

Hi NG,
Well, I am one of the old-timers you speak of - one of those supporting those "infamous".  The reports that we eat babies are highly exaggerated.

If my team, the Lakers, lose the series, well, I am comforted by the fact that the following day, the sun will rise, the grass will grow, etc., etc.

The fact of the matter is that these two franchises need each other.  I probably would not even watch pro basketball if Los Angeles had no honorable opponents to measure themselves against.  Perhaps you would like Boston to win every year with a record (including the unnecessary playoffs) of 98-0.  For me, a similar event would just make me bored.  But, to each his own.

For me, the sweetness of victory, or the agony of defeat, is totally commensurate with the uncertainty of these events.  Certainly, when Boston and Los Angeles contend we have the best possible matchup.  I have witnessed a lot of the Laker championship years, and the ones that I most remember were against Boston.  Our two teams define and measure themselves against each other.  If this rivalry did not exist, we would have to invent it.

For me, whatever happens, there will always be next year, and I hope that next year it will also be against the Celtics, the best competition around...

Ahhh, cuckroller, you take a away the purity and absurdity that is embedded in the emotion of fandom.  You already know that I understand that suns rise, grass grows and life goes on regardless of basketball outcomes.  You know that I will survive a loss with no more than a bitter taste and a thirst for next year.  I know that if the hyperbole of fandom is unabated it can turn neurotic guys into psychotic guys.   

However, 98-0 would make me very happy, uh, extremely happy. 4 blowouts over the next week would make me ecstatic. Never seeing the Lakers, Jack Nicholson, Dianne Cannon and whoever else we'll see ad nauseum supporting the Purple and Gold ever again would be just fine with me.  Though, in fairness, it will be far easier for me to be magnamimous if the C's win the next 5 championships.

I'm simple folk -- don't need competition to keep my interest -- just banners.