Bob Ryan's article - 25 years ago

[SSFan V]

I just got off a plane so I don't know if anyone has posted a link to Bob Ryan's piece today in the Globe, if this is redundant I apologize.

Bob's article today brought it all back....man, I am telling you, it was awesome.  It talks about, perhaps one of the top 3-4 games ever played in the Garden, 1984 Finals, Game 5 against the Lakers.  It's a must read.

http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2009/06/07/in_84_it_was_hot_stuff?mode=PF

The ending summed it up for this "getting close to becoming an" old timer.

"The other great force that night was the crowd, which turned what could have been a negative into a complete positive by celebrating the absurd conditions. Rather than bemoaning the heat, those savvy people celebrated it, realizing that the Lakers were feeling sorry for themselves because they were used to the creature comforts of the palatial Forum.

Here was the message: Watching a game in an old, cramped, steamy building and sitting on those hard seats, why, that's what we do here in New England. We don't need your cushioned seats and we don't need no stinkin' air conditioning. We leave that stuff to you West Coast wusses. And, by the way, your team is soft.

"It was extremely hot; both teams were affected," said Riley. "But Boston showed up better than we did. I think the home crowd had something to do with that. It gave them some adrenaline."

Those great people just did what used to come so naturally. Wyc and Pags, get this: No over-the-top PA man. No ridiculously loud and unnecessary music. No Jumbotron to tell you when to cheer and how to react. No dancing girls. The fans created an atmosphere to remember all by themselves. People in those days actually knew how to cheer. They went to the game to see the game, not for a mini-concert, and not, Lord knows, to see themselves on a big screen.

On the night of June 8, 1984, 25 years ago tomorrow, we had an unscripted evening of serendipitous athletic joy. The Clippers will win a championship before we'll ever have the remotest chance of anything like it ever happening again."

[hardlyyardley]

was a season ticket holder then.....the most comfortable i've ver been at 97 degrees

[SSFan V]

was a season ticket holder then.....the most comfortable i've ver been at 97 degrees

awesome line.  TP

[tenn_smoothie]

"Those great people just did what used to come so naturally. Wyc and Pags, get this: No over-the-top PA man. No ridiculously loud and unnecessary music. No Jumbotron to tell you when to cheer and how to react. No dancing girls. The fans created an atmosphere to remember all by themselves. People in those days actually knew how to cheer. They went to the game to see the game, not for a mini-concert, and not, Lord knows, to see themselves on a big screen."

thank you Bob Ryan & SSFan - my feelings exactly - the Celtics game presentation back then was understated - no need for a screaming PA guy, blaring music, lights and dancing Edited.  Profanity and masked profanity are against forum rules and may result in discipline.s - the franchise, the players and those banners overhead did all the talking that was needed.

i remember when the team first ran out of the tunnel together before each game, the PA guy simply said "ladies and gentlemen, your world champion Boston Celtics"  made my spine tingle to hear that. the starting 5 intros were simple and classic. Red wanted it that way - all about the basketball. i miss those days terribly.