NPR: A New Curse in Boston

A New Curse in Boston

The curse of the Bambino plagues the Red Sox no longer. The Patriots play like they wouldn't care if there was a curse. The Bruins aren't cursed -- just badly managed and coached.

But the Boston Celtics ... ah, the Celtics are cursed.

The Celtics, at one time the winner of 16 NBA championships in 30 years, seemed to play the past season for one reason only -- to lose enough games to receive one of the top draft picks that go to the worst teams in the league. The idea of drafting Ohio State's dominating big man Greg Oden or Texas' dynamic Kevin Durant made fans drool, seeing a return to the promised land shimmering on the horizon.

But when the lottery balls fell, so did the Celts. Instead of first or second, they were fifth. No Oden, no Durant.

So why murmurs of a curse? Because it's Boston and Bostonians love curses! The Boston Globe's Bob Ryan, who knows basketball like few other writers, explains:

And who didn't believe that the bad fortune, which began with the death of Len Bias, proceeded with the death of Reggie Lewis, and continued 10 years ago with the faulty drop of the Ping-Pong balls when Tim Duncan was available (and the Celtics had the best chance at him), would finally be reversed? Nope. Sorry. Somebody up there loathes them.

Bill Simmons, who writes on Page 2 on the ESPN website put it this way - "We're headed for another decade in which the Sox and Pats are Michael, and Sonny and the Celtics are Fredo."

You want to know the most ironic touch to this whole sad story? The Celtics' mascot is called "Lucky."

3:41 PM ET | 05-23-2007 | permalink

Comments

You'd be much better off doing an item on Boston sportswriters, they are truly cursed themselves as wholly owned participants in that cursed enterprise known as the Boston Globe.

Sent by R.S.Newark | 8:59 AM ET | 05-24-2007

A lot of sports fans, myself included, were very happy when the lottery results were announced. Here's the kicker: I could care less about NBA basketball (as far as I'm concerned, the basketball season ended at the conclusion of the NCAA tourney).

Ultimately, I have a sincere problem conjuring up any sympathy for Boston sports fans. Why should I feel sorry for a sports city which has celebrated a national championship in baseball and three national championships in football in the past 5 years? Boston sports fans have plenty to cheer about, but attempt to find ways to make themselves appear to be martyrs.

This is a fire stoked by Boston sportswriters (I'm thinking primarily of Dan Shaughnessy here, but Bob Ryan fits the bill), who have spent the bulk of their careers lamenting the bad fortune of the Red Sox. Now that the Red Sox have won championships, it's as though they almost don't know what to do about things...which is, more than anything, sad.

It's kind of like having a grandpa who used to complain about his really great job because he was "only" making $80,000 a year. Well, now grandpa won the lottery, and is set for life - but he's complaining about the food prepared for him by his personal chef.

It's a trifle, it's pointless, it's - to quote the tremendous tagteam of Shakespeare and Faulkner - sound and fury, signifying nothing.

Sent by Dan Dunford | 11:35 AM ET | 05-24-2007

I stopped reading after the "I could care less about NBA basketball" sentence.

Why the heck are you posting here then, dan if you aren't a Celtic fan nor a Basketball fan? Get out of here and post on an NCAA board.....

Sent by glen | 12:18 PM ET | 05-24-2007

Dear Glen,

If you're not going to read an entire comment, then why respond to it?

Sent by Dan Dunford | 3:05 PM ET | 05-24-2007

Not bad considering I read a piece on the new curse in Boston last summer on CelticsPride then again in Febuary when it became Celtics247. Try something.

Sent by James | 10:50 PM ET | 05-24-2007

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