When studying the way to write once more (after not writing something of significance since faculty), one piece of recommendation that caught was: “Tales aren’t about you. Don’t use “I” a lot. Simply write concerning the topic.”
I’m going to fail at that right here. I sincerely hope you’ll indulge me in that failure.
I gained’t bury the lede. That is my final season overlaying the Boston Celtics for CelticsBlog.
I’m sharing this now, as a result of it’s nearly as good a time as any. And since I don’t need to distract in any respect from the upcoming playoff run by dropping in a random piece in the course of the perfect a part of the season. I’m egocentric, however not that egocentric. And for the season to finish and easily not write right here anymore after that final recreation, appears bizarre and disingenuous. So, right here we’re.
For many who love drama, I hate to disappoint, however there’s no nefarious motive. It’s simply time for me to maneuver on. I’m nonetheless going to be overlaying the NBA. I’ll be doing much more writing concerning the wage cap, rosters, transactions and all that form of stuff on Spotrac transferring ahead. After all, that may nonetheless imply some Celtics stuff.
What I gained’t be doing is overlaying the Celtics day-to-day anymore. And that’s actually, actually bittersweet.
My area of interest within the NBA world is the cap, the CBA and roster stuff. Exterior of video games, it’s what I really like essentially the most concerning the league. It’s additionally, by far, what I’m greatest at writing about. It’s time to lean into that extra, and we’ve obtained some actually cool initiatives deliberate that I’m enthusiastic about.
However to do this, it means I gained’t have time to cowl the Celtics the way in which I’ve for nearly seven years now. And which means leaving CelticsBlog.
That half sucks.
My first article on CelticsBlog posted on August 20, 2016. It was about Boston signing Marcus Georges-Hunt. My second article? It was concerning the Celtics renouncing the draft rights to Colton Iverson. So, yeah, miscellaneous transactions have all the time been my recreation.
Since then, I’ve written over 1,000 different articles. And I’m hoping there are nonetheless an entire lot extra to come back earlier than this season is alleged and completed.
None of it occurs with out the assist of some actually particular folks. Individuals who don’t get practically sufficient love or shine for what they create Celtics followers right here with CelticsBlog.
Jeff Clark known as “The Blogfather” for a motive. He’s the perfect, most supportive boss anybody may hope to have. His mantra is “Life first, weblog second” and he actually means it. Every time any of us have wanted something that has nothing to do with basketball, Jeff has all the time been there with no matter assist he can supply. And when it’s time to work, Jeff encourages every of us to run with no matter we wish, so long as we put our greatest effort and coronary heart into it. That’s uncommon in a world the place writers get pigeon-holed early on.
Invoice Sy is somebody I’m proud to have labored with for this lengthy, however I’m even prouder to name him my pal. There have been means too many 2:00 AM ET disaster of religion the place Invoice has patiently listened, earlier than providing some sage recommendation. Generally it’s about writing, but it surely’s extra typically about life. There’s nothing extra you possibly can ask for in an editor, or, extra importantly, a pal.
I’m nowhere close to naïve sufficient to imagine that I’m a simple individual to work with. I’m cussed, I really like a very good combat and I’m typically pleased to wallow in distress of my very own creation. I place an outsized significance on sports activities, particularly basketball and the Celtics. And that drives an excessive amount of of my temper, together with in our digital CelticsBlog workspace.
I additionally assume I’m loyal to those that are loyal to me. I attempt to be useful. I forgive and overlook fairly shortly. I’ll go to battle with my CelticsBlog household any day. That even contains after I’m prepared to steer the cost and remainder of the crew is questioning the place that cost is even headed.
Briefly: you possibly can take the boy out of Boston, however you possibly can’t take Boston out of the boy.
It hasn’t all the time been simple overlaying the Celtics from afar as I’ve over practically seven years. I’m not across the workforce sufficient to essentially do it correctly. I don’t have the relationships with the gamers and coaches that others have constructed. My relationships with those that cowl the workforce within the media are nearly solely digital too.
To compensate for these lacking items, I’ve tried to work actually onerous. I’ve dipped into my education to attempt to educate. I’ve tried to create a lane for myself within the Celtics media world, after which to remain principally in it.
Jeff and Invoice have allowed for that. They usually’ve allowed for me go outdoors of that lane after I felt I have to. Twice, my household misplaced beloved canine and twice I took to CelticsBlog to write down about it. I nonetheless get emails, tweets and feedback concerning the Bernie and Matty articles to this present day. Greater than about anything I’ve ever written about. That’s how you realize this place is particular.
Jeff, Invoice and the SB Nation guys additionally saved me going in the course of the pandemic. For many who don’t know my backstory, I stop my full-time profession of practically 20 years with The Walt Disney Firm to cowl the NBA…three weeks earlier than the season shut down in 2020. Good timing, huh?
All through that months-long stretch with out video games, I used to be saved afloat by CelticsBlog. I wrote about every kind of stuff throughout that stretch that was solely tangentially basketball-related. However we saved going and all of it ended up alright in the long run.
I additionally owe because of Kevin O’Connor for making this entire factor occur within the first place. Kevin and I bonded over Blake Griffin rumors, Russell Westbrook rumors and lifeless whales in San Diego. What a bizarre summer season that was.
When Kevin moved on, he was the one who advisable for me to take his spot. My rapid go-to man on the CelticsBlog workforce grew to become Jared Weiss. I’ll always remember Jared’s recommendation to me after I was uncertain about writing a bit: “Simply write it, man.”
My CelticsBlog household has modified and morphed all through my time right here, however they’ve all the time been right here. There are means too many others to thank, however all of them understand how a lot I really like and recognize their friendship, expertise and keenness for this workforce.
That household additionally contains you, Expensive Reader. You’re the motive I write, the explanation I tweet, the explanation I podcast and the explanation I yap on the radio. Sure, that is my job now (principally due to your assist), however earlier than that, I did all of this for you.
Regardless of it sometimes seeming in any other case round social media, I really like Celtics followers. The eagerness you convey all the time challenged me to be higher. To discover a totally different angle. To dig one thing out that nobody else had. To convey as a lot to you as you anticipate.
Certain, that typically resulted in battles. However, so long as they didn’t get private and insulting, I by no means forgot the place it was all coming from. All of us simply needed to see the fellows in inexperienced to do their greatest.
Principally, I really like the part of Celtics followers that dwell right here on CelticsBlog. They are saying you shouldn’t learn the feedback, as a result of it’s a cesspool of unhappiness. However I by no means felt that means right here. Generally, somebody overly damaging or outright imply would creep in, however they’d be nearly shouted down fairly shortly.
You, Expensive Reader, have lifted me and my work together with your kindness and challenges. Extra instances than I may ever hope to depend. You make me need to be higher at this, as a result of that’s what you deserve. I hope I met you expectations most of the time.
This has already been way more self-serving than I supposed, so I’m going to chop issues off right here. There’s much more work to be completed. For me, for all of us right here at CelticsBlog and for the Celtics themselves.
So, I’ll finish with this with two easy ideas:
First: Thanks, for every part, CelticsBlog.
Second: It’s been far too lengthy since Boston hung a brand new banner. It’s time. It’s time for Banner 18. Let’s go Celtics!
