NESN Article: Celtics Have Become Also-Rans in Crowded Boston Scene

[PierceMVP08]

I just read an article on NESN.com that states that the Celtics are the FOURTH MOST POPULAR team in boston and that the Pats, Red Sox and yes, even the Bruins are getting more attention.  He went as far to compare the Celts to the Revolution and the BOSTON CANNONS!!! Here's a quote:

These days, all the words coming out of New Englanders’ mouths are about the other guys. Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen are the old Big Three. This winter, the Bruins, Red Sox and Patriots have taken center stage.

I don't know about you all but I am really tired of the media in this town.  For some reason or another they have and keep writing article as if they have something against the Celtics.  Worst of all they are the ones who write the stories that the rest of the country reads and what they say is what becomes the truth.  For example, after KG was shipped here, they loved to talk about how he "saved basketball in Boston."  Maybe he helped bring successful bball to Boston, but the Celtics were still big to me, friends, and so many others here on CB and beyond.  The Garden was still averaging about 16,000 fans a game and a rabid fan base still existed.  Stories like this are the ones that get us labeled "bandwagon fans."

Just because these "reporters" are interested in those stories doesn't mean the fans (the people who really matters) are the same way.  Boston writers stopped speaking for me a LOOOOOOONG time ago.  I don't even understand why they write these types of pieces.  Have these guys gone out there and spoken to the fans?  No.  They simply are reporting their opinions and reporting it as everyone else's feelings.

http://www.nesn.com/2009/12/celtics-have-become-alsorans-in-crowded-boston-sports-scene.html#comment-6a0115709f071f970b0120a767487a970b

[Donoghus]

First and foremost, Boston is always going to be a Red Sox town.  Everyone else is going to fight for second.

It's mid-December and the Celtics are still relatively early on in the regular season.  In many eyes, they are simply going through the motions and people will get fired up about things come April/May/June. 

People are always fired up about the Red Sox hot stove talk and since the NFL regular season is only 16 games, each Patriots game is magnified.  Given the unique storyline this year of whether or not this Patriots team is on their last legs, there is a lot of intrigue there. 

The Winter Classic is a really unique situation and the Bruins should get some attention at this point.  Its a huge deal to be playing a nationally televised game at Fenway Park.  Also, let's not forget that in many peoples eyes (mine included) Bruins are by far the most diehard of the 4 Boston sports teams.

I happen to think that if the author considered writing this article in May or June, things will be a lot different. 

[Roy Hobbs]

I appreciate the point of the article -- that the Celts are overlooked -- but I disagree with any sort of premise that fans or the media cares more about the Bruins.  The Bruins?  Really?  Maybe on NESN (since they broadcast the team), but not anywhere else.

The Sox will always be #1.  The Celts and Pats will go back and forth depending on who is more successful at the time, but ultimately, football will in general be the more popular sport.  Hockey will perhaps have the most committed die-hards, but in terms of volumes of both fans and coverage, they will lag behind.

[Eja117]

If we were to get 5 guys in the all-star game the Celts would be back on top at least momentarily

[Jack_Frost]

I've been in Boston only for two days, so i can't say to understand this whole thing... But two things are obvious:

1) Boston is a Red Sox town, but after them i saw a battle between Patriots and Celtics. I guess at this moment of the season it's quite possibile that Patriots are a step up, but you have to understand that they are at the end of the regular season, chasing a playoff spot. On the other hand celtics are at the beginning of the season and thery are quite sure to be a contender in the postseason.

2) Maybe Winter Classic is quite fascinating, but not for the Bruins... It is for FENWAY PARK!! (and here we come back to red Sox Town theory)

3) I saw Celtics in every shop, more than Bruins; i read about Celtics history on my city guide (do you think it talks about Bruins?)... Maybe i just don't understand, but it seems to me this is the right order:

a) Red Sox
...Far Behind
b) Celtics-Patriots
c) Bruins

Am i wrong??

[houseonfire09]

Write this article again when Brady retires, the Sox go on a bad stretch and lose thee pink hat fanbase, and the Bruins become more relevant.  Seriously, dumbest premise for an article about Boston sports I have ever heard of.  I didn't even bother to consider reading the article.

[Amonkey]

The great thing about Boston sports for this decade is that we have been GREAT at every sport (Bruins have been up and down).  Unlike say, Indianapolis, who only has one good team to rattle about, therefore they can stand behind the entire season, we can stay behind the Sox, then move to the Patriots, then to the Celtics/Bruins and then, what do you know, we got Sox again!  Seriously, you can be a year-round homer in this town.

So to say that Boston doesn't care about basketball is rediculous.  Also, I remember walking around UMass when the Celtics had the worse season (pre-Big 3).  Granted, not everybody was fan, but I could def recognize the die hard fans.  I knew a bunch of kids that when I saw on campus, I could start up a conversation about the Celtics current state and the kid would join in.

I think this is the same thing as saying that New Yorkers don't care about the Knicks because they are in love with their Yankees and Giants.  Sure, they get more attention now, but the fans are still out there.

Then again, what do you expect form the NESN haters.

[Redz]

What do they mean "become"? 

WEEI barely mentioned the Celtics in 07-08 until the Finals.  The whining about the Pats losing the Super Bowl and  the Red Sox totally overshadowed all of the success the C's were having.

[houseonfire09]

What do they mean "become"? 

WEEI barely mentioned the Celtics in 07-08 until the Finals.  The whining about the Pats losing the Super Bowl and  the Red Sox totally overshadowed all of the success the C's were having.

Thankfully, they aren't the only game in town anymore, so they really can't be all about sox,sox,sox,sox,sox,pats,sox,pats,celt...(waitaminute)sox if they want to compete.

[Redz]

What do they mean "become"? 

WEEI barely mentioned the Celtics in 07-08 until the Finals.  The whining about the Pats losing the Super Bowl and  the Red Sox totally overshadowed all of the success the C's were having.

Thankfully, they aren't the only game in town anymore, so they really can't be all about sox,sox,sox,sox,sox,pats,sox,pats,celt...(waitaminute)sox if they want to compete.

Yup...Digging the new station

[rondohondo]

NESN is really awful as far as articles on the internet. I know they can say negativity sells, but I don't think I have read a positive article for Boston on there in the past 3 years. They have one on there now saying Randy Moss takes negative attention away from Tiger Woods. Really? you mean to tell me cause Randy Moss had a bad game that takes attention away from the fact the Tiger was humping anything that walks and was possibly using steroids or hgh?

I read an article early this month on there that was saying how great the Lakers are and how no one can beat them, pretty much handing them the championship already. I really can't stand NESN. Michael Felger would be a perfect fit on that god awful channel.

[GroverTheClover]

Did Felger write that during his commercial breaks?

[SamuelAdams]

The Bruins?  Weren't they down to under 6,000 season tix holders a few years back?   How many Bruins jerseys do you see anywhere else in the country when you travel?   

It doesn't matter what airport you are in, you will see Men/Kids wearing a Celtics number.

[Onslaught]

As someone who's not from Boston, I never could understand how the Celtics aren't the number one team in Bostonians eyes. They are the number one winning team in NBA history and the most successful team you've got.
I know I'll probably get baned from here for saying this but I'd think the Red Sox overall should be number two. It's not like they haven't broken your hearts over and over again. And they don't win like the Celtics have.

That and baseball is boring.