The Heart of a Champion

[CT34]

The phase "the heart of a champion" has been the used by many people.  It's been used as a title for books, movies, and even a hip-hop song.  The people who used this phase "the heart of a champion" have been just that, champions. 

I think back to former Houston Rockets head coah Rudy Tomjanovich when he said "I have one thing to say to those non-believers; Don't ever underestimate the heart of a champion." This came right after the Rockets won their 2nd NBA championship.

I think back to the Rockets play-off run back in 1995. In the first round they went the full 5 games vs. the Jazz. In the Western Conference Semifinal vs the Phoenix Suns the Rockets came back down 3-1 in that series to win it 4-3. Then they played a tough 6 game series vs San Antonio and then moved on to the final where they swept the Orlando Magic 4-0.

That Rocket teams reminds me a lot of this Celtics team.  Like the Rockets the Celtics have been challenge and push throughout this play-off run.  Every time they needed to win a "must win game" they won it.

So far in games 5's and 7's the Celtics have shown the heart of a champion and won those games. Tonight the Celtics will play in another game 5.  This is by far the biggest game 5 of them all.  As history has shown there's been 22 ECF that have gone 2-2 and the winners of game 5 have went on to win the series 19 times.  Now more then ever we need the Celtics to play like they have the "heart of a champion".  It's moments and game like these that determain if your will be a champion or not. I hope just like that Houston Rocket team they Celtics will prove to be just that.  Champions!

[ram]

well done, CT

and I'll add what Buckley wrote:

People need to get a grip. To be more precise, people who did not follow the Celtics in the 1950s, ’60s, ’70s and ’80s need to get a grip. It used to be that Celtics fans understood the ebb and flow of a postseason, that playing the same team seven times in two weeks is not the same as playing a team in November and then saying, “Have a Merry Christmas,” as you exit the arena.

Had the Celtics gone into The Palace of Auburn Hills and lost Saturday night’s Game 3 and then emerged with a spirited victory in Game 4, everyone around here would be delirious. That the Celtics did it the other way around, and that many of our fellow citizens are concerned about this, boggles the mind. Either way, it comes down to this: The Celtics host the Pistons tonight at the Garden in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals, with each team having won two games. And this is exactly what we all expected. Yes? No? Hello?

[Petro]

Champions also know how to go for the kill once they smell blood. That's the one thing in every series so far they have not been able to do. To me if they win tonight can they go into Detroit and knock them on thier butts when you have them on the ropes and shove that micraphone down the throat of that PA announcer? This Celtics team has the talent and heart to win big games abosolutley BUT they havent been able to put teams away. Winning tonight is must and I have no doubt they will.Win in Detroit and rip thier heart out in front of thier fans now thats a CHAMPION.

[CT34]

I think I said this earlier in the week or late last week. The Celtics are right where I thought they would be.  2-2 game 5 at the Garden with a chance to win.  I thought this series was going 7. But I was fool by game 3.  When the Cs won that game I thought the monkey was off their back and they win game 4.  I was foolish to think that way because all post-season long the Celtics have failed to put away teams.  They manage to win only the games they "MUST" win.

I'm one person who thought game 4 was a must win game for the Celtics.  Because you have a chance to put a team away. Look at the Lakers, they seem to get it. It's one reason why I would give the Lakers the edge over the Celtics and the Piston.

[crownsy]

I think I said this earlier in the week or late last week. The Celtics are right where I thought they would be.  2-2 game 5 at the Garden with a chance to win.  I thought this series was going 7. But I was fool by game 3.  When the Cs won that game I thought the monkey was off their back and they win game 4.  I was foolish to think that way because all post-season long the Celtics have failed to put away teams.  The manage to win game when they HAVE TO.

I'm one person who thought game 4 was a must win game for the Celtics.  Because you have a chance to put a team away. Look at the Lakers, they seem to get and it's one reason why I would give the Lakers the edge over the Celtics and the Piston.

agreed, but it wouldn't help to have the refs help putting one away, ala LA last night.

the only thing joey "i have a gaint grudge" crawford could have done to make that anymore obvious is turn around and flip off timmy after that no call right in front of him

[CT34]

I think I said this earlier in the week or late last week. The Celtics are right where I thought they would be.  2-2 game 5 at the Garden with a chance to win.  I thought this series was going 7. But I was fool by game 3.  When the Cs won that game I thought the monkey was off their back and they win game 4.  I was foolish to think that way because all post-season long the Celtics have failed to put away teams.  The manage to win game when they HAVE TO.

I'm one person who thought game 4 was a must win game for the Celtics.  Because you have a chance to put a team away. Look at the Lakers, they seem to get and it's one reason why I would give the Lakers the edge over the Celtics and the Piston.

agreed, but it wouldn't help to have the refs help putting one away, ala LA last night.

the only thing joey "i have a gaint grudge" crawford could have done to make that anymore obvious is turn around and flip off timmy after that no call right in front of him

It will be interesting to see who is calling tonights game. I will know if the Cs have a chance or not just by knowing who the Refs will be.

[BrickJames]

I know there's at least one thing in common between those Rockets teams and this Celtics team...

Sam Cassell!

[CT34]

I know there's at least one thing in common between those Rockets teams and this Celtics team...

Sam Cassell!

Yup! I was going to mention that but lets be real the Sam Cassell the Celtics have isn't the same Sam Cassell the Rockets had back then. That Sam Cassell was money.  The Sam Cassell the plays for the Celtics is counterfeit.

[BrickJames]

Didn't RudyT say that quote after their 2nd championship?

This Celtics team is counterfeit as well until they win.

[CT34]

Didn't RudyT say that quote after their 2nd championship?

This Celtics team is counterfeit as well until they win.

Yes RudyT said that after they won their 2nd championship and I agree the Cs are counterfeit until they win.  No more big three talk please until they win something.

[Roy Hobbs]

I think the Heart of a Champion must have been enjoying the Atlanta night life a little too much to blow three games against a vastly inferior opponent in the first round.

I'm sorry, but I don't see this team's mental toughness or heart as being one of its overwhelming strengths.

[CT34]

I think the Heart of a Champion must have been enjoying the Atlanta night life a little too much to blow three games against a vastly inferior opponent in the first round.

I'm sorry, but I don't see this team's mental toughness or heart as being one of its overwhelming strengths.

Your right it's not one of the team strength.  However they haven't lost a game 5 or game 7 in this play-off run. So when they have to reach down and get a so called "Must Win game" they have proven to go out and win thoses game.  Now all those games have been played at home and that god for that.  Because I think this team lack the mental toughness to win a road game 5 or 7.

[crownsy]

yea we are the ultimate chip on the shoulder team. evry time so far that the backs have been against the wall they come out on fire and win. but give them any kind of saftey net, and they play poorly.

i love this team, but sometimes its like dating a girl with bi-polar. one day she loves you, the next she hates you.


i hope and think the team that loves us will show up tonight

GO CELTS

[Who]

Main problems being:

(1) The Rockets got better with every series to the point they were toying with their opposition in the final two rounds.
(2) The Western Conference was a powerhouse back then like it is now. Their first round opposition, the Utah Jazz, were a contender. A 50 win team. So too were the Phoenix Suns. It only got tougher as they met San Antonio. Then a good Orlando team in the Finals.

[angryguy77]

yea we are the ultimate chip on the shoulder team. evry time so far that the backs have been against the wall they come out on fire and win. but give them any kind of saftey net, and they play poorly.

i love this team, but sometimes its like dating a girl with bi-polar. one day she loves you, the next she hates you.


i hope and think the team that loves us will show up tonight

GO CELTS

You could just have left out the bi-polar part because isn't msot women like that in general?