Faith Rewarded (for ages 20-30)

[ACF]

I'm 32.
I started rooting for the Celtics back in 1988.
So it's been quite a dry spell for me, too.

But you know what?
I have a good feeling about this game.

LET'S BRING HOME NO. 17!

[celticsfan34]

So you haven't been loyal if you're under 20? 

[DinoRadjaLives]

So you haven't been loyal if you're under 20? 

Nah man, you can be 10 and bleed green, I am 28 and was just aiming to my friends. Thought about all this stuff while listening to "In the Air Tonight" on the T this morning.

[rondofan1255]

I started watching the NBA when Vitaly Potapenko and Danny Fortson were first here, and I remember both of them being really bulky. Oh yeah, and at that time I remember Tommy (?) screaming WALTAH or something.

[the TRUTH]

i'm 27, and my first celtic memory is losing the '87 finals in LA. like buckeyecelt, i am from ohio. all you hear about is how lebron is the best player in the history of the game. all along, even last year, i kept telling all my friends that we'll win #17 before the cavs win #1.

as we get closer and closer to winning it, the constant criticism pierce and ainge have taken in the national media really comes to mind. until recently, the words "danny ainge" were literally a joke according to the national media. none of them had any foresight or intestinal fortitude to see what we had brewing. and even bill walton said a couple years ago that paul pierce is AT BEST a 3rd or 4th option on a championship team. so to all those critics of our team and us as fans, who's laughing now?

[silvershamrocker]

I'm 16. My first Celtics memory is... coming back against New Jersey.  (I was 10 at the time)

[LarBrd33]

Yeah I'm just like a lot of the people here.  I'm 25.  I was obsessed with Larry Bird when I was younger, but the total number of Bird basketball cards was probably greater than the total number of Bird games I had watched.   I remember seeing him dunk in an allstar game.  And my only two truly vivid memories of watching him play was a double overtime game against Portland and the famous Indiana playoff game where he hit his head on the floor and came storming back to win the game for us.   I use to live in Florida.  My dad would actually pull me out of my class early so I could go to the local sportsbar and watch the playoff games with him.

I also remember the game when Reggie Lewis collapsed mid court... and I was visiting Boston the day the headline read "Lewis Dead".

I've always had tons of celtic-related posters, figurines, basketball cards and clothing, but it was hard to follow team in the early 90s when I lived in Florida/Seattle. I really didn't have a chance to get deep into my Celtic obsession until Pitino came on board.  It also happened to be right around when I first had access to the internet in 96/97.  That changed things for sportsfans.  Not only could I easily follow box scores, but ever since day 1 of the Pitino era I've been able to either listen to the radio broadcast of the games online or watch the games via NBA League Pass.  I've pretty much listened to or watched every game since then. 

This entire season has been surreal.  If we are able to win one of the next 2 games I might just break down in tears.

[BuckeyeCelt]

i'm 27, and my first celtic memory is losing the '87 finals in LA. like buckeyecelt, i am from ohio. all you hear about is how lebron is the best player in the history of the game. all along, even last year, i kept telling all my friends that we'll win #17 before the cavs win #1.

as we get closer and closer to winning it, the constant criticism pierce and ainge have taken in the national media really comes to mind. until recently, the words "danny ainge" were literally a joke according to the national media. none of them had any foresight or intestinal fortitude to see what we had brewing. and even bill walton said a couple years ago that paul pierce is AT BEST a 3rd or 4th option on a championship team. so to all those critics of our team and us as fans, who's laughing now?

Where are you at in Ohio, I live down in Canal Fulton (Akron/Canton Area).

It's rough living in the front-running home of LBJ.  If I see one more of "Home of LeBron" Signs I might go crazy.

[celticinorlando]

i am 33 and cheered for the C's my entire life....through the late 80's...the 90's and now this era...this game means a ton to me

[tb727]

Great thread.  I'm 29 and vaguely remember the 1987 Finals but was into it hard-core in 1988 when they lost to the Pistons.  That's really the year I got hooked and got to goto my first Celtic game in person in NJ vs the Nets.

Vindication to us and all Celtics fans tonight.

Let's do this!!

[albas89]

I'm 19 years old and, to be honest, I've been a Celtics' fan since 2001, when we reached the Eastern Conference Finals! I was amazed by Pierce( he's still my favorite player) and i loved this team, even though i couldn't really keep in touch with it as I live in Greece and only got Internet by the age of 17!! However, i used every means to get informed and I made it! For the next few years I was sad to see that the Celtics were getting worse and worse every single year passing but I never quitted! Even last year...my faith was strong!! This year's achievements, well, I don't think it's a reward, I don't think I did sth big to get a reward!! I can just say that my smile came back to my face this year, I see that the Celtics are finally getting what they deserve and my guy Paul is finally rewarded!! His faith is rewarded right now and that makes me happy!! 

[fairweatherfan]

I've been rooting for the Celtics since the 87 finals, I barely missed the last title.  Since then it's been mostly pretty terrible.

I turn 30 at midnight tonight, and I expect to be celebrating within the first half-hour of my new decade...

[ACF]

I've been rooting for the Celtics since the 87 finals, I barely missed the last title.  Since then it's been mostly pretty terrible.

I turn 30 at midnight tonight, and I expect to be celebrating within the first half-hour of my new decade...

Holy smoke, what a present you'll
hopefully (-I'M NOT JINXING US!)
be getting.
Well, congratulations in advance 

[fairweatherfan]

I've been rooting for the Celtics since the 87 finals, I barely missed the last title.  Since then it's been mostly pretty terrible.

I turn 30 at midnight tonight, and I expect to be celebrating within the first half-hour of my new decade...

Holy smoke, what a present you'll
hopefully (-I'M NOT JINXING US!)
be getting.
Well, congratulations in advance 

Thanks Amager, just to help my optimism I'm also watching the DVDs of the 86 Finals (early B-day present) for the first time, to pass time til the real game.  I'm not a big believer in fate, but I sure hope things wind up lining up as well as they seem to be...

[angryguy77]

Count me in on this. 30 years old and the fist season was the 90-91. I remember Jordons layup and thought "why did he make that harder then it had to be". But I soon found out why.

This season is so great in so  maby ways. Now I can finally tell all my friends who have been giving me endless crap since my early 20's about being a Boston fan(kind of funny seeing they love the Bucks). But know when we win I can finally tell them to eat it