Referees Decided 2010 NBA Finals (VIDEO)

[tenn_smoothie]

This is the first time I have even discussed game 7 with anyone.

I am a Yankee fan and this was worse for me than 2004. The Yankees deserved to lose that series probably more than the Sox deserved to win it. I was p---ed, but they deserved to lose, so I got over it even though my Sox fan friends have tried to let me not. But last years game seven was different.

I was an addicted boxing fan in the 70s and 80s. I especially followed Marven Hagler when he was fighting his way up in venues like the old Boston Arena when we had to fight rats (real rodents) for seats. I went to Philly and saw him get home-town decisioned by Willie the Worm Monroe and then saw his revenge here at the Hynes when he punished Monroe. He "lost" to Leonard (Hagler won the first two minutes of every round and Leonard won the last minute a good strategy by Leonard, but Hagler clearly won the fight, even though two of the judges gave the decision to Leonard and one by an absurdly large margin 118-110, I think, when the other judges had it 115-113, one for Leonard and one for Hagler) . Compare Leonard's face after the fight to Hagler's if you have any doubts about who won, or just watch the fight. The anger then emptiness that ensued turned me away from boxing for over two decades because of the corrupt nature of the sport and how judges can literally decide who wins or loses, and they did it to Hagler. The way he lost was similar to how the Cs loss, but the Cs loss was worse for me personally.

There are many similarities in the losses of Hagler to Leonard and the Cs last year. Hagler and the Cs were blue-collar workmen. They were battling the glamor and glitz of the Lakers and Leonard. Substance over flash. But the refs/judges stepped in and substance lost.

The Lakers loss was worse however to me. Not only because of the refs role in the outcome of game 7, but because there should never have been a game 7 in the first place. But for Artest's cheap shot knee into Ray's thigh, which, in effect took him out of the series and Kobe and Bynum's high/low tag team of Perk in game 6, we would have beaten them with or without the refs. Add to that the indignity of Jackson catching Red in titles and the Fakers being on the doorstep of catching us for titles and that makes this the most bitter pill I have had to swallow as a sports fan.

Faker's cheap shots and incompetent refs did us in. With any luck (even the year KG went down, if Powe stayed healthy, we would have had a shot)we could be going for a 4peat this year.....a 4peat!!!!! All those things make me feel that even if we beat those Fakers in the Finals every year for the next 20, that still wouldn't make up for last year. We were violated as a team and as a fandom. Were were thugged and mugged in front of the cops and we weren't protected or served. The only thing we can do is go Charles Bronson/Death Wish on the rest of the league in these coming playoffs. Take it completely out of the refs hands.

fascinating post.

first, i agree completely with the sentiment of the thread - last year's game 7 has been my most painful Celtics loss in history. before last year, the '73 ECF game 7 loss to the knicks was my worst followed closely by '87 game 4. but last year was my most painful for several reasons. i actually didn't watch the 4th quarter until late august. that nite i was just too nervous to watch after the first three quarters so i set the DVR and turned the channel and kept the live box score up on my computer. when i finally did watch it, i was sickened.

now, to your post - i watched that fight b/w hagler and leonard. i was actually for leonard - i had always been a fan of that entire '76 olympic boxing team. however, i understand your sentiments about that fight and really can't disagree with your analysis. lenoard did have some amazing flurries during the fight (round 9 fighting his way off the ropes), but i always thought deep down that he stole the fight because he was the crowd favorite and because he put together those late round crowd pleasing flurries that never did much damage to hagler.

your analogy of that fight to game 7 last year is a great connection. i finally somewhat got over the 1987 game 4 loss when the Celts came back on LA in game 4 in '08 - not sure i'll ever get over game 7 from last season.

I want #18 in the worst way and i want the Lakers in the finals.

[csfansince60s]

This is the first time I have even discussed game 7 with anyone.

I am a Yankee fan and this was worse for me than 2004. The Yankees deserved to lose that series probably more than the Sox deserved to win it. I was p---ed, but they deserved to lose, so I got over it even though my Sox fan friends have tried to let me not. But last years game seven was different.

I was an addicted boxing fan in the 70s and 80s. I especially followed Marven Hagler when he was fighting his way up in venues like the old Boston Arena when we had to fight rats (real rodents) for seats. I went to Philly and saw him get home-town decisioned by Willie the Worm Monroe and then saw his revenge here at the Hynes when he punished Monroe. He "lost" to Leonard (Hagler won the first two minutes of every round and Leonard won the last minute a good strategy by Leonard, but Hagler clearly won the fight, even though two of the judges gave the decision to Leonard and one by an absurdly large margin 118-110, I think, when the other judges had it 115-113, one for Leonard and one for Hagler) . Compare Leonard's face after the fight to Hagler's if you have any doubts about who won, or just watch the fight. The anger then emptiness that ensued turned me away from boxing for over two decades because of the corrupt nature of the sport and how judges can literally decide who wins or loses, and they did it to Hagler. The way he lost was similar to how the Cs loss, but the Cs loss was worse for me personally.

There are many similarities in the losses of Hagler to Leonard and the Cs last year. Hagler and the Cs were blue-collar workmen. They were battling the glamor and glitz of the Lakers and Leonard. Substance over flash. But the refs/judges stepped in and substance lost.

The Lakers loss was worse however to me. Not only because of the refs role in the outcome of game 7, but because there should never have been a game 7 in the first place. But for Artest's cheap shot knee into Ray's thigh, which, in effect took him out of the series and Kobe and Bynum's high/low tag team of Perk in game 6, we would have beaten them with or without the refs. Add to that the indignity of Jackson catching Red in titles and the Fakers being on the doorstep of catching us for titles and that makes this the most bitter pill I have had to swallow as a sports fan.

Faker's cheap shots and incompetent refs did us in. With any luck (even the year KG went down, if Powe stayed healthy, we would have had a shot)we could be going for a 4peat this year.....a 4peat!!!!! All those things make me feel that even if we beat those Fakers in the Finals every year for the next 20, that still wouldn't make up for last year. We were violated as a team and as a fandom. Were were thugged and mugged in front of the cops and we weren't protected or served. The only thing we can do is go Charles Bronson/Death Wish on the rest of the league in these coming playoffs. Take it completely out of the refs hands.

fascinating post.

first, i agree completely with the sentiment of the thread - last year's game 7 has been my most painful Celtics loss in history. before last year, the '73 ECF game 7 loss to the knicks was my worst followed closely by '87 game 4. but last year was my most painful for several reasons. i actually didn't watch the 4th quarter until late august. that nite i was just too nervous to watch after the first three quarters so i set the DVR and turned the channel and kept the live box score up on my computer. when i finally did watch it, i was sickened.

now, to your post - i watched that fight b/w hagler and leonard. i was actually for leonard - i had always been a fan of that entire '76 olympic boxing team. however, i understand your sentiments about that fight and really can't disagree with your analysis. lenoard did have some amazing flurries during the fight (round 9 fighting his way off the ropes), but i always thought deep down that he stole the fight because he was the crowd favorite and because he put together those late round crowd pleasing flurries that never did much damage to hagler.

your analogy of that fight to game 7 last year is a great connection. i finally somewhat got over the 1987 game 4 loss when the Celts came back on LA in game 4 in '08 - not sure i'll ever get over game 7 from last season.

I want #18 in the worst way and i want the Lakers in the finals.

TP for admitting you were a Leonard fan in Hagler country and still being objective enough to know who won the fight.

[MJovic]

this game was exactly like gm7 last year but without refs giving the push... and mr. selfish was doing his thing, killing his team and team spirit in 4th so boston came out with the easy win.