I've been seeing a lot of negative topics around here lately and felt like talking about the positives. Whether we like it or not, this will probably be the Big 3's last year, and even with the team's flaws, I would much prefer the team we have now to what we had before 2007 and what we'll probably have in the near future.

I appreciate KG, Ray, and Pierce for showing that players CAN sacrifice stats for the team. I appreciate them for triggering a domino effect that caused all their teammates to live by the same philosophy.

I appreciate Rondo for embracing the pure PG role in an era when point guards seem to love scoring. I appreciate him for fighting through after his injury last year - fighting for his team.

I appreciate Bradley and Stiemsma for working so hard on defense. You rarely see players nowadays that focus almost exclusively on defense. Fittingly, many of those players are Celtics or were Celtics at some point.

I appreciate Bass for understanding his role and not trying to do too much. I appreciate how he molded his approach to fit the players around him.

I appreciate Pietrus for bringing a fun but focused attitude. I appreciate how he loves wearing green and respects the Big 3.

I appreciate Wilcox for being an energy guy and giving Rondo another weapon. I also wish him luck with his heart condition.

I appreciate JO for doing his best to contribute even with his injuries. None of us can understand the pain he felt during games and I don't think anyone can question his determination to help the team.

I appreciate Dooling for his energy and solid contributions. While I've been frustrated with his play at times, it was never because of effort.

I appreciate Pavlovic, Quis, JJJ, and Moore for being ready to play at all times. They don't get many minutes, but I've never heard them complain about it and it seems like they always hit the ground running when their names are called.

I appreciate Green for being a true Celtic. He fought through his condition and is fully supporting the team even though he's not signed.

This team has its flaws, but for the past 4.5 years, I've never taken issue with the work ethic of the players. It's something we sometimes take for granted, and we shouldn't. There are several NBA teams with knucklehead players, and I think it's a blessing that we haven't dealt with that type of stuff during the Big 3 era. No matter what their record is this year and how far they make it in the playoffs, I'm proud to be a Celtics fan and I love this team.