ImShakHeisShaq, Crushmaster - well-said by both of you.
I agree.
For Crushmaster - I, like you, have not really processed the fact that Ray Allen left, too.
For me, him leaving is still quite a shock.
I remember way back in 86. BOS had just defeated HOU in 6 games, and we had the #1 pick in the upcoming draft, thanks to Red's shrewd maneuvering.
Needless to say, we all know what happened afterwards.
Seeing Red's "inaction" towards trying to either trade one of the Big Three or pull off some other move to help offset Bias' loss was very telling to me - even moreso now with Ray Allen leaving.
To me, Red had just become either too fond of Larry, Chief and McHale to trade any of them, or he was just too deflated with what happened to Bias - and the ramifications it would have on BOS then and in the future.
Fast-forward to NOW.
We have one of "Family" leave - for the enemy. He left of his own accord, but driven, of course, by underlying reasons.
We all won't, no matter what we read in the media, know the truth.
But let me go on record as saying that Ray Allen leaving is still a shock. I'm sure it is a shock to many of us, here. Some have said - "You can leave, Ray - but don't go to MIA."
He went to MIA.
We lost one of our family. One of our Three. He's gone to the enemy.
I can certainly understand the angst - even if I don't agree with it.
I apologize to csfan60 for deflecting the thread a bit.