Ray Allen says he'll 'Always Be A Celtic'. What do you think?

[sofutomygaha]

If he wins the title this year, will he also be a Heat for life? Can he be both? Do we need to bring zombie Supersonics fans in on this conversation?

Will Lebron always be a Cav?

Will Dwight Howard always be a Magician?

LIVE IN THE NOW, MY FRIENDS! We have heros who played their whole careers in Boston! Cherish them if you get sentimental. You never had to face Larry Bird as your enemy.

... unless you think that Larry Bird will always be a Pacer executive?? I don't know.

[perks-a-beast]

Real question:

Who's number is more likely to be retired; Ray's or Toine's?

Rays, considering Jeff Green has #8 now. Neither will be retired. I wish the Celtics gave #20 to one of the rookies as a clear message to Ray.

[Fafnir]

Real question:

Who's number is more likely to be retired; Ray's or Toine's?

Ray if I have to give one though I'd say neither.

[celticinorlando]

Ray Allen's number will NEVER be retired in Boston

[xmuscularghandix]

Only way Ray's number gets retired is if there's another large gap between championships with a lot of losing. If the Celtics have to start putting on shows to sell tickets then his number will go up just like Cornbread.

[perks-a-beast]

and i hope Ray gets cheered when he comes back. He gave us memories i will never forget. The truth is now we are better off without him so there is really no need to be bitter.

[mgent]

Just like he'll always be a Sonic or a Buck or a Heat.

Ray's going to be remembered as a vagrant player. Nothing wrong with that, but it just is.

I 100% disagree.  I would bet my life that Ray felt a much stronger connection to the Celtics than he ever did to the Bucks or Sonics.  And even if the Heat do win again, I highly doubt he'll feel that same fufillment he did contributing 17-4-3 as 1/3 of a championship team.

[Fafnir]

Just like he'll always be a Sonic or a Buck or a Heat.

Ray's going to be remembered as a vagrant player. Nothing wrong with that, but it just is.

I 100% disagree.  I would bet my life that Ray felt a much stronger connection to the Celtics

Who cares what he feels?

If he's not wearing the laundry anymore the judgment gets passed onto the fans.

[apc]

and i hope Ray gets cheered when he comes back. He gave us memories i will never forget. The truth is now we are better off without him so there is really no need to be bitter.

at first i thought he should get cheered, but man, he has been trashing the organization non-stop for a month now...i don't think he will get any cheers at the Garden.

[mgent]

Just like he'll always be a Sonic or a Buck or a Heat.

Ray's going to be remembered as a vagrant player. Nothing wrong with that, but it just is.

I 100% disagree.  I would bet my life that Ray felt a much stronger connection to the Celtics

Who cares what he feels?

If he's not wearing the laundry anymore the judgment gets passed onto the fans.

Both are related.  The strength of the connection between  a player and a team and his history of winning/acomplishments there, plays a major role in his connection with the fans.  And I thought the fans' judgement went without saying.  I'm guessing twenty years from now fans will still remember him as a Celtic.

Jason Kidd had the exact same career as Ray, split pretty evenly between 3 teams.  Are you saying fans don't most recognize him as the guy who immediately carried New Jersey to the top of the conference; rather the 37 year old that was being outplayed by Terry, JJ Barea, and Marion on somebody else's championship team?

[manl_lui]

What if Ray Allen is really a spy from the Celtics sent to Miami to mess their offense up, and cause problems in the locker room. All this burning bridges, offered more money than Miami, contract talks and all are just smoke screens?

cuz for some reason this isn't the Ray we knew about...

o well w/e, friend or foe, he's not in a green uniform anymore, so that makes my life easier...I'll just boo him regardless comes January 27th

[2short]

I for one will always think of ray as a husky or a sonic
bring back the sonics!!

[Who]

No -- Ray Allen wasn't here long enough for that. He spent about as much time here as he did in Milwaukee and Seattle. Around 5 years apiece. Plus a few more now in Miami. I wouldn't associate him with any one team. The sport in general rather than a specific team.

[j804]

I have been much too busy justifying RA.  His statements, especially him saying that his two older female fans in their Celtics Ray Allen jerseys don't belong in Miami turned me right around.  Bye, Ray.  No loyalty to fans was the  straw...loyalty is always a two way street.

yeah couldn't even believe that story when I read it, they were actually booed/kicked out of Miami's practice facility

[CelticHooligan3]

Just like he'll always be a Sonic or a Buck or a Heat.

Ray's going to be remembered as a vagrant player. Nothing wrong with that, but it just is.

I 100% disagree.  I would bet my life that Ray felt a much stronger connection to the Celtics

Who cares what he feels?

If he's not wearing the laundry anymore the judgment gets passed onto the fans.

Both are related.  The strength of the connection between  a player and a team and his history of winning/acomplishments there, plays a major role in his connection with the fans.  And I thought the fans' judgement went without saying.  I'm guessing twenty years from now fans will still remember him as a Celtic.

Jason Kidd had the exact same career as Ray, split pretty evenly between 3 teams.  Are you saying fans don't most recognize him as the guy who immediately carried New Jersey to the top of the conference; rather the 37 year old that was being outplayed by Terry, JJ Barea, and Marion on somebody else's championship team?

That's some wishful thinking mgent. And for the record when you mention Jason Kidds name and i try to picture the jersey that most embodies him as a player i think of his rookie year in Dallas. So that tells me it's not really quite clear where his legacy may lay.

Maybe his best numbers and post season was on New Jersey but he like Ray has been a jorneyman his whole career so no one fan base will really accept him as their own. They have always been and continue to be guns for hire.

To me and many others on this board he embodies the opposite of the Celtic mystique. He was here how many years and never fully embraced or accepted what the name on the front of the jersey implies. And that's we before me. Team before the individual.