David Trageser's Boston Celtics fan blog

Do you think this whole Obama thing has a lot of NBA players psyched?  Looking at stat sheets from around the league last night, I'd say so.  Carmelo Anthony said he'd score 44 for Barack Obama (who will be the 44th president of our country), and while he didn't crack 30 in a loss to Golden State, I think it's safe to say that his excitement was a sentiment shared by many throughout the league.

Let's put it this way, Dwyane Wade missed a rare five-by-five by two blocks (FYI: a five-by-five is when a player tallies at least five points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks) and LeBron James posted 41/9/6 on a bum ankle that he rolled in the first half, and neither one of these guys even came close to posting the SECOND BEST individual performance of the evening.  That's right, 41 by LeBron or a box score busting all around game from Wade didn't even crack the top two.

Continue reading "Trickle Down"

I know, I know, you're as sad and distraught as I am about the elimination of the Red Sox at the hands of the tampa Bay Rays.  Actually, if that is true, then you must be feeling ok, because I'm really not that torn up about it.  If this were five years ago, I'd still be in bed crying myself to sleep and cursing the universe for conspiring against me and playing such a cruel joke on a desperate fan. 

Thankfully, this isn't five years ago.  The Red Sox have killed the "curse" twice and baseball is, once again, just a game for me.  At least the Red Sox didn't roll over and die in five games, they made it a series and simply lost to the better team.  The Red Sox were banged up all around the diamond, and honestly, a little R & R will probably end up helping the team and the organization in the long run.  Sure, there's a bit of room for second-guessing (why was Beckett sent back out in the fifth inning of game two after he'd already blown multiple leads?  Earth to Tito?), but really, the Rays played harder and better and deserved to win. 

Continue reading "Silver Linings Galore"

Let me get this straight, I have to root for vintage Wakefield to try and even the series against Tampa Bay?  How did this happen?  I'm too angry to really provide any inisghtful analysis at the moment (at the risk of tearing Terry Francona to pieces), so all I can say is that the game starts in four hours, and y'all better watch. 

And for those of ou haters who are out there rooting for Tampa Bay to beat the Red Sox because you like shitting on Massachusetts (Blaine, Wilsons, Max, Benny), just remember that you're wilingly endorsing the state of Florida, who have brought you eight years of George Bush and Limp Bizkit.  I hope you're all happy.

Continue reading "How Did We Get Here?"

Hey folks, today I'll be bringing you a running commentary of my thoughts and reactions to game three of the American League Division Series between the Red Sox and the Angels.  I've never done this kind of thing before, so forgive me if I show some growing pains during this whole process.  At this point we're still about twenty minutes away from the first pitch of the game, but I'm already stationed in the best seat in the house, my gigantic, comfy ugly-as-sin yellow chair and ottoman in front of the television.

 The White Sox are trying to hold off the Rays and extend their series by another game at least, and they're currently leading 5-3 in the top of the eighth inning.  Even though the White Sox are out in front right now, there is no sense of comfort in their dugout.  There is just no quit in the Rays, period. It's their most dangerous quality.

Continue reading "Division Series Live-Blog, or A Journey to the Center of a Derranged Sport's Fan's Mind"

(Cue the Talking Heads’ “Once in a Lifetime”)

Hey, I know that song, it’s a good one.  It certainly is a familiar tune.  It must be October (there’s only one, you know!), because the Boston Red Sox just wrapped up another postseason smack-down in Los Angeles Anaheim, California.  Even though the final score was only 4-1, this loss seemed to be especially demoralizing for the Angels, who for the tenth (!) straight time lost to the Red Sox in the postseason.

As the title of this post suggests, tonight’s “contest” was a familiar rehashing of both recent and (the over 40 crowd’s gonna kill me for this) not so recent postseason history.  Jacoby Ellsbury found last season’s October stroke, going 3 for 5 (he also reached base on a fielder’s choice and on an error) with two stolen bases, one phenomenal catch in centerfield and a correspondence of at least 5 text messages between sis and myself discussing how cute and handsome he is while he’s doing all of this.  And while Ellsbury certainly was the best looking part of tonight’s game, his stat line is just the beginning of a complete portrait of dominance on a baseball diamond.

Continue reading "Same as it Ever Was"

I just want to throw it out there that I’m in total football denial over here.  As far as I know, there is no NFL, and hence no knee injuries or crushing home losses to the bottom feeders of the AFC East.  It’s just too painful.  In a concerted effort to distract myself from what is definitely not happening right now (New England redemption?), and in an attempt to stay current with my local surroundings, let’s talk basketball.

Specifically, I’d like to talk for a little bit about Rudy Fernandez, Portland’s newest rookie darling, who arrived with quite a bang in Portland earlier this week.  For those of you not in the know, Fernandez is widely regarded as one of the premiere (if not the flat out best) players in all of Spain, and made a HUGE splash in Spain’s dramatic loss to the United States in the 2008 Olympic Basketball gold medal game, raining down threes, making plays and putting Dwight Howard on a poster with a fierce slam dunk down the stretch.

Continue reading "Welcome Distractions Courtesy of Spain"

I’m still fighting against the tide here, but my daily transformation into Bill Simmons continues nonetheless.  I’m at work, without a great idea for a column today, but I have to write one so… let’s have some fun with the NBA Trade Machine (woooooooo!).  Cue the sirens and the balloon drop (what’s that, the Republicans used them all during their convention?  Shit!). 

Seriously though, I have a crazy idea, and the trade machine says it works, which means (here’s the part where I sound like Simmons…) that I’m going to spend an entire column telling you all about why this trade that will never ever, ever happen definitely should and will happen.  Are you ready? Let’s get on with it then.

Continue reading "Change of Scenery?"

Did you miss me?  Sorry for the extended hiatus once again, but I was busy being cooped up in a metal box for days on end, plus I had to go ahead and lose all of my money to various undeserving casinos and their patrons, so I've had no time to reflect on the world of sports.  Many of you are probably expecting to read (or at least skim) some bitter, semi incoherent rambling post about Tom Brady's left knee and the dirty Chiefs and the especially classless fans of the NFL who actually had the gall to celebrate and commemorate a horrific injury to the league's best player, but I've gotta leave something for Simmons to do, so that will not be a part of my post today.  Instead, I'm going to hide from my problems inside the twisted world of the NBA, where my beloved Boston Celtics are still champions, and my mistresses, the Portland Trailblazers are looking better than ever and are brimming with talent and potential.

Continue reading "Little Wing?"

Oy.  That’s my initial reaction to the news today that the Boston Celtics have signed former clubhouse cancer Darius Miles to a contract, reaching out to a player who hasn’t played pro basketball in almost two full years.  Just to clarify, Miles now has the opportunity to compete for a spot in the Celtics’ rotation; it is far from certain that he will make the team or even play for the Celtics next year. 

But the Celtics have signed him, which despite turning my stomach worse than a burrito from the Original Taco House on Powell has nonetheless piqued my curiosity about the tantalizingly talented and consistently frustrating player’s potential role with the Boston Celtics.  Most of you out there (if there are still any of you) probably don’t know much about Darius Miles, but as somebody who’s been in Portland to watch him play (and because you asked, Dad), I figure that I’m as good a source as any to enlighten you all about the 6’9” swingman from East St. Louis, Missouri.

Continue reading "Tumbling Dice"

The BoSox are sputtering slightly and seem unable to cope with the thrilling blend of youthful exuberance, talent and execution of the Tampa Bay Rays (even after 5 months it still seems weird), and I have a sinking suspicion that the only thing that the NFL season will bring is a continuous highlight reel rehashing the painful and humiliating achievement that was 18-1, which means that it’s time for the first NBA preview of the 2008-2009 season (cue the balloon drop, the sirens and the party music!). 

All joking aside, the NBA season tip off should be fantastic, pairing the Cleveland Cavaliers against the Boston Celtics on Tuesday, October 28th.  In case you were wondering, that’s only forty days and a few hours away, and already I’m giddy and fidgeting like a kid who’s hopped up on adderal on Christmas Eve (nice imagery, no?).  In case you have forgotten the epic battle between these two teams in the second round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs last year, I suggest that you hit up youtube.com for highlights, or better yet just drop by mi casa and I will gladly subject you to the championship DVD (fair warning: you come for one, and you may get sucked into watching the DVD from the Red Sox’ 2004 World Series run).

Continue reading "Return of the Rivalry"