The Terrible Loss, to the Sweet Taste of Victory

I want to first start out and give my condolences to the family and friends of the greatest basketball coach to ever live. Red Auerbach passed away this weekend at the age of 89. The man, the myth, the legend who was Red, was the most respected figure in all levels of basketball. No one came close to the charisma he had. No one came close to the devotion he had for the Celtics, being an active member in the organization for the majority of his life. Words cannot express how much this man meant to the game or the region of New England. If there was one sports figure that is more popular than the Red Sox it was Red Auerbach.

Red Auerbach won 9 Championships in his career as head coach of the Celtics, eight of which were won in consecutive years. I don’t care what anyone says, no one will ever be better than that. People can make a case for Phil Jackson all they want, but he did not do it in consecutive years and he has yet to win one without either Shaquille O’Neal or Michael Jordan, who was without a doubt the best players at their position in the time they were, coached Jackson. Bill Russell was good, but he always had to battle with Wilt Chamberlain for the title of “best there ever was.” I think what made the Celtics so good in those years is that everyone on the team contributed from the first guy off the bench to the last and you can only get a team to do that through superb coaching.

I have never met this man and now I never will and for that I am truly sadden, but one thing I am certain. My guest list for my first meal in heaven just got a little bit longer with Auerbach being very close to the top. (Stay tuned for a post that outlines the rest).

The other thing I must talk about is the amazing events that happened yesterday at Lincoln Financial Field. Temple University students longed to hear it, and I have longed to report it. The Temple Football team has won a game. In a 28-14 victory over Bowling Green State University one cannot help but be very optimistic about the future. No they probably won't ever win a national championship but I believe in a few years they will give the fans here at Temple a lot to cheer about. Take yesterdays game as an example. From the amazing punt block, to Travis Shelton’s first touchdown to his 96 yard kick off return for the score. That is not even close to the excitement that was buzzing from the few fans that were there.

Other points of interest are that for the first time since I have been going to home Temple football games, the Owls had more fans then their opponents. I would also like to send out a prayer to Coach Golden and his wife who are experiencing some tough times and I hope everything works out for the best.

I’m Joe the Intern Signing Off.

Fuck You Buckner

It has been less than 24 hours since my last post, but this story fell into my lap and it is worthy of a post. I was sitting at work waiting for Temple Football practice to start and I was browsing through the many sport stories on ESPN.com, when I came across this little story that revisits October 25, 1986. For those baseball illiterate, this was the night that the one the only Bill Fucking Buckner made the costly error that cost the Boston Red Sox the World Series. At this point if anyone defends Buckner and say it wasn't his fault I will kill you, piss on your corpse, and then throw a print out of ESPN's article on your piss drenched corpse just to prove a point. So before you continue please do me the justice of reading ESPN's article. Here is the Link...EYE OPENER.

Good read huh? Now let me ask this. What the fuck was Buckner thinking?! I mean you were on one cursed franchise and now you're on the other and you decided that it was a good idea to bring the two together in hopes that the two would cancel each other out? This is sports Buckner not mathematics, it just isn't that easy. If it does anything it multiplies the curse times infinity, and you deserved all the criticism you got for those 18 years between Red Sox World Series appearances. To think I actually felt bad for the guy and actually forgave him after 2004. If it wasn't for him I would have been the happiest one year old baby in the fall of 1986 because I would not have known the pains of losing that the Cubs, Pirates, and White Sox fans (until 2005) fans have known for so long.

A lot of you are probably like Boston Joe, who cares it was 20 years ago, no one is still mad about it. Well I am because do you realize that this could have cursed both franchises for a lifetime. I mean until 2004 a Red Sox fan was one of God’s most pathetic creatures, but we had company times two from the city of Chicago. Now misery has no company for the Cubs and I put the blame solely on Bill Buckner. Am I happy the Red Sox won the World Series in 2004? The answer is yes wicked happy, but if Buckner wasn’t cursed times two maybe just maybe the World Series win in 2004 would have been expected or at least old hat since I would assume that we would have been the team of the 1990’s and not the Fucking Yankees. So I say fuck you Buckner you better stay in Idaho or wherever the fuck you are because if I ever see you in person I will single handily kick your ass.

First Post in Awhile

Here it is 3 am and I’m waiting for my 16 copies of my story for fiction writing to print. I decided to check up on my wonderful friend Hustler’s blog to see an interview that I gave to him apparently when I didn’t know who I was. This gave me the idea to read my own blog and to my shock I realized that I have not updated since August 12th and this is not ok with me. So this post is for you the fan, I stress the singular, of Boston Joe’s blog.
It’s October and I’m sad to report the Red Sox are not in the playoffs and they haven’t had a chance since late August. You see if you haven’t heard they lost five games in four days to the New York Yankees and they never recovered. As for myself I almost didn’t make it to the start of my junior year. I was put on suicide watch by my concerned parents in the days that followed that series, I don’t really know why, but I’m assuming it had something to do with the moment they walked into the bathroom and found me on a chair rocking it back and forth with a rope around my neck, next to the bathtub that was filled with water and had a toaster on the ledge.
I have rebounded fairly well with the start of football season and the Patriots getting off to a 4-1 start going into the bye week. All without a number one receiver that is under the age of 30. Our number one is currently the very old but very likable all purpose football player my boy #80 Troy Brown. My explanation for this fast start…well Tom Brady is being Tom Brady the most successful quarterback of the last five seasons.
I’m going to make this a short post since it is 3:30 and my story just finished printing, but I’d like to leave you with a promise that I will start to update this blog once a week at least. So come back soon and as always I’m Joe the Intern Signing off.