I cant believe this has happened... No one can believe this has happened. The Red Sox for the first time in yrs have fallen to second place without the Yankees being the ones who are on top at number 1. The four game series with the Yanks have unfortunately been split two games a piece. I'm disappointed not because we lost to the Yanks, (i could care less bout them) but because we lost, and thus enlarging the lead TB has over us to 5 games. I hope there is no way it can reach 7 or more.. seeing how we are fighting in the wild card with other teams...

This series with the Yanks felt more like we were playing the Yanks but were also playing against TB, not physically, but with the post season race. With every win or loss to the team we play, the more or less games behind we would be. I am very disappointed with the Sox letting us lose the last 8 games by 1 run or less.. not including the 2 run game loss to the TB... but even that hurts more.

LOSING THE LAST 8 GAMES BY 1 RUN!!! Just makes me wanna ask, what is wrong with the Sox... why haven't they played with much enthusiasm??

Hopefully we fix this.. and Tito can talk to this team and motivate them as Doc does to the C's... ( tho those two sports are highly different) to play much better. Hopefully these losses.. esp the ones by ONE.. can be used to motivate and change the way they play.

We are playing the Twins next... Hopefully we can win all games.. in order to not move behind in the standings.. because right now, the TB's are on a 7 game winning streak and don't look to be losing anytime soon. Especially seeing their schedule.. they have one more game with KC... ad two with NY, and some with Cleveland. Hopefully they go on a losing streak....

Hopefully.

The Red Sox have been at the number one spot on the MLB Standings for about 3 months now. We've been battling with the NOW BETTER THAN EVER Tampa Bay Devil- I mean Tampa Bay Rays... with the way they've been playing against us.. the Devil should stay.

The Red Sox after for the past month have been holding on to a lead that has slowly been decreasing. Even with J.D Drew stepping up his game in Ortiz's place, we somehow seem to let the games get away.. mostly losing by one run. And because of that, we're half a game behind. We've been playing with no intensity.. or with no luster... and eventually leading us to let games slip away.

Maybe there has been something going on between the teammates? Causing this weird feeling towards the team?? Maybe the club is hiding something?

Most people would say, "oh half a game is nothing". But soon that .5 can lead to 5.5 in a matter of one week.

This week, we will be playing the Rays, with Coco not playing because of a suspension after the brawl involving charging the mound to the Rays pitcher. Im not condoning fighting, but Coco is a good fighter. He just did the wrong thing by porvoking it from the start of the gmae. Planning when the perfect time would be to charge the mound. He knew he was going to be hit with a pitch. He was smart, but he cost himself redemption with the Rays. T

he only reason he couldn't fight much was because they needed the whole team to hold him down. He has boxing history, so nothing was new to him. The Rays were upset because his suspension was reduced down to 5. Wile the Rays had no reduction, because of the intensity of the beating they put on Coco, WHILE he was down.

After the Rays, we'll be playing the Yankees, who as of late, have not been a real threat to us. The Rays have been the threat this whole season so far, and seem to be holding on to. Playing the Yankees have been really boring. The Yankees have been playing like crap and im not complaining and don't mind. Im just making a statement. The rivalry has died down. Maybe if they make it to the post-season this year, things will get intense and hyped up??

The fact that these two teams, when they play together average almost four hrs in each game could maybe be a reason for the lack of interest in those games. I love seeing the Yanks fans who STILL think their team is a threat is hilarious.

With the two rivalries, this week, things will be very interesting. Will there be another bench-clearing brawl with the Rays, with a pitcher retaliating ONCE AGAIN??? Jon Pap was quoted saying, "Payback is a b****" when he asked about the upcoming Tampa series. Will the Yanks seem like a team worthy to play the Sox?? LOLOL...

We will have to wait and see. But im hoping for a clean sweep of both teams, and hopefully securing our number one spot on the standings for the rest of the reg season.

Regarding the All-Star game, im used to seeing so many Red Sox players. And it only make sense that the league lets the World Champs have more players than ever. We've been in most of the All-Star games for the past 5 yrs...

Hopefully, the Yanks don't do what they did last year, and all of a sudden go on a surge of winning games after the All-Star break.

Hopefully, we can sweep or at least win most out of the 3 games there in Tampa. Im more worried about this team than the Yanks this yr. This rivalry with the team makes the games so intense. With me waiting for a fight to eventually happen. The games feel so heated though im only watching it on tv.

I think Shaq deserved this. I guess if you think about it, him being fired and his badge taken away, may have been a force. Maybe a suspension. Though that wouldn't matter, seeing how he doesn't really work much as a police officer to get suspended in the first place. But, I guess he had what was coming to him. Theres no way he could have thought he could go on bashing, swearing, and talking trash about Kobe and Patrick Ewing.. and expect to not hear from the head policeman.

Maybe his badge being taken over wouldn't have crossed his mind, but at least being talked to about his extra curricular... unpolicemen-like behavior would receive some bad rep... from the whole world, who by now have seen this video..

We're still waiting for a Kobe response. Or maybe it will not come. Kobe will want to seem as the bigger person. As he has been trying ti fix his image as a "good man" for yrs now.

This whole thing is ridiculous. Shaq was just bored after being knocked off in the first round of the playoffs, with nothing to do, so he decided to "freestyle" about Kobe.. and his vasectomy... who would want to know about that?? He wanted to be in the news again.. and start the feud again.. after it was supposedly over between them...

Now lets see what Shaq will do now.. he didn't even seem too disappointed or angry about the badge being taken from him. He just said he didn't know he would get it taken away, seeing as how he was just having fun and partying with friends.

Maybe he didn't care much about the police job after all...

Over the past two or three days, the team for the USA Men's Basketball team had been discussed and reported. I am looking forward to how this team will work out together. They have until august to get ready.

The fact that LeBron AND Kobe will be on the same team is ?????... I cant wait to see how they will mesh together as a team, knowing that both are the "star" players of their teams respectively... But i wonder if one will try to outshine the other. Watching the Olympics four yrs ago as a 14 yr old... and seeing how horrible the team played together, makes me excited and ready to watch for this new team to redeem this country's basketball talent.

I kinda feel confident, knowing that compared to 2004's team... this team has more depth.. and the players are similar... and know each other.. In 2004, the team seemed to be as if the coach just jumbled and added players together... based on ability.. and not on chemistry they might have with each other to work together effectively..

I want to also see how Deron Williams and CP3 will handle playing together... seeing how these two are always compared and poked and researched on who is better... D Williams has a better jumps shot outside of the arc, while CP3 mostly goes to the paint and to the glass... and is excellent at finding his teammates.

Will Melo be able to leave his immature ways behind and help his team win a gold medal?. Can Tayshaun be the same guy he was on the Pistons??

Will Jason Kidd play the same way he did with the Mavs? Hopefully not, but i think his experience with the USA Olympic Team will give him confidence.

Will Kobe be able to redeem himself from the embarrassing performance in the Finals?

Im looking forward to Dwyane Wade redeeming himself too, from that terrible, terrible 07-08 season he had. I just wonder if his injuries will affect his play in August??

The only problem would be how we only have a couple strong big men on the team. The team is mostly composed of PG's, SF's and PF's.. and a only ONE center which is Dwight Howard... will that hurt the team??

There are many things to look forward to and many questions to be asked about this team.

Will these guys playing together as s team. Leave past rivalries behind? And leave individual plans aside? Until the first game is over, ill see what i think... Hopefully, the USA can be represented as a top competitor in basketball, and come home withe a Gold medal.. just like they did 8 yrs ago...

I thank Doc Rivers for having the courage to bring out his new team to Rome in October to have them get to know each other.... this doesnt work out so perfectly with everyteam.. more than once, a coach has tried it with hopes of the team becopming great friends... The Celtics are a family of brothers.. some more like the fathers n grandfathers (veterans), .. while some are the little toddlers... (rookies).

They started out not knowing each others names. But now with too many nick names to count, you can see they are a FAMILY.

I see on tv how the big three treat Rondo, Pruitt, Big Baby Glen Davis like little brothers who care for each other...

Before the start of every game, Posey gives the starting line up a HUGE tight gripping hug, supplied with encouraging words.

The young players admitting that they wanted this win so much for the older players like Garnett, Pierce, Allen, Casell, PJ Brown, just showed that they cared so much for their teamates who havent won a championship in their whole career...

I once read an article quoting Pruitt on how in Rome, the big three could have easily gotten their own limos seperate from the team, but decided to go with the others.. and how every day in Rome, they taught n showed the young ones how to do things... they weren't selfish, but decided to get to know EVERYONE on the team. Brotherly love.

The team chemistry of brotherhood helped us win the champinoship.

Though random arguments and fights and scuffles occurred, thats nothing to worry about. Brothers always argue. They still got along on the court and off.

Scot Pollard and Brian Scalabrine not playing mcuh or at all this season, brought out the jokes and humor to keep the team happy and fun.

Everyone added something unique into that bunch.

When i read of the team dinners, i always wish i was apart of it. Being able to go to the restaurants with them and hearing what each has to say.

Humbleness, Brotherhood.... and UBUNTU.. were the key

Like Powe said to kg after he almost fainted and the win was final... " I got you, I got you kg, i got you".

The Lakers didnt have any of that. Selfishness n pride ruined their road to the championship.. they weren't a team.. nope, not at all

As Ray Allen had said, they wernt the big three... more like the Big 15.

So thanks to Danny Ainge, and Doc Rivers, for making that crucial decision of a Rome trip. :)

This article touched me and made me love Pierce even more. I remember that day in Boston reading the news papers... being ten yrs old.. and hearing about the stabbing.

To actually watch him grow up in front of my eyes.. is just soo weird. Watching him as a ten yr old.. and now being 18.. and seeing how he came from backgrounds that were horrid.. and maturing into a GREAT player.. and teammate, instead of his selfish childish ways, makes me proud to have known n watched him THAT long.

He was a good player who had a HUGE potential... Shaq saw his potential and eventually gave him the name "the truth".... Paul just needed to grow up and learn how to be a GREAT player...

He deserved this so much. KG, Allen and all have their stories of long waits and struggles ovecome,... but this one just makes me almost cry...

Im so happy for the Celtics... esp Paul "THE TRUTH" Pierce...

Im glad he stayed here in Boston.

I have nothin else to say.... this win was just absolutely fabulous!!! Lakers gave up.. and allowed us to continue on winning....

Everyone was still writting us off wen we lost gm 3.. but plz tell me u guys cant say lakers are the better team wen they had a 24 pt lead.. but still lose by 6... bhaha Celtics in 6 still as i have always said.. U cant sleep on them... how are the Lakers going to win 3 striaght?? Let alone two in boston???? EVERYONE played great.. good thing rajon rondo took the bench.. his foot was hurting n hurting the team.. so everyone stepped up... Great playoff game!!

Phil Jackson must be embarrassed at how his team played. Since before the Finals, everyone was already dismissing the Celtics having a chance against the Lakers. While Celtics fans knew that defense was the most important than offense and that they had a chance because Lakers were known for their offense and horrible defense. Let alone the whole Western Conference....

After this game, you see many people making excuses about the refs and so on. But it all came down to who was more aggressive in the game...... and it was clearly the Celtics

There are three players on the Celtics who were born in '86. Rajon Rondo, "Big Baby" Glen Davis, and Gabe Pruitt. All of them born months before the Celtics won their last championship. Gabe and Davis talk about their excitement of being the only three born during '86. So they will not be able to mention being little and watching the Celts and Lakers... but are happy to know that they can be a new generation who can maybe start something new.

Ok, please tell me this, since when does it make sense in the PLAYOFFS, to boo your own team??

How does that help?

Today, the Detroit fans booed the players, as their deficit was going up in the 20's.

Many people have called the Boston fans "fair-weathered" or "bandwagon" but tell me a game where they have booed the Celtics, or left the game late in the 3rd quarter?

Im very dissapointed in these fans...

Booing your own team wont help them at all

I put this down as Piston being second behind the Utah fans who taunted Fisher with the words cancer.. making fun of his daughter.

No wonder they had that scuffle with Ron Artest in 2004, and are known for the highest crime rate...

Two game already in this series, and Lebron has had 30+ pts... but they still lost. I hope this game seven win by the Celts show that though Lebron has more than 30+ pts.. that doesnt automatically mean they win.

The Celts played a good game. And as usualy, there are still people who disregard us of winning the finals. They have said that we wouldnt win againt the Cavs, but we beat them. Now im hearing that we wont beat the pistons. Wats next if we win that series? That we wont win Lakers?

Poeple just dont want to realize that they are dismissing us to quickly. Though we had trouble with the Hawks.. thats a big deal, but not the end of the world.

I hope we can show the haters that we can go all the way. They throw every opponent against us, already choosing us to lose. But we're going to the Eastern Conference Finals

One more thing, if Lebron couldnt beat the all mighty Pistons last yr, but we beat him THOUGH he scored 45 pts, wat does that say about the Celts??

Luck?? Yea Right....

Im just tired of all the haters...

Many people have come to complain and say that Kobe did not deserve the MVP.. or that LeBron was much better. Celtics defense was on top as usual, keeping LeBron from being able to be as affective as he was in the regular season. The Celtics played very very well today... Hopefully, the Celts can show the critics why we had the best road record in the reg season and have those haters to stop saying we cant win on the road.

We went from a deficit of 12 points in the beg of the game, to leading by as many as 20... Cavs defense suck. And if anyone is to continue on saying Posey has no defense, must not know what they're talking about.

Ray Allen did a great job from where he was on Tuesday. Paul Pierce played great. Kevin Garnett wonderful. James Posey good as usual. And Sam Casell showing he still has some game in him. Though Rajon Rondo only had his 7 points from free throws, he did a great job with his defense, and being unselfish as he always is...

Good Game Celts!!

Along with the guy who posted this, i also have been wondering about the answer to this questions for about a yr now. I hear two different versions... I have a feeling it may be pronounced Rah-John only cuz that the way he pronounces his own name. But Doc, Pierce and others around him pronounce it as RAY-John... If only i can ask him myself...

At the end of this game.. I couldnt think of words to put in to describe it. I was in shock and still am in the way both teams played. Im am not complaining tho cuz as long as we have a W, thats all that matters. Celtics defense was a factor in this game, no doubt. But offense... eh... besides Rondo and Garnett and somewhat Casell, playing the way they did, everyone was doing horrible. I am shocked to watch as Allen had no points, and Pierce with only four. Im glad though that the defense was able to stop lebron.

Many might say that lebron just couldnt shoot, and dont want to give credit to Celtic defense. But thats how i see it. Celtic defense was the factor.

Hopefully, Thrusday, Allen, Pierce, and the rest of the team can step up on the offensive end... and stick to wat they were doing defensively, keeping Lebron from shooting, but also keeping him from being able to pass it effectively to his supporting actors, i.e Ilgauskas, and Gibson. West did a horrible job..

Lastly, hopefully we can fix up the trouble we've been having with the continous turnovers.

Like i always said, Celts in 6.