As I watched Kevin Garnett celebrate his first NBA title, and the Celtics first since 1986, I couldn't help being almost jealous of KG's complete elation. I've been spoiled by the past six years of Boston sports domination.
It began back in 2001-2002 with the Patriots first Super Bowl win. Now THAT was excitement. It was the first time I'd ever really seen one of my teams win a championship (I was only 3 when the Celtics won their last in 1986), so it was elation like I'd never felt.
In February 2004, when the Pats won their second Super Bowl, it defintely lost a bit of its luster. By 2005, it was practically old hat.
Then 2004 happened, and the Red Sox won their first World Series since 1918. I have never been so happy at a sporting event, not even the first Patriots title. I was watching at the Dugout in Boston, crying, cheering and hugging strangers. Hearing Joe Buck say "Red Sox fans have longed to hear it: the Boston Red Sox are world champions!" still gives me goosebumps. And no matter what I think of Joe Buck from now on, or what I thought of him before 2004, I will always love the way he called the last play of that game.
But then our teams kept winning. The Pats won again in 2004, the Sox was again in 2006, and it just wasn't the same. I was happy, sure, but not the euphoria of the first Patriots Super Bowl, or the 2004 Red Sox.
When the Celtics won their 17th NBA title Tuesday, it was that same almost hollow-happiness. I can't believe that I, a Boston fan, is actually used to winning. Boston and winning had been almost contradictory for my entire life. Now, all of a sudden, people are sick of Boston winning all the time? How did this happen?!
I have to think it's cyclical, and New England sports domination surely can't last forever. In 10 or 20 years I'll be looking back on this decade as "the golden age," and not believing that I took it for granted.
So I need to try to be like KG and be on top of the woooooorld!!!! while it lasts. I'm starting to feel like... shudder... a Yankees fan in the 90s, who thought they would win every year, and therefore winning it all isn't exciting, it's just expected, which takes a lot of the fun out of it.
My teams can still lose, trust me I know that... I'm still not over the Patriots loss to the Giants... actually, that never happened so I don't know what I'm talking about. Never mind.
But I long for the 2004 World Series, when my team winning brought me to tears, and ended my lifetime of suffering. I wish the Celtics win had tugged at my heartstrings in the same way as Vinitieri's game-winning field goal in 2002... but, alas, I've become jaded.
New England is now the city of Champions... I never thought I'd say that, but I've certainly gotten used to it.
