Shamrock

Lebron Needs History Lesson

2010-03-07T23:12:17Z

Lebron James says he is going to change his number next year from #23 to #6 because he believes that no one should be allowed to wear that number, including himself. So as Celtics fans how should we take this? Obviously he is referring to not being allowed to wear Michael Jordans # because he is probably non-arguably the best individual talent that the league has ever seen, but why the #6?

Lebron needs a history lesson, and quickly. #6 is the number that Bill Russell wore for his entire career as a Boston Celtic. #6 is the number that Bill Russell wore for 13 years as a Boston Celtic. He won 11 championships in the 13 years that he was on that team.

Enough Yapping here are a few of the accolades that made Russell the best:

-11 Championships in 13 seasons

- Won the 1956 NCAA championship with the Univeristy of San Fransisco

- Won 5 MVP titles

- Collected 51 rebounds in a single game

- Still holds the record for most rebounds in one half with 32

- All Time record holder for playoff rebounds with 21,620

- 12 straight seasons of 1,000 rebounds or more

- NBA Finals MVP Award is named after Bill Russell

Lets Let these two pecks tell the story:

Pickas greatest of all time Bill Russell.

Pickalicous

- Must be that shamrocknews.

Hockey Games are Awesome

2010-03-06T00:02:53Z

One more time! Ozz back in the drivers seat since Picka is still fuming over the fact that there was a red M&M in his bowl of green ones in his green room (shhh don't tell him, but I put it there). I'm here again to deliver some more chocolatey goodness to ya.

This for the most part is a Celtics blog, but since Picka isn't here I can do whatever the hell I want and today we're going to talk about hockey. I've pretty much not cared about the sport, always thinking that it was cool when they fought, but that's about it. This all changed last month when the lovely lady in my life gave me the gift of Bruins tickets for my birthday. WIN! Last night we went and man was it great!

Now I could give you all the stats, and play-by-plays, and opinions on who was good and who wasn't BLAH BLAH BLAH...but that would be boring. If you want all that stuff go to the Herald or something. Or better yet, complain to Picka and have him give you all that info.

The game was vs the Toronto Maple Leaves, and you could say this was payback for what happend in Vancouver. Don Cherry even came down from the frozen north to represent, sans the red velvet suit and awesome tie. Man that was a great tie!

The first goal was scored by the Bruins less than 2mins into the game but was recalled after a BS call by the ref. FAIL! During Celtics games people cheer when the Celts score a basket, during a Bruins game however they go FACKING NUTS! Which, I guess is expected in a sport that naturally has low scores. Imagine if you stood up everytme the Celts scored? You would have buns of steel! There were also a lot more fights than I expected. I have to say, you have to respect a sport that allows it's players to fight each other. I'm not condoning violence and I don't really feel bad for them cause they're large physically fit men, with padding on most of their body. They can take a few punches and are usually fine.

As with any game in the Garden, you have the Battle of the Fans on the Jumbotron. Ya know, now that I think about it, Jumbotron is really a dumb name for that thing. Hell, is it even called that any more!? Anyway, last night we had a fat kid in a foam bear head, a guy in a rainbow hat, Jesus and a woman with really large boobs who apparently hearts Lucic. In the end the kid in the bear head one the grand prize - a pizza from one of the ice girls.

The game ended in a shootout with the Bruins winning the game. I was very satisfied with my experience and hope to return again soon. And the Bruins win almost makes me feel better about the Celtics playing like old men.

- Ozz

Picka and the Gang Green Gang

2010-03-04T03:06:15Z

Ozz here, and let me start by saying that the Power Puff Girls reference was not intended in the title. Ok on with the show! Your boy Picklicous made his television debut on Gang Green TV last night. Local show shot out in Winthrop, MA. Not only did Picka represent the Shamrock but he may also in the near future put up the flaming gauntlets in a possible NBA Jam tourney. HE'S ON FIRE!

You can check out the whole show, which is recommended if you love (or hate them right now) the Celts or you can skip ahead to 07:45 to see Picka in action.

Finley A No Go For The Juice Man

2010-03-02T23:28:42Z

Ladies and Gents the Juice Man.......

I actually REALLY like Michael Finley. He did something that not even the great Jason Kidd could do back in the mid-90s. Finley helped turn around a struggling franchise. Yes, you hear about Dirk Nowitski and some still remember Steve Nash, but Michael Finley is the forgotten man.

Finley got a Mavs organization in disarray. The only other real quality player, until the other previously mentioned guys, was a guy named Nick Van Exel. He was a great shooter and scorer. He could drive to the hoop and he could even rebound if you asked that of him. He played pretty good D on top of that.

But notice that I said all of this in past tense. Finley is not the same player he was from 1996-2005. He's been on a decline the last 4 years and this year in particular has been steep. Finley has got a lot of minutes on those legs. Infact, in 1999, he set a record for most average minutes played over the course of a season. He didn't even miss a single game that year.

This year, however, has been particularly hard for the 36 year old G-F. He's more of a forward now because he can't move with the guards anymore. He just has trouble really moving. His shooting percentage this season is the worst of his career. Even his Ft% is way down.

Finley is simply at the end of the road, or at least, he could use a season off to recooperate from injuries and such. The Celtics are banged up enough and you're going to bring in a veteran who probably doesn't have much left. Danny Ainge made sweeping changes to the roster just before the trade deadline, and it's anybody's guess as to who really benefitted from these trades. Once again, another drafted player Ainge selected in the 1st Rd (Giddens) gets traded after hardly being used.

If Ainge is signing Finley, then clearly he is in panic mode. It just shows me, once again, Ainge has no idea what direction he wants to go in with a suddenly AGED ball club (just 3 seasons ago, they were the youngest in the NBA!) Finley wouldn't bring up the average age and most likely would be a DNP-Coach's Decision almost nightly... even when the club is banged up. What's the point? Depth? Leadership? Because you're certainly not getting much skill out of it. Hopefully the Celts are smart and will let Finley ride off into the sunset... like he should, of course.

~Juice

Shamrock News Gets Touch Of Gang Green

2010-03-02T22:35:12Z

Pickalicous has been asked to be on this week's version of Gang Green Tv. For those of you that dont know what that is check out theyre website here. Ill let you know in the soon future when it will be on the boob tube.

Pickalicous

- And it was good.

A Reason To Believe?

2010-03-02T04:13:38Z

They havent given us much as of late. Much of a reason that is, a reason to give a shit about anything that they have been doing lately. I mean Ive heard of playing down to someones level, but cmon! How do you beat the Lakers one night and lose to the Nets the next? Losing to the Nets is just simply innexcusable. The Celtics have such a team that they should be able to beat a team like the Nets with their second string out on the floor.

They have been playing lately like they just dont give a shit. There out there on the floor not playing with energy or any heart and its pathetic. The Celtics have finally hit an all new low and I dont wanna hear anything from Juice who is going to be writing an article on the injuries of the Celtics and how it has effected the Celtics during the season. I agree that it has a lot to do with their lack of success this season, but it isnt their whole issue thats for sure.

The Celtics have not been doing the little things that have gotten them to the point of being a contender anymore. Paul Pierce has seemed virtualy not in the system anymore, Ray Ray seems like the only player that actually gives a shit anymore. Even Rondo's stats are decieving, sure he had a double double against the Nets, with 17 or so assists, but he was not that quality leader, pacemaker that he has been in the past for this team. What good is a double double if your team loses to a team such as a New Jersey Nets?

So why should we believe, and what exactly do they want us to believe? Because I still hear the same rhetoric from all of the Celtic players. Things such as, were here the win another championship, and we need to go out there and do what were capable of doing, and thats playing at a high level night in and night out. Look we all know that they are capable, otherwise they wouldnt be able to beat an Orlando or an L.A. on any good night away from their home floors. What worries me is this situation where it seems as if they are putting the car in cruise control until they have to turn on the gas at the last possible moment and make it work out in their favor. It is absolutely easier for an experienced team to turn around and do that, but I think that they maybe waiting a little bit too long.

This team needs to get their act together and soon. They can start with the Pistons game tomorrow night. The Pistons have not been playing well and this would be a great opportunity for them to turn their act around. This week could be a God send with Detroit, Charlotte and Philly coming up but it could also be the death of them with 2 out of 3 opponents coming up that they have a history with being a difficult games to play. Philly always comes ready to play and the Bobcats have given us many nail biters in the past.

The Celtics need to look past all of these things that I am saying right now and get back to basics. These three teams coming up this week the Celtics should take care of handidly ,and the second the Celtics sit back and realize that, then they will be on their way to getting back to the Celtics teams that should be handling these teams by significant margins. If the Celtics can win these three games coming up, and be convincing about it they will be able to get their confidence back going into the important games coming up like Cleveland on the 14th.

Pickalicous

-Still I look to find a reason.

Ray Allen Happy To Be Green

2010-02-23T22:51:18Z

With all of the rumor mills spinning around the internet about Ray Allen being on the last year of his contract, was going to be shipped out of Boston. Ray clearly speaking his mind that he realizes this is a business and all but wants to stay in Boston. He even has expressed interest in resigning after this year for significantly less than what he has been making in the NBA to keep the core of players together. This is the kindve class act you want on your team. Winning a championship is very important at this time in the Celtics minds, but the core reason for why they brought this team together and made all of the trades is because they felt that they had a three year window to win A championship with the guys that they were bringing in. They won that championship after the first year of being together which no one expected. So now after accomplishing that goal, its two seasons removed from that accomplished goal and they owe it to a class act like Ray Allen to keep him on for now because he is probably going to retire in a few years anyhow.

Breaking News: Trade

2010-02-18T22:04:41Z

Celtics send Eddie House, Bill Walker and JR Giddens to New York for Nate Robinson and another player, whatever the hell that means.
Let's see how this plays out. I'm actually ok with this trade because Eddie was doing alot of PG where he doesn't belong. We also open up some mony and roster spots. Well see what happens, remember celts play against New York on Tuesday.

Pickalicous
- Lets go.

Celts At The Break

2010-02-11T03:46:53Z

Well here we are, at the All Star break and it is looking more and more like the Celtics need to get younger quicker than any of us ever expected. The Celtics are looking beat up in general. They seem to coast during the first half of the game and then seem to start to coast during the game and give in to their opponent easily.

Tonight against their counterparts New Orleans, the Celts had a 14 point lead in the second and somehow lose by double digits. This has been the story of the Celts over the last month and a half. They have been consistantly blowing leads to teams that they should easily beat. They barely beat New Jersey who shouldnt even be a professional team anymore. The one bright spot of the game tonight is the Celts bench scored 40 points which was a little under half of what they got from the starters and that was without Ray Allen.

Now with all of the trade rumors swirling around one can only hope that the Celtics will find a way to make the most out of this tiny window of opporunity that they have with the Big Three being together on the same team and being affective together. This is the time to either pick up the pieces and put it all together, or make a trade and get younger and move onto the next generation of the Boston Celtics.

Dont blow it Danny.

Pickalicous

- Peckah

Ray To Stay

2010-02-03T18:04:11Z

At first I thought maybe it might be an intelligent move on the part of the Celtics to move Ray Allen. He has an expiering contract which almost every GM loves, because it doesn't mean commitment, but with the right guy it could put your team over the top at a run to the finals. In return the Celtics could recieve a younger player like the trade with the Warriors for MOnte Ellis. It would mean that the likes of Perkins and Rondo would have someone to build with. A young explosive player with great potential. Or a trade to New York or Chicago and pick up a few players, to get you by until next year.

After thinking about it, I realized that with the huge 2010 class coming up in the summer they could hold out and see what they can get out of this squad until the end of the season. Then you have th option of no resigning Ray and picking up a guy like Wade because you will have $20 million freed up.

God I'm brilliant.

Pickalicous
- it's just a strain