Keep Your Chin Up Joe

Ok, so we had to witness another Celtics victory. Trust me. I am as sick of this as you are. There is no other team that has more players that I just cannot stand to watch then the Celtics have. Kendrick Perkins? When you were young and would make an ugly face and your parents would warn you that it could get stuck like that, I never would believe them. After seeing Perkins perma-stink face, maybe my parents were right. KG? Oh you are so great let the media go on and on about that. Hows about you shut the hell up and play basketball. If you have to talk shit to the twelth man or even the fans to pump you up I think you need to take a good look at your life. Paul Pierce? Flashing gang signs and choke symbols, ahh I just can't stand you. Big Baby? I don't want to say anything for fear he might cry.

Anyways, getting away from all these links, last night's game was a tough one. Yeah we lost but to be honest I thought we played very well. If the Hawks play like that every night they would be a great team. Don't believe me. Check out what Rondo said after the game, "If they played everyone else the way they play us they'd be a top five team." Wow, me and Rondo think alike. Sweet.

However I take that as a backhanded compliment. Sure it was nice to hear that we would be a top five team, but also it was shot towards our lack of intensity for other games. Believe me Rondo, we know the team rarely shows up (cough cough COACHING) but shut your trap and get out of our city.

I have yet to read any other fan's posts for today or what people are saying after the loss as every time my team losses I have a hard time reading or watching highlights, etc. But I'm here to say "Joe, thanks for playing a good game. Sucks you missed that last free throw, but I do not blame the loss on you. And you should not blame it on yourself either." I'm hoping others feel this way, especially in the Hawks locker room.

Teams can let these sort of losses damper the season helping lead to a spiral that would be very difficult to get out of. Where the Hawks go from here will be a big test towards where they can go as a team. An easy win against Golden State at home seems likely, but if the Hawks dwell on this then the fall could be bad. They cannot let this loss linger, they need to move on. It's tough. Everything has been building up to this game. But the Hawks played well and showed that they are a legit team. They need to continue to show that.

Boston celebrated their win as if they had just won a playoff game even though they acted as if the game was not important. If the Hawks build upon this loss and get better from it, then the next time we play Boston the end result could be better. For even as Boston celebrated as if it was a playoff victory, if the Hawks keep playing and getting better, they will actually be doing the celebrating over Boston in the playoffs.

UPDATE: Great article on whether or not a rivalry exists. Spoiler he says yes.