This past weekend of the Fourth of July was a bit tough for fans of Boston sports. If a 21-2 loss to the Angels at Fenway Park wasn't hard to watch, NBA superstar Kevin Durant passed up a chance to don the Celtics' green and white to sign with the already scary-good Golden State Warriors. Needless to say, 'Title Town' took quite the beating during the weekend of Independence Day.
With all of that being said, there is no reason to worry or be too down on ourselves. It has become a recurring theme in Boston that for every moment of loss, there are other victories to celebrate. Other teams to make us proud and other moments to steal our hearts. The Bruins can lose in the Stanley Cup Final in 2013 but the Patriots can steal a championship out from under the feet of the Seattle Seahawks not even a year later. That's just how it is in Boston.
It has been nearly two years since a Boston sports team has seen a championship, yet the world of professional sports has changed all around us. The tough times indeed will not last, but the tough people of this city continue to remain loyal. Here's a breakdown of why we are the best fans in (every) game:
1. The Boston Red Sox: Baseball is one of, if not the most special game to the people of the United States, and there is no place more storied, magnificent, and beautiful to witness it than Fenway Park. The place has withstood the test of time and continues to become more and more gorgeous every year, something that not even old Yankee Stadium could do. Throughout all of the ups and downs that the Fenway faithful have experienced, we know that when we have something special, it is not to be taken for granted. The players that give their everything day-in and day-out never go unappreciated, and these same guys grow to love our city almost as much as they love the game itself. Watching old clips from the 2004, 2007, or 2013 victories reminds us of how important it is to appreciate the squads that find the will to win. People often talk about how romantic baseball is, and the Sox are the epitome of that phrase.
2. The New England Patriots: It's not difficult to see why locals love the Patriots so much, and I'm sure fans of other teams all agree on how easy it is to hate our team for the same exact reasons. Being a Patriots fan includes the understanding of being the most hated franchise by nearly every other NFL fan in the country. And how can we blame them? We've dominated the league nearly every season since 2001, won championships in '01, '03, '04, and '14, and have had little to no issues within our system. Then comes 'Deflategate', the "completely justified" and "absolutely not idiotic" scandal that rocked the Patriots on their road to a title in 2014. The scandal started following a very close 45-7 AFC Championship win over the Indianapolis Colts, involving the (alleged) tampering of footballs by our beloved Quarterback Tom Brady. There's been a few felons and convicts to take the NFL field since then, but Brady somehow always finds himself in the position of the most hated player in the league. However, we do not have much to fret about as Patriots fans. Let the hate waltz right by us and watch our beloved team ignore the rest of the league and continue to dominate.
3. The Boston Bruins: I truly believe the NHL is the most difficult league to find championship success in. If you've ever witnessed just one Stanley Cup playoff series, it is obvious that there are no guarantees, and it's anyone's chance to win. The Bruins proved in 2011 behind a team of guys who don't have the word 'quit' in their vocabulary that they are capable of such success. Since that victory, they have struggled to find their way back to the top, making questionable decisions in the front office and failing to even qualify for the playoffs in the past two seasons. However, they remain true to the city and to the people of Boston, and that is clear through their style of play. They represent a city that breeds hardworking, good-natured, and wholesome people, that aim to provide for their family and want the riches of success only if they are earned in the workplace. They represent what it means to be a Bostonian, and that despite our good nature, we're rough around the edges and aren't afraid to back down from a fight. There is truly no other team like the Boston Bruins in the world of professional hockey.
4. The Boston Celtics: An iconic franchise in both professional basketball and professional sports as a whole, the Celtics have proven over their history that they know what it takes to win- to be specific, they proved it 17 times. But in today's NBA they have no 'Big 3', no superstar player carrying the workload, and slim chances at making a deep playoff run. These past few weeks, the Celtics were looking like the prime choice of NBA all-star Kevin Durant, but failed to sway him to the TD Garden. But with all of the assets that we have, including an on-court leader in Isaiah Thomas, a brilliant coach in Brad Stevens, and multiple draft picks from the abysmal Brooklyn Nets, there is always a chance. Like the Bruins, the Celtics incorporate hard work and grit into their style of play, which is what makes them so likable in today's NBA. Championship #18 could be a while for the city of Boston, but there is no doubt that this team is the foundation that will lead to it, and as Boston sports fans it is almost impossible to not appreciate the work that the organization is putting in to make it happen.
Nearly every professional sports championship has been won by a team that revolves around one or two superstar athletes in 2016. While Boston also has its share of superstars, we have struggled to see success on the big stage thus far. No matter how many times we win, and how many times other cities remind us of how 'lucky' we are, it takes a special kind of loyalty and admiration to be a Boston fan. Our city is truly like no other, and as long as we continue to keep our pride and faith levels sky high, it won't be long until the Duckboats prepare for another parade.
