If you are friends with me, then you know how much I love Boston sports. Some people, especially my friends at Hofstra, might say I am crazy, irrational and obsessed. However, there is a reason behind the madness. There is a reason why Boston will always have a chokehold on my heart. There is a reason why I will hold on to the memories its teams have given me forever, even after some of my favorite players have ridden off into the sunset.
My grandfather, with no college education, worked in the same company for over four decades. He showed up everyday, got his work done, punched out at five o’clock every night, and repeated. As his work career progressed he earned higher positions until he found himself high up in the company. He worked hard, paid his dues, and was rewarded each step of the way. He earned everything he worked for.
My mother, also with no college education, worked at Burger King during and after high school. She would always joke about how she was the best drive-through employee they had. While she was joking, now that I’m older I see that she took pride in her work. Working at Burger King is a far from glamorous job, but she was proud of herself for working hard and earning money. Since then, she has bounced around from various jobs, where she worked equally as hard. She is now the Director of Assisted Living at a company that helps mentally challenged adults. Like her father, she earned everything that she worked for.
Stories like this are a dime a dozen, and could probably be used to describe any working-class Bostonian from the 20th century. Yes, this type of life is not glamorized. It is not revered, idolized, or sometimes even appreciated. However, that’s what makes Boston what it is. It’s not a city built on having a high paying job with a fancy title. It’s a city built on working hard and being proud of what you’ve accomplished. It’s a city built upon pride, loyalty, and passion.
I love Boston sports because its teams embody all of these characteristics. If you play for a Boston team, you aren’t playing for yourself. You aren’t playing to hit the most home runs, to get the most goals, or catch the most balls. If you are on a Boston team you are playing unselfishly, you are playing hard, and you are playing with grit and unquestioned passion. You aren’t playing for individual statistics or to make the most money. You are playing for the betterment of the team and, ultimately, all of these characteristics lead to an abundance of world championships.
If you look at Tedy Bruschi’s resume, you’ll see that he only made one Pro-Bowl in his entire 13-year career. What a piece of paper or statistic won’t tell you is his fearless leadership and unparalleled loyalty for football and the New England Patriots. No statistic could measure the bravery of a man who suffered a stroke and fought his way back to play for four more seasons. No number could show the prideful tears of a man when his former boss commends him for his illustrious football career.
Paul Pierce throughout his Boston career was never treated as an NBA superstar. He would constantly use his 6’7” frame to drive to the lane and badger his way for a layup. Many times, he would be banged to the ground to ultimately no call. However, this didn’t stop The Truth. He continued to stick his nose into the bodies and fight for every point he scored on Causeway Street. And, despite the many beating he took over the course of his career, he was always around to bury game-winning shots in opponents’ faces.
Ray Bourque is undoubtedly one of the greatest defensive players of all time. But again, no statistic could measure the loyalty of a player who stuck around an organization for so long because he wanted nothing more than to win a championship with his team, even if it didn’t transpire. No analytic could show us the humbleness of a player who gave up a number he wore for years, all out of respect for a Bruins legend.
Everyone knows that Tom Brady is a future Hall of Famer. The four Super Bowl rings and two NFL MVP’s tell you all you need to know, let alone all the playoff records he holds. However, what people outside of New England forget is where he came from. The Patriots organization was changed forever by a sixth round draft pick. A sixth round draft pick that no one believed in or gave a chance. To this day, Tom Brady believes he has to fight for his right to be the starting quarterback for the New England Patriots. No amount of championships or records can strip Tom Brady of who he is inside, a fighter who will always believe he has something to prove to people who don’t believe in him.
This is why I love Boston sports. What Boston is and what it represents is manifested through the men who play for their teams. Yes, other cities have teams with far more talented players and, in some cases, have more money to entice players with. However, at the end of the day, other cities can take their star players. I’ll take my hard working, gritty, passionate, and loyal players that play in the Bay State. At the end of the day, I will always love my Boston sports.
