There are a ton of different stories about the city of Boston, many of them are based on historical events, debates from the past, and even some present situations. Many people who have never visited the city for more than an evening have the wrong idea about it.
I’ve been here for fifteen years now, which is probably three times longer than I had anticipated. However, Boston has become home, and there’s no better place to cover professional sports in the United States than Boston.
The fervor is enthralling. There is no rival in the will to win. And winning a championship has lifetime benefits.
The Celtics celebrated their 18th title and first in 16 years on Friday with a victory parade. While that distance might not seem like much in other places, to the Bostonians lining the city’s ancient streets to celebrate in a magnificent display of festivity, it seemed like an eternity.
The variety was the most poignant aspect. Every age group, facial expression, ethnicity, nationality, and gender that swarmed the parade path had it on show. The genuine variety and real nature of Boston emerged, demonstrating the ability of sports to bring people together.
When I was a student at UC Berkeley, I remember how the campus community came together to celebrate Golden Bear football victories. Regardless of color, gender, or religious affiliation, everyone sprang to their feet when there was a touchdown and went to slap every hand they could find. As a group, the students backed their university.
Furthermore, this city as a whole cheers on its basketball team on a far bigger scale.
Those grainy old videos from the Boston Garden in the 1980s, showing hundreds of white supporters flooding onto the floor during the 1984 title triumph over the Lakers, may have contributed to those racist views of Celtic fans. It was not an inclusive setting. The squad itself was the most varied facet of Boston that those ancient tapes portrayed.
It could have been challenging for the Celtics to draw in big free agents because of such preconceptions. However, things may have altered once Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett were acquired in 2007.
Regardless of Kyrie Irving’s attempts to mold Boston culture, the city has evolved over the last 20 years into a welcoming and appealing destination for seasoned players to play. The fan base of the squad has always been more varied than what the game videos from CBS revealed.
However, the city’s team now more than ever is the Celtics. The sight on Friday was amazing, with Mazzulla, his family, and the coaching staff riding on the first duck boat, which was preceded by a media van. From pumping his hands to waving a giant Celtics flag and responding to yells from thousands of fans, the normally quiet Mazzulla was a different man as the boats made their way down Boylston Street toward the Prudential Center, the city’s center.
The diversity was what made it beautiful. The best part was that the players for the Celtics had a genuine chance to interact with fans who would not be able to afford the hefty ticket fees to view games at TD Garden. They saw fans who appeared wearing what may have been their sole Celtics memorabilia—dated jerseys bearing the names of former players.
The players, who are often understandably cut off from the towns they play for, got to meet the people behind the watch parties, vintage TV broadcasts of Finals games, and even the radio broadcasts of Grande and Max, which followed their incredible playoff run.
It served as a poignant reminder of the widespread admiration professional sportsmen have as role models and the influence they have on society. Their demands were simple: recognition, a “LFG!” cry from Kristaps Porzingis, a hand slap from Mazzulla, a heart-shaped hand gesture from Jaylen Brown, and a blown kiss from Tatum.
These kinds of days must be treasured. Boston as a whole turned out to support their team and one another. Green was the common bond. That was the only hue that was significant.
The procession was enormous. The overwhelming sense of unity and camaraderie was accompanied by an abundance of love and support. Not just for the Celtics, but for all of us who live in this city of Boston, regardless of our race, color, political affiliation, or cultural background, it was undoubtedly a victory parade.
