The Celtics are getting back to that whole “chemistry first” thing that took them so far in 2008. That’s been a primary focus for them at camp and in the preseason, trying to get close to one another like the “Ubuntu” crowd was two years ago. They’ve spent a lot of nights just doing team togetherness things, like Friday’s movie night. But Rajon Rondo had a different idea for Saturday. He put together a team softball game. Just some fellas, hanging out, playing softball...
At Fenway Park.
And the effect was apparently pretty tremendous, considering the Celtics are swooning over it like pregnant women talking about how you can’t explain how it feels to be knocked up. From the Boston Herald, Paul Pierce on the experience:
“That was one of the best days of my life, actually, man,” he said. “You had to be there to know what I’m talking about.”
And then Garnett, from WEEI:
“Danny [Ainge] hit a couple to me,” Garnett said. “Some I dropped, some I didn’t. Good day. 50-50. I’ll take it. It was fun day. Beautiful day at Fenway. Dream come true. I felt like I was 10 years old.”
Aw, that’s sweet. Do you think Garnett swore the same amount when he was ten? Did he slam his head into things then? Regardless of the jokes, these kinds of opportunities do illustrate a difference between the Celtics and the rest of the league. They are more together than any other team, outside of maybe the Thunder and possibly tied with the Lakers. That chemistry that they’re always trying to build, always trying to bring together, is strengthened from stuff like this, which approaches each player on a personal level.
You also have to thank your lucky stars no one got hurt from a one-hopper. But then, considering the injuries basketball players deal with on a regular basis, baseball injuries probably aren’t nearly as scary. Garnett facing down the Green Monster, though? That must have been actually scary.