Is there any doubt that Boston is currently the sports mecca of the universe?
Consider what we've witnessed over the last 10 years: The Patriots have won 3 Super Bowls and 4 conference championships. The Red Sox have won 2 world championships. The Celtics have won 1 title and also 2 conference championships and were minutes away from winning a second title. The Bruins have even won 1 Stanley Cup. Boston is a pro sports town; but for those who care, Boston College has even won 3 men's ice hockey national championships and were the runners up in two more. There has historically never been such an epic run of titles spanning the four major pro sports for a single city. Go take a look...not even close. Fans in the Boston area have been so spoiled over the last decade, that we're disappointed when our teams don't at least make it to their respective championship games or series.
I'm of course biased, but have we also not witnessed some of the greatest players and coaches that this area has ever seen?
We have been lucky enough to watch Tom Brady; the greatest quarterback who has ever played football in the history of the sport. He has been coached for his entire career by Bill Belichik; the greatest football coach who has ever lived. Brady has the highest winning percentage of any quarterback in the history of the game. He won the first 9 postseason games of his career. He was the first player to ever win a league MVP unanimously. He holds the record for most touchdowns in a single season. He owns the highest touchdown to interception ratio of all former and present quarterbacks. He's married to a Brazilian supermodel. The dude can grow a mullet and would still be awesome. The number of team records the Patriots have amassed over the last 10 years are too numerous to name, but they include the two longest winning streaks in league history.
We've seen the greatest series comeback in the history of sports. Prior to 2004, no MLB team had overcome a 3 games to none series deficit. EVER. Modern baseball history dates back to 1903. The Red Sox performed this incredible feat after losing game 3 IN FENWAY PARK while allowing 19 runs in that game. Led by the best clutch hitter in Red Sox history, David Ortiz, the greatest stolen base in the history of the game by David Roberts, and an incredibly gutsy pitching performance by Curt Schilling in game 6, who basically won the game on one foot. (Everyone knows the story of the sutured ankle and bloody sock.) They took game 7 from a stunned Yankees team and celebrated their first Championship in 86 years, in the Bronx. I get chills even thinking about it. They went on to sweep the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series. They won it all again in 2007, of course, and are 8-0 in World Series games over the aforementioned time period.
The Celtics were led to their championship by 3 future hall of famers. Paul Pierce is the second highest scorer in the Celtics storied history. He passed Larry Bird this past season. Read that again. Out of ALL the Celtics greats, (26 hall of famers), Paul Pierce is second on the all-time scoring list, trailing only John Havlicek. He even has an outside chance to pass Havlicek to take over the top spot in team history. When Danny Ainge brought in Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett, the two other future hall of famers, basketball was back here in Boston, reviving the storied history of the team who has won the most championships in NBA history.
The Bruins even captured the hearts of fans here in New England who had all but given up hope of them ever winning a cup again. Led by the greatest historical performance ever by a goaltender by Tim Thomas, the Bruins went on a magical run through the playoffs; winning 3 game 7's, including one in Vancouver to beat the Canucks and take home the cup.
I was raised a Boston sports fan. I have loved my teams since I can remember. I remember the first time I saw the field at Fenway Park. I remember the first time my ass froze to the metal bench at the old Foxboro stadium. I remember the stories my father told me while we watched the Celts and B's in the old Boston Garden. My father is a die hard fan. His father is a die hard fan. It's in my blood. My son will be a die hard fan.
The success and history I've been lucky enough to witness since 2001 is not lost on me. I realize how lucky we here in Beantown have been over the past decade. For someone who lives and dies with every game, every touchdown, every broken record, every walk-off home run, sudden death goal, and buzzer beating, game-winning 3 pointer; it's been an unforgettable run. I hope the next 10 years brings even a fraction of the success that we've witnessed here recently. Boston is not just one of the greatest, historically significantly cities in the world, it's by far the greatest sports town in this country or any other.
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