This is pretty much how Celtics fans and Heat Haters feel right now. In case you tuned out the NBA during the offseason, you know that Ray Allen (aka Jesus Shuttlesworth) has signed with the Miami Heat. This move is surprising for a few reasons: first, Allen turned down TWICE as much money from his former team, the Boston Celtics. Second, the Heat and Celtics have had a “rivalry” the past two seasons (I have to use quotes there because the Celtics have never actually beaten the Heat in the playoffs since LeBron took his talents to South Beach).
Several writers have reported on this story, noting that Allen had problems with Rondo and felt disrespected by the Celtics. I want to break down a free agent’s right to choose. The bottom line: Ray Allen is still Jesus (not Judas) Shuttleworth.
This isn’t a new thing –
As sports fans, we have to come to grips with a harsh reality. As much as you love your team and feel they represent where you’re from, you’re just rooting for laundry. There could be 8-foot blue avatars running around in your favorite team’s jersey, and you would feel the same way. I know this might feel like the day you caught “the Tooth Fairy” putting a dollar under your pillow (what did our parents do with all our teeth anyway?), but it’s true.
Remember when Johnny Damon left the Boston Red Sox and joined the Yankees? New York fans felt weird for about 3 seconds until they realized Damon could still hit. Damon even said, “There’s no way I could play for the Yankees…” (no, seriously) before they promised him more money a year later! Do you know any Yankee fans who don’t claim the 2009 championship because Damon was a part of it? Of course not, Yankee fans take any reason to thump their chest and talk loudly (I kid…kinda).
In any case, the Red Sox/Yankee rivalry is a real one, and goes back much farther than the Celtics/Heat disagreement (again, not a real rivalry). If you’re mad at Ray for going to Miami, remember Johnny Damon and the Tooth Fairy. This underscores my larger point…
The NBA is a business; use them before they use you –
Seriously, do you think Boston values Allen any more than “Replacement Player X”? Consider this, Boston tried to trade Ray earlier this past season to Memphis. They actually had traded him, told him so, and called him back when the deal fell through. THEN the team benched Ray in favor of Avery Bradley for the second half of the season. THEN the team signed Jason Terry, who plays the same position as Allen, from the Dallas Mavericks.
I’m pretty sure the Celtics felt Jesus had regressed to Apostle…or Deacon Shuttleworth.
These moves happen every year, to virtually every non All-Star in the league. It’s the nature of business in the NBA. Why get mad when a player feels (justifiably) disrespected and chooses to sign elsewhere? I’m pretty sure you’d leave too if your boss tried to trade you, gave your projects to someone else, then signed your replacement away from a rival firm. It’s not like Ray was chasing a ring; he has one. Chasing money? He took less to go to Miami. I just don’t have it in me to hate on the guy.
—
None of this matters to many sports fans. If my Pistons were good enough to have a rival, or a star player, I’d probably be upset. Since they don’t (sigh), allow my neutral perspective to give you guidance. It’s not Ray’s fault, he’s just playing the hand he was dealt.
How do you feel, SBM Sports Fans? Are you more upset with Ray for leaving Boston or joining the Heat? Have I talked you off the ledge at all, Celtics fans? Hit the comments and let me know!
I'm upset more by the fact that he is joining the HEAT! Urrrrrrgh! This article, as always Sarge, was a great read!! Loved the metaphorical use of discipleship but, what caught my interest more than anything was the Rondo part. Why are they beefing?! *blank stare*
while watching the game.. those two stay beefing on the court. Ray always complained about Rando getting him the ball. Plus Rando isn't the easiest personality to deal with…remember they tried to deal him too. Ray is the only reason why KG wanted to go to Boston, they did him dirty.
Can't wait to see ray ray torching the Celtics. But has the NBA come to the era of shuffling players for the purpose of having a pseudo-dream team that can win a championship? What happened to the days of sticking with your wack squad because of loyalty. Should Karl Malone have called up the bulls and asked for a spot on the roster because he was tired of loosing?
Simply put. Yes. for further reading see: Barkley, Charles also see Alcindor, Lew or O'neal Shaquille
Karl Malone called up the Lakers tho #neverforget
With the addition of Allen the HEAT will win another championship next year. Bottom Line.
not so fast. OKC is the team to beat.
It's a wrap. As much as the kid KD and BW are some of my favorite ballers, MIA has it hands down.
The thing is Miami created a new style of winning. Its called strong defense and transition points. Meaning you need young legs that have energy and can run for 4 quarters. These other teams just dont get it. Take the Knicks, they just added 2 old men to the roster. You can't beat the Heat that way.
As a Boston fan, this was a tough one to watch go down. KG coming back was promising & the addition of Sullinger and Melo has the makings of a recharged team. Where are the days where loyalty played a factor in the decision?
nah, considering im not a celtic or heat fan, considering Allen isn't a lifelong Celtic (i mean, dude played for the Bucks and Sonics), and considering other players have jumped from rival to rival (one that comes to mind is Rodman, although he didn't jump from DET to CHI directly)…
par for the course.
Jesus Shuttlesworth cemented himself as being able to do no wrong when he piped Lala on that ferris wheel. He can do whatever he wants now. He's got the juice.
The only reason the Celtics raised the bid for Allen is because they didn't want him to come to Miami. Playing is what he wanted, not getting paid. Ray chose the heat to get more playing times.
Avery Bradley might not even start the season healthy which meant Ray could’ve probably only started again…
I don't understand everyone with the push for 'loyalty' in sports. If a franchise can leave a city, why can't a player willingly leave a franchise. Dude wants to play and win will doing it.
Easy on the shots at the Yankees. I remember Damon joining and thinking "Wow Capt Caveman is coming to us?" That had to hurt worse than seeing Roger Clemons on the mound in pinstripes.
I don't understand everyone with the push for 'loyalty' in sports. If a franchise can leave a city, why can't a player willingly leave a franchise.
Agreed. "Loyalty" in sports is one-sided. It's only a question of "loyalty" when a player leaves the team. It's never an issue when the team leaves the player, which for the record happens far more often than the former.
I don't have a problem with Ray Allen joining the Heat at all. I think Miami made a damn good decision to get him. Maybe he just wanted to be a part of a winning team. Seriously everybody would want to be a part of a really good winning team, right? Maybe he also wanted to be a part of the Heat camaraderie. Maybe if the OK City Thunder won the championship he may have signed with them….lol.
At any rate I'm happy for Ray and wish him the best. I think this was much more Business, than personal.
I definitely feel another Championship Ring in my spirit for the Heat. Go Heat!
lol, right?
I haven't watched basketball or really any other sports since around 04-05 but Miami is cleaning up and will be *deep voice* STACKED. I might actually get into again I find it rather inspiring to have a team that goes that hard. I'm always griping about elite teams and how I like everything precise and on point and that's really with anything so the fact that the Heat is putting together this epic formulation is absolutely intoxicating. *eyes light up* 'Oh?'
Interest piqued.
I get he was a free agent and all that but what struck me was he left for not much of a better situation. He took less money, to still come off the bench, and already having a ring is it that deep to get another cherry picked one? I guess he watched the Finals and figured if Mike Miller can do it I know i can…im still smhing.
Why would you not choose South Florida…? It's warm all year, there is no state income tax and your residential property is protected from judgement creditors. Sounds like a great place to be if you ask me.
I'm still mad the Bucks traded him for Desmond Mason and a three-month rental of Gary Payton.
I don't care where he goes now, although I have to look askance at him going to the team that was their rival, eliminated them in the conference finals a month ago, won the championship, and has two of the league's 15 best players.
I am definitely not upset. Who wouldn't want to play in a great city such as Miami when you are near retirement?? I definitely feel Ray, nba draft class of 1996 (which was a good class by the way) *sidenote*. Good post Joe
I don't hate him for this. I just wish he had gone to Chicago. I need the Bulls to pick up one, maybe two more strong players to backup D. Rose.
I'm actually surprised the Bulls aren't in this Dwight mess. D12 can't sign with Brooklyn if you trade for him, they dont' have the cap space. AND Chicago would have more money + an extra year to offer.
As you said, they need more help to compete for a ring. Figured they would be serious contenders for a Top 5 player.
Here is a great piece on yahoo about the drama btw Rondo and Allen. http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba–heat-gave-ray-a…
As a Celtics fan, I was more disappointed that he went to Miami b/c it shows that he has a vendetta against the Celtics b/c of the way he was treated. The main beef btw Rondo and Allen was the two different personalities. Allen like order, follow direction, etc whereas Rondo is free spirit, rebel.
B/c Allen was part of the champion team, us fans in Boston just embraced him as ours. He broke the shooting record in our jersey, got a chip in our jersey. So, regardless of how many teams he played for, he was a Celtic and for him to leave for less money, no guarantee to start, came across as a smack in the face. Yea, Miami won the chip but 6 weeks ago Miami was down 3-2 to Boston (with numerous players injured) so it wasn't like Miami just had it in the bag. Boston is gonna be right in the mix next year as we became a deeper team w/ our injured players returning.
At the end of the day, Allen had the right to leave and I don't knock him for that. It will sting tho watching him hit those corner 3's b/c I will yelling miss it to the TV, but deep down, I know that shot is water.
Thanks for sharing that article.
I think this sets up a great Celtics/Heat matchup on Christmas this upcoming season. The Garden will be nuts.
As a Celtics fan, do you think they will cheer or boo Ray when he comes back?
I think the reaction will be mixed. Objective, rational fans will show their appreciation but the loyalty, bleed Green types will boo, especially if the sports radio guys try to play up the anger during their talk shows. At the moment, I was surprised b/c the shows I heard, radio guys were trying to downplay the venom from the fans. However, when that first 3 pointer is hit, boos will be pouring in from everyone.
Blame Danny Ainge, not Ray Allen. Good for him. Eff the Heat and Celtics but he's no Judas to me
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THAT STAR WARS OBI WAN MEME IS GREAT
i didn't even read the blog after that because the meme was so dope….so whoever made that Kudos!
Cherry picked from Facebook. Too good not to post. Thanks for noticing but I can't take credit.
Not a Celtics or a Heat fan but I'm not mad for what Ray Allen did. He got a ring and tons of money already so at this point he wants to be part of a situation he's comfortable with and that's the Miami Heat. Yea I would be upset too if AVERY BRADLEY took my starting spot. But then again, the Celtics performed better this past season when Jesus was hurt and not playing, A LOT BETTER TOO! So at the end of the day, he's still Jesus to everyone, but Judas to the salty Boston fans.
I don't get how fans can pick and choose when they wanna cry "where's the loyalty"…I mean I respect Kobe and Dirk having no-trade clauses, that's smart for them and their fanbase…my only problem is that Boston/mainly Ainge took a crow-eating approach by offering Ray Allen more money AND a no-trade clause…after this man helped ya'll get a ring, now you wanna essentially take him out of trade talks in the future? No.
I think at this point in their careers, all these vets don't care about the perceived loyalty they owe the cities they play in. They want to win and they'll take a pay cut and come off the bench if that's what it takes. Only veteran deal I disagree w/ is our deal to Marcus Camby. I'm convinced the Knicks don't give a sh!t about building through draft picks. Ever!
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Yea I agree. Ainge gets what he deserves. He is on record of saying that the 80's Celtics were kept together too long and he would have broken them up. He spent all season trying to trade Allen and then try to lock in at the end is not a good look. I believe Allen left b/c of disrespect and principle. Yea, we would like another ring and Miami does give him a better chance (slightly better than Celtics) and C's gave him more money. It was about respect and not being appreciated.
Knicks will never build from the draft b/c us fans won't let them. Being a big city sports fan, you know that the fans always expect a win now approach. We don't have time to rebuild and we expect every year is our year. The reason why Lakers go for Nash, Yankees get whoever they want, etc. The Nets (yea it is ok to have patience w/ them) but the Knicks = win now.
Not disagreeing with you, because I hear that from a lot of Knick fans. I just think it's hilarious because this upcoming season is the 40th anniversary of their last championship. 40 years!
That's easy to overlook because of how loud the fans are IMO.
Yep always the cart before the horse w/ us Knicks fans LOL and the steals we do take in the draft, we don't keep, like Gallo…had it not been for the injury probs, we might not have even got to see how dope of a steal Shumpert really was
D'ah well, least we have the Giants.
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I believe you said it best, "the NBA is a business – use them before they use you." This quote of yours reminded me of William C. Rhoden’s book, Forty Million Dollar Slave. In his book Rhoden speaks of the “conveyor belt,” of athletics. Essentially it is the metaphorical belt where athletes are placed on it, given preferential treatment, huge salaries, stardom, etc, etc…until they can no longer perform as they once did, or injury, or until someone younger and more talented comes along, or perhaps self-sabotage through a series of bad judgment off the court/field where it is no longer tolerable by coaches/management (Pac-Man Jones, Terrell Owens, Ray Carruth); thus your exist from the belt. Interestingly, you can be placed on the belt as early as grade school being identified as a “future star” yet kicked off the belt by middle school; or you could as the very few and far between stay on the belt and have a professional sports career. But as many have seen even the most touted stars eventually are pushed off the belt at some point – Michael Jordan, Jerry Rice, LaDanian Tomlinson, Dante Culpepper, Shaquille O’Neal. And it is just a matter of time in which stars of today (Kobe Bryant, Adrian Peterson, Dwayne Wade, Tom Brady) will be forced off the belt to make way for the new crop of stars.
And I believe it is no different for Ray Allen, arguably the most prolific 3 point shooter of all time, he saw that his value this previous sinking was sinking. He saw management and coaches limit his minutes, shop his talents around the league, etc. And as you alluded to, he has the ring, he likely has the money, but what he lacked from his point of view was respect and peace of mind. In his mind, who is to say that he won’t be shopped around again in the near future, so he probably figured he should go where people want him (for the immediate future) and he doesn’t have to worry about abruptly uprooting his family. Essentially, he can make a move on his terms, thus how could you be mad with that?
Vaughn
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