While not everyone is a basketball fan, most Americans are fans of winning. They admire winning sports teams, winning sports figures, successful business people, successful politicians, and movie stars. Fans love to associate, bond and spend time with other fans, at sports bars, tailgates, and at the arena or sports stadium. Wearing the same team jersey is an easy way to meet and chat with strangers. The Boston Celtics are a winning sports franchise with 17 championship titles.
The Franchise was started in 1946 and struggled like any new team until they hired Red Auerbach as the new Head Coach. The drafting of Bill Russell and Bob Cousey jump started the Boston Celtics on their winning ways.
The Winning started during the Bill Russell Era with the Celtics winning their first NBA Championship against the St Louis Hawks in 1957. After losing in the NBA finals the following year, the Boston Celtics won again in 1959 sweeping the Los Angeles Lakers. This was the start of a record run winning eight NBA Championships in a row.
Their winning ways ended with the retirement of Bill Russell in 1969. The rebuilding started with the drafting of Larry Bird of Indiana State and Kevin McHale from University of Minnesota, and the acquisition of center Robert Parish in a trade from the Golden State Warriors. This core of players won the championship in 1981, 1984 and 1986 extending the winning ways of the Boston Celtics Franchise.
Throughout the early years of 2000's the Boston Celtics struggled again losing in the playoffs. The team was sold in 2003 to Boston Basketball Partners, a group led by H. Irving Grousbeck, Wycliff Grousbeck and Steve Pagliuca, a trio of Venture Capitalists and entrepreneurs. They hired Danny Ainge a former Celtic basketball player to run the front office and team. Danny Ainge hired Doc Rivers as the Boston Celtics new coach in 2004. Through trades and free agent acquisitions the celtics rebuilt the team, acquiring Ray Allen, Rajon Rondo, and Kevin Garnett winning the NBA Championship in 2008.
The psychology of winning - people aka "fans" get a positive boost of energy and actually testosterone (if they're male) from watching sporting events and rooting on a winning team. They actually envision themselves playing on the court in front of them and shooting the winning shot. Like college alumni basketball players whom watch the games and still see themselves on the court in their college uniform. The positive effects of fan devotion are good for all but the negative effects like depression, withdrawal, or violence. Some fans react violently to sport teams winning or losing, starting fights, riots, acting totally out of control.
There are millions of Boston Celtics fans all over the country. It seems the more a team wins, the more fans it acquires. People like to relate to winning sports teams and sports figures acquiring their positive energy and image. They want others to view them as winners also, this being the reason for billions of dollars in fan gear and sports jersey sales every year. The Boston fans love to sport their favorite green player’s jerseys Larry Bird, Bill Russell, Robert Parish, Dave Cowens, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett. When they wear these Jerseys feel they're part of the actual team and talk to other people like they actually played the game with them. "We" beat the pants of your team yesterday. Winning teams create a fan base of winning fans; people who like to be together, watch games together, talk about sports and family life together, politics, and Live in Boston Together!