December 25, 2024: 2024 in Review: The Celtics

[I wasinitially trying to decide whether to focus my annual Year in Review series on heavyor light topics, but then I realized this was 2024—we had it all, from the seriousto the surreal, the absurd to the awesome. So I’ll start with a couple toughsubjects and move toward some happier ones. I’d love your end-of-yearreflections as well!]

Christmascame in June for the Railton household this year, as my sons and wife and I gotto watch together as our favorite shared sports team, theBoston Celtics, clinched their 18th NBA Championship. I saidmost of what I’d want to say about that team from an AmericanStudies perspectivein that hyperlinked post, but I did want to use this post to do three additionalthings:

--Sharing this video of mysingle favorite live sports moment of my lifetime, Payton Pritchard’s first-half-buzzer-beatinglonger-than-half-court shot in Game 5, as captured from every camera anglepossible;

--Highlightingthe truly awesome public service and partnership work that Jaylen Brown is doing for theBlack community and all communities in Boston, as well as sharing hisdelightful recent episodeof Hot Ones;

--And makingthe broader case, through those various layers but also through a reminder of my recently completed first podcastwhich I hope made this case at great length and which I can think of no betterChristmas present than y’all checking out and sharing widely, for all the waysthat sports can connect to our worst but also and especially our best.  

Next 2024reflection tomorrow,

Ben

PS. Whatdo you think? What stands out from this decades-long year?