Goodbye, No. 18

Posted by Bryan Roy on Apr 16, 2009 14362 commentshttp%3A%2F%2Fcelticshub.com%2F2009%2F04%2F16%2Fgoodbye-no-18%2FGoodbye%2C+No.+182009-04-16+15%3A08%3A40Bryan+Royhttp%3A%2F%2Fcelticshub.com%2F%3Fp%3D1436

Woke up to a text message this morning at 6:40 a.m. PDT. Very few messages-less-than-140-characters can carry more punch than this one:

“Boston.com SPORTS ALERT: Celtics coach Doc Rivers said today Kevin Garnett will likely miss the entire playoffs due to …”

It’s 16 days too late from April fools. News of this caliber just cracked the “Top 5 Things a Text Message Can’t Deliver:”

1. Learning about a death of someone close
2. Ending a relationship with your girlfriend*
3. Then hearing that same ex-girlfriend say “I’m late”
4. Knowing Banner No. 18 just fell from the rafters**

* personally experienced in the last 2 years. And even how frustrating getting dumped by some bitch through a text message was, I would go as far as putting this morning’s text as 2b on the list. F—.

** personally experienced in the last 2 hours, and still numbs as to the reality of what news like this entails. Maybe by June this will move up to 1b on the list.

*** despite originally intended to make this list a “Top 5″ list, just end it right here. No need.

We inserted asterisks on these last few KG-less weeks, compensating for losses with the whole “Oh, well come playoff time with KG, things will be different” cop-out, adding that “Garnett’s intensity, passion, defense, leadership,” cannot be taught. You know, those intangibles unmatched on any stat sheet or scoreboard.

As CelticsHub.com’s Brian Robb said just two days ago, in a post titled “5 reasons not to be worried by the Cavs romp:”

More than anything I feel like the C’s missed KG’s fire in this game. No way he lets us lose by 30, even if he is at less than 100 percent. His intensity and commitment to defense is contagious for those he is out on the floor with, and the team stands to benefit from that when he’s back out there. They certainly needed it yesterday.

Or Zach Lowe’s entry on April 3:

I think we all know the Celtics chances of winning a championship begin and end with the muscle that runs behind Kevin Garnett’s right knee.

Now we ask: What should the Celtics do with their 58th overall pick? If DeMarre Carroll, go for the Mizzou forward with KG’s long, athletic build. If not, Jon Brockman, anyone? Or . . . Enough. Too soon like a Katrina joke in September 2005.

Comment of the morning so far from MajorTom: “My parents remembered where they were when JFK got shot. I will forever remember receiving this news.”