By now, if you've not heard about the Boston Bruins historic game 7 comeback, you're living under a rock. As you probably know, my forte is writing about the Boston Celtics. However, this video was a heart moving, passionate and exciting moment in Boston sports history that I feel deserves your attention.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did...

(via Sean Bakke)

Before diving into today's great sports coverage, be sure to register as a member of the CLNS community. This enables you to set up a Facebook-like profile on CLNS. Speaking of Facebook, joining the CLNS community is so easy that you can use your very own Facebook account to join. As a member, you are entitled to your OWN blog page with profile, social media, etc. The benefits of being a part of the CLNS community are endless. Treat mom on Mother's Day by setting her up an account. While you're at it, why not set yourself up an account?

h/t to Kwapt for posting this great video to Facebook

Sound a bit homer-ish? I must say it's true.

In my experiences covering the Boston Celtics for 5 years now, I can honestly say, I've never seen a more dedicated, loyal and sentimental fan base. Sure, they are raucous at TD Garden. The Garden Faithful has a tendency to be loud and obnoxious at times. Fact is, regardless the opponent, they are always at the Garden. It's always a sell out.

Whether the C's are facing the LA Lakers or the Toronto Raptors, the Garden is sold out. Whether Gino is blasting on the Jumbotron or the Celtics are on the other end of the blow out, the Garden Faithful is there, engaged and very few hit the exits before the closing buzzer.

You may hear an occasional boo from the fans for their Celtics. Some get annoyed with that and think it's disrespectful. It never sits well with me because it's never anything less than awkward BUT it's the true measure of a fan-base that knows their hoops and expects nothing less than 100 percent effort from the guys wearing green. For that, I can live with the boos. In Larry Bird's rookie season, Dave Cowens told him that Boston fans know when you're not giving 100 percent. They know when you are "dogging it." We never had that issue with Larry-Legend obviously but, Cowens was right. C's fans do know when their players are not giving it 100 percent and they let them know it. No one is excluded from that. As I [and Cowens] said, Boston Celtics' fans know their hoops!

So, what inspired me to write this column today?

This afternoon, the "voice of Celtics Post Game,"  Matt Rury, organized a very successful Season Finale Extravaganza for the Celtics Post Game Show series on CLNS. As always, Rury exceeded expectations by scheduling all of the CLNS Post-Game Show Personalities to call in and he kept them on-point and on-time. He also succeeded in keeping my big trap shut throughout most of the show - certainly a public service to our audience.

Mixed in with today's great topics and on-point strategy of next season, their was also an explosion of love and sentimentality for the Boston Celtics and the ride they've provided fans with in the last 6 seasons. We have surely been lucky to witness it and today's listeners, callers, chatters and personalities that contributed today showed their gratitude for the great Boston Celtics of the Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Doc Rivers era.

The era may be over but the Boston Celtics coverage at CLNS Radio is not near over; it's only just begun.

Because of the great CLNS contributors, our window of opportunity has only started to open. We hope you will stick with us through the off-season for all Boston sports coverage. If you go into withdrawal for CLNS, Celtics Post Game Shows, you can always tune into the archives here.

Until next season...

Go Celtics!

Stephen A. Smith talks again. Who's listening?

After ruffling the feathers of Boston Celtics fans with his big trade rumor, Smith talked to Brooklyn's SNY.TV and decided to make yet another declaration regarding the C's...

“Expect the Boston Celtics to receive a call for permission to talk to Doc Rivers… Expect Brian Shaw of the Indiana Pacers to get a call,” and he also mentioned Larry Brown. He then returned to the man who will lead the search.

Stephen A. Smith

on Nets interest in Doc Rivers

Screamin' Stephen, why are you doing it again?

At the start of this week, Smith got the New England area buzzing with a trade that would send Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Doc Rivers(?) to the Los Angeles Clippers for Eric Bledsoe, Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan and Caron Butler. Smith quickly backed off his quizzical trade rumor by Tweeting, Listen: I said what's being talked about, scenarios that are being contemplated. Can't rule anything out W/ Clips/Celts. Absolutely nothing!

Now Stephen A. is making declarations about the future of Doc Rivers and the Boston Celtics.

I would never put much of anything past Mr. Prokhorov and his I can buy anything/anyone business tactics. Not to mention, why wouldn't the Nets billionaire owner have a desire to recruit Rivers?

Doc Rivers would not commit to a return to the bench next season for the Boston Celtics. Let's not forget however, Doc Rivers contemplates his future after just about every season. Rivers is currently under contract for three more seasons AND he has made a commitment to Danny Ainge during the C's rebuilding process. If there's one thing that fans can take away from Doc during his tenure in Boston, he's a man of his word.

I say Doc stays put.

It's 376 days since Derrick Rose last hit the hardwood for an NBA game. Chicago Bulls fans have been patient and understanding of Rose's decision to continue to sit himself, even though his doctors have cleared him for NBA play. Recently, Bulls' teammate Joakim Noah, spoke up in defense of his absent leader. Noah told ESPN,  "Derrick's a brother and to see him go through this is tough, but at the end of the day it's really funny how quick people are to judge. But people don't know what it's like to lead a team, especially after you tore your ACL."

Noah continued his defense of his leader by saying,  "If you tore your ACL and you have to be the starting point guard and have the expectations that Derrick has, then maybe you can judge, but everybody who hasn't been in that situation before should really shut up because I feel like it's just so unfair to him and to this team. We're fighting, and everybody's going to just s--- on somebody who's been giving so much to this organization. It's crazy to me."

Joakim Noah is also suffering from a painful foot injury and is playing through it. It's admirable of Noah to defend his injured teammate, while he continues to play thru pain. It's quite an example Joakim is showing for his teammates and his recovered captain. Some one has to set an example for these Bulls, D. Rose has been unable to do-so thus far.

An interesting debate broke out on Monday night's King of the Court Podcast. Host, Ty Ray understandably questioned Rose's decision to stay sidelined while his Chicago teammates battled injury to take a 1-0 lead over the defending champion Miami Heat. Spoiling LeBron James' MVP ceremony, the crippled Chicago Bulls went to work, upset the Heat in game 1 and did it all without their recovered super star.

After stating his case, Ray went to the call lines where frequent CLNS listener, Brent rang up in defense of Rose. Taking a similar stance to Noah, Brent questioned the public's poor perceptions of Derrick Rose's decision to stay sidelined until he was comfortable enough to play.

Though Brent brought up some very good points, Ty Ray rose mention to the legends of yesteryear, particularly Larry Bird and Kevin McHale. Over Twenty years removed from retiring, the two Hall of Famers have not straightened out their noticeable limps from back and ankle injuries sustained while winning 3 championships. Bird and McHale are permanently left with battle scars from the wars waged during their five NBA Finals runs of the 1980's.

It's part of the game. Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and countless other NBA Champions would tell you that. Hell... they don't have to tell you! Their scars, limps and stumbles, from years of playing through injury tell all you need to hear. I believe Bill Walton can tell you similar; The guys ankles are fused! Battle wounds, championship scars, whatever you want to call it, these guys fought hard to win their titles and milestones, it was expected by their teammates and fans.

If Larry Bird didn't play every time he didn't feel 100 percent, he may have never played. Bird would have never stolen the ball, never played for the Dream Team, the duel with Dominique would only be a basketball fantasy. The 60 point massacre in New Orleans? Nope - the elbow was sore that season. How about game 5 versus the Pacers? No way! Bird would have never returned from the locker room and the Pacers would have likely advanced. If Michael Jordan didn't fight thru the flu in 1995, the Bulls may have been short one title in their dynastic run of the 1990's. Remember Jordan's 63 point explosion in the 1986 playoffs? That never would have happened either! Jordan was just back from his own knee surgery for that series.

The examples of bravery and winning at all costs, can go on and on. Yet, it's acceptable for Derrick Rose to sit out while his teammates play through pain. I'm unsure why...

When questioned about how difficult it must be for Derrick to sit out during the playoffs, the former MVP said, "It's hard but I'm able to get past it, knowing my teammates are out playing hard, giving it everything they got so.. that's all I can ask for."  Rose continued by saying that no one "can tell him what to do with his body."

Derrick is correct, we cannot tell him what to do with his body. Noah and Brent are correct, unless we've suffered from an injury similar to Rose, we really don't know what he's going thru. We do know, however, what D. Rose teammates are doing... they are fighting, leaving everything on the court. They are marching forward without their recovered leader and they are not complaining about it. Instead, they are sticking up for their MVP.

So why am I complaining?

I have never torn an ACL. I have never played a minute of an NBA game. My last competitive game of basketball was in 11th grade. Who am I to talk?

I can only say that, as a fan of the legends, I only know one example - win at all costs.

I learned from the title contenders of the glory years. I cannot imagine a game when Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Julius Erving, Patrick Ewing, Magic Johnson, Isiah Thomas, Hakeem or even Barkley would sit out, due to an injury that was cleared over 60 days ago. Not to mention, the torture they would be putting their fans and teammates thru with the uncertainty of if/when they will ever wear a uniform again. Hey! At least Rose can sleep well knowing his teammates are fighting hard without him.

I'm not going to lie, when game 6 of the Bulls - Nets series began, I looked at the list of injured Bulls sidelined and thought, why should they play if their own leader refuses to play?

Whether Noah, Brent or D. Rose himself want to criticize the fans and media of the NBA for being perplexed, annoyed and skeptical of Rose's decisions, they cannot deny that perception is reality. They cannot deny that no situation like this ever comes to mind when talking about a former MVP, sidelined by an injury 376 days ago.

Next time you are considering Derrick Rose's decision as justified, think of all the great NBA moments we would have missed if Larry, Kevin, Michael, Magic and the Doctor simply said, no one can tell me what to do with my body.

Wasted talent.