Sanmhar Samhain

Halloween has nothing to do with Christianity. The Harvest Holiday originated way back into the distant BCs. The Romans dedicated the feast to Pomona, the goddess of fruits and seeds, and the Celts celebrated the summer's end with huge bonfires to evoke the blessing of the spirit world for the dark half of the year. Walking between the fires cleansed the soul for the winter. The practice probably dated back to the Picts and deeper into prehistory.

The following day was the feast of the dead.

For the dead are never dead in our hearts and minds, except for the Living Dead.

In Gaelic the walking dead are called marbhán siúil.

The modern usage is zombai.

Thankfully they are creatures of myth and not reality like banshees and leprechauns.

Nothing was scarier than NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD.

Séanmhar Samhain.

Knicks Versus Celtics - Game 1 - 2024-2025 Season

Tonight the NBA season opens with the New York Knicks playing the World Champion Boston Celtics at Boston Garden. There is another name for that arena, however I live only partially in this century of corporate control. The present value of the Boston franchise is estimated at $5.12 billion and the present owners are considering selling the team. The Celtic players might consider this, however this year's combined salary is $230 million. The Grousbeck's group bought the Celtics in 2002 for $360 million and are contemplating dumping the franchise for “estate and family planning purposes,” according to statement released on Monday. That news came less than two weeks after the Celtics won their NBA-record 18th title, and with the team facing hard financial decisions about how to keep together a roster than won the most games in the NBA last season according to sportico.com.

Sportico also values the Knicks at $7.4 billion. Rich men's stratosphere. LeBron, the wealthiest active player, has about $1.2 billion. Not even close enough to purchase his present team, the LA Lakers, although The Cleveland Cavaliers NBA franchise was valued at $3.35 billion in October 2023, according to Forbes. This was a 63% increase from the previous year, when the franchise was valued at $2.05 billion. Inflation or greed is everywhere.

Still I'm a fan. I have been a fan since a child in Falmouth Foreside, Maine, listening to Johnny Most announce the game from the old Boston Garden in 1958. I was planning to wear something smart, but I'm taking out my Celtics gear. This might be New York City, but Go Celtics. It will be a tough game and the Knicks are geared up for a championship. Bring it on.

Love-Hate Boston Sports Teams

FROM MY NIECE Boston sports teams are like men in relationships: The Patriots are like the new boyfriend that you really like - he's awesome but almost too good to be true, so you worry. The Bruins are like the guy that you just casually dated and you don't really care about him, he's just something to do. The Celtics are like the relationship that was great at one time but has lost its spark and you always kinda look back and think about how great it was. And the Red Sox are the hardcore abusive husband who just absolutely beats the crap out of you, but day after day you always go back to him cause you always believe that tomorrow will be different and you just love him too much.

Celtics Versus Heat Game 6

Tonight the New Big Three of the Miami Heat will face elimination at the hands of the Old Big Three of the Boston Celtics in the Corporate Garden at North Station. The sell out crowd are expecting a victory from the Men in Green over the visitors. ESPN's analysts have reassessed their previous judgment about the Celtics' age to even admit that they were wrong in calling KG, Ray Allen, and The Truth old as well as having anointed LeBron James the coming of the Messiah without his ever having drained a clutch shot in the playoffs during his seven year career. Bullshit. LeBron James is the best player in the NBA. D-Wade has been to the promised land. Chris Bosh has been injured throughout the series, while the Celtics seem to get healthier. Tonight the left-handed forward has vowed to play more minutes to free up his teammates, but the true test of the match will be how the referees manage the game, so TV can sell more Taco Bells burritos and tickets to Adam Sandler's fucked-up new movie THAT'S MY DAD or some bullshit like that. The NBA over the last years has become more like the WWF in fixing games. Last night during the Thunder-Spurs game the bald-headed ref changed the flow of the game with three calls. I call him 'the bald-headed motherfucker' or BHM. And last evening at Mullane's across General Fowler's Square from Frank's Lounge I shouted out, "You bald-headed motherfucker." The bar went dead silent and every bald headed man in the place glared at me. "What?" "We all bald here." A Knicks fan shouted from the end of the bar. "But you're not motherfuckers like that bald-headed fucker, are you?" They all shook their heads, because they knew that I was right. Not all of the time. But at least 3% of the time. ps Adam Sandler sucks.