Thanks For The Ring, Perk

Before I begin my rant/trip down memory lane about Kendrick Perkins, everyone should be aware that I am a die-hard Boston sports fan.  Bill Simmons' illegitimate child let's say.  Above all else, I am a Celtics fan.  I bleed green.

You can only imagine my first reaction to hearing about the Perk/Nate for Green/Krstic trade that went down just before the trade deadline yesterday afternoon.  I was freaking heartbroken.  I grew up with Perk. For the last eight years I've watched Perk grow from a reckless player straight out of high school into the final piece of the Celtic puzzle: The fifth starter on the lineup that brought pride back to Boston basketball.  He brought heart, emotion, and toughness to the team, stepping into the role as "The Enforcer."  And he played that role pretty god damn well.

Can some balding Serbian dude fill his shoes? Doubtful.  No one can replace Perk.

Even though many were plotting Danny Ainge's death in various ways last night, I have come to an understanding about his decision.  He's not a lunatic after all.  He's thinking about the future of the team.  The future of one of the oldest teams in the league.  The future of a team who needs to find players to carry on the tradition that the "Big Three" continued when they came together in the summer of 2007.  Jeff Green is a talented player, and he can come in for Pierce and be much more of a threat than Daniels ever was.  Also, he can bring some solid defense to the lineup, an attribute of this team that was filled by James Posey in '08 and Tony Allen the following years.

I'll miss Nate too, but he I can live without.  He brought energy to the team, sure, but man was he freaking inconsistent.

This team will survive.  It's tough hearing about the players taking the news about Perk hard.  But that's why I love this team.  Because they are a team.  They're not just teammates, they're brothers.  You think LeBron would be crying over seeing Bosh leave Miami?  Not for a second.  He'd probably get all fired up for the chance to score more and give himself some more ego boosts.  Lebron: What should you do? Stop being an arrogant ass.  But I digress...

I'll miss you Perk.  Everyone in Boston will miss you, but we wish you luck in Oklahoma City.

Thanks for the ring.

-The Major