Brian Scalabrine pens 'I'm Coming Home' letter, will once again be Celtics broadcaster
LeBron James isn't the only big name who's "coming home" this offseason.
On Monday, Brian Scalabrine announced in a letter on CSNNE.com that he, too, will be "coming home," re-joining the Boston Celtics broadcast team after a season away from the booth as an assistant coach for the Golden State Warriors.
The letter and setup on the page are, in a word, incredible. The White Mamba has always been a likable, funny and self-aware being, but he turns things up to another level in this story, written and told by Brian Scalabrine. We'll get to excerpts, but just look at the page:
[Photos Courtesy CSNNE]
Scalabrine had a very successful run as a CSNNE broadcaster during the 2012-13 season, during which he flexed strategic acumen but in a largely digestible way. This is a major get for the network and Celtics fans.
In the letter, the Washington native highlights a comfort level in Boston but warns that he can not promise a championship to the fans. We really can't do it justice. Here are a few key quotes, but do yourself the favor and spend the five minutes reading up on the Scallenge.
From the moment I signed with the Celtics, I knew this was my new home. Most of the people are just like me. They work hard, they play hard, and the passion they have for their sports team is unlike anywhere in the world. I had passion for my team just like the fans. I guess I was kind of like the fans except I had a courtside seat for free and if we were up by 20 with less than two minutes to play I would get to go into the game.
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I've learned a great deal in my time spent with four franchises…actually five if you count my stint in Italy because of the lockout. What was the purpose of the lockout again? I will always think of Chicago as my third home and Oakland probably as my fourth home…but not like downtown Oakland, more like the suburbs.
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Celtics fans haven't had that feeling since I was last there. My goal is for the Celtics to win the most titles of any other NBA franchise, and I will not sleep until we are done. No question.
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I’m not promising a championship. I know how hard that is to deliver. We’re not ready right now. No way. Of course, I want to win next year, but I’m realistic. I’m only a broadcaster - what could I really do?
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I want kids in Boston, like the hundreds of elementary school kids who have red hair and no chance of making the NBA, to realize that there’s no better place to grow up.
There's no word if Morgan Freeman will be reading Scalabrine's letter, but the more appropriate choice would probably be Mark Wahlberg or Matt Damon, anyway.