Prepare to be Lustily Booed, Mike Bibby
Game 2 of the Celtics/Hawks sweep series jumps off at 8pm tonight, and for the first (and perhaps last time) in this matchup, fans will have a reason to actually pay attention.
Mike Bibby is now public enemy number one among the hoop heads in Beantown.
Before the Hawks hit the practice floor yesterday, Bibby called out the Celtics faithful, saying they’re nothing more than a bunch of bandwagon jumpers. Uh-oh:
“They were kind of loud at the beginning,” he said. “But a lot of these fans are bandwagon jumpers trying to get on this now. I played here last year, too. And I didn’t see three fourths of them.
They’re for the team now and they might get a little rowdy but that’s about it.”
True or not, this is not a smart move on Mike Bibby’s part. The Hawks already have more than enough to worry about in this series; a pissed off crowd is not going to help matters much.
Bibby was of course terrible in the series opener, and that’s me being kind. This could certainly be a way to get himself going (and deflect some of the pressure off the rest of his teammates.)
If you can’t do it with the basketball, do it with your mouth, I suppose.
67 Responses to “Prepare to be Lustily Booed, Mike Bibby”
Apr.23 at 9:12 am
daanswer says:
Mike Bibby is a BITCH! That’s why ATL is gonna get SWEPT!
Apr.23 at 9:17 am
Kevin says:
i don’t think this is a smart move, but its not like he’s lying, either. isn’t that exactly what’s happened in boston in the span of a year?
Apr.23 at 9:33 am
BETCATS says:
i agree with daanswer?
Apr.23 at 9:34 am
BETCATS says:
but yeah he isnt lying. KG brought so many new fans to the Celtics it is riduculos
Apr.23 at 9:35 am
David J. Moore says:
It wasn’t necessary for him to say, but he is right to certain extent. The same thing is going on in New Orleans. At the beginning of the season ticket sales were down. Due to the great season the Hornets are having as well as All-Star weekend and an MVP candidate in Chris Paul, the team definitely has more fans on the bandwagon.
Apr.23 at 9:40 am
B. Long says:
I wonder if that’s how he feels about people who were his fans in Sactown about 4 years ago…..except backwards?
Apr.23 at 9:43 am
G Diesel says:
….
Apr.23 at 9:45 am
B. Long says:
Speaking of Sactown did Rick Adleman take Mike “My ink looks like doodles done by 6th graders in science class” Bibby’s jumper with him?
Apr.23 at 9:52 am
whooo! says:
bibby coulda done better. i woulda told the press, “this is the same boston crowd that was cheering MVP for kobe 2 years ago. enough said.”
Apr.23 at 9:55 am
Captain America says:
Is Bibby right about C fans? Yes. Is he unable to back up his mouth with his play? No. {incidentally, Bibby has played on shet teams and knows that all NBA fans won’t cheer for crappy basketball}
Apr.23 at 10:02 am
Ryan Jones says:
Why not? Like they were in control of this series before he opened his mouth? A) it’s true, and B) it can’t hurt. Maybe it’ll fire his team up and they’ll steal a game in this series. But it’s not like he needlessly insulted the other team’s best player — surely no NBA player would be so stupid.
Apr.23 at 10:06 am
maio says:
He’s right. People don’t like that. The ship be sinkin’, though.
Apr.23 at 10:14 am
Solito says:
Bibby doesn’t get it. The celtics fans were a big part of getting KG and cousin Ray to town. They were there complaining loudly (from the nosebleeders) when things got bad. Ainge knew he wouldnt last to see his draft tallensts develope, if he didn’t pull the trigger on some of them to get a “now” team. HAWKS AER YOU LISTENING…?! You could be the Celtics of 09.
Apr.23 at 10:26 am
MK Petrik says:
I find nothing wrong with Bibby’s comments, it just helps stir the pot to what is probably the best NBA Playoffs in decades.
Apr.23 at 10:31 am
Co Co says:
What whooo! said….
Apr.23 at 10:55 am
John D says:
See you tonight, Bibby.
Apr.23 at 10:56 am
DP says:
He is telling the truth and they were going to lose the series anyway so why couldn’t he say it? Please, if they didn’t have KG and Ray, those motha lovers would be right at the house or going to damn Fenway park. Bibby speaks the truth, even though he has fallen off. play wit it.
Apr.23 at 11:13 am
TADOne says:
This is true, and like Ryan said, what exactly do they have to lose? One problem: There will probably be just as many Boston fans back in ATL as there are Hawks fans.
Apr.23 at 11:17 am
Rasheedionics says:
So, we’re supposed to cheer for the Knicks now even though they suck??? If these fans were showing up with brown bags on their heads, they were still supporting the team by buing the ticket. And can you blame others not want to spend their hard earned money on the team that wasnt going to win a lot of games. Bibby doesnt know what he’s talking about.
Apr.23 at 11:34 am
Myung says:
I think what Bibby said has some truth to it, though I probably agree more with what Rasheedionics said up there. “Supporting” your team is a strange beast, especially when you have bad ownership, management, coaches, and/or players. Sometimes, NOT going to games is actually a better way of “supporting” the franchise, under certain circumstances. I think New England fans got pretty spoiled with the Pats and Sox the past few years so ignoring the C’s was pretty easy for them. I DO think there are a ton of bandwagon C’s fans… but unfortunately, the same can be said for bandwagon Hawks fans this year. How many Hawks fans rooted the team on through the past decade?
Apr.23 at 11:36 am
Myung says:
I find that Boston sports fans are both more passionate and more smug than most fan bases… I DO like that Bibby’s speaking his mind because we don’t have enough vocal leadership on this team. I don’t think the boo’s will bother him (and in fact, they’ll probably make him play better)… I mean, can he really play any worse than game 1? Whether he’s right or wrong for saying what he said, I definitely dig the passion from our point guard.
Apr.23 at 11:38 am
Myung says:
I predict tonight will be a much closer game than game 1. I predict we’ll WIN game 3. And I predict we’ll lose the series.
Apr.23 at 11:44 am
TADOne says:
On a side note: After watching Bibby in game 1, now I see why the Kings were so willing to let him go.
Apr.23 at 11:49 am
Matt says:
You guys that think the Celtics fans are fairweather fans are all uninformed. Yes, the fans hae come out in support of the team more than in recent years but thats natural for any city. I personally was at 40 out of 41 home games last year and I speak for everyone else in attendance when I say we have been waiting for our franchise to return to this form for almost 20 years. By the way, ATL hasn’t even sold out Game 3 yet so who is he to talk about fairweather fans? You punks in ATL can’t even show up when your team is doing somewhat good. Boston fans travel well, enjoy getting brooms in your face next week.
Apr.23 at 11:54 am
Myung says:
Yeah, TADOne, Bibby’s been cold for the past 3 weeks or so, but prior to that, he was on fire for a few weeks. His run with the Hawks has definitely been mixed so far. I’m still happy with the trade bc we got a proven veteran floor leader for basically nothing. We did inherit his large contract, but we also dumped Shelden’s useless rookie contract in the process. I think he’s what this team needs: a gritty leader with experience, a deadeye shooter (um, if he can recapture that form), and a guy who can create his own shot (something that only Joe can do consistently). I can understand why the Kings let him go, but I still think it was a good move by the Hawks.
Apr.23 at 11:54 am
BxBaller says:
What’s the big deal, Bibby is just telling the truth
Apr.23 at 12:01 pm
Matt says:
Go to 40/41 home games in a lottery bound season and try to convince me that you’re a bandwagon jumper.
Apr.23 at 12:03 pm
TADOne says:
Myung: But it has to be frustrating that management keeps Billy Hunter around, considering all of the bad draft picks he has made. Marvin over Paul or Deron. Sheldon over Foye or Roy. Billy King got his walking papers. When is it Hunter’s turn?
Apr.23 at 12:10 pm
Co Co says:
Or Billy Knight.
Apr.23 at 12:22 pm
TADOne says:
Oh yeah, him to. Ugh. Thanks Co Co.
Apr.23 at 12:24 pm
what says:
Boston’s fans are a bunch of pricks, but Atlanta fans straight up don’t care unless UGA or Michael Vick is playing. I have no problem with Bibby calling out the C’s fans, but I gotta admit for the most part our fans are a lot worse when it comes to bandwagon jumping.
Apr.23 at 12:27 pm
Myung says:
Obviously, he’s been a bad GM, but the Bibby move is actually one of his better ones. One of the most ironic things I like to mention is the fact that while Knight was GM of the Grizzlies, he dumped Shareef (one of my least favorite players ever) on the Hawks to get Pau Gasol’s rights… and then Knight went on to become Hawks GM shortly after that. A trio of Jason Terry, Stephen Jackson, and Pau Gasol could’ve made this team a Playoff team by 2004 or so; instead…um…yeah. I really don’t want to get into the “What if…” game with the Hawks. =( I could go on and on and on about the bad moves we’ve made in the past 25 years I’ve followed my favorite team… but I’d be writing until tomorrow.
Apr.23 at 12:53 pm
TADOne says:
Myung: Besides, I think Lang has touched on about 80% of these bad moves thruout his time doing the Links.
Apr.23 at 12:54 pm
TADOne says:
I guess my question is: Do you see Knight getting fired anytime soon? Or is the ownership group too shaky to make that move?
Apr.23 at 1:03 pm
Myung says:
I’d love to see Woodson get fired first. That’d be the first step. And here’s the thing with Knight: if he does get fired (which I’d have no problem with), what does that do for our team? Does our next GM change the vision of the team, therefore, dismantling everything? Our current team is flawed in many ways, but we’re just a defensive center and a consistent shooter away from being a pretty darn good team (our young core has been together for 3 years now, and Horford and Bibby have adjusted well). Again, I’d like to see Knight fired too… but I just hope that doesn’t mean we “re-build”…AGAIN.
Apr.23 at 1:05 pm
Myung says:
Lang knows people within the organization so he can probably answer your question way better than I could… all fans can hope for is that eventually, we’ll get new ownership… because our Spirit Group is probably the 2nd worst ownership group in the L (right behind the Sonics).
Apr.23 at 1:07 pm
G Diesel says:
Bibby or the Hawks don’t have anything to lose; so he can say whatever he wants.
Apr.23 at 1:08 pm
TADOne says:
Yeah, Woodson needs to go, but I kinda figured if a new GM was ushered in, a new coach would follow suit. Funny thing is, Woodson was actually a very good assistant coach when he was in Detroit.
Apr.23 at 1:11 pm
The Big Three says:
yo Boston is too deep for any team Mike Bibby is an idiot now you just goin get blown out even more Celtics best team KG DPOY and Paul Pierce and Ray Ray too clutch.
Apr.23 at 1:22 pm
Myung says:
I’ve been saying that for a long time, TAD: he’s a good assistant, playing the role of bad head coach.
Apr.23 at 1:24 pm
Mark Z says:
I’ve been watching the C’s regularly since M.L Carr & Rick Pitino were busy destroying the franchise (and you thought Isiah was bad…). Bibby’s right in that there are always more fans in good times. But the majority of C’s fans have never gone away. They were selling out games during last year’s lottery run. If Bibby thinks he heard some salty comments during the last game, he could be crying by the end of Game 2. Earmuffs, Mike. Earmuffs.
Apr.23 at 1:40 pm
Co Co says:
Maybe he needs the crowd to hate him to bring back memories of playing for Sac town against L.A…..
Apr.23 at 2:03 pm
Melody says:
It’s playoff basketball. It’s all about playing hard and with high intensity. If his comments bother you, then maybe you need to face the truth.
Apr.23 at 2:04 pm
Andy Sweet says:
d
Apr.23 at 3:07 pm
B. Long says:
@Co Co: Or he could just think about every Sactown home game since 04.
Apr.23 at 3:09 pm
B. Long says:
The hawks need to draft Hibbert.
Apr.23 at 3:12 pm
Co Co says:
We have no draft picks
Apr.23 at 3:31 pm
Colin says:
Mike Bibby was outplayed in Sac by Beno Udrih. Kings fans thank him for his service but are glad to not be paying him. That being said i think that Mike is right three-fourths of those people were not in the arena last year.
Apr.23 at 3:32 pm
Myung says:
Just one man’s opinion, but Hibbert is…Brendan Haywood Part II. And like Co Co said, no draft picks this year.
Apr.23 at 3:55 pm
Sam Mitchell's Conscience says:
I wonder if KG went to Atlanta and the Hawks won 50-60 games, if they would’ve sold out every game? Most likely not.
Apr.23 at 4:02 pm
beantown34 says:
SWEEP!!!!! SWEEP!!!!
When Atlanta plays with as much heart and passion as Boston does… I think they might sell out there first home playoff game in almost ten years
Apr.23 at 4:48 pm
what says:
I see Hibbert more as a poor man’s Zydrunas Ilgauskas actually, but either way he wouldn’t fit with the Hawks when they fire Woody and get a coach that plays up tempo. And like CoCo said, it doesn’t matter cuz until we sign-and-trade Childress this offseason we ain’t got no draft picks.
Apr.23 at 5:16 pm
Myung says:
Sign and trade the other Josh and keep Fro Josh is what I think we need to do. The other Josh has a higher trade value, will commmand more money, and is (this always gets Co Co mad)… not nearly as good a player as his stats indicate. Just my opinion, as has been stated in these pages for well over a year now.
Apr.23 at 5:19 pm
Aaron says:
There are far too many bandwagon jumpers though. Hes right. They only sing when theyre winning, as the old football chant goes.
Thats why I like Khalids posts… Im a Sixers fan too..and I always will be!
Apr.23 at 7:20 pm
bballer says:
I think Bibby made a great point. What he said was totally true. It was at Boston last year when “fans” started chantin MVP when Kobe and the Lakers came to town. The first reports were that it was the Boston fans that were doin the chanting. Then a later report said that it was the Lakers fans in Boston that were chanting. It doesn’t matter who did the chanting. We all know why they did this. The fact of the matter is that it didn’t happen this year. Can you guess why? Bibby’s comments upset a lot of people because they are true statements.
Apr.23 at 8:03 pm
jay says:
Mark Z lets be real, the only reason they were sold out because all the “fans” went to see the opponent teams, otherwise how you explain the loud chanting for KOBE4MVP last season?????
Apr.23 at 9:35 pm
Dacre says:
I think bibby just turned the series around. Watch.
Apr.23 at 10:04 pm
john says:
it’s true n wrong at da same time..
Apr.23 at 11:05 pm
AC says:
Whatever… You try and get hyped ever Boston game when they were losing huge. You can’t say the legendary Celts were without hardcore fans… they were just tired. I wanna watch KG feed it to Bibby.
Apr.24 at 12:08 am
tealish says:
Don’t you see…Bibby WANTS to get booed. His game is off, what could go worse? Shoot 1-10 this time?
Besides, don’t forget he was a big game player back in Sacremento. Lustiful booing is just what he needs.
Apr.24 at 5:27 am
Son of Shawn says:
Yes, Bibby is telling the truth, and what?, I´m not going to pay to see a match of the 06-07 Celtics, and less buy a season ticket; or if you´re a fan you´re obligated to buy a season ticket of the Grizzlies or the “Seattle” Sonics,or the Heat or the Knicks or T´Wolwes? to see how your team is beaten every night and get anger when they are more interested in the next draft than in WINNING GAMES(some of them since january)and trade to be even worse?, that´s a joke, our money is not to waste, I´m not gonna even waste a second in thinking about the Heat last months, that was a slap in the face for every Miami fan, maybe the Pacers didn´t reach the playofss an J.O. and Tinsley were out for more than the half of the season but they use their pride and they respected the fans tryin´ it, and it cost them a better draft position, but they can keep their head up, in Miami or NY who can say that to a ticket holder?: Riley?, Isiah?, Curry?, Wade?
Apr.24 at 5:31 am
Son of Shawn says:
You can´t go in the bandwagon if Iavaroni is riding a bicycle, there´s no enough space
Apr.24 at 6:06 am
Son of Shawn says:
How can a man respect himself if he´s supporting a team with Darko, Kwame, Collins and Cardinal? and not talkin´ bout self-respect if that man is paying for a season ticket?(Memphis and Miami 07-08 ticket holders have to be invited by their franchises to the 08-09 season, and Seattle ones have to get their money back)
Apr.24 at 9:31 am
Giov says:
True and wrong, but what about L.A. when they started winning or Phoenix when they got Shaq? There are a handful of ballers with enough starpower to bring the fans in with them wherever they go and they should get props for that.
The spark in interest around the Celts came with KG, none of us Celts fans will deny it. But the people that follow it from day one are too busy being into it to check the fairweather ID’s of every fan that decides to root for Boston. Going from not enough love to too much shouldn’t be a bad thing. The fairweathers may be the same people wearing LeBron Nets Jerseys in 2 years, that’s their mess to deal with.
Apr.24 at 12:17 pm
SLAM ONLINE | » Rondo > Bibby (Plus Game Notes) says:
[…] Bibby emerged as public enemy No. 1 in Boston after calling out the fans earlier in the week. Those at The Garden for game 2 sharpened up the swords for Bibby, booing him whenever he touched the ball. He was also greeted with “Bibby Sucks” “Biiiiiiiiibbbbbbby” and, most apt, “Rondo’s Better”. […]
Apr.24 at 12:49 pm
Be So Nasty says:
The Hawks aren’t going to get swept because Mike Bibby ran and is probably continuing to run his mouth… The Hawks are going to get swept because the Celtics are incredible, in all facets of their game. They are beating the hawks in every category.
Apr.24 at 2:24 pm
youngmuggsy says:
well said mike