Say it ain't so

Reggie Miler: The Man, the Myth, the Legend

There are very few people I find to be absolutely infallible. Sadly enough, they are no one I actually know, but people I just trust entirely with what they do and what they say. It's nice to have those people, because it gives you someone to believe in and something to always look forward to. For example, I always know I will love whatever Bill Simmons writes. As my friend Ryan said, I have a man crush on Bill Simmons. Another one I never believe will mess up or let me down is Tom Brady, the New England Patriots QB. He always comes through for me in the end, and generally never makes the wrong play at the very least. Even when he ends up losing, I never really blame him.

With those two said, neither really compare to my favorite athlete ever. Reggie Miller. A lot of people do not like Reggie, as he does "dirty" things such as kicking his leg out on a three pointer to draw a foul, he flops to a degree, and he always gets into it with other players. But I love him, I love everything about his game. Regardless of anything he does, he always does the best thing for his team and will never let a Pacers fan down. There is the key, Pacers fan. Reggie Miller was an Indiana Pacer for 18 years before retiring 2 years ago, and now he is contemplating a comeback. Amazing right? I should be extremely excited.

But I'm not.

Because he's thinking of coming back as a Boston Celtic.

Part of what makes Reggie so special is that he stayed on one team for his entire career while everyone else was switching team to team, essentially being hired guns for their entire career. He was Mr. Consistent. He was Mr. Pacer. He was the face, heart, and big ol' Ferengi ears of the Indiana Pacers for 18 years, and he should keep his legacy intact in my opinion.

Don't get me wrong. I would LOVE to see Reggie play again. I would watch every single Boston Celtics game next season if he played. I would root for the Celtics. I would be a Celtics fan (Another thing to bond with Bill Simmons over at least), because while Reggie has been away, the Pacers have turned into a mediocre non-contender with thugs leading their squad into the fray. More than any team that I like, the Pacers are my favorite team because of one player.

From the early days of me liking them with Dale Davis and Rik Smits, to the middle years where they were mediocre and that other team was being dismantled, to the return to glory with young bucks like Jermaine O'Neal and Ron Artest joining the squad, to the devestation of the Malice at the Palace where the Pacers fought with fans at a Pacers/Pistons game, there was only one constant. Reggie Miller (well and Donnie Walsh, but who likes a team for a President of Operations anyways?).

The point is, I'm terribly conflicted. I want to see Reggie play again badly. But do I want to see him in Celtics green? I don't even know. We'll cross that bridge when we get there, but all I can say right now is what I said in the beginning.

Say it ain't so Reggie. Say it ain't so.