So this is extremely delayed, but Rondo was on the Pre-Game meal with Shannon Allen

It looks like they made some really yummy food. And I also learned that one of his nicknames is Johnny, and that's what his mother calls him. Too cute!

Chris Bosh had a really expensive 27th birthday party.

All images C/O the ever fabulous YBF.

I guess when you're really rich this is what invitations look like:

This might not be an invitation. I may just be too poor to even know what that is, but seeing as the party was called, "The Chris Bosh Distinguished Gentlemen Birthday Party Dinner," I'd say it's a safe guess. 

Chris posed with his fiance, Adrienne. Here's an astute observation: He is tall and she is short. I like her shoes. 

More pics of Chris and his teammates after the jump.

What's wrong with the Celtics?

So I was just looking at the traffic sources for my blog.... And shout out to the person who googled, "What's happening to my Celtics?" and ended up at my page. I, too, would like to know, and I'm sorry that you didn't get any kind of substantive answer after your visit here. But here's my latest theory as to what's plaguing the Celtics. Go with me here. Not to toot my own horn, but in school I was always the really smart kid who was bored because everything was too easy. It was my theory that I need not complete my homework in a timely manner, because I could fool around in class, not put any effort in outside of class, and still get a good grade on tests. That meant my report cards all came home saying stuff like, "Bright student... Further effort required." Or, "Smart child... Why doesn't she try?" Stuff like that. It drove my parents crazy. Unfortunately, I didn't really care. I'm a little bit embarrassed to say that this attitude stuck with me until midway through college. In fact, I'd say it got a little worse in college. I majored in sociology, so a lot of my classes were discussion heavy, and we talked a lot about people and the way they act. I was under the impression that I was smarter and more enlightened than the majority of people in my classes, so I would debate endlessly with them in class until I was blue in the face. I would leave class all worked up at the stuff people said in class... And then I wouldn't do the work. So they'd get a better grade than me, and I'd get mad because I knew I was smarter than them, but they still ended up with a higher grade. Pretty stupid of me.

This, my friends, is what is plaguing the Celtics. I thought I was smarter than everyone, and they think they're better than everyone. And it's actually true- they are better than the majority of other teams in the league. The problem is that it doesn't matter how much talent you have or how good you are if you don't apply yourself. That's why I got B's and even C's (barf), while more dedicated but maybe less intellectually gifted students (teeheehee) got better grades than me, and it's why teams like Charlotte can come in and beat the Celtics. I believe that they're under the impression that they can exert minimal effort and still win. It doesn't work like that. This isn't a new theory. It's what many people thought was going on last year- that they think there's a switch they can flip, to go from playing like doo doo to playing like champs. Except I think it's worse than last year. I think that there's some kind of emotional residue from the Perkins trade. I don't know if it's hostility towards management that he's gone, general sadness in the face of his absence... or even some kind of doubt that they're not as good as they were without him. Let's just hope that they figure it out and flip that switch to champion mode for good. No more back and forth.

And P.S.: I no longer believe I'm smarter than everyone else. It was a tough pill to swallow, but I got it :)

5 Questions with Shaq.

Via Marc Stein:

Q: How much do you look forward to the opportunity to go up against guys like Dwight Howard or Andrew Bynum in the playoffs?

A: Excuse me? Don't ask me a question like that.

Q: But that's what people want to know. Those guys are playing so well and everyone wants to see if you can match up with them one-on-one.

A: First of all, they won't dare play me one-on-one, even at the tender age of 39. And you know what? Playin' those teams, it ain't gonna be about the [center] matchup, so I don't really worry about that.

Q: So there's not more pressure on you now because the Celtics traded Kendrick Perkins?

A: No. Because I've just got to rebound and play good defense. And I can do that. If I was getting the ball and taking all the shots, it'd be a lot of pressure at 39. But I've just got to rebound and play D.

Q: However you feel health-wise right now, you're convinced that you're going to be healthy enough to be a factor in the playoffs?

A: Yeah. Gotta be.

Q: How much thought have you given to playing beyond this season? Is there a chance that this is the last season for you?

A: I don't know yet. Probably not.

Oh Shaq. I love that he says games with the Magic and the Lakers aren't about the center match ups. We're lucky to have him at a point in his career when it doesn't have to be about that match up. He knows that it's about winning games, and that's it. All Shaq has to be is 39 years old, 7'1" tall and 325 pounds.

The Celtics are allegedly optimistic that Shaq could return next week.

Chris Forsberg reports that the Big Shamrock got a cortisone shot to his right foot and strapped that protective boot back on, to prevent swelling.

Yet, despite all of that, the Celtics remain hopeful that he could be back in action next week. He has not played since February 1st... And he has been projected to return back to action so many times since then that I won't believe it until I see him back on the floor, wearing the #36.

Tell em Jigga! You don't need to lie to me, Danny Ainge. Being a fanatic of this club requires patience and a thick skin. 

Lala says that Carmelo doesn't have a secret love child.

She visited "The Breakfast Club," on Power 105.1 in New York City and addressed the pesky rumor, saying that she wouldn't be married to him anymore if it were true. She also said that she sends him naked pictures (to keep the romance alive) and that she doesn't have a nanny or any other kind of live in help. I can't figure out how to link the video of her interview in, so if you want to check it out, click here. I think Lala seems pretty cool and down to earth... Except I'm ready for this whole reality TV craze to end, so I wish she wasn't filming some silly show about her marriage. Just be happy in your marriage and live your life! We don't need to watch it... Just as long as the blogs cover what she wears on the side lines.

The Celtics lose to the Grizz. Left their execution in New York.

This was not the same team we saw in New York. The passion was not there, and execution was awful... Especially down the stretch. They got off to another slow start, and played an off-key game to hang in there for the whole night... Only to fall short at the end. Wamp.

I've been thinking about that seemingly ill timed Rondo floater. Doc Rivers now says he should have called a timeout... But it's easy to say that in hindsight, and so much harder to do while it's happening. Rondo is generally very trustworthy, and as we all know, he is the general of the offense... So we trust his judgement. I was surprised to see him throw that floater up- and not because there was so much time left on the shot clock and replays show that Paul Pierce was open in transition. I was surprised because he took that shot at the juncture in the game. He may be off his game as of late, but he has not lost his cajones and that is a good thing.

I leave you with a song from one of the baddest chicks on the planet, Nicki Minaj. It's called, "Dear old Nicki." It's basically a letter of reflection to herself, wondering where her old self went, and trying to get that person back. The Celtics could use the fight, grit, pride and passion that they had just last month, so I thought it was a good pick.