Category: Politics

Brad Stevens shares thoughts on D.C. riots ahead of tilt with Heat

The Celtic coach pulled no punches with his words.

Joining Boston Celtics Jayson Tatum and Bill Russell’s social media posts earlier in the day, Boston head coach Brad Stevens shared his thoughts on the riots caused by Trump supporters irate about the certification of President-Elect Joe Biden’s election by the Senate Wednesday.

Speaking with the media ahead of the Celtics’ game with the Miami Heat, Stevens pulled no punches. “I watched it all. I’m sure our players watched it all. I guess my reaction is sad,” related the Celtics coach of the chaos in the U.S. capitol unleashed by the angry mob that afternoon.

“The way I look at it, we all hope the people we elect to lead us are supposed to be modeling leadership will do so in a way that is motivated by serving others, by showing compassion and acting gracefully,” he added.

“Instead, we elected a president, who luckily is on his way out, and others, that have not shown that kind of grace. It has been consistent. They’ve operated at a win at all costs attitude. I’ve always thought if you operate at a win at all cost attitude, it’s going to be a pretty unfulfilling ending and in this situation, a disgraceful ending. So I’m looking forward to two weeks from now (when President-Elect Biden takes power).”

“I know a lot of other people are too,” said Stevens.

The former Butler coach is usually quite reserved with his personal beliefs with regards to political goings-on.

In an extraordinary moment of American history, an extraordinary statement was perhaps necessary.

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Current, former Boston Celtics react to Joe Biden winning presidency

Current and former Boston Celtics reacted to the election of Joe Biden to become the 46th president of the United States.

On Saturday, Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden was called as winner of the 2020 U.S. presidential election, and a number of current and former Boston Celtics (and Celtics-adjacent family) weighed in on the former Vice President’s victory.

Outspoken Celtics big man Enes Kanter rarely weighs in on partisan politics as an immigrant working his way towards earning his own U.S. citizenship, but that has never stopped him from being vocal about specific causes and issues he’s supported.

After news broke regarding Biden’s win over the incumbent Republican candidate Donald Trump, the Turkish center shared a clip of how people were taking in the news themselves in New York City’s Times Square:

Teammate Jaylen Brown had shown thanks for the outcome of a local election in California re-enfranchising citizens, but had yet to weigh in on the Biden victory.

Meanwhile, former Celtic center Jason Collins was more celebratory in his posting:

At least for today, anyway:

While Celtics champion forward Cedric Maxwell made it clear he was happy his candidate won.

While former Boston guard Marcus Thornton enjoyed the win in his own way:

As did ex-Celtic guard Kenny Anderson:

And while former Boston big man Al Horford may be mum online about politics for the most part, his sister Anna more than makes up it:

His other sister Maria is evidently pleased with the win as well:

While champion Celtic center Kendrick Perkins seems happy with the Biden win also:

Hopefully, the election over and called we can all turn our focus to the rest of the many things going on in the world — and with the December 22nd start date for the 2020-21 NBA season officially called and the 2020 NBA draft just two weeks away, there will be plenty of basketball news coming soon as well.

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Ex-Celtic Isaiah Thomas reacts to Donald Trump’s behavior in election

Former Boston Celtics point guard Isaiah Thomas has some feelings about how Donald Trump is taking the 2020 election so far.

We’re going out on a limb here, but you may have noticed there is an ongoing and contentious presidential election taking place, and former Boston Celtic Isaiah Thomas has some feelings about how the incumbent is taking the results as they slowly trickle in.

In a recent Twitter post, the King of the Fourth related what he saw from Donald Trump’s handling of the election returns, now going into a third night of counting absentee ballots in several key battleground states.

“Trump is the type that when he lose at open gym he’s taking his ball and leaving LOL,” shared Thomas in the tweet.

While it could still be some time until we know who the next president of the United States of America, it sounds like The Little Guy — as Celtics sideline icon Tommy Heinsohn was fond of calling IT — has formed a pretty solid opinion about at least one of the candidates.

It also sounds like the former Boston floor general has made up his mind about which of Trump and Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden will ultimately win the race.

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Celts’ Zarren asks Massachusetts voters to choose Ranked Choice Voting

Boston Celtics assistant general manager Mike Zarren wants to remind you to vote #YesOn2 to bring ranked choice voting to the state of Massachusetts.

Boston Celtics assistant general manager and team counsel Mike Zarren wants to you to vote “Yes” on 2 to approve ranked choice voting in the state of Massachusetts.

Posting on Twitter the morning of Election Day, the Celtic executive was advocating for the shift to what he describes as a “[m]ajor improvement for our democracy that’s not confusing at all”.

“Majority-supported winners, fewer spoilers, better candidates, and more responsive government” are the reasons why he thinks the voting system ought to replace our current model, which can elevate a candidate with less than 50% public support easily.

Ranked choice voting allows voters to rank their candidates in order of preference — as the name implies — with votes re-allocated in an “instant runoff” vote to move the candidate with the most support forward should no one candidate secure a majority.

For those of you who have yet to vote in Massachusetts who are curious about the concept (or have an interest in such a system for your own home state), we interviewed Zarren at length on the issue in October.

You can also visit the campaign’s website for more information.

Importantly, he makes a point of noting that you need to flip the ballot over in order to vote for it, so be on the lookout for that at the polls.

We’ll see you at them!

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Enes Kanter, Boston Celtics want you to vote on Election Day this Nov. 3rd

Boston big man Enes Kanter and his Celtics teammates are asking you to head to the polls and vote on this Election Day.

Even though outspoken Boston Celtics center Enes Kanter can’t vote in the United States until he gets his citizenship, he wants to make sure you do in the coming election.

And he’s not alone — teammates Jaylen Brown, Gordon Hayward, Jayson tatum and Kemba Walker put together a short clip encouraging fans to cast their vote on Election Day this November 3rd.

The Turkish center went the extra mile with several other posts on social media, including one on his Instagram exhorting fans to do their civic duty and head to the polls.

“Hey, what’s up everybody?” began the ever-gregarious Celtic activist.

“This is Enes Kanter from the Boston Celtics, and I just wanted to say help us keep the momentum going — and remember the 3rd of November. Please, go vote.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CHHAHoEA9q7/

Not content to leave things there, Kanter even followed up on Twitter later, asking if we’d voted yet, just in case you happened to get distracted by a world outdoing itself with things to be distracted by.

So, did you vote yet?

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Celtics icon Bill Russell reacts to Trump’s debate, calls on us to vote

Boston Celtics big man legend Bill Russell critiqued President Donald Trump’s debate performance on Twitter, and encouraged us to vote.

If you haven’t noticed, Boston Celtics big man icon Bill Russell  is no fan of the current U.S. president.

The 11-time champion has criticized Donald Trump and his policies a number of times over the course of his administration, and Russell seemed particularly peeved by the president’s penchant for talking over his interlocutors.

While by all accounts Trump’s demeanor in the final debate of the 2020 U.S. presidential race struck a less animated tone than in the previous debates, it was still not enough for the Celtic legend to stomach without comment.

Tweeting a pair of responses to what he was witnessing in the broadcast, Russell began to agitate for his own mute button, a sticking point between the two camps ahead of the debate.

“I’m sorry where is the [mute] Button?? I thought that was part of this [Debate tonight] Trump can’t help himself!” observed Russell.

He posted another tweet suggesting Trump himself had control of the mute button soon after.

He finished the next day with a video of prominent Republican senators praising Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden in response, saying:

“You can see for yourself [Lindsey Graham], [Susan Collins] & [Mitch McConnell] all agree our choice is clear; [Joe Biden] #RepublicansForBiden Unity over division. Truth over lies. Hope over fear. Our choice is clear. Get out & #Vote.”

It doesn’t look like Russell is likely to accept a presidential Medal of Freedom as his teammate Bob Cousy did  near the start of Trump’s term as president, but hopefully with the election less than two weeks distant, Russell and the rest of us can have a reprieve from the vituperative politics of 2020.

 

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