In the late 1950s and 1960s, the Boston Celtics reigned supreme as champions in the NBA of that era, with legendary team president and head coach Red Auerbach signaling that the game was — in his estimation, at least — officially out of reach for an opponent by sparking a cigar in celebration of the not-quite-earned victory at hand.
Flash forward a half-century to the season of the 2008 title and the years afterward that were graced by the presence of Hall of Fame big man Kevin Garnett in Boston, and a new celebratory tradition was born, the playing of a clip from “American Bandstand”, a popular dance variety show from the 1970s and 1980s that did the same thing Red’s cigar did in video form.
And perhaps more than the fans even, KG was a noted devotee of the clip, which became known as “Gino Time” after the Gino Vannelli shirt worn by the video’s protagonist, always watching with a happy glow on his face as The Big Ticket soaked in another win.
The Celtics celebrated the legendary Celtics executive’s career at the Garden in 1985, retiring the No. 2 jersey in his honor. https://t.co/OdPA0xcX5x
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) March 15, 2022