Sister, Celtics get second chances

I am not referring to the weather, the optimistic outlook I try to apply to each day or even the fact that a cute girl actually made eye contact with me. Nope, after three months of marriage, my 22-year-old sister JoBeth and her husband Shane decided to have the ceremony to commemorate it.

The couple, who make their home in Cheyenne, Wy., had gotten married by a justice of the peace earlier in the year, but since family means everything in our family, she wanted to have a small get together with relatives and friends. I can't blame her: the first marriage (to a total dweeb) was done by a justice of the peace as well. What girl doesn't want the chance to look beautiful on the most special of days?

So on a Saturday afternoon at my mom and stepdad's farm house, the guests from all over began to pour in, from the bride and groom's side of the family, to make jolly conversation with each other.

And while pleasantries were being exchanged, NBA TV was showing a doozy of a game. A replay of Boston's epic comeback against the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 4 of the NBA Finals (a series the Celtics ended up winning Tuesday night, which nearly brought tears to my eyes. More on that other beautiful moment in another column).

I'll briefuly set up game 4 for you: The Celtics, up two games to one in the best-of-seven series, had trailed by as much as 24 in the first half in Los Angeles before beginning to chip away at that lead. With 4:07 left in the game, Boston's Eddie House hit a long jump shot which gave the Celtics the lead for the rest of the game.

Basketball has never been extremely popular in my family outside of myself and my mother, but this game sucked in many of the guests. Seeing Paul Pierce and the rest of the Celtics pull off the unthinkable embarrassing the Lakers long after the game had "decided" was just too good to pass up, even though every person watching the replay already knew the outcome.

I think its the second chance aspect that really captivated people. Most of the time, a blowout is a reason to give up, to change the channel and find something different, something a little more exciting. Something that holds a little bit of hope. Nobody wants to deal with misery we enjoy the uplifting side of life.

While it wasn't evident during the live broadcast, save for the few Boston fans like myself that still had hope their team would pull off the comeback (games are never over until the clock hits zero), the game was uplifting. It showed you could hold on to the tiniest strand of hope, knowing that someday, things will get better.

I think it was sweet irony that the game was replayed on the day of my sister's wedding. Without going into too much detail (and embarrassing my sister), her first marriage was not, keeping with the sports theme, "the stuff of champions." But shortly after getting divorced, she ended up with the man of her dreams.

Shane treats my sister and her son Brent, 4, wonderfully, and we are blessed to have him in the family.

It's a great story when it comes to getting a second chance. My sister got that second chance with marriage, and is blossoming because of it. Just like Boston, after hitting one of the lower points, she was able to pick herself up, and make something great happen.

And as for the Celtics, a team that all of the talking heads at ESPN thought would fall to pieces against the Lakers, they took a totally abysmal situation, and stormed back for a win. I think the miracle comeback Boston pulled off in that game made them a better team, and opened the door for game 6, a 131-92 thrashing that delivered Boston's 17th title.

As the replayed Game 4 ticked down to the final seconds, with Boston players showing their elation and Laker players and fans showing their disgust, I had a smile on my face. I had just been reminded of the great things life can give you. And I knew that two hours later when the wedding started, another great "comeback story" would unfold before me.

Boston fans waited 22 years for this championship. My sister waited a lifetime for this wonderful man. And after seeing game 6, on the heels of Shane smearing cake into my sister's face, great things are truly worth waiting for.

dustin Faber is an avid Boston Celtics fan and a page designer for The Log Cabin Democrat. E-mail him at dustin.faber@thecabin.net.