One of the coolest parts of my job has been interacting with players and coaches and having an up-close view of what they do, how they work, and how they get along with one another. There's nothing quite like standing on a baseline at the Auerbach Center and watching everyone shoot after practice.
One thing you get to see is what guys are working on after practice. The actual practice is closed off, but when we're allowed onto the floor to talk to coaches and players, you can see what guys are trying to figure out on their own. One time it was Jayson Tatum taking floaters. Another it was Jaylen Brown working against contact around the basket. A few times it was even Tacko Fall shooting 3-pointers.
There's nothing like being there, but that's been taken away by the pandemic. Nowadays, all we have is Zoom calls. So instead of meeting Aaron Nesmith and Payton Pritchard today, all we got is taking a photo of a laptop screen.
It takes away a personal element to the coverage, which isn't ideal. Being able to see reactions and talk to people face-to-face allows for the right follow-up questions, which leads to better answers, which leads to better stories.
Unfortunately, that's just not possible. Trust me, as disappointed as I am in the situation, I realize I'm extraordinarily fortunate to be able to continue doing this job somehow. There are so many people who are horribly impacted by the pandemic that I'm not going to pretend what I do is all that important in the grand scheme of things.
My biggest problem is that I get competitive and I always want to do the best job possible. I get bothered when I can't do a job to the best of my abilities. I think me doing my job well helps people enjoy the game of basketball just a tiny bit more. I take pride in being able to add to people's joy of watching basketball and the Celtics.
I love this game because of everything it has given me. I feel I owe the game an unpayable debt of gratitude, and the best way I can even come close is to do this job as best I can. Covering it through Zoom calls is not ideal, but it'll have to do. Hopefully I can still find some interesting, unique angles that can help you see things just a little bit differently and enjoy the game just a little bit more.
Here's my story about Celtics rookie Aaron Nesmith saying his foot is 100% ready for this season.
