My hometown Boston Celtics got a huge win against the Miami Heat last night. When asked how they won, Celtics Coach Doc Rivers gave what seemed like an off-the-cuff answer, but it turns out he may have had Rocky Balboa on his mind. As a fan of both the Celtics and Rocky, I think it’s fantastic. Few theme songs have been used more in the world of sports than the original Rocky theme and Eye of the Tiger, however, it’s rare to hear a coach parrot a line so close to one of the films. It’s not an exact quote, of course, but it’s in the ballpark. Am I stretching here? Probably. Is it awesome? Definitely. You be the judge:
“They just kept throwing punches at us,” Celtics coach Doc Rivers told reporters after the game. “We withstood them and kept moving forward. I thought that was important for our team.” – Doc Rivers after the Celtics beat the Miami Heat 4/10/12 (courtesy of the Boston Globe)
“…But it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get it and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done!” Rocky Balboa to Rocky Jr. in Rocky Balboa 2006