Pearl Jam killed. After this long in the biz, I don't often use the word "great" to describe a show, but it fits here. My esteeemed colleague Wade Tatangelo will be writing more about the concert, but let me make a coment on two on on Eddie Vedder. Except for PJ's transcendent Bay area debut at Jannus in the early '90s, this is the best I've ever seen him — committed, in great voice and, most of all, having fun. Ed seems to have gotten past the rock star angst and is just enjoying it. No longer head-fucked about being the voice of a generation, he seems free to just do what he does: be the best singer/frontman in rock. Like he sings: "I've tasted, I life wasted," and he's never going back again.
Got home and clicked on the NBA finals and saw that Boston had come back from a 24-point lead. They held on to win and go up 3-1 in the series. I never thought I'd be this enthusiastic about the fellas in green — I was a definite hater growing up, a Knicks fan and then a Sixers fan — but here I am pulling for them. Yes, a lot of my passion comes from a virulent hatred for the Laker and Bryant, but I'm geniunely enjoying the Boston run for the ring.
Most of all, I'm pulling for Ray Allen. If you grew up a sports fan, you've had this feeling: there are some guys you just like, you don't know why, but you're a fan. That's Ray Allen for me. He's never played on one of my fave teams, but there's something about the way he handles himself on the court — that sweet release on his jump shot, his straight-faced way of going about his business, just the classy way he carries himself — that makes me glad he's in a good spot to get a ring. I admire the way he went through a terrible shooting slump in the Cleveland series, got his head straight and started knocking 'em down against L.A. Plus, he's playing better D than I thought he could, a lot of the time on Bryant, of all things.
Three superstars coming together as a team: You gotta love that. Celtics in 5?
