Anything's Possible

There's certainly a lot to talk about, in the wake of the Celtics' return to glory and Kobe Bryant's depantsing on national television. And soon, I may write something else on the series that completely changed the course of no fewer than seven NBA careers (Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Doc Rivers, Rajon Rondo, Kobe Bryant, Phil Jackson), and possibly an eighth (Lamar Odom).

But for now, let's focus on the moment that, for me, produced more lasting memories than any of the on-court action: Kevin Garnett's hilarious and poignant postgame interview with Michele Tafoya. There's already a breakdown out there, but just because Slate already did it doesn't mean they did it well. On we go:

0:00-0:10: Tafoya asks Garnett how adding "NBA champion" to his resume sounds. Garnett keeps his hands on his hat and his head down the entire time Tafoya is talking, and every few seconds he looks off to the side. It's possible he has no idea that Tafoya is there. It's possible that he has no idea that he is on a basketball court.

0:11-0:19: After Tafoya finishes, Garnett stares blankly at the floor for a full six seconds before beginning his answer with a heavy-sounding "Man, I...I'm so hyped right now." Normally one of the more intelligent and articulate athletes you'll find, Garnett is so dumbstruck by the moment that he is completely incapable of forming thoughts. Also of note is the fact that, at first, it sounds like he says "I'm so high right now," which, at the moment, would not appear to be all that far from the truth.

0:19-0:27: Garnett concludes his "answer" by muttering "anything's possible," before tilting his head back and repeating it as a primal battle cry that stretches for four complete seconds. It seems possible to view this as a funny moment, and in the context of a rather ridiculous interview, that's not entirely unreasonable. But given the long, mostly sad story of Garnett's career, and the rarity with which modern athletes show any real emotion, I submit to you that this was nothing less than the most moving moment of the entire Celtics season, and one of the all-time great emotional moments in sports. Garnett sways and almost collapses from the sheer effort of his emotional release.

0:28:-0:46: Garnett breaks down in tears, turning away from Tefoya. As Slate points out, this isn't one of those single tears that sometimes fall down athletes' cheeks at the thrill of victory, which is acceptable within the Code of Manhood to which all athletes religiously, sometimes overcompensatingly adhere. This is what would be, in any other context, a pathetic display: Garnett's voice is almost comically high-pitched and he is babbling uncontrollably. Slate views this display as less touching than normal athlete man-tears ("these are not the poignant tears of joy shed by Michael Jordan upon winning his first Larry O'Brien Trophy"), and maybe it is. But it is worth noting that the fact that he looks so helpless in front of millions of viewers means that Kevin Garnett has completely, 100% lost control over his emotions, and that is something that athletes rarely do in interviews. It makes him seem more human, somehow. Garnett points to the sky before being hugged extensively by some random Brian Scalabrine impersonator.

0:47-1:16 Garnett apologizes to an understanding Tafoya, and thanks a variety of people for his success, including his mother, before he seems to get stuck on the phrase "top of the world," which he yells twice directly into the camera.

1:17-1:39: Regrouping, Tefoya asks what "top of the world" feels like. In the actual funniest moment of the interview, Garnett suddenly, for the first time, seems to realize that he is in an interview. His automatic responses kick in, and he throws out the first interview cliche he can think of: praising the teammates. The result is a completely non-sequitorial "Ray Allen had a great game," which says very little about how "top of the world" feels. The moment probably reveals more than Garnett meant to about how athletes normally view these interviews--once he realizes he is being interviewed, out come the meaningless platitudes. Garnett ends this portion of the interview by stating that he is "certified."

1:40-1:42: "Michelle, you look good tonight, girl"--a different type of interview cliche, honed to perfection by Doc Rivers during these same playoffs. Normally it's vaguely sleazy, but here, Garnett's heart just isn't in it--he's just trying to get through the interview by searching desperately through his adrenaline-addled brain for what athletes usually say, just like "[Teammate X] had a great game."

1:43-2:22: To close out the interview, Garnett gives a relatively coherent and straightforward answer to a question about Celtic pride. A somewhat anticlimatic finish, but it comes on the heels of quite an entertaining show. Maybe it was funny, or maybe it was poignant (or both), but one thing is clear--no one cares about winning more than Kevin Garnett.