Constant Reminders

by Ryan Desmarais You can see some of them every time Paul Pierce steps on the court. The next time the camera focuses in on his back, look just above the top trim of his jersey. You’ll see two diagonal marks. They’re noticeable, but far from massive or extravagant. In fact, you’d probably think nothing of them if you didn’t know the story behind them. But there is a story, one that could have been tragic and disheartening. It’s a story that puts to rest the sometimes perceived invincibility of professional athletes. To those who know about the story, the scars are a reminder of how the basketball world almost lost a star before his potential blossomed. Those scars remind us of the young rookie who arrived in Boston during a period when the Celtics were the NBA’s laughingstock. They remind us of the buzz that his arrival on Causeway Street created around Boston, of the fans that had been waiting for relevant hoops since the departures of Larry, McHale and The Chief, and how they saw...