I blog from Boston, where I watched the Celtics defeat the Indiana Pacers last night. I sat in the second to last row of the arena. In the old days of the Boston Garden, the worst seat in the house meant sitting behind a pole or beaneath an overhang that obscured three-fourths of the court (or ice). In the Banknorth Garden (formerly known as the Fleet Center, and before that, briefly known as the Shawmut Center), there is no bad seat--including the cheap seats that I called home last night. Despite the history of the old Boston Garden, I didn't mourn its passing. It lacked the architectural charm of Fenway Park. It emitted the scent of Captain Lou Albano after a time-expired match. Its acoustics for concerts were akin to an echo-chamber. I would have gladly traded for another Celtics or Bruins banner hanging from the rafters if it meant having to watch from a tiny seat behind a beam in a sweltering, rat-infested arena. But I'm not sure that it requires such dungeonlike conditions for the Celtics or Bruins to win championships, despite the lack of success of Boston's indoor teams since changing buildings.

The problems of the Bruins and Celtics started way before the old Garden closed. I knew the old place had to go, but boy was it fun there. I only had to sit behind a pole once, in fact, for WWF Survivor Series 93, but other than that, no matter where you were, you felt like you were on top of the action. In that sense, it's almost like Fenway. I'd trade the new bland look of the Fleet/Banknorth Center for the Capt Lou stench anyday!

BTW, does anybody remember the story about the dead monkey they found in the old Garden before they tore it down?

I kind of liked the smell. I also liked the graffiti, particularly the "ozzy is god" as you walked up the never ending spiral walkway to the cheap seats. Back then the cheap seats were cheap. I also liked the fact that the only way to get up to the "heavens" was to cut through the mens "bathroom". Sorely missed too, is the old elevated "T". The groups that played there were better as well. J giels, The Kinks and a drugged out Aerosmith played there constantly. Now its that blind Italian opera singer who only seems to play there for $5oo a pop. I actually miss the old Garden". And, I liked the smell.

The monkey in the Boston Garden rafters story surrounds the urban legend of a circus monkey that was said to have been living there for untold years surviving on half-eaten hot dogs and popcorn. The story goes that it escaped from the circus in the 1920's and the circus organizers never found the monkey when they rolled out of town.

I'll take a seat in the old garden any day over the new place. I had the pleasure of getting to know the new place having worked there for six years starting in high school.

One common complaint with seating in the new place is that the Garden was built vertically, so despite a beam obstructing your view, any place you sat was atop of the action. The new place is built back, so you are really detached and distanced from the action. I agree. My two cents.

In the day, a few buddies and myself, would attend Broons’ matinees and feed ourselves from smuggled six packs whilst joining in with all of the other blue-collar yahoos.

Last time I attended a Bruins game, I was sitting in the yellow loge seats, ordering drinks and food from a well-mannered roving waitress surrounded by reserved well-dressed people who say “excuse me” a lot.

Certainly, times have changed and things have gotten demonstratively better with the building of the Fleet on top of (or, rather beside) the grave of the old Gaaaaghden. As mentioned, even the cheap seats of the Fleet/Moniker of the week are more civilized and the clientele is definitely more up scale.

I miss the Garden sometimes. Like the time I hit Harley Race in the back with an ice cream bar from 10 rows back, or anytime that The Duke Of Dorchester Pete Doherty came in smellin like a man who just polished off a liter of whiskey, which he most likely had. Today u don't have wrestling matches at the end of the month when everyone who collected an SSR check was frothin at the mouth to throw a pint bottle off the balcony after he finised it. No today we have a place that you no longer have to hold ur breath for minutes on end till u got out of the bathroom and u don't have to wait 15 people deep in line for a beer or food. For better or for worse I like the Fleetcenter but at times do miss the memories of growing up in the old Garden.

I had weird flashbacks to seeing Bullets games at the old Cap Centre here in DC last night. I know what you mean about these arenas that you grew up in.

Watching the Bullets (Yes, the DAMN Bullets) self destruct last night brought back all of these weird memories of the Capital Centre and going to B-bball and hockey games with my dad. And remembering how weird it was when I started to go to concerts there, as a teen/adult...The first time I stepped into the Cap Centre without my dad was a weird moment. I associated the smells and sounds and feelings that you get from a place like that with my childhood, and to be there without my dad was a bi-zzare "growing up" moment.

I can't understand why I miss the place, but for these reasons. But I would really love to go there again for just one more Bullets game.