I also remind everybody that the idea of the Big Three was only supposed to last for THREE years. Ainge was supposed to blow it up after three years. But it lasted FIVE years, and now fans are annoyed that it didn't go SEVEN. The first time the Heat come to Boston, I hope the Celtics have a Ray Allen Appreciation Day (Night), and honor him appropriately. Miami strikes me as a spectacularly UNselfish team, and Allen ought to fit in very well there.

Ray is a great one. He was a great Celtic. We'll miss him so much. Wish him Godspead.....

Agree completely, I can't believe that fans (a) don't remember how dedicated and professional Ray Allen was during his time here,(b) how his role changed, and (c) why he'd want to leave. I've been a Boston sports fan for fifty years, and I'd be thoroughly embarrassed if Ray Allen received anything other than a standing ovation upon his return.

The Celtics wanted to sign Ray for the sole reason of not letting him go to the Heat. That was worth 12M over two years to the Celtics but he would have been the off the bench (like he will in Miami).

I totally agree and as a longtime Celtics fan I will be completely embarrassed if Ray Allen gets booed when he is announced next season. I'm saddened by his departure and probably feel betrayed but I know that sense of betrayal is irrational. Danny Ainge was going to trade Ray each of the last two seasons. And, frankly, when you look at film, Ray did not seem happy on the court. I hardly ever saw him smile last season. So, good luck and Godspeed, Ray, and thanks for the memories.

As Always, Mr Ryan hit the nail on the head. I'm going to miss Ray, and it's too bad he's heading to Miami, but he did EVERYTHING the Celtics asked for and more in his 5 years here. Thanks Ray!

Ray Allen did his job here. He comported himself with dignity and earned my repsect. I wish him and his family the best.

Thank you for addressing the insanity of some so-called fans' knee accent-on-jerk reactions to Allen's departure. The guy prepared religiously for his work every day. He never whined or complained once to the media about his lot here (though he had reason to, trust me) like some Boston superstars who shall remain nameless do. He was genuinely torn and, in the end, opted for less money -- a LOT less money -- so it isn't about greed, either. From his UConn days to his last game as a Celtic, Ray Allen was and remains a class act. Too bad some of his detractors cannot look in the mirror and say the same.

Hear, Hear. Thank you Ray Allen for everything. I will be standing in my seat cheering when he returns next season regardless of the uniform he's wearing.

Spot on, Bob. Allen is a class act and I wish him well.

Ray demanded 3 times the salary to stay in Boston and even a no trade clause couldn't convince him to change his mind. I think of the difference between KG taking significantly less than market value to stay and Ray foregoing a better offer to leave and it staggers me. What Ray did was issue a huge F U to the team, the fans, and the city. For those of you who would stand and cheer someone like that, I actually pity you. Me, I'll be booing him as loudly as my voice will physically allow me to every time he touches the ball. By the way, you people like Bob Ryan who think Ray and Wade can co-exist on the court at the same time... neither one of them can defend PGs or SFs, so how is it a better situation for Ray? If the Celtics took Miami to Game 7 last season and then added Jason Terry and Jeff Green, then how is Miami a better situation? No, this was all about Ray wanting out. How could any real Boston fan cheer a player who blatantly wanted out of Boston? Really, who are you people?

Mr. Ryan, I completely agree with your assessment. Perhaps we (I am including me) are getting too old to understand? However, it is nice to see the passion of the Celtics fans. Kiley

This is ridiculous. All you hear from Ray's "camp" is that he felt "hurt" and "disrespected" by the C's attempts to trade him. But now here comes Bob Ryan to lecture all of us about how shallow and provincial we are for feeling "hurt" and "disrespected" by Ray. Ray clearly did not disagree with the Celtics "assessment" of his value - he was insulted. He was insulted that the C's pushed harder for Garnett than for him. He wanted to be wanted. All of this is perfectly understandable. But Bob Ryan would tell us - certainly not Ray - that we are all a bunch of narrow slobs if we don't welcome Ray back with open arms. Sorry - this disrepect business cuts both ways. You can't dump all the people who supported you for years and expect to be patted on the back and welcomed home to a home you spurned. The logic of Bob Ryan's argument is appalling. Ray clearly thought the C's should be loyal to him - and that's why he left for less money. Are fans supposed to feel any differently...?

In the "heat" of the moment, when the final seconds ticked off the 7th game against the Heat, I was never prouder of the Celtics who played an ultimate team game in a losing effort. I felt even more proud of the sportsmanship between many of the Celtics players and members of the winning team. Other than losing their bid to make the Finals, this was one of the great ends to a great Celtic effort. Those who now feel such hurt pride that they must hate Ray for leaving to play for the very team they lost to need to grow up, though it is certainly understandable coming from kids and immature adults. And certainly, sports in general elicit all the primitive tribal and group rages and jealousies that we all need to grow out of. This is perhaps the most important lesson of sports, especially because it is often the least appreciated. Will I have a hard time accepting that Ray is playing in a different uniform from KG and the rest of his former team mates? Without a doubt. But this is part of professional sports, and Ray may also ponder weather the grass was really greener at some point down the road he has chosen to follow. However, when he first returns to the Garden on the opposite side, I will be greatly disappointed if the overwhelming reaction from Boston fans is not a warm and cheerful welcome before his new team hopefully loses the game and any future series they play against the Green.

What makes the Boston Celtics fans think they are so very important. Most of us are too poor to afford to go to the games anyway.We watch them on TV for nothing.We should be grateful for that! Ray is a great player but so was Babe Ruth, and look what happened to him.

Ray was and is a class act. He never whined while he was here (even though the Celtics had nearly traded him and ultimately demoted him). Does it stink he went to Miami? Sure. But Ray was a good player and a good man, gave us some good years and I wish him well. I hope we welcome him back with cheers when he comes to the Garden, and then I hope the Celtics pound the Heat during the games they play this year. After all, we root for the laundry.

This is the biggest NON-STORY ever. Do you boo or cheer? Who cares. The only thing that matters is where the Celtics go from here. From my perspective, Ray Allen is ancient history. What amazes me how the Boston media(especially talk radio) continues to concoct this type of nonsense and how many actually fall for it.

You're getting old, Mr. Ryan. The hatred and vitriol you describe is today's culture and is not specific to Celtic fandom. We have no leaders in either politics or the boardroom so it is an anything goes culture.

As has been his want for all too many years, Bob "Don't confound me with facts, I know what I saw" Ryan has parsed out another agenda driven, transparent, ommision by design and boring "ahem" column. The ahem is in deference to my beloved dad who used the word sparingly, most ofter when he was about to descibe some thing disingenuous, misnamed , contemptuous or fraudulent. Bob appears inespcapably guilty on all charges. My intent is not to boo Ray Allen, I would reserve that term for some of Bob's other latent heroes: Roger "the fibber'/known to most adults as "perjurer", Clemens. Harry Sinden, the man who carried out Jeremey Jacobs commands, apparerntly without resevation, and who, in my mind, almost detroyed pro hockey in this town. Manny Ramirez, who Bob still defended on PTI, even after Manny had knocked a 64 year old man to the ground, for allegedly not being able to get Manny tickets to a game. David Ortiz. the man whose home runs are tarnished (Bob likes that word) after being named in the Mitchell Report. The beloved Red Sox player, who wouldn't stand up to the beer and chicken crowd, the man who broke into Terry Francona's press conference to COMPLAIN ABOUT AN RBI, the man who walked out of Bobby Valentine's recent player meeting. (Fred McMuray in Caine Mutiny/if only the Red Sox had a Jose Ferrer)) That's our beloved David Ortiz. THESE ARE THE KIND OF MEN THAT ARE BOB'S HEROES, FOLKS, JUST READ HIS OLD COLUMNS. As for Ray, he deserves to go wherever he wants, he helped the C's win a championship: The Knicks, the Heat, whereever. But to balenced (not one of Bob's favorite techniques), Ray was apparently jealous the team went after KG first, insulted that he had to take in game orders from the quarterback of the team, Rondo, williong to run his legs off to escapr e a defender and then act like a statue a few minutes later on defense. He always had his hand up for the ball, because he can't breathe right without his touches. We'll see how this all turns out.

Must be a slow news day since I have heard precious few people expressing outrage or directing any animus and vitriol toward Ray Allen over his decision. He was a fine and classy player who left his mark on our noble Celtic legacy. The reason for his departure (likes to play golf in the winter, can't put up with Rondo, hurt that Celtics didn't fawn over him), if true, is disappointing since most people like myself felt he was a cut-above. The truth is he really isn't much different than the average professional athlete these days. Pity, but not cause for the anger the press says exists (but really doesn't).

Ray Allen can play anywhere he wants. That's why they have free agency.

For a column you regard as boring, you've written a long, very drawn out reply. Maybe Ryan's column really held your interest?