It takes a man to admit when he’s wrong.

Well, I wasn’t really wrong.  I just chose the wrong side of the debate.

Many of the Fox faithful may remember a little ditty called He Said She Said in which BlueGrassLady and I debated the hottest topic in sports for your amusement.  We debated whether Pete Rose should be in the Hall, whether there should an NFL rookie salary cap, whether we would let our son play for Bobby Knight, whether the AL should get rid of the designated hitter rule, whether baseball’s All-Star Game should determine home field advantage in the World Series and whether we should dedicate so much of our life and love to professional sports.

She was a worthy adversary to be sure.  Prior to posting, we’d discuss potential debate topics and allow each other to choose a side.  It was a great exercise in writing and we received enthusiastic support from the blogosphere.

When Danny Ainge pulled off a coup by landing both Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen in the 2007 off-season, Bluegrass and I debated whether that move guaranteed a Celtic title.  While I was still (a little) skeptical, Bluegrass chose the side of the C’s.  One has to figure that if you took the field against the Celtics pre-season, you’d have to like your chances.  Then they tipped off.

The Celtics tore through the regular season, losing only 16 games.  When the playoffs hit, they slowly picked up tempo, building up confidence, then absolutely destroyed the Lakers in a Finals that should not have made it to six games.

Looking back at my argument, I felt I had some valid points which the Celtics players, coaching staff and entire operations eventually put to rest to ensure their team hoisted the O’Brien Trophy by season's end.

Point Guard Play:  After watching Rajon Rondo throughout his college career at Kentucky, I never questioned his talent.  I just questioned whether he’d be able to lead a team to a title in his sophomore year in the league.  Not only was Rondo impressive, but he outplayed every point guard that tried to cover him, including Mike Bibby, Delonte West, Chauncey Billups and Derek Fisher, ALL of whom have more playoff experience and years in the league.  Rondo was consistently quicker than his defenders and made great decisions on BOTH sides of the ball.  He came through with timely steals throughout the playoffs and his assist/turnover ratio was as good as can be expected (over 3:1).  Heck, in Game Six, he even took Kobe Bryant off the dribble and drew a foul for a three point play.  Of course it doesn’t hurt to have three of the most potent offensive players of this generation to play alongside.  The addition of Sam Cassell was also key as Sam I Am came off the bench throughout the playoffs and provided offense, or at least shot attempts, to a sometimes sputtering Celtic offense.

Back Court Defense: While Rondo never had to face the likes of Deron Williams or Chris Paul, he still was effective against opposing point guards.  His quickness and instincts forced turnovers, Celtic fast breaks and key swings in momentum.  The rest of their backcourt also combined to take Kobe Bryant out of his element, holding him to 40% shooting for the Finals.

Cap Space:  Credit Danny Ainge.  The old Celtic earned his keep, and a GM of the Year award, by making key acquisitions in PJ Brown and Sam Cassell, veteran presences who provided quality minutes throughout the second season.  In fact, the entire Boston bench outplayed the Lakers.  The Celtics featured a near perfect blend of starters and subs.  There were few players that didn’t make memorable contributions.  Each player knew their role and accepted it for the common goal: an NBA Crown.

Age and Health:  While the Celtics got more dinged up as the playoffs progressed, their communal will and determination helped them rise above.  Doc played the Big Three a fair amount of minutes throughout the regular season.  But it’s not like Garnett (32), Allen (32) and Pierce (30) are THAT old.  They certainly didn’t play like it when it mattered.  In fact, despite their injuries (and questionably staged re-entries) the Celtics’ Big Three looked as energetic and spry as their twenty-two year old point guard.  In the end, they would not be denied.  No bumps, bruises or nagging injuries would stand in their way.

Coaching:  Okay…. here I owe a sincere apology.  Remember, Doc Rivers used to coach my Orlando Magic.  Before that, he was one of the finest and most articulate TNT announcers to work the mic.  When Doc underachieved with the Magic, Orlando fans were bitter.  But it was wrong to ever question his smarts, leadership or class.  Sure, he had a roster full of talent, but he should be credited for discovering exactly what it took to lead this team to greatness.  And he did it with flair.  When Ray Allen struggled early, he always backed his man.  Heck, most would argue he even out-coached Phil Jackson in the Finals.  Case in point, early in Game Six, with the outcome of the game still in question, Doc received a technical for arguing that Kobe Bryant tossed aside Eddie House while moving through a pick.  We’re talking about the ninth man off the bench against the biggest name in the league.  There was no way House was going to get that call.  In fact, it was a great move by Bryant to get around the pick.  But for Doc to receive a tech with his season on the line and have the back of his ninth man says something about the man’s character.  The Celtics have themselves a great coach and leader, and we can now add his name to a select few that have won a title.  One gets the feeling this will not be his last.

Competition:  The Celtics may have played down to their opponents on occasion, dropping three to both the Cavaliers and Hawks, but when it mattered most, they got the job done.  It is pure speculation to wonder whether they could have made it through the West unscathed, but considering how they dismantled the Lakers, as well as having dominated against the West all-season, it’s safe to assume the Celtics are without question the best team in the league.

If you weren’t moved by watching Kevin Garnett in tears as the confetti fell in the Garden, then you're not a fan of the game and simply don’t have a heart.  Anything is possible.

So congratulations to Celtics fans everywhere.  I'm glad to stand corrected. 

Lady Bluegrass knows her hoops.  Heck, she’s from Kentucky.  It’s her birthright.

Let this be a lesson to us all.   Before you get into a debate with a woman, rest assured you’ll end up on the losing side of the argument.