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Spotted: Teenage Bill Simmons Waving To An Injured LA Laker

What you’re about to see is a video showing a young man at the old Boston Garden waving to an injured LA Laker during Game 6 of the 1985 Finals. Nothing about it, at first, seems out of the ordinary; the Celtics and Lakers were bitter rivals, after all, and Boston fans — particularly teenage Boston sports fans — are known for being a bit prickly towards the opposition. And by “kind of prickly,” we of course mean that they’re total dicks.

But the teenager in question is purported to be noted Celtics fan and Grantland editor-in-chief Bill Simmons, the internet’s most popular sportswriter, during a pretty important moment in his sports fandom — one that he’s mentioned (albeit briefly) in his column. It’s a watershed moment: would Teenage Bill Simmons sit and cheer respectfully, like many others in attendance, as an injured Michael Cooper was escorted back the locker room? Or would he follow his blossoming Boston Sports Guy instincts, and give injured Michael Cooper a brief wave that was just dripping with “Fuck you, injured Michael Cooper”-ness?

What you’re about to see is a major formative moment in the Sports Guy’s psychological development as a Sports Guy. Would he sit or wave? I think you already know the answer.

Note: the video has been on YouTube since October of 2011, but has just now been brought to our attention via Andrew Ungvari.

[Andrew Ungvari, Big Lead]