I’ve been a Celtics fan for years. I’m not one of those bandwagon jumpers, as I’ve been dedicated to the team for years and have managed www.delonte.com for the better part of three years. Delonte West had been my favorite Celtic since being drafted, as I was a fan of his amazing run at Saint Joe’s before going pro.

While my once favorite Celtic was traded away (to Seattle) and then again (to Cleveland), I’ve remained true to the green blood running through my veins.

So here’s the thing: My love for the Celtics is being tested. Thankfully, the Celtics are going to win game 7 with ease, but as much as I like watching this team play - I could do without all this silly drama. Further, it’s as if everyone wrote off the Hawks including the Celtics players themselves.

The intensity on Sunday will be unlike anything we’ve ever seen, heard or experienced in the Garden. I mean, since the new building went up, it’s been years of disappointments provided to fans by both the Bruins and the Celtics.

Anyway - as a reminder for just how intense this game 7 will be, I want to share my absolute favorite video of all time via YouTube. It’s the broadcast version of what is played before the players are introduced.

Sorry Hawks fans, I may have lost my fingernails, but you’re about to start your summer early.

One of the main reasons my blog has been lacking new posts is because I’ve been using Twitter more often. A couple weeks ago, Barry Schwartz threw out a short and simple tweet that grabbed my attention.

Shortly thereafter, his post I Don’t Expect My Employees To Work Harder Than I Do, Do You? hit the Cartoon Barry blog.

Since then, I’ve been wanting to write this post. Despite it being weeks overdue, it’s a message that needs to be repeated. Often.

I’ve gone off before on various rants regarding team etiquette and the costs of poor management in the workplace. While I feel that these things are paramount to optimal results and productivity, nothing beats a solid work ethic.

I’m willing to bet that if you took a poll around the office where I work, the majority would tell you that I do nothing. I hang out in the kitchen, talking shop with designers, IT folks and site installers. I’m addicted to caffeine, and since it’s freely flowing at the single brewing office machine - it’s a hang out of mine I frequent.

Unfortunately, outside of the office - people cannot see me working until 1 or 2AM. It’s the cost of being in an salary job and taking yourself seriously. I work with some amazing clients — and I’ll be damned if they don’t deserve my attention and best efforts. Thing is, I can only work really well in spurts before I get fried out at the office I work at. It’s a dark, stale and tense environment that is simply not conducive to quality organic optimization.

As a result - I get up and do my thing more often than not, and log a solid three more hours a night from home when I know I can devote every second of my time to what needs to be done.

Tying this back into Barry’s post - one could argue that those who support my efforts (I don’t really have a team. I’m sort of the lone man on the organic island) would be driven to work at a lesser level because of my behavior and the poor example that I set for them. I get that, and know that I need to improve how I come across while in the office. As Barry wisely states:

I figure, you set an example and hopefully it encourages them to work harder.

Continuing on that same path, I have to call attention to the closing statements in Barry’s post and the question posed to readers:

I do expect that if I work for someone they work as hard as I do. I expect that. If it is your business, you should care more about your business then I do. Sometimes, be it with clients or other work, I get the feeling that I care more about their business then they do. That bugs me, it really does. Why should I work my brains out and pick up the pieces when they care less than I do?

Anyone ever feel that way?

Yes! Working for a Fortune 300 organization (we’re slipping, and I think I can see how that may happen) you realize that there are people who are just there while there are others who are truly dedicated to the company and its customers.

In any event, I often feel like I’m working for various people who slack. Those that pass the buck and try to act as though they’re assisting you are the ones that bother me most. I’m not an idiot, and I’m certainly not naive enough to buy your BS stories repeatedly. If that makes me some sort of outcast for not admiring you and your incredibly lazy ways - so be it.

I’m not going to assassinate my character for your ego.

In August, I asked readers of my blog to consider donating to the Jimmy Fund. I mentioned at the time just how much cancer has impacted my life.

A couple months later in October, I really felt for Tamar when her Grandpa David passed away. I read her blog post and immediately connected with the wonderful thoughts she shared on him as I thought about the many years I have spent with my grandmother — then fighting for her life with esophageal cancer.

I’ll be honest. My blog is a mix of posts, many bad and a few good ones. Because of that, I don’t see it as an outlet for my thoughts on personal issues. I suppose that I’m either too worried about what others will think, or, I’m just afraid to share too many personal details with my readers.

This is not one of those times.

Yesterday was Monday February 4, 2008 — an absolutely ordinary day on the surface. While many people I know were mourning the loss of the Patriots’ perfect season — I frankly could not have cared less. At 3:50AM on Monday February 4, 2008, my family lost the single most influential woman — my grandmother Mary.

Online, there is an obituary available:

Mary C. Howes, 80

Dateline: Norton, MA

Mary C. (Henricks) Howes, 80, of Norton formerly of Taunton died on Monday February 4, 2008 at Longmeadow of Taunton. She was the beloved wife of the late Everson H. Howes who passed away on Dec. 30, 2000. They were wed on August 30, 1952.

Born in Taunton, MA on April 14, 1927 she was a daughter of the late John and Mary (Enos) Henricks.

She grew up in Taunton and was educated in Taunton public schools. A dedicated homemaker to her loving family, Mrs. Howes had worked for the former Whittenton Garment Co. in Taunton when she was younger.

A communicant of St. Mary’s Church in Norton, Mary enjoyed spending time with her loving family and will always be remembered for her cooking skills. She had lived in Norton for the past 46 years and was formerly of Taunton.

She is survived by her devoted daughters; Donna L. McDuff and her husband John, Sr. of Norton and Diane M. Lander of Attleboro, her brother Alfred Henricks of Taunton, her cherished grandchildren; Richard Paulhus of Randolph, Robert Paulhus of Norton, Craig Lander of Attleboro, Eric Lander of Manville, R.I., John McDuff, Jr. of Fall River and Michael McDuff of Norton, also survived by her dear great grandchildren; Brandon and Amanda Paulhus, Camden Lander and twins Bailey and Brian McDuff.

Her funeral, to which relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend, will be held on Thursday February 7th at 9:00 A.M. from the Norton Memorial Funeral Home 19 Clapp St. (Off Route 140, Taunton Ave.) Norton followed by a Mass of Christian burial celebrated at 10:00 A.M. in St. Mary’s Church, South Worcester St., Norton. Burial will follow in the Timothy Plain Cemetery, Norton.

Visiting hours will be held on Wednesday February 6th from 5-8 P.M. at the Norton Memorial Funeral Home

To say that she was a wonderful woman would be an injustice to her. She was simply the most thoughtful and selfless person I have ever known.

On hot summer days, she would carefully wrap up ice cold cans of soda in tin foil and hide them in her mailbox for the mail man and trash collectors to enjoy. I’m pretty sure the foil did nothing to keep the soda cold, but if it’s the thought counts — she never lost.

Even in the past few years, every single greeting card she would send had the most detailed and personalized notes on them. It was uncommon for her not to have to use the very back of the card, writing around barcodes to fit in everything she wanted to say.

Today, I’m left with endless memories and few outlets for them.

My appreciation for my grandmother took on a new life when my wife and I welcomed our son Camden last February. The worst part about this is that I only had a small window of time to realize just how much my grandmother would forever impact my son’s life.

In 11 short months, my life was changed as I took on the role of a father. I didn’t see my grandmother enough when she was home and fighting cancer. I could’ve made a stronger effort, but failed to do so. I can’t change the past, but learning from that is a message worth repeating… So make sure that you make every moment count for you.

Thankfully, my son Camden is ready to realize what it’s like to have a wonderful grandmother.

My mother is one of the hardest working people that I know. She has somehow managed to keep an entirely offline travel agency alive and well in one of the most trying times. Persavering through the days of online travel, she manages not only her business — but also to take a day off each week to spend with Camden.

In everything my mother does, I now see my grandmother shining. From the little gifts to constant flow of greeting cards and warm phone calls… We’re absolutely blessed to have wonderful and caring people in our lives.

I can’t help but think that my mother simply took over the only way she learned how — by following in her mother’s footsteps.

On Thursday, my son Camden will turn one year old. It was supposed to be an incredible day for my wife and I, taking him into Boston, visiting the aquarium, and just celebrating his big day. Your first child only turns one once, right? We thought we’d use that day to go all out and make the most of it with him.

Our plans have since changed though as my grandmother’s funeral will be held at 10AM Thursday morning.

Call me crazy, but I’m still going to celebrate. For all of the wonderful memories I have about my grandmother, I have just one bad memory — and that’s the pain, discomfort and problems that cancer had caused her since last April.

On Thursday, I’m sure I’ll get choked up. I’m sure I’ll cry. But I also know in my heart that the one woman who has meant the most to my family is now in a better place, looking down, happy to see us all supporting one another.

Everything that we say, act and do as a family is based on the traditions and lessons that she has shared with us throughout the past 80 years.

I can’t be too down about that… Especially knowing that she’s in a better place. Sorry for the rambling post — but it needed to be typed.

Sometimes I come across articles that I feel compelled to send along to others… and sometimes, those articles let me down.

I’m a big fan of Navneet Kaushal and the Unofficial SEO Blog - but today, they let me down. Admittedly, it’s the first time in months of reading, and I still love the site — but a letdown is still a letdown.

See… In the world of SEM, I’m an organic search guy. That’s not to say that I dislike paid search or don’t know it — but organic is my little love. If I come across stats that help back it up, I’m all about spamming everyone in my address book to let them know just how important I am. what I do is for them.

Today, I wanted to send this out:
PPC Ads Are Ignored 88.5% Of The Time!

But right up there, above the fold is a bold statement that is flawed. I’m sure that Kaushal knows what he meant to say, but if I were to send this off to any pretentious contacts (which I have many of, but you are not one… don’t worry), they’d jump on my shit for this comment:

“For as much as 88.5% of the time people don’t pay attention to PPC adverts, which means that the click through rate is just 11.5% overall.”

Paying attention to sponsored links does not mean that you’ve clicked on them. It simply means that you’ve been paying attention to them. That would be the same as saying that the other 88.5% always clicked one of the organic results.

Navneet — please don’t think I’m nit-picking or hating! I love your blog, but this particular post prompted me to use you as an example to make a point.

SEOMoz is all over the place recently, between securing some funding and losing one of it’s key members. The best thing about SEOMoz though, is that Rand is a player who has gone out and developed the most talented SEO team out there. Opinion? Sure it is. But it’s my blog, dammit. And, I’m right.

Enough with Rand though… and even the industry. It’s time to give props to Rebecca Kelley. Not because she’s cute. Not because she knows her shit… and certainly not because she’s a fan of The Office.

It’s because she’s got the mind set you’ve got to have in this industry if you expect to make it.

Rebecca has been helping out Shoe a bit by being one of a few guest authors filling in for him while he’s attending Techcrunch40. Well, today I caught a post that I needed to see for no other reason than for validation.

The following is from Want to Succeed? Then Get Off Your Ass and Work:

Every time I see this question I get pissed off. It’s like a flabby person saying “I want abs and big muscles by tomorrow” as he shoves another Twinkie in his mouth. Not. Going. To. Happen.

I think people see successful folks like Shoe and think “Hey, he makes it look so easy. I want to have a ton of money too!” Come on. You see the end result, the exposure and the fat checks he holds up, but you didn’t see the process and the path he took to get there. Shoe told me that he busted his ass and learned all he could about Adwords and PPC so he could make money from it. This shit doesn’t come easy, or else we’d all be rolling in the dough.

And with that, Rebecca hits the proverbial nail on the head with a crushing blow.

If I had a buck for every time Justin, Matt, or myself come across a lazy bastard in our daily grind, I’d be a fucking millionaire.

The worst part is, it’s contagious.

There are particular people that drive me insane with their lazyness. Unless you’re truly driven to make the most of this infant of an industry, you’re screwed. The next big idea isn’t falling into place. That promotion you keep thinking about is not going to land in your lap. The “project” you’ve been sitting on for the past six months is NEVER going to be a success.

In short, if you’re being lazy… Your success in SEO can be summed up simply. Not. Going. To. Happen.