When LA Times columnist Bill Plaschke decided to wonder out loud whether Paul Pierce’s Game one knee injury was authentic, he probably understood what he was getting into with Celtics fans. “How dare the Angeleno columnist question the authenticity of our (LA-born) son,” they asked via e-mail. Well, except not so nicely. He was called a moron, disgusting and, our personal favorite, a “lily-livered ass.” Purple prose FTW! Unfortunately, because this is an intense rivalry, things got real ugly—exhuming-bodies ugly.

“I hope you … get cancer and die,” he wrote. “Why don’t you just die or quit, you ugly fat (bleep). I’m going to find out where (a relative) is buried and me and my buddies are gonna dig (the) skeleton up.”

Of course, Plaschke decided to do what’s always a good idea—hunt down a psychopath who emails you. The bad news? He found him and was willing to talk.

His name is John Marsinelli. He is 31-year-old baker from Cambridge. He said for nine months of the year, the Celtics are his life.

Nine months? Pfft, loser. What about the other three months?

“I can’t watch the games with anyone else,” he said. “From pregame to postgame, I watch by myself. I scream at the TV. I throw my hat down.” And then you send horrible e-mails to guys like me? “I was just venting,” he said. “I don’t know you personally, I was aggravated about a lot of other stuff in my life, I just got mad.”

According to the FBI website, his self-portrait just described 80% of serial killers and 90% of people who call into sports radio shows.

Nasty attacks should be banned in Boston [LA Times]
Image [redsarmy.com]