By the Watertown Splash staff

     As the students walked into the room, they couldn’t stop staring at the shining ring!

     Wyc Grousbeck, chairman and CEO of the Boston Celtics, came to Watertown Middle School on Oct. 18. He spoke with about 50 students from three Watertown schools, including kids from the WMS leadership class. On his finger he wore the ring from the 2008 championship season.

     Wyc was on the basketball team in high school at Noble and Greenough, but he didn’t play much and he mostly sat “way down at the end of the bench.” He said it was a dream of his to play for the Red Sox or Celtics, but he just wasn’t good enough.

     “If you can’t play for them, you might as well own them,” he said.

     During the 2008 Finals, he told a story about sitting next to Tobey Maguire, who played Spider-Man, and how he ended up winning a $100 bet from the Lakers fan.

     “You are really not supposed to bet, but he was really in my face!” he said.

     So Wyc ended up going home with $100, as a “souvenir,” he said.

     The night the Celtics won the championship, he celebrated at the Garden and got home at 4:30 a.m. He put the championship trophy on the kitchen table and went to bed. At 7 a.m., the morning the phone is ringing and ringing.

     “I said, ‘I had this amazing dream,’ and I open my eyes here’s this trophy, and I say, ‘It wasn’t a dream!’

     “So I pick up the phone and they say, ‘Hi, this is the White House calling, the president’s on the line.’

     “So that’s what it feels like to win a championship: the president calls and wakes you up.”

     Wyc is 51 years old. He grew up in Weston, Mass. When he was growing up, he was a fan of all Boston sports teams.

     Wyc had always loved Boston sports teams, and when he found out that the Celtics may be for sale in 2002, he jumped right at the opportunity. He says, “Go after your goal to make it happen,” and that’s just what Wyc did.

     He was asked why he decided to buy the Celtics and not any other team.

    “Well, the Red Sox were sold in 2002 and the Patriots and Bruins weren’t ready to sell, so the only other option was the Celtics,” he said.

     Paul Gaston was the owner of the Celtics at the time.

     “There was a rumor maybe the Celtics could possibly be for sale, and the owner lived in, of all places, New York City,’’ he said. “So I made an appointment, knocked on his door, and said, ‘Will you sell me the Celtics?’ And he said, ‘Yes, I will. I’m tired of them.’ ”

     Wyc bought the team with his dad, Irving, and Steve Pagliuca, and other partners.

     “I have 25 partners with the Celtics, but there’s only one vote -- and I have it. So all the votes are 1-0,’’ he said. “So if it ever goes bad, it’s my fault. If it goes well, it’s Rondo and Doc and KG and Danny. But if it’s bad, it’s me.”

     Wyc says he likes all of the players on the team, but Paul Pierce is his favorite because he is the only player that is still on the team since Wyc’s first day. Wyc’s other favorites would be Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo.

     He said he feels great when the team wins or gets trophies, but not everything has a happy ending. Wyc said he doesn’t like when the Celtics lose games or the NBA has a lockout. Or when Ray Allen chooses to leave the Celtics for half the money and play for the rival Miami Heat.

     “I was so mad, to be honest,” he said.

     But in a way he also understood why Allen left. He said Allen was hurt that he was almost traded and that his starting position was given to Avery Bradley.

     “But, that’s OK. We’re just going to beat them,” he said.

     As Wyc sits on the sideline watching the Celtics score 3’s, his face describes pure enjoyment.

     When he began as owner of the Celtics, he didn’t get much sleep.

     “When we lose, I can’t sleep ... and when we win I still can’t sleep!” he said. 

     Something that he really doesn’t enjoy is cutting and trading people.

     “Once you get close to the players, having to let them go is very hard,” he said.

     Wyc grew up in Weston. After he got married in 1986, he moved out to San Francisco. They had a daughter, Kelsey, and three years later, a son, Campbell.

     Campbell was born blind so Wyc and his wife decided to come back to Massachusetts so Campbell could go to the Perkins School right here in Watertown. Interestingly, when Wyc was growing up, his mother volunteered at Perkins.

     “Having a special child has been a special experience,” he said.

     Campbell, now 20, has been a student at Perkins since he was 3.

     “Perkins is the best school in the world for him,” he said.

     He was asked, “Would you give up the Celtics for your son to get his vision back?”

     “Absolutely!” he said without hesitation.

     Every day Wyc is out and about. He is either traveling with the Celtics, going off to meetings, talking with students, or working with charities. Wyc and his wife, Corinne, and the Celtics are dedicated to helping charities.

     Corinne is the board chair of the Perkins Trust, and Wyc is the chair at Mass. Eye and Ear, the largest blindness and deafness research center in the world. 

     The team arranges for player appearances or help with projects, and gives game tickets for kids who have perfect attendance in school as a way of helping kids stay in school.

     The Celtics are involved in more than 800 charities. Some charities they are involved in are the Shamrock Foundation, Horizons for the Homeless, Camp Jabberwocky, the Boston Police Foundation, Horizons for Homeless Children, Cradles to Crayons,  and the Lovelane Special Needs Program.

     He takes off the whole summer to do things he loves to do with his family. In his free time, plays drums in his basement or rows on the Charles.

     “Exercising is a way to clear your mind,” he says.

     One question left him stuttering: “What is your least favorite thing about your job?”

      “I really love my job,’’ he said finally. “Nothing is really bad about it. It is one of the best jobs.”

     Being the owner of the Celtics, Wyc’s life is very busy. He said he loves his job. He describes it as one big family.

     There are 120 jobs at the Celtics and only 15 play basketball, but whenever the Celtics win a championship each and every person gets a championship ring.

     “We all love each other and help and respect each other all the time,’’ he said. “You guys all have a fair chance of being a part of the Celtics and I would love you if you joined when you get older. Any one of you could work for the Celtics and I hope to see you someday!

     “It’s not just a basketball team. It’s a career. It’s way to help people in the community -- and occasionally it’s a parade.”

     (Story reported and written by Watertown Splash staff reporters by Anahid O., Ani A., Catherin C., Catherine P., Chris K., Christina B., Daniela T., Dilara E., Emily K., Frankie H., Gabe C., Isaac G., Jaime M., Jeremy O., Jonna K., Lauren P., Lori D., Meghan F., Michael F., Sara G., and Sydney P.)

--Oct. 30, 2012--