Ray Allen took out a full page ad in yesterday’s Boston Globe to send one final message to Celtics fans.

Dear Celtics Fans,

For the past five years, my family and I took great pride in calling Boston home.  We have loved living in this city, being members of the Celtics family and being part of your community.  These memories will be cherished forever.

From my heart, THANK YOU Boston for this incredible journey.

Ray Allen #20.

Ray, in case you forgot, you chose to leave Boston.  The Celtics actively pursued you and made it clear they wanted you back.  They even offered you more money than any other team, yet you still decided to leave.  For Miami.

To me, this letter has guilt written all over it.

It is no secret that Boston fans are very passionate about their teams, and when one player decides to leave, it usually doesn’t sit well, especially when said player crosses to the dark side.

These letters and messages are meant for players who did not want to leave.  Take Kevin Youkilis, who was traded from the Red Sox a few weeks ago and will return to Fenway tonight for the first time as a member of the Chicago White Sox.

He posted a letter on ESPNBoston.com yesterday, thanking Red Sox Nation for his time in Boston.  He loved Boston and did not want to leave, but he had no choice because the team made that decision for him.

Ray had a choice.  Ray chose Miami.  He knew the relationship between the Celtics and the Heat, and he had to how fans would feel about his new contract with the team that knocked Boston out of the playoffs two years in a row.

If Ray is looking for sympathy, he certainly is not going to get it.  Celtics fans will eventually get over the fact that he left for Miami, but that does not mean they will ever truly forgive him.

What was your take on Ray’s letter?  Let us know in the comments below!