What HASN'T Boston built a statue for Russell?

[Celts09]

i think we should think about that t mobile comercial with d Wade and Barkley.



If rocky can have a statue i think Russell should have one!

[GonzoLays]

Russell was his own man from the start and lived life on his own terms. He has said more than once that Red Auerbach's approach gave him the freedom to be just himself and that it is most unlikely he would have achieved anything like what he did under a different coach.

One implication is that his relationship with the media was always strained. They were always there, always looking for an angle, but to Russell they were shallow, intrusive, and only incidental to what he sought to achieve.

Despite needing the money he later got out of broadcasting because of its inevitable sound-bite approach. Rick Barry's infamous "watermelon grin" comment on national TV was an example of what Russell fought his whole life and the fact that Barry was allowed to slide by that was an example of the crap Russell hated.

There was racism of course, and the media seldom, if ever, held white racists responsible, but the problem was more than that. Ted Williams had many of the same problems for some of the same reasons.

Like the Cleveland Browns great running back Jim Brown, Russell wanted no part of role model game the media likes to play. He did not sign autographs and he did not make nice as a public figure even though he got along fine with his peers.

It was the 60's and black people were often angry....and high levels of integrity and self-respect often increased that anger....Jim Brown took a similar stance, as did John Carlos, and in his own way so did Muhammad Ali - although Ali, patterned after Jack Johnson, was willing to provide the show media outlets need.

For example, were Russell playing today and had the same attitude he would probably refuse to travel to the local schools with a bunch of NBA players who cut more classes than they attended and preach the value of reading to kids.

The hypocrisy just would not fly with him and both the NBA and the press would disturbed at his unwillingness to help sell the league to the public.

So the media resented Russell and the feeling was mutual.

Russell did not attend when his number was retired and he did not attend when he was inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Like many people (Ted Williams included) Russell mellowed with age and there might be a statue of him at some point.

But the lack of one at present is as much Russell's responsibility as anyone else's.

And while he certainly deserves public recognition, it should not be forgotten that Russell was about the team and its successes. Some sort of monument to the whole roster of the period with Russell's image playing the leading role would actually be more appropriate.

Greatest post ever? I felt like I was reading a book.

I want more...

[meatball sub]

Yeah that was definitely a great post. Well done, sir.

[tfmiii]

great post Big Hands, nothing to add

[BigHands]

Russell played in a game 7 ten times.....here a sports writer ranks his performances

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2 ... id=2453844

[BigHands]

Red talking about Russell and Bird

http://lexnihilnovi.blogspot.com/2007/1 ... -bird.html

[ArmstrongInGreen]

They're going to get to him, it takes time. He's still alive.

well philly's got a statue of rocky, and he's not even real...



LOL

[ArmstrongInGreen]

Not to get off topic here, but has anyone seen basketball from the 60's? My god, they look like they have no idea what they are doing.

I watched some classic games and I saw a sequence go like this:

* Cousy gets the ball, flips it behind his back to Heinson. Heinson flips the ball over his shoulder into the middle of the court (where the three point line would) to nobody in particular. Jerry West gets the ball and dribbles off his foot.

Next Sequence:

* No defense being played (im talking about HUGE CUSHIONS between the defender and offensive player)...Satch Sanders shoots an ugly airball, Heinson gets the ball and turns it over. Lakers rush back down court with their funky dribbling style, no offensive set, and just shoot. They miss....repeat all over again.

Basketball SUCKED backed then. A TON of guys in the league that should not have played because the NBA was not exactly an equal opportunity employer back then. Brutal.

Gonzo, i dunno if you noticed but back in those days refs would call a foul on a defensive player if you even so much as TOUCHED the person with the ball. back then the game was officiated much more strictly, things have changed a lot in the nba...

[ArmstrongInGreen]

Russell was his own man from the start and lived life on his own terms. He has said more than once that Red Auerbach's approach gave him the freedom to be just himself and that it is most unlikely he would have achieved anything like what he did under a different coach.

One implication is that his relationship with the media was always strained. They were always there, always looking for an angle, but to Russell they were shallow, intrusive, and only incidental to what he sought to achieve.

Despite needing the money he later got out of broadcasting because of its inevitable sound-bite approach. Rick Barry's infamous "watermelon grin" comment on national TV was an example of what Russell fought his whole life and the fact that Barry was allowed to slide by that was an example of the crap Russell hated.

There was racism of course, and the media seldom, if ever, held white racists responsible, but the problem was more than that. Ted Williams had many of the same problems for some of the same reasons.

Like the Cleveland Browns great running back Jim Brown, Russell wanted no part of role model game the media likes to play. He did not sign autographs and he did not make nice as a public figure even though he got along fine with his peers.

It was the 60's and black people were often angry....and high levels of integrity and self-respect often increased that anger....Jim Brown took a similar stance, as did John Carlos, and in his own way so did Muhammad Ali - although Ali, patterned after Jack Johnson, was willing to provide the show media outlets need.

For example, were Russell playing today and had the same attitude he would probably refuse to travel to the local schools with a bunch of NBA players who cut more classes than they attended and preach the value of reading to kids.

The hypocrisy just would not fly with him and both the NBA and the press would disturbed at his unwillingness to help sell the league to the public.

So the media resented Russell and the feeling was mutual.

Russell did not attend when his number was retired and he did not attend when he was inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Like many people (Ted Williams included) Russell mellowed with age and there might be a statue of him at some point.

But the lack of one at present is as much Russell's responsibility as anyone else's.

And while he certainly deserves public recognition, it should not be forgotten that Russell was about the team and its successes. Some sort of monument to the whole roster of the period with Russell's image playing the leading role would actually be more appropriate.

wow great post man i never really considered it that way but you're right on....statue or not statue, the nba should still name the DPOY after russell though, they need to get thier heads out of there asses

[sully00]

I recall Bill kind of turned down the idea of having the wooden statue carved of him that Bird and Havlicek have at the Garden.

He also didn't have just a strained relationship with the media he had a strained relationship with the fans and the city of Boston. Justified or not isn't the point, Bill Russell had a hand in shaping the perception of Boston being a racist city. While things are better now between Bill and the City those that lived through it don't necessarily remember him fondly.

Much like West in LA, Havlicek is the player that symbolizes the Celtics for that generation. Beyond that if it was easy being Bill Russell he wouldn't be so damn special.

[GuyClinch]

Not to get off topic here, but has anyone seen basketball from the 60's? My god, they look like they have no idea what they are doing.

Play has improved from the 60's but some of the players then would still do well today, IMHO. I think you can say the same about 80's basketball. They are more organized and shoot better but compared to the swarming switching help defense you see today - it's just a lot of people standing around..

Pete