RIP Bill Russell

[wicked]

Cousy is the last one left from those teams, and he's not in great shape (he's also 93).

 

[BitterYoungMatador2]

 

[2muchcoffeeman]

 

[Brooklyn Bridge]

That’s a tremendous story. And to have a guest like that on studio at a college station? That’s really cool.

 

[Azrael]

A personal hero.

Met him once - '98 or '99 - and could barely speak.

The best who ever lived, to his rest.

 

[Jake from State Farm]

 

[Splendid Splinter]

Thé more you know. Had no clue

 

[DanOregon]

Imagine a McClymonds outfield of Robinson, Vada Pinson and Curt Flood. It happened. Paul Silas, Jim Hines and Ruth Pointer of the Pointer Sisters rolled through a few years later.

There have been athletes that have won like Russell, athletes that have been leaders on social issues like Russell - but nobody outside of Ali could call him a peer on both.

 

[goalmouth]

All those titles and still, Boston in the Sixties must have been torture for him.

 

[Baron Scicluna]

I said this on here a while back, but the Russell-era Celtics and Game 7 always reminds me of the fun story of how one year, Red Auerbach decides that he doesn’t have anything to say before Game 7 of the NBA Finals.

So Red asks one of the Celtics (not Russell, but I don’t recall who), to give the pep talk. The player stands up, goes up front, pauses for a minute, then writes on the chalkboard: “We win = $10,000. We lose = $5,000”. And sits down.

 

[ChrisLong]

Imagine a McClymonds outfield of Robinson, Vada Pinson and Curt Flood. It happened. Paul Silas, Jim Hines and Ruth Pointer of the Pointer Sisters rolled through a few years later.

There have been athletes that have won like Russell, athletes that have been leaders on social issues like Russell - but nobody outside of Ali could call him a peer on both.

When I think of athletes who were "winners," Bill Russell and Joe Morgan come to mind. Both grew up in Oakland.

 

[qtlaw]

I NEVER liked/rooted for the Celts, (1) they were always winning; and (2) Boston was lily white and I knew they had no place for someone like me.

Its so odd that the Celts were the MOST INTEGRATED team in all of sports in Boston.

Russell going 21-0 in Gm 7s and winner take all games? That's ridiculous. The Celts did not win until he got there, I did not realize that.

I enjoyed hearing him on the weekly basketball telecast and was sorely disappointed when he left after Barry made the infamous "watermelon grin" comment.

Given the obstacles he faced, what a great, great man. May he RIP.

 

[heyabbott]

When I think of athletes who were "winners," Bill Russell and Joe Morgan come to mind. Both grew up in Oakland.

Morgan? Please. Check his post season slash line.

Yogi Berra, 10 World Series Championships as a player and a Purple Heart awarded for injuries suffered during the Normandy Invasion.

 

[Scout]

Only in Boston

Nope

 

[wicked]

I enjoyed hearing him on the weekly basketball telecast and was sorely disappointed when he left after Barry made the infamous "watermelon grin" comment.

Wow, that’s the first I heard of it. I googled it and… that’s bad. Even by 1981 standards. When the camera went to Russell he looked like he was gonna beat the hell out of Rick Barry, who from all accounts belongs in the Asshole Hall of Fame.

 

[goalmouth]

 

[ChrisLong]

Morgan? Please. Check his post season slash line.

Yogi Berra, 10 World Series Championships as a player and a Purple Heart awarded for injuries suffered during the Normandy Invasion.

I don't need slash lines when I have eyes. Whichever teams Morgan went to turned into winners. Best player on the Big Red Machine.
With all due respect to Berra, he wasn't near the best player on the Bronx Bombers. But I'm glad he won WWII for us.

 

[Neutral Corner]

True enough, but Berra was a prototypical glue guy.

 

[Scout]

I don't need slash lines when I have eyes. Whichever teams Morgan went to turned into winners. Best player on the Big Red Machine.
With all due respect to Berra, he wasn't near the best player on the Bronx Bombers. But I'm glad he won WWII for us.

Stargell and Clemente each were on two World Series champions.

The exact same number of championships Joe Morgan won.

I’m pretty sure the Astros never had a winning record until they traded Morgan for Lee May.

 

[cyclingwriter2]

Not to turn this into a Yogi Berra thread, but he won three MVPs and never finished lower than fourth in mvp voting from 1950 through 1956. He had mvp votes in 15 straight seasons. He wasn’t Kurt Rambis or Dave Concepcion. He was a top player for most of his stay and likely the best player in the AL for five years.