Seeing Red

[Gene Kirkpatrick <gkir@tjc.tyler.cc.tx.us>]

For the second year in a row, I was "bounced."  Oh, the ignominy of it all.
At the end of my vacation I began to read "Seeing Red," the excellent
biography (by Shaunnessy) of the old master.  He shows warts and all,
ten seasons in the league before a championship, all the ideas Red
brought to the league:  clearing house his first year with the Celts,
moving the center out to create forward scoring, pressing, running, etc.

The link of all this to the last list discussions I was reading is the chapter
on Russell.  If you are too young to have seen Russ play, read about him
before assigning so much greatness to Mr. Jordan.  Russell led a good
team to a championship his first year, lost the second year when he had
an ankle injury in the playoffs, then ripped off eight straight, ending with
eleven of thirteen championships.  If his rebounding and blocked shot
stats don't convince you, then rings and banners should.  There has
never been a better basketball player ever.

Further, I suggest those who ascribe the topmost position to Mr. Jordan
are not far off, just off.  There are no style points in judging greatness,
only reasoned comparisons of various basketball skills and winning. 
And, having been reminded of the glory years through this excellent
book, I once again suggest that the greatest team of all time was one of
those Celtic teams of the sixties--or two or three of them.  Take your
pick.  Nobody at any time could beat a Russell led Celtics team.

Gene    (not really that old)

P.S.  Thanks for all those who got the Dino/DeClerq matter settled while I
was gone.