Russel

["R. Bentz Kirby" <bocelts@usit.net>]

It was said:

> I'd like
> to
> see 6-9, 220-pound Bill Russell stop 350-pound Shaq from establishing
> himself under the basket and then slamming it home, or watch Cousy guard
> Iverson (I'm talking Russell and Cousy in their prime, of course).

Ya know, Russell did have to guard Chamberlain.  Not much different.  In
fact, I'd like to see Shaq try to play if they called him for charging,
walking, 3 seconds and other offences that are routinely ignored.

As for Cousy, who knows what kind of player he would be if he came up
today with weight training, basketball camps, etc.  He would still have
great vision, cross over, ball handling, etc.  And somethings can't be
taught.  The intangibles he had and would still have.

I remember reading an article where Russell was talking about he and
some of the Celtics going out on the court, finding all their blind
spots in their vision, finding all the funny spots on the floor and
working on covering each other on defense and knowing where the other
was on offense.

Bird spent hours by himself working on those aspects of his game.  Can
you imagine Toine in Boston doing that with Pierce etc, so that they
could play better team offense and defense.  It ain't gonna happen.

Better athletes, maybe but nutrition etc has changed.  And we don't know
how much steroids etc plays in this either.  Better players, I am not
convinced.  Cousy, O, Wilt, Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, KC, Sam Jones,
Heinshon, all the top players would still be top players if they came up
today.  And the Bailey Howells could still hack, rebound, and set
screens.  Some things just can't be compared.  And Connie Hawkins might
have ruled them all if he hadn't been cheated out of the best years of
his career!

-- 
Bentz
bocelts@usit.net

http://www.scsn.net/users/sclaw