Russell Inspires Patriots

[stephen beauregard <sb@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/214/sports/Making_a_winning_statement+.shtml

Making a winning statement

Russell appearance inspires the Patriots

By Nick Cafardo, Globe Staff, 8/2/2002

MITHFIELD, R.I. - Lawyer Milloy has reached the stage in his life, and
in his career, where being awed doesn't happen very often. He has been a
team captain, a Pro Bowler, and a Super Bowl champion. But Wednesday
evening, he was humbled.



Put it this way: Bill Belichick did it again.

''I rank that up there with the birth of my daughters and the Super
Bowl. I shook Bill Russell's hand,'' said Milloy.

Belichick has been trying to emphasize to his players that repeating as
champions is their goal, and what better way to drive the point home
than an appearance from Russell, who won 11 NBA titles, including eight
consecutive, with the Celtics.

Last year at this time, Belichick took the team to the IMAX Theatre in
Providence to watch Ernest Shackleton's ''Voyage of Endurance,'' a story
about overcoming life-threatening conditions and putting aside
individual thoughts for the good of the crew. The message got through.
The Patriots unified and went on to win the Super Bowl.

Belichick had wanted to find something to emphasize to his players how
much of an achievement and how difficult it is to repeat as Super Bowl
champions. So what did he do? He invited Russell to speak to the team.

Belichick again bused the Patriots to the IMAX in Providence. The
players had no idea what was to come. Only a few people in the
organization knew about Russell's appearance.

The players had guessed a film would be involved. When show time
arrived, at about 7:30 p.m., it was a documentary on Russell's life.

Milloy sat and watched. ''They were cloudy, old films, and I was saying,
`OK, Bill Russell, but what's this all about?'''

He started to figure it out. He perked up as Russell's work in the civil
rights movement was chronicled. Milloy had never known about that part
of the former Celtics star's life.

''As a black athlete, I could see what Bill Russell had to go through as
a young black man playing in Boston,'' said Milloy. ''Back then, things
weren't good for black athletes in Boston. Then I found out he had been
a coach, too, a black coach at a time when they weren't doing that
great. After winning all of those championships, he was a black coach
struggling. This wasn't California or Atlanta, this was Boston. So I
started thinking, `Gee, here's a man who did so much for us as black
athletes. Without him, we wouldn't be where we are today.'''

And so the players began to get into the movie. They began to feel
Russell's pain, and they began to understand the point - that Russell
was the consummate team player who gave up individual glory for the good
of the group. The film showed championship after championship, and after
every one it was pointed out how focused the Celtics were on winning
another.

''And then the film ended and Bill [Belichick] came out,'' said Milloy.
''He said, `And here's Bill Russell.'''

Russell walked out on the stage, and the players stood and applauded.
Tedy Bruschi, a lifelong Celtics fan, was nearly brought to tears.
Milloy said he had rarely been so moved.

Russell talked for 40 minutes about the focus and hunger needed to win.
The players soaked up every word.

When it was over, there was another standing ovation. By 9:30, the
players were gathered around Russell to shake his hand.

''Talk about a bunch of guys eager to talk to him and just picking his
brain,'' said defensive tackle Dave Nugent. ''The movie alone was great,
but when Bill [Belichick] said, `I'd like to introduce you to Bill
Russell,' we were floored. When he walked in, we said that's a living
legend right there. When he walked in, everybody sat up in his or her
chairs like the president was walking in or something. That's how much
respect they had for that guy.''

Milloy said he thought Belichick also asked Russell to talk to the team
because ''I think Bill is proud of us and he wants us to keep the same
focus we had last year. For us to watch the film and watching him go up
against Goliath [Wilt Chamberlain], yet they still came out victorious
because he was an unselfish individual and he involved his teammates,
that was the point that Bill was trying to get across. Even though you
might get more press than the others, don't ever think you don't need
your teammates. If you want to be a champion, you'd better utilize what
you have around you. Coach Belichick didn't have to tell the meaning of
what he did; that was self-explanatory.''

Belichick's timing never ceases to amaze Milloy. ''He always does it at
the right time,'' said Milloy. ''He knows our team is really working
hard. Being Super Bowl champions, maybe some teams gloat about that, but
we were working just as hard as if we were 5-11 again. He knows that we
need it. When we respond to him, he knows when to give us a little
reward. You learn new things every day.

''It was cool. You don't really need to respond too much or talk too
much to a guy like [Russell]. It's shaking hands and him looking you in
the eye and you looking him in the eye, that's all that needs to be
said. You keep it for yourself. Nobody really needs to understand and
know what was said. I'll just keep it right here.''

But Milloy did thank Russell for all that he accomplished in his career
and life and ''for all the things he's done to make our life better. As
a black athlete, that's so meaningful now. I hope I can pass something
along like that, too.''

This story ran on page D2 of the Boston Globe on 8/2/2002.
) Copyright 2002 Globe Newspaper Company