Celtics Central

(Revised)

Bill Russell, basketball giant, revolutionary, cultural icon, and apparent introvert, has always remained somewhat of a mystery. He reveals why in this book. Simply…he is a most private person, and could even be considered a loner. But that would only be partially correct.

In reading this book, Bill Russell reveals himself as he understands himself. He was honest about things (suspiciousness of white people born of blatant racism and less blatant prejudice) both positive and negative.

His very normal human reactions blended with the more idiosyncratic tendencies of a painfully private person appeared to form a stark contrast with the man who accomplished mind boggling success in his career.

I came to the conclusion that, in fact, it is those extreme idiosyncracies that drove Bill Russell to be so very unique. There is no other way to connect the two parts of the man.

Meet young Bill Russell….

“One of my innovations was the blocked shot, which revolutionized how defense could be played. People still ask me today, “Who taught you how to do that?” Well, nobody! I had never seen a blocked shot in a basketball game before I did it! I estimated that, in college, I averaged at least fifteen blocks a game. Often, I started fast breaks off those blocks, which revolutionized the way offense could be played.”

Bill Russell’s new book is called ‘Red and Me’. It was co-authored with Alan Steinberg. Still, it reads close to how Bill Russell might actually talk.

It is a great read. Whether you grew up watching Russell and the Celtics make history or you are a student and lover of the game, you will enjoy it.

With Father’s Day coming up, it’s time for a special break from the current NBA. What a great Father’s Day gift. (No. I’m not getting paid to endorse it.)

It is full of Celtic gold. But more than that, it gives you insight into two very interesting men and icons of the game. They are undoubtably the first two and biggest faces on the Celtics’ own Mt. Rushmore. In this tribute to his deceased friend, Mr. Russell reveals how much the two of them were alike.

He takes you on an abbreviated journey (only 170 something pages) through his life up, right up to Red’s death. It’s sprinkled with some previously private thoughts and experiences. A man who hasn’t liked to share very much with the public world does so here, in order to honor Red. Personal loyalty overcomes his natural inclinations to do so.

Over the next few days, I’ll share with you a few snippets.

Bill begins with his own childhood in order to explain the values and mindset he grew up with and shaped him as a young man. His sense of dignity and unfailing determination to be treated like a man, not as a black man, came from his grandfather and far more from his father (who he called Mister Charlie). But I’ll leave those stories for you to read in the book.

As amazing as it seems today, Red never saw Bill play before he drafted him. There weren’t scouts and game films then. He went on the advice of two people, Bill Reinhart, (Red’s former college coach) and a former Celtic player (Don Barksdale -who lived in Oakland). They both told Red that this was the guy who will win you championships. Red ‘tracked’ Bill’s senior year at San Francisco.

Red saw within a week of Russell’s arrival with the Celtics…

” that despite all the accepted wisdom about how a center should play, I did not play that way. I was going to be the dominant force in professional basketball, and we both knew that.

Red had been an offensive-minded coach. Most similar coaches would have tried to shape me to their offensive scheme, and force me to play the way previous centers played in that scheme.

Red didn’t do that. Instead of clinging to a fixed strategy, as he learned more about my game he made adjustments in his approach to accommodate my strengths, in particular.”

The dynamics between Red and Bill and Red and his players generally is enlightening….

It was funny, though, Red’s public image was that he was so domineering, he made Vince Lombardi seem like a choirboy. But he wasn’t like that.

When he talked to us about game strategies, he used to tell us in the huddle, “I don’t know everything. I can’t put this stuff on the floor for you. You guys have to do that. What do you think? It’s important to know what you what you guys think because it’s no good if it’s a strategy you don’t buy into.”

To me, that was a novel approach. Back then, coaches never admitted that – it was always the players that didn’t know something. Second, asking us what we think? Unheard of.

There is nugget after nugget as their stories unfold. Mr. Russell’s desire to focus on the human aspects elevates the book to a higher level. Though it has game and locker room anecdotes, it goes far beyond that.

You walk away knowing both men better, and in ways I never expected. Did you know that Bill Russell never practiced?

Buy it. Read it.