Perhaps the greatest of them all. And with 11 Championships in 13 seasons it would be hard to argue.
What a great life - never compromised his principles - was feted one night in his hometown of Reading MA, then went home to find his house ransacked and vandalized - Bill never forgot that - it's why when his number was first retired, it was in private, with no fans allowed - he couldn't be a hypocrite no matter what
RIP, Bill Russell - greatest team player and defensive player of them all - sad day indeed
It belongs here
Cooz
Happy birthday Bob Cousy, 94 today
He was the Celtics TV commentator for a long time - he made a good comment after one game, that featured a big comeback - it was the proverbial game of two halves, and Bob made the offhand comment that (paraphrasing) "this game was like my career - I had a career of two halves, so-so the first half, world beaters second half, and what was the difference?
"R-U-S-S-E-L-L"
Cooz and Tom Sanders, 83, are the only two left from that era - Cousy, Satch and Russell had incomparable 13-year careers on the parquet
Bob had a great intro at one of the reunion events one time - "all the kids on the playground having a blast doing behind the back passes, no look passes, fancy dribbling, speediest player on the court - they don't know that they're imitating the Houdini of the Hardwood, Bob Cousy!"
Today, sports fans echo the leather-lunged fan at Cousy's April 1963 retirement - "we love ya Cooz"
